I have had a few friends purchase and they love them. Lighted keyboard was a deal breaker for me.
Excuse me, but I just don't see how backlit keyboards are so important... My MBP 15 has one and my wife's new MBA 13 doesn't (BEST designed laptop I have EVER used) yet I can't see ANY difference when using the two keyboards. But then, I am a "touch typist".... I don't look at the keys while I type.
Way back in the dark ages before "computers" and desktop publishing I learned how to type on those strange things called "typewriters", and God help you if you tried to use them while looking at the keys! You either typed at less than 5 words a minute or you had a metal rats nest of keys to contend with... you HAD to learn where the "home keys" are (that's what those bumps are for on the H and J keys BTW).
Is there some secret advantage to a keyboard with backlighting that I have missed?? Other than amusing my cats? Try typing all day long on it, and eventually you too will know where the darn keys are without looking, and will be able to type in the shadows!
PS: Please don't take the sarcasm above personally, i am obviously having a bad day... must be an overdose of inappropriate technology. My most sincere apologies...
A Macbook Air with OSX 10.7 will be a sweet combination. Get one with an SSD drive and you'll understand the future of the Mac. I wonder what Apple will call them once iOS supplants OSX - iComputer or iLaptop or maybe iBox now that iBook refers to their online bookstore?
They are call MacBook Air computers (or laptops, work either way) in plural. Full stop. The two words treated as one entity thus they are the noun.
Apple ships over 1 million MacBook Airs in new notebook's first quarter
should read Apple ships over 1 million MacBook Air computers in new notebook's first quarter
.
You don't see report saying Ford have sold over 14 millions Ford Focuses, do you?
Huh? I do, indeed see reports of "Ford Focuses", although this is perhaps a difference between British and American English?
I also see reference to MacBook Pros and Mac Minis (not MacBook Pro laptops or Mac Mini computers) and many other products that are easily recognizable by there trade name without their generally category being appended (iPods, Xboxes, and Civics, not iPod portable music player, Xbox gaming console or Civic automobile).
For the purposes of this discussion, though, we would never say "Macs Mini", or "Hondas Civic" or "Fords Focus." A trade name is treated as a compound noun, with the plural coming at the end.
Genuine question: Did you consider the 13" MBP with BTO 128GB SSD? or was size/weight the driving factor?
I bought my new 13" MBA to replace my "old" 2.5yo 13" MBA. As with my old Air, ultimate mobility was the deciding factor. I travel in my job constantly and size,lightness trumped everything else. It's not my primary desktop machine so I needed something that can do general business tasks at a reasonable speed. The unexpected bonus was that my MBA turned out to be the fastest machine I've owned yet.
I purchased the top-of-the-line 13" MBA with 256GB SSD drive. Even though my MBA uses a dual-core Core2Duo CPU, the entire setup ended up being faster in many ways than my 1-year old 27" Quad-core i7 iMac.
My MBA is so darn fast, that unless folks have a need for serious gaming graphics, or lots of internal primary storage, the MBA arguably can be a primary machine for many people.
I am impressed be how quiet the machine is. The only moving part is a fan which rarely, ever goes on, and is whisper-quiet when it is. Even when streaming Flash video, the machine rarely gets warm to the touch.
I use my MBA to run both Windows7 and Windows XP, in addition to OSX. It all runs super-fast. I still am amazed how truly fast this laptop is. By far, the best machine I have ever owned, both desktop and laptop.
I suspect Apple will definitely carry this design forward to their macbook pros. It's inevitable in my opinion.
What I look forward to is Apple carrying the SSD PCI/e design to their iMac line. It would essentially remove the reason to ever really open their unit to upgrade the hard drive. The SSD inline-memory card format can easily be incorporated to the bottom of the iMac like their standard RAM cards are.
The next few years will bring great things for Apple methinks.
Hopefully Apple will make a 15 inch Macbook Air now.
That would be nice but I think we'll just see new MBPs following the MBA trend like the last time, when they first experimented with the unibody case for the MBA, latter making it fanfare in the MBP. I think we'll also get that thinner top panel from both a milled top and better fusion of the glass, LCD and backlight.
Let's face it the original AIRs took a good concept and buggered it. They are possibly the best example in recent memory of design over function. The new AIRs did a 180 and successfully packaged up exactly what most people need in a light weight travel laptop. A triumph of function over design.
