I love my new MacBook Air, but because of its small size and negligible poundage, I've put on 20 pounds. In comparison, my iMac kept me lean and mean - I'm sorry, but nothing builds lower leg muscles like trekking around campus with an iMac in your backpack. The new "Airs" may be fast and light but they will wreck havoc on your physique - and confidence.
See my previous posts. It is NOT to work on such pocketable Mac. It is just to give the presentation already made on a standard Mac and moved to the pocketable Mac. And for that such pocketable Mac must run Keynote and PowerPoint. Just that is a wonderful tool for people giving many presentations from USB-based remotes. Carry 600 g in your pocket instead of 2 kg of laptop and accessories.
I still say that building an entirely new machine so that you can carry your PPT or Keynote presentations in your pocket is kind of a waste of resources. A Mac has to has to be more universal in scope and functionality to justify the R&D. But that's my opinion.
I never even attempt to convert from Keynote to Powerpoint because advanced features that I use in Keynote get messed up in Powerpoint or they aren't supported. I find Keynote a good bit more powerful and advanced then Powerpoint.
My point is someone shouldn't think that Keynote on OSX and Keynote on the iPad are the same. They aren't, every issues I raised is valid and is pretty well document everywhere and anyone that uses these features knows they don't work on the iPad. Same goes with Pages and my guess is iMovie and Garageband will be the same situation.
Is it a major live altering situation no of course not but in some cases it can certainly cause you to lose work or create more work in the long run.
My point was only in answer to the original poster (zunx i think), who said that "most" (presentations) "fail," which is hyperbolic nonsense.
Then it devolved into a lot of nitpicking about formats and slight layout changes which kind of proved my point. Page 1 of any book on Powerpoint or Keynote ever written suggests not to use custom fonts or custom screen resolutions, not only for compatibility reasons but because it's bad presentation design as well.
I agree with you that there are some slight presentation layout changes that occur when showing on the iPad. There are differences, they are mostly minor and don't actually crop up in most presentations. That's pretty much all I'm saying.
If Air is an adjective, why did you capitalize it? Shouldn't you be saying "MacBook air" if air is merely an adjective? The only reason to capitalize it is if it is part of the name.
The term MacBook Air is a proper noun (a name) and the s goes at the end. I can't believe this was actually debated.
Apple already sells a portable computing device in that price range, aka the iPad. As the iPad gains horsepower and more useful apps, the need for an $800 laptop simply isn't there. And while the base MacBook Air is likely going to remain in around its current price range, it will get progressively faster and as it does, will become enough computer for a progressively larger segment.
As a result, the whitebook will be rendered pointless.
I think there's room for the iPad and a Whitebook at the $799 price point, because they serve different needs. As I said earlier, a $799 Whitebook would be a great, fully functional, inexpensive Mac?i.e. it would run OS X Lion. Great for students and writers. I'm reminded of several gazillion years ago, when Apple made the eMate. I worked for a newspaper then, and our reporters used eMates and LOVED them. If you're on a really tight budget, and you don't need a fancy, machined aluminum beast, or huge amounts of memory or storage, but you DO need full word-processing capability and other functionality that OS X provides, but iOS does not, then a $799 Whitebook would be just about perfect.
The iPad is not a laptop replacement, nor was it ever designed or intended to be.
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The interesting question is, will the MacBook Pros become so capable that they will effectively render the use of Mac Pros pointless for so many that Apple will simply stop making them. Already the MacBook Pros are comparable in performance to top-end Apple desktops of a recent vintage. Thunderbolt further opens up possibilities by providing some rather impressive connectivity options and affordability is certainly there. Also making it more likely that in time laptops will take over is that solid-state drives promise speed that would not be possible with older technology.
You make a very excellent point here. With thunderbolt, even design houses and production studios could plug their MBPs directly into their 36 TB RAID systems. As MBPs get better and faster, the Mac Pro is increasingly losing its raisons d'être. I suppose users at big houses may need to use more displays than even a 2014 MBP could support (plus, the heat generated by a graphics card that powerful would likely melt a hole in the floor. Ah, where would I be without hyperbole?? ) So, it makes more sense to me (and apparently to you as well), that Apple eventually retire the Mac Pro, and, oh hey! Resurrect the Xserve?but this time, make it bigger and badder, and most importantly, actually market it!!
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And what of Apple's other desktop offerings, i.e. the Mini and the iMac.
