MacBook Air review

It fits in a manila folder, you can slide it under a door, and if you threw it hard enough you could probably chop someone in half with the thing. It's the thinnest, and if we may say so, sexiest laptop around today: the MacBook Air. But looks aren't everything to everyone, and despite all the rhetoric about being a no-compromises ultraportable, Apple did leave plenty on the cutting-room floor in its quest to make an absurdly thin ultraportable that doesn't skimp on a full size keyboard or roomier 13-inch display. But, as many potential buyers have been asking themselves since last week, is the Air right to be your next machine? Read on, we'll tell you what we think.

Hardware
It's hard to take lightly (har) the purposeful design that went into the Air, it's simply and without a doubt the most beautiful laptop we've seen in a while. Sure, there have been thinner, lighter laptops that take up fewer cubic centimeters -- but that's not really on trial. The goal of the Air was clear: create a Mac that frequent fliers wouldn't be ashamed of, or in physical pain to lug around. But therein lies the rub. The Air simply doesn't have the power to be many users' primary machine, while also lacking many of the features considered necessity by business travelers. More on that in a minute, though.

The MacBook Air has landed

There are a lot of things that the Air gets right, and a decent amount of horsepower is one of 'em. Apple didn't take the easy route and go with an etiolated Ultra Low Voltage (read: ultra low performance) chip, they actually pushed Intel to repackage a slower version of its full-on Core 2 Duo processor. We were a little disappointed when Steve announced this wasn't the new power-efficient, lower-heat 45nm Penryn chip design, but in the time we've played with the Air, it's still rarely managed to output enough heat to raise an eyebrow. This is actually a laptop that belongs on your lap -- without any fear of sterility. Of course, as our Mac-on-Mac benchmarks showed, the 1.6GHz chip is still a little on the slow side, but the Air is by no means unusable. It's not really one of Steve's "screamers" -- but ultraportables aren't really intended to be.

The 13-inch LED backlit screen not only sips power where larger CCFL backlit displays guzzle, it also looks amazing: crisp, bright, and vibrant. Where other small laptops use 8-11-inch screens that are nigh-unreadable by many a squinty Engadget editor, for a laptop of this size the Air gives plenty of screen real estate to get things done. Unfortunately, Apple only offers this display with a glossy finish, so if you're fond of the matte or work outside or near a window, be forewarned. The bezel around the display is a little thick for our tastes, and the lid might not tilt back as far as we'd like due to the physical constraints of the joint design, but these are relatively minor complaints.

Also rare for an ultraportable is the Air's full-size keyboard, which adds some (worthy) width to the body. Those fond of the ridgeless, separated key design as found in MacBook and iMac / Mac pro keyboards will feel right at home. We're not too into this design, but unlike almost every ultraportable we've owned, the Air's keyboard feels thoroughly solid and sturdy. The keys are tactile, not at all mushy, and backlit to boot. Typing on the Air is a pleasure, not a chore. The keyboard also happens to be where the MacBook Air emits audio -- beneath right home row keys (k, l, ;, ') is the Air's tinny mono speaker, which seems and sounds more like an afterthought.

The Air's integrated 802.11n worked well with our stock D-Link 802.11n router, and transferred data at about 3-4MBps -- we were certainly satisfied with its wireless performance. The Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR as a standard option is also nice, but it's immediately clear the Air needed some integrated 3G, especially considering its lack of an ExpressCard slot.

Where a lot of other machines might have ports and protrusions along their edges, the Air has none -- it swoops inward from the edge to the base with only two spots for plugs, a new, 90-degree angled MagSafe power connector on the left underside, and a clicky, extremely sturdy-feeling foldable door that is impossible to open while resting on the table, and basically requires picking the entire machine up. This exposes the Air's only three ports: one USB 2.0, one micro-DVI, and one headphone. But here we begin with the design sacrifices, and at the top of the list is the lack of a user replaceable battery.