It is to Apples credit that they took a failed implementation of a concept and turned it into a winner. Many companies would have simply dropped the original model and went onto something different. Apparently Apple realized the concept was good but poorly implemented in the original AIRs. It also is another example of Apple listening to it's customer base.
All of this is interesting today but I really wonder what the next rev of AIRs will look like. If Intel can get Sandy Bridges power levels down to a range suitable for the AIRs then we should see some truely powerful machines. As to the much spoke about 15" AIR, it might be a similarly hot seller, with my only concern being Apples ability to keep the chassis stiff enough. It does look like the product line is now secure at Apple so it is hard not to imagine a larger AIR.
Let's face it the original AIRs took a good concept and buggered it. They are possibly the best example in recent memory of design over function. The new AIRs did a 180 and successfully packaged up exactly what most people need in a light weight travel laptop. A triumph of function over design.
It is to Apples credit that they took a failed implementation of a concept and turned it into a winner. Many companies would have simply dropped the original model and went onto something different. Apparently Apple realized the concept was good but poorly implemented in the original AIRs. It also is another example of Apple listening to it's customer base.
All of this is interesting today but I really wonder what the next rev of AIRs will look like. If Intel can get Sandy Bridges power levels down to a range suitable for the AIRs then we should see some truely powerful machines. As to the much spoke about 15" AIR, it might be a similarly hot seller, with my only concern being Apples ability to keep the chassis stiff enough. It does look like the product line is now secure at Apple so it is hard not to imagine a larger AIR.
Really? 180 degrees? What "opposite direction" are you referring? What failure are you referring? Anecdotally I know plenty of people that loved their original MBAs.
Are you not aware that Apple continued with the original MBA design, not went the other way with it, and even incorporated it into their other notebooks? What other ultraportable 13" notebook sold better than the original MBA?
PS: Were you the poster that said Apple wouldn't be able to ship dual-core Cortex-A9 in the next iPad until late on the year?
For the purposes of this discussion, though, we would never say "Macs Mini", or "Hondas Civic" or "Fords Focus." A trade name is treated as a compound noun, with the plural coming at the end.
Were you the poster that said Apple wouldn't be able to ship dual-core Cortex-A9 in the next iPad until late on the year?
Seeing the iPad will never have the Cortex-A9 I would say both of you are incorrect. The iPad 2 will have the A5 which is not just another name for the A9.
I bought my new 13" MBA to replace my "old" 2.5yo 13" MBA. As with my old Air, ultimate mobility was the deciding factor. I travel in my job constantly and size,lightness trumped everything else. It's not my primary desktop machine so I needed something that can do general business tasks at a reasonable speed. The unexpected bonus was that my MBA turned out to be the fastest machine I've owned yet.
I purchased the top-of-the-line 13" MBA with 256GB SSD drive. Even though my MBA uses a dual-core Core2Duo CPU, the entire setup ended up being faster in many ways than my 1-year old 27" Quad-core i7 iMac.
My MBA is so darn fast, that unless folks have a need for serious gaming graphics, or lots of internal primary storage, the MBA arguably can be a primary machine for many people.
I am impressed be how quiet the machine is. The only moving part is a fan which rarely, ever goes on, and is whisper-quiet when it is. Even when streaming Flash video, the machine rarely gets warm to the touch.
I use my MBA to run both Windows7 and Windows XP, in addition to OSX. It all runs super-fast. I still am amazed how truly fast this laptop is. By far, the best machine I have ever owned, both desktop and laptop.
I suspect Apple will definitely carry this design forward to their macbook pros. It's inevitable in my opinion.
What I look forward to is Apple carrying the SSD PCI/e design to their iMac line. It would essentially remove the reason to ever really open their unit to upgrade the hard drive. The SSD inline-memory card format can easily be incorporated to the bottom of the iMac like their standard RAM cards are.
The next few years will bring great things for Apple methinks.
I have the MBA 13" and it is simply the BEST device I have ever owned! I gave up a macbook pro to get the MBA, I needed lighter weight product. I knew the ssd drive would be faster but was totally impressed with the HUGE speed increase loading and running WINDOWS with Parallels - much faster than the MB pro and any windows machine for that matter.
