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Entered CNET Catalog: 01/16/2008
SKU: 0885909222360
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
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Manufacturer description
MacBook Air is ultrathin, ultraportable, and ultra unlike anything else. But you don't lose inches and pounds overnight. It's the result of rethinking conventions. Of multiple wireless innovations. And of breakthrough design. With MacBook Air, mobile computing suddenly has a new standard. MacBook Air is nearly as thin as your index finger. Practically every detail that could be streamlined has been. Yet it still has a 13.3-inch widescreen LED display, full-size keyboard, and large multi-touch trackpad. It's incomparably portable without the usual ultraportable screen and keyboard compromises. The incredible thinness of MacBook Air is the result of numerous size- and weight-shaving innovations. From a slimmer hard drive to strategically hidden I/O ports to a lower-profile battery, everything has been considered and reconsidered with thinness in mind. MacBook Air performance is as impressive as its form, thanks to its Intel Core 2 Duo processor. This chip was custom-built to fit within the compact dimensions of MacBook Air.Product summary
The good: Incredibly thin yet surprisingly sturdy; new trackpad gesture controls are very useful; remote optical drive makes living without a built-in drive much easier.
The bad: Very limited connectivity; slower than other MacBooks; SSD hard-drive option is ridiculously expensive and standard hard drive is small; battery is not user replaceable.
The bottom line: The design is revolutionary, but Apple's MacBook Air will appeal to a smaller, more specialized audience than the standard MacBook, thanks to a stripped-down set of connections and features.
Average user rating: from 97 users
3.0 stars
User opinions
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4/10
Piece of S...
Pros: Something different, thin (not the thinnest though)
Cons: where to begin!?
No removable battery
1 usb port!?
No DVD drive ..
Review: The design is revolutionary - YA thats about it lol
remote optical drive makes living without a built-in drive much easier - are u serious, lol you mean it sucks because it doesnt have a optical drive
remote optical drive makes living without a built-in drive much easier - are u serious, lol you mean it sucks because it doesnt have a optical drive
User Rating: 
10/10
From a 17" MBPro to the MacBook Air
Pros: Runs cooler than any PC or Mac Notebook I have ever purchased. Solid-state drive, 2 gig memory, I have had no issues running VM Fusion Windows XP or Windows 2000... Even run XP on a USB drive connected ...
Cons: The HIGH price of the new models
Review: I have been using Macs since 2000. My first Mac purchase was a Cube and I have loved them since. My MacBook Pro 17" died at a young age last week, but it was after the warranty expired. (I use to buy Apple Care but rarely had to use it and did not purchase it when I bought the MacBook Pro.) My mistake... Anyway, I make my money supporting financial systems run on Windows OS, SQL server, etc. I enjoy using Macs because I am not limited on the number of Windows OS I can run. I could not imagine having to install and uninstall different versions of the software for the different client. I just have an image for each client. I could go on but I will digress to the topic at hand...
When I first saw the Air, I thought ... wow, nice, but it is too small, only a 64 gig drive, only a usb port, slow CPU. Who in their right mind would buy this thing? Well after my MacBook Pro took a dive last week and I could not revive it, I needed a new computer. I have used 17" Macbooks since the first one was introduced and struggled with going with a smaller screen size. I looked at the 17" and the prices are a lot more than I paid for my original and even more than the Pro I purchased a couple of years ago. Also, my budget for computers is not what it was a few years ago. So I go looking on Apple's refurb page and run across the Air. I start reading the reviews and am worried it would not be enough for what I need ... I used a MacBook when the first Intel machines were introduced and I thought the MacBook's screen was too small.
So I came up with easy work arounds for every complaint I have read except the performance. And the only complaints about performance were basically bench test (not real life users)... So I took the plunge and it arrived four days ago. I have no issue with the small screen (the zoom function from the multi-touch track pad takes care of any of those issue.) My photo library is LARGER than the disk drive in this thing. So I came up with having two portable 500 gig USB drives (one at home and the other in the safe deposit box at the bank.) And then switching them out every week. I have been very comfortable with the performance. Some of the lags I experienced with the MBP 17" seem to be missing on this thing, which does not really make sense because the MBP was a faster CPU.
There are bigger, faster, more powerful computers, but this is by far the best Notebook computer I have ever owned.
Good Job Apple, but find a way to lower the cost.
When I first saw the Air, I thought ... wow, nice, but it is too small, only a 64 gig drive, only a usb port, slow CPU. Who in their right mind would buy this thing? Well after my MacBook Pro took a dive last week and I could not revive it, I needed a new computer. I have used 17" Macbooks since the first one was introduced and struggled with going with a smaller screen size. I looked at the 17" and the prices are a lot more than I paid for my original and even more than the Pro I purchased a couple of years ago. Also, my budget for computers is not what it was a few years ago. So I go looking on Apple's refurb page and run across the Air. I start reading the reviews and am worried it would not be enough for what I need ... I used a MacBook when the first Intel machines were introduced and I thought the MacBook's screen was too small.
So I came up with easy work arounds for every complaint I have read except the performance. And the only complaints about performance were basically bench test (not real life users)... So I took the plunge and it arrived four days ago. I have no issue with the small screen (the zoom function from the multi-touch track pad takes care of any of those issue.) My photo library is LARGER than the disk drive in this thing. So I came up with having two portable 500 gig USB drives (one at home and the other in the safe deposit box at the bank.) And then switching them out every week. I have been very comfortable with the performance. Some of the lags I experienced with the MBP 17" seem to be missing on this thing, which does not really make sense because the MBP was a faster CPU.
There are bigger, faster, more powerful computers, but this is by far the best Notebook computer I have ever owned.
Good Job Apple, but find a way to lower the cost.
User Rating: 
8/10
What you want to get work done & don't watch DVDs
Pros: Excellent to get work done while on the road and saves your back. Not for people working with lots of large files (or games or DVDs). Go for 64 SSD version and you'll enjoy a very quiet machine that does not fry your lap and saves your energy + back.
Cons: It was very expensive to get the ssd version.
Review: This is jackpot as far as I am concerned. I am an academic who works on music and cinema and travels a lot. I need to have something very light to browse the web, and get my writing done. This machine is superlight, very quiet, and fast. And it doesn't get very hot at all (I have the ssd version; despite the hefty extra cost I think it is worth it, because it does not get very hot at all - unlike the normal drive one, I think - is a bit faster, and is super-silent (stealth!), so you can have it on your lap for ages. And so far I have only needed an external drive a few times, just to upload Word and Keynote through another mac. That was easy enough. I suppose it could do with an extra port or two, but the additional peripherals which I bought since (for keynote presentations, and to use a wired adsl line) were not that pricey, and are small and light enough to carry around with it. Mind you: in hotels they sometimes have a female port for adsl connections, so you'd need an extension cable for those things anyway. And do I need to play CDs/DVDs while traveling? No, I actually rarely do. I now just use Handbrake (freeware) to rip DVDs which I then take with me, in case I get bored, and of course I download MP3s mostly. The screen is good, and so is - remarkably enough - the sound. But bottom line is this: it is light, fairly sturdy, and fast, and all those people complaining about battery issues and wanting a DVD drive etc. probably don't actually do a lot of writing. I haven't measured this, but my battery runs for at least 4 or 5 hours when I write and use the Internet a lot. That's not terribly much, but enough since after all, would 6 or 7 hours make that much more difference? No, you'd still have to keep an eye on it, and plug it in a power socket regularly. If you want to fiddle around with things more and basically replace your desktop, this is NOT the machine to go for, but I have a good desktop at home, and needed something light to help me get work done and not ruin my back when traveling. This is it.
User Rating: 
9/10
Right Tool for Right Expectations
Pros: Touchpad better than mouse; outstanding clarity of screen; good keyboard; fun to use; solid wireless.
Cons: Perceived by some as a fashion toy - which probably it is.
Review: I 've had it for a week now, and I've gone beyond what I'd normally use a laptop for just to see how it would work. For example, I made a point to play one of the latest 3-D games (although I haven't played games for at least 4 years!). The laptop fared fine.
I bought it for writing on the road. I travel a great deal, and I write a lot. For this purpose, the machine works very well. After installing all my programs, loading all my files, and even istalling a few games, I still have 40 GIG's free (mine is the 64-GIG SSD version). I did streamline the OS installation though, shaving off a couple of GIG's of unused languages, printer drivers and that pre-installed Garage Band program.
It connected to my wireless very easily. I don't use a lot of USB ports at the same time even on my iMac; here I mostly use wireless and bluetooth to move my files.
I bought the Superdrive, which I used to install a few programs and burn a DVD with my holiday videos. It works fine. Not an issue for me having an external drive since my old business Compaq has a similar detached DVD drive (much uglier though). But I rarely use disk drives, anyway.
For my states purpose it's a great laptop. Writing is fun again! :)
The things I dislike are (1) it draws a lot of unwanted attention in cafes and the like. I almost want to cover the lid with something black! :) (2) when the fan kicks in, e.g. during a game, it is a little too loud for my taste. (3) No FireWire port means I gotta search for the lost USB cable to my backup drive. But that's not critical.
As for the usual negatives the folks list. I agree that the connectivity is limited. But it has all the ports I've used on my old PowerBook apart from FireWire. The processing power won't make it your main computer. But it was designed as a truly secondary machine.
Net, I listed my needs before buying it, and it met all my needs exactly to a point. Not more of course, but not less either.
I bought it for writing on the road. I travel a great deal, and I write a lot. For this purpose, the machine works very well. After installing all my programs, loading all my files, and even istalling a few games, I still have 40 GIG's free (mine is the 64-GIG SSD version). I did streamline the OS installation though, shaving off a couple of GIG's of unused languages, printer drivers and that pre-installed Garage Band program.
It connected to my wireless very easily. I don't use a lot of USB ports at the same time even on my iMac; here I mostly use wireless and bluetooth to move my files.
I bought the Superdrive, which I used to install a few programs and burn a DVD with my holiday videos. It works fine. Not an issue for me having an external drive since my old business Compaq has a similar detached DVD drive (much uglier though). But I rarely use disk drives, anyway.
For my states purpose it's a great laptop. Writing is fun again! :)
The things I dislike are (1) it draws a lot of unwanted attention in cafes and the like. I almost want to cover the lid with something black! :) (2) when the fan kicks in, e.g. during a game, it is a little too loud for my taste. (3) No FireWire port means I gotta search for the lost USB cable to my backup drive. But that's not critical.
As for the usual negatives the folks list. I agree that the connectivity is limited. But it has all the ports I've used on my old PowerBook apart from FireWire. The processing power won't make it your main computer. But it was designed as a truly secondary machine.
Net, I listed my needs before buying it, and it met all my needs exactly to a point. Not more of course, but not less either.
User Rating: 9/10
better than good, finer than fine, best,absolute
Pros: clean design; absolute control; light touch; extraordinary looking;unmistakeable visual and sensuosity of use.
Cons: not much; as a first gen, amazing; as a useful tool-priceless
Review: design;function;user friendly and accomodating; whats NOT to like; Has NONE of the negs other mfgr reps are trying to rectify in their small minded flat pancake designs which are trying to ape Apple; in a league of design,function, forward thinking that seems to have outstripped-yet again, ANY other mfgr. Just a joy to use.Always.
User Rating: 
6/10
an awesome little laptop for a particular crowd
Pros: clean appearance, no frills keyboard, ultraportable design
Cons: yes, the MacBook Air lacks certain mainstay features: DVD drive, ethernet, multiple USB ports...
Review: Wow, some reviewers on this site get way too emotional!
Point blank, if you don't need multiple USB ports, ethernet, an optical drive, and gaming performance 24/7, this sleek machine is great.
(Personally, I *rarely* use more than one USB port, I can count the number of times that I used my DVD drive last month -- on one hand, and I haven't used ethernet in two years, so for me, the MacBook Air works well. For the sake of ultra-portability, I am happy to leave the external drive and the ethernet converter at home...)
If, however, you count on being able to hook up multiple peripheries at once, running gaming software, watching movies, burning music, etc, you ought to look at 17 inch gaming laptops...
Point blank, if you don't need multiple USB ports, ethernet, an optical drive, and gaming performance 24/7, this sleek machine is great.
(Personally, I *rarely* use more than one USB port, I can count the number of times that I used my DVD drive last month -- on one hand, and I haven't used ethernet in two years, so for me, the MacBook Air works well. For the sake of ultra-portability, I am happy to leave the external drive and the ethernet converter at home...)
If, however, you count on being able to hook up multiple peripheries at once, running gaming software, watching movies, burning music, etc, you ought to look at 17 inch gaming laptops...
User Rating: 9/10
Jet Set Thin Book NOT a laptop
Pros: Thin, Sleek, streamlined design for business road warrior
Cons: SSD too expensive
Review: Ethernet? No Ethernet on a jet / airport...USE WIRELESS AIRPORT 802.11 N FAST WIRELESS BUILT IN.
Ethernet? USE USB 2.0 TO ETHERNET ADAPTOR.
Ethernet? USE Airport Base Station to connect to Ethernet at office OR USB 2.0 to Ethernet adaptor when you need to plug in to the office grid.
Why do you need to use more than one USB 2.0 port at a time?
Firewire? Most people do not need or use Firewire devices.
Get a Firewire to USB 2.0 cable.
Firewire heavy users such as videographers use Mac Book PRO notebooks anyway as it is designed for the PRO Users not the typical Business Class traveler / user.
Broadband? Use the 802.11 N standard fast Airport Wi-Fi built in at Wi-Fi hot spots that are all over the place ( Airports/busses/hotels/Starbucks/ outdoors or connect to your cell phone.
Optical Drive? Download music or movies to your MBAir prior to traveling. Connect to PC / MAC optical drive with software & WIRELESSLY load software or transfer files.
Load info from large flash memory USB 2.0 sticks instead of CDR disc.
Download files from your dotMAC account to your MBAir.
IF you absolutely cannot live without your shiny multicolored discs, then buy the portable optical external drive.
Battery? Long battery life due to efficient power management from Mac OSX 10.5 built in.
Buy an external rechargeable battery as a backup battery source or use the magsafe power cable.
NOT FOR EVERYONE & WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR EVERYONE.
Ethernet? USE USB 2.0 TO ETHERNET ADAPTOR.
Ethernet? USE Airport Base Station to connect to Ethernet at office OR USB 2.0 to Ethernet adaptor when you need to plug in to the office grid.
Why do you need to use more than one USB 2.0 port at a time?
Firewire? Most people do not need or use Firewire devices.
Get a Firewire to USB 2.0 cable.
Firewire heavy users such as videographers use Mac Book PRO notebooks anyway as it is designed for the PRO Users not the typical Business Class traveler / user.
Broadband? Use the 802.11 N standard fast Airport Wi-Fi built in at Wi-Fi hot spots that are all over the place ( Airports/busses/hotels/Starbucks/ outdoors or connect to your cell phone.
Optical Drive? Download music or movies to your MBAir prior to traveling. Connect to PC / MAC optical drive with software & WIRELESSLY load software or transfer files.
Load info from large flash memory USB 2.0 sticks instead of CDR disc.
Download files from your dotMAC account to your MBAir.
IF you absolutely cannot live without your shiny multicolored discs, then buy the portable optical external drive.
Battery? Long battery life due to efficient power management from Mac OSX 10.5 built in.
Buy an external rechargeable battery as a backup battery source or use the magsafe power cable.
NOT FOR EVERYONE & WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR EVERYONE.
