MacBook Air.... MacBook Crap - Page 5

cwtnospam · 01-16-2008, 03:51 PM

I think you're paying a higher price for:

1) lower weight - important when traveling.
2) coolness
3) smaller volume - important when traveling.
4) ruggedness, if you get the SSD
5) lower power consumption
6) illuminated keyboard without paying for a Macbook Pro
7) LED backlighting without paying for a Macbook Pro
8) Ability to drive large displays without paying for a Macbook Pro

It seems to me that Apple is fitting the Air snuggly between the Macbook and the Macbook Pro. If you're a MBP user, the Air might seem like a bit of a step backwards because of the smaller screen, lack of ports, etc., but don't most people buy the Macbooks? To them the Air is a step up in most respects.

Photek · 01-16-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:


	It seems to me that Apple is fitting the Air snuggly between the Macbook and the Macbook Pro. If you're a MBP user, the Air might seem like a bit of a step backwards because of the smaller screen, lack of ports, etc., but don't most people buy the Macbooks? To them the Air is a step up in most respects.

I am actually going to buy a MacBook because the MacBook Air is such a low spec.. and didn't want a step down...

I think that MBA will need a price drop and a spec hike to make it appealing to more people.... the only people I see buying it are hardcore business commuters with more money than sense.... and most of them use Windows...

ArcticStones · 01-16-2008, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solipsism


	The iPod Classics use a one-platter 80GB drive and two-platter 160GB drive. This makes the thickness of these two iPods different and presumably is the reason why there is no 160GB drive for the Air.

Thanks for the clarification!

cwtnospam · 01-16-2008, 04:12 PM

But if you're a hardcore business commuter and you've got the money, it does make sense! That's the key though: you've got to need it for traveling.

sk8nerd · 01-16-2008, 04:13 PM

Im really surprised that people are complaing about the price, breakthrough design and components are not cheap. For what this machine is, it does it very well and is amazing imo.

That said, will I be buying it? Well, it would be perfect for my job as I ride on the BART train everyday and the form factor would be just right to easily use (get ahead on emails, read news, etc) and turn on and off almost instantly with the SSD. Buuuut... the dealbreaker for me is lack of firewire. I am on the verge of buying a laptop, (I dont own one or need one) but if I do get a laptop it has to have FW for uploading video from my camcorder.

Its a great machine for what it is but I will probably end up with a MacBook Pro....too bad they dont make the Pro in a 13" !!

ArcticStones · 01-16-2008, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sk8nerd


	Its a great machine for what it is but I will probably end up with a MacBook Pro....too bad they dont make the Pro in a 13" !!

My daughter has the 12" aluminium PowerBook.
Now that, in my opinion, is one beautiful machine!

sk8nerd · 01-16-2008, 04:24 PM

I agree. I dont understand why Apple doesnt make a 12" or 13" MBP....

Photek · 01-16-2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:


	My daughter has the 12" aluminium PowerBook. Now that, in my opinion, is one beautiful machine!

I had one... and I REALLY wish I hadn't sold it.... they were genuinely GREAT machines.... I really wish Apple would release a 12" MB or MBP

Quote:


	But if you're a hardcore business commuter and you've got the money, it does make sense! That's the key though: you've got to need it for traveling.

niche within a niche within a niche....

I bet you will see higher specs and lower prices before the summer holidays due to Apple not achieving the sales they expect to see...

cwtnospam · 01-16-2008, 05:55 PM

I hope so! I'm looking forward to the day all computers come with SSDs as standard equipment.

specter · 01-17-2008, 04:53 AM

A nice photo!

tlarkin · 01-17-2008, 06:09 AM

The problem is that you are paying more for it over a macbook pro, and I think it will appeal to the users who need short travel from where ever and then back to their network where they can fully synchronize their data.

I think its too early to introduce a product like this at that price. That is just my opinion though.

Zalister-

People may not know the difference between fuel injection and carburetors, however they do know things like standard factory sound, how many cup holders it has, heated seats, climate control, GPS, Airbags, Sirius Radio, iPod Dock, all wheel drive, etc. Those are features consumers want and talk about all the time. The same applies to computers. I want to burn DVDs, CDs, sync my ipod, have wireless connectivity, large amounts of HD space, hook up my camera over firewire, etc. They want to do those things, that is what drives a consumer to buy a Mac. Those features are offered out of the box with every Mac but the Airbook.