I think there's still a place for the Mini and iMac?in the homes of families on a budget, i.e., a single "family computer", rather than four or five individual laptops; or a small office environment: an iMac set up at a receptionist's desk looks pretty swanky.
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What I see happening is that there will be less distinguishing the Air and Pro laptops as we move along with additional performance being the main difference between models. The Mac Pro will be retired. No idea what is in store for the other desktop offerings.
What’s with the new trend of calling the MacBook a WhiteBook? How could it possibly be so confusing especially since the only MacBook is indeed white. I suppose it goes back to the idiots who think Air and Pro are adjectives and not part of the product’s name.
I totally agree. I think Apple should keep the Whitebook around at that price point to put rest once and for all the meme that "Apple products are too expensive/overpriced". This would be particularly useful for students who need a cheap computer on which to write their papers and such (and to feed their Facebook addiction!)
It wouldn't matter. Look at the iPad pricing vs. the competitors - and people still call Apple overpriced. They could probably sell the MB for $500 and you'd have someone explaining how they got a used no-name machine from eBay and why it's a much better value.
I just had someone telling me how he got a new Lenovo Sandybridge machine for $800 (with Thunderbolt) that just crushes the new MBP. Something inside me says that's unlikely, so I took a quick look at their site - aside from it being next to impossible to find a specific product (way overdone on models...), you start with the fact that the trackpad sucks, screen is lower res, things like bluetooth / webcam / full OS version / etc. are options(!), 7 hour battery life is an upgrade(!), it starts at 2GB RAM, graphics are the integrated Intel chipset (no faster option, certainly no faster hardware included)... so you start adding things in and end up paying the same for a gross plastic thing with no option for a real screen resolution or multi-touch trackpad. Not that those matter, right, because you only use them all the time. Whaaaaaatever.
As I mentioned above, I got the Air 11, but damn, the Lenovo 'value' 15 has the same screen res as my 11", starts at 2GB, etc. Think I'll take my Air, thanks, let along a MBP if you're looking for a nice desktop replacement. Which all comes back to the fact that even if Apple made the MB $799 or whatever, people are going to find a way to go on about why you should save some money elsewhere.
It wouldn't matter. Look at the iPad pricing vs. the competitors - and people still call Apple overpriced. They could probably sell the MB for $500 and you'd have someone explaining how they got a used no-name machine from eBay and why it's a much better value.
...
Which all comes back to the fact that even if Apple made the MB $799 or whatever, people are going to find a way to go on about why you should save some money elsewhere.
Yeah. You got some points there. But, when people get that nonsensical, I just say, "Um. I'm gonna stop talking to you now." ?Okay. I don't actually say that, but I definitely say that to them in my head! Heh.
Yeah, of course lowering the price opens the door to new buyers, but neither you nor tipoo have made a case for this being advantageous for Apple. Are you sure they can still get a good profit at that price point? How are you sure that they aren’t selling as many as they can make at $999? If $799 is good then $599 is even better, and $399 is even better than that, and $199 is better still, which makes throwing out a number because you like the way it looks a fruitless way to form an argument for a company lowering their price.
The recent price aggressiveness of Apple in the iPad, and the MacBook Air, clearly indicates that Apple is not simply basing its decisions on profit margins for pricing. While they may not be competing for the bottom price to gain market share, Apple recognize that it must have a significant share to compete for mindshare -- this is critical in the way they incrementally evolved the iPods, and the fine line in pricing the various portable computers that now comprise the bulk of their computer sales.
Thus, Apple might just lower the price of the MacBook (white) -- to attract new consumers into the Apple Ecosystem. The halo effect is much more critical now -- it does not matter if the consumer first becomes familiar with or get entice into the Apple Ecosystem via its iPhone, iPod, iPod touch, iPads or its computers.
My first notebook was the G3 white notebook in 2003. I replaced it only last year because it is getting too slow, but still works otherwise. At the time, I paid $1350 for it, including a memory upgrade.
When they introduced the "MacBook Pros", the price was lowered to $1099 -- faster more RAM and disk storage. When they introduced the unibody aluminum, I thought they will finally discontinue the MacBok (white), but they did not, they just lowered it $1049, and in another year to $999. And not only lowered it, but dramatically upgraded it -- less weight, more RAM and disk storage. The only main difference except for slightly lower RAM and disk storage is the lower graphics capabilities, so that it wil not cannibalize the MacBook Pros, but still be good enough for most average uses, e.g., laypeople, students, etc.
