There are a lot of reasons to pick another laptop over the
MacBook Air -- especially if you're into little things like "useful ports" -- but the comparison to non-Apple hardware isn't even relevant unless you're willing to switch to OS X, right? Well, the crew over at Xbit Labs decided to even the slate and evaluate the MBA solely as a Windows machine, wiping the drive clean of Leopard and installing Vista Ultimate. Although actually getting Vista on the Air was a bit troublesome due to the lack of a built-in optical drive and the Vista installer's refusal to wipe out the OS X partition, once installed the OS performed fine, with Apple-provided drivers activating the media and brightness keys and even the multi-touch trackpad. The only major issues were over-aggressive activation of CPU power-management, which resulted in dramatic slowdowns during some tasks, and the fact that the case got fairly warm during use -- both issues MBA owners using OS X have reported. Overall, while the MBA was a solid if unspectacular Windows machine, the lack of support and nagging issues with running a pure Windows MBA mean you're probably better off going with laptop designed for Vista -- hmm, we can think of one that might
spark your interest.
posted Mar 20th 2008 9:33PM
I would never put Windows on my mac.....but thats just me :)
same here dude, i have a few machines, none of them runs windows
the only windows runner is my umpc
I got VMWare Fusion and XP, thinking I might need it for compatibility at some point.
I was wrong.
And I would never put Mac on anything.
I have only one reason to run virtualization of windows xp on my mac: Visio.
It's too bad they haven't come out with a true mac version (get cracking Microsoft Mac BU!).
I've tried a few mac alternatives, but none have provided 100% interoperability with Visio that i need.
Solve my visio problem and i'd have no real need to windows xp apart from the occasional visit to some dinosaur of a web app/page that refuses to work in anything but IE.
I'd never put Windows or Mac on any of my computers. Those operating systems are for mere mortals. Zenwalk is how I roll.
DOS for life!
Man, I was almost blown out of my seat!
It would seem that we have a consensus of the engadget commenting system....that the people who support macs are rated low and the PC's are loved!
In every one of the comments I've read up until this point, it would seem that the PC users were being attacked by the mac "fanbois."
Interesting...
I just had an idea! Why don't we talk about the advantages of Intel architecture over AMD!
Or maybe cutting sandwiches in diagonal slices over long-ways!
Seriously, people! There is no reason for the hate!
Just chill. None of this is personal. Every time someone says "Hey, look at that operating system" or "That's a shiny computer," you don't need to always respond with "MY COMPUTER IS SHINIER, BACK OFF!"
This is why the world is in such a bad shape as it is. Talk out your differences. It's like the religious wars all over again. My God is better than yours! Replace God with OS, and this is pretty much the extent! Listen to yourselves!
Mac book air blends... but only with a Blendtec blender
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uZr3JWYdy8
"don't breath this"
@clak: Sigh, you can't give up, can you?
Tiny little Mac jokes are just small potatoes compared to insults and rants coming from Mac users.
Jealousy? Please. Pulling out the jealousy card is absolutely ridiculous. If I wanted to, I could just buy a Mac if I wanted to. Though I find it hard to justify because it's just so closed. OS X comes by default on all Macs, only Apple can make Macs, and all that. I also don't find a reason to use OS X, since you can practically do anything already on Windows. So OS X is more like an unneeded extra bundled to me.
And if you've looked at many posts and comments before, it's usually the Apple fanboy that's trying to be the antagonizer. People respond, people say nasty things, etc. Take for instance the beginning of this post : "I would never put Windows on my mac"
Was that absolutely necessary? Nope. Just a way to antagonize people for no reason. So stop with your ranting already.