Got the extra memory from the factory and run multiple programs and this machine FLIES! It's fast, light, and DOES EVERYTHING! As stated above ultra quiet, and durable.
Due to the screen resolution it fits everything the 15" model does onto it's screen.
What a well designed product.
THE FUTURE IS HERE, TODAY, and it's called MB AIR!
Seeing the iPad will never have the Cortex-A9 I would say both of you are incorrect. The iPad 2 will have the A5 which is not just another name for the A9.
The iPad 1 and 2 both use ARM Cortex-A that ARM designs and licenses. The iPad 1 uses the Cortex-A8 reference design and the iPAd 2 uses the Cortex-A9 reference design. If you have a source that says they aren?t using ARM?s designs then please make a case for it, but until you do the only feasible dual-core chip is from ARM.
- A Backlit keyboard (with symbols printed on each modifier key
I thought I would really miss the backlit keys, but what I discovered is the keys now reflect off the screen and are easy to read - I had also read somewhere that Apple designed the keys to be reflective to light(initially I didn't believe it).
As far as growing the sales, this "Air" has been the most successful - even though the earlier models had backlit keyboards. I concede that this is likely due to the flash drives, the ability to add more memory, and the blazing speed of this particular model.
A Macbook Air with OSX 10.7 will be a sweet combination. Get one with an SSD drive and you'll understand the future of the Mac. I wonder what Apple will call them once iOS supplants OSX - iComputer or iLaptop or maybe iBox now that iBook refers to their online bookstore?
10.7 on my 11" Air is pretty sweet, but the trackpad is on the limit of being only just big enough to accommodate 4 finger gestures comfortably, the 4 finger pinch in/out is particularly tricky to nail every time.
Comments
MacBook Air is the entire name.
Do you buy Blu-Ray players or Blu-Rays players?
Hey! I'm an Apple fansboy!
I have had a few friends purchase and they love them. Lighted keyboard was a deal breaker for me.
Excuse me, but I just don't see how backlit keyboards are so important... My MBP 15 has one and my wife's new MBA 13 doesn't (BEST designed laptop I have EVER used) yet I can't see ANY difference when using the two keyboards. But then, I am a "touch typist".... I don't look at the keys while I type.
Way back in the dark ages before "computers" and desktop publishing I learned how to type on those strange things called "typewriters", and God help you if you tried to use them while looking at the keys! You either typed at less than 5 words a minute or you had a metal rats nest of keys to contend with... you HAD to learn where the "home keys" are (that's what those bumps are for on the H and J keys BTW).
Is there some secret advantage to a keyboard with backlighting that I have missed?? Other than amusing my cats? Try typing all day long on it, and eventually you too will know where the darn keys are without looking, and will be able to type in the shadows!
PS: Please don't take the sarcasm above personally, i am obviously having a bad day... must be an overdose of inappropriate technology. My most sincere apologies...
Apple ships over 1 million MacBook Airs in new notebook's first quarter
should read Apple ships over 1 million MacBook Air computers in new notebook's first quarter
.
You don't see report saying Ford have sold over 14 millions Ford Focuses, do you?
- 400 to 600 g.
- 5 to 7-inch screen.
- Pocketable.
The ultimate Keynote and PowerPoint presentation tool!
They are call MacBook Air computers (or laptops, work either way) in plural. Full stop. The two words treated as one entity thus they are the noun.
Apple ships over 1 million MacBook Airs in new notebook's first quarter
should read Apple ships over 1 million MacBook Air computers in new notebook's first quarter
.
You don't see report saying Ford have sold over 14 millions Ford Focuses, do you?
Huh? I do, indeed see reports of "Ford Focuses", although this is perhaps a difference between British and American English?
I also see reference to MacBook Pros and Mac Minis (not MacBook Pro laptops or Mac Mini computers) and many other products that are easily recognizable by there trade name without their generally category being appended (iPods, Xboxes, and Civics, not iPod portable music player, Xbox gaming console or Civic automobile).
For the purposes of this discussion, though, we would never say "Macs Mini", or "Hondas Civic" or "Fords Focus." A trade name is treated as a compound noun, with the plural coming at the end.
Genuine question: Did you consider the 13" MBP with BTO 128GB SSD? or was size/weight the driving factor?