Now, they lowered the MacBook Air 11-inch to almost the same price as the MacBook (white). I doubt many people would buy the MacBook (white) at the same price over the MacBook Air. However, there would retain a very significant market share if the price is lowered further by another $100 or two.
This strategy is not unheard of for Apple. It has always made a "complete" computer to address the needs of price conscious educational market.
The unknown factor is that even the higher end iPad, with built-in Wifi and all those 65,000 Apps (and other significant features thrown in) is near the same price range, if not cheaper, even at $799 price range for a MacBook (white). Throw in another $150, and you have the 3G wireless interconnectvity features and even internet telephony capabilities of the iPad. In fact, even with just Wifi, the available Hot Spots are becoming more ubiquitous.
One main saving grace, for now, of the MacBook (white) is that it is stand-alone computer while the iPad is not (although it is getting there). But, the iPad is in an ecosystem where some families (or in environments, e.g., colleges and universities) have other full-fledged computers to sync to; so that may not be a very insurmountable limitation. Plus, with improving wireless interconnectivity, many of the current limitations of the iPad over that of stand-alone computers will vanish, in a very short time.
I prefer the true unibody form of the iPad (computer and screen in the same body) over the clam shell MacBooks. Apple has already addressed my issue of protecting the very fragile glass screen, not only just another protective cover, but one that is elegant worthy of the product, but also very functional -- on-off, stand, etc.
What’s with the new trend of calling the MacBook a WhiteBook? How could it possibly be so confusing especially since the only MacBook is indeed white. I suppose it goes back to the idiots who think Air and Pro are adjectives and not part of the product’s name.
I'm writing this on a non-white, that is, aluminum, MacBook.
Before the MacBooks were white, they were white or black, then they were aluminum, and now they're white again. So, simply saying "MacBook" actually can lead to some confusion. Language is interesting, because people tend to have a cultural sense of what works and what doesn't. Doesn't necessarily make it "right", just makes it acceptable. As in, when RKPro first said "Whitebook", many here knew immediately what he/she meant, even though it technically wasn't the "correct" product name.
Words like "ain't" and "gonna" are considered "bad" English, but they've been used often enough that they now have their own dictionary entries.
I had the original HD MBA and upgraded to the SSD model a year later. The difference in speed was incredible. Just upgraded again to the 11" MBA and love it. It starts up, launches apps and saves faster than my MacPro at work. I am really considering installing an SSD into the MacPro after seeing it in action on the Air.
As soon as there is a reasonably affordable 512GB SSD drive available, that's going in my 27" i7 iMac. I think Apple will incorporate the same mini PCIe SSD cards into their next iMacs along with the Thunderbolt port. I'm going to avoid Apple stores as much as possible if they do that for fear of walking out with another one.
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Originally Posted by rbonner
No offense taken. I have just become used to it when typing late at night, and the times I turned it off, it was harder sometimes to find the keys. I also have my brightness turned way down to conserve battery.
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Originally Posted by Bergermeister
My first two MBAs had the backlit keyboard, the new 11" doesn't. Most of the time I have no problem without it, but there are times when I wish it had it. Not really a problem, though.
I still miss that backlit keyboard. Even though I don't use my MBA in dark environments, late nights next to a lamp still makes the keyboard a little dim and it helped.
I also missed the flush power on/off button of my old MBA. I'm very compulsive about keeping my MBA clean. I normally wipe it down at least once a day. When spraying/wiping the keyboard, it is difficult to avoid constantly turning on/off the machine. The flush button was a non-issue.
Very small issues for an otherwise great machine. \
MacBook is a noun. Air is used as an adjective. The noun gets the 's' and the adjective doesn't.
I want a 15" MacBook Air.
I would agree with the prior responses. I am sure you have heard and used two word nouns, e.g., "African Americans". It used to be hyphenated, i.e., "African-Americans" but many linguists now consider the non-hyphenated form to be just as proper, if not now the preferred form.
Then, there are the surnames of people: Goldsmith, trades or professions (bookkeeper), etc.
No one has ever used "Africans American" just like it would be odd to say "MacBooks Air" or "MacBooks Pro" or "iPods touch", even if Air, and Pro and touch, are just the modifiers. "MacBook Pros" has been more commonly used and so would "MacBook Airs".
