Sources: Apple to unveil revamped 11.6-inch MacBook Air next week - Page 2

Don't forget 30 minutes of combined clapping throughout the presentation, and perhaps people laughing in Steve Jobs' face like morons when he asks them to disable wifi...

I agree, but maybe you're being a bit ergo-centric. Why even have a keyboard? I would think that by that time you'd have a voice conversation with it. Dictation is more futuristic as an user interface.

He made the DNA comment two years ago. It was in response to the suggestion of slashing the prices of existing Mac(s) - not some future new category or form factor (iPad) or MacMini (not a complete computer).
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10072393-37.html

I think you have to see what it looks like. On the surface I would think that the iphone 4's screen is 'just too small'. But with the incredibly high resolution its quite comfortable doing a lot of stuff. I find the ipad's screen a bit too low in resolution.

We'll almost certainly see a smaller screen with the same or higher number of pixels. My guess is that it will seem bigger and be very easy to work with. We'll see next week. And a good idea is to try it out before dismissing it as 'too small' or declaring it an improvement.

One thing Apple doesn't need to do is dumb down Mac OS/X. I can see it picking up some Touch tech but not the silly resyrictions of iOS. Like it or not there are intelligent people on this planet that actually use the power of Mac OS/X!!! So no dumbing down of our OS, I would hate to have to go back to Linux.

Most Calculators are not programable, and when they can only be programmed with a small set of math functions.

The iPad is a general purpose computer that can be programmed to do anything that any other computer can do. It may be limited in horsepower, as are all computers, but it still is a computer.

It might take your laptop 5 years to compute the molecular structure of some complex molecule, instead of one hour on some heed up Mac Pro, but that does not mean that yours is not a computer!

As long as you can back up to any old HD using TM its not a big deal is it? I guess it depends a little on upgradability and replacability but not many people complain about lack of standards based storage in iPhones and iPads.

You can't get ahead of the competition without doing something new. And new things can't be a standard (though they could eventually become that).

I'd argue it would be smartening it up.

That would be nice ... Hopefully when they are lighter though. Liquidmetal soon I hope.

Works fine for Sony.

Not disagreeing with you, just making a point. I hate Sony.

Nice!

HP-65, 1974: $795
iPad, 2010: $499
Refuting a half-baked assertion without typing a word: priceless

this sounds expensive until you think about it as the same hardware as the iPad, in a clamshell with a keyboard.

1 GHZ / 512mb / 32gb for $799
1.2GHZ / 512mb / 64gb for $999

128gb BTO

Proprieitory storage..well it is to some extent. the so called SSD Card is memory( the memory without the controller and firmware) So Apple buys memory from manufacturers, uses its own controllers with the memory and calls it "proprietory storage" .

Start selling stuff you don't really need.

i'm sure several sites will have live blog updates; not too sure about video though.

mention of a proprietary SSD drive is somewhat of surprise to me. i suppose it was customised for the MacBook Air form factor.

Guys, don't get hung up on the word proprietary. It's not the same as a removable Sony stick Sony customers are stuck with. It's the same as in the iPhone and iPad, etc. Just like the battery, it's necessary in order to fit it in this tiny, thin, cramped space. The MBA is not intended to serve as a large, permanent storage device. That's external. This is ultraportable.

Or, it is a computer and it is 2010, not 2008 when he made that quote. Things change.

Or telling the daycare that they should be paying me for the privilege of spending the day with my 3 year old

I agree wholeheartedly, and this is why I have not picked up an iPad. For short trips I use a windows based netbook, precisely because it is small, light, and does the simple things like email and running office. For longer trips, I lug my 15" MBP, which I hate to do. I have been waiting for a small (hopefully reasonably price) MBA.

You're right on here. The problem that many people have is they expect to use a mobile computer as their desktop. We do get spoiled when laptops are as powerful as our desktops were, but they really never were meant to replace a desktop. This, IMO, is why people are OK with storage limitations in iOS devices, but others complain about it. There will always be those who want the entire catalog of their life in their pocket. Maybe someday, but not today.

What would be the difference in size if the overall form factor reduced but only by removing bevel from around keyboard & screen? What if we find out the screen size hasn't changed, that the laptop has just shed that extra inch around the keyboard & screen. That would be very cool.

And just how many angels do you think can dance on the head of a pin?

WTF?! That's exactly what a netbook is. If this report is true, Apple is now making a netbook.

I think it was a joke. The iPad is 11.75 inches.

I would agree not to get hung up on the word because AppleInsider is famous for using the wrong words in their articles and getting everyone hot under the collar because they don't describe things properly.

However, "proprietary" actually means exactly what you say it doesn't mean. A "proprietary SSD stick" from Apple is pretty much exactly the same thing as Sony's memory sticks. We can hope it's not true, or that if it is true they licence the technology, but you can't just redefine the word proprietary.

how many of you guys have actually exchanged the stock drive from their MBA? I bet less than 10%. If the proprietary integration of storage allows for significant price and space savings, that's all good. It's a logical step forward from proprietary batteries to optimize charge/space ratio while sacrificing user replaceability.