Why will anyone want to run vista on anything????? People stop it with the dumb reviews, the MBA lacks all these ports because it was design for OS X plain and simple. Something is in the air rings a bell??? this product for the Mac user that do almost everything wirelessly already, if your not ready for that a MBP is a better choice for you. ANYONE WITH BRAIN WILL TELL YOU THAT THE MBA WAS SPECIFICALLY OS X USERS CAUSE THEY DO ALMOST EVERYTHING WIRELESSLY, IF YOU CAN INTERGRATE WITH IF WIRELESSLY IT'S NOT FOR YOU CASE CLOSE
I'll never reinstalling OSX on any PC either. the last time i installed OSX on my HP laptop, it sucked the battery life out of it.
to those with OSX saying vista sucks batteries, well same goes to OSX in wintel laptops, it also sucks batteries.
just use the OS the hardware is designed for. vista/xp was never meant for mac systems. if it was, you wouldnt have ACPI problems, driver problems and a need for bootcamp.
I would never put Windows on my perfectly good Linux Machine
Nilay?!?! IS ONE MASSIVE FLAME WAR NOT ENOUGH FOR ONE DAY?!?!1/1/
NAY! EVERYTIME YOU ACTIVATE CAPSLOCK, TEAM ENGADGET GETS A NEW PUPPY. WHAT BETTER WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO USE CAPSLOCK THAN WITH FLAME WARS?
Puppies you say? Awww :D
I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?
I am particularly astounded at how obsessed Windows people are about the MacBook Air. To me, a Mac user, it's just another MacBook. I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other, but I like the fact that Mac users have an ultraportable alternative. It's not like the MBA is going to replace the MacBook or MacBook Pro.
I also think a lot of Windows fanboys think if they trash the MBA enough on forums, that somehow people won't buy it, but the sales data for this quarter doesn't bear that out. This illustrates the primary difference between what geeks like and what the public likes.
Non-geeks look at the MBA and say, cool, this thing won't kill my arm on the way to the subway. Geeks look at this thing and say, no user replaceable battery, no optical drive, no way!
But this is the number 1 reason why Geeks never predict products that will sell: Geeks want features, while regular people want it to work. When geek goes shopping, he will ask, "Does it have GPS, 3G, Divx support, Slingbox, Ratchet and Clank, 3 processors, toast?" A non-geek will ask, "Can I use this thing without wanting to kill myself?" A geek wants everything and two things more. Non-geeks want one thing, maybe two.
If a non-geek is shopping for a MP3 player, they will want it to play music. Crazy right? How could they be so stupid? A geek will want a radio, lyrics, Wifi, games, a calendar, a clock, and an interface with 18 sub menus. Geeks will insist on the 18 submenus! And you know why? They love a challenge. It actually makes them happy when they can actually get their gadget to work. It makes them better than those normal people who just want to "listen to music."
This is why Apple continues to win. They understand the psyche of ordinary people.
Strong, accurate assesment, clack. Especially this part:
"clak
@ Mar 20th 2008 9:58PM
I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?"
Fanboyism sucks, no matter what you're a fanboy for.
"Fanboyism sucks, no matter what you're a fanboy for."
False. True Apple fanboys use OSX86 because they like the OS, but want it at a lower price. Only shallow, half-hearted fanboys suck. Those willing to go that extra mile, you have my utmost respect.
Hung, fans tout the advantages of their favorite things. Fanboys just spout hatred. You won't get any respect from me for that. There are different types of machines for different types of people. It's so you can have choices, not so you can act more-superior-than-thou.
"I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?"
What you see from the Windows "fanboys" is similar to a spring that has been compressed to the point where it starts to spring outward.
People who use Windows never thought once about being a fanatic for Microsoft, at least not in the way Apple fans are for that company. But after the constant attacks, ridicule, mocking and more from Apple corporate down to the wingnut zealot, the Windows "fans" have started a push back effort of sorts, and have taken their understood rage wherever they have the chance to express it. Apple fans may be taken aback by it all, but you have only yourself to blame for it.
You have in part created this "pro-PC" movement. They dont hate Apple so much as they hate the sometimes repugnant culture that has developed from it.
@fred
Everything you just said is complete crap. Mac users have been universally ridiculed for AT LEAST fifteen years. I know because I used to be a Windows user. Now that Apple has become somewhat successful and Windows has become such an absolute joke, the Windows fanboys feel an extreme amount of jealousy and are desperate for Microsoft to get their act together and as a result, their ridicule has morphed into absolute hate. So please don't try to tell me that it's just a reaction to Apple users. That's absolutely absurd.