User Rating: 10/10
Best laptop I have ever owned
Pros: Lit keys (much better than the silver keys on other MacBooks), fast, solid, well-made, cheaper than other ultraportables, tiny charger brick, and OS X is fantastic
Cons: None for me, but for others: not a good game machine, and needs a cheap USB hub (not included) if you use multiple wired peripherals at once
Review: I rate it 10 for me and my needs--and I think I'm not alone in my goals for an ultraportable. This is a better machine than I'd ever hoped for in an ultraportable--so if the best I'd once imagined would be a 9 then this has to be a 10! And at this price (compare to the fortune Sony asks for less speed) I would have been happy with a 7 or 8!
For some other ultraportable users I'd rate it between 8 and 10--it's not "perfect" for everyone. For everyday laptop users, between 7 and 10. And for hard-core power users, I'd rate it between 4 and 8. For gamers, 0 to 1. Sorry. It does play 3D shareware games OK, but not the newest most complex 3D titles.
Small carries a price, no matter what your chosen brand. So I'll review the Air based on a look at compromises.
Compromises made by OTHER ultraportables (pick one or all):
* VERY expensive compared to full-size laptops
* Slow graphics board
* Less battery life than a full-size
* Fewer ports (but some still have more than the Air))
* SLOOOOOOW ultra-low-voltage processor
* Tiny screen
* Tiny keys
* Fragile and chintzy (even though probably thicker than an Air--but many are at least lighter, being made of plastic instead of the Air's metal armor)
Compromises made by the Air:
* Expensive compared to full-size (but still cheaper than the other ultraportables I was interested in)
* Slow graphics board (but not as slow as some other ultraportables)
* Less battery life than a full-size (but not as bad as other models, again)
* Fewer ports (but wireless devices or a cheap pocket USB hub fixes that--if you even care)
* That's it!
I like the Air's compromises a whole lot better. Thin and light, yet sturdy and fast too! And with a full-size screen and (illuminated!!!) keys. And yet somehow still priced on the mid-to-low end of ultraportables compared to many PC brands. And it can run Windows--so even if you're afraid to try anything but XP, the Air can still be great. (But in my view, OS X is well worth learning, unlike Vista.)
Battery life is around 4 hours, for light use with brightness down (not all the way). In other words, the kind of light use I'd use with ANY laptop in order to preserve battery. Even less than 4 hrs (heavy use gets me more like 3) is plenty for me--it's not like power outlets are hard to find, and I love the Air's little charger with the magnetic coupling.
And multitouch is not just a gimmick: it's easy to get spoiled by those gestures.
Speaking of price, any ultraportable goes through the roof if you opt for an SSD. I'd love one, but can't afford it. I have no complaints about the speed of the HD. I cerainly notice it being slower than my desktop, but that doesn't interfere with what I want to do.
Bottom line: if you don't need the obvious things missing from the Air (tons of ports, 3D graphics) and you aren't on a tight budget (ultraportables aren't cheap) then you may really appreciate the Air--whether you're a Mac or Windows user. It comes down to speed: if you're used to this year's top-end machines, and speed matters more than portability, then the Air may disappoint. But if you're like me, coming from an OLDER high-end machine, the speed may be a step up after all!
It's the wrong machine for some, but I think it's right for more people than you'd expect. How much does portability matter to you vs. other features?
For some other ultraportable users I'd rate it between 8 and 10--it's not "perfect" for everyone. For everyday laptop users, between 7 and 10. And for hard-core power users, I'd rate it between 4 and 8. For gamers, 0 to 1. Sorry. It does play 3D shareware games OK, but not the newest most complex 3D titles.
Small carries a price, no matter what your chosen brand. So I'll review the Air based on a look at compromises.
Compromises made by OTHER ultraportables (pick one or all):
* VERY expensive compared to full-size laptops
* Slow graphics board
* Less battery life than a full-size
* Fewer ports (but some still have more than the Air))
* SLOOOOOOW ultra-low-voltage processor
* Tiny screen
* Tiny keys
* Fragile and chintzy (even though probably thicker than an Air--but many are at least lighter, being made of plastic instead of the Air's metal armor)
Compromises made by the Air:
* Expensive compared to full-size (but still cheaper than the other ultraportables I was interested in)
* Slow graphics board (but not as slow as some other ultraportables)
* Less battery life than a full-size (but not as bad as other models, again)
* Fewer ports (but wireless devices or a cheap pocket USB hub fixes that--if you even care)
* That's it!
I like the Air's compromises a whole lot better. Thin and light, yet sturdy and fast too! And with a full-size screen and (illuminated!!!) keys. And yet somehow still priced on the mid-to-low end of ultraportables compared to many PC brands. And it can run Windows--so even if you're afraid to try anything but XP, the Air can still be great. (But in my view, OS X is well worth learning, unlike Vista.)
Battery life is around 4 hours, for light use with brightness down (not all the way). In other words, the kind of light use I'd use with ANY laptop in order to preserve battery. Even less than 4 hrs (heavy use gets me more like 3) is plenty for me--it's not like power outlets are hard to find, and I love the Air's little charger with the magnetic coupling.
And multitouch is not just a gimmick: it's easy to get spoiled by those gestures.
Speaking of price, any ultraportable goes through the roof if you opt for an SSD. I'd love one, but can't afford it. I have no complaints about the speed of the HD. I cerainly notice it being slower than my desktop, but that doesn't interfere with what I want to do.
Bottom line: if you don't need the obvious things missing from the Air (tons of ports, 3D graphics) and you aren't on a tight budget (ultraportables aren't cheap) then you may really appreciate the Air--whether you're a Mac or Windows user. It comes down to speed: if you're used to this year's top-end machines, and speed matters more than portability, then the Air may disappoint. But if you're like me, coming from an OLDER high-end machine, the speed may be a step up after all!
It's the wrong machine for some, but I think it's right for more people than you'd expect. How much does portability matter to you vs. other features?
User Rating: 
5/10
It's more like a fashion toy
Pros: Revolutionary design
Cons: Not practicle for real travellers
Review: For a real mobile user, having a full-featured reliable tool and self changable battery are way more important than the fashion look.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent portable laptop
Pros: Style, screen brightness, weight, Keyboard
Cons: No optical drive
Review: I just wanted to give an honest opinion of what my experience has been with this laptop. For starters, I have been a PC user for the last 20 years. I own a SONY VAIO ultraportable which I bought a few years ago and have been very happy with it. But lately windows was driving me crazy and I decided to try a MAC product.
I have to say that the airbook is a superb machine. It is absolutely gorgeous. It starts with in 20 seconds (as oppose to my sony which can take about 2 minutes to get goin) and it is extremely quiet. I can't even tell that it is running. It has been extremely fast for my everyday uses, ie web surfing, itunes downloads, internet chating. I am still getting use to MAC OS but it seems pretty intuitive. I have had no crashes or failures.
The Battery life is pretty good. I am getting about 4 hours with my daily use. I have not missed the ethernet port sine I have a wireless network at home. I suppose it will be a problem when I travel to hotels which donot have WiFi, But i did buy the little converter.
I do miss the optical drive sometimes. It is little tedious to hook up a portable superdrive every time you want to watch a DVD. Although I have started to rent movies from itunes and that is pretty cool and easy ( I guess that is what apple wanted anyway.)
Overall it is a wonderfull machine, albiet an expensive one. (FYI my little sony notebook cost me 2500 about 5 years ago). So I guess the price is relative. If you can affoard it and want a well built portable machine, this maybe for you.
I have to say that the airbook is a superb machine. It is absolutely gorgeous. It starts with in 20 seconds (as oppose to my sony which can take about 2 minutes to get goin) and it is extremely quiet. I can't even tell that it is running. It has been extremely fast for my everyday uses, ie web surfing, itunes downloads, internet chating. I am still getting use to MAC OS but it seems pretty intuitive. I have had no crashes or failures.
The Battery life is pretty good. I am getting about 4 hours with my daily use. I have not missed the ethernet port sine I have a wireless network at home. I suppose it will be a problem when I travel to hotels which donot have WiFi, But i did buy the little converter.
I do miss the optical drive sometimes. It is little tedious to hook up a portable superdrive every time you want to watch a DVD. Although I have started to rent movies from itunes and that is pretty cool and easy ( I guess that is what apple wanted anyway.)
Overall it is a wonderfull machine, albiet an expensive one. (FYI my little sony notebook cost me 2500 about 5 years ago). So I guess the price is relative. If you can affoard it and want a well built portable machine, this maybe for you.
User Rating: 9/10
Perfect for who it is made for
Pros: size. design. simple. osx.
Cons: lack of ports. door for ports is tight.
Review: i use this computer to type up documents, stream music, and browse the net. Thats it. so its easy to say, this computer does everything i need without any major compromise or excessive dead weight.
however, when i use my noravel 727 usb modem, the fit is tight. this does not bother me too much on typical use, but it hogs the space needed to insert my headphones as i stream music through itunes radio. if i am outside, the speaker is not very fun to hear so unless i have the songs i wish to hear within the modest 64gb ssd, i have no choice but to listen through the mono speaker (it does sound pretty good though for a mono). i do not need the dvi port at all. i wish that was a secondary usb port or sd card slot instead
The normal day to day use with the SSD is awesome. Extremely snappy.
I know the thinkpad x300 is out there, but that computer has too much i do not need on a day to day basis. i havent used the external dvd drive since day one (only for installs) and i prefer the multi-touch pad over the mouse. i also have 2 other computers, so to have a usb modem is more functional for me to swap between computers instead of a built-in WWAN like the x300.
This computer is almost perfect for me. I'm curious of how Apple will respond to all the criticism the MBA obtained for building this thing by the end of the year. The update to this macbook air will hopefully deserve the 10 i'm looking for.
however, when i use my noravel 727 usb modem, the fit is tight. this does not bother me too much on typical use, but it hogs the space needed to insert my headphones as i stream music through itunes radio. if i am outside, the speaker is not very fun to hear so unless i have the songs i wish to hear within the modest 64gb ssd, i have no choice but to listen through the mono speaker (it does sound pretty good though for a mono). i do not need the dvi port at all. i wish that was a secondary usb port or sd card slot instead
The normal day to day use with the SSD is awesome. Extremely snappy.
I know the thinkpad x300 is out there, but that computer has too much i do not need on a day to day basis. i havent used the external dvd drive since day one (only for installs) and i prefer the multi-touch pad over the mouse. i also have 2 other computers, so to have a usb modem is more functional for me to swap between computers instead of a built-in WWAN like the x300.
This computer is almost perfect for me. I'm curious of how Apple will respond to all the criticism the MBA obtained for building this thing by the end of the year. The update to this macbook air will hopefully deserve the 10 i'm looking for.
User Rating: 9/10
Great for Travelers
Pros: Light, Pretty and Extremely Useful
Cons: A bit pricey
Review: Funny how most of the low reviews from users are from those who do not even own it. To own is to believe. This laptop fits my lifestyle perfectly. Yes I have a Macbook Pro that is more appropriate for everyday use but I travel a lot and need quick internet functionality. The Air fits the bill and then some.
User Rating: 10/10
YOU PEOPLE ARE STUPID - - READ
Pros: Thinnest laptop ever made, FAST, light, durable, no cd-rom, no wasted ports i.e. 5 usb's, ethernet, cheap
Cons: does not include envelope/carrying case
Review: Ok, let me start off by saying how stupid the people are who reviewed this laptop. You are the same people who ***** about vista.
As I write the sexy review on my brand new XPS M1330 I laugh at you.
For all those uneducated reviewers out there: Laptops are designed to be light and portable. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+laptop
The MacBook Air is amazing.
How can you whine and ***** about not having a dvd/cd-rom? Flash drives are smaller, faster, re-usable, cheap, and have a higher capacity. You have to be an idiot to think for one second that a dvd/cd-rom is necessary.
How many ******* ports do you need??? You only need one, guy. Worst case scenario: you may have to unplug a device to use another--OHHH GOD!!! And another thing, you don't need Ethernet ports any more. Wireless is now faster. Welcome to 2008, guy.
Battery no longer reliable? WHAT THE **** DO YOU THINK A WARRANTY IS MORON? Exactly.
L0L are you saying 1.8 GHz C2D is slow? Seeing as that a 1.6 GHz can easily handle 10 different windows simultaneously; 1.8 is perfect. Why don't you go ***** about the 1.2 GHz processor that comes standard in ultra portables LMAO again.
Can someone explain to me why 90% of the people here don't even know how to truly read AND interpret specs and only assume higher is ALWAYS better? It?s simple; because you are ignorant.
Take a look at one moron?s post by chadley25: "And really, 1280x800? I suppose that's okay for a 13" screen, but 1440x900 would be nice." Unless this kid carries a magnifying glass around 24/7 for his 13? 1440x900 LCD, he/she has NO idea what the **** they are talking about.
The sad part is that 30/39 of you idiots actually found that review helpful.
SHOW ME A COMPANY, other than apple, THAT CAN JAM A WEBCAM, 13" LCD, 2 GIGS OF RAM, WIFI CARD, ILLUMINATED KEYBOARD, HARD DRIVE, AND A FAST PROCESSOR IN AN ALUMINUM BODY. You can't.
We are no longer in the 90's you 40 and 50 year old virgins. Yes, that's right again YOU ARE AN OLD **** AND YOU ARE GOING TO DIE SOON. So, get a life, while you still have some time, stop talking **** about products you can't afford and know nothing about.
I would like to wrap up my sexy review with a question: If you think you know so much about specs, and you talk about how bad they are on this sex machine, do you buy it just because you are ******* retard or because you can?t read the side of the ******* box?
Thanks,
Mike
As I write the sexy review on my brand new XPS M1330 I laugh at you.
For all those uneducated reviewers out there: Laptops are designed to be light and portable. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+laptop
The MacBook Air is amazing.
How can you whine and ***** about not having a dvd/cd-rom? Flash drives are smaller, faster, re-usable, cheap, and have a higher capacity. You have to be an idiot to think for one second that a dvd/cd-rom is necessary.
How many ******* ports do you need??? You only need one, guy. Worst case scenario: you may have to unplug a device to use another--OHHH GOD!!! And another thing, you don't need Ethernet ports any more. Wireless is now faster. Welcome to 2008, guy.
Battery no longer reliable? WHAT THE **** DO YOU THINK A WARRANTY IS MORON? Exactly.
L0L are you saying 1.8 GHz C2D is slow? Seeing as that a 1.6 GHz can easily handle 10 different windows simultaneously; 1.8 is perfect. Why don't you go ***** about the 1.2 GHz processor that comes standard in ultra portables LMAO again.
Can someone explain to me why 90% of the people here don't even know how to truly read AND interpret specs and only assume higher is ALWAYS better? It?s simple; because you are ignorant.
Take a look at one moron?s post by chadley25: "And really, 1280x800? I suppose that's okay for a 13" screen, but 1440x900 would be nice." Unless this kid carries a magnifying glass around 24/7 for his 13? 1440x900 LCD, he/she has NO idea what the **** they are talking about.
The sad part is that 30/39 of you idiots actually found that review helpful.
SHOW ME A COMPANY, other than apple, THAT CAN JAM A WEBCAM, 13" LCD, 2 GIGS OF RAM, WIFI CARD, ILLUMINATED KEYBOARD, HARD DRIVE, AND A FAST PROCESSOR IN AN ALUMINUM BODY. You can't.
We are no longer in the 90's you 40 and 50 year old virgins. Yes, that's right again YOU ARE AN OLD **** AND YOU ARE GOING TO DIE SOON. So, get a life, while you still have some time, stop talking **** about products you can't afford and know nothing about.
