So, if you have been living in your mom’s basement or without a internet connection, Apple Released their “macbook air a 3lb laptop that has 80gb or a 64GB SSD hard drive option. It’s wick thin and is, what I think, the perfect travel the world computer.
Today marks that revolution (or should) in the world, when a CD/DVD drive is a thing of the past. Seriously, how many times do you use your disc drive? I might use it to burn a CD/DVD, but don’t you just sync music with your iphone/ipod? Remember when Macs first started shipping without a FLOPPY DRIVE. Everyone and thier mom was like, what OMG! But now a days, don’t Dells not have that, and just come with 1gb or 2 gb USB drive?
The days of no moving part computers are here as well as the concept of “sharing devices”. This idea that a macbook air can “share” a drive with another computer is no “new” thing, you can always create a network share, or for those “windoze” users, just click share. The idea that more and more people will be transferring/sending their “digital products” in download forms rather then a DVD is what I am excited about. I don’t want to lose my copy of Windows Vista or Photoshop CS due to misplacing the DVD. I should just be able to download them when I need them. I also have been starting to “backup” or image CDs/DVDs and store them, for this purpose. There is NO NEED to have physical media like this, just email us a link and boom!
I think with this macbook air as well as the Asus EEE, more people want that slim, thin computer that you can carry around, but hook up to that 30in Display you are at work. I know I would love this, but gave up on it last year. I picked up a mac mini for my desktop, a laptop for the on the go, and a 3TB NAS server to “transfer”/store/backup/whatever. Granted a 64gb SSD drives is small, but you just need what your working on (wish it was 128gb though, maybe next year Steve). I think the idea of SSD (Solid State Drives) are going to be great not just for speed/performance, but for battery life. This Macbook Air as a 5 hour life, WOW! Ask almost any “laptop” user, they will tell you they are more interested in a long life computer/battery then another dual dvd laptop burner.
Anyway, I just had to rant about this macbook air, and as much as I was ready to jump over to the Apple store, I withheld myself. I do not NEED a new laptop right now, but I am thinking about picking up a Apple TV now.
So what about you, have you pre-ordered it?
Printed Post It Notes
I have mixed feelings about the MacBook Air. Definitely impressive dimensions, but not positive how I feel about the specs. The SSD is very cool but $999-worthy? Maybe, maybe not. The lack of an optical drive doesn’t bother me at all. Like John said, how often do you really use it? The fact that it does not have a user-replaceable battery is a MUCH bigger issue. Even though Apple says they will swap it for $129 and no installation fee, I like having an extra battery with me incase I can get to an outlet…it happens, believe it or not.
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I realized that I was just breathing air still (though I noticed it was a bit hotter). I’m not at all impressed by the ‘air’. I agree with Larry in that who really needs an optical drive? I use it to install the OS and then maybe 4 more times in the life of the computer. And $1k for a hard drive? I’ll wait til next year and get it for $20 on newegg. The real disappointment for me is the shift to ‘devices’ from ‘computers’. Sure this allows tighter software/hardware integration but it takes all of the power away from the buyer. The Air is a device that you are clearly meant to ‘rent’ and use in the manner apple has set out for you. I guess its the hacker in me but if you can’t open it you don’t own it. Lastly its far too large for its limitations. I would like a small computer for simple tasks (coding, web…) with great battery life but 3lb, 13″, and 5hrs satisfies nothing. For me this device is a step backwards and I would take a EEE any day over the Air.