Macbook Air: niche product only?
When Steve Jobs intro'd the MBA to much fanfare, the first thing I thought was, "oh no." Apple is going in the wrong way on the one way street they have been paving for so long. Apple has been overcoming all obstacles in order to give the consumer the best options for computing with great features combined with high style. the MBA breaks that trend in a most disturbing way.
Sure, the thing looks great (apart from the ugly black keyboard and too rounded corners) and it is the lightest and thinnest notebook available.
There are far too many problems with the sacrifices made in order to accomplish this though.
For one, the lack of an integrated optical drive is a deal breaker for many. Apple seems to forget that this in no longer the year 2000 where small notebooks commonly had external drive peripherals that were mandatory. Now, Apple is doing it and no one else is. They have learned. Now I guess it's apple's turn. Optical drives are necessary to install software and to create hard copies of data, mutlimedia, etc. The MBA charges extra for a bulky add-on that is more cumbersome to use than if it was a little thicker with a built in drive. This is a miss.
The next issue is the lack of a user replaceable battery. The MacBook Air seems designed specifically for airplane travel and it is aptly named. however, unless you paid extra for business class or first class seats, you will need mucho grande battery life. The MBA excels here, but not by much. with the MB Pro, you can swap batteries hot-swap style. This can extend your computing exponentially. with the MBA, you truly are constrained by the one battery built in. Also, if your battery starts going on you, then you must have Apple service it and buy a whole new battery. Sure the "service" is free (it had better be) but the battery is not. And I wonder what the battery life is WITH the optical drive plugged in. ??? Could be a bad thing. The screen could realistically be a 14.1 too. but that might eat into the battery life bragging rights as much as an optical drive would. The thick bezel does mar the otherwise extraordinary looks.
Next up is the processor. 1.8 GHZ is not bad, but it is not a true Core 2 Duo either. The CPU tries to not make sacrifices, but it does make some. A true Pro portable should have a true Pro level CPU.
Finally, the price. What on Earth? What does it do that is worth more than the flagship MBP? The answer? It is small. that is it. Sorry, that does not make it worth 3 grand. oh, and more with the requisite optical attachment.
Basically, the Macbook Air is a niche product. It is for the Mac user who already has a Macbook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, etc. and needs to fly or do "road warrior" work. It is an accessory computer. Basically it is an iPod that does computer stuff. In fact, it looks like Apple took everything that people DISLIKE about the iPod and made them prominent features of the MBA.
For those looking to own a single computer, the MBA is a dud. Laptops are outselling desktops now primarily because people who only have one computer are making that one computer a notebook which can be used at home or work and also on the road.
for those looking for an additional computer to travel with and have cash to spare, the MBA MIGHT be a good fit. That depends on how often you use the optical drive. If you use it often to burn photos, music, final Cut projects, backup files, etc. It will prove to be a more cumbersome combination that simply using a MacBook or 15" MB Pro. If you just want to surf the net and use email. Maybe do a little MS Office, then it should be a good fit.
I believe apple has a cool thing on its hands. A halo product if you will. They can say, "hey, we have the thinnest laptop around. But it will not sell that great. Hopefully, the correct the optical drive issue. The unit may be slightly thicker, but that is a trade that is worth it.
so there you have it. the thinnest, lightest notebook available, but making so many sacrifices to get there, you are better off with the real deal with all the features built in, just a little thicker and heavier. And cheaper!
Sure, the thing looks great (apart from the ugly black keyboard and too rounded corners) and it is the lightest and thinnest notebook available.
There are far too many problems with the sacrifices made in order to accomplish this though.
For one, the lack of an integrated optical drive is a deal breaker for many. Apple seems to forget that this in no longer the year 2000 where small notebooks commonly had external drive peripherals that were mandatory. Now, Apple is doing it and no one else is. They have learned. Now I guess it's apple's turn. Optical drives are necessary to install software and to create hard copies of data, mutlimedia, etc. The MBA charges extra for a bulky add-on that is more cumbersome to use than if it was a little thicker with a built in drive. This is a miss.