But more to the point, you're trying to paint Windows users as victims? What happened to "We have ninety percent of the market. Ha ha!" You mean to tell me that this small group of Apple users are picking on the big, bad, dominating Windows people? Yeah, right.
5 years ago I was a Windows fanboy and thought Apple Macs were cutesy little 'fisher price' computers for those who wanted to look cool but not really doing anything or useful - I like many others hated them and poured scorn on their users.
Now I wouldn't look back, having switched to them - the ones I use all work well and first time, every time.
I sympathize with those who still use Windows machines and who, like I once had , have an irrational hatred for Macs; it is entirely that and to that end reason will not fix it.
@ Clak
You hit the nail on the head there.
I am still currently a Windows user... but, to be honest, I'm bored. I've never really thought much into the faults of my OS (Vista), but after so many little niggles, I'm sort of attracted to Macs.
I've used them in the past, and it's been a really smooth experience... and as you said, Windows has slowly flaked away into visuals to keep up with the 'pretty' OS X (crippling what should be a speedy performance), and has lost it's integrity, amongst other problems.
I'm getting a MacBook Air for 6th form, nice and light, and the only ports and just the right performance I need, and I'm really looking forward to getting it!
Thing is... I WANT Windows to become more than it is now, I really do... but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
Fingers crossed.
@mymaclife
Exactly, it's ignorant morons like yourself. I'm making assumptions here, but I bet they fit. You say that you used to think Macs were "cutsey fisher price" toys.. ? I can only assume that is because ultra geeks / engineer types like yourself have no appreciation for aesthetics or good design. Have you ever seen websites, software, and consumer electronics designed by nerdy engineers? They all look like total crap and are unbearably difficult to use. It's really a strange phenomenon.. It obviously doesn't apply to everyone, but as a stereotype, it definitely is true more than not. Just look at any computer nerd or anyone who likes amateur mathematics.. they literally have no sense of color balance, symmetry, etc. Just look how they dress. Go to best buy and talk to a sales person... and ask them for the "associate" that is most knowledgeable about computer hardware. Now look at that person... enough said.
The other part that I despise about MS fanboy idiots is how they attempt to cast Mac computers as somehow inferior "toys" that "just look pretty"... When in fact, models like the Macbook Pro, Xserve, and Mac Pro workstation are incredible machines that blow the doors off their PC counterparts. The Mac Pro, with a 4-year old case design, is still one of the most powerful, well spec'd, well designed, and well thought out mid-level workstations I have seen. Macbook Pro is a great machine as well. This is coming from someone who has had every version of Windows since 3.11 and have owned PC's for 15+ years.
"There's are a lot of reasons to pick another laptop over the MacBook Air -- especially if you're into little things like "useful ports""
What? A cut against an Apple product? Here?
The number of times I see Engadget trumpeted (or denigrated) as a Pro-Apple site and then nearly simultaneously blasted (or heralded) as an anti-Apple site could make me blend a Doom playing Asus EEE PC :[
THIS IS MADNESS!
@wootman
THIS IS SPARTA, i mean, engadget
This is engadget?Man,THIS IS CAKETOWN!!!!!
thats a disturbing picture ever!
that's a disturbing sentence ever!
so is that one...
Sarcasm...
How about a real OS... linux?!?!!
Reading some of the posts, I'm inspired. I think we need to have a new fanboy war, so I'm thinking Fedora v. Ubuntu fanboism. I used Fedora, a real OS, not Ubuntu, which is made for novices and Walmart junkies. To take it to even another level, I'm going to refer to myself from now on not as a Fanboy, but a Fenboy, out of respect to Fedora (get it? Fe-dora, Fe-nboy?) Take that, mofos!
Google trends says Ubuntu is beyond being another 'linux distro', and ready to pick a fight with leopard.
Hardy is in beta now. I'm using it as I type this. Whatever OS I'll be using, it'll be on /this/ hardware. Ubuntu will either force apple to ease up on their control freak ways or it'll crush them.
