New MacBook Airs announced including a new, smaller screen model
Oct 20, 2010, 1:18 pm
#1
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New MacBook Airs announced including a new, smaller screen model
I have been waiting for a while to upgrade. I have one of the first generation models. Now I cant decide whether to get the smaller, lighter model or the 13 inch model The 13 inch one, in addition to having a larger screen has a longer life battery.
Oct 20, 2010, 1:22 pm
#2
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Still no model with a built-in optical drive. 
Looks like I'll be waiting a few more years for a light, full-featured MacBook.
Looks like I'll be waiting a few more years for a light, full-featured MacBook.
Oct 20, 2010, 1:31 pm
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I doubt they will ever do one. And I dont want one in the Air. It adds weight. I have had a Mac Air since they were announced and dont notice the lack of an optical drive. I bought one just in case but found that I basically never use it.
Oct 20, 2010, 2:14 pm
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FWIW, I don't really understand why an optical drive would be mandatory, but I understand that everyone has their own requirements.
Oct 20, 2010, 2:35 pm
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They're compelling for me. I like the new "instant start up" concept. One of the reasons I was thinking about an iPad (Wifi only) was for "home" use for the quick web search, email send, etc. that I could grab and it would be "on" rather than starting up my old desktop computer (in another room, less convenient space) or laptop computer. Indeed, before the iPad, I was thinking about a cheap netbook for the same reason (just leave it on an plugged in, it's practically a disposable so who cares about the battery). So, ScottC, I guess Apple has come around.
Admittedly, one of these new models is a significant buy up from an iPad but you're getting a full fledged machine (for me and my needs, at least) rather than the stripped down iPad (which would certainly work for me and my house too).
Re: the [Dell Alienware] m11x - I'll admit I had to look that up. Hauntingly interesting.
Admittedly, one of these new models is a significant buy up from an iPad but you're getting a full fledged machine (for me and my needs, at least) rather than the stripped down iPad (which would certainly work for me and my house too).
Re: the [Dell Alienware] m11x - I'll admit I had to look that up. Hauntingly interesting.
Last edited by jsnydcsa; Oct 20, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Oct 20, 2010, 3:19 pm
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The Alienware is about twice the weight of the 11 inch Mac Air and almost 50% more than the 13 inch. I use notebooks for document processing, email web, spreadsheets and presentations. I like the MacOS rather than PC but apart from that, $999 is pretty reasonable compared to other things in that size/weight class such as Sony and Panasonic.
Oct 20, 2010, 3:26 pm
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Sure, they're pretty, but I have a nice little $300 netbook that is just as capable with better battery life. Apple gets a lot of things right, but pricing their run of the mill computers is not one of them.
Oct 20, 2010, 3:29 pm
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The Alienware is about twice the weight of the 11 inch Mac Air and almost 50% more than the 13 inch. I use notebooks for document processing, email web, spreadsheets and presentations. I like the MacOS rather than PC but apart from that, $999 is pretty reasonable compared to other things in that size/weight class such as Sony and Panasonic.
Also, once you upgrade to 4GB and 1.6GHz, you are looking at $1400 -I'd never argue that this isn't a gorgeous machine, but that price is just crazy. For $300 more you've got yourself a Vaio Z or a top of the line HP Elitebook, both with much higher specs. But yes - if you are looking for the lightest good looking option available, and every kilo counts, then Apple is a clear winner.
I'm disappointed mobile broadband isn't an option, that is pretty much standard in this price range.
And finally - battery life is just 5 hours on the 11" - which is very, very disappointing. When even Nokia managed to pull >10 hours out of their Booklet.
Oct 20, 2010, 3:39 pm
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To me - that kind of weight is negligible. 1.8KG for the m11x and 1.05KG for the Air -that is just such a small difference that I wouldn't even notice it on the road. Then again, I've never been a light traveler.
Also, once you upgrade to 4GB and 1.6GHz, you are looking at $1400 -I'd never argue that this isn't a gorgeous machine, but that price is just crazy. For $300 more you've got yourself a Vaio Z or a top of the line HP Elitebook, both with much higher specs. But yes - if you are looking for the lightest good looking option available, and every kilo counts, then Apple is a clear winner.