The next issue is the lack of a user replaceable battery. The MacBook Air seems designed specifically for airplane travel and it is aptly named. however, unless you paid extra for business class or first class seats, you will need mucho grande battery life. The MBA excels here, but not by much. with the MB Pro, you can swap batteries hot-swap style. This can extend your computing exponentially. with the MBA, you truly are constrained by the one battery built in. Also, if your battery starts going on you, then you must have Apple service it and buy a whole new battery. Sure the "service" is free (it had better be) but the battery is not. And I wonder what the battery life is WITH the optical drive plugged in. ??? Could be a bad thing. The screen could realistically be a 14.1 too. but that might eat into the battery life bragging rights as much as an optical drive would. The thick bezel does mar the otherwise extraordinary looks.
Next up is the processor. 1.8 GHZ is not bad, but it is not a true Core 2 Duo either. The CPU tries to not make sacrifices, but it does make some. A true Pro portable should have a true Pro level CPU.
Finally, the price. What on Earth? What does it do that is worth more than the flagship MBP? The answer? It is small. that is it. Sorry, that does not make it worth 3 grand. oh, and more with the requisite optical attachment.
Basically, the Macbook Air is a niche product. It is for the Mac user who already has a Macbook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, etc. and needs to fly or do "road warrior" work. It is an accessory computer. Basically it is an iPod that does computer stuff. In fact, it looks like Apple took everything that people DISLIKE about the iPod and made them prominent features of the MBA.
For those looking to own a single computer, the MBA is a dud. Laptops are outselling desktops now primarily because people who only have one computer are making that one computer a notebook which can be used at home or work and also on the road.
for those looking for an additional computer to travel with and have cash to spare, the MBA MIGHT be a good fit. That depends on how often you use the optical drive. If you use it often to burn photos, music, final Cut projects, backup files, etc. It will prove to be a more cumbersome combination that simply using a MacBook or 15" MB Pro. If you just want to surf the net and use email. Maybe do a little MS Office, then it should be a good fit.
I believe apple has a cool thing on its hands. A halo product if you will. They can say, "hey, we have the thinnest laptop around. But it will not sell that great. Hopefully, the correct the optical drive issue. The unit may be slightly thicker, but that is a trade that is worth it.
so there you have it. the thinnest, lightest notebook available, but making so many sacrifices to get there, you are better off with the real deal with all the features built in, just a little thicker and heavier. And cheaper!
Comments
in my current laptop.. for the 10 months i have owned it.. i have burnt 2 DVDs and 2 CDs and watched 1 DVD.. in 10 months.....
i normally drop everthing onto my harddrive. wich is portiable and has everything I need.
to be honest.. i wouldnt truly miss it if it went completly. but saying that.. i bet as soon as i get something with out an optical drive ill need it for something... lol
but like i said. its not esential..
oh and btw.... i dont think this was ever designed to be a primary computer anyways.
it is very cheap compared to its compitition..
sorry for the spelling im super tired/
~Regards
Name101
What exactly is a "niche" product? And why is everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, Apple makes is considered a "niche" product?
A niche product is something that only fits into a small or specialized segment of the market that is stlll profitable.
I don't know why Apple products have been labeled niche in the past. It certainly has never been true. Apple products are simply the best at what they do - to offer high end computing with high end style. that is not niche. It is broad and far reaching and perfect for home, business, enterprise use.
Even the iPod is not really niche. Althought it caters to the audio market, that market is huge and the iPod has even expanded to include video and the web.
The iPhone is also suitable for everything. It is not a niche product. It is THE major player in the commuications arena. It does all things well too. Som,e say it is not good for businesses, but that is not true either. Sure, some Lotus Notes and Exchange support would be nice and they will be out soon, but many businesses are not tied to these prorietary communiations systems and it is a non issue. The iPhone is mass market.
Apples Mac line has always been a mass market machine as well. Perhaps in the troubled days when all developers flocked to windows, it may have been considered niche because there was not enough software for it. those days are long gone.
the Mac line does everything and it does it better than anyone else.
The MacBook Air IS niche.
It is the only Apple product that really deserves this label.
It is a compromise meant only for those who can't stand to carry a notebook computer with them.
the lack of an optical drive is an omission of one of the most important features while the addition of an add on drive removes the benefit of its portability.
Apple is just trying to get rid of the optical drive in a world where that feature is only improving and growing. sorry Jobs. You missed the boat on that one. The floppy drive was understandable. It was replaced with another removable media drive. There is no option other than optical at this point.
the battery issue is huge. you cannot replace it, so no hot swapping batteries on overseas flights or anywhere at all.
