The Macbook Air reminds me of an 80's band name.... Fad Gadget.
Put this one up there with the cube.
Looks cool, smells cool, no buyers.
Honestly, I got excited when I saw it... but let out a huge guffaw when Steve quickly announced the price before moving on. I'd buy one for sub $1000, but ffs, $1800 for slim
You would think that excluding all that useful stuff like cd player, ethernet, card reader, audio out, firewire, decent processor, decent video card, swappable battery, ram upgrades... this thing should be $800.
Glorified iPod. No wonder their stock took a dive.
I've not talked to or heard a single person say "OMG... I'm getting one".
Fad Gadget gang... nothing more then a fad gadget.
Why didn't they just throw in a ULV chip in there? The U7600 isn't slow at all, I've got one and I can do all the things that you'd be doing with the MBA. No one is going to be running games or editing video with this computer so why not get better battery life with a peppy ULV???
It really doesn't matter. Intel have taken a standard chip on put it on a smaller circuit board. There are some technical issues but it doesn't matter a damn. The only thing that matters are the overall benchmarks, which we will need to wait a couple of weeks for. Don't hold your breath, they will be worse than the lowest spec MacBook.
Comparing MacBook Air to the MacBook is not a fair comparison. Its like comparing the MacBook to one of Dells 2inch thick desktop replacement laptops. That is not its competition. You need to compare its performance to other ultralight notebooks.
The notebooks based on ULV chips can get 10+ hours in some cases, but that trades off speed, and is more expensive. Often you need to get the optional bigger battery to do that.
I'm dying to hear how hot this thing runs, no comments on that from the guys who were at the show?
Quote:
Originally Posted by rain
I'd buy one for sub $1000...
Wow, you don't really have any clue about the market for this kind of box. Take a look at other ultraportables. Comparable units are all at least as expensive.
Is it really so hard to understand that making something smaller is more expensive?
And the cube comparison is way tired...that was a huge mistake because nobody needs to make a desktop as small as possible. In a laptop, size and weight are huge selling points since you CARRY IT AROUND.
That's pretty sweet. Our first little one is coming any day now. Life certainly should get a lot more interesting...
Quote:
Originally Posted by rain
I've not talked to or heard a single person say "OMG... I'm getting one".
Fad Gadget gang... nothing more then a fad gadget.
I'm not sure it's a total fad gadget, but I've talked with a few people about it, and the story is pretty much the same: "nice machine, but I won't be buying one."
so..... thats fascinating and all but when will they make a new computer that I will actually want?
The Air is pretty cool. After playing around with one for an hour or so at Macworld I could definitely see myself using one.
The one thing that has been bothering me ever since I got the iPhone is Steve's vision of free wifi on every corner. It just isn't happening. With the Air having no cell card slot and no ethernet it is really dependent on abundant wifi. And by the way, the wifi networks and cell towers were so overloaded in SF during the show that no one was able to get on the web, not even at the Apple booth.
And of course every notebook user understands that if it is going to be used for travel, you're going to need the external usb ethernet adapter, the bluetooth mouse the power brick and maybe even a usb hub because you only get one usb port on the Air. Try to fit all that in an envelope.
What's funny about the Cube and it's use as a comparison is that the Cube still lives in a slightly altered form. It's called the Mac Mini. The difference is that the Mac Mini doesn't seem quite as well made and costs less, but is even smaller.
Wow, you don't really have any clue about the market for this kind of box. Take a look at other ultraportables. Comparable units are all at least as expensive.
Is it really so hard to understand that making something smaller is more expensive?
And the cube comparison is way tired...that was a huge mistake because nobody needs to make a desktop as small as possible. In a laptop, size and weight are huge selling points since you CARRY IT AROUND.
Engadget blogged a Fujitsu Lifebook today. There sensationalist headline stated that it is lighter than the MacBook Air. The Lifebook has an 8.9" display, a 1.2GHz ULV Core Solo and mini-keyboard.
It escapes me how the the redeeming factors of the MBA are being so easily overlooked and how it can so easily be negatively compared to any ultra-portable. Did Jobs once call an ultra-portable?
What's funny about the Cube and it's use as a comparison is that the Cube still lives in a slightly altered form. It's called the Mac Mini. The difference is that the Mac Mini doesn't seem quite as well made and costs less, but is even smaller.
Engadget blogged a Fujitsu Lifebook today. There sensationalist headline stated that it is lighter than the MacBook Air. The Lifebook has an 8.9" display, a 1.2GHz ULV Core Solo and mini-keyboard.