I've got four converts from windows already this year. Clock's tickin' (and it's 2 degrees in Anchorage alaska right now, overcast, with calm winds. 10:39 PM here, 6:39 AM in london)
This is the kinda review i've been waiting for a review of the same os on different hardware, now someone review a mac vs a hackintosh with osx
Here is the one I remember reading:
http://lifehacker.com/software/benchmarks/hackintosh-vs-mac-pro-vs-macbook-pro-benchmarks-322866.php
As you can tell, the price difference is substantial while the performance difference is almost nil(ay patel; get it!?! get it?!?!/1 har har)
Why?
Pssh vista on a mac, I'd pay someone 100 bucks to get leopard working 100 percent on my pc
I'll try to do it. I did it on my PC.
it doesn't crash though does it or have any problems
Nope, works perfectly fine. Here is what I'm running.
Core 2 Quad(OC to 3.4)
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R
ATI HD3870(Don't use a 3850)
SATA HDD and DVD Burner
That's basically all the parts that make a difference.
Why not just use Vista (or better yet, XP) with Boot Camp and then you don't have to argue with M$ over wiping out the partition? Seems a lot of work for nothing.
because thats already a small partition, who wants to 1/2 it.
LOOK AT ME! IM A PRETENTIOUS MAC USER WHO CAN'T SHUT UP ABOUT HOW MUCH I HATE MICRO$OFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hi pretentious mac owner. i am a genius at the mac store, i know everything. after work, i like to go home and play dungeons and dragons.
so what kind of art do you make? you're obviously an artist, i can tell by the moleskine in the pocket of your extra tight jeans.
hahaha Yelling an anti-Apple rant in the middle of an Engadget blog is like the urban version of 'cow tipping.' No animals are hurt, yet the look of shock is probably priceless.
sinai, the irony of this, of course, is that you look like the stereotype of a slightly gay, pretentious Mac user. Really love those cool blonde highlights in your hair. Are you doing anything tomorrow?
Well his hair isn't necessarily gay. Don't go around calling people gay, that's just not... right.
it's called "flash" photography, it makes things brighter. you must not have heard about it (or refuse to acknowledge it) because it's not made by apple.
@Abuzar
Oh, I see, it's okay for sinai to imply that Mac users are gay with words like "pretentious" and phrases like "extra tight jeans," but when I just come out and say what's on his mind, that wrong. Makes perfect sense. /sarcasm.
How about this instead: sinai, the irony of this, of course, is that you look like the stereotype of a that marginalized minority group that Mac users are constantly compared to. Really love those cool blonde highlights in your hair. Are you doing anything tomorrow?
Happy now?
@sinai
"it's called "flash" photography, it makes things brighter. you must not have heard about it (or refuse to acknowledge it) because it's not made by apple."
You sure it wasn't "flash dance" photography? No? Okay, we'll just have to take your word for that.
right, im only talking about the minority of mac users. turns out the majority of mac users are 55+
anyway, clak, you're a touch of class in this thread, i salute you.
Jeez clak, I was just joking. If you want to call people gay go ahead.
Ok this is off topic, but I remember reading something about a guy suing another person just because he called him gay. Man people will sue for anything these days wont they?
@sinai
"anyway, clak, you're a touch of class in this thread, i salute you"
Oh, yeah, totally. I'm saluting you too, pretty boy. Unfortunately, it's because of your hair style. I WOULD salute you with one of my middle fingers, but it's a little busy right now, you know, due to the influence of your hair style ; )
Oh. Dear. Lord.
It's always funny when sinai posts something like this right after somebody else was trying to defend Windows users as being victims of Apple fanboy aggression. So all this flame war stuff is only caused by Mac fanboys, huh? Really? Haha. Clearly sinai is a victim and not a giant ass.
I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?
I am particularly astounded at how obsessed Windows people are about the MacBook Air. To me, a Mac user, it's just another MacBook. I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other, but I like the fact that Mac users have an ultraportable alternative. It's not like the MBA is going to replace the MacBook or MacBook Pro.