5 hours of battery life is not that great. And that is without the optical drive plugged in!
Not quite the road warrior notebook Jobs was making it out to be.
It is basically a Macbook but aluminum and a little smaller. No better battery life and actually less capabilities. Definitely NOT a winner.
And the price is ridiculous. You pay 3 grand for less features.
As another poster stated: You can by two Apple notebooks, a MB and an MBP for the money.
I don't see this thing selling that well. There will be good sales, but not great. The rich who need another computer to travel with and that is all. Of course there will be a few who buy this thing as their main computer, but they will be bummed after a few months.
All in all, it is just not a good investment. Every Apple product from 2000 until now has been a solid choice (except the Apple TV). Now they have two misses. ATV and MBA.
The thing is good at what it was designed to do, but it was designed to do limited things. That is what makes it niche.
On a side note, I hope Apple realizes how nasty that black keyboard is and decides to NOT do that to the MBP.
A niche product is something that only fits into a small or specialized segment of the market that is stlll profitable.
the Mac line does everything and it does it better than anyone else.
The MacBook Air IS niche.
It is the only Apple product that really deserves this label.
It is a compromise meant only for those who can't stand to carry a notebook computer with them.
the lack of an optical drive is an omission of one of the most important features while the addition of an add on drive removes the benefit of its portability.
Apple is just trying to get rid of the optical drive in a world where that feature is only improving and growing. sorry Jobs. You missed the boat on that one. The floppy drive was understandable. It was replaced with another removable media drive. There is no option other than optical at this point.
the battery issue is huge. you cannot replace it, so no hot swapping batteries on overseas flights or anywhere at all.
5 hours of battery life is not that great. And that is without the optical drive plugged in!
Not quite the road warrior notebook Jobs was making it out to be.
It is basically a Macbook but aluminum and a little smaller. No better battery life and actually less capabilities. Definitely NOT a winner.
And the price is ridiculous. You pay 3 grand for less features.
As another poster stated: You can by two Apple notebooks, a MB and an MBP for the money.
I don't see this thing selling that well. There will be good sales, but not great. The rich who need another computer to travel with and that is all. Of course there will be a few who buy this thing as their main computer, but they will be bummed after a few months.
All in all, it is just not a good investment. Every Apple product from 2000 until now has been a solid choice (except the Apple TV). Now they have two misses. ATV and MBA.
The thing is good at what it was designed to do, but it was designed to do limited things. That is what makes it niche.
On a side note, I hope Apple realizes how nasty that black keyboard is and decides to NOT do that to the MBP.
By the way I'm taking what I disagree with
- Optical drives are becoming obsolete. They're there because if there wasn't, people would complain like buggery. Like they do now, and like they did for the floppy. And you DO in fact have something replacing it: wireless.
"And the price is ridiculous. You pay 3 grand for less features."
- And a Mac Pro costs 20+ grand. No wait it doesn't!
- Not many people NEED a second battery. It's like an optical drive, some will definitely need one, in which case this obviously isn't the product for them, compared to the masses who don't really use it.
"Next up is the processor. 1.8 GHZ is not bad, but it is not a true Core 2 Duo either. The CPU tries to not make sacrifices, but it does make some. A true Pro portable should have a true Pro level CPU."
You have a good point. Apple does have a "Pro" laptop: It's called the Macbook Pro.
The MBA isn't a "Pro" computer!
By the way I'm taking what I disagree with
- Optical drives are becoming obsolete. They're there because if there wasn't, people would complain like buggery. Like they do now, and like they did for the floppy. And you DO in fact have something replacing it: wireless.
"And the price is ridiculous. You pay 3 grand for less features."
- And a Mac Pro costs 20+ grand. No wait it doesn't!
- Not many people NEED a second battery. It's like an optical drive, some will definitely need one, in which case this obviously isn't the product for them, compared to the masses who don't really use it.
"Next up is the processor. 1.8 GHZ is not bad, but it is not a true Core 2 Duo either. The CPU tries to not make sacrifices, but it does make some. A true Pro portable should have a true Pro level CPU."
You have a good point. Apple does have a "Pro" laptop: It's called the Macbook Pro.
The MBA isn't a "Pro" computer!