I sure you have not forgotten that the term, "MacBook" was once or more apptly described as a "Macintosh Notebook", the notebook being a modifer of the (shortened) Macintosh computer.
Bon't forget a rule in lexicography and language -- common usage may get a coinage become part of the language and the vocabulary.
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Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
It's as old as the MacBook itself.
Because the old ones were once called BlackBooks.
Since the Blackbooks are no longer sold, just like the iMac (once found in all colors) would be associated with the "White iMac" or "silvery or metallic" iMac of the latest version, not too many wil conconfuse the MacBook to be anything but the white "non-pro" version of the same clamshell Mac Notebooks.
As soon as there is a reasonably affordable 512GB SSD drive available, that's going in my 27" i7 iMac. I think Apple will incorporate the same mini PCIe SSD cards into their next iMacs along with the Thunderbolt port. I'm going to avoid Apple stores as much as possible if they do that for fear of walking out with another one.
With all the solid-stating (yes, i verbed an adjective?I'm cool like that!) going on, I wouldn't be surprised to see future iMacs getting progressively thinner, possibly to an inch or less. Maybe even thin enough that the ports would have to be moved from the back to the sides.
As soon as there is a reasonably affordable 512GB SSD drive available, that's going in my 27" i7 iMac. I think Apple will incorporate the same mini PCIe SSD cards into their next iMacs along with the Thunderbolt port. I'm going to avoid Apple stores as much as possible if they do that for fear of walking out with another one.
I still miss that backlit keyboard. Even though I don't use my MBA in dark environments, late nights next to a lamp still makes the keyboard a little dim and it helped.
I also missed the flush power on/off button of my old MBA. I'm very compulsive about keeping my MBA clean. I normally wipe it down at least once a day. When spraying/wiping the keyboard, it is difficult to avoid constantly turning on/off the machine. The flush button was a non-issue.
Very small issues for an otherwise great machine. \
Not sure how much power consumption the backlit feature is; but the in-between recharge for the MacBook Air is not that much significant especially in light of the 10-hour iPad. I think this was a great consideration in temporariy not including the feature, not simply to shave cost.
I am not a touch typist, but I seldom look at the keyboard anymore. There comes a point when it becomes instinctive to simply hit the correct keys. There's enough light from the screen when I make mistakes.
When the battery improves, the backlit feature is likely to be restored, that may enticed fans to buy a new MacBook Air, if not more so for the enhanced and more integrated features, not found in the prior version.
Don't get me wrong, I love my 13" MacBook Air (2010 model, 4GB), but compared to my wife's MacBook Air (2009), the build quality leaves much to be desired.
- I don't know if Apple is using thinner aluminum for the bottom plate or what, but the bottom of the chassis flexes more and you can actually push in quite a bit and the bottom plate will give.
-My wife's MBA feels extremely solid, like it's built from a single slab of aluminum. My MBA creaks when picking it up, and sometimes if I apply too much pressure to the palmrest when typing. My wife's MBA doesn't do this.
It seems as though the .1 pound reduction in weight wasn't worth the build quality tradeoffs IMHO.
I can live without the backlit keyboard, but stuff like this worries me.
Glad you brought that up. I actually started noticing that too. I definitely notice when lifting it from the front (thinner) edge that the chassis "creaks". I dismissed it as the chassis screws slowly relaxing loose over time. I think if I re-tighten the screws, the creaking would stop. It is a very minor annoyance for me.
However, to be fair, my old 2008 MBA creaked a lot when I rested my big hands on the palmrest. The chassis itself did not flex/bend. Again, I think just re-tightening the screws would alleviate that.
I don't think the build quality is necessarily affected though. It's still built like a tank compared to other machines. I agree with you, I think my old MBA had more heft to it, and obviously the thinner profile of the new MBA means they are using less aluminum. I think there's a fine balance between keeping things light, and taking it too far where structural integrity is being affected. I don't think Apple is going to do that unless they abandon aluminum and use a stronger metal like stainless steel (???). They can only go so far with current materials/design before it gets too thin and things start bending/warping.
I don't know if the screws on the chassis have a specific torque requirement when they're assembled. When I work on my motorcycles, even torqued screws in certain areas eventually come loose depending on flexing/vibration. I dab of blue loctite and the issue is resolved. I wonder if the same would resolve the creaking issue on the MBA??? I'll have to look into that. Those screws are pretty darn small for loctite!