Now the Airbook is definitely the first in it's class so there are bound to be better models after it. However, I think that the Airbook will only appeal and be functional for a very niche market. Home users will want the all around robustness of what a Macbook Pro can do and connect to.

solipsism · 01-17-2008, 07:00 AM

I can't believe all the bitching in forums about this product. This is a niche machine, if you need more USb or Firewire or larger HDD then you aren't the target market. Some people think a 19" Alienware notebook with RAIDed HDDs designed for gamers is ideal. I'm not ne of them but I can how it might appeal to others.

And all complaining that the SSD isn't a large enough capacity and that Apple is charing too much. I've looked, and I can't find any SSD for less than $1,400 and usually at $2,000 or more.

Except for the lack of HSDPA, this machine absolutely ideal for me.

GavinBKK · 01-17-2008, 07:16 AM

Many valid POVs here. In no particular order, I am disappointed with the price point, no FW, HD size options and single USB.

We cannot underestimate the power of "cool" though, as some have already mentioned. Compared to similar products, the iPods lack features, etc., but it remains a bestseller.

The part that bemuses me is that the (considerably) more expensive SSD is has a smaller capacity. Could they not have gone larger there?? Swallow the cost, just to launch it? Dunno. Still seems odd though.

tlarkin · 01-17-2008, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solipsism


	I can't believe all the bitching in forums about this product. This is a niche machine, if you need more USb or Firewire or larger HDD then you aren't the target market. Some people think a 19" Alienware notebook with RAIDed HDDs designed for gamers is ideal. I'm not ne of them but I can how it might appeal to others. And all complaining that the SSD isn't a large enough capacity and that Apple is charing too much. I've looked, and I can't find any SSD for less than $1,400 and usually at $2,000 or more. Except for the lack of HSDPA, this machine absolutely ideal for me.

I agree, and I stated this does apply to a very small niche market. The first two professions that came to mind were Law, and research and development. Lawyers travel to and from the court house to their offices every day multiple times sometimes. With the Macbook Air they could easily travel, and have more battery life and be around the network often enough to synchronize their data to a server or to their desktop or whatever. In R&D you want to go out in the field, collect data, return to your office, sync data, then analyze data. Sure that sounds like the Airbook could fit into those markets easily.

My points were about the consumer market. Remember Apple is not an enterprise company, they are a consumer company. That is coming right from Job's mouth. So, then what exactly is the Airbook then? Is it targeted towards enterprise like Law firms, research firms, and possibly higher education?

I don't quite understand their target market for this product.

CAlvarez · 01-17-2008, 08:57 AM

I deploy MacBooks to lots of people who don't care--and shouldn't care--about the specs. I get the basic machine knowing that it will do everything they want.

Optical drive? I almost never use the one in my MBP. I have high-speed external DVD drives at home and office on my desk, and always use those when docked because they are faster. They also interfere less with multi-tasking than the ones built in do because of interface limitations. If you took away the drive, I probably wouldn't care or really notice.

tlarkin · 01-17-2008, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAlvarez


	I deploy MacBooks to lots of people who don't care--and shouldn't care--about the specs. I get the basic machine knowing that it will do everything they want. Optical drive? I almost never use the one in my MBP. I have high-speed external DVD drives at home and office on my desk, and always use those when docked because they are faster. They also interfere less with multi-tasking than the ones built in do because of interface limitations. If you took away the drive, I probably wouldn't care or really notice.

that is for you, but my user base (about 6,000 macbooks) they all use their optical drives all the time. I have to clear out stuck disks all the time for them on a daily basis.

My users love their optical drives and burn CDs and DVDs all the time with them.

Reacher · 01-17-2008, 10:43 AM

I think the Macbook Air is just the beginning... the high price point, like the initial high price point of the iPhone, is meant to recoup costs early. We'll probably see a few hundred come off the price in 6 months.

I haven't seen a lot mentioned of the partnership between Intel and Apple to reduce the chip size, and yet this is probably the most significant aspect of this product: that Apple has the pull to get Intel to redesign an already successful chip. I wonder how long, if at all, Apple has exclusivity on this new chip?

Also, who's to say that this smaller version of the Core 2 Duo won't eventually find its way into the Macbook and Macbook Pro?

