A Bit Disappointed
Macbook Air is incredible. Yes, I agree on that that. But what about it's flaws?
There is only one USB port. For those like me who use a mighty mouse and charge the ipod at the same time, we won't be able to with the Macbook Air. Some people need at least two for their personal uses so only one is a disappointment.
What I found to be absurd: there is no optical drive. If you want to, you need a get an External MacBook Air USB SuperDrive. That's $99 just to play CD's. I like to watch movies on my laptop. Don't you? And even if you don't watch movies on it, you either burn music or videos, download programs, etc. No, now you use Wi-Fi2 or Bluetooth.
And the price? I thought this was going to revolutionize the pricing of the macbooks. No, I was wrong. It's $1799.00 for 80GB and if you want the higher end model, then you need to pay the $3098.00
Even if it has great portability, what about the flaws?
There is only one USB port. For those like me who use a mighty mouse and charge the ipod at the same time, we won't be able to with the Macbook Air. Some people need at least two for their personal uses so only one is a disappointment.
What I found to be absurd: there is no optical drive. If you want to, you need a get an External MacBook Air USB SuperDrive. That's $99 just to play CD's. I like to watch movies on my laptop. Don't you? And even if you don't watch movies on it, you either burn music or videos, download programs, etc. No, now you use Wi-Fi2 or Bluetooth.
And the price? I thought this was going to revolutionize the pricing of the macbooks. No, I was wrong. It's $1799.00 for 80GB and if you want the higher end model, then you need to pay the $3098.00
Even if it has great portability, what about the flaws?
Comments
Look, if your laptop usage are more to home use, then the MBA is NOT for you. If you are looking for a strictly to business laptop then the MBA is for you.
Its as simple as that. Thats why I kept saying Apple should just make the MBA as 12" so they wont be many people complaining bout it specs. Why I say this? Cause in people thinking, 13" is not ultraportable, problem is Apple market their 13" MBA as ultraportable which result in a lot of people (including myself) begin to complain bout its functionality.
Since you are like me, what I hope is Apple to produce the next MB something like MBA but still maintains the features found in MB (number or ports and etc), extra neat features that can be found in future MB like dedicated GPU and illuminated keyboard will be nice.
Macbook Air is incredible. Yes, I agree on that that. But what about it's flaws?
See this is where I have a problem right off the bat you praise the machine as 'incredible' then highlight that it has flaws. Using the word flaws is being kind too. The machine is far from incredible, what is incredible is that Apple didn't learn from the CUBE.
There is only one USB port. For those like me who use a mighty mouse and charge the ipod at the same time, we won't be able to with the Macbook Air. Some people need at least two for their personal uses so only one is a disappointment.
Yes a huge issue. The thing is that the Vacuum could have gotten by with one port if it had deployed the other ports common to laptops. It didn't and that makes the single USB port a big BIG issue.
What I found to be absurd: there is no optical drive. If you want to, you need a get an External MacBook Air USB SuperDrive. That's $99 just to play CD's. I like to watch movies on my laptop. Don't you? And even if you don't watch movies on it, you either burn music or videos, download programs, etc. No, now you use Wi-Fi2 or Bluetooth.
Frankly I'm not worried at all about that. I kinda expected it in this sort of machine. It does eliminate the Vacuum from consideration in most businesses but that is another issue altogether.
And the price? I thought this was going to revolutionize the pricing of the macbooks. No, I was wrong. It's $1799.00 for 80GB and if you want the higher end model, then you need to pay the $3098.00
Again it is the CUBE all over again. A grossly over priced device with a very poorly thought out I/O complement.
Even if it has great portability, what about the flaws?
Unfortunately you missed another big issue which is the built in battery. There is nothing incredible about the Vacuums hardware and as such it really sucks as a machine.
Some here have suggested that this is business machine, let me tell you Apple won't have a chance in hell of selling this into the corporate world. The few business men that will get such a machine and have it supported in the corporate environment, will be at the top of the food chain. The reality is though that most of them are far more practical then many people realize.
Frankly I don't see a rational market for the machine. As I've mentioned in other threads I do suspect that people will buy the machine initially. But a few months after that I suspect that the used market will become flooded with the machines when people realize just how limited and cumbersome the machine is.
Nope the only thing I hear out of the Vacuum is a huge sucking sound.