To be fair, the proprietary memory stick arguably cost Sony a lot of customers as well as their leadership position in some markets. I know I stopped using Clie's for this reason and I know I'm not alone.

That being said, Apple's customers are already playing in the walled garden of Apple products by virtue of the fact that Apple makes all OS-X compatible products themselves and there isn't really an issue of taking that hard drive stick out and putting it in another product that isn't an Apple product. I would bet also that they will release something like a drive caddy for it with a USB 3 or FireWire interface so you can transfer data off of it.

How about a new dual core A4 based system. They have OS X's guts running real nice on the iOS devices, might be OK with more power and a graphics bump.

I agree. macBook Airs break a lot and being able to pull out the drive/stick/whatever and slide it into a new one would be invaluable. I'm sure Apple lost a mint on repair costs for the original MacBook Air and making the computer essentially disposable in this way while making sure that the data storage is far more reliable is an obvious move. In that it also would reduce heat and perhaps remove the fans, it could singlehandedly solve all the primary problems the first model experienced.

Or there was deflation.

Id bet money its electronically identical to mini-PCI, though mechanically proprietary. That is what Apple did with the AirPort Extreme Card, if I remember correctly.


Despite the cons, this has many benefits. This should be very fast and can be made to fit whatever form they wish. It could even be a large array of NAND atop or below the MoBo, something you dont see with HDDs or SSDs because of the thickness. That could lower the footprint. Or they could go the other way and spread it out over a greater area so the casing can be thinner or fit some odd shape. It opens up a lot options.

BTW, how often are people replacing their solid-state storage anyway? I bet its even lower than those who use replaceable batteries.


it should be impressive. Apple can tweak this even further to make it work better for their OS. But what OS will they use? If they call it a Mac I would expect Mac OS X, but I dont expect Mac OS X to be made to run ARM processors. I expect a SFF CULV Core-i7. I do think making it a convertible notebook that doubles as a tablet, so I can see an iOS app simulator-type app, but I dont expect it to run iOS (or iOS to run x86).


Im curious about the usability. I loved my 12.1 4:3 PowerBook, but my 13.3 16:10 MBP has less screen height which means less readable content, though its certainly workable. An 11.6 16:10 display is noticeably shorter, and even though a full-sized keyboard will fit will there be enough room for a full-sized trackpad? Finally, what about ports.

Proprietary storgage is cool if it's not user-accessible. That way it doesn't matter. Proprietary storage isn't cool if users can get at it but it only fits one brand's devices (e.g. Memory Stick).

Me too! the new MBA, my iPhone 4 and an iPad 3Gs! Thats all I need!

Best

Hang in there! Keep working!

Not sure how to feel about this one.

I wonder if this is pushing the size boundary just a little bit. I have the SSD Air, and it's JUST large enough to give me adequate screen real estate... but it's already treading a fine line in terms of size. True, the iPad is a lot smaller, but I don't use it for the same things; for traditional "computer" stuff, especially with multiple windows involved, I still need a full-size keyboard and a screen that my old eyes can actually see. And 13" seems to be the lower limit. Or 12", for some people.

But smaller than that? Hey, I own a lot of Apple gear, but this is one where I'm not feeling the love. I think the 2.7lb weight is awesome, but at the cost of squinting every time I want to do some work?

Ech - maybe I'm just being a curmudgeon. But I do think you can push the miniaturization thing too far.

The 9.7" iPad is both too big a too heavy, anyone here who wants bigger needs to be checked. That's not the saying the iPad isn't great. But I see the number 1 complaint being it's a little bit too big and heavy. Especially too heavy.

Whatever about this Air, and it seems like it's going to be 11.6", and probably 16:9, I think iPad 2 should be 9" - even. Smaller, not bigger.

AppleInsider put it in red text, it's probably true. For those wondering, the Macbook Air falls into the ultraportable category, not the netbook category. Netbooks are defined by their size, price and performance. The Air would only be similar in one of those three categories.

Oh FFS, here comes the brainless bitchin' again...

1) The current Air is barely upgradable: would you say Apple uses "proprietary memory" because its RAM is built-in the motherboard? This is a non-issue.

2) Even if you wanted more memory, you would have bought the wrong Mac because guess what: it's a MacBook Air. It's not supposed to have more than 256Gb of stuff in it at the same time. That means files which you can't just throw around easily, and to fill a 256GB SSD, that would have to mean Pro apps, which are not this computer's strength at all.

3) In the event you fill up your Air with other, easier to manage files like documents, photos and videos, you wouldn't buy a SSD for storing it because it would be a retarded waste of money. Instead, buy a Time Capsule (or other external HD) and be happy.


No, it is not. They are called netbooks because the heaviest kind of work you can do with is surf the 'net. Not even the first Air could fit in that category.