Comments
Be a man. Get an iMac. Lose those flabby thighs.
See my previous posts. It is NOT to work on such pocketable Mac. It is just to give the presentation already made on a standard Mac and moved to the pocketable Mac. And for that such pocketable Mac must run Keynote and PowerPoint. Just that is a wonderful tool for people giving many presentations from USB-based remotes. Carry 600 g in your pocket instead of 2 kg of laptop and accessories.
I still say that building an entirely new machine so that you can carry your PPT or Keynote presentations in your pocket is kind of a waste of resources. A Mac has to has to be more universal in scope and functionality to justify the R&D. But that's my opinion.
I never even attempt to convert from Keynote to Powerpoint because advanced features that I use in Keynote get messed up in Powerpoint or they aren't supported. I find Keynote a good bit more powerful and advanced then Powerpoint.
My point is someone shouldn't think that Keynote on OSX and Keynote on the iPad are the same. They aren't, every issues I raised is valid and is pretty well document everywhere and anyone that uses these features knows they don't work on the iPad. Same goes with Pages and my guess is iMovie and Garageband will be the same situation.
Is it a major live altering situation no of course not but in some cases it can certainly cause you to lose work or create more work in the long run.
My point was only in answer to the original poster (zunx i think), who said that "most" (presentations) "fail," which is hyperbolic nonsense.
Then it devolved into a lot of nitpicking about formats and slight layout changes which kind of proved my point. Page 1 of any book on Powerpoint or Keynote ever written suggests not to use custom fonts or custom screen resolutions, not only for compatibility reasons but because it's bad presentation design as well.
I agree with you that there are some slight presentation layout changes that occur when showing on the iPad. There are differences, they are mostly minor and don't actually crop up in most presentations. That's pretty much all I'm saying.
When Apple include CD player to Mac book air?
Never, spambot. Go buy something else if you need an ODD.
If Air is an adjective, why did you capitalize it? Shouldn't you be saying "MacBook air" if air is merely an adjective? The only reason to capitalize it is if it is part of the name.
The term MacBook Air is a proper noun (a name) and the s goes at the end. I can't believe this was actually debated.
+1 Perfect answer.
When Apple include CD player to Mac book air?
When buy to MacBook Pro.
Apple already sells a portable computing device in that price range, aka the iPad. As the iPad gains horsepower and more useful apps, the need for an $800 laptop simply isn't there. And while the base MacBook Air is likely going to remain in around its current price range, it will get progressively faster and as it does, will become enough computer for a progressively larger segment.
As a result, the whitebook will be rendered pointless.
I think there's room for the iPad and a Whitebook at the $799 price point, because they serve different needs. As I said earlier, a $799 Whitebook would be a great, fully functional, inexpensive Mac?i.e. it would run OS X Lion. Great for students and writers. I'm reminded of several gazillion years ago, when Apple made the eMate. I worked for a newspaper then, and our reporters used eMates and LOVED them. If you're on a really tight budget, and you don't need a fancy, machined aluminum beast, or huge amounts of memory or storage, but you DO need full word-processing capability and other functionality that OS X provides, but iOS does not, then a $799 Whitebook would be just about perfect.
The iPad is not a laptop replacement, nor was it ever designed or intended to be.
The interesting question is, will the MacBook Pros become so capable that they will effectively render the use of Mac Pros pointless for so many that Apple will simply stop making them. Already the MacBook Pros are comparable in performance to top-end Apple desktops of a recent vintage. Thunderbolt further opens up possibilities by providing some rather impressive connectivity options and affordability is certainly there. Also making it more likely that in time laptops will take over is that solid-state drives promise speed that would not be possible with older technology.
You make a very excellent point here. With thunderbolt, even design houses and production studios could plug their MBPs directly into their 36 TB RAID systems. As MBPs get better and faster, the Mac Pro is increasingly losing its raisons d'être. I suppose users at big houses may need to use more displays than even a 2014 MBP could support (plus, the heat generated by a graphics card that powerful would likely melt a hole in the floor. Ah, where would I be without hyperbole??
And what of Apple's other desktop offerings, i.e. the Mini and the iMac.
I think there's still a place for the Mini and iMac?in the homes of families on a budget, i.e., a single "family computer", rather than four or five individual laptops; or a small office environment: an iMac set up at a receptionist's desk looks pretty swanky.
