Apple's MacBook Air: evolution, not revolution

Scott Bradner of ITworld.com writes:

"[In his Macworld 2008 keynote], Steve [Jobs] introduced the MacBook Air - the "world's thinnest notebook." [...] But I am a bit disappointed. The MacBook Air is no iPhone. This is not a product that will change the definition of a class of products like the iPhone did to smart phones."

[PMR_21]

SUCK IT microSHAFT(i.e. Vista)

[mboojigga]

?
WTF

You live in a trailer park huh?

I seriously doubt MS is worried about Apple's laptop when they don't make laptops or computers. Maybe you meant Dell.....dumb*ss

[PMR_21]

I'm talking about their s*** operating systems..enjoy all those viruses while my macbook continues to run like a dream

[GIJeff]

ive never had a computer virus. And i can play any game that comes out. Have fun with yor weak library and your one mouse button you tool.

[socomnick]

Guys no point in arguing with him hes just some little kid that hates all of Microsofts products because of the whole console wars. I hate children.

[wind_dragon]

i'm still using 2k because its the most reliable out of all the MS OS(s). i do feel awkward when i use MACs tho, so LINUX FTW! lol.(y doesn't nobody like linux?)

[jaja1434]

^^^

I was forced to start using it this year(because of school) and I must say after a couple of days of tinkering with it, I must say it's quite nice. Loads faster, visuals are a lot better with Ubuntu and other such things. But having said that I find networking and basic software installation easier on Vista. Granted it's not participially hard on Linux once you figure it out, just not as simple as point and click.

And installing the video drivers, yesh what a pain...Until I found Envy that is.

[mighty_douche]

It a slim laptop. thats it really.

Mind you, its a super coooool slim laptop. Pretty good spec to, id like to see some benchmarks for the solid state HDD option.

I've been thinking about getting a MacBook, but this Air has just put a spanner in the woorks for me. Big price difference mind, £1200 here in the UK.

[mikeslemonade]

It's the end of an age really. They got something so thin that they can't make it any thinner. The next thing will have to be made out of a different kind of material kind of like the bend-able video screens.

[jaja1434]

It's was done a few years back in Japan. And I think the OLED is capable of doing it also.

[Azures]

A notebook w/o a cd drive, 5 hr battery, and no ability to change hdd or memory.

yea thanks apple, you made a nice looking paperweight.

[v1c1ous]

macs are superior. with your clunky pc, you HAVE to upgrade several parts, modify the settings, apply changes at your own leisure with every new update that comes along. that's so last gen!

but with macs, when its outdated, you just throw it in the garbage and buy the new one that comes out for $1500+

so convinient!

[HD DVDs COFFIN]

.

[Leathersoup]

Guaranteed to catch fire 30% faster than the previous model!!!

[GIJeff]

Sony's old X505 is .01 inches thinner. And it was out years ago. Try again apple.

[Fezthebest]

Yay finally someone remembered the X505. sure it didn't have an optical drive, but come on it's thinner than the mac air. no revolution there, maybe for them

[GIJeff]

so, isn't jobs technically lying when he says "thinnest notebook in the world"? I wonder if he can be sued for false advertising?

[redninja]

Does this laptop make me look fat?

[Jrome]

And we need a laptop to be this thin because?....EXACTLY

All apple does is make some stupid gimmick and all the idiots eat it like up like frosting on a cake. And then people fail to realise that other companies release a similar idea that includes a lot more features and is usually a lot more "open".

1) I need a CD drive...so unless we start using cd's thinner than an atom...this is useless.

And yes...I love having a product that I am able to upgrade without having to buy a completely new one.

[mighty_douche]

simple, it looks cool.

[Jrome]

This is why people end up buying sht products...and I sit and laugh at them. Sure it needs some cool factor...but if it's cool...cost thousands of dollars...and isn't really that practical. (And it's probably incredibly overpriced)then I'm sorry but..I don't fall for looks when it comes to electronics...i'm not having sex with them.

[HD DVDs COFFIN]

.

[Ares84]

I think a desktop is much better!! Laptops are just not cut it for me! Even if I travel my most important pice of hardware is my iPod!

[Ares84]

It looks nice and amazing but I heard that many and many features where left out so they can make it that thin!

To me this looks like a large iPod with a USB connection and an operating system!

I also heard that there is very limited things you can do with it!

[JIN KAZAMA]

I will stick to my Toshiba laptop. Its great. The mac Air doesnt even have a dvd drive, you can plus one in, but still, come on. And you cant have an extra battery, no replaceable battery! That sucks too. Big deal, its real slim, laptops nowadays are light and slim to begin with, so its not that big of a deal. I'll stick with my vista laptop, its not the greatest, i'd rather have XP back, but I would still pick it over the mac air.

[Kaneda]

If you want to replace the battery it costs only $125 bucks.. and installation is free through Apple... you don't need optical drive... You can transfer stuff through remote disc (wireless)... remote disc could be something big in the future...

[jaja1434]

Actually, for laptops, Vista is better than XP simple because Vista has better power management. Something like 13% better or some such number that I can't quite recall.

[Bonsai1214]

you guys are missing the point. its supposed to be a second or third computer. no one expects you to buy this and use it day in and day out as your main work computer. its ultra portable because its just that: portable.

however, as much as i understand its use, i have no intention of getting it because i have no use for it and i'm too poor to afford it.

and gijeff, this laptop is thinner than sony's. please watch the keynote before you make uneducated statements.

[niall77]

... but not for me.

its more of a fashion item then a computer IMO

[captainpwn]

I love Apple and Im digging the style of the Macbook Air, but come on! The biggest disappointment for me was that you couldn't upgrade the HDD by yourself, and most importantly NO CD DRIVE! Apple says they're going to get serious about games, but how can we play games without a slot to put them in? Yes, Im aware there's an accessory, but then it adds up to a lot. $100 for an annoying accessory I have to take everywhere, on top of the $30 for an ethernet to USB adapter, on top of $20 for a USB hub(1 usb port?!), oh yeah, on top of the $1800 price tag.

And if you think $1800 for 80gb is expensive, then I DARE YOU to try picking the 64gb SSD option. Go ahead, try it at the Apple Store. Good luck finding an extra $1300 and good luck fitting your storage in 16gb of less space.

[Kaneda]

Macbook Air is not for playing games... buy a desktop or big fat laptop... or PS3

Go watch the Apple Keynote before you talk about CD Drive... make you look like a fool! and listen for this two words when you watch the keynote.. "Remote Disc"

here is the link for ya

http://events.apple.com.edg...

[JosefTor]

I think it is an awesome product. It isn't meant to be all things for all people though. If I want a laptop to bring to business school this might fit the bill perfectly. Most people don't need a DVD drive everywhere they go. If they want to play games they can always rip it to their hard drive and still play too. It is expensive but convenience always costs more money. Someone said it had a touchscreen too like the iPhone. If you don't call that revolutionary I don't know what is.

[Kaneda]

The Track Pad is acting like touch screen... but not as reponsive as the touch screen.. but it is still good...

[Jrome]

ROFL @ BONSAI...for 1800 dollars...this better be a FIRST AND LAST computer.

[permutated]

I have a Mac book Pro, and it's small enough for me. I also am really stunned that they removed the disk drive.

However, this is a marvelous product for people who do presentations, and people who are always on the go-

I see this selling very well, just not to gamers or people who do art.

[jaja1434]

Wonder why they didn't just go with flash memory standard. It's better in every aspect.