Gizmodo
MacBook Air, it's here, in our hands. It's super light, super fragile, and super small. If you just tap the screen lightly, the whole thing closes because it's so light. The keyboard looks a little weird because it's black on the aluminum, but the keyboard feels great. It feels just like a MacBook (normal) keyboard. The screen looks gorgeous—very bright and clear (and better than the Sony). It's even better looking than the MacBook's, most likely because of the LED backlit display.
The iSight webcam is a round hole instead of a square, the lid has a convex design, and slowly goes to a point on the sides. The MagSafe charger is slightly smaller, and it's silver. The MagSafe connector is also new, and connects at a 90-degree angle instead of just pulling out like the current ones. We've got photos vs. the Sony Vaio Steve mentioned during the Keynote as well, so check the gallery.
The touchpad (full impressions here) lets you pinch to expand all the pictures in iPhoto, and if you zoom in far enough you hit one picture. Once you start using the two fingers to scroll around inside one picture, it starts to lag. It's not as responsive as an iPhone. The trackpad is bigger than on current laptops—not so narrow but more fat. The button (mouse button) is smaller than a MacBook's though.
On the top of the screen, next to the iSight, is an ambient light sensor and a mic. Since the bottom is curved down, it doesn't have a hard 90 degree edge that you hit your hand on when you're typing. Very nice.
Verdict? Ultra light, ultra awesome.
Comments
More Randy Newman coverage!
I'm pissed. Fuck the Macbook Air. I wanted LED backlit capabilities and the Penryn processors for a Macbook while maintaining the realistic price point and this POS took it away from me.
It's definitely beautiful, but not exactly what I wanted. I have my heart set on an Apple tablet.
The store is also down again... the gerbils in the servers can't keep up with all the requests!
@daftrok:
Agreed. $1800 for a low-specced computer whose strong point is surfing the web? No thanks.
POOF!
Awesome...
And notice how he didn't mention the Dell XPS M1330 because it's so much better and cheaper.
I was interested until I heard that it has no optical drive. Sorry, I use mine all the time in my laptop. Sure, you can run around your house using other PCs' drives, but when I'm stuck in a hotel, no dice. Might be good for some, completely unusable for me.
@daftrok: Man, seriously, get a grip. Take a deep breath, count to 10. Leave your mom's basement, go outside. Talk to a girl. It's ok. We can all get through this together.
Talk about backpack "crunch" ouch...
wow... I was so wrong yesterday. This thing sucks tho... where is the superdrive? where is the ethernet? Where is the demand for such a device?
The Randy Newman bit was odd. If Apple signed off on that song he sang, they have balls, because there will some that will bash it cuz it had a Dubbya bash in it, a Vice Pres bash, and some people will think it was too derogatory towards America. I didn't think the song was bad actually :), it was just an odd thing to have associated with a company happening.
Friggin smokin sexy I would rub it on my chest.. but spensive!
APPLE ARE SO UNFAIR TO THE UK, £1199 for the base model - at the current exchange rate, that translates to: $2352
What happens when you drop it?
@bitgod: lmfao!I thought Giz was just joking about that until I checked other sites. Strange indeed.
I'm no apple fanboy, but man, this looks sha-weet!
@hn333: Laptops don't like to be dropped.
Typical form over function coming from apple, bleh.
This wont be a mainstream hit. People with money to burn and die hard mac fans yeah, but not mainstream. not at 1800+
If you think about it, Palm with the Foleo wasnt that far off. People like the form of a device like this and say an eeepc. But they dont want to pay 2k+ for it. If its a mcahine that all you need is email/web browsing capabilities on the go, make an eeepc type screen and size, and have it connect to your pda/iphonce/smartpone. You get the functionality, the price and the size all in one.
Apple call me to discuss.
if it's the same aluminum as the back of the iphone then it's going to dent and scuff when you sneeze near it.
Thistle.John: Apple ARE so unfair in whole Europe ;)
I'll never go completely digital. I like my physical CD/DVD collection. When people come over, they always look at my collection and are like "oooh, I want to hear this." With digital, you have to fire up your computer just to show them...
I don't want to purchase a external SuperDrive either.
I like the MacBook Air (name sucks I think) in that I love thin things. But something just isn't right. One USB? I want at least two. But then again, the point of this thing is to not plug much stuff in.
The keyboard is nice, like the MB, but the color is still iffy. I will no doubt spend hours gushing at the MBA in Apple Stores soon though.
The price is too much, and with Frucci's finding of the SSD and 1.8ghz (too low, my MB is 2.16gz and it's nippy) costing $3100. No thank you. And only 80gb HDD option? I know people with music collections that big.
My guess is that college students who haven't converted to the Apple will be able to buy the regular MB (they still have that listed) MBA will be for maybe Juniors and Seniors who have a little more money or just those who have a little more money. MBP will still rule the world (although I would really like them to make a 13 inch of the MBP exactly as it is now). the 15" is still too big IMO...and the 17", well that thing is not carry outside friendly.
All in all, I'm a little disappointed with MacWorld 08....and believe me, having recently become a huge Apple dork, I was really looking for some good stuff. That iPod Touch still looks tasty though...and with 5 new apps, it's perfect!
i wanna know the specs. i mean would you get this or the eepc if the specs are close to the eepc
@hn333: It'll Fly
I just bought a Vaio and plan on sticking with the Vaio. 1080p screen and HDMI out, all black case and beyond fast. So much sweeter.
Will it blend? That is the question.
@Earthslide: Very easily I would imagine.