I would like to wrap up my sexy review with a question: If you think you know so much about specs, and you talk about how bad they are on this sex machine, do you buy it just because you are ******* retard or because you can?t read the side of the ******* box?
Thanks,
Mike
User Rating: 4/10
THAT SOME BAD AIR STEVE KEEPS LETTING OUT :O AHHGG
Pros: 1 USB JACK ;))))
Cons: PLEASE HOLD THE AIR :O
Review: Me and My wife was going the 1700.00$$$ but with no cd,fire wire no rj jack no hdmi, nothing nodder, zero just AIR a usb JACK ARE YOU JOKING! has steve gone nuts?
so know I'm like 1700-2800$ for what?
JUST .....JUICING THE FANS, MANNNN!
so know I'm like 1700-2800$ for what?
JUST .....JUICING THE FANS, MANNNN!
User Rating: 9/10
A most have to be on the move
Pros: Performance, weight, size
Cons: Drive capacoty
Review: The Porsche of the Laptop. Not for everybody. I have enjoyed at home, traveling in Starbrooks. Great resolution screen, comfortable keyboard. All excluded ports are redundant for me.
User Rating: 
2/10
looks breakable!!!
Pros: light ,thin
Cons: The use of SSD drives are too expensive
Review:
User Rating: 
3/10
Form over function
Pros: Thin and light
Cons: Still too big; not a subnotebook at all
Review: For the (limited) things it can do this thing should be priced the way the original iMac was: for the masses. Not really a work machine, more of a bragging rights kind of deal. Otherwise it exists in no man's land.
Someone here said it's for the mobile user who only needs to do some web browsing and office work. Well, you don't need a $1800 gadget to do that -- the Eee PC works just as well as a mobile office machine, and it only costs $400.
At the other end of the scale, the Dell M1330 or Sony TX shows you what a machine at this price level ought to give you. Like I said, the target market for this thing is so vague, even the defenders are having a tough time nailing it!
Apple should have just given us a real 12-inch Powerbook replacement. That would have actual value. Instead, the MacBook Air is probably the first machine clad in Pro clothes that is outperformed by a consumer device. Poor value indeed.
Someone here said it's for the mobile user who only needs to do some web browsing and office work. Well, you don't need a $1800 gadget to do that -- the Eee PC works just as well as a mobile office machine, and it only costs $400.
At the other end of the scale, the Dell M1330 or Sony TX shows you what a machine at this price level ought to give you. Like I said, the target market for this thing is so vague, even the defenders are having a tough time nailing it!
Apple should have just given us a real 12-inch Powerbook replacement. That would have actual value. Instead, the MacBook Air is probably the first machine clad in Pro clothes that is outperformed by a consumer device. Poor value indeed.
User Rating: 9/10
Simply amazing!!!
Pros: The thickness, Lightness, creativeness , robustness and Futureistic
Cons: No optical drives , low ram
Review: it is a great product. No opticals is the only negative thing but everything else looks great.
User Rating: 9/10
Incredible Design and Execution
Pros: Perfect for my purpose, I believe.
Cons: Some necessary trade-offs, but none serious.
Review: Amazing how many views from so many folks who have not actually been anywhere near an Air.
I spent quite some time with the unit at MacWorld and have the SSD version on order for February 11 delivery.
Certainly to each his own, but it is a stunning achievement from a design and execution POV and I'm putting my money where my mouth is, as they say.
Certainly for me no replacement battery is a non-issue (I have two different spare batteries for my X61s and have used neither since I really don't want the extra weight when traveling. It defeats the prupose of an ultra-light notebook, surely.) However, a real world 5hrs+ with Wi-Fi on, hopefully more with the SSD - when only weighing three pounds (versus maybe 2.25 hrs with my X61s and the enhanced battery), that is a real-world benefit and will allow me to walk around the office and use it for note taking and use while traveling.
No Ethernet port? So what. The adapter is $29. I ordered two: one for the office and one for my travel bag.
Any regrets (OK this is only a preview):
* 64GB SSD is pushing it. 128GB would be great. Hopefully it can be upgraded. Its the price of being an early adopter.
* A Penryn versus a Mermon CPU would have been great. ~ 15% more battery life from what I have read. Obviously Intel's timing was a little off for a Macworld launch.
* I have small hands so the X61s's smaller footprint and keyboard are fine for me but the Air's larger screen will be a plus.
So why am I switching from the X61s? I have been Beta testing Vista for the past fifteen months and I'm mad as hell. Sorry, Lenovo. As a ThinkPad devotee of fifteen years, ThinkPads are terrific products, but Microsoft's latest OS is inexorable. (I'm being polite here).
When my 60s became totally unstable after loading Vista, I was told I should never have loaded 'retail Vista' on a ThinkPad and should consider buying a new computer! I did! An X61s with Vista preloaded. I didn't help.
PS: Apple's supply chain management is second to none. Example, I custom-ordered a MacBrook Pro on a Thursday night, built within a few hours in Shanghai, Friday their time. Already at FedEx Alaska Saturday. A short delay for US customs. On my desk Tuesday morning. By comparison: my X61s: ordered the day it came out, promised in '2-3 weeks', arrived nearly three months later after two 'your shipment has been delayed 1-30 days' e-mails.
Apple makes incredible products but more importantly they deliver an incredible customer experience from product to packaging to delivery to support, not to mention their retail stores and not to mention their trade shows! That's why they have so many rabid fans. It's called 'customer delight'. Not anything Microsoft has ever thought about.
I spent quite some time with the unit at MacWorld and have the SSD version on order for February 11 delivery.
Certainly to each his own, but it is a stunning achievement from a design and execution POV and I'm putting my money where my mouth is, as they say.
Certainly for me no replacement battery is a non-issue (I have two different spare batteries for my X61s and have used neither since I really don't want the extra weight when traveling. It defeats the prupose of an ultra-light notebook, surely.) However, a real world 5hrs+ with Wi-Fi on, hopefully more with the SSD - when only weighing three pounds (versus maybe 2.25 hrs with my X61s and the enhanced battery), that is a real-world benefit and will allow me to walk around the office and use it for note taking and use while traveling.
No Ethernet port? So what. The adapter is $29. I ordered two: one for the office and one for my travel bag.
Any regrets (OK this is only a preview):
* 64GB SSD is pushing it. 128GB would be great. Hopefully it can be upgraded. Its the price of being an early adopter.
* A Penryn versus a Mermon CPU would have been great. ~ 15% more battery life from what I have read. Obviously Intel's timing was a little off for a Macworld launch.
* I have small hands so the X61s's smaller footprint and keyboard are fine for me but the Air's larger screen will be a plus.
So why am I switching from the X61s? I have been Beta testing Vista for the past fifteen months and I'm mad as hell. Sorry, Lenovo. As a ThinkPad devotee of fifteen years, ThinkPads are terrific products, but Microsoft's latest OS is inexorable. (I'm being polite here).
When my 60s became totally unstable after loading Vista, I was told I should never have loaded 'retail Vista' on a ThinkPad and should consider buying a new computer! I did! An X61s with Vista preloaded. I didn't help.
PS: Apple's supply chain management is second to none. Example, I custom-ordered a MacBrook Pro on a Thursday night, built within a few hours in Shanghai, Friday their time. Already at FedEx Alaska Saturday. A short delay for US customs. On my desk Tuesday morning. By comparison: my X61s: ordered the day it came out, promised in '2-3 weeks', arrived nearly three months later after two 'your shipment has been delayed 1-30 days' e-mails.
Apple makes incredible products but more importantly they deliver an incredible customer experience from product to packaging to delivery to support, not to mention their retail stores and not to mention their trade shows! That's why they have so many rabid fans. It's called 'customer delight'. Not anything Microsoft has ever thought about.
User Rating: 8/10
A New Paradigm
Pros: Super thin, Ultra Portable
Cons: Technology is too New
Review: This is an amazing new technology, but consumers may not be ready for this radically new item. Apple was the first to get rid of the floppy disk, and now they're the first to get rid of optical drives in laptops.
User Rating: 6/10
Too many sacrifices for thiness
Pros: Light. Pretty.
Cons: Few Ports, Battery life??
Review: Air looks stunning. But to be truely useful, it seems to have sacrificed a little too many for comestics. I don't mind about the lack of an optical drive, but there should be a few more ports e.g. usb, lan, SD cards etc. A 12.1" screen would be preferrable if it could bring down the weight and size. We'll have to see if the battery really last for 5 hours. The true value seems to be usually about 60% of that on the spec sheets. If that is the case, I would prefer a thicker laptop (and a little bit more weight) for a longer battery life.
I was hoping something like an 8 cell Thinkpad X61 with LED backlight and the Leopard OS X. And the price should be nearer to the MacBook.
I was hoping something like an 8 cell Thinkpad X61 with LED backlight and the Leopard OS X. And the price should be nearer to the MacBook.
User Rating: 10/10
Ultra Portable, not media... DUH!!!!
Pros: Super fast, super high ram for a/an UP
Cons: Ignorant Reviews
Review: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 5 hour bat life, Light as paper.... how can anyone in their right mind downrate this UP noteook. The tech specs speak for themselves.
I have been a PC user my whole life; because Sony and IBM/ vaio and Thinkpads... i had never wanted a mac... But this book is a PC killer
I have been a PC user my whole life; because Sony and IBM/ vaio and Thinkpads... i had never wanted a mac... But this book is a PC killer
User Rating: 8/10
Waiting for benchmarks
Pros: Design, display, touchpad, keyboard
Cons: No Firewire, 1 USB, battery life, HD speed
Review: I've been holding off a laptop purchase for about 6 months in anticipation of this. Here are the reasons I probably won't buy it.
We'll have to wait and see how it performs in the usual speed tests before reiterating the fact that it has a slower processor and hard drive than the MacBook, but chances are it will be slower, and while I love the design and size of this, I'm not sure if I want to spend an extra $800 for something that's only slightly smaller and also slower.
The only reason I can really see justifying its price is if you carry a laptop with you all the time. But then, Apple claims it gets 5 hours of battery versus the MacBook's 6. Shouldn't their most portable laptop have the most impressive battery life? I would think so.
The other reason I fear purchasing this is the single USB slot. I have an external Firewire drive and a Firewire interface for audio recording. While I could use similar products over USB, I'm worried that having both in one USB slot would get a little bottlenecked.
I love Apple's decision to abandon an optical drive! I haven't used mine in years, so it's just a waste of space and weight for me. I'm surprised Apple didn't go a little bit further with their multi touch interface. I would love to see this in tablet form featuring a touchscreen and multi-touch. I'm also surprised Apple isn't offering more solid state hard drive sizes or an expansion slot. I would have loved to purchase one with a 32GB HD at the same price as the base model if there was an SD slot. In a few months I'm sure you could throw another 32GB SD card in for a couple hundred bucks.
We'll have to wait and see how it performs in the usual speed tests before reiterating the fact that it has a slower processor and hard drive than the MacBook, but chances are it will be slower, and while I love the design and size of this, I'm not sure if I want to spend an extra $800 for something that's only slightly smaller and also slower.
The only reason I can really see justifying its price is if you carry a laptop with you all the time. But then, Apple claims it gets 5 hours of battery versus the MacBook's 6. Shouldn't their most portable laptop have the most impressive battery life? I would think so.
The other reason I fear purchasing this is the single USB slot. I have an external Firewire drive and a Firewire interface for audio recording. While I could use similar products over USB, I'm worried that having both in one USB slot would get a little bottlenecked.
I love Apple's decision to abandon an optical drive! I haven't used mine in years, so it's just a waste of space and weight for me. I'm surprised Apple didn't go a little bit further with their multi touch interface. I would love to see this in tablet form featuring a touchscreen and multi-touch. I'm also surprised Apple isn't offering more solid state hard drive sizes or an expansion slot. I would have loved to purchase one with a 32GB HD at the same price as the base model if there was an SD slot. In a few months I'm sure you could throw another 32GB SD card in for a couple hundred bucks.
User Rating: 5/10
Bummer - it lacks real world functionality
Pros: Big Screen, Backlit keyboard, relatively light
Cons: Basically no ports
Review: I have been wanting to switch to Mac for sometime now. Unfortunately I've been locked into the windows world by default (I use several windows-only programs as well as networked devices, etc.) At any rate, now that apple machines can run windows I've been looking to switch. Fortunately, I use an ultralight notebook now (Sharp MM20) and am therefore familiar with the pros/cons of tiny laptops. The MM20 has 2 USB ports, a PCMCIA card slot, a propriety video out (dongle required) and an ethernet port. It doesn't have a DVD drive and is less than an inch thick. Overall I love the MM20 but it's just getting old and slow (plus it only runs windows). It weighs (with the original battery) 2.2 pounds and has a 10" screen.
When I heard that apple was looking at a new ultra light PC I was pumped. Well, after seeing what the Air has I'm a little disappointed. As one reviewer noted, if you take out all of the ports/drive/etc., you should have a fairly light notebook...the only problem is you have a light notebook with limited connectivity.
Since I'm used to a notebook with only 2 USB ports I'm aware of the limitations. Actually, I would say two is the optimal number. I have found for the most part that I don't generally have more than two devices attached, and if I do, I can always use a small USB hub. BUT... for the Air to only have 1 USB port and NO ethernet port...that's just too minimal for me. I pretty much always have at least a wired connection and 1 USB device plugged in. If I'm required to use an adpater to get the Ethernet -- but that then means I lose the only USB port -- well, that juse doesn't make sense. What if I want to transfer a file off the hard-line network to a USB jumpdrive? I mean, that's farily common for most of us I would think.
The other issue I see is the size. I love the idea of a big screen, but, one of the advantages of an ultraportable notebook is that in a coach seat on a plane I can open up my MM20 and work regardless of whether the person in front of me reclines their seat or not. My screen is small enough to fit. Once you get into the large screen footprint, you lose some of the "portable functionality" of the small laptops.
Lastly, for another 2 pounds you can get a MacBook or MBook Pro with all of their connectivity options...
Overall, I do agree that no DVD drive is required (I rarely use them anyway), that the shared DVD drive option on other computers is a very cool idea, and that the full-size keyboard is nice... I just don't agree that 1 USB and no other connections will work for most users. I mean, I WANTED to buy this laptop and I AM the target market. But, it has too many limitations to make it work in the real-world. Guess I'll have to look at the MacBook instead -- such a bummer.
Final note. One other Vista machine I was considering which has all of the ports and connectivity I could want is an ultra mobile pc by Vye computers. I believe they are a manufacture from Korea or Japan but the laptop itself looks great... it just only runs Windows and I don't know if they are a fly-by-night company.
When I heard that apple was looking at a new ultra light PC I was pumped. Well, after seeing what the Air has I'm a little disappointed. As one reviewer noted, if you take out all of the ports/drive/etc., you should have a fairly light notebook...the only problem is you have a light notebook with limited connectivity.
Since I'm used to a notebook with only 2 USB ports I'm aware of the limitations. Actually, I would say two is the optimal number. I have found for the most part that I don't generally have more than two devices attached, and if I do, I can always use a small USB hub. BUT... for the Air to only have 1 USB port and NO ethernet port...that's just too minimal for me. I pretty much always have at least a wired connection and 1 USB device plugged in. If I'm required to use an adpater to get the Ethernet -- but that then means I lose the only USB port -- well, that juse doesn't make sense. What if I want to transfer a file off the hard-line network to a USB jumpdrive? I mean, that's farily common for most of us I would think.
