Calling it an overpriced iPad is ignorant. It has a full OS with a real keyboard for one thing plus connectivity to many devices given the right cables. Cables aren't the issue people make them out to be either. Everyone is making all kinds of cables so you can get whatever you want soon not to mention Apple's cables. For example I want a cable with Displayport and usb only. I will be able to get that soon. At this point I'm just laughing at the one port "issue". It so obviously isn't one. However I can certainly see the point that they should have just made a version of the Air with a retina display. Regardless I will likely be buying one of these tomorrow.
I have a 2012 11" Macbook Air. I almost never use any of the ports except the charging port, and I use the computer several hours each day. I have a MacMini and an iMac for work requiring peripherals.
As compact and light as the Air is, I am looking forward to the even more compact and lighter MacBook because I travel for pleasure quite often, and a couple hundred grams is enough to make a difference sometimes when trying to squeak under the new restrictive airline luggage rules.
For me, the whole point of the Air is to have a light, simple computer to take anywhere with as few and as small accessories as possible.
I am even willing to pay the extra to get the faster processor so that the new machine will roughly match the performance of my current Air.
Bluetooth technology is now getting good enough that one can connect effectively to headphones and even printers without cables if needed, and connection to external drives via WiFi is possible.
Since Apple now offers a wide variety of computers, each of which can serve varying needs, I welcome the new MacBook. It's not for everyone, certainly, but neither is a MacMini. Or a MacBook Pro.
To the reviewer, Dieter: If you think your Macbook Air feels ugly and heavy, you really need to get outside, get some balance in your life, and be grateful for the awesome technological tools you have.
Regarding the lack of ports, for me personally, I don't like it. However, I see that iPads and iPhones are very successful with only one port, each.
I think this is pretty funny. The New MacBook is what it is supposed to be. An ultra portable device. It is not a desktop replacement. It is not meant to be used like the current MacBookPro. It is not intended for hooking up multiple devices. I will buy one for what it is meant for...carrying with you everywhere like an iPad. It is kind of like me doing a review on on desktop tower and complaining that it isn't portable and the battery life disappoints...(even though it doesn't even have one)...take it for what it is and if it fits it should be pretty darn good.
This review, among others, make it pretty clear that the New MacBook is pretty much what everyone secretly feared it would be: an overpriced iPad with non removable keyboard.
Cook should have just given the Air line a retina screen and held off another year or two on this thing. Or at least figured out how to give it more than one dang port.
Does this Macbook run iOS or OSX? Get that fact straight.
The machine has its niche, and I think it is a good start for Apple to move towards the new port, just like the iMac did. It will fit for some people, and not for others.
My wife recently got a rMBP, because she hooks up to a full desk situation (monitor, keyboard, mouse), charges her phone in the computer, etc and so needs the ports. So she got the Pro.
I have a 2008 Macbook which I removed the DVD for more HD space, and I never ever use any of my ports. The last time I used a port was simply to test if the Logitech receiver was working any more. I could use the new Macbook, if it handled my games well enough, so the ports aren't my problem, the processor may or may not be.
So it will probably work for me. To each their own. Not everyone needs the same computer, so I think this laptop fits in fine. A bit futuristic, but isn't that what Apple does?
My guess is that we see the headphone jack disappear for another USB port in future iterations (and better processors of course).
I don't think this was ever destined to be a massive seller for Apple, they introduced it with the Watch for a reason. Test the waters, get people used to it, and then develop it more after people actually start using it.
This MacBook is perfect for someone like me, it's just unfortunate I'm not in the market right now because I love it. My main "desktop" machine is my 2012 11" MBA hooked up to larger monitor, an external drive, an iPhone dock and a full sized (USB) keyboard. I can easily detach it from it's docking station (a Henge Dock) and throw it in my bag and take it with me, but recently I bought a keyboard/case (Zagg folio) for my iPad Air, and now that's what I end up throwing in my bag and taking along with me rather than the MBA. The keyboard attached to the iPad is great, the fact it has no ports for externals demonstrates for people like me, this MacBook would be more than adequate.
