September 29, 2008 8:55 AM PDT

Should you sell your MacBook Air now?

by David Carnoy
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Think wishful: Concept dream designs of the mysterious Apple Brick have surfaced on blogs.

(Credit: Yves Behar/OLPC)

By now you've probably heard the rumors that Apple is having an event on October 14th, where Steve Jobs will introduce new Apple laptops to the world. At this point, it's unclear whether the lines will be refreshed with new processors and configurations or whether we'll see a more substantial redesign to the Macbook and Macbook Pro. And then there's the big secondary question of what's going on with the MacBook Air?

Chances are, if there's an update to the Air, we'll just see a bump in processor speed and storage capacity, particularly in the solid-state version of the Air. But, then there's this mysterious thing called the Brick that started with a site called 9to5Mac and made a few orbits around the blogsphere. Some say it might be a tablet. Others think it's a new version of Apple TV. And many are conjecturing that it's a low-cost, lightweight Netbook to match up against all the mini notebooks hitting the marketing--including models from Dell, HP, Asus.

If, indeed, we're about to be introduced to a MacBook Mini or an Apple Netbook (or, maybe Jobs does go counter-intuitive and calls this lightweight machine the Brick), isn't it time to ditch the first-gen Air while it still has some value? I figure the one-two punch of a refreshed Air with a new budget-price Apple notebook will knock $300-$500 off a used Air's current selling price.

Or, with two weeks to go before the press event, is it already too late? Is the Air already utterly devalued? Let me know what you think.

Hunkered down in New York City, Executive Editor David Carnoy covers the gamut of gadgets and writes his Fully Equipped column, which carries the tag line "The electronics you lust for." He's also the author of "Knife Music," a novel. E-mail David. Follow David on Twitter.
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by TechnoMan475392 September 29, 2008 11:50 AM PDT
Those pics look like the OLPC concept. How 'bout some new ideas, guys?
Reply to this comment
by sting7k September 29, 2008 12:04 PM PDT
I don't think the Macbook Air really had any value, it was way over priced for what it delieverd to me.
Reply to this comment
by AppleSuxLeo September 29, 2008 9:45 PM PDT
But it made for great press when Jobs pulled it out of a big envelope ;)
by prince4world October 4, 2008 5:29 PM PDT
If you think Macbook Air is Over Priced..then why the HELL DID YOU BUY IT??
by ejeon1989 September 29, 2008 2:02 PM PDT
The MacBook Air is a POS. If Apple does release a Netbook, it should be interesting. Maybe they might go to tablet form with it.
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by AppleSuxLeo September 29, 2008 2:28 PM PDT
Sell AAPL now ! People are tired of overpriced white plastic. Android , Amazon MP3 and Windows 7 will bury AAPL even further. Android is hurting AAPL already. ha ha !
Reply to this comment
by anilsudh September 29, 2008 2:58 PM PDT
Looks like you are living in LaLa land Moron
by screwwindoze September 29, 2008 3:38 PM PDT
You PC weenies won't give up...you keep hoping Apple will fail but they keep on coming. Microsuck has nothing in the way of an OS (Windows?? PLEASE!). But you folks go ahead, keep buying the BS from Microsuck. I'll keep using my Mac with no BS scanning software to keep me "uninfected". Apple's demise has been rumored since the late 80's, but they're still here. If they were to fail (not likely) I would certainly not revert to my old Windoze days!