The other issue I see is the size. I love the idea of a big screen, but, one of the advantages of an ultraportable notebook is that in a coach seat on a plane I can open up my MM20 and work regardless of whether the person in front of me reclines their seat or not. My screen is small enough to fit. Once you get into the large screen footprint, you lose some of the "portable functionality" of the small laptops.
Lastly, for another 2 pounds you can get a MacBook or MBook Pro with all of their connectivity options...
Overall, I do agree that no DVD drive is required (I rarely use them anyway), that the shared DVD drive option on other computers is a very cool idea, and that the full-size keyboard is nice... I just don't agree that 1 USB and no other connections will work for most users. I mean, I WANTED to buy this laptop and I AM the target market. But, it has too many limitations to make it work in the real-world. Guess I'll have to look at the MacBook instead -- such a bummer.
Final note. One other Vista machine I was considering which has all of the ports and connectivity I could want is an ultra mobile pc by Vye computers. I believe they are a manufacture from Korea or Japan but the laptop itself looks great... it just only runs Windows and I don't know if they are a fly-by-night company.
User Rating: 3/10
not useful for anyone
Pros: multitouch trackpad
Cons: only 1 usb port, no hsdpa/evdo or even expresscard slot!
Review: who is gonna pay 1800 for an underwhelming notebook which has LESS than the regular macbook? this isn't even an ultraportable with its monster 13.3 inch screen. at least that would have made sense. if apple was even thinking about marketing this product for the road warrior, how could they have left out a built-in bto option for HSDPA or EVDO? so since they didn't do that, they even left out an express card slot for an aftermarket add-on card. expandability in general is set down to the bare minimum with one measly usb port and no firewire. the sealed-in battery practically erases the flexibility of carrying an extra battery. the reg hdd is a pathetic 4200 rpm. the optional solid state hdd is a good idea, but it's still a new thing so apple should've put in a 2.5in drive instead of a 1.8in one which would have made that upgrade prob about $600 extra instead of 1K.
the only good thing is the multitouch trackpad, which is quite innovative, but overall, apple really failed with this one.
the only good thing is the multitouch trackpad, which is quite innovative, but overall, apple really failed with this one.
User Rating: 2/10
Is this a joke??
Pros: "Ultra Thin"
Cons: Everything inside of it....
Review: I'm not trying to bash on apple, but this seems like the biggest waste of money in the history of apple. Let's have a reality check here people... I like some of apple's products, but for the same price, you could get either the Dell XPS M1330 or the Dell XPS M1530 which are fairly slim. With the 1530, you get a high-end blueray drive, high end graphics, and a long battery. The one major concern I have with the macbook air is that they are using ipod hard drives inside.... My family has gone through many iPods... and all of them lasted for roughly one year. After your one year warrenty on the thing expires, then you are completely down $3000.
Just putting my word out there.... stick with the macbook or the dell XPS line.
Just putting my word out there.... stick with the macbook or the dell XPS line.
User Rating: 8/10
Ethernet?? What is that? LOL
Pros: Laughable reviews for a product not yet released.
Cons: Not out yet.
Review: While I understand where some of you are coming from, surely you do not use an ethernet connection on your laptops...do you? Really? My entire home is wireless, including my all in one printer...c'mon--it's 2008.
User Rating: 5/10
Great idea, but too many compromises
Pros: Light and thin, full size keyboard
Cons: Too much missing for the money, expensive
Review: Great idea, but I think Steve Jobs stripped this down too much. No Ethernet port, no modem, no optical drive, no removable battery, only one USB port, no microphone jack, small hard drive. It is just too little for the money.
I love the design and many of the features, including the backlit keyboard and dual multitouch trackpad, but for a starting price of $1799, I want/need more. For those who travel on business or those who couldn't connect to a wireless network for some reason (can you say home router configuration problem?), the lack of an Ethernet port is a killer. Only one USB port? Come on! My PC has six and I use most of them most of the time. The small hard drive squashes dreams of power users of dual booting OS X and Windows. An external optical drive isn't a real problem as far as I'm concerned (however pricing it at $99 is steep), but no removable battery?!? No serious traveler can consider this laptop for that reason alone.
These days, one could get two Windows-based laptops with higher specs and more hardware functionality for this money. They wouldn't as slick or as lightweight or run OS X, but they would probably serve the average computer user's needs better. For $1200 (still hundreds more than a similar Windows or Linux laptop) it would be worth consideration, but I personally find the end functionality underwhelming for the money. Beautiful design, but not practical for power users.
I love the design and many of the features, including the backlit keyboard and dual multitouch trackpad, but for a starting price of $1799, I want/need more. For those who travel on business or those who couldn't connect to a wireless network for some reason (can you say home router configuration problem?), the lack of an Ethernet port is a killer. Only one USB port? Come on! My PC has six and I use most of them most of the time. The small hard drive squashes dreams of power users of dual booting OS X and Windows. An external optical drive isn't a real problem as far as I'm concerned (however pricing it at $99 is steep), but no removable battery?!? No serious traveler can consider this laptop for that reason alone.
These days, one could get two Windows-based laptops with higher specs and more hardware functionality for this money. They wouldn't as slick or as lightweight or run OS X, but they would probably serve the average computer user's needs better. For $1200 (still hundreds more than a similar Windows or Linux laptop) it would be worth consideration, but I personally find the end functionality underwhelming for the money. Beautiful design, but not practical for power users.
User Rating: 4/10
Sell Out, Over priced
Pros: It is an Apple
Cons: Intel, price, few options, ... did I say price
Review: I am typing this on my Apple Pismo right now thinking what is Apple thinking first they go Intel, if I wanted an Intel I would have bought IBM which you can not now, since they sold out to China. First to all the Apple cult members do you realize how you defend Apple so strongly , and no one has attacked them they are just stating the fact that this machine is highly over price with little to no options. The options that are offered are greatly over priced. Sorry I love my laptop and was thinking of upgrading. Then I saw the price on a plain 13 inch and laughed at how ridiculous it was. When I do upgrade I will probably be forced to go with something other then a Apple mostly because only people who have money or want to be in debt can afford the new macs.
User Rating: 10/10
gamers need not apply
Pros: 3 lbs w/full-size keyboard, 5hr battery life, principled wireless
Cons: 80 GB only, non-user replaceable battery, no firewire, $$$ peripherals
Review: 10/10 for frequent flyers and others on-the-go for their work who need a very, very portable notebook without compromising on display, keyboard, and Apple's simplicity and panache. Not for gamers, multi-media fanatics, folks who are looking for a notebook to replace their desktop.
User Rating: 6/10
First impression based on the specs
Pros: excellent design and form factor, aluminum body, glass display
Cons: expensive, the battery must be sent back to apple for replacement
Review: The iPhone and now the Macbook Air has a battery that the consumer cannot replace without sending the device back to Apple, I don't like that at all. On the other hand it is great to see glass and aluminum materials that will make this product tougher than its plastic counterparts. I'm glad to see the use of a solid state drive. I think Apple will offer more SSDs as they become larger and more affordable.
User Rating: 
7/10
Depends on what you use it for
Pros: Extremely thin, decent specs fomr something this light
Cons: Lacks many ports people might find necessary
Review: The only setting I can think of where something like this might come in useful is as a student, mainly using a laptop to take notes in class, and surf the net. As a student myself, I look for something that is thin and light so it's not a burden to carry around, but still has a comfortable size screen and keyboard. In this regard, the MB Air fits the bill perfectly.
However, the MB Air seems severely limited for any other kind of use due to its lack of, well, most things you would expect from a laptop that has a base price of $1799.
However, the MB Air seems severely limited for any other kind of use due to its lack of, well, most things you would expect from a laptop that has a base price of $1799.
User Rating: 10/10
Not the thinnest
Pros: light, wii, usb to ethernet adaptor, apple quality
Cons: needs more memory or power
Review: Not the thinnest? 7.6" is less than 8", therefore it is the thinnest, duh. It has a USB to ethernet adaptor if needed.
Light, compact and user friendly, usable with a PC network.
Light, compact and user friendly, usable with a PC network.
User Rating: 8/10
Ethernet is available from usb to ethernet connection...
Pros: Its light weight and has the led display
Cons: The price for the soild state drive is high.
Review: Apple did the best they could for a mass market group. If Apple incorporated a alot of features to the Air the price and weight would be even higher yet. There is good profit potential in all the nifty usb add ons. Money will always be in the details. Apple markets and sells these ideals well.
User Rating: 2/10
The blond girl of notebooks!
Pros: The thinest notebook in the world - Apple MAC inside - very lite.
Cons: No optical drive - One USB port - No mic slot - The screen close down with a very gentle touch or movement - Very pricey compared to other notebooks out there (DELL) - Touchpad technology is useless.
Review: Here is the thing, this laptop is useless in every way possible, it is like a hot blond at college but with absolutely no brain at all! It is actually the thinest notebook in the world but only for another 2 months or so; other companies are going to become thinner, and trust me, if DELL or SONY planned to drop so much features like Apple did they would've had the thinest notebook in the world 1 year ago!
All in all, this notebook is empty, one USB port! no mic slot! Connect a flash disk and forget about connecting anything else, or why not talk to your friends in the street with a high voice letting everyone enjoy your conversation so that the Apple built-in mic would be happy. The notebook doesn't even include an optical drive! I mean seriously Apple, optical media is widely adopted and used around the world, why just ignore it?! weired!
$1000 extra for 0.2 extra processing and an SSD 64 GB disk!? is this a joke?
Apple has dropped the bomb on its self with this product no doubt, I never thought they were so into collecting money until I saw this product and thought of it very well.
Apple is a great company but with their Air notebook they proved a concern I had about them: Use sexy terms to sell your products, even if using these terms meant producing a product that is "emptier" and pricier than other competitors.
I give it 2 out of 10 just because of the OS.
Buy the DELL XPS M1330.
All in all, this notebook is empty, one USB port! no mic slot! Connect a flash disk and forget about connecting anything else, or why not talk to your friends in the street with a high voice letting everyone enjoy your conversation so that the Apple built-in mic would be happy. The notebook doesn't even include an optical drive! I mean seriously Apple, optical media is widely adopted and used around the world, why just ignore it?! weired!
$1000 extra for 0.2 extra processing and an SSD 64 GB disk!? is this a joke?
Apple has dropped the bomb on its self with this product no doubt, I never thought they were so into collecting money until I saw this product and thought of it very well.
Apple is a great company but with their Air notebook they proved a concern I had about them: Use sexy terms to sell your products, even if using these terms meant producing a product that is "emptier" and pricier than other competitors.
I give it 2 out of 10 just because of the OS.
Buy the DELL XPS M1330.
User Rating: 7/10
For the portable group by the portable group
Pros: Thin,Slim,Sleek
Cons: Pricey,ports,FRAGILE
Review: Thinnovative
Thats what about sums up the macbook air. A very elegent notebook and slim sleek fit and a great overall hardware design by Apple. Though this notebook isn't for your personal laptop more of directed towards portable users. Hardcore portable users like business man etc though it can be used as a laptop. The pros of the air of course are
Thin- The thinnest laptop ever and is very thin fit for all the hardware it packs
Slim-Slim basically thin but more of the keyboard,display,keys etc
Sleek- Aluminum silver design with a very sleek base and keyboard along with it's powerful but battery saving LED Backlit Display and keyboard
But with pros comes cons
Cons
Pricey $$$$$!- I'll admit the upper model is a bit pricey though it's not entirley apple's fault as with the new tech like SSD and flash memory SSD(Meaning Solid-State-Drive) is very quick and flash memory just increases the speed but is Costy and thus bring the mac book air's prices up also with the superdrive as a optional thing for 99$ only adds on to the pay , I think they should cut down the price on-
1.6GHZ Model= around 350-400$ lower
1.8GHZ Model= Around 400-545$ lower
+ Add the Portable Superdrive as a option on buying it for 50$
something like that
Ports- The Micro port which allows VGA and DVI Adapters and S-video is GREAT! though maybe an extra USB port would be great or an option to buy a HUB with it lol wouldn't be bad , also the headphone jack is nice but maybe integrated speakers would nice and possibly vents etc on the side for cooling since its a compact machine
FRAGILE- Careful with this light slim machine as if you were to drop it ,it wouldn't be pretty. Grant it, Its a great machine but wouldn't stand up to alot of hits though it does have a aluminum casing maybe a extra guard around the outside or a optional special built case would do just in case
Overall the macbook air is targeted towards special groups of users out there and as the future goes the flash memory will increase in use of laptops and lower in general pricing so the macbook airs will grow cheaper and as for the Optical drive the superdrive is a great option also the Remote Disk software is also a very great feature for installing software etc.
I give Apples new product a 6.5 though I cant set it , its roughly around 7 and only the future will tell as the product will increase and new prices will evolve etc. As for the thinnest and power of this notebook , I would compare it to a also thin but powerful laptop the Toshiba Portege R500 as it's also a great notebook and features like that can be taken in well consideration to the air.
That's My take on Apples newest Thinnovative Notebook
Macbook Air
Review- Kidguru
Thats what about sums up the macbook air. A very elegent notebook and slim sleek fit and a great overall hardware design by Apple. Though this notebook isn't for your personal laptop more of directed towards portable users. Hardcore portable users like business man etc though it can be used as a laptop. The pros of the air of course are
Thin- The thinnest laptop ever and is very thin fit for all the hardware it packs
Slim-Slim basically thin but more of the keyboard,display,keys etc
Sleek- Aluminum silver design with a very sleek base and keyboard along with it's powerful but battery saving LED Backlit Display and keyboard
But with pros comes cons
Cons
Pricey $$$$$!- I'll admit the upper model is a bit pricey though it's not entirley apple's fault as with the new tech like SSD and flash memory SSD(Meaning Solid-State-Drive) is very quick and flash memory just increases the speed but is Costy and thus bring the mac book air's prices up also with the superdrive as a optional thing for 99$ only adds on to the pay , I think they should cut down the price on-
1.6GHZ Model= around 350-400$ lower
1.8GHZ Model= Around 400-545$ lower
+ Add the Portable Superdrive as a option on buying it for 50$
something like that
Ports- The Micro port which allows VGA and DVI Adapters and S-video is GREAT! though maybe an extra USB port would be great or an option to buy a HUB with it lol wouldn't be bad , also the headphone jack is nice but maybe integrated speakers would nice and possibly vents etc on the side for cooling since its a compact machine
FRAGILE- Careful with this light slim machine as if you were to drop it ,it wouldn't be pretty. Grant it, Its a great machine but wouldn't stand up to alot of hits though it does have a aluminum casing maybe a extra guard around the outside or a optional special built case would do just in case
Overall the macbook air is targeted towards special groups of users out there and as the future goes the flash memory will increase in use of laptops and lower in general pricing so the macbook airs will grow cheaper and as for the Optical drive the superdrive is a great option also the Remote Disk software is also a very great feature for installing software etc.
I give Apples new product a 6.5 though I cant set it , its roughly around 7 and only the future will tell as the product will increase and new prices will evolve etc. As for the thinnest and power of this notebook , I would compare it to a also thin but powerful laptop the Toshiba Portege R500 as it's also a great notebook and features like that can be taken in well consideration to the air.
That's My take on Apples newest Thinnovative Notebook
Macbook Air
Review- Kidguru
User Rating: 9/10
any review..including mine... before it ships should be disregarded...
Pros: only computer in the world with a multitouch touchpad. thinnest in the world.