Here are two possibilities: full-fledged Macbooks and Macbook Pros in the same size as the larger subnotebooks out there, or Macbooks and Macbook Pros with dual processors.

cwtnospam · 01-17-2008, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GavinBKK


	Compared to similar products, the iPods lack features, etc., but it remains a bestseller.

I think that's the difference between techies and average people. Techies care about features, where the average person cares about benefits. Techies see features as benefits by default, where the average person sees a feature as a pain in the butt, unless it is easy to use and it does something that they want. A Firewire, port for example, is just another gizmo to most users, unless they need it to connect to their video camera.

tlarkin · 01-17-2008, 11:13 AM

Gavin-

The iPod as also added features to keep up with the competition. Just look at the iPod touch. Though it does lack some file sharing features, and is heavy in DRM, and possibly a bit pricey, but it has the SSD. Apple is the first to introduce this product. Once HP, Dell, IBM, etc start making something similar you will see apple adding features to become more competitive. Which goes back to someone's original theory how it doesn't pay to be an early adopter of any Apple Product.

ThreeBKK · 01-17-2008, 12:08 PM

Perhaps we are looking at a new family/class of Mac computers.

Since the MacBook Air hasn't got an optical drive, then there is a likelihood that Apple will redesign the Mac Mini to be even smaller. The only thing keeping them from making it smaller in the first place was the optical drive. It was the biggest single component. Take that away, and you can get really small!

They can even use the new tiny logic board developed for the MacBook Air.

01-17-2008, 06:09 AM	#91
tlarkin League Commissioner Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 11,352	The problem is that you are paying more for it over a macbook pro, and I think it will appeal to the users who need short travel from where ever and then back to their network where they can fully synchronize their data. I think its too early to introduce a product like this at that price. That is just my opinion though. Zalister- People may not know the difference between fuel injection and carburetors, however they do know things like standard factory sound, how many cup holders it has, heated seats, climate control, GPS, Airbags, Sirius Radio, iPod Dock, all wheel drive, etc. Those are features consumers want and talk about all the time. The same applies to computers. I want to burn DVDs, CDs, sync my ipod, have wireless connectivity, large amounts of HD space, hook up my camera over firewire, etc. They want to do those things, that is what drives a consumer to buy a Mac. Those features are offered out of the box with every Mac but the Airbook. Now the Airbook is definitely the first in it's class so there are bound to be better models after it. However, I think that the Airbook will only appeal and be functional for a very niche market. Home users will want the all around robustness of what a Macbook Pro can do and connect to. Last edited by tlarkin; 01-17-2008 at 06:19 AM.

01-17-2008, 07:16 AM	#93
GavinBKK Hall of Famer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Thailand Posts: 3,359	Many valid POVs here. In no particular order, I am disappointed with the price point, no FW, HD size options and single USB. We cannot underestimate the power of "cool" though, as some have already mentioned. Compared to similar products, the iPods lack features, etc., but it remains a bestseller. The part that bemuses me is that the (considerably) more expensive SSD is has a smaller capacity. Could they not have gone larger there?? Swallow the cost, just to launch it? Dunno. Still seems odd though. __________________ LoadsaMacs.

01-17-2008, 08:57 AM	#95
CAlvarez Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 4,975	I deploy MacBooks to lots of people who don't care--and shouldn't care--about the specs. I get the basic machine knowing that it will do everything they want. Optical drive? I almost never use the one in my MBP. I have high-speed external DVD drives at home and office on my desk, and always use those when docked because they are faster. They also interfere less with multi-tasking than the ones built in do because of interface limitations. If you took away the drive, I probably wouldn't care or really notice. __________________ -- Carlos Alvarez, Phoenix, AZ "MacBook Nano" (Lenovo S10) Atom 1.6/2GB/160GB Mac OS X 10.5.6 Gigabyte Quad Core 2.83GHz Hackintosh 4GB/500GB Mac OS X 10.6 MacBook Air 1.8/2GB/64GB SSD http://www.televolve.com

01-17-2008, 12:08 PM	#100
ThreeBKK MVP Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangkok Posts: 1,626	Perhaps we are looking at a new family/class of Mac computers. Since the MacBook Air hasn't got an optical drive, then there is a likelihood that Apple will redesign the Mac Mini to be even smaller. The only thing keeping them from making it smaller in the first place was the optical drive. It was the biggest single component. Take that away, and you can get really small! They can even use the new tiny logic board developed for the MacBook Air. __________________ ➤ Think it's a good idea to put your most intimate data on someone else's server? Macmini5,2 ❖ 2.7 GHz Core i7 ❖ Snow Leopard ❖ Mtn Lion Last edited by ThreeBKK; 01-17-2008 at 12:13 PM.