Dave
The MBA is not meant to be your computer. It's meant to be your other computer.
Agreed.
Frankly I don't see a rational market for the machine. As I've mentioned in other threads I do suspect that people will buy the machine initially. But a few months after that I suspect that the used market will become flooded with the machines when people realize just how limited and cumbersome the machine is.
You can check youtube.com comments bout MacBook Air, a lot of people has gone gaga over the design and is saying they want to buy it. Honestly, I also went gaga at the design and thinness but its not practical at all. Unless you are freaking rich and spending your money on MBA doesn affect you at all. Yet the question wheater will MBA sell is questionable. I believe a lot of people will still buy it but it wont beat MB or MBP sales.
This machine will really appeal to those users who priotize design over function. (I remember people kept saying they see kids buying MB because of the design, how bout the MBA? Those kids will sure get it cause its cooler looking and it will make people say wow) Instant popularity, haha
Agreed.
You can check youtube.com comments bout MacBook Air, a lot of people has gone gaga over the design and is saying they want to buy it. Honestly, I also went gaga at the design and thinness but its not practical at all. Unless you are freaking rich and spending your money on MBA doesn affect you at all. Yet the question wheater will MBA sell is questionable. I believe a lot of people will still buy it but it wont beat MB or MBP sales.
This machine will really appeal to those users who priotize design over function. (I remember people kept saying they see kids buying MB because of the design, how bout the MBA? Those kids will sure get it cause its cooler looking and it will make people say wow) Instant popularity, haha
Exactly. This is an expensive poseur's machine. The fact it has no firewire, no optical drive, no sound input, mono output and an inaccessible battery makes it useless for most kind of media business (we need all these things on the go), so basically, the people who are gonna buy it are people who mainly use Microsoft office and watch streamed media. My question: will they want to pay the price when the Macbook does more and is cheaper?
If they'd given us a slightly thicker, 13 or 12 inch design-overhauled alu MBP with all the necessaries and offered this slightly cheaper as the MB replacement I reckon they'd be in an even better place now.
Now, if only Apple would have come out with a docking station featuring larger hard drive and perhaps some firewire and additional hard drive space. But, then again look at time capsule. That little device will end up being your entire fully accessable served drive. No need for a large hard drive as long as you are connected. You can grab any file from the home server. Probably also, remote backup from anywhere.
10.6 anyone?
The little bugger does seem to have caught people's attention.
INTEGRATED BATTERY SUCKS!!!! Hmm, maybe if everybody kept posting integrated battery sucks, Apple would realise that many people dont want it and they wont bring it down to the rest of the line. Everybody start posting Say No to Integrated Laptop Battery in their signatures!!!!!!!
Some here have suggested that this is business machine, let me tell you Apple won't have a chance in hell of selling this into the corporate world. The few business men that will get such a machine and have it supported in the corporate environment, will be at the top of the food chain. The reality is though that most of them are far more practical then many people realize.
Nope the only thing I hear out of the Vacuum is a huge sucking sound.
Dave
Agreed, the Vacuum has a huge sucking sound. It's even worse than my Campaq Presario 2100. This will not serve the business world. I think this is more for the people who go for the style of the notebook. Mostly teenagers and/or adults that prefer stylish instead of quality. Business workers need something thats portable, yet functional. And they most definately need more than one USB port.
Apple being able to make MBA this thin proves one thing, they can make future MB and MBP to be slightly thicker then MBA and yet maintain its features. I just hope the integrated battery iwould just stay in MBA line and not bein taken into future models. I dont mind havin a non-integrated battery if they cannot get the MB's thinner.
I still wait for the day that Apple will realease a MBP or something similar and thinner. Apple's 'thinnovation' would suit only the people that go for looks. The battery is also a huge issue. Built in? Vacuums? Not a good idea. Strike one for Apple.
Like I kept mentioning, MBA is meant to use for business where they dont use their laptop as entertainment.
Look, if your laptop usage are more to home use, then the MBA is NOT for you. If you are looking for a strictly to business laptop then the MBA is for you.
A business laptop? I think not. It not serve business purposes,except portability. It's extremely overpriced. For 80GB of hard drive and no optical drive it's priced at $1799. I would much rather get a 15" MBP that has much better specs.
