InfoWorld reviews the MacBook Air, and concludes: “The MacBook Air is not perfect, but it sure is attractive and functional. If you’re looking for a desktop replacement system, get a MacBook Pro. If you’re looking for a basic laptop, get a MacBook. If you’re looking for supreme portability and more than reasonable performance, definitely get a MacBook Air.”
The battery life seems a real issue. I’m surprised that there just hasn’t been the same kinds of breakthroughs with battery technology as there has been with processor technology. I patiently await the day that 5-10x leap in life happens with some completely new technology.
I have a 1stGen PPC MacMini with a 4300rpm hard disk, and it is very laggy. I could imagine running Parallels on the MBA being a very painful experience.
The MBA is not the ultimate ultra-light, nor even a great laptop; but I think it is merely a sign of where the market is going, and a source of inspiration to some, and a kick up the backside to others.
Personally, the Air is only worth something if you go the full Monty and purchase a SSD with it. Without it, one is truly wasting their time.
Battery technology has improved substantially, the problem is that all of those breakthroughs with processor technology keep draining them at proportionately equal rate…
I agree with your point though, it’s time to move beyond the current status quo, they’re going to hit a point where they simply won’t be able to keep up with either the advanced components they’re powering, or the form factors consumers are demanding.
True Still, it would be nice – for once – to see my laptop hold her ground over a 10+ hours LHR-LAX trip [on economy, without power connectors].
I think they did a great job with the mac air, but the reason of most controversy is becaose this is not a product made for everyone, if you’re someone that reads this forum, and posts new ideas and comments, then the mac air probably is not the computer for you, you can find so many wrongs in it, but that’s becaose it’s not made for us in my fields (computer science engineering) the mac air is beautifull and kool, but not made for me or any of my friends that work on this field, its more for a ceo or someone up in the corporte world, the ones that all they need is to see they’re stock, read mails, and check whats up online, if they need anything else, ther’s 15 it tech’s just waiting to hear what he wants and do it, for this people the simple idea that his word prossesor or his email can be opend a bit faster, is enogh, and add to it tht he can carry his laptop without it being a big burden, as in needing another bag for it, this is a dream, for me, I need at least 500 Gbs, I whant a big graphics card, I need a superdrive in it, I whant more usb’s not less, the list could go on, people who know and understand what an Os is and that can read binary as well as hex at any given time, this computer was not made for us. Other than that, is beautifull and yes maybe someday when I don’t have to worry about anything but watching my stock go high, yes that would be the perfect computer for me.
It’s not meant for people here, but it’s likely a prototype for future Mac laptop computers. Apple will learn a lot from the customers’ experiences and make it better, as they did with the original iPod.
I think a lot of people with an iPhone will have a MacBook Air and Starbucks will be full of them in six months’ time.