Apple At It Again - MacBook AIR

[Jer]

For those tech geeks among us, myself included, it's always nice to see innovation and it's even better when it's in normal consumer products. Today Apple had their annual MacWorld Expo in SF and unveiled the MacBook Air. The worlds thinnest and lightest full-featured notebook. Note that it can fit in a frickin manilla envelope yet it has a full 13.3" LED backlit screen and full-sized keyboard:yes:

 

[AirWalke]

Umm... the low end model is $700 more than the low end MacBook... and yet the MacBook has faster specs? No thanks. Apple's first blunder since the G4 Cube.

 

[Jer]

Well it's an ultraportable so it's going to cost a lot more. It fits inbetween their MacBook and MacBook Pro line pretty well since they took away the 12" MacBook Pro that this replaces.

 

[CyinCo]

And you can mail it if you have to.

 

[Stormin]

My son is a computer geek. He is impressed. Loves Apple.

 

[cmoneyr]

Pfft, I could fit my desktop in a manilla envelope if I tried hard enough, and had a BFH.

 

[dmclone]

What about the Asus eee pc laptop?



Probably not as light but smaller.

 

[brianhos]

Umm... the low end model is $700 more than the low end MacBook... and yet the MacBook has faster specs? No thanks. Apple's first blunder since the G4 Cube.

Your kidding right, that is a sexy machine. In the ultra-portable line you pay for sleeky and sexy and this laptop has loads of that.

Would be really handy if you travel a lot, just toss it in the briefcase or backpack and off you go.

 

[AirWalke]

Your kidding right, that is a sexy machine. In the ultra-portable line you pay for sleeky and sexy and this laptop has loads of that.

Would be really handy if you travel a lot, just toss it in the briefcase or backpack and off you go.

The original MacBook is just as portable. How small do you need a laptop to be? The only positive to this thing is that it's more eco-friendly. However, the slower clock speed, smaller hard drive, and the absence of a CD/DVD drive does not justify the larger price tag and smaller size.

Not to mention the upgrade you can make from a 80 gb hard drive to the 64gb solid state hard drive. I know it's solid state, but it easily adds $1000 to the price tag for the top end MacBook Air.

IMO, Apple would have been very wise to include WiMax support with this laptop, but it just didn't happen.

 

[BryceC]

Your kidding right, that is a sexy machine. In the ultra-portable line you pay for sleeky and sexy and this laptop has loads of that.

This could be the geekiest thing ever said on this board, and that is really saying something. I salute you.

 

[ColoradoClone]

Anyone know what the Time Capsule's will sell for?

edit: Nevermind. It looks like they start at $299

 

[Jer]

I don't think WiMax wouldn't have helped much due to it's lack of existence in 99% of the business world. Once it becomes more prevelant you can guarantee Apple will add it to later revisions but this is their first true entry into the wafer thin market and they came out head and shoulders above the competition. When you look at what computers exist in the market Apple was aiming for, this is so much better in terms of actual productivity features. You won't have to settle for a cramped keyboard or screen nor will you have to put up with the dimmer non-LCD backlit screens. Throw in the backlit keyboard and addon external SuperDrive in matching aluminum for only $99 and you have a whole new beast in the ultra-portable category. I'd venture to guess Sony and Toshiba will suffer the most because of this but the Dell M line will also feel the rath of Jobs. Add to it that most business travelers like style to some degree and you have a category leader off the bat.

 

[Jer]

Anyone know what the Time Capsule's will sell for?

edit: Nevermind. It looks like they start at $299

500GB - $299
1TB - $499

Another solid product release into a very quickly growing NAS category.

 

[AirWalke]

The only thing I was impressed with today during MacWorld was the Time Capsule and movie rentals. I've got a Powerbook myself, and I'm tired of tethering my laptop to my desk to take advantage of Time Machine in 10.5. The new Airport Base Stations are incredible.

 

[Flag Guy]

I would break something like that so easily :no:

 

[Jer]

The only thing I was impressed with today during MacWorld was the Time Capsule and movie rentals. I've got a Powerbook myself, and I'm tired of tethering my laptop to my desk to take advantage of Time Machine in 10.5. The new Airport Base Stations are incredible.

I really like Time Capsul. I have a MacBook Pro that I backup nightly onto a NAS that is part of our home server but with their new Time Capsul, I can finally get a Draft N router (built-in to T.C.) and take advantage of the built-in N support for quicker backups wirelessly.

I know there are other NAS solutions out there and other products that can do the same thing (Linksys, Netgear, Drobo, etc) but they are nowhere near ideal solutions for Mac owners or for the non-geeks that just want things to work.

 

[dmclone]

The Time Capsule would rock but it's a little pricey. It would be sweet to have one to back up my multiple PC's, my directv DVR, and my PS3. That's probably a few years away.

 

[dmclone]

BTW-What would stop this thing from backing up my neighbors PC who has their WI-FI wide open?

 

[Jer]

BTW-What would stop this thing from backing up my neighbors PC who has their WI-FI wide open?

You would have to set it up to be secure so others can't login through it (i.e. WAP authentication) and that would be it. It's a router and NAS combined in one box so it would be just as secure as you want to make it - just like any router or wireless device. You can setup as tough or light of security and encryption as you'd like.

 

[jbing]

My problem with Apple is that I wish they wouldn't drop these things on us. I wish we knew they were coming! I bought an external HD for my macbook pro for use with Time Machine and I would have obviously loved to have Time Capsule - which would give me twice the space for only $100 more than what I paid. GAH!

I love that the MBAir has the ability to wirelessly transmit information from another computer's (Mac or PC) optical drive. That is pure genius.

Just downloaded the 1.1.3. update for iPhone. Very nice. But my question is that if I want to update my iPod touch, WHY do I have to pay $20? I don't get it. However, this update effectively makes the touch exactly like the iphone - sans the phone.