"Once you start using the two fingers to scroll around inside one picture, it starts to lag. It's not as responsive as an iPhone." So they made a computer that can't manipulate photos as well as their phone?
Looks really awesome though the price is the real deal breaker for me. I have a sony TZ at home and use a SZ at work. The problem i have with this machine is that while its visually stunning for $1800 i would expect it to be part of their macbook pro line (by which i mean having a graphics card other than the intel gma at least 1.8ghz standard not as an upgrade and a hdd that's at least 100gb and not 4200rpm) as opposed to being something akin to an upgraded macbook. Personally i feel that this machine competes with the sony SZ line rather than their ultraportable TZ line.
i can't believe the macbook pro didn't get an update but what i really care about is the macbook i'm with others who've said a change from plastic to aluminium and led screen its been a dissapointing day i'm impressed by how thin it is but the weight isn't that impressive and thats what effects people the most
Lovely pinhole speakers it has there next to the cam. Only for those listening ultra minimal elektro?
@kingsnake: werd 1080p screen on your laptop?
@reality.check: I don't think it is...I think it's the same as in the MBPs....
@teqsun.com: The point is to not be bulky and go completely digital (hence the reason why Apple wants you to rent videos and buy music off of iTunes - making the superdrive obsolete).
However if you must have one, just buy the $99 external one they are offering....all with Apple simple design goodness.
No ethernet because Apple's intention is for the MBA to be completely wireless (most of the time, what I'm saying is the charging the battery/AC adapter).
Oh and I forgot, the multi-touch...I don't really use iPhoto much, and I really don't need to zoom in on Safari...I doubt anyone really needs to zoom in when they're on a computer using surfing the net...that's a gimmick if you ask me...or if you are blind or if you hate wearing your glasses infront of a computer in which case you probably shouldn't be using the computer.
First step towards a Mac tablet. They've established that their technology can be condensed into a very thin package. If this takes off without ethernet or an optical drive, then a tablet will probably be the next step in their laptop evolution.
The past argument that there's no market for a tablet is pretty much washed out by a laptop like this - there's no reason for it to be anchored to a keyboard when it's essentially an underpowered, thin Macbook/MBPro.
@capuccino: what about holes for the microphone?
Hmm...no Apple remote....
Think of the positives: It's only a matter of time before Apple applies the new features on the rest of it's laptops. However I'm not sure how quickly the pricepoint will drop on the Air. I wouldn't hold my breath.
@cappucino: not the speakers.
so no updates to MacBook Pro? disappointing... no wonder apple stock is plummeting by the minute. I can see myself snapping one of these carrying it in my bag through NYC rush hour subways.
@G_Money: Not going to be a mainstream hit because of the price point? Please just say you didn't think it through and take it back. iPhones fly off the shelves because of their value? I understand the informed minority see the problem with the price point, but it will sell because consumer spending is through the roof without regard for value.
Ack, I'm usually a fanboi of Apple's so I hate to point this out. But a laptop without a removable battery? Please tell me I'm wrong but Applestore isn't selling replacement batteries. And I haven't seen a photo with any hint of a battery bay.
This is beautiful and an amazing TECHNOLOGICAL creation.
At $1800 (min), it's too expensive for its main niche: a 2nd (or 3rd) computer for most people.
This reminds me of the Cube, another example of Form over Function aimed at the same business class airlines exploited for so long.
I'm fairly disappointed. I was hoping for something along the lines of a redesigned eMate, especially given the wild success of the eeepc. Something in this niche should be in the $1000-$1200 range. I'm not saying I would expect a machine like this to be that cheap, just something aimed at the 2nd/3rd machine market.
So, yeah, "Thanks, Steve. You made sticking with the eee a much more satisfying decision (especially if I give this one to my son and buy an 8.9" one when they come out...)."
-- One fairly disappointed Fanboy.
@hn333: good question i want to know the durabilty of it.
"BY BBQSALAD AT 02:29 PM
@kingsnake: werd 1080p screen on your laptop?"
Yeah - 17.4" monitor, 340 GB hard drive, 2GB RAM (up to 4) and other goodies at $1559. Hmm, 13" monitor and a puny 80 GB or even punier 64GB solid-state for $1800 or the mind-blowing $3000...christ, I'd love to see the moron who buys the $3000 version.
@daftrok: The hell it is, its almost a full size notebook in comparison to the Vaio and Air. Thats why he didnt compare it to the Dell one, because the Dell one was a standard notebook they stripped down and try to compare to Sony's.
I mean have you even SEEN the thing. We have about 10 here, and they are about the size of a standard Macbook, which beats the pants off the XPS.
Oh and they are also selling a USB ethernet adapter for $29 ([store.apple.com])
It's like a high-priced hooker: very sexy, super expensive. Compared to MacBook Pro, this this is just kind of a toy...
Apple remote is extra.
Can anyone say, "PowerBook 100 Redux?"
Am I the only one that is beginning to think Apple has hit their end of the "I Didn't Do It" episode of the Simpsons? You know where Bart jumps on out and says "I didn't do it!" and everyone that used to laugh and clap just goes "Heh..." shrugs and then leaves.
Not saying that this isn't neat and all but that's really it. It's not a fantastic machine with anything new per say just very VERY skinny. oooo ahhhh. Meh.
@slingblade: I hear you. All in all, the only product I'm really stoked on is apple TV, the prospect of movie rentals without actually having to go outside really does appeal. Everything else from Macworld this year: meh, take it or leave it.