Apple MacBook Air first hands-on

For some this might be an issue, but for others -- especially those on the road for long periods of time without access to a power outlet -- a deal-breaker. The Air uses a 37 Watt/hour lithium polymer (compared to the MacBook Pro's 60WH lithium-ion), and using our normal tests -- full screen brightness, WiFi and Bluetooth on, no attached peripherals -- under medium usage (light browsing and watching a 1:20 h.264 movie) we got a mere 2 hours and 25 minutes. Under lighter usage (browsing, some audio playback, no movies) we got closer to 3 hours and 35 minutes. Not bad, but still nowhere near the 5 hours Apple promises (under ideal conditions, surely).

Thankfully, the Air's power adapter is as impressively proportioned as the laptop, so taking it with you won't be much of an issue. But users of current generation adapters be warned: the Air's MagSafe implementation won't always work with your current MagSafe adapters simply because the angle and location make it physically impossible to accommodate when used on a table. Hardly a huge issue, we know. But things get worse on the connectivity side. The USB port is recessed enough that, while we're sure it meets USB Implementers Forum's design spec, it realistically won't accommodate most 3G modems without a USB extension cable, and some flash drives, as we learned yesterday. Even the headphone port had a difficult time accommodating our Shure E4C phones. We got stereo audio, but a high pitched hissing from not being fully plugged in and grounded. (This went away when we used a better-fitting audio extension cable.)

MacBook Air review (misc)

The micro-DVI port is also not physically compatible with the mini-DVI port on your MacBook and previous Apple laptops, so it requires some new connection accessories for VGA and DVI out, which are thankfully included in the box. Since the Air doesn't have a powerful (but space and power-consuming) discrete graphics adapter, you'll only be able to drive a 24-inch display, although for many that should probably be sufficient. (Games and movie watching also suffer because of the integrated graphics, since some of that visual load is taken on by the CPU.) Also integrated is the Air's 2GB of RAM, built directly into its insanely small motherboard; processors rarely need to be swapped in laptops, but are you willing to bank on a couple of years' use without having to upgrade your RAM? Perhaps a lot of people are, but we're not.

The Air also uses a slower 80GB 1.8-inch drive, the same kind that powers many portable media players. While probably sturdy enough to withstand normal use, it's nowhere near as fast as your average 2.5-inch laptop drive, and will always be behind in storage should you chose to upgrade later. If you can afford to spring for the 64GB SSD option, we highly suggest it -- your machine's reliability, performance, and battery life will all get a boost (at the expense of 16GB of space and a ton of cash, naturally). Oddly overlooked for inclusion is the Apple Remote; the Air certainly has the necessary sliver of an IR sensor for making use of one, but the remote isn't included, despite being found in the box of just about every other Apple machine. Oh, and for those wondering, the Air's built-in iSight is the VGA variety.

Despite its shortcomings on the hardware and specs side, though, it's hard to say enough about how well made the Air feels -- a particularly important point when you're taking your machine everywhere. Whereas most smaller laptops try to cut weight with inner metal frames and flimsy plastic bodies, the Air bulks up a bit with an all-metal enclosure that looks and feels like it was carved out of a single piece of aluminum. Only time will tell if metal in the Air's wrist rest area will pit out and blacken like MacBook Pros and PowerBooks of years past, but the machine definitely gets extremely high marks for its the physical engineering. And no, we're not at liberty to drop test Apple's review unit, sorry!

Software

Just like every other Apple machine, the Air runs Leopard -- albeit a slightly different build (9B2324). The only changes made have to do with taking advantage of the machine's oversized touchpad, which now supports multi-finger gestures in system prefs. Apple thoughtfully actually includes in-line instructional videos for learning how the gestures work (and how to make them), like the three-finger sweep for backward and forward in Safari, or using two fingers to rotate an image in iPhoto. This is just the beginning of touchpad-based multi-touch, and while it's not always the most practical way to do things (cmd+R or L seems to us an easier way to rotate a photo), it's intuitive and well-integrated.

Apple also hasn't released any information for third party developers on how to integrated touch gestures into their apps, so until they do, only Apple apps will be able to take advantage of the new input methods. It's obvious that, with time, Apple will be rolling out multi-touch on their other machines, but for now they claim that current hardware cannot support this input, so don't expect to see any (official) software updates to enable multi-touch.

