Apple's refreshed MacBook Air now shipping to giddy buyers

You know those spec-bumped MacBook Airs that were announced around a fortnight ago alongside those shiny (literally) new MacBooks / MacBook Pros? Yeah, well they're shipping. Reports filled with intense levels of joviality are beginning to spring up on Mac message boards the intarwebz over, and within them are proclamations of tracking number receipts. Sure, a new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics system, a slightly speedier CPU and a mini DisplayPort are worth getting jazzed over, but try not to blow a cork while bottled up in that cube of yours, okay?

[eric mccormick @ Oct 29th 2008 11:00AM]

Does it have a removable battery?

[DudeManDude @ Oct 29th 2008 11:05AM]

do you have a removable brain?

why do so many people think they're funny with their pithy tongue-in-cheek sarcasm?
"duuh, ur duh does it have a removable battery duh?" hasn't anyone heard of beating a dead horse? You need new material, badly.

[ArcticFox @ Oct 29th 2008 11:05AM]

Did you ever stop to think that he might genuinely be asking if it has a removable batter, get a clue.

[Kamokazi @ Oct 29th 2008 11:06AM]

@Dude

I thought he was funny. You just sound like a bitter fanboy to me.

And now, to continue the trend:

"Does it still have one USB port?"

[Fatima @ Oct 29th 2008 11:08AM]

LOL @ DudeManDude

Does it have MMS? Copy and Paste! I can't live without them!

[Flashpoint @ Oct 29th 2008 11:11AM]

DUDE

You're either a macfanboy or an assjerk.

The MBA costs so much, that most likely, the only people spending money on would be professionals. The reason a "removable battery" is important is because if a pro, has to send his laptop in for service every single time he needs a new battery, he looses PRODUCTIVITY.

It is important.

My main problem with the MBA is the lack of ports, the price and the battery life.

[eric mccormick @ Oct 29th 2008 11:18AM]

I was asking because of the new EU directive
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/07/eu-directive-aims-to-make-all-batteries-removable-even-that-bat/

[Saad Rabia @ Oct 29th 2008 11:20AM]

Answering your question eric mccormick: No it doesn't; it's a bag of hurt to have such thing.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Oct 29th 2008 11:22AM]

It's likely trolling because every Apple laptop that I know of has had a removable battery.

Though I think the MBA needs 4 screws to be removed to swap it.

Also, I've only seen it in person once, but DAMN it looks thin in this picture.

[Patriks7 @ Oct 29th 2008 11:48AM]

Well we do now know that Apple can use the design of the Air and add a removable battery (hint: new MB + MBP)
So I'm guessing in January the MacBook Air will go the same way his brothers did (design wise at least)

[fastm3driver @ Oct 29th 2008 11:56AM]

Agreed. I think all laptops need a removable battery if for no other reason to replace it when it eventually goes bad. Apple will just say "that is a easy fix" Just buy a new Air for $2000+.
I'm one guy but I think all laptops need 2 USB ports(one on each side for a mouse and and a keyboard or thumb drive), a SD reader, and wired ethernet. These are needed to read pictures on the go, easily transfer stuff from other computers, and work in places with no wifi. Especially if you don't have a DVD drive.

[Rene @ Oct 29th 2008 12:47PM]

no removable battery. Adding a removable battery -- or additional ports -- would reqire changing the body such that it basically becomes a regular Macbook. If those are concerns, just buy the MB.

Gruber had a great link on this yesterday on DaringFireball.net

[happy_penguin @ Oct 29th 2008 2:29PM]

"fastm3driver
fastm3driver @ Oct 29th 2008 11:56AM

Agreed. I think all laptops need a removable battery if for no other reason to replace it when it eventually goes bad. Apple will just say "that is a easy fix" Just buy a new Air for $2000+."

Hardly.

The battery in the Air is very easy to replace. It's just a few screws. The problem comes in when it's a matter of being under warranty, or if you like to carry an extra battery to swap on the go. When the warranty has run out it shouldn't be any problem for the user to replace the battery.

I still wouldn't buy a Macbook Air. Too expensive for such little utility, especially next to the new Macbook.

[theletterj @ Oct 29th 2008 11:02AM]

Murph, does Engadget pay you extra for every gratuitous instance of "fortnight" you are able to shoe horn into a sentence?

[y3k.nik @ Oct 29th 2008 11:03AM]

Has it occurred to you that it might actually be a fortnight ago?

[j_g_puff @ Oct 29th 2008 11:17AM]

Why does this bother you? He only used it once.

[theletterj @ Oct 29th 2008 11:28AM]

Honestly, I don't know why it bothers me.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22Darren+Murph%22+fortnight&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq=

[j_g_puff @ Oct 29th 2008 11:34AM]

The announcement he was refering to was made on the 14th...which was exactly "about a fortnight ago". I applaud his timely and appropriate of an oft-underused word.

[nanobis @ Oct 29th 2008 11:42AM]

He may just like the word, It does have a certain ring to it.

[Juaquin @ Oct 29th 2008 11:44AM]

Thanks for the Google search link. While I don't really care, it IS pretty funny.

[Juice5942 @ Oct 29th 2008 12:42PM]

Oh man, that was hilarious.

[StalematE @ Oct 29th 2008 12:55PM]

hahahahahaha... aaaHAHAHAHAHA talk about beating a dead horse, that google search made my day.

[DWells55 @ Oct 29th 2008 12:57PM]

2510 results? Someone call Guinness and tell them to add a "Most Uses of the Word "Fortnight" by a Writer" to the book of World Records. That's just hilarious.

[kal326 @ Oct 29th 2008 1:13PM]

fortnight=9 characters
two weeks=9 characters(including space)

Its not like he is saving himself any keystrokes or making anything if hes paid by the letter in his posts. Certainly is a strange affliction for a word.