01-16-2008, 03:51 PM	#81
cwtnospam League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,475	I think you're paying a higher price for: 1) lower weight - important when traveling. 2) coolness 3) smaller volume - important when traveling. 4) ruggedness, if you get the SSD 5) lower power consumption 6) illuminated keyboard without paying for a Macbook Pro 7) LED backlighting without paying for a Macbook Pro 8) Ability to drive large displays without paying for a Macbook Pro It seems to me that Apple is fitting the Air snuggly between the Macbook and the Macbook Pro. If you're a MBP user, the Air might seem like a bit of a step backwards because of the smaller screen, lack of ports, etc., but don't most people buy the Macbooks? To them the Air is a step up in most respects.

01-16-2008, 04:12 PM	#84
cwtnospam League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,475	But if you're a hardcore business commuter and you've got the money, it does make sense! That's the key though: you've got to need it for traveling.

01-16-2008, 04:13 PM	#85
sk8nerd Triple-A Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CA Posts: 78	Im really surprised that people are complaing about the price, breakthrough design and components are not cheap. For what this machine is, it does it very well and is amazing imo. That said, will I be buying it? Well, it would be perfect for my job as I ride on the BART train everyday and the form factor would be just right to easily use (get ahead on emails, read news, etc) and turn on and off almost instantly with the SSD. Buuuut... the dealbreaker for me is lack of firewire. I am on the verge of buying a laptop, (I dont own one or need one) but if I do get a laptop it has to have FW for uploading video from my camcorder. Its a great machine for what it is but I will probably end up with a MacBook Pro....too bad they dont make the Pro in a 13" !!

01-16-2008, 04:24 PM	#87
sk8nerd Triple-A Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: CA Posts: 78	I agree. I dont understand why Apple doesnt make a 12" or 13" MBP....

01-16-2008, 05:55 PM	#89
cwtnospam League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,475	I hope so! I'm looking forward to the day all computers come with SSDs as standard equipment.

01-17-2008, 04:53 AM	#90
specter All Star Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 578	A nice photo!

01-17-2008, 07:00 AM	#92
solipsism MVP Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,963	I can't believe all the bitching in forums about this product. This is a niche machine, if you need more USb or Firewire or larger HDD then you aren't the target market. Some people think a 19" Alienware notebook with RAIDed HDDs designed for gamers is ideal. I'm not ne of them but I can how it might appeal to others. And all complaining that the SSD isn't a large enough capacity and that Apple is charing too much. I've looked, and I can't find any SSD for less than $1,400 and usually at $2,000 or more. Except for the lack of HSDPA, this machine absolutely ideal for me.

01-17-2008, 10:43 AM	#97
Reacher Triple-A Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 209	I think the Macbook Air is just the beginning... the high price point, like the initial high price point of the iPhone, is meant to recoup costs early. We'll probably see a few hundred come off the price in 6 months. I haven't seen a lot mentioned of the partnership between Intel and Apple to reduce the chip size, and yet this is probably the most significant aspect of this product: that Apple has the pull to get Intel to redesign an already successful chip. I wonder how long, if at all, Apple has exclusivity on this new chip? Also, who's to say that this smaller version of the Core 2 Duo won't eventually find its way into the Macbook and Macbook Pro? Here are two possibilities: full-fledged Macbooks and Macbook Pros in the same size as the larger subnotebooks out there, or Macbooks and Macbook Pros with dual processors.

01-17-2008, 11:13 AM	#99
tlarkin League Commissioner Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 11,352	Gavin- The iPod as also added features to keep up with the competition. Just look at the iPod touch. Though it does lack some file sharing features, and is heavy in DRM, and possibly a bit pricey, but it has the SSD. Apple is the first to introduce this product. Once HP, Dell, IBM, etc start making something similar you will see apple adding features to become more competitive. Which goes back to someone's original theory how it doesn't pay to be an early adopter of any Apple Product.