Adding insult to injury: USB 3G modems won't fit in the MacBook Air
By Ryan Block 
posted January 24th 2008 2:08PM
posted January 24th 2008 2:08PM
posted January 24th 2008 2:08PM
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Well now apple can make a sleek new 3g adapter and offer it at 4-500 clams. value doesn't seem to be an issue with technosnobs.
Wow, so you call foul on the MacBook Air because a dongle is needed and yet you don't cry foul on the designers of the USB modem who design a product assuming that every machine is designed the same? I can think of other machines that this dongle won't work on so who's at fault, the PC manufacturers or people who don't know how to add a small extension on?
I don't see the problem, it looks like like it will go in with a bit of force?
I've seen errors in about 85% of these posts. So please do us all a favor and watch the Guided Tour of the MBA.
Until you do, you won't understand how it works.
http://www.apple.com/macbookair/guidedtour/
thanks...
Buy and extension and get over it. Seriously, acting like a bunch of kids posting this crap online.
It would be nice if there was a small retractable cord so you could pull the USB port out slightly for awkward plugs.
Troll Pellets!
$1.50 a bag
@ Fred's "They take a technical limitation or (in this case) a poor port layout and tell you how much better your life will be now that you have this limited functionality."
What about Windows and PCs in general "It has security holes to work with your favourite AntiVirus programs" "Those switches are supposed to stick out, they're to turn the wireless on and off... It's not a design fault if you snapped them off by accident" (I mean seriously, Vista can't turn off Wifi it needs a SWITCH to do that?) "The Optical drive Has to have a tray so you can get the disc in (another thing to snap)" "All the ports are at the back so you don't have to see them (or find them)" "Noone will mind if the battery sticks out a little".
If Steve Jobs had had his way, he would probably have made all connections Bluetooth or Wifi. Be thankful you have ANY USB ports. That's probably the big feature, that you can plug something in at all.
I've never liked those USB modem things anyway. If you have a USB hub with side by side ports, many will cover the ports to the left and right, so to get those ports back you'd need a USB extension cable anyway. I reckon it's bad modem design, not bad laptop design.
Max Andrews said: "Hell I'd like it twice as much if it just had firewire, because then at least I could use it with a decent external while at home on my desk"
The intended usage of the MBA is what makes most comments above void of value.
You already have a MBP to work at your desk, and I don't think that this is the intended use of the Air.
Should you have a presentation/demo to make, presumably, you would show up with a finished product that you would have created and refined on a desktop or more powerful desktop, using all the USB/FW appliances and additional processing power needed during the creative phase.
The MBA would then allow you to easily carry your presentation/demo to your clients. I like what Apple has done with form and function in this regard, the USB modem debate is pretty pointless there , as most my clients can afford me wireless connectivity if I need to hit the net.
Those would do not need that convenience, or cannot justify the purchase of a MBA based on its perceived impracticality are not forced to purchase it (I'm forced to write this, Steve Jobs has a gun pointed to the side of my head).
Put the machine and its use back in context. Who would want to buy a MBA as a machine that they "could use it with a decent external while at home on [their] desk" when they require storage and processing power and a plethora of accessories in simultaneous use?
It may be an expense that most can hardly justify, being perfectly content with using a MBP as a desktop and laptop, but that does not speak to Apple's idiocy in design, or practicality of the MBA for those who understand how it is to be used 99% of the time.
geeze, what is all the fuss...just get a docking station and bring that with you on the road. I am sure you can plus it into "most" typical AC wall outlets. But you may need an adapter to plug into the wall outlet. Not to worry as there is plenty of room in your wheeled luggage carrier needed to travel with your MBA and it's convenient "accessory" pack. But remember the MBA weighs only 3lbs!!!
btw, I do have magnetic power connector envy though..now THAT is schweet!
All of this complaining might almost be justified if one were to be forced to buy this lovely lil' machine, but the fact is that, hey, if you don't want it, you don't have to have it! So unless you actually have one, then don't complain, and if you do have one then sell it or something.
the designed is great, i loved it from the first sight.
you can do many things to overcome its shortcomings, so stop fussing around. if you want it, grab it, hate it just leave it alone.
don't judge it against dell/sony based on functionality, it's like comparing bally with adidas/burberry which is merely a bag. just a matter of choice....
The USB727 works just fine with the MBA. Yes, you do have to push it in a little bit harder, but it makes full connection and does not bend or break anything. I'm using it right now to send this message...
If you use it this way, the USB727 lifts the MBA up slightly and the USB 727 becomes the right rear leg...but it is almost negligible. Certainly acceptable and the 3G performs just fine.
Regards,
Paul
I, too, am using a Verizon/Novatel USB727 on my MBA. It's a very tight fit, but it does work.
I hope this community realizes that the MBA (although speculation) will get these updates. (IE: firewire 800, ethernet, more than one USB) Apple consistently does this. A year later there is something bigger and better to add, but for early adopters...butkuss! Being an Apple user myself, I can attest to this. Only time will tell.
Never would've noticed. My modem was already on a dongle because I didn't like it so close to my keyboard on my old laptop. That and because the usb ports were so close I couldn't use the other port if the modem was plugged in.
Rather than mess with all that crap, I wish the MBA just had some wireless boradband data device already. (like an iphone without the voice part even.) I almost only need it for email, a few word processing things, and incidental web -- so we don't need any thing blazing fast.