What I see happening is that there will be less distinguishing the Air and Pro laptops as we move along with additional performance being the main difference between models. The Mac Pro will be retired. No idea what is in store for the other desktop offerings.
Yup. I'm with ya there.
I totally agree. I think Apple should keep the Whitebook around at that price point to put rest once and for all the meme that "Apple products are too expensive/overpriced". This would be particularly useful for students who need a cheap computer on which to write their papers and such (and to feed their Facebook addiction!)
It wouldn't matter. Look at the iPad pricing vs. the competitors - and people still call Apple overpriced. They could probably sell the MB for $500 and you'd have someone explaining how they got a used no-name machine from eBay and why it's a much better value.
I just had someone telling me how he got a new Lenovo Sandybridge machine for $800 (with Thunderbolt) that just crushes the new MBP. Something inside me says that's unlikely, so I took a quick look at their site - aside from it being next to impossible to find a specific product (way overdone on models...), you start with the fact that the trackpad sucks, screen is lower res, things like bluetooth / webcam / full OS version / etc. are options(!), 7 hour battery life is an upgrade(!), it starts at 2GB RAM, graphics are the integrated Intel chipset (no faster option, certainly no faster hardware included)... so you start adding things in and end up paying the same for a gross plastic thing with no option for a real screen resolution or multi-touch trackpad. Not that those matter, right, because you only use them all the time. Whaaaaaatever.
As I mentioned above, I got the Air 11, but damn, the Lenovo 'value' 15 has the same screen res as my 11", starts at 2GB, etc. Think I'll take my Air, thanks, let along a MBP if you're looking for a nice desktop replacement. Which all comes back to the fact that even if Apple made the MB $799 or whatever, people are going to find a way to go on about why you should save some money elsewhere.
What?s with the new trend of calling the MacBook a WhiteBook?
It's as old as the MacBook itself.
How could it possibly be so confusing especially since the only MacBook is indeed white.
Because the old ones were once called BlackBooks.
It wouldn't matter. Look at the iPad pricing vs. the competitors - and people still call Apple overpriced. They could probably sell the MB for $500 and you'd have someone explaining how they got a used no-name machine from eBay and why it's a much better value.
...
Which all comes back to the fact that even if Apple made the MB $799 or whatever, people are going to find a way to go on about why you should save some money elsewhere.
Yeah. You got some points there. But, when people get that nonsensical, I just say, "Um. I'm gonna stop talking to you now." ?Okay. I don't actually say that, but I definitely say that to them in my head!
Yeah, of course lowering the price opens the door to new buyers, but neither you nor tipoo have made a case for this being advantageous for Apple. Are you sure they can still get a good profit at that price point? How are you sure that they aren’t selling as many as they can make at $999? If $799 is good then $599 is even better, and $399 is even better than that, and $199 is better still, which makes throwing out a number because you like the way it looks a fruitless way to form an argument for a company lowering their price.
The recent price aggressiveness of Apple in the iPad, and the MacBook Air, clearly indicates that Apple is not simply basing its decisions on profit margins for pricing. While they may not be competing for the bottom price to gain market share, Apple recognize that it must have a significant share to compete for mindshare -- this is critical in the way they incrementally evolved the iPods, and the fine line in pricing the various portable computers that now comprise the bulk of their computer sales.
Thus, Apple might just lower the price of the MacBook (white) -- to attract new consumers into the Apple Ecosystem. The halo effect is much more critical now -- it does not matter if the consumer first becomes familiar with or get entice into the Apple Ecosystem via its iPhone, iPod, iPod touch, iPads or its computers.
My first notebook was the G3 white notebook in 2003. I replaced it only last year because it is getting too slow, but still works otherwise. At the time, I paid $1350 for it, including a memory upgrade.
When they introduced the "MacBook Pros", the price was lowered to $1099 -- faster more RAM and disk storage. When they introduced the unibody aluminum, I thought they will finally discontinue the MacBok (white), but they did not, they just lowered it $1049, and in another year to $999. And not only lowered it, but dramatically upgraded it -- less weight, more RAM and disk storage. The only main difference except for slightly lower RAM and disk storage is the lower graphics capabilities, so that it wil not cannibalize the MacBook Pros, but still be good enough for most average uses, e.g., laypeople, students, etc.
