How about a sheet of paper? Too thin to be useful? How about a clipboard? In ten years the MBA will be the thickness of a clipboard. It'll stand by itself and the camera will watch your fingers type on the tabletop and input the text. Then, maybe, it'll be thin enough. Maybe.
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).
I love my first-gen MBA and was holding off purchasing a replacement MBA (I want SSD, NVidia) until their announcement. If it is indeed true that they are reducing the size of their display, I may have to pass and go to a MBP. The current size is the absolute minimum I would go. I use my MBA as my 9-to-5 work machine and the weight savings is indispensable when commuting by motorbike.
I hope they offer the MBA in a higher screen size. 11" is just too small for me.
Will be interesting to see the new one in person though. I'd like to see how the integrated storage solution works out in real-world usage.
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.
SJ may have been right at that time. The landscape has changed considerably with the introduction of the iPad. Apple has learned a lot about how to reduce costs as pointed out in the article. Besides - the Airs may cost more than 500. I suspect the price will be a step up from the iPad but less than the MBP. I suspect that the Air will become the new MB.
What I look forward to seeing is how, and to what extent IOS will inform OSX in this and future revisions. With so many IOS (but non-OSX) users a lot can ride on this. A simplified OS to which an IOS user needs no introduction would be a great selling point.
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.
The iPad is not a computer. Even though many other devices do computing functions they are not exactly considered computers in the general sense. Take a calculator for example, it can compute, but it is not considered a computer, same goes for my iPhone. Technically these devices are computers but in the general sense they are not.
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.
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.
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" .
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.
The iPad is not a computer. Even though many other devices do computing functions they are not exactly considered computers in the general sense. Take a calculator for example, it can compute, but it is not considered a computer, same goes for my iPhone. Technically these devices are computers but in the general sense they are not.
Or, it is a computer and it is 2010, not 2008 when he made that quote. Things change.
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.
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.
Comments
How about a sheet of paper? Too thin to be useful? How about a clipboard? In ten years the MBA will be the thickness of a clipboard. It'll stand by itself and the camera will watch your fingers type on the tabletop and input the text. Then, maybe, it'll be thin enough. Maybe.
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.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10072393-37.html
I love my first-gen MBA and was holding off purchasing a replacement MBA (I want SSD, NVidia) until their announcement. If it is indeed true that they are reducing the size of their display, I may have to pass and go to a MBP. The current size is the absolute minimum I would go. I use my MBA as my 9-to-5 work machine and the weight savings is indispensable when commuting by motorbike.
I hope they offer the MBA in a higher screen size. 11" is just too small for me.
Will be interesting to see the new one in person though. I'd like to see how the integrated storage solution works out in real-world usage.
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.
SJ may have been right at that time. The landscape has changed considerably with the introduction of the iPad. Apple has learned a lot about how to reduce costs as pointed out in the article. Besides - the Airs may cost more than 500. I suspect the price will be a step up from the iPad but less than the MBP. I suspect that the Air will become the new MB.
What I look forward to seeing is how, and to what extent IOS will inform OSX in this and future revisions. With so many IOS (but non-OSX) users a lot can ride on this. A simplified OS to which an IOS user needs no introduction would be a great selling point.
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.
The iPad is not a computer. Even though many other devices do computing functions they are not exactly considered computers in the general sense. Take a calculator for example, it can compute, but it is not considered a computer, same goes for my iPhone. Technically these devices are computers but in the general sense they are not.
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!
Proprietary storage is not cool, Apple.
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.
Proprietary storage is not cool, Apple.
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).
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.
I'd argue it would be smartening it up.
I want a 11.6 inch iPad!
That would be nice ... Hopefully when they are lighter though. Liquidmetal soon I hope.
Proprietary storage is not cool, Apple.
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
1 GHZ / 512mb / 32gb for $799
1.2GHZ / 512mb / 64gb for $999
128gb BTO
What sucks is that i have no money. Hell, i'm using the library computers right now.
Start selling stuff you don't really need.
(kinda off topic): Will there be another live stream of this event?
i'm sure several sites will have live blog updates; not too sure about video though.
Proprietary storage is not cool, Apple.
mention of a proprietary SSD drive is somewhat of surprise to me. i suppose it was customised for the MacBook Air form factor.
The iPad is not a computer. Even though many other devices do computing functions they are not exactly considered computers in the general sense. Take a calculator for example, it can compute, but it is not considered a computer, same goes for my iPhone. Technically these devices are computers but in the general sense they are not.
Or, it is a computer and it is 2010, not 2008 when he made that quote. Things change.
Start selling stuff you don't really need.
Or telling the daycare that they should be paying me for the privilege of spending the day with my 3 year old
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.
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.