I'm someone who values portability more than anything, and I'm enough of a tech guy (ex-programmer, 20 years in IT) to ensure lack of speed is never anything I suffer. My MBA at home is more than capable of handling everything I do on a computer, and since this new MacBook is similar speed I'm fairly certain the speed of this new machine will function more than adequately.
What I suspect is that this new machine will work beautifully for quite a lot of people, especially those who crave portability in their devices and aren't doing CPU intensive work (which is actually *most* of the world). The price tag, well, that's something you have to answer for yourself, but the criticisms of this device really don't understand the beauty of it at all, because for people like me I think it's perfect.
Well, perfect would be a hybrid iPad/MacBook in a similar form factor, but I digress. ;-)
Typical. Like those that whined (loudly) about the V1.0 MBA, they are doing the exact same thing with this laptop. They are not the intended market for this machine. This machine is meant for highly-mobile individuals that require acceptable performance, maximum battery life, and most of all, the lightest weight to carry around.
I've been a very happy MBA-owner for the past 5 years up until September of last year when I finally upgraded to a rMBP. I exceeded the performance capabilities of the MBA. I no longer became the group for it.
The new Macbook is a beautiful, elegant machine that will get the job done for those that fit the criteria. I'm fed-up with people that think every Mac model should be tailor-made for them exclusively. I can count the number of times on one hand that I had to plug anything into my MBA. That one port will be more than sufficient. Ports are overrated on laptops. You need a bunch of them, go with the MBP.
This model will sell well. Thanks to Apple, the USB-C spec will get even more of a kick-start and become the norm. Not from HP, Dell, Chromebook, etc... Thank Apple people.
It does make sense, limited ports and good but relatively ok processor. Not all macbook users are power users. In a world of over 7 billions people, there are enough whose need will perfectly be met by this macbook. All good.
You're fcuking idiot. Does this Macbook run iOS or OSX? Get that fact straight.
please mind the language - and the mild attack, but the person is trolling. Its clearly NOT and iPad with a keyboard, it runs OS X - Im getting one, as my rMBP lives on the bench a lot (i design electronic insstruments) and I want to replace my 2011 (or 2012 i can't remember) 11 inch MBA. The MBA is what I travel with, and what I take home at night, its great, BUT I love retina screens - makes a big difference, especially to old eyes!
The reviewer at Ars Technica wrote "Don’t get a MacBook and expect it to do a MacBook Pro’s job."
Now, watch as people ignore that advice and complain about how slow/limited/unsuitable the new MacBook is.
These reviews don't surprise me one bit but most of them are still garbage IMO. It's basically the tech press throwing a hissy fit because Apple didn't throw a retina screen into the MBA. But do that and you've basically got a rMBP. Anyone with brains can see that eventually the rMBP will become as light as the Air and the Air will go away. So you have the ultra portable rMB and the rMBP for people who need more ports and power. And the price of the rMB will come down over time. Early adopters are paying for the new design and technology in the device.
Remember when every 20-30 something chick had a white MacBook to manage digital photos and do email? That's what I see here all over again, yes the second gen and a price drop will help but that's where I see this going.
Well, in today's world, nothing says "I'm popular" like being a negative nelly, and a quote from the article link supports it:
"There were 21 Apple Watch reviews published, but the 4 reviews that were more critical of the device got the most attention, leaving the 14 glowing reviews behind."
?In other words, if you want to be noticed, don't say nice things, be critical, write click-bait stories, be provocative in nasty ways and the attention (i.e. money) will follow. Horrible actually, which is why user reviews are preferred, as long as they're not on sites where trolls frequent (here and MR being the most obvious places).
Well, in today's world, nothing says "I'm popular" like being a negative nelly, and a quote from the article link supports it:
"There were 21 Apple Watch reviews published, but the 4 reviews that were more critical of the device got the most attention, leaving the 14 glowing reviews behind."
