MacBook Air: plenty more details

Want more pedantic details on the MacBook Air? You got 'em.

• The micro-DVI out is single-link only, meaning it can drive a 24-inch monitor, not a 30-inch. There's no DisplayLink converter / adapter yet.
• Remote Disk comes on the install DVD -- ironically, Apple expects you to carry around a DVD to install so you can access someone else's DVD drive. Righty-o.
• It uses MagSafe, but the new connector is angled 90-degrees to stay out of the way. You can use a regular MacBook / Pro adapter, assuming you don't mind the side being propped up a little (or hanging off the edge of a table). You can also use the MBA's 45w adapter on other machines -- the plug should still fit, but the adapter may not have enough juice to charge AND power a running machine.
• The MacBook Air superdrive needs special hardware in the MBA to work -- Apple wouldn't tell us if any other devices will be able to use the thing, but we imagine the ~500mA USB outputs won't be enough.
• The 64GB SSD option is +$1000 -- but you probably already knew that if you hit Apple's site.
• The speaker is mono only (not stereo), so your audio output will suffer a bit. The audio comes out of the keyboard holes in the right side, and it sounds a little funny.
• The port array folds down, it's not a door over ports that don't move. It feels extremely sturdy.
• Duh, the only audio input will have to be via USB or the built-in mic.
• The machine comes packaged with micro-DVI to DVI and micro-DVI to VGA adapters, but you have to snag the S-Video and composite adapters separately.

[webran61 @ Jan 15th 2008 4:39PM]

In a way, I think many of our expectations weren't met. How sweet would this have been if it were a tablet? If that screen swiveled down to the base, I would most certainly find it in my heart to forgive the battery, the memory/storage, and even the price.

[superfresh @ Jan 15th 2008 4:56PM]

Apple: In your face, Sony! We took out the optical drive and destroyed your record. MacBook Air, thinnest laptop FTW!

Sony:....wha? Anyway, wanna watch a DVD? Awww, snap.

[Ahmed @ Jan 15th 2008 4:39PM]

what about frontrow? apple remote?

[IndiaTech @ Jan 15th 2008 5:06PM]

Nopes. No Apple Remote. But it doesn come with a display polishing cloth, though.

[Blaktornado @ Jan 15th 2008 5:28PM]

Is an option. The whole point of this laptop is to cut down on clutter.

[Ellianth @ Jan 15th 2008 5:43PM]

The point of the laptop is to cut down on the clutter, yet they want you to walk around with an external optical drive? Think man!

"we didn't make any compromises" - I dunno, that thing looks very compromisey (tm) to me :p.

[dzhiurgis @ Jan 15th 2008 9:15PM]

I really wouldn't call that remote a clutter because it's highly potentional business laptop perfectly suitable for making presentations.
As a prosumer I see the lack of optical audio output..

[Greg @ Jan 16th 2008 9:22AM]

Who uses disk drives anyway?

[Mike @ Jan 15th 2008 4:39PM]

Sounds like you are sacrificing a lot for 'all that sexy.'

[witsend @ Jan 15th 2008 6:40PM]

I am pretty sure this is the Palm Foleo with an Apple logo.

[Ethyriel @ Jan 15th 2008 7:41PM]

Except you can get online without an iPhone.

[Lucas Arruda @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:29PM]

Except by the fact Palm Foleo was a instant turn on PC, but with no real PC capabilities, because all you could do was browser and check e-mail. It`s was a Palm OS in a mini-notebook and that was why it didn`t succeeded.

[Zack Johnston @ Jan 15th 2008 4:40PM]

Okay....so I have software (games) that need the CD installed in order to work....um how do I do it with MBA?

(Oh, buy the superdrive thingy and drag it along on trips....but doesn´t that defeat the whole purpose of MBA?)

[liqker @ Jan 15th 2008 4:50PM]

What games do you own (and that this machine will run) require a cd?

[insertAlias @ Jan 15th 2008 5:03PM]

make an ISO of the cd and put it on the HDD. Macs will mount CD images.

[Trongod @ Jan 16th 2008 2:56AM]

You mean they make game for Mac?

[sajawebb @ Jan 20th 2008 12:14PM]

ummm....load the games at home, then do your traveling!

[J @ Jan 15th 2008 4:40PM]

I'm concerned about this (from Apple's tech specs page):

Analog audio output/headphone out (minijack)

Does this really mean analog out through the minijack? Brutal. Engadget, any confirmation from the floor using headphones?

[Luis @ Jan 15th 2008 6:09PM]

Dude all audio is analog

[Brendan @ Jan 18th 2008 12:33PM]

Um, any 2.5mm/3.5mm/.25" jack is going to be "analog". Always has, always will.

Digital is optical/hdmi/etc.

[Artaxiad @ Jan 15th 2008 4:42PM]

MONO!?

I mean, It's an ultraportable laptop, so I'm sure sound quality isn't necessarily in this thing's demographic's list of needs...but it's 2008, I think stereo sound just goes without saying now. What a joke!

[Kizorblade @ Jan 15th 2008 4:44PM]

Mono sound... Egh!

[Zak @ Jan 15th 2008 5:01PM]

It has stereo sound. Just not stereo SPEAKERS. See the difference?