I'm disappointed mobile broadband isn't an option, that is pretty much standard in this price range.
And finally - battery life is just 5 hours on the 11" - which is very, very disappointing. When even Nokia managed to pull >10 hours out of their Booklet.
Also, once you upgrade to 4GB and 1.6GHz, you are looking at $1400 -I'd never argue that this isn't a gorgeous machine, but that price is just crazy. For $300 more you've got yourself a Vaio Z or a top of the line HP Elitebook, both with much higher specs. But yes - if you are looking for the lightest good looking option available, and every kilo counts, then Apple is a clear winner.
I'm disappointed mobile broadband isn't an option, that is pretty much standard in this price range.
And finally - battery life is just 5 hours on the 11" - which is very, very disappointing. When even Nokia managed to pull >10 hours out of their Booklet.
What is strange - or would be for anyone other that Apple - is that with just a few small tweaks and additions, and a price drop, the Air could be a nice little machine and yes, I know, they still sell a lot of them.
Oct 20, 2010, 3:56 pm
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1.5 lbs doesn't sound like much, but it's 50% heavier than my 5-year-old Sony laptop (which has everything, including an optical drive). I'd like to stay under 3 lbs, and but for the lack of optical drive, the Air would be perfect.
Oct 20, 2010, 5:13 pm
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 3_2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/531.21.10 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.4 Mobile/7B500 Safari/531.21.10)
To me - that kind of weight is negligible. 1.8KG for the m11x and 1.05KG for the Air -that is just such a small difference that I wouldn't even notice it on the road. Then again, I've never been a light traveler.
Also, once you upgrade to 4GB and 1.6GHz, you are looking at $1400 -I'd never argue that this isn't a gorgeous machine, but that price is just crazy. For $300 more you've got yourself a Vaio Z or a top of the line HP Elitebook, both with much higher specs. But yes - if you are looking for the lightest good looking option available, and every kilo counts, then Apple is a clear winner.
I'm disappointed mobile broadband isn't an option, that is pretty much standard in this price range.
And finally - battery life is just 5 hours on the 11" - which is very, very disappointing. When even Nokia managed to pull >10 hours out of their Booklet.
I am a light traveler so it matters, especially if it is in a backpack. I very much agree about the battery life though. I was expecting 10 hours.
Originally Posted by ScottC
The Alienware is about twice the weight of the 11 inch Mac Air and almost 50% more than the 13 inch. I use notebooks for document processing, email web, spreadsheets and presentations. I like the MacOS rather than PC but apart from that, $999 is pretty reasonable compared to other things in that size/weight class such as Sony and Panasonic.
Also, once you upgrade to 4GB and 1.6GHz, you are looking at $1400 -I'd never argue that this isn't a gorgeous machine, but that price is just crazy. For $300 more you've got yourself a Vaio Z or a top of the line HP Elitebook, both with much higher specs. But yes - if you are looking for the lightest good looking option available, and every kilo counts, then Apple is a clear winner.
I'm disappointed mobile broadband isn't an option, that is pretty much standard in this price range.
And finally - battery life is just 5 hours on the 11" - which is very, very disappointing. When even Nokia managed to pull >10 hours out of their Booklet.
Oct 20, 2010, 6:47 pm
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Seems like Apple is moving to eliminate the optical drive in the near future and replace it with content from the internet. iTunes instead of CDs and DVDs, the Mac App Store instead of software discs. The new MacBooks Airs come with a USB flash drive to reload OS X.
Oct 21, 2010, 4:32 am
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new Mac Air Ethernet solution?
I like the new Mac Air, but as someone who travels a lot, I encounter too many hotels and offices that do not have WiFi. So I have to have an Ethernet port. Is there some kind of USB/Ethernet solution out there?
Oct 21, 2010, 4:50 am
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Yes apple sells an adaptor. Have from the beginning. Works fine.
Originally Posted by stimpy
I like the new Mac Air, but as someone who travels a lot, I encounter too many hotels and offices that do not have WiFi. So I have to have an Ethernet port. Is there some kind of USB/Ethernet solution out there?