I bought my new 13" MBA to replace my "old" 2.5yo 13" MBA. As with my old Air, ultimate mobility was the deciding factor. I travel in my job constantly and size,lightness trumped everything else. It's not my primary desktop machine so I needed something that can do general business tasks at a reasonable speed. The unexpected bonus was that my MBA turned out to be the fastest machine I've owned yet.
I purchased the top-of-the-line 13" MBA with 256GB SSD drive. Even though my MBA uses a dual-core Core2Duo CPU, the entire setup ended up being faster in many ways than my 1-year old 27" Quad-core i7 iMac.
My MBA is so darn fast, that unless folks have a need for serious gaming graphics, or lots of internal primary storage, the MBA arguably can be a primary machine for many people.
I am impressed be how quiet the machine is. The only moving part is a fan which rarely, ever goes on, and is whisper-quiet when it is. Even when streaming Flash video, the machine rarely gets warm to the touch.
I use my MBA to run both Windows7 and Windows XP, in addition to OSX. It all runs super-fast. I still am amazed how truly fast this laptop is. By far, the best machine I have ever owned, both desktop and laptop.
I suspect Apple will definitely carry this design forward to their macbook pros. It's inevitable in my opinion.
What I look forward to is Apple carrying the SSD PCI/e design to their iMac line. It would essentially remove the reason to ever really open their unit to upgrade the hard drive. The SSD inline-memory card format can easily be incorporated to the bottom of the iMac like their standard RAM cards are.
The next few years will bring great things for Apple methinks.
MacBook Air is the entire name.
Do you buy Blu-Ray players or Blu-Rays players?
No no no. Ray is CLEARLY an adjective describing what kind of Blu it is.
Blu's'-Ray player. Lots of apostrophies are always good too.
I want a 15" MacBook Air.
+1
I think my 15" is overkill for what I use it for, but I don't want to give up the screen size and resolution.
Actually a 15" iPad could work too.
Hopefully Apple will make a 15 inch Macbook Air now.
That would be nice but I think we'll just see new MBPs following the MBA trend like the last time, when they first experimented with the unibody case for the MBA, latter making it fanfare in the MBP. I think we'll also get that thinner top panel from both a milled top and better fusion of the glass, LCD and backlight.
It is to Apples credit that they took a failed implementation of a concept and turned it into a winner. Many companies would have simply dropped the original model and went onto something different. Apparently Apple realized the concept was good but poorly implemented in the original AIRs. It also is another example of Apple listening to it's customer base.
All of this is interesting today but I really wonder what the next rev of AIRs will look like. If Intel can get Sandy Bridges power levels down to a range suitable for the AIRs then we should see some truely powerful machines. As to the much spoke about 15" AIR, it might be a similarly hot seller, with my only concern being Apples ability to keep the chassis stiff enough. It does look like the product line is now secure at Apple so it is hard not to imagine a larger AIR.
Let's face it the original AIRs took a good concept and buggered it. They are possibly the best example in recent memory of design over function. The new AIRs did a 180 and successfully packaged up exactly what most people need in a light weight travel laptop. A triumph of function over design.
It is to Apples credit that they took a failed implementation of a concept and turned it into a winner. Many companies would have simply dropped the original model and went onto something different. Apparently Apple realized the concept was good but poorly implemented in the original AIRs. It also is another example of Apple listening to it's customer base.
All of this is interesting today but I really wonder what the next rev of AIRs will look like. If Intel can get Sandy Bridges power levels down to a range suitable for the AIRs then we should see some truely powerful machines. As to the much spoke about 15" AIR, it might be a similarly hot seller, with my only concern being Apples ability to keep the chassis stiff enough. It does look like the product line is now secure at Apple so it is hard not to imagine a larger AIR.
Really? 180 degrees? What "opposite direction" are you referring? What failure are you referring? Anecdotally I know plenty of people that loved their original MBAs.
Are you not aware that Apple continued with the original MBA design, not went the other way with it, and even incorporated it into their other notebooks? What other ultraportable 13" notebook sold better than the original MBA?
PS: Were you the poster that said Apple wouldn't be able to ship dual-core Cortex-A9 in the next iPad until late on the year?