Another feature rolled out is Remote Disc, Apple's new system for sharing the optical drives of networked Macs and PCs with the drive-less Air. As we quickly learned, you should be prepared to have as much bandwidth as possible between the Air and your host machine, -- and don't be disappointed when you can't do everything with Remote Disc that you can do with a regular drive. There's no commercial media playback, no HD support, no ripping, no burning -- it's really only meant for installing apps, downloading data, or reinstalling the OS (more on that in a second). On the upshot, it did work seamlessly when we tried it.

Still, we think the Air's external USB SuperDrive (which only works with the Air, mind you) is a necessity. There simply isn't any way to transparently replace all the functionality of an optical drive yet, so we're kind of bummed Apple didn't just include the thing in box. [Also, disclosure: we had a pool running and I bet against a non-bundled optical drive and lost ten bucks. Thanks, Apple!] There's no question that a laptop really doesn't need an optical drive at all times, and we've always been happy to omit them. But having to shell out $99 to buy the drive separately just doesn't sit well with us.

Wrap-up
The Air is a tough call. On the one hand it proposes to be a no-compromises ultraportable, but on the other hand it compromises many (but not all) the things road warriors want. We're all about removing unnecessary frills and drives (we rejoiced the day the original iMac bucked the floppy), but laptops are increasingly becoming many users' primary -- often only -- machines, which is why the Air's price doesn't do it any favors, either. It's hard to justify almost two grand for a second laptop (or a third machine) just for travel needs -- and even then, that's only easily done if all your data lives in the cloud. Given those sacrifices and that higher-end sticker, it's more than likely not going to replace most peoples' current workhorse laptop.

This all might look a bit different if the Air was a little closer to MacBook price range, though. We're thinking $1500 could be a sweet spot, especially if bundled with the wired Ethernet dongle and SuperDrive. But we're not going to kid ourselves, either; the Air isn't supposed to be everything for everyone. For those in need of a machine that masters basics in a super thin, light form-factor, and who have the coin to pay for that ultraportability, the Air absolutely nails it like few others.

Given its stripped down, one-piece design, some are calling the Air the iPod of laptops. The point is debatable as to whether this machine could have the same appeal to computer users, but if there is one clear upshot to the Air, it's that Apple's learned to take the next step in miniaturizing their portable computers. While not all Mac users are going to stand in line to get this latest machine, Apple is doubtless welcomed back into the ultraportable laptop market by the technology world. Perhaps the largest side-effect of the Air won't be ditching optical drives, though; for the rest of Apple's consumer base it's now just a matter of time before other Mac laptop lines benefit from the technical and engineering advances that made this thing so thin and light. Give us the lovechild of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, and it's all over.

Further reading
MacBook Air: plenty more details
Apple MacBook Air and MacBook Pro size showdown
MacBook Air processor situation gets explained
Switched On: Apple bets that to Air is human

[tnkgrl Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:00PM]

Good review Petar!

I think a lot of people are missing the point of the MBA (or are upset they can't afford it). The MBA is about cutting the wires, it redefines how computers should be used (especially with the multitouch trackpad)...

Read this: http://lonelysandwich.com/post/24065936

[jakem Posted Jan 25th 2008 4:48PM]

Haven't we had this already?

[Draiiiiinage Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:15PM]

Yes but have you heard about how good it is at OTHER things?

I'm actually using my MBA as a bookmark, since it can't really do the computing I need and is too light to be a proper paper-weight.

[If you plan on telling me I don't have an MBA because they aren't available yet, you may be eligible for a Humor transplant, consult your physician immediately]

[Saad Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:58PM]

Yeah, I kind of remember this before!

Anyways, I believe that Apple is ripping off people and if Sony or Dell wanted to produce a notebook like the Air, they could've done it long time ago! Seriously, Air is just a Sony Vaio but with no optical drive, only 3 usable slots instead of 8, fixed flat battery instead of a changeable one, curved edges to fool the eyes of it's thinness with a bigger footprint (Width and Depth), mono speaker instead of 2 stereos, an integrated graphic card instead of a proper card, no fingerprint security and a small capacity hard disk instead of a 160 GB option.