Now, they lowered the MacBook Air 11-inch to almost the same price as the MacBook (white). I doubt many people would buy the MacBook (white) at the same price over the MacBook Air. However, there would retain a very significant market share if the price is lowered further by another $100 or two.
This strategy is not unheard of for Apple. It has always made a "complete" computer to address the needs of price conscious educational market.
The unknown factor is that even the higher end iPad, with built-in Wifi and all those 65,000 Apps (and other significant features thrown in) is near the same price range, if not cheaper, even at $799 price range for a MacBook (white). Throw in another $150, and you have the 3G wireless interconnectvity features and even internet telephony capabilities of the iPad. In fact, even with just Wifi, the available Hot Spots are becoming more ubiquitous.
One main saving grace, for now, of the MacBook (white) is that it is stand-alone computer while the iPad is not (although it is getting there). But, the iPad is in an ecosystem where some families (or in environments, e.g., colleges and universities) have other full-fledged computers to sync to; so that may not be a very insurmountable limitation. Plus, with improving wireless interconnectivity, many of the current limitations of the iPad over that of stand-alone computers will vanish, in a very short time.
I prefer the true unibody form of the iPad (computer and screen in the same body) over the clam shell MacBooks. Apple has already addressed my issue of protecting the very fragile glass screen, not only just another protective cover, but one that is elegant worthy of the product, but also very functional -- on-off, stand, etc.
CGC
What’s with the new trend of calling the MacBook a WhiteBook? How could it possibly be so confusing especially since the only MacBook is indeed white. I suppose it goes back to the idiots who think Air and Pro are adjectives and not part of the product’s name.
I'm writing this on a non-white, that is, aluminum, MacBook.
Before the MacBooks were white, they were white or black, then they were aluminum, and now they're white again. So, simply saying "MacBook" actually can lead to some confusion. Language is interesting, because people tend to have a cultural sense of what works and what doesn't. Doesn't necessarily make it "right", just makes it acceptable. As in, when RKPro first said "Whitebook", many here knew immediately what he/she meant, even though it technically wasn't the "correct" product name.
Words like "ain't" and "gonna" are considered "bad" English, but they've been used often enough that they now have their own dictionary entries.
Let the eternal debate begin!
MacBooks Air vs. MacBook Airs.
You had to do it, didn't you?
I had the original HD MBA and upgraded to the SSD model a year later. The difference in speed was incredible. Just upgraded again to the 11" MBA and love it. It starts up, launches apps and saves faster than my MacPro at work. I am really considering installing an SSD into the MacPro after seeing it in action on the Air.
As soon as there is a reasonably affordable 512GB SSD drive available, that's going in my 27" i7 iMac. I think Apple will incorporate the same mini PCIe SSD cards into their next iMacs along with the Thunderbolt port. I'm going to avoid Apple stores as much as possible if they do that for fear of walking out with another one.
No offense taken. I have just become used to it when typing late at night, and the times I turned it off, it was harder sometimes to find the keys. I also have my brightness turned way down to conserve battery.
My first two MBAs had the backlit keyboard, the new 11" doesn't. Most of the time I have no problem without it, but there are times when I wish it had it. Not really a problem, though.
I still miss that backlit keyboard. Even though I don't use my MBA in dark environments, late nights next to a lamp still makes the keyboard a little dim and it helped.
I also missed the flush power on/off button of my old MBA. I'm very compulsive about keeping my MBA clean. I normally wipe it down at least once a day. When spraying/wiping the keyboard, it is difficult to avoid constantly turning on/off the machine. The flush button was a non-issue.
Very small issues for an otherwise great machine.
We agree up to this point.
MacBook is a noun. Air is used as an adjective. The noun gets the 's' and the adjective doesn't.
I want a 15" MacBook Air.
I would agree with the prior responses. I am sure you have heard and used two word nouns, e.g., "African Americans". It used to be hyphenated, i.e., "African-Americans" but many linguists now consider the non-hyphenated form to be just as proper, if not now the preferred form.
Then, there are the surnames of people: Goldsmith, trades or professions (bookkeeper), etc.
No one has ever used "Africans American" just like it would be odd to say "MacBooks Air" or "MacBooks Pro" or "iPods touch", even if Air, and Pro and touch, are just the modifiers. "MacBook Pros" has been more commonly used and so would "MacBook Airs".
