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leowyatt
15-01-2008, 19:31
Just seen this announced at MacWorld 2008.

1.6/1.8GHz C2D processor
2Gb ram
80Gb HD or 64Gb SSD (not sure what that is)
802.11n + Bluetooth 2.1/EDR
13.3" Screen
5 Hour battery life
3lb weight
$1800 price which isn't bad at all.

the best part, size-wise it's between 0.16" & 0.76" thick.

EDIT: oh forgot to add it doesn't have an optical drive which can be purchased for an extra $99 but it can "borrow" any mac's optical drive.
Haly
15-01-2008, 19:33
SSD is Solid State Drive isn't it?
That's as far as my knowledge goes on the matter, just read it somewhere the other day :p
Think it's meant to be more reliable.
leowyatt
15-01-2008, 19:34
Apparently it's pretty quick too :D though pricey.
Haly
15-01-2008, 19:42
I keep half considering a Macbook as my next computer related purchase although not for a few months yet. So interesting stuff. :)
Mark
15-01-2008, 19:55
Where's the best place to go for this stuff? I've forgotten. :o
Del Lardo
15-01-2008, 20:17
Where's the best place to go for this stuff? I've forgotten. :o

America
petemc
15-01-2008, 20:23
http://www.vanilladays.com/images/air-20080115-192208.jpg

Hot giggity!
Daz
15-01-2008, 20:30
Perdy :)

And yeah, SSD is solid state. Flash based, no moving parts (so more reliable), easier on the battery, harder on the wallet (at least for now). Couple of years you probably wont be able to buy a decent spec'd laptop without one.
Mark
15-01-2008, 20:33
America
Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. ;D

I meant Website, but then I went and looked at Mac Rumours which seems to have solved that problem.
Del Lardo
15-01-2008, 21:05
Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. ;D

I meant Website, but then I went and looked at Mac Rumours which seems to have solved that problem.



I thought it was a good answer :'(


Thought you meant good places to buy rather than good places for information :o ;D
leowyatt
16-01-2008, 00:15
I was using engadged for my info but you can watch the stream on apple.com now :)
Haly
16-01-2008, 01:07
Perdy :)

And yeah, SSD is solid state. Flash based, no moving parts (so more reliable), easier on the battery, harder on the wallet (at least for now). Couple of years you probably wont be able to buy a decent spec'd laptop without one.

Woo I knew something vaguely useful :cool:

I like the look of that new Mac, very slim!
leowyatt
16-01-2008, 09:58
Cheers Daz, thanks for the quick info Jen :D

Just need to start saving now ;D
Garp
16-01-2008, 11:19
Comments from a geek mailinglist that I'm on..

As pretty as an Air is, I think I'll be investing in a Tosh R500-3G11k
which has a 2.5/3 hour longer battery life (dependant on OS), optical
multi-drive, weighs less, has built in 802.11ABGN and 3G and is just
over 0.5cm thicker.

That's alongside complaints about the extras you'd need to carry around with you just to get the same functionality. I'd sacrifice .5cm of laptop to save having to carry around a separate CD / DVD drive and wireless adaptor!

I agree it looks nice, but again I do have to wonder quite what Apple are thinking with bringing a half featured item onto the market again. Marketing and the Apple-zealots will always guarantee reasonable sales, but they shoot themselves in the foot by not including standard stuff like full Wireless support (it only does 802.11n and not the full security specs that wireless networks, particularly corporate, are migrating to) that would certainly open up larger markets to them.
The thing that really baffles me though, is yet again its another Apple device without a removable battery. Other stuff like MP3 players thats not hugely surprising. On a laptop, however, that's so far away from both the normal state AND practical use it seems nuts.
Anyone on a long trip taking their laptop with them will be stuck with the at best 5 hours life :-/ No option of taking a spare battery along and switching it at whim :(

I want to like it, I really do.. it looks great, is light and is as light as a feather, it just seems they're gimping themselves and throwing away a few easy large markets by not including standard features :(

few interesting comments on Macworld (http://www.macworld.com/article/131604/2008/01/macbookair_reax.html) but mostly stuff I've no experience with so can't offer any worthwhile opinion.
Belmit
16-01-2008, 11:35
I want to like it, I really do.. it looks great, is light and is as light as a feather, it just seems they're gimping themselves and throwing away a few easy large markets by not including standard features :(

As a Macbook Pro owner I feel exactly the same. Take away the wireless and DVD drive from my laptop and suddenly I've lost two of the things I use the most. The battery issue doesn't bother me much but I'd like to know I have the option to replace it.