- Add 3G MicroSIM (same data pack deals with carriers as the iPad worldwide)
- A ThunderBold port
- A Backlit keyboard (with symbols printed on each modifier key)
For the purposes of this discussion, though, we would never say "Macs Mini", or "Hondas Civic" or "Fords Focus." A trade name is treated as a compound noun, with the plural coming at the end.
But you could say Ford's Focus.
Were you the poster that said Apple wouldn't be able to ship dual-core Cortex-A9 in the next iPad until late on the year?
Seeing the iPad will never have the Cortex-A9 I would say both of you are incorrect. The iPad 2 will have the A5 which is not just another name for the A9.
No need to believe me on this one.
http://www.arm.com/products/processo...ex-a/index.php
I bought my new 13" MBA to replace my "old" 2.5yo 13" MBA. As with my old Air, ultimate mobility was the deciding factor. I travel in my job constantly and size,lightness trumped everything else. It's not my primary desktop machine so I needed something that can do general business tasks at a reasonable speed. The unexpected bonus was that my MBA turned out to be the fastest machine I've owned yet.
I purchased the top-of-the-line 13" MBA with 256GB SSD drive. Even though my MBA uses a dual-core Core2Duo CPU, the entire setup ended up being faster in many ways than my 1-year old 27" Quad-core i7 iMac.
My MBA is so darn fast, that unless folks have a need for serious gaming graphics, or lots of internal primary storage, the MBA arguably can be a primary machine for many people.
I am impressed be how quiet the machine is. The only moving part is a fan which rarely, ever goes on, and is whisper-quiet when it is. Even when streaming Flash video, the machine rarely gets warm to the touch.
I use my MBA to run both Windows7 and Windows XP, in addition to OSX. It all runs super-fast. I still am amazed how truly fast this laptop is. By far, the best machine I have ever owned, both desktop and laptop.
I suspect Apple will definitely carry this design forward to their macbook pros. It's inevitable in my opinion.
What I look forward to is Apple carrying the SSD PCI/e design to their iMac line. It would essentially remove the reason to ever really open their unit to upgrade the hard drive. The SSD inline-memory card format can easily be incorporated to the bottom of the iMac like their standard RAM cards are.
The next few years will bring great things for Apple methinks.
I have the MBA 13" and it is simply the BEST device I have ever owned! I gave up a macbook pro to get the MBA, I needed lighter weight product. I knew the ssd drive would be faster but was totally impressed with the HUGE speed increase loading and running WINDOWS with Parallels - much faster than the MB pro and any windows machine for that matter.
Got the extra memory from the factory and run multiple programs and this machine FLIES! It's fast, light, and DOES EVERYTHING! As stated above ultra quiet, and durable.
Due to the screen resolution it fits everything the 15" model does onto it's screen.
What a well designed product.
THE FUTURE IS HERE, TODAY, and it's called MB AIR!
Seeing the iPad will never have the Cortex-A9 I would say both of you are incorrect. The iPad 2 will have the A5 which is not just another name for the A9.
No need to believe me on this one.
http://www.arm.com/products/processo...ex-a/index.php
The iPad 1 and 2 both use ARM Cortex-A that ARM designs and licenses. The iPad 1 uses the Cortex-A8 reference design and the iPAd 2 uses the Cortex-A9 reference design. If you have a source that says they aren?t using ARM?s designs then please make a case for it, but until you do the only feasible dual-core chip is from ARM.
To grow sales of the Air
- A Backlit keyboard (with symbols printed on each modifier key
I thought I would really miss the backlit keys, but what I discovered is the keys now reflect off the screen and are easy to read - I had also read somewhere that Apple designed the keys to be reflective to light(initially I didn't believe it).
As far as growing the sales, this "Air" has been the most successful - even though the earlier models had backlit keyboards. I concede that this is likely due to the flash drives, the ability to add more memory, and the blazing speed of this particular model.
A Macbook Air with OSX 10.7 will be a sweet combination. Get one with an SSD drive and you'll understand the future of the Mac. I wonder what Apple will call them once iOS supplants OSX - iComputer or iLaptop or maybe iBox now that iBook refers to their online bookstore?
10.7 on my 11" Air is pretty sweet, but the trackpad is on the limit of being only just big enough to accommodate 4 finger gestures comfortably, the 4 finger pinch in/out is particularly tricky to nail every time.