Good luck weenies!
by OlsenKevin September 29, 2008 6:11 PM PDT
Oh you're one of those...The uninformed lot that picks fights they can't win. Fortunately for Apple, they have a head start on every single one of the products you mentioned. If any of those happen to fail, which I'm sure one will and since two of those three items are dependent on each other (Amazon and Android), then it will be a long time before anything will ever take Apple down. But go ahead, remain uninformed, playing your video games and eating your potato chips. You'll always have the mindset because your not in an accepting bunch (kind of reminds me of the Republicans) and you'll always be wrong.
by rnaoncfixd September 30, 2008 7:17 AM PDT
Yes, we know you hate Apple. Please move on, get a new screen name, go out and enjoy life.
by andrewrm September 30, 2008 11:43 AM PDT
Just how is Android hurting Apple and what and when is Windows? Amazon MP3 is a potential issue but that is it.
by apple imacg5 September 30, 2008 7:06 PM PDT
ya **** u
by jyoung320 September 29, 2008 3:21 PM PDT
Thats the OLPC design. they are recycling the pics......why apple though?
Reply to this comment
by LiveStronger September 29, 2008 4:14 PM PDT
Yeah, that was totally the OLPC design, not anything Apple would make. Apple only produces things that they know work. That's why there are so few choices to pick from, and virtually no innovations. In the personal computing world, Apple's like the Japan of the Video gaming world. They see something that consistently works, make it shiny and less bumpy, and release it. That's why there's yet to be an Apple tablet, why there was never a plan for an Apple Palm-esque device until it was tied to a phone or an iPod. With the exceptions of the multitouch control and the magnetic power couplings, Apple hasn't really 'invented' anything since the mouse decades ago.
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by swimmrdave September 29, 2008 7:28 PM PDT
Apple didn't invent the mouse. Xerox did, and Apple "borrowed" it.
by myles taylor September 30, 2008 9:55 AM PDT
Innovation is not all about invention. Apple is good at incorporating new technologies and introducing new trends. They didn't even invent the mouse or the GUI; they just streamlined it. They also streamlined multiple other technologies, including (but not limited to) the CDrom, Bluetooth, the webcam in laptops, and many many other things.
by eclcell October 4, 2008 7:05 PM PDT
What about the Apple Newton.
by solitare_pax September 29, 2008 5:36 PM PDT
I don't know if the Air is utterly devalued, but articles like this certainly devalue the worth of CNET. Can I sell my stock in it now or is it as worthless as swiped pictures of the OLPC Version 2?
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by IowaNinersFan September 29, 2008 7:16 PM PDT
Sell it? I wouldn't buy it in the first place.
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by make_or_break September 29, 2008 7:30 PM PDT
Er...how does the solid-state version of the Air get a bump up in its HARD drive? Inquiring minds wanna know.
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by Shaun822 September 29, 2008 9:12 PM PDT
Probably a semi-major redesign on the Macbook to include a smaller screen size, maybe a 10" model. Hopefully knock some money off all of the models and of course the incremental updates in processor and HDD specs.
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by coffee_shop September 29, 2008 9:55 PM PDT
i want one now!
Reply to this comment
by ev61 September 29, 2008 11:17 PM PDT
Apple mania is actually quite fun... has any company ever gotten the press that Apple does?
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by lawgone October 4, 2008 7:43 AM PDT
I agree. Yeah, they're a little over-priced and over-hyped but Apple's designs are always innovative and have that IT factor. I mean come on, who wouldn't want an iMac...those things are gorgeous.
by sath71 September 30, 2008 12:09 AM PDT
I am keenly awaiting the Intel Atom based Apple product that was supposed to hit the shelves before the end of '08. What form this device will take is the question. What I think I would like to see (more so than something revolutionary, but expensive), is a Macbook that eschews optical disc, has SSD, has a 13in LED screen (or slightly smaller), WiFi 802.11n, is cheap and light - a Mac take on a netbook. I've seen OS X running on a netbook and it is much more responsive than XP.
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by lujooo September 30, 2008 4:47 AM PDT
The touch screen is not suitable for long time working. Another problem is cost. I believe apple's philosophy 'less is more' :)
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by markb1967 September 30, 2008 6:23 AM PDT
Apple makes the best electronic products in the world, then everyone tries to copy and steal the designs.
(ipod, imac, iphone) just to name a few of the recently copied, but not duplicated great ideas.
Anyone can copy and steal a design, but it's what's inside that makes the difference.
I'm actually surprised that Apple doesn't sue the crap out of those immitators.
Reply to this comment
by csingh September 30, 2008 10:24 PM PDT
u tool apple didnt invent the "touch screen" and especiially not in phones, htc touch and lg prada were one of the first in cell phone market. im not a hater i got an iphone my self, my only apple product, but ura tool if u think apple is as original as u claim
by lawgone October 4, 2008 7:46 AM PDT
Geesh csingh, a little harsh there. I'm not going to bother searching to see who invented the touch screen for phones first but I will say the only one that did it right and the only one that really mattered was the iPhone.
by Joliet Eddie September 30, 2008 6:52 AM PDT
Whatever Apple announces will work well enough, look great, and create a market rush and all kinds of pro-Apple ooohs and ahhhhhs. Of course it will be priced about twice to three times what it really is worth since Apple refuses to open its architecture to third party vendors and continues to control prices on all its wares. When will Apple make and sell a laptop that is affordable at a price point that matches other laptops in the market? To quote Buddy Holly: "That'll be the day that I die."
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by NCTARHEELS September 30, 2008 7:25 AM PDT
why not sell your macbook air?
you could always just buy a new one afterwards, even if this OLPC is a fake...
Reply to this comment
by relic16 September 30, 2008 8:55 AM PDT
S. Jobs . . . you should be making sure your current apple products work before you keep introducing new ones. Mac took a huge step back this year with all the crap that went down with the iPhone, 2.0 update and Mobile Me. I'm a huge apple guy and wish Apple could go back to the days where "It just worked". . .
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by n0th3r3 September 30, 2008 9:02 AM PDT
These are concept art pictures of the XO2
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by thesplintercell September 30, 2008 2:16 PM PDT
this is amazing, isn't it ? selling the computer you bought just 1 year ago ? what ever happened to people buying a product and getting some good use out of it first ? all of a sudden, the product you bought a year ago is not good enough ? i buy a pc and it lasts me a good 3-4 years before i decide to scrap it and go with something new.
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About Fully Equipped

Executive Editor David Carnoy has been covering electronics for CNET since 2000, arriving at the company just as "that whole Internet bust thing" happened. Early on, he launched CNET's cell phone coverage, earning him the nickname "Wireless Dave," then moved on to bigger and broader things. Hunkered down in New York City, he oversees CNET's Home and Hardware reviews, which includes all things related to home theater, PC, and digital imaging. Fully Equipped covers the gamut of gadgets and gizmos and, to keep things lively, Carnoy likes to alternate between writing useful, advice-oriented pieces or thought-provoking columns with inflammatory headlines designed to elicit commentary from readers. Fully Equipped is the longest continuously running column on CNET.com.

For older columns, read the Fully Equipped archive (2002-2008).

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