MacBook Air Review

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Engadget has a decent MacBook Air review posted for those of you interested. Looks cool, performs well for what it is but does have a few real oddball design issues too (non-removable battery anyone?).

Given its stripped down, one-piece design, some are calling it 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.
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Steve said:
Engadget has a decent MacBook Air review posted for those of you interested. Looks cool, performs well for what it is but does have a few real oddball design issues too (non-removable battery anyone?).
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the battery is removable, you have to take the aluminum bottom of the laptop off to do it... but it does use a connector for the power lead it is not directly soldered.
 
hamm3rhead said:
the battery is removable, you have to take the aluminum bottom of the laptop off to do it... but it does use a connector for the power lead it is not directly soldered.
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And can the aluminum bottom be easily removed by Everyman, Tom, Jane and their Grandma Smith?
 
Azhar said:
And can the aluminum bottom be easily removed by Everyman, Tom, Jane and their Grandma Smith?
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Wait, cross out Grandma Smith. She's a PC user. One of the smart ones.
 
No express card or PCMCIA without built in 3G kills it for me. Don't they expect people to want to be able to use a verizon/tmobile/at&t data card?
 
ND40oz said:
No express card or PCMCIA without built in 3G kills it for me. Don't they expect people to want to be able to use a verizon/tmobile/at&t data card?
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agreed... if they would have had it built in it would be acceptable but an ultra portable laptop w/o it is dumb..

i use my HTC hermes as a bluetooth access point for my laptop, so you could always do that...
 
WTF? Non-removal battery is a huge issue? I don't want to carry around any extra battery with my laptop, so why would I want to carry around an external optical drive, USB hub, card reader and VGA/DVI adaptor(for presentation)? What I normally carry with my laptop are: a mouse, USB drive, and power connector.
 
Neat idea but with a much cheaper Macbook with similar or better specs, or the slightly more expensive Macbook Pro with uber specs, I don't see a point. The size difference doesn't mean much to me and I travel for work all the time, same goes for all the other ultraslims out there.
 
alg7_munif said:
WTF? Non-removal battery is a huge issue? I don't want to carry around any extra battery with my laptop, so why would I want to carry around an external optical drive, USB hub, card reader and VGA/DVI adaptor(for presentation)? What I normally carry with my laptop are: a mouse, USB drive, and power connector.
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Good for you. But also you don't represent 100% of the laptop demographic. So it's a huge issue. What happens when it dies, you need it replaced, but you need that laptop in two days?

It happens.

I really like this laptop but man there are a lot of compromises and shortcomings.
 
I LIKE the idea but the execution of the design SUCKS.

ONE USB PORT? no ETHERNET?

I have no problem at all with the lack of an optical drive, but the stripping down of ports (not going to add any weight to it) is nuts, you need to carry a hub with you at all times with this.

The battery, well it CAN be replaced by the end user (AFTER the warranty) since it is 10? screws and a plug.

However for those going on long trips with little power access, it means you are dead in the water since they will only REPLACE the battery.

Once extra batteries are available then we can cross that off the list, but I do not get why there are almost no ports on this thing.

Of course for the same price or less you can actually get some lighter notebooks, that have everything and replacable batteries
 
The Panasonic W7 would be a better "travel for work" computer that weighs ~3 lbs... plus it has a built in DVD-RW drive. It needs no adapters for VGA, Ethernet or Modem connections... (I had a Sony Vaio Z505 and believe me, adapters for ports and futzing with an external optical drive are a major pain in the a**.) The only major deficiencies the W7 has compared to the Air is that the W7's main processor is quite a bit slower and has no DVI output.

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webap...02167&catGroupId=12871&surfModel=Toughbook-W7

However they're not quite as "thin", so the coolness factor isn't there... and it's not "Apple", so it doesn't get any press. ;)

Panasonic Toughbook W7 Main Features
• Centrino Duo Core 2 Duo U7500 / 1.06 GHz ULV
• 1 GB DDR2-533 RAM
• 80 GB HDD
• DVD±RW (+R DL) / DVD-RAM
• GMA X3100
• Gigabit Ethernet
• WLAN : 802.11a/b/g
• Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
• TPM
• Vista Business / XP Pro downgrade
• 12.1" TFT 1024 x 768 ( XGA )
• 1 PC Card Slot
• 3 - USB 2.0 Ports
• Mobile broadband ready for Verizon Wireless and AT&T
• 3.0 lbs ultra-thin design
• 1.4/2.0'' x 10.7'' x 8.5''
• 7 Hour battery life
• Drop and spill resistant
• 3-year limited warranty, parts & labor

Panasonic W7 $2200 at CDW (Probably cheaper elsewhere)

Apple Air $1799 + Optical Drive $99 + Apple Care 3 year Warranty $249 = $2147
+ Mobile Broadband Card $???
Apple USB 100bps Ethernet adapter is $29, modem is $49. (Not everybody may want these, and they're both wired dongles.)
 
The Panasonic is slower, has a smaller screen, and is more expensive. The tradeoff is more ports and an internal drive.

Yeah, once you get into that ultraslim range there are just too many compromises either way. I suppose it is fine if you definitely have another computer, but again the tradeoff for some extra size and weight doesn't seem worth it. Maybe I'd change my mind if I saw them in person, but I dunno.
 
My Sony Vaio SZ is small enough for me, and it blows away the Air feature wise:

Its got a 2 GHz Core 2 Duo, decent graphics (Hybrid Intel GMA 950/Nvidia 7400, newer models have an 8800 series card), ethernet, modem, firewire, a couple of USB ports, memory card slot, 13" LED backlit screen, replaceable battery, camera, DVD drive, and a sexy carbon fiber case to boot. It weighs about 3 lbs and it's about 1.25" tall at the thickest point.
 
So let me get this straight. It has no built-in 3G, no Express-Card slot, and a USB port that can't accommodate a 3G modem.

Since this is obviously aimed at frequent travelers I can't believe Apple would prevent the use of frequent travelers' favorite feature.
 
that battery life makes me very sad :( will have to wait (like always) 2 or 3 generations of airs until it will be a good enough product. What i really want is a laptop that is as thick as the air but has the same length and width of the EEEpc with 5 or more hours of battery life :D Thats a ways away I think though
 
Do you see the resemblance with this and the 100 dollar laptop? I do, its lacking so many features but at the same time demanding so much $$$$. The only target customers I can think of for the Air Book are the anorexic just for weight advantages. Don't get me wrong but even the $100 laptop has 4 usb ports, the Air book only one, and you might even run into problems fitting an usb flash in it.

macbook-air-ev-do-test-top.jpg
 
Thats scary, The $200 laptop has MORE usable features than the $2000 Airbook,
 
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