[Mark @ Jan 15th 2008 4:42PM]

My Sony X505 is still the world's thinnest 10 inch laptop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djxLKQQEf34

[Drew @ Jan 15th 2008 7:12PM]

Your Sony might be the world's thinnest laptop with a 10" screen, but the MacBook Air has a 13.3" screen and is even thinner. The X505 is .38" to .8" thick, the MBA is .16" to .76" thick.

[Mark @ Jan 15th 2008 8:16PM]

The thing is, Sony created the X505 in 2003. The X505 is smaller and lighter than Macbook Air. They have very similar thickness but more credit goes to Sony. It is a lot harder to create a smaller and thinner device (Sony X505) than a bigger one (Macbook Air.)

[Endeavour @ Jan 15th 2008 9:02PM]

@Drew:

Apple probably doesn't count those big rubber feet. They don't even show them in most of the official website pics.

[Todd @ Jan 15th 2008 4:42PM]

Pandantic?I had to look that one up...

Pronunciation:
\pi-ˈdan-tik\
Function:
adjective
1 : of, relating to, or being a pedant 2 : narrowly, stodgily, and often ostentatiously learned

Whoa. wait. "ostentatiously learned"?

[mac @ Jan 15th 2008 6:34PM]

Here, courtesy of dictionary.com:

2. overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, esp. in teaching.

That's the common interpretation of the word

[Eric M. @ Jan 15th 2008 4:43PM]

Haha, Mono speakers? Come on, are you serious Apple? Wow, one disappointment after another.

So the only question I have left is, "Will It Blend?"

[alan @ Jan 15th 2008 4:44PM]

battery life?

[Kizorblade @ Jan 15th 2008 4:45PM]

5 hours browsing the internet

[maniac1181 @ Jan 16th 2008 1:41AM]

Is that predicted by Apple or tested? Because no iPod I have owned have ever lasted me over 10 hours... even though back then it was stated as 16hours if I recall!

[wickedpheonix @ Jan 15th 2008 4:47PM]

Mono speakers are generally what's standard on ultra-portables. I wouldn't diss them for it - point of the mono speakers is for system sounds, not music. You want music, you get headphones or a multi-media machine that's more suited for it.

I heard someone else say this earlier and I'm gonna say this again - the MBA is really just a MacBook Foleo. It's a companion Mac to your full-size iMac or Mac Pro for work on the go - and I guess we'll see how a Foleo does Apple.

[James @ Jan 15th 2008 5:11PM]

Sure, but what does the MacBook Air have to do with ultra-portables.

[wickedpheonix @ Jan 15th 2008 5:25PM]

Even if the screen size is too big for an ultra-portable the weight is definitely there - 4 lbs or less. In fact, the only reason why it doesn't meet the screen limitation is because until now there were no or virtually no sub-4lb notebooks that had a screensize of over 12".

[Roger @ Jan 15th 2008 4:48PM]

Mono? Way to be cutting edge Steve. Nice...

[Zak @ Jan 15th 2008 5:04PM]

*sigh*

Mono speaker - not mono sound. Plug in headphones, and it's stereo. That must be like f'n magic to some of you boneheads.

[muyiwa @ Jan 15th 2008 5:42PM]

@Zak
its funny how ppl {coughs*brainwashedmacheads*coughs} readily lower their expectations

[DownwardMonkey @ Jan 15th 2008 5:54PM]

I'm honestly starting to think a lot of you people are posting crap just to join in with the new "it's cool to hate Apple" group. Who the hell uses a set of laptop speakers for anything other than system sounds? Who doesn't plug in better speakers if they use it at home or a set of tiny headphones when they are out? Who the hell cares if the speaker is mono, it still puts out stereo and I really am starting to think people are just saying stuff without thinking.

[sajawebb @ Jan 19th 2008 11:56PM]

everything will be ok when i plug in my bose qc-3's

[superfresh @ Jan 15th 2008 4:51PM]

I'd rather buy eee PCs for my whole family.

[liqker @ Jan 15th 2008 4:52PM]

I'm wondering what the fall back plan is for customers that need to re-install OSX, or future OSX (10.6) installations on a MBA. "Lol, go buy $99 accessory" is not an option for Apple.

[Jake @ Jan 15th 2008 4:59PM]

You'll install it off of Remote Disk, duh :p

[Kizorblade @ Jan 15th 2008 5:00PM]

That drive sharing thingy, although I'm not too sure if it works with a cable.

[Mark P @ Jan 15th 2008 5:11PM]

Remote disk supports installing system software. BTW point two isn't that ironic: the software on the DVD is the "server" side software, the "client" software comes loaded on the MBA.

[liqker @ Jan 15th 2008 5:15PM]

I guess my comment needs a bit of clarification. What if your install of X gets hosed and needs to be re-installed? Meaning, does the client side of the disk sharing operate independently of X so you can do a fresh install of X on the hdisk?

[vcx @ Jan 15th 2008 9:51PM]

Thats a good question !!
I guess in that case you have to boot using the usb drive.

[macona @ Jan 15th 2008 5:01PM]

Open the port bay doors, HAL!

[Daniel @ Jan 15th 2008 5:04PM]

Is that on board graphics any good for HD you think, as it is I have a 2005 powerbook with ATi 9700 and that struggles... would like to be able to watch HD movies in bed with teh headphones on :)