Apple unveils new, instant-on MacBook Air: 'MacBook meets iPad' - Page 9

Um, there are many tablets out there. Look up the Galaxy Tab, for example.

Just got back from the Apple store, well as expected the 11" 1.4ghz under performed on a basic hd video stream test, very choppy video not even in fullscreen. The same video ran smooth on the 13" 1,86ghz air. both had 2gb ram... i'll tell you one thing the regular 13" MBP now feels heavy as lead in comparison to these new birds !

The Galaxy Tab is the only viable alternative, and it's not available until next month. Prices are not yet worked out, but at first glance, the iPad is still looking pretty good.

Interesting, I tried a few 720p movie trailers from the Apple site on the 11.6" 1.4ghz today and found the video playback to be smooth, even in fullscreen.

Ha, sorry but the ultimate Steve Jobs video will always be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNSHA3FBW2U

(with animated RDF!)

Maybe he was using Flash (without h264 GPU decoding)

I've flown transatlantic flights on American, British Air, Air France and United. Unless you 're sitting in the 1st or Business class, you won't get a power outlet.

Then go back and watch the keynote, because SJ just say they did focus group for these products. he may not have called them focus group (if i could find a transcript I would send a link) but that's essentially what he was describing.

that wasn't even the point of my comment, so if you have anything to say about that I welcome it.

if you actually read and understood my comment, you would see that i was agreeing with you. So I guess reading comprehension is not your strong suit.

Yep Flash: http://kanyewest.com/GOODFridays/

I've ordered an 11.6 1.6ghz - will try this out when it arrives and report to see if its any better than the 1.4 at playback..

Youve never heard the term used to indicate that one is acknowledging what the other is saying? In other words, after your clarification I get where you are coming from.

Unfortunately, he misinterpreted it (incredibly incorrectly and mystifyingly) as "Aha, I gotcha (got you/successfully pulled a prank); that's not really what I meant."

TONIGHT ON LINGUISTIC THEATRE!

Interesting. I would tend to accept the following review over your anecdotal experience. However, I may have read the review wrong.

Quote:

The reason why Apple chose to stay with a Core 2 Duo was so that it can benefit from a better graphics environment, specifically Nvidia's integrated one. The Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics chip is the MacBook Air's one redeeming feature in terms of performance.

Though it's not the kind of laptop you'd bring to a LAN party, it's a better gaming solution than Intel's integrated graphicsthe kind found in the Asus Ul20FT-A1, Acer AS1830T-3721, and Toshiba T235-S1350.

Its 3DMark 06 scores (4,569 and 3,984) were at least three-times better than the rest of the field.

It was the only laptop that could handle our 3D intensive gaming demos, Crysis and Lost Planet 2.

PCMark Vantage scores also favored the 11-inch Air (4,226), since a good chunk of this test is 3D intensive.

A better graphics solution also benefits HD playback: I tried several 1080p and 720p high-definition video clips, at high bit rates, and the 11-inch MacBook Air played them beautifully.

For those who are worried about heat, the base of the system measured 83-87 degree Fahrenheit (measured with a Fluke Thermometer) while playing back an HD video clip and rendering a photo with Photoshop CS5. Excessive heat is not an issue from what I'm seeing so far.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2371199,00.asp#

Note that the reviewer found that MBA 11 lacking under the Photoshop CS5 test. Then, it might have faired better with more RAM, but why anybody would consider getting this model for such duties is beyond comprehension.

I can see how the term by itself could be misunderstood, but I thought my statement immediately followed would have clarified the meaning. I think Ill go back to mea culpa just to be safe.

Just who are 'we' you continually refer to? Bet they are the same people that complained about the iPhone 4 antenna, even though they didn't have one.

Reread the thread... I was talking about a HD flash video, it's already been mentioned Apple HD videos run smooth, anyways I provided the link, go to an Apple store and try it out for yourself..

