Comments on: Thoughts on the MacBook Air

By: Apple’s 13 inch Macbook Air Sucks « Electronic Playground

Apple’s 13 inch Macbook Air Sucks « Electronic Playground — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:46:51 +0000

[...] interesting that Kineda and Paulboth point out seriously problems with the new Macbook (it’s wimpy, overpriced, and full of [...]

By: Blake Perdue

Blake Perdue — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:25:34 +0000

“Would I pay for one myself? Nope.” — Paul

I like how a little time and patience changes things.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:17:41 +0000

$1000.00 of the price of any Mac is for shipping it out of China. Cult leader Steve Jobs outsources the building of Mac laptops to the Chinese in Shanghai, thus taking jobs away from Americans, and making us pay the freight. I worked for Apple for a year and 3 months, and quit. I could not stand the arrogance.

By: ...f

...f — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:58:31 +0000

Honestly,
its really ATTRACTVE…since its soo light and thin! But over a long term..a person would get sick of it…since there are very few functions! The question is if someone wants a pretty laptop or a practical laptop?

By: Ezra Hilyer

Ezra Hilyer — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:48:47 +0000

For what it is, yes I would buy it. Its not meant to be a primary machine!
Its wonderful for what it is meant for. Something to take with you when you need to do some quick coding.
I carry a little Sharp mm20: under 2 lbs and 0.78 thick at thickest point -but has a much smaller footprint than the air. Also no optical drive, (my own ssd mod) its great for what I use it for, but not my primary computer by any means.
-Ezra Hilyer – http://www.straypoetry.com

By: Timothy Andrew

Timothy Andrew — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:23:05 +0000

This is amazingly cool and all (no surprises there), but looking at the feature set, it seems to be targeted at a very very specific niche market. I don’t understand it. I also read somewhere that it’s just as WIDE as the macbook. So its just a thin Macbook. Does that really make it any MORE portable?

By: Charis Tsevis

Charis Tsevis — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:22:24 +0000

Hi Paul!
Your blog is very interesting.
I d like to share some thought with you about the MacBook Air.

I am writing this on a MacBook Pro.
This is my 4th Apple laptop since 1999. So, let me share my experience with Apple laptops. Maybe you ll understand why I d suggest the MacBook Air.
Especially as a second computer, designed for travelers, educators, businessmen etc.

Battery Problems? What problems?:
I haven’t replaced a battery in none of the Apple laptops I ever had.
I cannot understand why it’s such a big issue to replace it after 2 or 3 years in an Apple Store. Nowadays Apple is having so many Apple Store around and replacing a battery is not such a huge problem.
129 $ is a fair price.

2. RAM? They must be kidding!
My MacBook Pro has 2 Gb of RAM.
My first Apple notebook (PowerBook Lombard had only 256 MB in 1999. My Titanium PowerBook had only 512 in 2001)
I am using Adobe Photoshop, Synthetik Studio Artist (a very heavy program that still runs under Rosetta) and other serious graphics software very fast.
I cannot understand what Devin Coldewey at CrunchGear is saying. Until less than 2 years ago no laptop could take more than 2 Gb of RAM.
Till 2 years ago Photoshop couldn’t see more than 3 GB of RAM.
It’s so silly to pretend that an ultra thin laptop could take more than 2 Gb of RAM.
I am a graphic designer and I own a studio. We have 5 Macs working right now. Only two of them can take more than 2 Gb of RAM. And we are pros.
I think that 2 Gb of RAM are enough for most of the people who are going to buy a MacBook Air.
If someone has to deal with files so large as a 400 GB PSD file he buys a MacPro. A file so big is something like 4.000 x 4.000 pixels with many layers and channels. I am sure that for a file so big the first problem is not RAM. It’s the screen resolution.
So let’s be serious. Only a tiny percentage of the laptop users would need to work on files such as this on a laptop.

3. Optical. Bury it forever, Steve!:
The first part that died on every computer I ever had was the optical drive.
CDs and DVDs are so 90s technology. They re not safe for back up, as they often get damaged. Going forward to wireless backup is the logical next step for the whole computer industry. I could bet that in 2 years from now there are not going to be optical drives anymore.
Apple is sending a message to the world with this move.
He did it in the past buring the floppy drive, the modem and the MMS on iPhone. These technologies are not for today.

4. Price:
1800 dollar is a fair price for something like this.
Having a so advanced technology like the new Core Duo is not as chip as we everyone wanted.
And MacBook Air is fairly priced if you see the competition.
But, I d like to mention here that my first PowerBook (1999) costed something like 3.000 $. I had to pay 4.500 $ for a Titanium PowerBook in 2001. 1.800 for a laptop that is so tiny, so light and so powerful in 2008 is really a fair deal.

5. Gestures!
I left this for the end.
Gestures are the future, even though it’s not a new thing.
Apple bought Fingerworks three years ago to bring the touch screen capabilities to the new era. I am happy that Apple is moving toward this direction.