?In other words, if you want to be noticed, don't say nice things, be critical, write click-bait stories, be provocative in nasty ways and <span style="line-height:22.399999618530273px;">the attention (i.e. money) will follow. Horrible actually, which is why user reviews are preferred, as long as they're not on sites where trolls frequent (here and MR being the most obvious places).</span>
My god reading some of this stuff you'd think the only computer Apple sells is this new MackBook. It's ridiculous. Need more power, ports and mag safe? Get a 13" rMBP!
My god reading some of this stuff you'd think the only computer Apple sells is this new MackBook. It's ridiculous. Need more power, ports and mag safe? Get a 13" rMBP!
Can you imagine what things would be like if all the DIY home computer builders back in the 1970s who couldn't fathom why you'd want to hardwire all of your computer components together (and thus limit expandability) had their way? History just keeps on repeating...
Remember when every 20-30 something chick had a white MacBook to manage digital photos and do email? That's what I see here all over again, yes the second gen and a price drop will help but that's where I see this going.
My wife has been a Mac user since 1984, has never owned a 'white MacBook' and would be offended by juvenile postings like yours that refer to women as 'chicks.'
Honestly sick of people going on about USB-A ports and SD card slots. It's embarrassing. Thank god that Katherine finally said something sensible. I think anyone going on about USB-A and SD card slots should lose their job in technology journalism. I'm a right Anna Wintour. Not only are those dead tech, the damn product isn't aimed at professionals [still using old tech]. I'm in tech and I barely use the USB-A ports (only for iOS devices and thats only for charge convenience) and I never ever use the SD card slot.
This review, among others, make it pretty clear that the New MacBook is pretty much what everyone secretly feared it would be: an overpriced iPad with non removable keyboard.
Cook should have just given the Air line a retina screen and held off another year or two on this thing. Or at least figured out how to give it more than one dang port.
People say that it's like an iPad as though that's somehow a bad thing. The iPads get the highest customer satisfaction ratings among all Apple's products - 98-100%. If you were to buy a 128GB iPad, it would be $699. Apple charges $200 to move from 128GB to 256GB on the Macs so a 256GB Air would be $899. The Macbook is $1299. The Macbook has 8GB RAM vs 2GB on the Air. If you assume RAM costs $10/GB, that's easily $100 Apple retail pricing so an equivalent Air would be $999.
8GB/256GB Macbook = $1299. 8GB/256GB Air = $999.
The Mac is a machine that you can use to make money a lot more easily than with an iPad because it's a productive platform and gives you over a decade of desktop-class software. The $300 premium isn't heavily overpriced, some of that will come from Intel and the economies of scale. They sell 3.5x more iPads than Macs per year.
The reviewer at Ars Technica wrote "Don’t get a MacBook and expect it to do a MacBook Pro’s job."
Now, watch as people ignore that advice and complain about how slow/limited/unsuitable the new MacBook is.
For performance, it should be as good or better than a Macbook Pro from 2010 and earlier.
Intel is pushing for wireless advances with Skylake. This at least includes charging but likely wireless displays too.
Say that the laptop is charging wirelessly, has bluetooth peripherals, sends data to a display wirelessly then what needs to be plugged in? Storage might need plugged in and certainly copying from one drive to another would need a second port but wireless advances would make up for a lot of the downside of having a single port. That doesn't do much for people buying this model because it doesn't have those wireless features but Skylake is due at the end of the year so they wouldn't design around wired tech and then remove it.
Comments
Cables aren't the issue people make them out to be either. Everyone is making all kinds of cables so you can get whatever you want soon not to mention Apple's cables. For example I want a cable with Displayport and usb only. I will be able to get that soon. At this point I'm just laughing at the one port "issue". It so obviously isn't one.
However I can certainly see the point that they should have just made a version of the Air with a retina display.
Regardless I will likely be buying one of these tomorrow.
As compact and light as the Air is, I am looking forward to the even more compact and lighter MacBook because I travel for pleasure quite often, and a couple hundred grams is enough to make a difference sometimes when trying to squeak under the new restrictive airline luggage rules.
For me, the whole point of the Air is to have a light, simple computer to take anywhere with as few and as small accessories as possible.
I am even willing to pay the extra to get the faster processor so that the new machine will roughly match the performance of my current Air.