[BigD @ Oct 31st 2008 1:27AM]

I've found out that in some parts of the English speaking world, the word fortnight is not uncommon. I'm American and I use the word for comedic purposes on occasion, but I've grown quite accustomed to hearing the word used seriously by some of my Aussie, Kiwi and Brit co-workers.

[Josh G @ Oct 29th 2008 6:06PM]

Did you just make fun of Mac fanatics?

Engadget: It's Now Worth Reading.

:P

[sethmo @ Oct 29th 2008 11:09AM]

Continuing the trend: Can it run Crysis?


Zzzinngggg!

[Adam @ Oct 29th 2008 11:15AM]

I would very much enjoy a youtube video of someone trying that.

[Patriks7 @ Oct 29th 2008 12:08PM]

It actually can run Crysis*..


(*The game stated will run only on Ultra Low settings with an amazing 1 FPS! Remember kids, games are a bag of hurt!)

[PCIV @ Oct 29th 2008 4:20PM]

Not sure, but it sure as hell can run it better than the Envy-133.

[hei @ Oct 29th 2008 11:09AM]

i don´t like apple, but this computer, air, in terms of design , is what every computer should be already, just beatiful, makes the rest looks like junk..

[Saad Rabia @ Oct 29th 2008 11:23AM]

If by junk you mean more affordable and better features with a very good & acceptable design, then I'm up for that junk.

[Kelmon @ Oct 29th 2008 11:34AM]

It's close but still has a few kinks to work out. Specifically, the lack of a user replaceable battery and only a single USB port tends to hold it back. However, aside from that it's pretty great.

[Zak @ Oct 29th 2008 11:37AM]

Saad, you really have no idea what things cost, do you? You realize every other laptop in this class costs the same as the Air or even more, right? And it's not the netbook class, it's the ultrathin 13" laptop class. You know, like the X300? Which costs $1800+ for the cheapest model? Please pull your head out of your ass. The Air is the same price as the X300 despite being cut out of a solid block of aluminum and being significantly thinner and faster.

Which one is "more affordable" again?

[Juxterium @ Oct 29th 2008 12:26PM]

@ Zak
Because a business class 64GB SSD drive costs nowhere near 10x as much as conventional hard drives right? Guess you thought you'd skip that point even though a 120GB drive like that found in the $1800 MBA costs about $60 at retail whereas the SSDs that Lenovo uses retail for $500+

The X300 also has DVD drive, that can accommodate an extra 3 cell battery and a USER replaceable battery combined with magnesium alloy construction (magneisum alloys > aluminium btw) I'm amazed they actually cost the same amount of money since the Lenovo seems to be worth way more!

[jalapeno @ Oct 29th 2008 11:12AM]

Thank god my fanboyism has not gotten so bad that I would actually consider buying this overpriced piece of aluminum with one USB port. I think I will go buy an EEEPC S101 now, at least its only overpriced by $400.

[Jash Sayani @ Oct 29th 2008 4:09PM]

Any chance of price-drops due to economy state...??

[totoro @ Oct 29th 2008 11:15AM]

Does it have the glass bezel like the MBP/MB?

[vdogg89 @ Oct 29th 2008 11:18AM]

"try not to blow a cork while bottled up in that cube of yours, okay?"

speak for yourself engadget, if its no biggy, then why is it on the front page of engadget?

[John @ Oct 29th 2008 11:29AM]

I'd say just about everything ends up on the front page of Engadget

[a ham sandwich @ Oct 29th 2008 4:57PM]

"try not to blow a cork while bottled up in that cube of yours, okay?"

thats what she said.

i apologize. i had to :(

[Angel @ Oct 29th 2008 11:26AM]

Does the new MBA include the new glass trackpad that the MB and MBP now have, or did they just add the new gestures (while keeping the one-button trackpad)?

[StalematE @ Oct 29th 2008 11:23AM]

wow, everyone's in a crappy mood today... jeeeez

[.:R @ Oct 29th 2008 12:08PM]

I know, right.

[Juice5942 @ Oct 29th 2008 12:44PM]

Shut up, you idiot.



:)

[happy_penguin @ Oct 29th 2008 11:28AM]

What the Air has in beauty (and it is beautiful) it detracts with lack of utility. Since the release of the new Macbook, the Air looks like a complete joke to me. At $500 less to start the new Macbook is the real value and I see no reason for the Air whatsoever.

Thinness, sure, whatever...

[Kelmon @ Oct 29th 2008 11:38AM]

I tend to agree but I am sure that there are those people who will find the 1.5lb reduction in weight of the Air to be important enough for them to go with that rather than the standard MacBook.

[happy_penguin @ Oct 29th 2008 12:05PM]

Oh I agree, some will probably opt for the Air but I am willing to bet that many who would by the Air will see it as I do and opt for the Macbook with the added weight, but much better added utility. They're almost the same dimensions save for the thickness and the same basic look. I just can't see why the Air needs to exist next to the new Macbook. I predict that without some major upgrade in the Air, it will cease to be produced within the next year or so.

[CraigJ @ Oct 29th 2008 12:21PM]

I agree as well. The Air is beautiful, but it's not what I need, but then again I'm not the target demographic. Actually I'm a target for the MBP, but with the enhancements to the standard MacBook, I see no real reason to spend the extra cash on the MBP since most of my real work will be done with an external monitor anyway, and I won't play games on it.

[Andrew @ Oct 29th 2008 2:29PM]

As Kelmon said, it's the WEIGHT factor. Having used ultraportables for 4+ years, I find "regular" laptops cumbersome. I'd rather use a desktop, thank you. If I need a PORTABLE machine then it needs to be light, otherwise what's the point? I don't want to lug 4+ pound thing around my home, let alone anywhere else.