Actually, optical drives aren't going anywhere. You have them in computers, DVD players, game consoles, cars, Airplanes, Kiosks, photo development centers, CD players, etc. the floppy never enjoyed that widespread usage - it was simply a media that was replaced by better media. Now, CDs have been replaced by DVDs which are being phased out in favor of Blu Ray. Portable media will never go away. the MBA Does not magically erase the need for an optical disk. It only requires you to have another computer to network its optical drive or to purchase an external drive. So the argument that optical drives aren't necessary is bunk. Also, not everyone wants to be forced to have to buy entertainment from itunes when they have their own DVD/ CD collections. Sure, they can be ripped to itunes, but then again, not without an optical drive. See the pattern? Good.
Again, the price is ridiculous. Steve Jobs even says it is expensive. He won't even quote the price directly to the media.
As far as the second battery - if you are traveling oveseas and you or your company did not pony up for the 1st class seats, you have no power. You are limited on battery. Many professionals are spending ten hours or more on these flights working. They will NEED a second battery. some don't that is true,, but the option should be there. It is not. the people who need the Macbook Air are the same people who need a second battery. That is the point.
I suppose the CPU is okay. It is an early and underclocked version of Montevina. Details are just coming out about it.
The MBA will sell decently simply because it is cool. However, people looking to get the best computer for their money will not buy it. It is not a good investment unless you have another computer and expendable cash. I think you are looking at the Cube again.
Jobs gave an interview to newsweek in which he says all the things that he needs to in order to sell it (including saying that it is not a niche product, although he knows it is). Then he lets this drop:
"I think people will look seriously at this. Some as their second notebook."
He knows that the only people this is viable for are the rich people who use the MBA as an accessory to their real computer.
That is why it is a niche product.
There are a number of power ports available in coach seats on both domestic and international flights (http://www.seatguru.com/). And the road warriors know where they are.
BTW, your definition of a niche products defines Apple's computer lineup. With 6 products and 6-7 percent market, that is niche. Their products cover a number of segments within the computer market. And now with the MBA, they cover another segment. Besides, WTF is wrong with selling to a niche. Smartphones are about 9% of the cellphone market right now, and Apple wants 10% of that. Isn't that pretty niche right there.
its funny how mmuch people are worried about the optical drive.
in my current laptop.. for the 10 months i have owned it.. i have burnt 2 DVDs and 2 CDs and watched 1 DVD.. in 10 months.....
I hope you do not consider yourself as representative of the general population because you are not. In a home setting (children, vacation, family photos and videos etc.) the optical drive is going to work much more than it did in your case. And this home setting is one of the typical Apple markets. This is why there is the MB (and the MBP for the more wealthy).
The MBA will sell decently simply because it is cool. However, people looking to get the best computer for their money will not buy it. It is not a good investment unless you have another computer and expendable cash. I think you are looking at the Cube again.
Probably not this time. The MBA, although it has some Cube-curse hints on it, it can run Windows and by its functionality it is addressed mainly to business people. This may give it the chance to not only survive but to do also well enough. Time will tell of course.
There is indeed an established market for small laptops that trade functionality for weight and size savings.
Most of the people carrying on like the Air was some kind of inexplicable pratfall are apparently unaware of this market.
As has been pointed out many times in many threads already, if you compare the Air to other laptops in this market, it is clear that it is competitively priced and offers a competitive feature set.
Apple chose to include some things that the others don't, and to leave out some things that the others have. But what it is not is some crazy Steve Jobs vanity project, or a failed shot at making a slightly lighter MacBook Pro, or a grossly overpriced underpowered MacBook for assholes.
Just..... do a little Googling around for ultra-portables, would ya?
how many people
need a ultraportable laptop
acutally in fact, how many people need a secondary computer for themselves, as opposed to a second functional computer.
in a home setting
how many people
need a ultraportable laptop
acutally in fact, how many people need a secondary computer for themselves, as opposed to a second functional computer.
My God man! Just because a laptop doesn't have a fucking optical drive doesn't mean it's a niche product, or can't be used in a corporate environment!
The ability to play a dvd or music cd doesn't make a corporate computer! Holy shit!
When Steve Jobs intro'd the MBA to much fanfare, the first thing I thought was, "oh no." Apple is going in the wrong way on the one way street they have been paving for so long. Apple has been overcoming all obstacles in order to give the consumer the best options for computing with great features combined with high style. the MBA breaks that trend in a most disturbing way.