Bluetooth technology is now getting good enough that one can connect effectively to headphones and even printers without cables if needed, and connection to external drives via WiFi is possible.
Since Apple now offers a wide variety of computers, each of which can serve varying needs, I welcome the new MacBook. It's not for everyone, certainly, but neither is a MacMini. Or a MacBook Pro.
To the reviewer, Dieter: If you think your Macbook Air feels ugly and heavy, you really need to get outside, get some balance in your life, and be grateful for the awesome technological tools you have.
Regarding the lack of ports, for me personally, I don't like it. However, I see that iPads and iPhones are very successful with only one port, each.
This review, among others, make it pretty clear that the New MacBook is pretty much what everyone secretly feared it would be: an overpriced iPad with non removable keyboard.
Cook should have just given the Air line a retina screen and held off another year or two on this thing. Or at least figured out how to give it more than one dang port.
Does this Macbook run iOS or OSX? Get that fact straight.
The machine has its niche, and I think it is a good start for Apple to move towards the new port, just like the iMac did. It will fit for some people, and not for others.
My wife recently got a rMBP, because she hooks up to a full desk situation (monitor, keyboard, mouse), charges her phone in the computer, etc and so needs the ports. So she got the Pro.
I have a 2008 Macbook which I removed the DVD for more HD space, and I never ever use any of my ports. The last time I used a port was simply to test if the Logitech receiver was working any more. I could use the new Macbook, if it handled my games well enough, so the ports aren't my problem, the processor may or may not be.
So it will probably work for me. To each their own. Not everyone needs the same computer, so I think this laptop fits in fine. A bit futuristic, but isn't that what Apple does?
My guess is that we see the headphone jack disappear for another USB port in future iterations (and better processors of course).
I don't think this was ever destined to be a massive seller for Apple, they introduced it with the Watch for a reason. Test the waters, get people used to it, and then develop it more after people actually start using it.
This MacBook is perfect for someone like me, it's just unfortunate I'm not in the market right now because I love it. My main "desktop" machine is my 2012 11" MBA hooked up to larger monitor, an external drive, an iPhone dock and a full sized (USB) keyboard. I can easily detach it from it's docking station (a Henge Dock) and throw it in my bag and take it with me, but recently I bought a keyboard/case (Zagg folio) for my iPad Air, and now that's what I end up throwing in my bag and taking along with me rather than the MBA. The keyboard attached to the iPad is great, the fact it has no ports for externals demonstrates for people like me, this MacBook would be more than adequate.
I'm someone who values portability more than anything, and I'm enough of a tech guy (ex-programmer, 20 years in IT) to ensure lack of speed is never anything I suffer. My MBA at home is more than capable of handling everything I do on a computer, and since this new MacBook is similar speed I'm fairly certain the speed of this new machine will function more than adequately.
What I suspect is that this new machine will work beautifully for quite a lot of people, especially those who crave portability in their devices and aren't doing CPU intensive work (which is actually *most* of the world). The price tag, well, that's something you have to answer for yourself, but the criticisms of this device really don't understand the beauty of it at all, because for people like me I think it's perfect.
Well, perfect would be a hybrid iPad/MacBook in a similar form factor, but I digress. ;-)
Typical. Like those that whined (loudly) about the V1.0 MBA, they are doing the exact same thing with this laptop. They are not the intended market for this machine. This machine is meant for highly-mobile individuals that require acceptable performance, maximum battery life, and most of all, the lightest weight to carry around.
I've been a very happy MBA-owner for the past 5 years up until September of last year when I finally upgraded to a rMBP. I exceeded the performance capabilities of the MBA. I no longer became the group for it.
The new Macbook is a beautiful, elegant machine that will get the job done for those that fit the criteria. I'm fed-up with people that think every Mac model should be tailor-made for them exclusively. I can count the number of times on one hand that I had to plug anything into my MBA. That one port will be more than sufficient. Ports are overrated on laptops. You need a bunch of them, go with the MBP.
This model will sell well. Thanks to Apple, the USB-C spec will get even more of a kick-start and become the norm. Not from HP, Dell, Chromebook, etc... Thank Apple people.