Sometimes Apple just seem to lack common sense with these half-assed projects. Check out the Toshiba Portégé R500 for a similar laptop for a similar price, but with everything you need.
Desmo
16-01-2008, 11:39
No optical drive is a big no no for me :/
Mark
16-01-2008, 11:41
I'd like to know I have the option to replace it.
That, right there, is the reason I wouldn't touch a Macbook Air with a very long pole. Spending £100-£200 on a device without a replaceable battery is one thing. Even that I've regretted and would like to avoid though I know its unlikely to be possible. Spending £1000+, however, on a device that is likely to die in 2-3 years is beyond a joke.
leowyatt
16-01-2008, 11:50
I read somewhere before that Apple will replace the battery for you free so in 1.5-2 years when it needs changing you can get it done.

I think to be honest Apple are aiming this at the Sony series and no optical drive isn't a big problem for me. The lack of ports however is a bit of a pain, only 1 USB port :( I don't think this will sell aswell as the MacBooks or MBPs but I can see where Apple were going with it.
petemc
16-01-2008, 12:21
Um, why are people under the impression it hasn't got wireless? It has.

Built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on IEEE 802.11n draft specification); IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
Bluetooth

Built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html

It has no drive, but I wouldn't say thats a big issue. Apple are quite clever at knowing which tech to lose ahead of anyone else. They lost the floppy drive before everyone else. I think if I had a Mac Pro I would look at getting one, but I have a Macbook Pro so have little need for a 2nd laptop. Now, a 10'' iPhone would be sweet.
leowyatt
16-01-2008, 12:31
I'm really really excited about time capsule to be honest, more so than the laptop.
petemc
16-01-2008, 12:35
It does look good. I've been working in a different room to my backup drive a lot recently. Basically on the couch in front of the TV :D Having a wireless backup solution would be handy. I also want Apple TV now. My current HTPC broke. It would be great to replace it with a tiny box.
Garp
16-01-2008, 12:58
Um, why are people under the impression it hasn't got wireless? It has.

I'm not quite certain.. as I tried to point out in my post, the key thing is its an outdated wireless, one that security concious businesses are moving away from. Its the same thing as with the iPhone which doesn't use the more recent but not hugely new wireless standards. For example, my N810 will connect to our secure wireless at work whereas an iPhone won't. I think thats what the guy was talking about on the mailing list I quoted from.
Del Lardo
21-01-2008, 15:56
http://www.pertheus.co.uk/pics/macbookcommodorecompare.jpg
iCraig
21-01-2008, 16:12
No optical drive is a big no no for me :/

Indeed, and they have the cheek to charge customers extra if they want an external one. It should be standard in the box if you buy an Air. It's 2008, and paying over a grand for a laptop you should be getting a bloody CD/DVD drive. Internal or external.

Form over function in this case IMO.
Daz
21-01-2008, 16:22
http://www.pertheus.co.uk/pics/macbookcommodorecompare.jpg
;D
Will
21-01-2008, 17:09
The thing that would bug me is the lack of USB interfaces, optical drive and lack of wired ethernet connection. However it is pretty **** hot and I think it will appeal to enough people to make it a winner.
Mark
21-01-2008, 18:25
However it is pretty **** hot and I think it will appeal to enough people to make it a winner.
And there endeth the argument. There's enough Apple fanboys about that they'd actually have to work pretty hard not to sell a decent number of them.
Flibster
21-01-2008, 19:26
Isn't it an Intel design with an Apple skin on though?

I'll stick with my 17" monster laptop that will connect to anything and play pretty much anything. :D
Scarily, even that gets 3 hours on battery when playing a WMV-HD file.

Simon/~Flibster
petemc
21-01-2008, 20:02
The thing that would bug me is the lack of USB interfaces, optical drive and lack of wired ethernet connection. However it is pretty **** hot and I think it will appeal to enough people to make it a winner.

I imagine that with the move to usb drives there is a good growing number of people who don't use optical drives much. I only do when I need to burn a cd. The lack of usb can be fixed with a hub when at home. All my devices go into that so I only use 1 port. Ethernet, people like my Dad wouldn't need it. I can see why they've done it. I can see photographers using it in a studio or maybe location work if its powerful enough.