I can already imagine the thinest notebook in the world after a month if Sony drops all the things Apple has dropped, but I hope not, because all types of people need these dropped things, either one or the other. :)

[flashpoint Posted Jan 25th 2008 10:01PM]

From everything I've read here, my Lenovo X60S is better than this Mac. The Lenovo has the Broadband wireless chip built into its body besides the G-wireless. It also has Bluetooth and runs for over 7 hours. The Mac may be thinner and lighter but my Lenovo kills it in performance.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 26th 2008 12:29AM]

Humor eh; does irony count? If so, you're funny!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 4:50PM]

I gotta say something here - the mac book air is a piece of shit - one usb port that can't even fit a USB device, apple's own external drive doesn't work for it, non-replaceable battery, weak ass processor - this is just not worthy of any praise - as thin as it may be, what the hell is the point? I'm sure it will get blown away when a gust of wind brushes by...good riddens!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:02PM]

Exactly my thoughts. This seems to be an incredibly useless laptop that really only has a market among the yuppies and Mac sycophants with cash to waste on an underpowered, 1-USB port, overpriced toy that in the end just looks pretty and nothing else.

[welchb Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:03PM]

> ...good riddens!

heh. I would like to state publicly that this typo makes me laugh. *(:=

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:03PM]

Uhh, the external drive works for it. It is a bit too pricey, it also needs a firewire port.

[mikeypizano Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:08PM]

Thinner does not make it more portable if you ask me, 13.3" is still a 13.3"

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 30th 2008 9:30PM]

Seriosuly. The Air is nothing more than just a piece of eye candy. It probably will more than likely break or crash when you drop it. Also, no replacable battery? What's up, Apple? That's just Apple trying to suck more money out of the idiots that actually want this thing. Go get a Dell or something not an Apple half the time their own stuff doesn't work with their computers, and what else, Apple only has like what, ten percent of the computer market. The only tech support you are gonna get on the thing is from Apple, Inc. itself.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:45PM]

Oh but it is so sexy cant you see that? Am I the only one who thinks sexy should only be used in describing a fine woman and not a piece of machinery? non-replacable battery... yeah it will be really sexy when you have to ship it away for a few weeks to have the battery swapped out...

[octogoose Posted Jan 25th 2008 7:47PM]

jroc, I couldn't agree more about "sexy." But if I had to send a sexy woman away for 2 weeks to get her "battery" replaced, I think it would only make me want her more. Unless what I'm implying by "battery" isn't what I think I'm implying (I have no idea what I'm implying by "battery").

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 7:34PM]

Thank you. It's like buying half a computer for more than a normal one. I also don't see why people continue to refer to it as an ultraportable, because it isn't. ultraportable takes footprint into account, not just thickness. The Air has quite a bit of footprint, making it just as much a pain to actually pack as a regular macbook or similarly thick computer, in terms of space reqs. The only difference is you can slip it into a thinner space, but the bag you carry it in still needs to be the size a Macbook could fit into. An eee is an ultraportable. Oh, and doesn't the sony he so happily compared it to have a built in optical drive? Sounds sort of like a more practical design to me. It probably has more than 1 USB port too.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 26th 2008 4:59AM]

It's abundantly clear to me that only Hollywood types with the perpetual need to be noticed and Apple fan boys exhibiting a similar need are going to one of this. Steve Jobs should give Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan a unit each. They go with the bods.

I'll definitely piss on them in my mac complainer site... er, it.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 4:51PM]

No matter how much I want to hate it, it's still very impressive. I'm looking forward to the machines that the MBA will inspire.

[Draiiiiinage Posted Jan 25th 2008 4:59PM]

Exaclty! This MBA, IMHO, is near useless for an enterprise, jet-set employee. It is primarily going to be purchased by people with too much time / money to do a little independant thinking (read: Starbucks junkies, college students with allowances from the parents, fashionistas, etc.).

What I AM looking forward to though is the next generation where Apple says "Oh, well, you know we learned from our mistakes and we've changed this and that to make it more functional blah blah" and having the usability of the MBP in the MBA (or very near the MBA) form factor.

Not to mention, as with the "Phone that must not be named" this will spur all sorts of innovation from companies that I WOULD buy from, and for probably a much better price point. Now that is encouraging.