I also think a lot of Windows fanboys think if they trash the MBA enough on forums, that somehow people won't buy it, but the sales data for this quarter doesn't bear that out. This illustrates the primary difference between what geeks like and what the public likes.
Non-geeks look at the MBA and say, cool, this thing won't kill my arm on the way to the subway. Geeks look at this thing and say, no user replaceable battery, no optical drive, no way!
But this is the number 1 reason why Geeks never predict products that will sell: Geeks want features, while regular people want it to work. When geek goes shopping, he will ask, "Does it have GPS, 3G, Divx support, Slingbox, Ratchet and Clank, 3 processors, toast?" A non-geek will ask, "Can I use this thing without wanting to kill myself?" A geek wants everything and two things more. Non-geeks want one thing, maybe two.
If a non-geek is shopping for a MP3 player, they will want it to play music. Crazy right? How could they be so stupid? A geek will want a radio, lyrics, Wifi, games, a calendar, a clock, and an interface with 18 sub menus. Geeks will insist on the 18 submenus! And you know why? They love a challenge. It actually makes them happy when they can actually get their gadget to work. It makes them better than those normal people who just want to "listen to music."
This is why Apple continues to win. They understand the psyche of ordinary people.
For someone who loves to point out how obsessed a certain group of computer users are about a particular company, you certainly seem obsessed about similar things as well!
But no, keep obsessively and mindlessly ranting. It's (sort of) entertaining.
More amusing things to point out:
"If a non-geek is shopping for a MP3 player, they will want it to play music. Crazy right? How could they be so stupid? A geek will want a radio, lyrics, Wifi, games, a calendar, a clock, and an interface with 18 sub menus. Geeks will insist on the 18 submenus! And you know why? They love a challenge. It actually makes them happy when they can actually get their gadget to work. It makes them better than those normal people who just want to "listen to music.""
Hey that sounds like the iPod Touch and iPhone :D
And then you go on and ON about this mythical demographic of supposedly regular people who don't know very much about computers yet can afford to spend thousands of dollars on impulse purchases fueled by nothing more than ignorance and marketing.
Please explain to me how this shadowy nexus population makes up the majority of consumer market share.
I am definitely fascinated by Windows fanboyism. I was a Windows user for ten years and I don't quite understand how someone could be obsessed with Microsoft. They're such a mediocre company. The only reason why they have the dominant marketshare is due to the exclusive arrangements that they made with PC makers. The public never chose Microsoft. The PC makers chose for them. I could see being obsessed with certain things on Windows, like games, but I don't quite understand people that go out and buy a Xbox 360 AND a Zune just because it's made by Microsoft.
How can people do that when Microsoft has such a horrible track record?
or maybe they buy those things because they're good? Egad!
sinai, the irony of this, of course, is that you look like the stereotype of a slightly gay, pretentious Mac user. Really love those cool blonde highlights in your hair. Are you doing anything tomorrow?
@clak
I don't know how I just instantly felt that the only non-flimsy American console on the market when the Xbox came out would be the good one to get, and guess what, it happened to be made by Microsoft. The Xbox was my first console and my only consoles have been Xboxes, and I have never had trouble with my Microsoft products, no BSoD's or RRoD's, they have all worked flawlessly.
@clak @ Mar 20th 2008 10:50PM:
"...I don't quite understand how someone could be obsessed with Microsoft."
That's because there is no such thing as a Microsoft Fanboy. In fact, there has never been a flame war between Apple Fanboys vs Microsoft Fanboys -- it's always been 'Apple Fanboys' vs 'Rational Consumers'. So you can drop your fascination. There is no person who has bought a 360 and a Zune just because it was made by Microsoft. Only Apple Fanboys think like that i.e. they have more money than brains. I've even met Apple Fanboys who did not believe the X-box was made by Microsoft because it was so good. Go figure.
The vast majority of people who choose to continue to run Windows do so because Windows machines have not personally experienced a BSOD since early releases of Windows 2000. That's way before Apple hardware ever became 'cool'. Since the original iMac, when Apple started releasing products more appealing to the mainstream, I think every Windows has considered switching. Rational consumers do that. But for many, the price premium just wasn't worth it. Contrary to the dogma on this site, Windows does just work. And it has always been easy to buy PC's with kick-ass specs for several hundred dollars cheaper than the least expensive Mac. That's why market shares are basically the same despite all the fancy marketing.