That isnt sufficient data. There is no standard definition of basic HD video stream test so we have no codec, container, bit rate, app you were using for this test.

People need to learn to read, the link to the video is posted, comment #333

Test was done under Safari (duh)

1) I responded to post #324. That comes before #333. On top of that, Im not going to read every single post in a particular thread, I expect the writer to at least to attempt at being clear since the point of writing is to communicate. You could have even edited your original post with the clarification.

2) Its still not clear what version of Flash you used, what the resolution of the video is, what the bit rate is. These things are important. If the MBA cant play a H.264 HW accelerated 720p Flash video at 1Mbps from a website then that is an issue. Again, there is insufficient data.

3) Posting a link is nice, but its usually not very informative in and of itself. Also, I did go to that site and it didnt spike my HW accelerated Flash 10.1 on my MBP at all. Fans didnt speed up and the temps didnt rise (something that can happen because the GPU is now doing the work). I have the Nvidia 320M that is in both these new MBAs. Also, who knows if that site is trying to use impressive bit rates to push a overly clear video, or the opposite, like with YouTubes weak 720p and 1080p bit rates (even though I can DL those files to verify the codec and bit rates). For that reason its best to test on testing sites to get an idea for thresholds, though one surely should go to the sites they use to verify that the machine will work for them.

Listen i never claimed to be any kind of certified benchmark authority here... i simply opened safari on both MBA's and navigated to the said site, and noticed the 11" was seriously lagging while the 13" ran smooth. Since both MBA's have the same Nvidia card and same amount of RAM, i am under the assumption that what's at play here is the core2duo speed, its kind of self-explanatory but i welcome anybody to do further testings and post results...

The new machines are very good for sure, but forget youtube vids and even some h.2XX vids. I have the late 2009 13" 1.6 MBA and it overheats a lot playing vids. When it overheats the processor decreases power.

I couldn't even see the entire apple wednesday keynote from apple website without closing safari, wait some minutes, open safari again a couple of times (this is a knonw issue just search "mba overheat").

I'm really worried about the 1.4 performance because everyone once in a while everyone uses youtube, and when the buyer realizes he cant do it, it will be very disappointed...

Steve just just upgrade the processors please.. most don't care about less autonomy .. i want a machine where i can watch any 360p!!!!! vids and still have the same portability \

Thanks.

1) You are actually comparing your 9400M IGP for the performance you mention, not the CPUs.

2) The event was streamable on iPhones but you say a 2009 MBA overheating and you think its a performance issue and not an overheating issue despite your comment on the overheating? Based on your comments its very likely you have some other issues with your system that you arent aware of.

3) What processors do you recommend then? if you think these expensive LV and ULV C2Ds arent very good. How about a 2GHz Atom CPU with Intel GM550 IGP like in the $1300 Sony Vaio X? That is 600MHz faster then your CPU, and the GM550 is G230 more than 320M in the new MBA, right?

Um, shouldn't Apple have all this figured out before it ships?

Digging further into the MBA's specs i just noticed that the 11" uses 3mb of L2 cache with a 800mhz frontside bus VS. 6mb of L2 cache with a 1066mhz frontside bus on the 13".

Apple did, its certain people that cant figure it out.



And this is shocking because you think that a CPU with almost half the TDP should have more L2 and a faster FSB, or do you think Apple forced Intel to make their Ultra-Low Voltage (10W TDP) chips perform less than Low Voltage (17W TDP) chips?

i was stating that information in regard to a possible explanation to the video stream performance testing i mentioned earlier but i guess you were too busy trying to be a prick and that flew right above you.

Sure - and what is the unsubsidized price and the size of the screen?

Still want to assert they are following in Apple's footsteps or that Apple isn't a good value proposition?

If you look on all those carriers long-haul planes at a site like seatguru.com, while they may not have power at every seat they are space around to where it's fairly trivial to be sitting near power on most carriers. Some airlines are better than others - it's pretty easy to get power in economy on American. British Air and Air France are highly dependent on which plane you get put on so check your itinerary.