Sure, the thing looks great (apart from the ugly black keyboard and too rounded corners) and it is the lightest and thinnest notebook available.
There are far too many problems with the sacrifices made in order to accomplish this though.
For one, the lack of an integrated optical drive is a deal breaker for many. Apple seems to forget that this in no longer the year 2000 where small notebooks commonly had external drive peripherals that were mandatory. Now, Apple is doing it and no one else is. They have learned. Now I guess it's apple's turn. Optical drives are necessary to install software and to create hard copies of data, mutlimedia, etc. The MBA charges extra for a bulky add-on that is more cumbersome to use than if it was a little thicker with a built in drive. This is a miss.
The next issue is the lack of a user replaceable battery. The MacBook Air seems designed specifically for airplane travel and it is aptly named. however, unless you paid extra for business class or first class seats, you will need mucho grande battery life. The MBA excels here, but not by much. with the MB Pro, you can swap batteries hot-swap style. This can extend your computing exponentially. with the MBA, you truly are constrained by the one battery built in. Also, if your battery starts going on you, then you must have Apple service it and buy a whole new battery. Sure the "service" is free (it had better be) but the battery is not. And I wonder what the battery life is WITH the optical drive plugged in. ??? Could be a bad thing. The screen could realistically be a 14.1 too. but that might eat into the battery life bragging rights as much as an optical drive would. The thick bezel does mar the otherwise extraordinary looks.
Next up is the processor. 1.8 GHZ is not bad, but it is not a true Core 2 Duo either. The CPU tries to not make sacrifices, but it does make some. A true Pro portable should have a true Pro level CPU.
Finally, the price. What on Earth? What does it do that is worth more than the flagship MBP? The answer? It is small. that is it. Sorry, that does not make it worth 3 grand. oh, and more with the requisite optical attachment.
Basically, the Macbook Air is a niche product. It is for the Mac user who already has a Macbook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, etc. and needs to fly or do "road warrior" work. It is an accessory computer. Basically it is an iPod that does computer stuff. In fact, it looks like Apple took everything that people DISLIKE about the iPod and made them prominent features of the MBA.
For those looking to own a single computer, the MBA is a dud. Laptops are outselling desktops now primarily because people who only have one computer are making that one computer a notebook which can be used at home or work and also on the road.
for those looking for an additional computer to travel with and have cash to spare, the MBA MIGHT be a good fit. That depends on how often you use the optical drive. If you use it often to burn photos, music, final Cut projects, backup files, etc. It will prove to be a more cumbersome combination that simply using a MacBook or 15" MB Pro. If you just want to surf the net and use email. Maybe do a little MS Office, then it should be a good fit.
I believe apple has a cool thing on its hands. A halo product if you will. They can say, "hey, we have the thinnest laptop around. But it will not sell that great. Hopefully, the correct the optical drive issue. The unit may be slightly thicker, but that is a trade that is worth it.
so there you have it. the thinnest, lightest notebook available, but making so many sacrifices to get there, you are better off with the real deal with all the features built in, just a little thicker and heavier. And cheaper!
Ahh shut up you girl! stop having a hissy fit, don't like, don't buy it!
The airbook is a glimpse into the future. Remember how people FREAKED out when Steve Jobs announced that the original imac would have no floppy drive? Everyone predicted it would never sell. We NEED OUR FLOPPY DRIVES! they screamed. Of course we all know what happened. The floppy went the way of the dinosaur and the CD rom drives took over.
Well now we are entering the digital download age. People aren't even buying CDs anymore. Soon it will be the same with movies. The digital writing is on the wall so to speak.
Sure, it's alittle early. And it's a BOLD move by Apple. But Steve is a pioneer. He sees where things are headed, and Apple is leading the way. The Airbook is only the first salvo in thise new era. It's not going to be for everyone. But in time, as technology catches up, it won't seem so crazy.
Heck, the only reason I am buying a new black macbook instead of the Airbook is because of HD space. I would have been able to take the leap into the digital download age and gone with the optical-less drive model if ONLY the HD was bigger. For some the HD size is not an issue, but for me, I need more space and don't want to carry around an external.