Also, remember that the successful rise and dominance of Apple iPods is mostly thanks to Windows users, because early generation iPods were infinitely better than the competition at the time and the price premiums for them were not as significant. If there was such a thing as MS Fanboys, this would not have happened. Again, it was rational purchasing decisions made by rational consumers. Thankfully, the competition is more fierce now and there are some outstanding alternatives. For some of these people, the Zune fits their needs more. Personally, I think the Sansa players deliver the best quality and value, by far.
It's really not that complicated. Get a grip.
My fan on my MBA won't kick out of high gear when running Vista. Anyone else have this problem, or know how to stop it? The battery life isn't bad when compared to OS X, just the fan problem and not having the touchpad click work. 2 finger scroll works but not the touchpad click?
I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?
I am particularly astounded at how obsessed Windows people are about the MacBook Air. To me, a Mac user, it's just another MacBook. I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other, but I like the fact that Mac users have an ultraportable alternative. It's not like the MBA is going to replace the MacBook or MacBook Pro.
I also think a lot of Windows fanboys think if they trash the MBA enough on forums, that somehow people won't buy it, but the sales data for this quarter doesn't bear that out. This illustrates the primary difference between what geeks like and what the public likes.
Non-geeks look at the MBA and say, cool, this thing won't kill my arm on the way to the subway. Geeks look at this thing and say, no user replaceable battery, no optical drive, no way!
But this is the number 1 reason why Geeks never predict products that will sell: Geeks want features, while regular people want it to work. When geek goes shopping, he will ask, "Does it have GPS, 3G, Divx support, Slingbox, Ratchet and Clank, 3 processors, toast?" A non-geek will ask, "Can I use this thing without wanting to kill myself?" A geek wants everything and two things more. Non-geeks want one thing, maybe two.
If a non-geek is shopping for a MP3 player, they will want it to play music. Crazy right? How could they be so stupid? A geek will want a radio, lyrics, Wifi, games, a calendar, a clock, and an interface with 18 sub menus. Geeks will insist on the 18 submenus! And you know why? They love a challenge. It actually makes them happy when they can actually get their gadget to work. It makes them better than those normal people who just want to "listen to music."
This is why Apple continues to win. They understand the psyche of ordinary people.
Amen, brother. See my comment on the first page.
But can it play Crysis?
reading this from my mba running vista 64bit :)
the worst issues for me so far is the lack of an insert key, and definite overheating problems that SUCK...
Yeah, I really dislike the MacBook air, I just dont like it! Its not for me cause I would prolly break it in like a second :P
But why should I get a MBA when I could just get a Vaio TZ as a Windows machine? Windows is already installed on the TZ, and the TZ has a ton of other neat compact features, so why should I pick as a Windows machine over this?
I enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?
I am particularly astounded at how obsessed Windows people are about the MacBook Air. To me, a Mac user, it's just another MacBook. I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other, but I like the fact that Mac users have an ultraportable alternative. It's not like the MBA is going to replace the MacBook or MacBook Pro.
I also think a lot of Windows fanboys think if they trash the MBA enough on forums, that somehow people won't buy it, but the sales data for this quarter doesn't bear that out. This illustrates the primary difference between what geeks like and what the public likes.
Non-geeks look at the MBA and say, cool, this thing won't kill my arm on the way to the subway. Geeks look at this thing and say, no user replaceable battery, no optical drive, no way!
But this is the number 1 reason why Geeks never predict products that will sell: Geeks want features, while regular people want it to work. When geek goes shopping, he will ask, "Does it have GPS, 3G, Divx support, Slingbox, Ratchet and Clank, 3 processors, toast?" A non-geek will ask, "Can I use this thing without wanting to kill myself?" A geek wants everything and two things more. Non-geeks want one thing, maybe two.