Cons: people keep comparing it to desktop replacements. that is what the macbook pro is for.
Review: please disregard any reviews before the air starts shipping. they are opinions, not reviews. the air will not start shipping until the end of january (2008). cnet should be ashamed of themselves for giving it a review before being able to actually review it themselves and try it out. cnet gave the macbook and 8.2 but faults the air for not having features that the macbook ALSO does not have.
kudos to apple for creating another computer that stands out in a crowd. it is the thinnest computer in the world and the ONLY computer in the world with a multitouch touchpad and it has great battery life and it is stylish which counts nowadays.
kudos to apple for creating another computer that stands out in a crowd. it is the thinnest computer in the world and the ONLY computer in the world with a multitouch touchpad and it has great battery life and it is stylish which counts nowadays.
User Rating: 10/10
Purely out of principle
Pros: It looks bad-a$$, and the inclusion of a solid state makes it worth the $
Cons: No optical drive, but...
Review: I remember when apple came out with diskless computers. Everyone freaked out, but in hind-sight, apple nailed that one. I never use ethernet, so...no big deal. The rapid spread of wifi is making broadband unnecessary.
I have always been a PC guy. My next computer will be a mac. Not because they look cool, but because I have used my wifes macbook, and they really are better. Why do you think I switched from firefox to safari?
I have always been a PC guy. My next computer will be a mac. Not because they look cool, but because I have used my wifes macbook, and they really are better. Why do you think I switched from firefox to safari?
User Rating: 8/10
The Sky is Falling Again....
Pros: Lightweight, innovative, REAL technology advances.
Cons: Surely will be some... lets see
Review: Wasn't it easier when the world was flat?
All the usual naysayers just do not get it. $1799 for a laptop - it should be $1099. Yeah, that's it! Low price, lots of mediocre features, lots of bloatware, and all the bells and whistles that yesterday's copy writers and weak marketeers like to tout. Now THATS what makes a real cutting edge, new laptop.
Low power? Huh? No RJ-45 jack? Again, huh? I bet you were posting the same nonsense, when Apple sent the floppy disk to its grave. RIP. These choices seem very smart for a super lightweight machine.
I'm sorry to tell you, but this strategy has been tried dozens of times in the past 15 years. Here is a test, somebody name a technology contribution that e-Machines made in the marketplace by providing the kind of me-too technology that these naysayers are dinging Apple for not having (again).
Give me a break, for that matter, name any real next generation thinking for PC hardware (not back office stuff people, but the actual stuff we all work with every day on OUR machines) that has ever come out of any other PC maker, Dell, HP, Compaq, Gateway, etc. OK, IBM has been an innovator, oops, wait - that's Lenovo now.
I wonder how many of these naysayers have actually ever used a Mac - I own many of each (Macs AND PCs). The PC's, well they get used occasionally, the Macs... watch Apple's ads. Truth in advertising, eh?
Clearly, how you can rate exciting new technology like this a 2? This is truly silly. I'll go with an 8 simply based on the new technology innovations.
By the way, to the poster who commented on no network, no drive, etc., all I can say is: Dude, you are so "nineties." You should call Compaq and see if they have any of those old orange plasma portable DOS computers left, you will love them! Two floppy drives if I remember correctly.
Get a life. Or might I suggest, an iLife!
Will the market embrace this new direction, who knows? Until then, some of you need to wait around until Bill Gates gets the Table PC ready for us! ($10,000 Pong anyone?)
Hey, we all remember the Newton, right, product flopped but think of the innovation it inspired and brought on to the industry: PDAs, stylus based interface, handwriting technology, etc. Hmmm. sounds like what is going on with the iPhone... except this time the masses embraced it! If not for the iPod, we might all still be carrying around dozens of CD's or MiniDiscs for our Walkman.
So... sign me as the dude praying that the guy with the Microsoft Sync software in his new car doesn't blue screen doing 80MPH down I-95 next to ME! (Relax, MS groupies, its a joke, I know it is not part of the car's OS)
And before you say anything else, nothing innovative here other than repackaging bluetooth technology that has been around for years and slapping a MS logo on the front.
EMBRACE THOSE BRAVE ENOUGH TO INNOVATE! Otherwise the world would be a very, VERY boring and stagnant place.
By the way, companies that fail to truly embrace innovation are doomed to fail (anyone remember the DEC Rainbow? )
Apple = Real, Fearless American Innvoation in the spirit of Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Alexander Graham Bell! Spot on!
All the usual naysayers just do not get it. $1799 for a laptop - it should be $1099. Yeah, that's it! Low price, lots of mediocre features, lots of bloatware, and all the bells and whistles that yesterday's copy writers and weak marketeers like to tout. Now THATS what makes a real cutting edge, new laptop.
Low power? Huh? No RJ-45 jack? Again, huh? I bet you were posting the same nonsense, when Apple sent the floppy disk to its grave. RIP. These choices seem very smart for a super lightweight machine.
I'm sorry to tell you, but this strategy has been tried dozens of times in the past 15 years. Here is a test, somebody name a technology contribution that e-Machines made in the marketplace by providing the kind of me-too technology that these naysayers are dinging Apple for not having (again).
Give me a break, for that matter, name any real next generation thinking for PC hardware (not back office stuff people, but the actual stuff we all work with every day on OUR machines) that has ever come out of any other PC maker, Dell, HP, Compaq, Gateway, etc. OK, IBM has been an innovator, oops, wait - that's Lenovo now.
I wonder how many of these naysayers have actually ever used a Mac - I own many of each (Macs AND PCs). The PC's, well they get used occasionally, the Macs... watch Apple's ads. Truth in advertising, eh?
Clearly, how you can rate exciting new technology like this a 2? This is truly silly. I'll go with an 8 simply based on the new technology innovations.
By the way, to the poster who commented on no network, no drive, etc., all I can say is: Dude, you are so "nineties." You should call Compaq and see if they have any of those old orange plasma portable DOS computers left, you will love them! Two floppy drives if I remember correctly.
Get a life. Or might I suggest, an iLife!
Will the market embrace this new direction, who knows? Until then, some of you need to wait around until Bill Gates gets the Table PC ready for us! ($10,000 Pong anyone?)
Hey, we all remember the Newton, right, product flopped but think of the innovation it inspired and brought on to the industry: PDAs, stylus based interface, handwriting technology, etc. Hmmm. sounds like what is going on with the iPhone... except this time the masses embraced it! If not for the iPod, we might all still be carrying around dozens of CD's or MiniDiscs for our Walkman.
So... sign me as the dude praying that the guy with the Microsoft Sync software in his new car doesn't blue screen doing 80MPH down I-95 next to ME! (Relax, MS groupies, its a joke, I know it is not part of the car's OS)
And before you say anything else, nothing innovative here other than repackaging bluetooth technology that has been around for years and slapping a MS logo on the front. EMBRACE THOSE BRAVE ENOUGH TO INNOVATE! Otherwise the world would be a very, VERY boring and stagnant place.
By the way, companies that fail to truly embrace innovation are doomed to fail (anyone remember the DEC Rainbow? )
Apple = Real, Fearless American Innvoation in the spirit of Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Alexander Graham Bell! Spot on!
User Rating: 5/10
I like the carrying case
Pros: Carrying case
Cons: No DVD drive
Review: I like the interoffice memo carrying case - simple yet elegant.
User Rating: 9/10
Great PORTABLE laptop
Pros: Light, full size keyboard, great screen - PORTABLE
Cons: no internal dvd/rw drive, cannot remove/change battery on your own
Review: It is great, great portable machine. I agree, it is not for everyone, but in general, portability is amazing.
User Rating: 10/10
perfect form
Pros: thinnest notebook on earth
Cons: not available
Review: you have to be really a moron to have a negative opinion of something that you have not tried or used. those criticizing iphone's luck of 3G. sorry pals, it's outselling ms phones.
User Rating: 4/10
NO COMPROMISES REALLY CNET?!?!
Pros: Design, Screen, Battery Life
Cons: No Removable Battery, No DVD/CD, ONE USB PORT, NO ETHERNET, THE LIST GOES ON...
Review: While Apple has manage to make a beautifully slim notebook, it HAS compromised the reality of everyday functionality.
While the keyboard may be great for students, having only one usb port,no ethernet jack and no optical drive is NOT great for students.
Even if you get a usb ethernet jack, you have no other room for such build ons, no room for a usb optical drive, or a flash drive, an external hard drive, usb speakers..nada.
Apple, of course can claim exclusivity on the ever wonderful OS X, but this is inconspicuous consumption if i've ever seen it
Worst part is, There is no removable battery. Similar to ipods, the battery is internal and must be removed by a technician...which I'm sure Apple will charge out the @$$ to do.
*sigh* ok, my rant is done.
While the keyboard may be great for students, having only one usb port,no ethernet jack and no optical drive is NOT great for students.
Even if you get a usb ethernet jack, you have no other room for such build ons, no room for a usb optical drive, or a flash drive, an external hard drive, usb speakers..nada.
Apple, of course can claim exclusivity on the ever wonderful OS X, but this is inconspicuous consumption if i've ever seen it
Worst part is, There is no removable battery. Similar to ipods, the battery is internal and must be removed by a technician...which I'm sure Apple will charge out the @$$ to do.
*sigh* ok, my rant is done.
User Rating: 5/10
Sleek Design.. Big Gamble
Pros: Design, Design, Design. Some rich features.
Cons: Not enough here for most users.
Review: Reviewing the laptop itself, it would seem like a nice product. Sexy design, bright screen, backlit keyboard, 802.11n built-in, built in iSight.. Pretty rich.
But I'm afraid Apple missed the mark. No CD/DVD. I really question people's willingness to download over renting a DVD. The download times are long, EXTREMELY long for HD.
So.. just borrow another computer's drive.. Really? Seriously? I have to have a computer to run my computer? Purchase the optical USB? And screw up the nice, tidy form factor? Pay $99 bucks?
I won't beef at Apple about the Flash HDD at $999. Flash memory is still really expensive.
It's a sexy machine, no question. But with no FireWire port at all, and a slower processor than the "Pro" line, it relegates the laptop to a very pricey internet appliance.
Kudos for fitting all that into this small package. It really needs an optical to succeed. The world isn't ready for no drive yet. This one's got "Cube" written all over it.
But I'm afraid Apple missed the mark. No CD/DVD. I really question people's willingness to download over renting a DVD. The download times are long, EXTREMELY long for HD.
So.. just borrow another computer's drive.. Really? Seriously? I have to have a computer to run my computer? Purchase the optical USB? And screw up the nice, tidy form factor? Pay $99 bucks?
I won't beef at Apple about the Flash HDD at $999. Flash memory is still really expensive.
It's a sexy machine, no question. But with no FireWire port at all, and a slower processor than the "Pro" line, it relegates the laptop to a very pricey internet appliance.
Kudos for fitting all that into this small package. It really needs an optical to succeed. The world isn't ready for no drive yet. This one's got "Cube" written all over it.
User Rating: 10/10
Stop complaining!
Pros: It's thin! Apple does it again!
Cons: If anything, the price is a bit high.
Review: People want the features of Apple's high-end MacBook Pros, but want the thinness of an ultra portable without sacrificing a few features? Geez. If the MacBook Air doesn't meet your needs, there's the MacBook and MacBook Pro, or a cheap PC.
User Rating: 2/10
Look great on outside, but empty inside.
Pros: Look great, very think and stylish
Cons: been there, done it by other with even thinner model, but apple cut too many feature in the name of making it thin.
Review: I won't mind the almost 2k price for a thin laptop if it is full feature, but one with lock up 2G only memory, (80G hd) couldn't apple put in the 160G(ipod classic) for the 2k charge? battery that user can't swap or replace! very low end graphic chipset, optical disc and ethernet not build in, but then is a option to "BUY", 5hr battery(that is factory rated, not real world), no 3G build in(a very important item for ultraportable device), no fw, very limited port, and the list go one.
to put it in easy to understand term, this is like a high price hooker that you want to "play" with for one night, but this is not one that you would want to be your wife.
NO THX
to put it in easy to understand term, this is like a high price hooker that you want to "play" with for one night, but this is not one that you would want to be your wife.
NO THX
User Rating: 8/10
Great work Mr. Jobs!
Pros: Slim, lightweight design. A step towards a new generation of notebooks.
Cons: The processor speed. Only 80GB max. Permanent RAM. The SSD HD cost $1000, WOW!
Review: The MacBook Air isn't designed to work like its larger MacBook and MacBook Pro brethren. It's hardware configurations are fast enough to handle any modern day applications; numerous at a time. Speed is not a problem. That said, the entire concept of wiping out the optical drive and breaking everything down (ports included) to the bare bones enable apple to create a full featured laptop able to have the title, "the worlds thinnest notebook." I'm getting one, period!
User Rating: 2/10
What is all this about ?
Pros: Its Thin, and the mouse pad can be usefull
Cons: Its slow, has 1 usb, no DVD drive, small HD and little Ram
Review: I have a Sony VAIO 13.3' and it weights 500 grams more than the AIR, and its slightly thicker. I have 4gb RAM, Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 and a HD of 200gb.... Apple is joking huh ?!!
Its an old processor, small HD and extremely expensive... Product made for Apple fan and enthusiasts.
Why pay 3000 Dollars if you could pay 2.600 for the latest VAIO, better than mine, witch a Core 2 Duo 2.6 !
I didnt quite get it...
Its an old processor, small HD and extremely expensive... Product made for Apple fan and enthusiasts.
Why pay 3000 Dollars if you could pay 2.600 for the latest VAIO, better than mine, witch a Core 2 Duo 2.6 !
I didnt quite get it...
User Rating: 6/10
Over Price Fruit
Pros: Small , Thin , and Light .
Cons: Puny HDD . No disc drive . Only 1 USB port .
Review: More like a over price internet tablet if you ask me . Dude ... I'm gettin a Dell (XPS) .
User Rating: 10/10
Its beautiful!!!!
Pros: slimmer than ipod!!!! every feature on macbook is there plus more...multi touch pad ..wireless CD drive syncing!!!
Cons: slower than macbook, few ports
Review: This is freaking good!!! its super slim and everyting..there are a few cons...but pros outweigh it!!! i wud hav given it a 9 but i saw tat ppl started to write bad reviews so i just evened it out...
User Rating: 6/10
Sounds like a "sticker & body kit" package.
Pros: Looks fast
Cons: Where's the horsepower?
Review: Cool looking body kit this Macbook Air has. But where's the horsepower to back it up? I can get more power from a Dell XPS1330 for 40% less.
Scenario: You're sitting at a coffee shop surfing away on your slim & light notebook when in walks squid-boy with his new Macbook Air. You know the type... All about looking cool. So he cracks open his Macbook Air to the "oohs" and "ahs" of the crowd while casting you a wry grin. How do you own him? Simply reach into your travel case, pull out a DVD, hold it in the air for a moment, and then slide it into your computer
Scenario: You're sitting at a coffee shop surfing away on your slim & light notebook when in walks squid-boy with his new Macbook Air. You know the type... All about looking cool. So he cracks open his Macbook Air to the "oohs" and "ahs" of the crowd while casting you a wry grin. How do you own him? Simply reach into your travel case, pull out a DVD, hold it in the air for a moment, and then slide it into your computer
User Rating: 10/10
How can you rate 2 weeks b4 it comes out
Pros: you rate it b4 u even see it in person
Cons: this is not right you should have to own this product in order to rate it
Review:
User Rating: 2/10
Too thin (on everything)
Pros: Weight and LED display/keyboard
Cons: (de)specifications
Review: I may be wrong here, but the Apple branding hype around this product is surely going to fizzle.