So for all my dislike of SJ, I do like that all those R&D manhours and dollars will eventually produce a competetive product from a company I support, which I can then purchase without supporting a company I loathe.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:10PM]

Nathan, so you won't buy Apple products, but you're excited to buy products from companies that sit around, let Apple come up with all the ideas, do all the hard work, come out with all the innovations, and then just rip them off and charge less? Um, to put it mildly, that disgusts me. Clearly you don't work in an industy where ideas matter.

[Draiiiiinage Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:21PM]

It really disgusts you that I would rather wait for a product that fits my needs more appropriately with a better price point? It really disgusts you that I prefer not to buy an overpriced Generation 1 product from a company that I don't like which is headed up by a man that personally offends me through his treatment of people and rival companies? My desire for competition and emulation / improvement upon what is arguably a semi-revolutionary product disgusts you?

Really? This is what disgusts you?

God, I fear for our world.

[krkeegan Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:31PM]

No I agree with Nathan. Apple has created an advertising model based around a snooty "greater than thou" attitude. I think this pushes a lot of people away from their products.

Additionally, Apple products always seem to favor form over substance. Which the MBA clearly demonstrates.

I am with Nathan I can't wait to purchase the laptops that this inspires.

As for stealing Apple's idea??? I think that is BS. The laptop I would buy would be the complete thought that the MBA inspired. I can't wait for someone else to pick up the ball and finish the idea that Apple half-assed with the MBA.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:43PM]

Apple isn't inspiring with the Air. They outright said they took their own inspiration from Sony, so if other companies "copy" apple copying Sony, what does that mean for Apple "innovation?"

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:45PM]

Yes nathan, it really disgusts me. Ideas matter. And "emulation" is a nice word for plagerism. If you retype Moby Dick in a new font, and charge half as much for it, you're a theif, not an author.

[Draiiiiinage Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:52PM]

you're so right! All the other manufacturers are just going to take this MBA, cover the Apple logo with theirs and sell it as it!

Or, the more plausible (and capitalistic approach) would be to look at what people like, and dislike about this products, make something that approaches its form factor but adds the features people demand and sell it at a competetive (read: lower) price.

That doesn't sound like stealing to me, it sounds like making it better.

Are you really that upset that I don't want to buy this product, that you would consider me a theif for buying something similar? Do you consider yourself a theif when you buy a pair of jeans that aren't made by Levi Strauss? Just because you created or engineered a product doesn't mean it can't be improved upon.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:53PM]

Well, apple basically isn't the first one to do a "thin" laptop.

Tosh did it years ago, and it went by unnoticed...
The R200 is marginally thicker than MBA, but a bit lighter as well.

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/toshiba-portege-r200/4507-3121_7-31341787.html?tag=specs

It had a price even higher than MBA, but at least it had normal connectivity for those times :)
Also before you flame at this product, keep in mind that it is 3 years old design wise, so it's hardware is of course completely obsolete. However I think the MBA will spark a wave of thin laptops, but given what is already offered in the ultraportables market, I think the MBA will be more or less a flop.
v2 could be better though.
Let's wait and see.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:43PM]

No Nathan, covering the Apple logo and selling it as is would be too obvious. They'll "Zunize" it. Make the buttons slightly differnet shapes. Offer it in different colors. Add "features" that are actually a step backwards. Maybe some free engraving. Because that way they're being creative. Also, I didn't say Apple is the only company that can innovate. Any company can. And I love it when they do. I'm just bothered by your zeel when it comes to wating for the knockoffs. Yes, the MBA will likely inspire just like the iPhone, but to hate the one who started the ball rolling, well, again, that disgusts me.

[Draiiiiinage Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:52PM]

Gasp! You mean they will make an entirely different product with a similar function!? For SHAME!

You can thank a lot of other companies for devices like the iPod btw, which Apple "emulated" (or do you still consider that stealing?). Zune didn't steal anything from the iPod, they made an entirely different product, with different software. Just becuase they do the same thing doesn't make one stolen, Toyota didn't steal the idea of a car from GM, they just made a better one.

You know what Apple did with the DAP? They made it better, with innovative additions and changes, just like what other companies are going to do with this product. Apple didn't invent the DAP but they sure as hell didn't steal it either.