It's the same reason why I haven't taken the plunge and bought an iPod Touch yet. I would love an ipod that could surf the web! I want an iPod Touch REALLY bad and would replace my 60gig ipod in a hearbeat....if ONLY the Touch had a larger HD. 8 or 16gigs is just not going to cut it. I like to carry ALL my music when I travel. And as cool as the ipod touch is, I don't want to carry both ipods around with me. So until the Touch comes with at least 32gigs, I'm holding off.
Again, its the main reason I am holding off on the Airbook too. I am willing to let go of the optical drive, but 80 or 64 gig HD is just not going to cut it for me. I know desktops are suppose to have more HD space than laptops, but thats ridiculous for a laptop. At least for my needs. After loading just the OS, you'd lose 20 gigs. Not to mention your programs, movies and files. You'd be full in no time. I know external HDs are an option, but another 80gigs of space would be the minimum buffer I'd be willing to settle for in a laptop.
Ok...thats my 2 cents. I love the Airbook, but will get a macbook for now and check in with the Airbook down the road when technology catches up and flash drive prices come down.
Cheers. :-)
The airbook will remain the thin, optical-less flash based stream lined ultra portable. It's where Apple will test the flash drives. Right now a 160gig flash drive is what? $4,000??? It's gonna take time. So I see the airbook as a testing phase. Testing the waters of the digital age.
The macbooks and macbook pros will get a redesign similar to the airbook, but will retain the optical drives and regular HDs until technology catches up. More and more people are buying music and movies online. Hardly anyone buys CDs anymore and soon the same will happen to movies. Maybe someday as the digital download revolution reaches critical mass, the majority of people will do away with optical drives completely...but for now they are still widely used and needed.
I kinda dig the black macbook tho. So I hope the whole line doesn't get the aluminum treatment. Although a black aluminum macbook would be cool too. :-)
Who knows...guess we'll find out soon enough.
As I look around at reviews of the Air I find it amazing the logic people place around why it will fail. In every instance they compare it to a different class of notebook. They will say for that price I can have a notebook with more features. But that notebook is thicker and heavier. Or they look at the Air's specs and say I can have a laptop with similar specs and say I can buy this for cheaper. But again its thicker and heavier. The purpose of the Air is thinness and weight for ease in portability.
Optical drives are necessary to install software and to create hard copies of data, mutlimedia, etc. The MBA charges extra for a bulky add-on that is more cumbersome to use than if it was a little thicker with a built in drive. This is a miss.
That is why they made the Remote Disk feature:
Optical media is slowly becoming obsolete. As wireless data speeds increase this will only become more the case. We already now download a significant amount of software directly from the web and this will only increase. I agree I find myself using the disc drive less and less. I hadn't even thought about it but I rarely ever burn music CD's these days. I've made a few DVD's. I'm using my flash drive to store and transport information and really don't use optical media for those purposes.
Next up is the processor. 1.8 GHZ is not bad, but it is not a true Core 2 Duo either. The CPU tries to not make sacrifices, but it does make some. A true Pro portable should have a true Pro level CPU.
This makes so little sense to the point I doubt you really know what you are talking about.
For those looking to own a single computer, the MBA is a dud. Laptops are outselling desktops now primarily because people who only have one computer are making that one computer a notebook which can be used at home or work and also on the road.
Are you implying that people who own desktops are more likely to own multiple computers? Why do you feel people who own notebooks only want or need one computer?
The Air can be a lightweight accessory to a larger heavier desktop replacement notebook.
for those looking for an additional computer to travel with and have cash to spare, the MBA MIGHT be a good fit. That depends on how often you use the optical drive. If you use it often to burn photos, music, final Cut projects, backup files, etc. It will prove to be a more cumbersome combination that simply using a MacBook or 15" MB Pro. If you just want to surf the net and use email. Maybe do a little MS Office, then it should be a good fit.
- The Air is made for people who want an additional computer for travel.
- As far as the optical drive. Look around and see the amount of media that is only data now. The list of data only option of software is growing exponentially.
- I doubt a great many people are on the road burning a larger number of pictures. If you need to move pictures you do have the option of external hard drives and flash drives. Optical media is not the only or even the best option.
-The Air is not made for working on professional apps like FCP, Logic, Avid, or ProTools. I'm sure people who use these tools for a living will know that.
- A little MS Office? Word processing, spreadsheets, or power point aren't really taxing on computer resources. 1.6Ghz Core Duo can handle it just fine.
so there you have it. the thinnest, lightest notebook available, but making so many sacrifices to get there, you are better off with the real deal with all the features built in, just a little thicker and heavier. And cheaper!