Though the OS and processor are fairly adequate, the lack of many simple basics on this machine is a sheer turn-off. I wonder why anyone would pay $3000+ for a 64gb solid state hard drive unit to realize that you have no other source of data storage other than the ONE ONLY USB INTERFACE which thus would be taken up by a USB drive. Where is the memory card drive. Even a simple micro SD card slot could replace any optical drive when you use a .ISO image. It just makes no sense to me.
Why only one USB interface? Am I in the 90's?
The price to specs just does not seem to match up. I would personally take a Asus EEEPC if I was so concerned about weight (http://event.asus.com/eeepc/microsites/en/index.htm).
Though the OS and processor are fairly adequate, the lack of many simple basics on this machine is a sheer turn-off. I wonder why anyone would pay $3000+ for a 64gb solid state hard drive unit to realize that you have no other source of data storage other than the ONE ONLY USB INTERFACE which thus would be taken up by a USB drive. Where is the memory card drive. Even a simple micro SD card slot could replace any optical drive when you use a .ISO image. It just makes no sense to me.
Why only one USB interface? Am I in the 90's?
The price to specs just does not seem to match up. I would personally take a Asus EEEPC if I was so concerned about weight (http://event.asus.com/eeepc/microsites/en/index.htm).
User Rating: 9/10
A Home Run for Those of us on the go
Pros: Size, Design, Features
Cons: Lack of Firewire ports
Review: I figured the nay-sayers would be out in droves dismissing the MacBook Air as another useless appliance by Apple. My prediction - they will sell every single unit they make to a very satisfied group of users. The Macbook Air is for a segment of the market, that treasures portability and ease of use over having a feature laden 15lb beast to cart around. Me personally, i never use the DVD drive when i am on the road. 99% of the hotels i stay at are wireless. I have never upgraded my notebook over the factory supplied configuration. I am looking forward on getting rid of my 15" MacBook Pro for one of these beauties.
Updated
I wonder how many people out there are writing reviews and comments without actually owing one of these units? i just picked up the 64GB SS Air Book, and i can tell you as a person that travels everywhere with my laptop, this unit is outstanding. Light, fast, nice graphics, easy connectivity, great keyboard, good features, etc, etc,. I guess it comes down to needs and expectations. I needed a smaller, lighter laptop to be able to run MS Office applications when I am on the road. This unit is great for that. I don't care about the limited connectivity, just go buy a portable USB hub. So far, this unit has exceeded all my expectations.
I wonder how many people out there are writing reviews and comments without actually owing one of these units? i just picked up the 64GB SS Air Book, and i can tell you as a person that travels everywhere with my laptop, this unit is outstanding. Light, fast, nice graphics, easy connectivity, great keyboard, good features, etc, etc,. I guess it comes down to needs and expectations. I needed a smaller, lighter laptop to be able to run MS Office applications when I am on the road. This unit is great for that. I don't care about the limited connectivity, just go buy a portable USB hub. So far, this unit has exceeded all my expectations.
User Rating: 4/10
The real SlimShady
Pros: Cool, Sexy and Slim
Cons: Way too much money Steve
Review: Good idea for General Motors; The new 2009 Hummer that will get 40MPG because they reduced the horse power and removed the A/C and oh yes, increased the price because it's green and sexy. I have taken my first step into Apple World with the iPhone because they have created something that no one else has in the cell phone market. Apple has always been known for doing "fewer things better" which is good for cell phones because there are only a few things to do. Once you get back in the world of personal computing you want it all. .2" thinner than next guy is ok I guess but for that kind of money you can buy the laptop of your dreams that does it all.
I?m not a Apple basher, I love my iPhone and promote it all the time. But the bridge I need to cross over to Mac just hasn?t been built YET.
I?m not a Apple basher, I love my iPhone and promote it all the time. But the bridge I need to cross over to Mac just hasn?t been built YET.
User Rating: 6/10
No Drive No Sale
Pros: Looks nice.
Cons: No Oled screen.
Review: I was ready to buy Apple. I expected a 12 inch Oled screen model coming in at 3 pounds. All six rating point for style.
User Rating: 8/10
Apple leads the way again
Pros: Rock solid OS, build quality.
Cons: Expensive trade-off for weight savings.
Review: "it's .76-inch thick at its thickest part. Apple calls it the "world's thinnest notebook." Though the MacBook Air is not quite the thinnest laptop ever, it is among the thinnest we've seen (the Fujistu LifeBook Q2010 and the Toshiba Portege R500 both measure 0.8 inch thick." .76 inch is less than .8 or CNET hasn't reviewed the thinnest notebook. Perhaps it's the thinnest notebook on the market today. Perhaps one could build a smaller, thinner notebook, but can it be done with the performance Apple has built into MacBook Air.
I don't think I'll rush out and buy one to replace my MacBook Pro (it replaced a desktop). I do think Apple is far ahead of the competition regarding innovation. Intel stepped up to help make it possible with a CPU 60% smaller than was previously thought possible.
Give the market about 6 months to answer with a Windows machine that adopts the finer attributes of the MacBook Air.
I don't think I'll rush out and buy one to replace my MacBook Pro (it replaced a desktop). I do think Apple is far ahead of the competition regarding innovation. Intel stepped up to help make it possible with a CPU 60% smaller than was previously thought possible.
Give the market about 6 months to answer with a Windows machine that adopts the finer attributes of the MacBook Air.
User Rating: 10/10
How are people rating this before it comes out?
Pros: How are people rating this before it comes out?
Cons: How are people rating this before it comes out? people are stupid
Review: How are people rating this before it comes out? Im just rating it perfect to try and give the macbook air a chance. looks to me like its going to be a thin macbook pro without a good graphics card.
User Rating: 9/10
Apple innovates ahead of the small thinking PC brains
Pros: It's the interface and simplicity that is easy to tote around
Cons: If only the price was $1499
Review: Future thinking in the real worlding
User Rating: 
1/10
My prediction Struck Him Out
Pros: My prediction Struck Him Out
Cons: My prediction Struck Him Out
Review: My prediction Struck Him Out
Updated
yo waz drippin
yo waz drippin
User Rating: 3/10
Really Bad Idea (and I'm a Mac fan)
Pros: Decent design, but nothing new
Cons: If you want to do anything, you need an adapter or two or more
Review: For starters, if you want to install anything, you have to buy a whole separate computer so you could access its CD/DVD drive, huh? And then, presumably, I should haul my MacPro on a plane in case I want to see a DVD or load data from a DVD.
(for morons: Yes, I exaggerated a bit.)
If you want G3, buy an adapter. A few USB devices, buy adapters. Whatever you think of, haul yet another adapter. So all in all this toy is WAY less than portable, as it requires some 30 pounds of devices to do anything useful. All in all, a very underdeveloped concept that produced a cute laptop that offers the same or less as other products in the market that cost half the money or less. No wonder Apple stock sank 10+ points within minutes after the announcements.
(for morons: Yes, I exaggerated a bit.)
If you want G3, buy an adapter. A few USB devices, buy adapters. Whatever you think of, haul yet another adapter. So all in all this toy is WAY less than portable, as it requires some 30 pounds of devices to do anything useful. All in all, a very underdeveloped concept that produced a cute laptop that offers the same or less as other products in the market that cost half the money or less. No wonder Apple stock sank 10+ points within minutes after the announcements.
User Rating: 8/10
Excellent way foward for MacBook's and Ultra Portable's
Pros: Innovative design, multi-touch pad, exellent size screen, full size keyboard, powerfull specs, wireless solutions, power saving options and good battery life
Cons: 80GB not enough, Lack of external ports (or a dock) and PRICE!!!!
Review: Even thought i might never consider buying this laptop (mainly because it's price), it still has a lot of features and innovation that it deserves my 2 thumbs up and a score of 8/10
This product has been rumored about for some while and its no surprise that the product has lived up to most of the hype that it reserved over the past few months.
On the positive side, the MacBook Air is one of the most innovative designs that i have seen for an ultra-potable for a while. Unlike other ultra portables who try too hard on the whole "ultra-portable" thing! where they have to shrink down the keyboard to the size of a $20 bill! and small high resolution screens that are almost impossible to see without having to glue your head to the screen! Apple has done a very good job with this ultra portable to say to the other competitors "THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT!"
If the fact that the MacBook Air being really thin wasn't innovative enough, the multi-touch interface pad taken out of the iPhone and the iPod Touch is one of the most ingenious things Apple have done on this MacBook. Different gestures with your fingers on the pad will give you different actions such as rotating, zooming, panning and so on! This is defiantly a "no brainier" feature for the future MacBooks.
While i was watching the MacWorld Keynote Presentation by Steve Jobs, it really amazed me how something so small can take so much processing power, until he showed us inside the MacBook Air that i realized not only how powerful the MacBook is, but how powerful Steve Jobs is himself; convincing Intel to make their top of the line processor even smaller, because making computer processors is a very costly business, we are talking hundreds of millions!
But if i was going to give the a golden star to this product, it will have to be for taking out the Optical Drive! I know its an ultra portable and it wont have one anyway, but people are still surprised about the fact that it's missing? HELLO!!!! Steve Jobs was very clear to why they took it out!, not only that, but it saves space, power and the hassle of you having to worry about your drive choking on dust or dieing! I haven't used my DVD drive in eons or even thought about it since i get all my stuff from the net! Speaking of power, 5 hours is not bad and not the best! i bet most of the people who will get the MacBook Air will be wired up anyway and im shore that this thing dose not have any speakers, because it is a power hungry feature!
The wireless solutions that the MacBook Air has is probably the core feature of this product, mainly because there is a lack of external ports, i know it has a single USB, Headjack and a Micro-DVI port, but for most people that wont be enough. Also the fact the wireless is extremely useful if you want to take some files of from some other computer and ultimately, connect to the internet. The Remote Disk feature that comes with the Air is useful if it comes to a rare situation of having to use the optical drive from another computer.
Now i have talked about this product being very good, but noting in life is perfect. This has the minor flaw of the lack of external ports as i mentioned before, but that could have been easily fixed by having a dock, or a external USB dongle that contains things like more USB slots, a mic-jack, standard DVI and so on, but the question is weather something like this can take a strain on a single USB slot? that why i think there should have been a Dock!
Also this is no good if this is the only Computer in the house if you are looking at it from the "Optical Drive" point-of-view because forking out $99(or £65) for a USB optical drive is a drag! and while we are there! $1799 for a laptop...no thinks! i don't know if people in the USA find this cheep, but in the UK, a standard MacBook Air with 80GB HDD (by the way 80GB in Modern times, not enough, they so could of have fitted in 160GB from the iPod Classic.. duh), thats £1199, converted into dollars, its $2354....too much! and speaking of too much, MacBook Air with 64GB SSD drive, nearly $3000 (in the UK its £2028 or $3981, I can buy a car for that money! with insurance)
I think thats why Apple products in the UK never catch on (apart from iPods), too pricey.
In conclusion, I think this is an excellent product with lots of innovation and care to lots of useful and thoughtful features for someone constantly on the move, for students in the US or even for a back up laptop. But with minor flaws such as a 80GB drive and lack of externals and THE PRICE!! its just short of a 10!
This product has been rumored about for some while and its no surprise that the product has lived up to most of the hype that it reserved over the past few months.
On the positive side, the MacBook Air is one of the most innovative designs that i have seen for an ultra-potable for a while. Unlike other ultra portables who try too hard on the whole "ultra-portable" thing! where they have to shrink down the keyboard to the size of a $20 bill! and small high resolution screens that are almost impossible to see without having to glue your head to the screen! Apple has done a very good job with this ultra portable to say to the other competitors "THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT!"
If the fact that the MacBook Air being really thin wasn't innovative enough, the multi-touch interface pad taken out of the iPhone and the iPod Touch is one of the most ingenious things Apple have done on this MacBook. Different gestures with your fingers on the pad will give you different actions such as rotating, zooming, panning and so on! This is defiantly a "no brainier" feature for the future MacBooks.
While i was watching the MacWorld Keynote Presentation by Steve Jobs, it really amazed me how something so small can take so much processing power, until he showed us inside the MacBook Air that i realized not only how powerful the MacBook is, but how powerful Steve Jobs is himself; convincing Intel to make their top of the line processor even smaller, because making computer processors is a very costly business, we are talking hundreds of millions!
But if i was going to give the a golden star to this product, it will have to be for taking out the Optical Drive! I know its an ultra portable and it wont have one anyway, but people are still surprised about the fact that it's missing? HELLO!!!! Steve Jobs was very clear to why they took it out!, not only that, but it saves space, power and the hassle of you having to worry about your drive choking on dust or dieing! I haven't used my DVD drive in eons or even thought about it since i get all my stuff from the net! Speaking of power, 5 hours is not bad and not the best! i bet most of the people who will get the MacBook Air will be wired up anyway and im shore that this thing dose not have any speakers, because it is a power hungry feature!
The wireless solutions that the MacBook Air has is probably the core feature of this product, mainly because there is a lack of external ports, i know it has a single USB, Headjack and a Micro-DVI port, but for most people that wont be enough. Also the fact the wireless is extremely useful if you want to take some files of from some other computer and ultimately, connect to the internet. The Remote Disk feature that comes with the Air is useful if it comes to a rare situation of having to use the optical drive from another computer.
Now i have talked about this product being very good, but noting in life is perfect. This has the minor flaw of the lack of external ports as i mentioned before, but that could have been easily fixed by having a dock, or a external USB dongle that contains things like more USB slots, a mic-jack, standard DVI and so on, but the question is weather something like this can take a strain on a single USB slot? that why i think there should have been a Dock!
Also this is no good if this is the only Computer in the house if you are looking at it from the "Optical Drive" point-of-view because forking out $99(or £65) for a USB optical drive is a drag! and while we are there! $1799 for a laptop...no thinks! i don't know if people in the USA find this cheep, but in the UK, a standard MacBook Air with 80GB HDD (by the way 80GB in Modern times, not enough, they so could of have fitted in 160GB from the iPod Classic.. duh), thats £1199, converted into dollars, its $2354....too much! and speaking of too much, MacBook Air with 64GB SSD drive, nearly $3000 (in the UK its £2028 or $3981, I can buy a car for that money! with insurance)
I think thats why Apple products in the UK never catch on (apart from iPods), too pricey.
In conclusion, I think this is an excellent product with lots of innovation and care to lots of useful and thoughtful features for someone constantly on the move, for students in the US or even for a back up laptop. But with minor flaws such as a 80GB drive and lack of externals and THE PRICE!! its just short of a 10!
User Rating: 9/10
Not perfect, but REALLY close
Pros: Ultra thin, smart OS, easy trackpad, great head-turner, no 'needless' additions that suck power
Cons: No optical drive (but how often do you use one anyways?)
Review: Think about...how often do you use a CD/DVD in comparison to just simply typing or surfing the internet?
If you really sit back and think (as studies have found) most people RARELY use their optical drives in proportion to their surfing/typing. So to all the comments who complain about the 'lack' of an optical drive or Ethernet...you're old news. Less and less people use either of those and in 5 years from now they will be the new cassettes and dial-up modems of the past.
I'm tired of lugging around a heavy laptop that sucks energy. This is a WONDERFUL product for people who don't need a stereo with a cassette deck, a TV with a built in VCR or a laptop with an optical drive...aka people who have moved on from old technology.