And my "zeal" for waiting for a knockoff? How about I don't want a shitty over priced product that doesn't fit my needs? That makes no sense! Well, at least not to a logical person. I can't speak for fanboys.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:59PM]

Yep, the Zune was a revolution. Everybody get on the bus!

[SynthOno Posted Jan 25th 2008 7:04PM]

Why wouldn't you hate the inspiration though? It's pretty, but also very expensive, mostly useless, and full of glaring design flaws that shouldn't have made it into production (the most major one being the ports in a place where it's hard to get things to fit). That's a good reason to hate the machine. But, if someone else makes a pretty and thin machine that's both cheaper and better designed (not hard), I could appreciate the Air's contribution. That doesn't make it any less crap though.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 7:08PM]

If anyone is doing the copying its apple copying sony.

the MBA is essentially a sony x505 remade by apple with modern day specs, whiel they also sacraficed a lot while the x505 did not.

the macbook keyboard design is copied from the x505 for starters.
and at least the x505, had a removable battery, PCMICA slot, TWO usb ports, dedicated ports for a bundles optical drive, VGA and ethernet, so u don't have to go and take up the already precious usb ports.
on the x505 u can have ur optical drive plugged in, ethernet AND an external montior all plugged in and still have your two usb ports.

with the MBA? well the optical drive can only be used in that special high current usb port, and u need the usb for the ethernet dongle, oh and what u only have one? that just sucks then doesn't it?

and as for the all in one integrated motherboard, the x505's one is 3"x3" which is a heck of a lot smaller than the MBA.

also steve claims to have "innovated" remote disc, errrr no he didn't, its called sharing a drive over the network.
and at least in windows u can watch dvd's and u don;t have to ask for permission every time u want to access the disk.

I have to agree with nathan, especially since in the case of the MBA apple did not do much innovating and more coping.

[statelypenguin Posted Jan 25th 2008 9:16PM]

squirgle you're a jackass. the mba isn't doing anything specifically innovative except look 'apple cool' thus desirable. the iphone didn't really have any features that weren't already being used on other devices. the ipod didn't have anything particularly new about, except the scroll wheel. mp3 players were out there. it's the packaging.

saying that apple deserves all the praise because everything was their idea is just a hair biased. shouldn't i be pissed off at you because i bought a Diamond Rio mp3 player in the late 90s, then apple comes around and copies, nay, steals the mp3 idea? Same thing. Apple just vastly improved the device. Much like Nathan was saying he can't wait for other companies to do in response to the MBA.

Now go back to congratulating yourself for being cooler than everyone else.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 7:46PM]

And squirgle loses with a sad sad attempt at a rebuttal.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 7:50PM]

Squirgle- You realize that intel did a lot of the innovation in this notebook, right? Intel fit a core 2 chip into a much smaller area, which allows for a lower physical profile as well as a lower thermal profile, both of which are big contributors to the fact that apple can make such a thin notebook. I think apple disgusts me for not innovating and then taking all the credit.

[r303blue Posted Jan 25th 2008 11:28PM]

@JD

I have to call BS on the Intel thing, Apple challenged Intel to make a smaller chip, Intel delivered. SJ had them on stage and clearly did not take the credit for the innovation, but in the end it was Apple pushing Intel. And that's the point really of all the 'innovation' speak going on. Most companies take the parts that are out there and try to make the smallest version they can with them, Apple took that one step further and worked with the companies to create smaller chips, etc.

Don't you think Toshiba pursued larger capacity 1.8" HDs BECAUSE of the iPod? Sure other Mp3 players use them, but Apple was their bread and butter (like MS is the gaming industries'). If you don't applaud Apple for anything else, at least applaud them for pushing technologies from other companies further. After all, it was the iMac that phased out the floppy, and pushed the USB (an MS product) to ubiquity.

However, this doesn't make me want to buy an MBA, I look forward to the future iterations of the product as well as the MB/Pro. I agree that they dropped the ball on many areas mentioned (the ports! Yikes!) and the price is atrocious. I look at it as I did the Apple G4 Cube, but then again the Cube turned into the Mac Mini, and probably had a lot to do with the flat-screen G4 iMac, G5 iMac, etc. etc.