It escapes me how the the redeeming factors of the MBA are being so easily overlooked and how it can so easily be negatively compared to any ultra-portable. Did Jobs once call an ultra-portable?
I agree. LED backlight LCD, full-size illuminated keyboard, and gesture trackpad are not standard or BTO for others. So comparisons cannot be exact.
The Air is pretty cool. After playing around with one for an hour or so at Macworld I could definitely see myself using one.
The one thing that has been bothering me ever since I got the iPhone is Steve's vision of free wifi on every corner. It just isn't happening. With the Air having no cell card slot and no ethernet it is really dependent on abundant wifi. And by the way, the wifi networks and cell towers were so overloaded in SF during the show that no one was able to get on the web, not even at the Apple booth.
And of course every notebook user understands that if it is going to be used for travel, you're going to need the external usb ethernet adapter, the bluetooth mouse the power brick and maybe even a usb hub because you only get one usb port on the Air. Try to fit all that in an envelope.
m
Not only that, but wifis that used to be free are rapidly being locked. Ever since people started getting charged with child pornography when some drive-by pervert used their wi-fi, people are a lot less likely to share. My office building used to have several open wireless networks (mostly named "linksys"), now it has none.
And none of the hotels I've stayed on business in the last few months have had wifi outside the common areas. The rooms still had a stupid ethernet port (across the room for the couch).
Instead of the Ethernet adapter, though, I would recommend carrying an Airport Express around. If the hotel doesn't supply you wireless, supply it yourself. This has the advantage, too, that you can then have your iPod Touch, laptop, and whatever else using the network simultaneously.
I think the bigger story (which everyone ignores) is Apple's ability to squeeze everything into a little board, which is smaller than any PC-on-a-board out there.
Imagine the next revision of iMac....it may well look like a regular display. LCD's are getting thinner and thinner too.
Or the next eMac (education mac):
20 inch LCD w/ iSight.
single USB for keyboard (then mouse).
no 1394.
Wifi (no Bluetooth).
no optical drive.
That will simplify the school labs so much, with a single power cord to plug-in (and keyboard and mouse), and that's it. Finally we go back to the simplicity of Mac 128K.
Comments
The Macbook Air reminds me of an 80's band name.... Fad Gadget.
Put this one up there with the cube.
Looks cool, smells cool, no buyers.
Honestly, I got excited when I saw it... but let out a huge guffaw when Steve quickly announced the price before moving on. I'd buy one for sub $1000, but ffs, $1800 for slim
You would think that excluding all that useful stuff like cd player, ethernet, card reader, audio out, firewire, decent processor, decent video card, swappable battery, ram upgrades... this thing should be $800.
Glorified iPod. No wonder their stock took a dive.
I've not talked to or heard a single person say "OMG... I'm getting one".
Fad Gadget gang... nothing more then a fad gadget.
Roll on 10.5.2, I'm more excited about ...
BTW 3 kids and next one due in 4-5 weeks.
Put this one up there with the cube.
Looks cool, smells cool, no buyers.
Boy, are you going to look dumb soon.
It really doesn't matter. Intel have taken a standard chip on put it on a smaller circuit board. There are some technical issues but it doesn't matter a damn. The only thing that matters are the overall benchmarks, which we will need to wait a couple of weeks for. Don't hold your breath, they will be worse than the lowest spec MacBook.
Comparing MacBook Air to the MacBook is not a fair comparison. Its like comparing the MacBook to one of Dells 2inch thick desktop replacement laptops. That is not its competition. You need to compare its performance to other ultralight notebooks.
And what gets more?
The notebooks based on ULV chips can get 10+ hours in some cases, but that trades off speed, and is more expensive. Often you need to get the optional bigger battery to do that.
I'd buy one for sub $1000...
Wow, you don't really have any clue about the market for this kind of box. Take a look at other ultraportables. Comparable units are all at least as expensive.
Is it really so hard to understand that making something smaller is more expensive?
And the cube comparison is way tired...that was a huge mistake because nobody needs to make a desktop as small as possible. In a laptop, size and weight are huge selling points since you CARRY IT AROUND.
who needs kids?
Click for reason to buy said ^^^ sperm killer.
gotta love banned commercials.
=]
That's pretty sweet. Our first little one is coming any day now. Life certainly should get a lot more interesting...
I've not talked to or heard a single person say "OMG... I'm getting one".
Fad Gadget gang... nothing more then a fad gadget.