I sure you have not forgotten that the term, "MacBook" was once or more apptly described as a "Macintosh Notebook", the notebook being a modifer of the (shortened) Macintosh computer.
Bon't forget a rule in lexicography and language -- common usage may get a coinage become part of the language and the vocabulary.
It's as old as the MacBook itself.
Because the old ones were once called BlackBooks.
Since the Blackbooks are no longer sold, just like the iMac (once found in all colors) would be associated with the "White iMac" or "silvery or metallic" iMac of the latest version, not too many wil conconfuse the MacBook to be anything but the white "non-pro" version of the same clamshell Mac Notebooks.
CGC
As soon as there is a reasonably affordable 512GB SSD drive available, that's going in my 27" i7 iMac. I think Apple will incorporate the same mini PCIe SSD cards into their next iMacs along with the Thunderbolt port. I'm going to avoid Apple stores as much as possible if they do that for fear of walking out with another one.
With all the solid-stating (yes, i verbed an adjective?I'm cool like that!) going on, I wouldn't be surprised to see future iMacs getting progressively thinner, possibly to an inch or less. Maybe even thin enough that the ports would have to be moved from the back to the sides.
As soon as there is a reasonably affordable 512GB SSD drive available, that's going in my 27" i7 iMac. I think Apple will incorporate the same mini PCIe SSD cards into their next iMacs along with the Thunderbolt port. I'm going to avoid Apple stores as much as possible if they do that for fear of walking out with another one.
I still miss that backlit keyboard. Even though I don't use my MBA in dark environments, late nights next to a lamp still makes the keyboard a little dim and it helped.
I also missed the flush power on/off button of my old MBA. I'm very compulsive about keeping my MBA clean. I normally wipe it down at least once a day. When spraying/wiping the keyboard, it is difficult to avoid constantly turning on/off the machine. The flush button was a non-issue.
Very small issues for an otherwise great machine.
Not sure how much power consumption the backlit feature is; but the in-between recharge for the MacBook Air is not that much significant especially in light of the 10-hour iPad. I think this was a great consideration in temporariy not including the feature, not simply to shave cost.
I am not a touch typist, but I seldom look at the keyboard anymore. There comes a point when it becomes instinctive to simply hit the correct keys. There's enough light from the screen when I make mistakes.
When the battery improves, the backlit feature is likely to be restored, that may enticed fans to buy a new MacBook Air, if not more so for the enhanced and more integrated features, not found in the prior version.
CGC
Don't get me wrong, I love my 13" MacBook Air (2010 model, 4GB), but compared to my wife's MacBook Air (2009), the build quality leaves much to be desired.
- I don't know if Apple is using thinner aluminum for the bottom plate or what, but the bottom of the chassis flexes more and you can actually push in quite a bit and the bottom plate will give.
-My wife's MBA feels extremely solid, like it's built from a single slab of aluminum. My MBA creaks when picking it up, and sometimes if I apply too much pressure to the palmrest when typing. My wife's MBA doesn't do this.
It seems as though the .1 pound reduction in weight wasn't worth the build quality tradeoffs IMHO.
I can live without the backlit keyboard, but stuff like this worries me.
Glad you brought that up. I actually started noticing that too. I definitely notice when lifting it from the front (thinner) edge that the chassis "creaks". I dismissed it as the chassis screws slowly relaxing loose over time. I think if I re-tighten the screws, the creaking would stop. It is a very minor annoyance for me.
However, to be fair, my old 2008 MBA creaked a lot when I rested my big hands on the palmrest. The chassis itself did not flex/bend. Again, I think just re-tightening the screws would alleviate that.
I don't think the build quality is necessarily affected though. It's still built like a tank compared to other machines. I agree with you, I think my old MBA had more heft to it, and obviously the thinner profile of the new MBA means they are using less aluminum. I think there's a fine balance between keeping things light, and taking it too far where structural integrity is being affected. I don't think Apple is going to do that unless they abandon aluminum and use a stronger metal like stainless steel (???). They can only go so far with current materials/design before it gets too thin and things start bending/warping.
I don't know if the screws on the chassis have a specific torque requirement when they're assembled. When I work on my motorcycles, even torqued screws in certain areas eventually come loose depending on flexing/vibration. I dab of blue loctite and the issue is resolved. I wonder if the same would resolve the creaking issue on the MBA??? I'll have to look into that. Those screws are pretty darn small for loctite!