I also look forward to competition's refinements, the iPod brought better design and usability which forced many companies to think hard about their own design and interfaces from PMPs to phones. Same with form factor, which is a big one with anything portable.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 26th 2008 1:35AM]

Yeah, the x505 really sounds like a winner. From CNet: Very expensive; terrible speakers; no built-in optical drive or modem; skimpy battery life.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 26th 2008 3:45AM]

@ michael
was that a description of the x505 (almost 4 years old) or the MBA?

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 26th 2008 7:38AM]

@ michael and jon
i think he must have been describing the MBA, but he forgot to also mention about the serious lack of ports.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 28th 2008 7:37AM]

@squirgle - actually, you wouldn't be a thief. Moby Dick is in the public domain, so it would be completely within your legal rights to reprint it in a different font (or even the same font).

Sloppy analogy pwned. :-P

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 26th 2008 5:44PM]

Note to self: Unclick "E-mail me when someone replies to this comment" when posting in an apple topic.

My mailbox is flooded..

[MasterCKO Posted Jan 27th 2008 12:12AM]

wow, I don't usually get into these comment complaint fights, but reading Nathan pwn squirgle so completely (in this thread) was probably the best thing of my day. 8^D

[quotaPop Posted Jan 25th 2008 4:51PM]

Beautiful, but for the most part utterly useless.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 25th 2008 5:49PM]

I agree, but I don't agree that it's an ultra portable Foot print is a bit too big. An ultra portable to me is a laptop which is so small that you can carry it without anywhere without anyone noticing. I have a small city bag which can easily swallow an 11 or 12 inch laptop, but a 13 inch wide screen? No way, simply a bit too big.

An ultra portable is something which should even fit into jackets with big pockets, Australian cargo pants. I'm surprised that Engadget failed to even mention this , all Ryan kept talking about is thinness like it's the only thing which matters when it comes to ultra portables.

[kojo87 Posted Jan 25th 2008 10:40PM]

yeah if im gonna drop upwards of $1500 i better get a proc thats over 2.0GHZ dualcore at the ablosute minimum, 2GB RAM and i good graphics card. if you want a ultaportable lappy thats underpowered and lacking a DVD/CD driv, get a Asus Eee PC. hell you could get four of them for the price of one of these! im getting a 4GB version and stuffing a 16GB SDHC card and another Gig of RAM in it. run me about $500 total.

[jalapeno Posted Jan 25th 2008 4:52PM]

Nice review!

[Derbeste Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:06PM]

I have to chime in here and agree.

Very nicely done on the review. I hate to bring up old wounds so I'll do it very briefly and say that after the infamous Zune review.....this communicates everything I think we need to see - Conclusions, evidence of those conclusions, and enough pros and cons to support the idea of unbiasness.

Kudos, Ryan. Kudos.

[mobilehavoc Posted Jan 25th 2008 4:57PM]

Wow, that's a lot of words to essentially come to the same conclusion most people came to within 5 minutes.

[Derbeste Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:11PM]

That's quite alright considering it only took me 5 minutes to read it.

And never having USED an Air, I have to say it revealed quite a bit I didn't know (like the ackwardly angled ports).

Besides....any conclusions he typed to us would have been rejected immediately had he not been VERY specific as to how and why he came to those conclusions.

Don't believe me? Go back and see what happened on his Zune review.

Ryan did what he had to do - especially for non-techheads who just saw there was a mac review.

I think the review was VERY well done.

[MasterCKO Posted Jan 27th 2008 12:20AM]

I'm gonna agree with Derbeste. The Zune review left a very sour taste in my mouth, this goes a long way towards washing it out. 8^)

[andaraes Posted Jan 25th 2008 4:57PM]

yeah, i'm gonna hold out until they update the macbooks with multi-touch gestures, backlit keypads, and thinner designs...
there is no way i'm buying a lap top as crippled as the macbook air (even if it is really thin and i'm really impressed).

[foobar Posted Jan 25th 2008 6:06PM]

They do havethe most useful multi touch gestures already (two finger scrolling etc) and the MBP's have a backlit keyboard, not that its the most important factor when buying a laptop.