You really don't understand the ultra-light notebook market.
However, it may not be the "perfect" travel solution for everyone.
For me, it's not about the lack of an optical drive at all. I am with the above poster that more and more people don't use or need one.
HOWEVER. For me it IS about the HD size. The 64 flash drive I understand. The technology is not there yet for Large laptop sized flash drives. They are WAY overpriced and too small. But to me the 80gig regular hard drive is not ideal either. 80 gigs was big for 2003. Now it's smaller than the iPod classic for crying out loud.
If the Airbook came with a 160gig HD option, I would have nabbed one. Part of me wonders if they didn't do that because the 64gig flash drive is so expensive that they didn't want to offer a 160gig HD version at a much lower price. So they offered 80gigs max instead.
I know this this maybe will be enough for some who REALLY use the Airbook as a 2nd, light back up travel computer. And I also know that if you REALLY need more space, you can carry around an external HD when you travel. But that kinda starts defeating the whole "ULTRA-PORTABLE" advantage over the macbook doesn't it?
It is for this reason that I decided to go with the black macbook instead. The larger HD. The macbook is actually smaller size wise(footprint). Yeah, it's ALOT thicker for sure...but after weighing(literally!) in my mind the added bulk of carrying around extra HDs and such with the Airbook as opposed to the still small tho thicker all in one-ness of the macbook...I chose the macbook. :-)
Don't get me wrong, I love love love the design. And I TOTALLY see where Apple is going with the whole wireless, digital download path and doing away with the optical drive. Again, I could have given that up. It was just the "too small" HD that stopped me from buying it now.
Again, it was the same reasoning behind why I haven't bought an iPod Touch yet even tho I am DROOLING over owning one. I'd give my 60gig ipod to my brother in a hearbeat and nab one if ONLY the flash drive was larger. As much as I lust after having wifi on my ipod, 8 or 16gigs is just not enough. I'd have to carry TWO ipods around when I travel then, and I just can't justify that. But soon as Apple releases a 32gig version, I will take the plunge. 30 gigs is the minimum ipod HD size I'd accept for my collection. Just as 160gigs is the minimum laptop HD size I'd be willing to accept.
Other than that, it's ALL good. :-)
If the Airbook came with a 160gig HD option, I would have nabbed one. Part of me wonders if they didn't do that because the 64gig flash drive is so expensive that they didn't want to offer a 160gig HD version at a much lower price. So they offered 80gigs max instead.
I agree with you. 160 would be far more than useful than 80. But if Apple offered 160 for $100 dollars more it would be pretty ridiculous to spend $900 more for an 32 SDD and no one would've bought it.
In this case you can argue Apple is offering form over function. I imagine people will comment on this and Apple at some point in the future will offer the larger HDD.
I think people understand that flash drives are still SUPER expensive. Even Steve Jobs joked about that during his keynote at MWSF.
I truly believe Apple could have offered the 160 gig version alongside the 64gig flash drive version if he sold the flash drive as faster with instant start up and longer battery life etc etc.
Face it, flash is the future. I understand psychologically why they wanted to keep it at a 80/64 difference instead of a 160/64 difference. But you just know that millions of people just like me are going to wait. It's hard enough for some to get past the "no optical drive"...but to limit the HD size to 80gigs will keep many of those same people from buying right now.
Hey, what do I know, maybe Apple can't physically fit a 160gig HD in there yet....but I seriously doubt that. They already have ipods with that much.
No you're right, it was a marketing choice until larger cheaper flash drives are available. Then they'll up the regular HD options too.
But until then, I'm not going to take the plunge. Again, thats just me. :-)
in a home setting
how many people
need a ultraportable laptop
acutally in fact, how many people need a secondary computer for themselves, as opposed to a second functional computer.
Probably, as many who need one are out there thinking about buying one, but if you need a machine to take your iMac or your MacPro on the road, or if you even have a 17" for use in your college office, but find you need to dash off to a research site, or catch a plane and a field trip for three days, who wouldn't want a light, self contained machine that did not compromise on keyboard and entry. My problem is with ports; I would like more there, definitely, and I am no fan of "dangles," BUT this computer is for MOBILITY.
btw, I do not find the black keyboard ugly, especially in the dark when all lit up....