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My Common Man Take On The Apple Macbook Air w/video
I've been considering moving from a pc laptop and pc desktop to a Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Macbook for both home and travel use. Everyone told me to wait for today to see what would come out. Here is my take from a non-Apple user and a common man. I currently use a Dell 700m 12" laptop which I absolutely have enjoyed from the day I purchased it almost 3 years ago.
The Macbook Air is beautiful looking like most Apple products. It would be a great choice for me as I visit loads of companies and travel a bit. And for me, carrying lighter weight items is better. It might even help me with the ladies.
But here's why I am not rushing to the pre-order button:
- has no ram upgrade ability
- the connectors are all only for the Air - so no asking a friend to borrow his or hers on a presentation - meaning you will need to buy another set - so much for getting a "free set" with purchase
- no firewire connection
- there's no wired internet connection - how do you connect from a hotel/office with only wired internet? oh yea, another $30!
- priced almost 2x as much as a standard Macbook and the same price as the Macbook Pro (this is the big factor in decision making)
- slower than the slowest standard Macbook
- has a non-replaceable battery - James updates me by saying this Air has a 5 hour battery while the normal Macbook has a 1.5 hour battery - for comparison, my Dell 700M has a 5.5 hour battery
- not sure if it can run all day with no fan as I would use it 24 hours a day
I totally get the crowd that Apple goes for with their products. I've got 3 weeks to decide and read the reviews from the gadget blogs and experts. If you do plan on getting one, Amazon has them listed at $1794 with no tax and free shipping - might work out to about a $200 savings over purchasing at Apple retail/online stores.
Do you plan on getting one? If so, leave a comment on what you will be replacing please.
Allen do want though :)
no, I am very happy with my macbook pro that is not heavy to carry around and is pretty thin anyway.
I think you missed the real story Allen, Apple punishes early adopters of ipod touch and forces them to pay for a software upgrade. Fair enough if the product was a year old but its ain't.
crap keynote, nothing of value you in it.
what a scam - so you pay $299 for touch - now $20 more for update - $319 for $80 more you get iphone.
thing is - everyone will pay the $20
(sorry I should convert to pounds for you lol)
The apple forums and digg are full of people upset about it.
There are people on the forum who paid for the update and it didn't even work.
another pointed out that the ipod touch works on the same os as the iphone and these apps already existed so there was no developer time needed to recode these apps so what are they charging for.
also some others pointed out what if they buy one from amazon and don't get the updated one even though it was purchased after the time where it should of had it....
Also anyone know if the iphone sdk can be used on the ipod touch?
no 3g version of the iphone makes it a pointless phone for me.
20 bucks?! You are already paying twice as much (or more) for an Apple product and you get all up over 20 bucks? I'm not sure I follow this claim.
No idea how old ipod touch is, or since when you had it, but for example, I bought a Mac Mini in October and due to the timeframe I was eligible to receive Leopard for 10 Euros when it came out. A grace period would be somewhat nice, but then again it's only 20 bucks - if you sell it for 2 you are probably in the negatives.
I got mine late oct 07 and its still the same as the device being sold right now except the people that buy it now get these new apps for free. seems like apple trying to rip on early adopters again.
I'm with you too:
Steve Jobs Will Be Paying Many Assassins
Yeah I have to admit this years keynote was bah ..ho hum. Where is the tablet, where are the new displays and how about a REAL Apple TV (you know 50" LCD with built in HardDrive and OS??)
As for the Air, I would consider a SSD one if it wasn't $5000 here in NZ. I am a Mac convert (a few years back). I currently work daily on a MacBook Pro - OSX is the bees knees of operating systems.
However this laptop gets hot - like burn your fingers HOT, and yeah I run it for a solid 10hour working day, and then again in the evening at home for a few hours. No idea how the Air will be with no fan. I'm guessing given it's a UMP and not a laptop means it's targeted at running for a few hours, maybe long enough to upload a presentation to it and present?
I could see me using one as a support machine to a desktop, where your desktop is the one you do all the work on, the Air is what you take to client meetings etc ....
I have a post on my site detailing a few more disapointments with the Keynote
Funny, I have had a 700m for 3 years now as well, and LOVE it :)
Still thinking about this Air thing though...
wow - you use a 700m also? I think its a fab laptop. In fact, every time I have considered selling it, I can't part with it. Perfect for traveling - when I go away for more than a day, I pack a keyboard because my fingers are wide - but I can type fine on the keyboard on the laptop. 5.5 hour battery, not heavy, all the connectors, etc.
Count me as another happy 700m owner (2+ years).
I've used a Dell 700m for 2.5 years. My 700m was great and battery was super good. The laptop still can run for more than 5 hours even after 2.5 years.
The new MacBook Air has nothing interesting except the design. But it's over-priced and the specs is not that good (lack of alot things).
A good device for the fabulously wealthy, if nothing else.
Set up a nice workspace powered by a Mac Pro, then pick up a Macbook Air to use around your mansion when you're not in the pilot seat.
As a million mile flyer, anything that can be done to remove weight is appreciated.
It is not a Macbook, or a Macbook Pro - if you want those features, buy that product. For me, a full size display and keyboard in a machine that is super-light, and cost $500 less than a similarly equipped and weight Sony Vaio (with a smaller display and keyboard) and with the ability to run OS X, is a dream machine.
My one real concern is the lack of target disk mode (no firewire port). If the OS or hardware that supports booting goes south, the low-level target disk mode is a Godsend! Somehow, this needs to be implemented. Booting from a DVD (or remotely, if possible) does not solve the issue unless you can see the drive as a disk, and either fix the problem, or recover any data not currently backed up. My new MBP HD died after 3 weeks, and target disk mode was the data saviour for a few days worth of unbacked up data.
Ok, the MBA can fit in a Manilla Envelope. What of the power cord? Where does that go?
If you think that the communication device you have is the best then you are yet to see this . Its great and amazing the features and functions are outstanding , it is better seen and than ANY . the New MacBook Air & New MacBook Pros is Apple's newest 13.3" ultra-thin notebook, World’s Thinnest Notebook, offering cutting edge design in a remarkably thin package. models now available with Intel's newest generation of Core 2 Duo processors in 24-karat Gold colour plated case .
If you are serious and need to lay your hand on it then feel free to inform me via wagnerk13@yahoo.com