If you really sit back and think (as studies have found) most people RARELY use their optical drives in proportion to their surfing/typing. So to all the comments who complain about the 'lack' of an optical drive or Ethernet...you're old news. Less and less people use either of those and in 5 years from now they will be the new cassettes and dial-up modems of the past.
I'm tired of lugging around a heavy laptop that sucks energy. This is a WONDERFUL product for people who don't need a stereo with a cassette deck, a TV with a built in VCR or a laptop with an optical drive...aka people who have moved on from old technology.
User Rating: 4/10
Whoop Dee Do
Pros: Its Thin, looks nice
Cons: Cost for SSD, Usefulness, Expensive for less power, option, not much smaller than a macbook
Review: Am I supposed to be amazed that Apple engineers removed a bunch of ports, removed the Super Drive, flattened the battery, and had Intel make a miniature processor? And the end result is a thinner computer? I'm not. What happened to Jonathan Ives' 10 rules of good design? There is nothing impressive about taking away a bunch of features and in the end what you have is, well golly you have a smaller machine...not surprising at all actually. I'm disappointed I waited for this.
User Rating: 5/10
The MacBook Air a disappointment.
Pros: The good side of the new Macbook Air is that is the thinest laptop that apple has ever resealed, the features such as: the multi touch track pad, the some what ultra portability, and the thinness.
Cons: lacks an optical drive, is thin but not the thinest laptop in the world, it's not as fast as compared to the previous Macbook, and or the Macbook Pro.lacks the amount of ports (only one USB 2.0 port).
Review: I believe that the Macbook Air is a new and innovative addition to the "Macbook"series, however it lacks the fundamentals of ultra portable laptops, such as the Macbook air does not have a optical drive. The bottom line is that the Macbook Air is a nice edition to the Macbook series, but it is slower, smaller hard drive space, and honestly not all that portable, but if you all ready have a standard Macbook, buying the Macbook Air would seem pointless.
User Rating: 9/10
It's a solid product for the right user
Pros: really thin and powerful for it's size
Cons: this laptop is not for everyone but for certain users
Review: Are some people here bitter, did Apple take away their favorite toy when they were playing in the park the other day.
The target audience Apple had in mind for this laptop is someone who travels a lot who already has enough to carry around. A treo really sucks and the IPhone can't type letters or run full fledge software.
Most tablet PC from HP and others do not have optical drives either.
HDMI still has a ton of reliability issues so Apple does not want to put it in their laptops yet.
They offer a portable dvd burner for 99 dollars for the unit. The ability to load software from remote computers.
The product is not even in store and no one has used one. At this point, any review does not mean a lot.
This unit was made for people who need a light laptop for e-mail, business travel, powerpoint, itunes. ect... Its not a power users product (Macbook Pro) or college student (Macbook)...
It has an audience, it may just not be you...
The target audience Apple had in mind for this laptop is someone who travels a lot who already has enough to carry around. A treo really sucks and the IPhone can't type letters or run full fledge software.
Most tablet PC from HP and others do not have optical drives either.
HDMI still has a ton of reliability issues so Apple does not want to put it in their laptops yet.
They offer a portable dvd burner for 99 dollars for the unit. The ability to load software from remote computers.
The product is not even in store and no one has used one. At this point, any review does not mean a lot.
This unit was made for people who need a light laptop for e-mail, business travel, powerpoint, itunes. ect... Its not a power users product (Macbook Pro) or college student (Macbook)...
It has an audience, it may just not be you...
User Rating: 5/10
Perfect size for traveling but not practical for college students!
Pros: The size is an obvious plus! Along with the light up keys!!
Cons: No cd drive!!
Review: As an average college student i take my laptop where ever i go on campus and not having a CD-drive would be a hassle since i im always out and about. But i do love the fact that they did integrate the Macbook Pro's feature of light of keys! I know for a fact that would help me when im trying to finish up essays in the middle of the night!
Its just a bummer that not having a cd-drive would make me cough up some more money on an external one! I just dont find the concept of wirelessly "borrowing" cd-drives practical....
Its just a bummer that not having a cd-drive would make me cough up some more money on an external one! I just dont find the concept of wirelessly "borrowing" cd-drives practical....
User Rating: 1/10
enough is enough
Pros: no HDMI, overpriced, not even LED screen, how digusting it can get..
Cons: Where can I start from?
Review: First of all to Dan Ackerman, my friend thank you like a gazillion times for your review on that awesome piece of hardware called the Dell XPS m1330, that is for the first time a full-fledged Notebook. From HDMI to 2.0 GHz Processor to a finger Biometric ..etc. That PC has changed and I mean it in no-advertising way the way laptops should be for example look at the new lenovo they all are trying to mimic dell's XPS. Apple, of course with all due and utter respect to the apple owner on whose shoulders the company was built, but apple is really really CHEAP. IN THE TRUE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD. I mean paying 3000 for what? just for WHAT exactly, a piece of hardware that is like 5 years old. Please anyone of you go back to Dan Ackerman's review of the Macbook, not the macbook pro and read the comments, I remember a member around here said. It was like paying $1800 for a two-years old hardware and for what? to get the shape of a bitten apple on a laptop.
Apple users, I know you all love using the Leopard, but this really sucks. When I was bought the Dell which was my first laptop, I went through its specs and compared it to the Macbook, and for no obvious reason at all the apple was equal to it in price but opposite in quality. exactly, that $1800 piece of crapware, you could get its components for about $600 if not less, while the one that closely, but not quite that close that resembled the Dell was the Macbook Pro, and still apple didn't even use an HDMI port for its multimedia. I mean why pay more? this is not about Dell, but it's a bout apple. They have gone completely crazy. I mean offering crappy laptops for high prices cause they just have apple logo is insane. They're put themselves in that pinache of the so sophisticated, only for the sophisticated people, just building on a reputation while being technologically challenged is a load of BS. I think it is time for apple to get it's fallen apples together, and start working on a really multimedia all in one laptop, by the way they are not pushing multimedia for one reason only, they know that the only advantage their laptopns have is its power saving feature. But if that means I'll pay 3000 dollars for an almost paper notbook, then I"m better off with a real paper notebook. Sorry if I went on and on, but I'm like had enough of applecrap, I mean that "suck them dry till they die" method doesn't work driven by oversupply of technological innovations that are driving the prices down.
Apple users, I know you all love using the Leopard, but this really sucks. When I was bought the Dell which was my first laptop, I went through its specs and compared it to the Macbook, and for no obvious reason at all the apple was equal to it in price but opposite in quality. exactly, that $1800 piece of crapware, you could get its components for about $600 if not less, while the one that closely, but not quite that close that resembled the Dell was the Macbook Pro, and still apple didn't even use an HDMI port for its multimedia. I mean why pay more? this is not about Dell, but it's a bout apple. They have gone completely crazy. I mean offering crappy laptops for high prices cause they just have apple logo is insane. They're put themselves in that pinache of the so sophisticated, only for the sophisticated people, just building on a reputation while being technologically challenged is a load of BS. I think it is time for apple to get it's fallen apples together, and start working on a really multimedia all in one laptop, by the way they are not pushing multimedia for one reason only, they know that the only advantage their laptopns have is its power saving feature. But if that means I'll pay 3000 dollars for an almost paper notbook, then I"m better off with a real paper notebook. Sorry if I went on and on, but I'm like had enough of applecrap, I mean that "suck them dry till they die" method doesn't work driven by oversupply of technological innovations that are driving the prices down.
User Rating: 9/10
Another extraordinary innovative Apple product, likely to set the ultra-notebook market standard.
Pros: Cutting-edge design that sacrifices zero need-to-have features. The lack of an optical drive that most users seldom use is a no-brainer to me.
Cons: Might liked to have seen a bit more storage. But 80 GB seems adequate for a "roadwarrior" provided smart data management is considered.
Review: This thing will sell like hotcakes and is likely to set the standard for the next generation of Macbook Pros and Apple's competition for year's to come!
User Rating: 8/10
Stop writing comments if you don't know the product!
Pros: Well its thin and has a HARD DRIVE AND WIRELESS!
Cons: Idiots that make comments on mac items cause they are jealous they don't have an iphone!
Review: It has a drive and it IS network-able! if you idiots are going to make comments about something you don't even own, then get your facts right, before sounding and looking as uninformed as you are!
User Rating: 10/10
Angry people
Pros: This is a great direction for apple IMO
Cons: A little pricey
Review: I think this is an awesome new piece of equipment and people who review it negative are people who probably would not buy a mac anyway. This is a great direction for apple and they are also forcing other laptop makers to get with the game. New technology not always saves a life but it can force the flow in the right direction. Pc makers are so far behind in technology its funny actually.I recently bought a new mac book so I wont be buying the Air anytime soon but I have a couple friends who are going too. It is very trick and I cant wait to play with one at the mac store. Cheers to apple
User Rating: 1/10
It's thin..woo hoo?!
Pros: It's...uhh...thin?!
Cons: It's...umm...thin?
Review: I'm just balancing out the fanboys 10 scores.
I mean, really. If you want ultra-portable. Get a Blackberry or Treo.
Not like anyone takes their notebook on a backpack excursion through Europe and has to worry about the extra 5lbs they are lugging.
Most people sit at a desk, table at a coffee shop, or sit on the couch and surf and check email.
They dont need to spend $2k - $3k for doing this.
I mean, really. If you want ultra-portable. Get a Blackberry or Treo.
Not like anyone takes their notebook on a backpack excursion through Europe and has to worry about the extra 5lbs they are lugging.
Most people sit at a desk, table at a coffee shop, or sit on the couch and surf and check email.
They dont need to spend $2k - $3k for doing this.
User Rating: 7/10
One thin laptop
Pros: Thin, gestures, SSD-drive
Cons: Not much value for the money
Review: The Macbook Air is very thin and portable and have pretty good functions, but the lack of some small things lowers the rating.
It do have and USB-port, only one though.
// Zanshi_1
It do have and USB-port, only one though.
// Zanshi_1
User Rating: 8/10
Some factoids for those unifnormed opinions
Pros: Light, Ultra-portable but not ultra-cramped
Cons: Somewhat expensive, some missing ports limit user base
Review: To those that this computer would interest most will ignore most of the previous post because they lack insight or fact. If you dig deeper, past the two paragraph synopsis given by tech websites such as this one, you will find Apple has already thought your concerns through and has developed a clever, and soon to be copied, system to answer them.
If you want ethernet, buy the little usb adapter. The USB Superdrive add-on is pretty cheap but if you already have a computer, which I assume everyone does, use the remote install feature. This feature will work for system upgrades as well though it isn't specified anywhere yet. The Touchpad is genius and right up iPhone's users alley.
The only thing that gives me pause is the lack of a Firewire port for my digital camcorder and the integrated, non-user replaceable battery. I don't need mobile broadband so the Expresscard slot isn't needed for me and there are plenty of Wi-Fi hotspots around to be moot.
My suggestion is to wait and play with the machine first and see that what you give up for ultra-portablility is minimal compared to other computer makers. Again, Apple strikes gold.
If you want ethernet, buy the little usb adapter. The USB Superdrive add-on is pretty cheap but if you already have a computer, which I assume everyone does, use the remote install feature. This feature will work for system upgrades as well though it isn't specified anywhere yet. The Touchpad is genius and right up iPhone's users alley.
The only thing that gives me pause is the lack of a Firewire port for my digital camcorder and the integrated, non-user replaceable battery. I don't need mobile broadband so the Expresscard slot isn't needed for me and there are plenty of Wi-Fi hotspots around to be moot.
My suggestion is to wait and play with the machine first and see that what you give up for ultra-portablility is minimal compared to other computer makers. Again, Apple strikes gold.
User Rating: 10/10
GREAT IDEA!!!
Pros: Everything
Cons: Absolutely nothing at all
Review: Actually, I am just writing this review to even the score out a little bit. For some reason, even though it hasn't been released yet, people have given it poor reviews. That's like declaring war on a country without any hard proof of WMDs.
I would think that the readers of this site would exhibit more intelligence than this.
I would think that the readers of this site would exhibit more intelligence than this.
User Rating: 3/10
Not actually usable
Pros: Small girth
Cons: No ethernet, small hard drive, no CD/DVD drive, no room for expansion
Review: It appears that Macs have gone the way of anorexia. This computer is missing essential features in an effort to make a claim. Congratulations on making the Guinness Book of World Records by making the world's most useless laptop.
If they had left on a few millimeters and kept the essential elements of computing, this may have been pretty cool.
If they had left on a few millimeters and kept the essential elements of computing, this may have been pretty cool.
User Rating: 9/10
The one I've been waiting for
Pros: Screen size + Weight = Near Perfect
Cons: No wireless broadband option?
Review: I have been waiting for a company--ANY company--to come up with an ultraportable that does not resemble a pocket calculator. Sure this may not deliver the power of a gaming PC, but that's not who it's directed to--gaming geeks rarely leave home. I have used Averatec and Sony ultraportables and have been generally disappointed. Averatec's is light weight and cheap, but it also feels cheap and is bare bones. I had a Sony TZ series that was packed with features (including wireless broadband and optical drive), weighed less than 3 lbs, and had a battery that lasted over 4 hours (but nowhere near the 8 hrs claimed by Sony) but the screen was ultimately too small at 11.1" and cost over $2K. This Macbook may be the product that will finally get me to drink the Steve Jobs Kool Aid. To pack a 13" screen with a full size keyboard (backlit) into a package that is 3 lbs is enough to conjure a "you had me at hello" moment. But add the webcam, iphone-like touchpad, next gen wireless (which has been around for quite a while, but oddly has not been incorporated into most new notebooks), long (claimed) battery life and the only thing I want to know is if this thing has wireless broadband. $1799 sounds expensive, but its hundreds less than Sony's TZ model and given what you are getting is a fair price. My only other gripe is--call me old fashioned, but there is no optical drive built in. Given the design, I don't think it is possible so I can forgive Apple for that.
User Rating: 2/10
Overrated and unnecessary
Pros: Let's see.. umm.. well.. it's thin?
Cons: No ethernet. Lack of disk drive. Expensive. Nothing New.
Review: This is just Apple's attempt to come out with something before someone else and rely on the first couple of months for people to go out and spend money on something they think is "cool" at the time. In reality these things are going to drop down in price within the 6 months offering nothing new and nothing worth buying this for. Go out and buy a regular Mac Book Pro if you're in the market and looking for a Mac to get. It's a much better deal and offers so much more for less and if not the same price. Apple.. you really amaze me with yet again another pointless product that just takes away from other products such as Linux.
User Rating: 9/10
You know you want one
Pros: Lightweight, Portable, Stylish
Cons: Tiny onboard hard drive, lacks needed ports, not upgradeable
Review: I still want one. The thing makes me drool, but the lack of ports and tiny hard drive mean it cant replace my main computer. I cant be expected to store my iTunes library on an external.
I can't get this until I can afford an additional "portable" computer.
It's wonderful for what it is, I just need a little more.
I can't get this until I can afford an additional "portable" computer.
It's wonderful for what it is, I just need a little more.
User Rating: 6/10
Minor flaws, Innovative design
Pros: Extremely portable, Full sized keyboard, Relatively large screen
Cons: Lack of usb ports ( 2 i think would have been ideal), lack of removable battery
Review: Overall the air has an amazing design that could change the way small laptops are designed. The price when compared to other ultra-portables is very competitive especially when you remember it's an apple product. Lack of usb ports obviously is a little annoying, but the idea of the ethernet port being an adapter i think is a good idea to save space. A lot of people i think have unrealistic ideas for this laptop. People somehow think that apple should be able to include an array of ports, Ethernet connection, a 6 cell battery, a dedicated graphics card and make it an average consumer notebook thats affordable and still just as tiny. Sure it has some drawbacks that i listed in the cons section, but beside a few small connection issues and the battery problem i think they did everything you can do with the space. What will be interesting is to see how they can further this idea and what it can be a couple of generations down the road.