If a non-geek is shopping for a MP3 player, they will want it to play music. Crazy right? How could they be so stupid? A geek will want a radio, lyrics, Wifi, games, a calendar, a clock, and an interface with 18 sub menus. Geeks will insist on the 18 submenus! And you know why? They love a challenge. It actually makes them happy when they can actually get their gadget to work. It makes them better than those normal people who just want to "listen to music."
This is why Apple continues to win. They understand the psyche of ordinary people.
Yeah but who cares about ordinary people? They just to damn... ordinary.
Now I look like an idiot. I meant "too", instead of "to".
Well said Marty..you get my vote for the best comment on this thread!
Guys, if you love Windoze buy a Windoze Machine..live with the viruses, live with ur OS when one program hanging slows down all other programs, live with the crap that is Windoze Vista/XP. Live with the fact that Microsoft will release the next OS in another 5 years(?) and it'll only look different without getting better.
I think the reason the MBA should sell is because finally people really want a computer to get their work done without calling for IT help all the time.
It's Windows, not Windoze. I can see why you would get viruses on Windows. Retards usually don't install anti-virus software, now do they?
@Abuzar
That spelling of Windows was pun intended.
Why? It doesn't make you cool if you write Windoze, M$, Winsucks, etc. Make a valid point without immature behavior and someone might end up listening to you.
Yah the result of a really really really shitty pun....how old are you? 9?
They should have gone with WindowsXP instead of Vista. It would have been a lot easier on the hardware. I like WinXP and BootCamp on my MacBook Pro 2.33. Runs just great.
Bring out the fan boys! Both Mac and Vista!
*Puts on flame suit*
Engadget, Please ban: clak, Dyranios, Marty, mac_twat.
What is it with these pieces of shit posting the exact same thing? This is the exact reason i hate the Apple community. Because of assholes like these.
As one of these "pieces of shit posting the exact same thing" I just want to assure you I did it strictly for the lulz.
ROFL. I have no idea why people are reposting my words, but it's funny. Perhaps all these people see thoughts in my words that they've been dying to say, but couldn't come up with the right way to say it. The Apple abuse is pretty high on Engadget. All of use Mac users can't read articles about Apple without an army of Windows douchebags rushing in to trash Apple and accuse Endadget of bias.
Amen brother f*ck these fisher price, smoked glass using twats.
I didn't even read past the first sentence, I re-posted it because of its length not it's content, and I found it hilarious to do so. I also lol'd when I saw others had done the same thing. God Dammit someone please think of the lulz!
@clak : Well someone thinks high and mighty of himself.
Could it be that you just simply have multiple accounts on this site? Or that it proves the point of how Mac users continually post up such antagonizing comments?
"The Apple abuse is pretty high on Engadget"
Are you kidding? I've seen more MS/Windows bashing on here than most Apple bashing on this site. One thing is the many fluffy posts you see far too often for Apple stuff. Then when there's MS/Win posts, the post themselves don't come without sarcasm in some form, and then the Apple users start strolling in and shooting out hatred and antagonizing words to get some flaming on.
It's only lately that there's been the Engadget-is-Apple-biased jokes streaming in the Apple posts. Why? Because it's pretty true.
Heck, Weblogs Inc. (who owns Engadgets and many of the other blogs down below) has TUAW as an all Apple blog. Well where's the MS blog?
DownloadSquad has a feature article set called "Flipping the Linux Switch" trying to drive people away from Windows. Not from OS X. Any there's only few articles at all about MS there.
So what people are saying is just plain true. Accept the truth.
What about assholes like you, Ruben? Any reason you shouldn't be banned too? I mean honestly, what did you bring to the conversation that was worth a damn? Well besides all the hate, I mean.
enjoyed the let's-hate-on-the-MacBook-Air-circle-jerk earlier today. It illustrates how instantly drawn the Windows fanboys are to Apple topics, despite the fact that they constantly complain about Engadget covering Apple. I don't think half of them would even come to this site if Engadget didn't cover Apple so thoroughly. How else would they unload their unparalleled hatred for Apple?