I'm not sure it's a total fad gadget, but I've talked with a few people about it, and the story is pretty much the same: "nice machine, but I won't be buying one."
BTW 3 kids and next one due in 4-5 weeks.
Congrats!
so..... thats fascinating and all but when will they make a new computer that I will actually want?
The Air is pretty cool. After playing around with one for an hour or so at Macworld I could definitely see myself using one.
The one thing that has been bothering me ever since I got the iPhone is Steve's vision of free wifi on every corner. It just isn't happening. With the Air having no cell card slot and no ethernet it is really dependent on abundant wifi. And by the way, the wifi networks and cell towers were so overloaded in SF during the show that no one was able to get on the web, not even at the Apple booth.
And of course every notebook user understands that if it is going to be used for travel, you're going to need the external usb ethernet adapter, the bluetooth mouse the power brick and maybe even a usb hub because you only get one usb port on the Air. Try to fit all that in an envelope.
m
I'm dying to hear how hot this thing runs, no comments on that from the guys who were at the show?
Runs very cool. I put my hand on the bottom and it was barely warm under heavy use for hours.
(Responding to rain)
Wow, you don't really have any clue about the market for this kind of box. Take a look at other ultraportables. Comparable units are all at least as expensive.
Is it really so hard to understand that making something smaller is more expensive?
And the cube comparison is way tired...that was a huge mistake because nobody needs to make a desktop as small as possible. In a laptop, size and weight are huge selling points since you CARRY IT AROUND.
Smack.
It escapes me how the the redeeming factors of the MBA are being so easily overlooked and how it can so easily be negatively compared to any ultra-portable. Did Jobs once call an ultra-portable?
What's funny about the Cube and it's use as a comparison is that the Cube still lives in a slightly altered form. It's called the Mac Mini. The difference is that the Mac Mini doesn't seem quite as well made and costs less, but is even smaller.
Amen!
Engadget blogged a Fujitsu Lifebook today. There sensationalist headline stated that it is lighter than the MacBook Air. The Lifebook has an 8.9" display, a 1.2GHz ULV Core Solo and mini-keyboard.
It escapes me how the the redeeming factors of the MBA are being so easily overlooked and how it can so easily be negatively compared to any ultra-portable. Did Jobs once call an ultra-portable?
I agree. LED backlight LCD, full-size illuminated keyboard, and gesture trackpad are not standard or BTO for others. So comparisons cannot be exact.
The Air is pretty cool. After playing around with one for an hour or so at Macworld I could definitely see myself using one.
The one thing that has been bothering me ever since I got the iPhone is Steve's vision of free wifi on every corner. It just isn't happening. With the Air having no cell card slot and no ethernet it is really dependent on abundant wifi. And by the way, the wifi networks and cell towers were so overloaded in SF during the show that no one was able to get on the web, not even at the Apple booth.
And of course every notebook user understands that if it is going to be used for travel, you're going to need the external usb ethernet adapter, the bluetooth mouse the power brick and maybe even a usb hub because you only get one usb port on the Air. Try to fit all that in an envelope.
m
Not only that, but wifis that used to be free are rapidly being locked. Ever since people started getting charged with child pornography when some drive-by pervert used their wi-fi, people are a lot less likely to share. My office building used to have several open wireless networks (mostly named "linksys"), now it has none.
And none of the hotels I've stayed on business in the last few months have had wifi outside the common areas. The rooms still had a stupid ethernet port (across the room for the couch).
Instead of the Ethernet adapter, though, I would recommend carrying an Airport Express around. If the hotel doesn't supply you wireless, supply it yourself. This has the advantage, too, that you can then have your iPod Touch, laptop, and whatever else using the network simultaneously.
Imagine the next revision of iMac....it may well look like a regular display. LCD's are getting thinner and thinner too.
Or the next eMac (education mac):
20 inch LCD w/ iSight.
single USB for keyboard (then mouse).
no 1394.
Wifi (no Bluetooth).
no optical drive.
That will simplify the school labs so much, with a single power cord to plug-in (and keyboard and mouse), and that's it. Finally we go back to the simplicity of Mac 128K.
Imagine the next revision of iMac....it may well look like a regular display. LCD's are getting thinner and thinner too.
The new iMacs are pretty damn thin. If not for the chin I wouldn't think they were complete systems.
The new iMacs are pretty damn thin. If not for the chin I wouldn't think they were complete systems.
People used to say the "damn Macbook is pretty thin" too.
Imagine the next iMac looks like the current generation of Cinema 24.