United was the worst, not offering it at all. As if I needed any more excuses to not fly United

Anyway, it's pretty easy to check a site like seatguru.com and figure out which carriers/planes are the better deal if you need power for a long flight. I went overseas earlier this year and it was a deciding factor for me in choosing between flights - it really isn't that big a deal

Some of the few intelligent posts in the first four pages I read. I'm getting depressed about wading through the lack of Mac knowledge in most discussions lately. Part of the influx of the great unwashed into Macland?

And as for most of the whining, bitching and carping - all from people who aren't the target users in the first place. Sheesh. If you "use optical drives all the time" you're not in the Air's demographic. Etc., etc., ad nauseum


This omission is puzzling in what's otherwise an upscale, fetish device for the terminally trendy and weight/space constrained.


I'm still getting great use out of my 2004 1.33 GHZ G4 plastic iBook - looks good, runs great!

It is ready for demotion though - just lost its "6" key (not the plastic cap or switch, but deeper in the MB) and not worth throwing a new battery at (still on the original! but only 20 min. of run time left), e.g., so I was hoping for a bit more in the refresh dept. on the rest of the MBP's. And finally can't wait any longer for the next version which is likely to have features that will make better use of Lion. Ahh well, there's no cheap way around "future shock." So a 15" i7 it likely is for my main machine, since I'll probably use that for another 6 years!

Funny how this supposed heat-dissipation issue doesn't affect the Toshiba Satellite T235-S1350

You’re really comparing a machine with a Pentium* U5400 at 1.2GHz using Intel HD graphics and no other graphics chip with dimensions of 12.7” x 8.8” x 0.70”/1.03” and starting at 3.9lb, to the MacBook Air with a C2D SL9600 at 2.13GHz with an Nvidia 330M which adds a reported 12-20W with dimensions of 11.8” x 7.56” x 0.11"/0.68” and weighing in at 2.3 pounds? REALLY?!

•

http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/cont...T235-S1350.pdf
• http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=49156
* Yeah, I said Pentium. Intel disables a bunch of features and uses the older the marketing term to sell at cheaper prices. I can’t find a price for this chip but I would imagine it’s about half as much as the chips used in the MBAs.

1) maybe... so the problem is the 9400 not the CPU!
2) applecare says there is no problem. The only problem is actually the performance.. if u had one you would know it, its frustrating. Obviously the version on the iphones was with a lower resolution.
3) i recommend more powerfull C2D.

Maybe he literally meant it was "funny" in the sense that his comparison was nonsensical and he was a clown.

1) I believe the 320M is something like twice as powerful as the 9400M, so no surprise 320M-based systems have no problem vs the 9400.
3) The problem is that there are no more powerful C2D chips within the power envelopes needed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...Form_Factor.29

Top-end 10W C2Ds are 1.4 and 1.6GHz, which they used. Next step up are the matching Penryn's at 17W. Same processor speeds we're seeing in the 13". Apple is at the mercy of Intel's processor list. Their only other options are to wait for Sandy Bridge, which still doesn't have OpenCL support and the graphics portion still lags the 320M or to switch over to AMD's next-gen product, which has unknown quantities, not to mention unclear performance as AMD has been cautious on their claims.

Neither Intel or AMD has their next-gen products ready yet tho and Apple clearly wanted to cement a product line for the holidays. They made their design decisions, had certain goals that I assume they achieved and released a new version of a very niche product. This new version will likely be more popular than the previous version and let's be perfectly honest. We're a bunch of tech-geeks. We're a lot more picky about our products. This will fit a lot of business users needs very well at a much lower starting price point and it will also slot nicely w/the people who are mostly buying a laptop for email and browsing the web who just want something smaller. The instant-on, long standby times and reasonable capabilities make it no slouch for them