User Rating: 4/10
My prediction: Swing and a miss.
Pros: Thin, light, sexy, the illuminated keyboard is cool
Cons: Weak specs for a high-end portable, no networkability, no optical drive, severely limited connectivity, and sealed battery (again)
Review: Obviously not a true USER opinion, but more of a prospective user/consumer opinion...
I think Apple makes some great products. Obviously they're sexy, and the user interfaces are really good. But come on... I just can't get on board with this MacBook Air. If you want the solid-state drive and a meager 1.8 GHz processor, you'll be shelling out nearly $3,100. And even though it's a vaunted APPLE product, it will still be outdated in one to two years' time, just like any computer product. If this thing were $1,200, then sure... bomb-diggety. But $1,700 base price for a tiny laptop with no configurable options? And really, 1280x800? I suppose that's okay for a 13" screen, but 1440x900 would be nice. Integrated video... blah. And an 80GB HDD that spins at only 4200 RPM? Yeesh. No optical drive, no ethernet port, no FireWire, no HDMI, no SD (or any) card reader, no ExpressCard slot, and ONE stinking USB port? What planet is Steve Jobs living on? I do give Apple props for at least not gouging their cult-like base customers on the external DVD drive (only $100).
This is a very pretty laptop, no doubt, but for this size laptop, I'd rather have the year-old Dell XPS M1330, which is FAR more configurable and real-world functional costs considerably less. Depending on the sale of the week, you can get this very sleek laptop with a better processor, 50% more RAM, a DVD-RW drive, fingerprint reader, HDMI output, discrete NVIDIA video card, over three times the HDD capacity (at 5400 RPM), and the same LED-backlit screen, top-of-the-line WiFi, integrated webcam, for $300 less. That also gives you a 3-year in-home warranty, which Apple charges an extra $250 for, and it's not in-home. Want the 64GB solid-state drive? Dell charges $750 to upgrade. Apple inexplicably charges $1,000. The only real drawback to the Dell unit is that it runs Vista.
Like I said, I really like some of Apple's products. I'm in no way a Mac hater, nor am I a Dell zealot (simply using them for comparison). I just don't understand why Apple charges so much for less, and still get people (albeit a very small percentage of them) beating down their doors to buy the stuff.
I can see that, at some point in the future, the optical drive will be obsolete and you won't need an ethernet port (or Apple's proprietary $30 USB-to-ethernet dongle). But that's not going to happen before this new laptop from Apple becomes a relic. In the here and now, I have to figure this laptop will appeal to a very narrow niche of self-pronounced "high-end" users (which is a joke considering its lame processor and smallish hard drive), or more likely, people whose self-esteem is directly tied to owning the latest overpriced Apple gadget on the market.
I think Apple makes some great products. Obviously they're sexy, and the user interfaces are really good. But come on... I just can't get on board with this MacBook Air. If you want the solid-state drive and a meager 1.8 GHz processor, you'll be shelling out nearly $3,100. And even though it's a vaunted APPLE product, it will still be outdated in one to two years' time, just like any computer product. If this thing were $1,200, then sure... bomb-diggety. But $1,700 base price for a tiny laptop with no configurable options? And really, 1280x800? I suppose that's okay for a 13" screen, but 1440x900 would be nice. Integrated video... blah. And an 80GB HDD that spins at only 4200 RPM? Yeesh. No optical drive, no ethernet port, no FireWire, no HDMI, no SD (or any) card reader, no ExpressCard slot, and ONE stinking USB port? What planet is Steve Jobs living on? I do give Apple props for at least not gouging their cult-like base customers on the external DVD drive (only $100).
This is a very pretty laptop, no doubt, but for this size laptop, I'd rather have the year-old Dell XPS M1330, which is FAR more configurable and real-world functional costs considerably less. Depending on the sale of the week, you can get this very sleek laptop with a better processor, 50% more RAM, a DVD-RW drive, fingerprint reader, HDMI output, discrete NVIDIA video card, over three times the HDD capacity (at 5400 RPM), and the same LED-backlit screen, top-of-the-line WiFi, integrated webcam, for $300 less. That also gives you a 3-year in-home warranty, which Apple charges an extra $250 for, and it's not in-home. Want the 64GB solid-state drive? Dell charges $750 to upgrade. Apple inexplicably charges $1,000. The only real drawback to the Dell unit is that it runs Vista.
Like I said, I really like some of Apple's products. I'm in no way a Mac hater, nor am I a Dell zealot (simply using them for comparison). I just don't understand why Apple charges so much for less, and still get people (albeit a very small percentage of them) beating down their doors to buy the stuff.
I can see that, at some point in the future, the optical drive will be obsolete and you won't need an ethernet port (or Apple's proprietary $30 USB-to-ethernet dongle). But that's not going to happen before this new laptop from Apple becomes a relic. In the here and now, I have to figure this laptop will appeal to a very narrow niche of self-pronounced "high-end" users (which is a joke considering its lame processor and smallish hard drive), or more likely, people whose self-esteem is directly tied to owning the latest overpriced Apple gadget on the market.
User Rating: 6/10
Does anyone of You have one To give a REAL Opinion?
Pros: Dont Have One.
Cons: Dont want one
Review: None at All.
User Rating: 7/10
Effective for certain real-world applications...
Pros: Light, thin, powerful, and professional
Cons: ¡Muy costoso!
Review: I'm a college student and a businessman...so I can understand the practical value of having an ultraportable machine with me for classes and meetings; carrying around things over 5 pounds in your backpack can be daunting with all the other stuff in there. This is a nice step in the proper direction, but it really IS a glamour piece rather than something I can use and abuse on a daily basis. I'm staying with my MacBook.
User Rating: 5/10
eh. so what
Pros: super thin, low heat (i'm guessing)
Cons: $$$, and did i mention $$$?
Review: $3000 for a 64gb Solid State hard drive?! Wow. A little disappointed as I was ready to incur the wrath of my wife yelling at me for shelling $2000 on another laptop. I know they're breaking ground and stuff but that's about $500 out of range for most people. Am I wrong on that?
I'm sure they'll eventually get bigger and cheaper and the mutli-touch pag will show up on other macbooks but I'm a little let down by this one. 1 USB, no ethernet, no firewire. Obviously this was made for the mobile professional who has all his keynotes on his thumbdrive and needs to tweak on the plane before sales pitch, etc.
They can obviously afford it.
I'm sure they'll eventually get bigger and cheaper and the mutli-touch pag will show up on other macbooks but I'm a little let down by this one. 1 USB, no ethernet, no firewire. Obviously this was made for the mobile professional who has all his keynotes on his thumbdrive and needs to tweak on the plane before sales pitch, etc.
They can obviously afford it.
User Rating: 9/10
Ideal for the mobile user
Pros: Who needs an ethernet port when most places have wireless.
Cons: lack of overall harddrive and second usb port.
Review: At first I thought this would be a waste of money. But Apple has released a smartly designed laptop. The reason to buy a laptop is the ability to take it with you. Most places where I'd take a laptop to do work are wireless. So no need for an ethernet port. The reason I like a large hard drive is for music and other media, with an ipod I don't need that large of a large hard drive. But since I can now use a nearby computer for the hard drive, a large hard drive is not an issue. If i was to buy the macbook air, I'd also buy the new time capsule as an external hard drive. Apple just now needs to release a wifi enabled ipod to use with the macbook air.
User Rating: 3/10
Lack of ethernet is a complete non-starter
Pros: Thin, light, very sleek
Cons: Major connectivity problem
Review: I was seriously considering buying this machine until I found out it lacked ethernet. Apple may be of the opinion that the rest of the world reflects California's big-city wi-fi connectivity, but they'd be wrong. I travel 2-3 times/week and have been doing so for about 6 years. Less than half of the hotels at which I stay have wifi, but do have hard-wired internet access. Failure to include this simple and inexpensive port cripples this machine catastrophically for regular travelers like myself.
User Rating: 2/10
Seems Pointless
Pros: It is extremely thin
Cons: No optical drive, $1800
Review: Okay yes, it is really thin.
However it doesn't have an optical drive which I see being a pain in the ass. Also $1800 for a laptop that operates about as fast as a $800 laptop? No thanks I'll pass even if it is thin.
However it doesn't have an optical drive which I see being a pain in the ass. Also $1800 for a laptop that operates about as fast as a $800 laptop? No thanks I'll pass even if it is thin.
User Rating: 5/10
Not such a good idea
Pros: Excellent size
Cons: Not enough features
Review: I think this will be like the Palm Portfolio, a good idea but a large dissapoinment
User Rating: 3/10
A conversation piece at best. No practical value at all.
Pros: A fashionista's delight.
Cons: No opt.Drive, 1 usb. Unremovable Battery.Overpriced.Will most likely Break.Having only one broadband option is just absurd.
Review: It seems Apple thinks that there are enough fashion forward users out there to warrant a design like this. They maybe right. But for any practical user this Throwaway Frisbee is just not worth two grand after the warranty and extras you would need to use this thing are factored in. I own a Macbook and the only plus would be the looks and weight. Oh! and the chix would dig it. You could also argue that the Dell Xps still looks more eye catching than this
in terms of design and it is also 1/4 less in cost. Of course Vista and a noisey slot drive are two drawbacks. Apple really seems to be heading in the wrong direction. More focus should have been put on an 11 inch ultra portable with a slightly slower processor,plus the current Macbook updates add in the new touch pad features and a Blue Ray option and I think most users would have paid two grand without blinking.
That was what I and a few others were hoping for. Guess we can keep dreaming.
in terms of design and it is also 1/4 less in cost. Of course Vista and a noisey slot drive are two drawbacks. Apple really seems to be heading in the wrong direction. More focus should have been put on an 11 inch ultra portable with a slightly slower processor,plus the current Macbook updates add in the new touch pad features and a Blue Ray option and I think most users would have paid two grand without blinking.
That was what I and a few others were hoping for. Guess we can keep dreaming.
User Rating: 2/10
Great idea, Great disappointment
Pros: Slim, portable, good looking, keyboard backlight
Cons: Not enough power, worse video card ever, no connectivity, extremely expensive
Review: This laptop could be better, has a very slim design with good details but TERRIBLY the price is absurd $1,799??? This thing doesn?t have any power at all!!! Common for that price buy the XPS 1530 that?s a REAL laptop! I wouldn?t complain if its price where $1,099 but $1,799; ohh forgot starting $1,799 ohhh yeah... it can get worse!!
User Rating: 7/10
Thinner always sells
Pros: The only Pro is that it is thinner
Cons: As with all Apple products it is the $$ but you get top notch hardware.
Review: I like that fact the Air gives you just what you need but nit much more in regards to the hardware. Since it has 802.11N you don't need an built in NIC. The absence of some sort of optical drive is a bummer though. If you have to lug around a laptop like I do for business you can live without a CD drive. I would now expect the MacBooks to now come down to a more reasonable price closer to the PC world level. Ahh but love is a fickle thing.
User Rating: 10/10
Elegance is the beauty that rises from a simple, powerful solution
Pros: Apple tossed all the old jacks, drives, design yawns, that other makers thought were mandatory
Cons: once every 6 months you may miss the internal optical drive, but I doubt it
Review: Apple solves problems like no one else. Looking at the issues of current laptop design, they seem to have found and defined the future. Most of the ports on a laptop are not used frequently if at all any more. Get rid of them! The optical disk drive is nice for installing things, but most of us don't use it often enough to justify carrying it around with us, and with iTunes movie rentals, just no point in an optical drive sucking up space and battery life. This notebook is to ordinary laptops what the iPhone is to cell/smart phones. It is so well designed that most people will take a month or two to understand their new options. What we thought we needed and what we really need in the 21st century are not the same at all. We need exactly what Jobs has delivered; uncompromised mobile computing power with a super-slim, tough design, multi-touch interface and a view to the future. Steve Jobs and Apple always design and define the future. Now everyone else can scramble to copy this wondrous little machine.
User Rating: 2/10
A networkless Driveless notebook????
Pros: Its light...................So what
Cons: They made this
Review: Are people that dumb and gullible? If your main concern is not wanting to carry something over 5 or 6 pound then you need your head examined.
Apple should be looking for something to compete with tablet pc not this crap... If you decide you want a network card and an external cd drive then you end up with a couple of more pounds which is the equivalent of a normal laptop. The only good computer that Apple has is the iMac and thats all
Apple should be looking for something to compete with tablet pc not this crap... If you decide you want a network card and an external cd drive then you end up with a couple of more pounds which is the equivalent of a normal laptop. The only good computer that Apple has is the iMac and thats all
User Rating: 5/10
It'll sell well
Pros: Thin, doesn't sacrifice on keyboard
Cons: Stripped down
Review: I know there are many ultraportables without an optical drive, but no ethernet jack? The near $3100 price when upgraded seems like a misstep as well. But I know there are thousands of people who think Mac can do no wrong and that it's Mac, not them, who really knows what they need. Look at the iPhone that lacks features I got on the phone I got for free when I started my plan.
User Rating: 2/10
This is probably one of the worst good idea ever
Pros: The thinness, using Intel processor
Cons: The thinness
Review: I would bet that this laptop is so thin that it would break if you tried to handle it
User Rating: 4/10
Oh boy! [/sarcasm]
Pros: It's thin. It's shiny. Everyone go buy it.
Cons: Basically broken as a laptop. Come on, ONE USB port? No optical drive? Almost no connectivity at all? What gives?
Review: Personally, I think the whole "It can never be too thin" thing has gone a little far. I don't know about you, but it looks like i could snap that thing in half. Also, the "multi-touch trackpad" is a gimmick. I think Steve has made a mistake with this one.
User Rating: 6/10
MacBook Air: Apple took it to the next level, but maybe this time, a little too far
Pros: The new Macbook Air is amazing. I don't think anyone could picture a sleeker design and such a light and slim notebook yet still somehow fit most of the normal macbook's capabilities inside
Cons: The macbook air seems to be a very great notebook which could be used as a full time notebook but without an optical drive, what good is it?
Review: The MacBook Air just like all of Apple's products is quite the looker but at a cost. Now of course the gimmicky touchpad with new features like the iphone and ipod touch is a great addition but is it necessary for a notebook. The sleek flip down on the side which reveals the USB ports is also very impressive but are the ports that ugly that they need to be hidden. Now before I go on, I am a Mac user myself and do not know how I could live with out my Mac so I admire Steve Jobs and Apple but I am not so sure about their newest addition. To go on, The MacBook Air thankfully is as fast and is filled with all the great programs and capabilities of the other macs but at what cost? Without an optical drive, the MacBook Air acts as a flash drive with the capability to edit and change documents. Though it is possible due to its quite amazing wireless capabilities, I personally feel that without a drive for CDs, I am limited to what I can accomplish on it. Now if the price were lower, my complaints would not be as harsh, but to increase the price and take away a key part of a computer just does not make complete sense. I would say that for anyone who is debating whether to purchase the Air or the original MacBook due to the fact that it has more capabilities and is cheaper. I feel the new MacBook Air is great for business people who mainly use a desktop computer and need a way to quickly and easily work at work or on a plane due to its light weight and small size.
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