I am particularly astounded at how obsessed Windows people are about the MacBook Air. To me, a Mac user, it's just another MacBook. I don't have strong feelings about it one way or the other, but I like the fact that Mac users have an ultraportable alternative. It's not like the MBA is going to replace the MacBook or MacBook Pro.
I also think a lot of Windows fanboys think if they trash the MBA enough on forums, that somehow people won't buy it, but the sales data for this quarter doesn't bear that out. This illustrates the primary difference between what geeks like and what the public likes.
Non-geeks look at the MBA and say, cool, this thing won't kill my arm on the way to the subway. Geeks look at this thing and say, no user replaceable battery, no optical drive, no way!
But this is the number 1 reason why Geeks never predict products that will sell: Geeks want features, while regular people want it to work. When geek goes shopping, he will ask, "Does it have GPS, 3G, Divx support, Slingbox, Ratchet and Clank, 3 processors, toast?" A non-geek will ask, "Can I use this thing without wanting to kill myself?" A geek wants everything and two things more. Non-geeks want one thing, maybe two.
If a non-geek is shopping for a MP3 player, they will want it to play music. Crazy right? How could they be so stupid? A geek will want a radio, lyrics, Wifi, games, a calendar, a clock, and an interface with 18 sub menus. Geeks will insist on the 18 submenus! And you know why? They love a challenge. It actually makes them happy when they can actually get their gadget to work. It makes them better than those normal people who just want to "listen to music."
This is why Apple continues to win. They understand the psyche of ordinary people.
@Zak:
Why dont we take a look at your first post in this news article:
" It's always funny when sinai posts something like this right after somebody else was trying to defend Windows users as being victims of Apple fanboy aggression. So all this flame war stuff is only caused by Mac fanboys, huh? Really? Haha. Clearly sinai is a victim and not a giant ass."
And heres your second:
"What about assholes like you, Ruben? Any reason you shouldn't be banned too? I mean honestly, what did you bring to the conversation that was worth a damn? Well besides all the hate, I mean."
So what the hell did you bring to the conversation?
Before casting a stone at others, why dont you pick up that stone and slam yourself in the head with it a few times.
How many times is thing going to be posted? It's annoying enough as it is.
And what's with these geek and ordinary people comparisons? You're generalizing.
Ordinary people want things with lots of neat features. Does the iPod only play music? If that's the only reason why people buy it, besides the Apple logo, then why wouldn't they buy any other player?
You don't have to be a geek to like other extra features. A lot of games and programs still come on optical drives, and you can't just X them out as if they're nothing. I don't care about the geeky things like DivX, Slingbox, Ratchet, Clank, or what some of the other stuff is. I want other bonus features that make the device worthwhile.
So if you just want a device that simply did what it was intended to do, go back to the stone age of technology. Get a cassette player to play your music. Instead I'll use a Zune 80, iPod, or whatever that does nifty things.
i dont like mac cuz well no good games = no good fun
and yall best get your stereo types straight
mac is for "hip" kids who write crappy music and stuff
windows lindows linux and unix are for nerds gamers dorks and geeks all any self respecty person that i just described that likes mac is a dumba$$
and how many cool or "hip" Kids play D&D
and on the subject of macbook air im afraid that an overweight butterfly would snap it in half
Honestly? You are so many different kinds of stupid I don't even know where to start. Just get a lobotomy and that will probably take care of it.
Here's an interactive video to show details of the Macbook Air. http://asterpix.com/console/?avi=7798101
This makes me sick! This is like... like... like Skywalker turning to the dark side!!!
I don't understand why the computer can't perform with Vista. This just goes to show that Apple hardware is just stylistic and has little to no real functionality. I am not a windows fanboy whatever that is, but I do enjoy how easy it is for me to use my laptop with Windows XP and not have to worry about programs working on my OS. Apple's OS may be beautiful but it has no substantial advances for computer technology. People are so caught up with the Ipod and the macbook air and the iphone that no one really cares about functionality and competition. Example: The Ipod is not the best mp3 player out there but because it is the most popular people turn a blind eye and buy it regardless of what is really a "better" product!