You're fcuking idiot. Does this Macbook run iOS or OSX? Get that fact straight.
please mind the language - and the mild attack, but the person is trolling. Its clearly NOT and iPad with a keyboard, it runs OS X - Im getting one, as my rMBP lives on the bench a lot (i design electronic insstruments) and I want to replace my 2011 (or 2012 i can't remember) 11 inch MBA. The MBA is what I travel with, and what I take home at night, its great, BUT I love retina screens - makes a big difference, especially to old eyes!
http://www.aboveavalon.com/notes/2015/4/8/product-reviews-are-broken
These reviews don't surprise me one bit but most of them are still garbage IMO. It's basically the tech press throwing a hissy fit because Apple didn't throw a retina screen into the MBA. But do that and you've basically got a rMBP. Anyone with brains can see that eventually the rMBP will become as light as the Air and the Air will go away. So you have the ultra portable rMB and the rMBP for people who need more ports and power. And the price of the rMB will come down over time. Early adopters are paying for the new design and technology in the device.
So just like the 2008 MBA then. We see how that product turned out. I agree with Apple blogger Neil Cybart: product reviews are broken.
http://www.aboveavalon.com/notes/2015/4/8/product-reviews-are-broken
Well, in today's world, nothing says "I'm popular" like being a negative nelly, and a quote from the article link supports it:
"There were 21 Apple Watch reviews published, but the 4 reviews that were more critical of the device got the most attention, leaving the 14 glowing reviews behind."
?In other words, if you want to be noticed, don't say nice things, be critical, write click-bait stories, be provocative in nasty ways and the attention (i.e. money) will follow. Horrible actually, which is why user reviews are preferred, as long as they're not on sites where trolls frequent (here and MR being the most obvious places).
My god reading some of this stuff you'd think the only computer Apple sells is this new MackBook. It's ridiculous. Need more power, ports and mag safe? Get a 13" rMBP!
This is probably the first Mac I have no desire to own. The price is ridiculous.
My god reading some of this stuff you'd think the only computer Apple sells is this new MackBook. It's ridiculous. Need more power, ports and mag safe? Get a 13" rMBP!
Can you imagine what things would be like if all the DIY home computer builders back in the 1970s who couldn't fathom why you'd want to hardwire all of your computer components together (and thus limit expandability) had their way? History just keeps on repeating...
Remember when every 20-30 something chick had a white MacBook to manage digital photos and do email? That's what I see here all over again, yes the second gen and a price drop will help but that's where I see this going.
My wife has been a Mac user since 1984, has never owned a 'white MacBook' and would be offended by juvenile postings like yours that refer to women as 'chicks.'
Grow up.
People say that it's like an iPad as though that's somehow a bad thing. The iPads get the highest customer satisfaction ratings among all Apple's products - 98-100%. If you were to buy a 128GB iPad, it would be $699. Apple charges $200 to move from 128GB to 256GB on the Macs so a 256GB Air would be $899. The Macbook is $1299. The Macbook has 8GB RAM vs 2GB on the Air. If you assume RAM costs $10/GB, that's easily $100 Apple retail pricing so an equivalent Air would be $999.
8GB/256GB Macbook = $1299. 8GB/256GB Air = $999.
The Mac is a machine that you can use to make money a lot more easily than with an iPad because it's a productive platform and gives you over a decade of desktop-class software. The $300 premium isn't heavily overpriced, some of that will come from Intel and the economies of scale. They sell 3.5x more iPads than Macs per year.
For performance, it should be as good or better than a Macbook Pro from 2010 and earlier.
Intel is pushing for wireless advances with Skylake. This at least includes charging but likely wireless displays too.
Say that the laptop is charging wirelessly, has bluetooth peripherals, sends data to a display wirelessly then what needs to be plugged in? Storage might need plugged in and certainly copying from one drive to another would need a second port but wireless advances would make up for a lot of the downside of having a single port. That doesn't do much for people buying this model because it doesn't have those wireless features but Skylake is due at the end of the year so they wouldn't design around wired tech and then remove it.