A business laptop? I think not. It not serve business purposes,except portability. It's extremely overpriced. For 80GB of hard drive and no optical drive it's priced at $1799. I would much rather get a 15" MBP that has much better specs.
Really? I believe Apple aimed this at buisness men as:
- It looks good
- It's light, but expensive
My logic behind that is that while they want something that is small and light, the closest to that is the Macbook. But the Macbook isn't really something that you would like to bring into a meeting. The Macbook Pro is expensive, but too big for them. The MBA is small, light, and has that "flash" appeal.
Really? I believe Apple aimed this at buisness men as:
- It looks good
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Yes, but it is much more. And yes, many users require most of the same functionality in their laptops that they have on their desktops. Many, but not all. The MacBook Air is the ideal travel computer. Slip it into one of the compartments of your attaché case and away you go. You can finalize your PowerPoint or Keynote presentations on the plane. Write your reports or surf the while waiting at the gate for your connecting flight. Users who need to edit their latest digital film while riding the tram between terminals at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson will have to settle for a MacBook Pro. Oh, the poor dears
Quite frankly, all of this whining about the features missing from the MacBook Air is silly. Last week, we had two families of Apple laptops to choose from. This week, we have three. I am unwilling to accept the assertion that this is a bad thing.
Personally, I would have liked to see 2 USB ports as a bare minimum and ideally four. I also think there should have been an Ethernet port. The reasons for this are:
- Attaching a USB mouse
- Attaching a priter
- Using a USB broadband modem (very big in Europe)
- Charging iPhone/ iPod
- Using USB memory devices
- Using USB
I am sure this will be fixed when it is improved. Perhaps the addition of a USB hub will fix this?Even so, you gotta love this Mac, even if its Mr Jobs m,aster plan to make us own two instead of one.
If I were to summarise criticisms of the new MacBook Air, the omission of a DVD drive doesn't really matter because you can buy one; the real problem is a lack of USB ports.
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I am sure this will be fixed when it is improved. Perhaps the addition of a USB hub will fix this?
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The features that you want the MacBook Air to support were omitted by design. They were omitted to preserve battery life. When all of the features that you listed are added, you will have a regular MacBook. If a MacBook is what you need, then a MacBook is what you should buy. It is available now and it is less expensive than the MacBook Air.
Say no to INTEGRATED BATTERY in the rest of Apple Laptop line!!!! Say NO!!!
Say no to CAPITAL WORDS and MULTIPLE EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!!
No, I think the MBA has the integrated battery only to save space. In the next generation MBs and MBPs, this won't be a problem. I would expect to see some design influences from the MBA, but not regarding removable batteries.
The features that you want the MacBook Air to support were omitted by design. They were omitted to preserve battery life. When all of the features that you listed are added, you will have a regular MacBook. If a MacBook is what you need, then a MacBook is what you should buy. It is available now and it is less expensive than the MacBook Air.
You are of course, right and I am a muppet. But you just gotta have more than one USB port on this machine. You need that flexibility.
When I look through these posts, I think what everyone wanted was 13"and 15" aluminum MackBooks which are a whole lot slimmer than they are now, with DVD drives, with at least 3 USB ports and a removeable battery.
I think the iPhone makes the MBA redundant in many respects.
Odd, though, because the majority of those I've discussed it with think this is an incredible product. Portability and prestige in a featherweight package.
Specs? Yeah, I don't think Word and Excel are going to be too taxing. "The Businessman" works primarily with documents. It takes a lot of Word files to fill 80GB, and if it's a corporate machine, it ain't supposed to have your movies on it.
Now, if only Apple would have come out with a docking station featuring larger hard drive and perhaps some firewire and additional hard drive space.
Apple filed a patent application for a Dock/Display earlier this month. The drawings look like an Air stuck in the side of a 20" display or iMac.
Apple filed a patent application for a Dock/Display earlier this month. The drawings look like an Air stuck in the side of a 20" display or iMac.
Why could it stuck inside... Air does not have any connection port.
If it use wireless connection it do not need to be stuck.
Titan10
The MBA is not meant to be your computer. It's meant to be your other computer.
Right, but how many people will buy such computer just for the sake of the design?
With 200 dollars more, you get a MBPro with a bigger screen (15"), a bigger harddisk (120GB), a normal number of connectors and an optical drive.
My feeling about the Air is: cool but I do not need it.
And I wonder how many persons think like that....
Titan10