You asked if we re going to buy the new MacBook Air.
As my MacBook Pro 2.16 Hz is still yound (bought it in November 2006) I am not ready to replace it. But my wife is going to buy a MacBook Air to replace her PowerBook G4/1GHz she bought in 2004.
For what she is using her laptop, MacBook Air is a great solution.

Nice to meet you. Greetings from Athens, Greece.
As I can understand from your name, you have to have greek origins too.

Charis Tsevis

By: lisbonlab » Apple Macbook Air

lisbonlab » Apple Macbook Air — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 22:58:48 +0000

[...] nova aposta de Steve Jobs. Pelo que li atÃ© ao momento, concordo inteiramente com o veredicto doÂ Paul Stamatiou:Â “Do I want one? Hell yes. Would I pay for one myself? [...]

By: pb12

pb12 — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:10:40 +0000

http://mbp12.com

By: Random Inactivity | Thoughts on the MacBook Air

Random Inactivity | Thoughts on the MacBook Air — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:56:53 +0000

[...] Regarding performance, Paul says it best: ‘donâ€™t buy ultraportable notebooks for their workstation-like [...]

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:54:30 +0000

Itâ€™s too expensive. Add the 64GB SSD drive and itâ€™s extremely prohibitive.

No optical drive. This means you have to beg others to let you install a software Apple gave you on their PC so you have access to their drive.

No ethernet port. That makes the Remote Disk software useless if the PC youâ€™re trying to connect to doesnâ€™t have wireless.

Only 1 USB port. So youâ€™ll need a USB hub, one more thing to carry aroundâ€¦ thatâ€™s not portability

Battery not user Replaceable Unlike 99% of other laptops out there, the battery is not user replaceable.

Mono Speakers The built in speakers on the Macbook Air are weak and sound airy (sorry) from the hands-on videos so far. Worst of all, theyâ€™re mono, not stereo! Are we back in the 90s?

Fixed RAM The Macbook Air ships with 2GB of RAM by default. This RAM is onboard though, meaning there is no option to upgrade or to add more RAM.

Slow Processor 1.6 C2D by default is amongst the slowest Core 2 Duo processors you can get.

Slow 1.8? Hard drive The base model comes with a 1.8? hard drive. As most computer enthusiasts know, 1.8? hard drives top out at 4,200rpm

By: costanza

costanza — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:22:29 +0000

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

That’s what it is!

Not a small computer but a very big PDA for people who are tired of small print!!
Just great, love it!

By: Breckenridge

Breckenridge — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:14:14 +0000

It is 2008 and the most feature I look for when on the road with clients is 3G wireless connectivity. Regardless of all the bad aspects of this machine, if Apple had included 3G support, I would have bought one.

By: s

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:08:56 +0000

Apple needs to be at the head of the pack in terms of design, sex appeal, coolness, etc, so in that regard, the MacBook Air is a perfect fit.

Apple has been slowly closing out the user-upgrade experience/ability for a while now. This isn’t surprising, just disappointing.

Improvements will take a long time to filter down to the MacBook. As a college student, I’m thrilled with my MacBook. It’s not perfect, but it suits my needs very well and provides a phenomenal user experience, so I’m a very satisfied customer.

As long as Apple stays ahead of the game with usability/software, design, and consumer appeal/coolness, I think they’ll continue to grow.

By: Jose Rivera

Jose Rivera — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:02:27 +0000

I would love to have one, however, I think what most people will see is the price difference between the Macbook Pro and the Air and will mostly decide on the Pro because of its speed and power

By: MacBook Air is here

MacBook Air is here — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:27:28 +0000

[...] to Apple) lasts for 5 hours, but with wireless on I think that it should be around 3.5 hours. So as Paul Stamatiou said: For a notebook so perfectly poised at being the ultimate travel computer, not being able to [...]

By: ferretsrule

ferretsrule — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:08:51 +0000

I want one, but instead of buying one, I will just intercept all internal mail envelopes until I get lucky.

By: mason

mason — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 04:52:34 +0000

The Air is a huge disappointment! Looks like SteveJobs just wants to rip us off again. C’mon, irreplaceble battery, no spares… you gotta be kidding! This is a laptop, wifi, multimedia, long range plane rides…. no spare batteries! This is why Job sucks! Go ahead and spend your money for this jerk!

By: Apple’s 13 inch macbook air sucks « Ljlol’s Weblog

Apple’s 13 inch macbook air sucks « Ljlol’s Weblog — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:48:20 +0000

[...] interesting that Kineda and Paul both point out seriously problems with the new Macbook (itâ€™s wimpy, overpriced, and full of [...]

By: Darren Woodley

Darren Woodley — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 20:13:56 +0000

I just don’t see what the point is, honestly. I say shave a couple of pounds off the regular MacBook, add the multitouch, and make the LED screen/SSD/backlit keyboard optional features. There’s no reason to create an entirely new product for such minor improvements. I do recognize how impressive it is to get a notebook that thin, but I’m sure more people would appreciate regular MacBooks at their current size that weigh less. Both Sony and Dell have ~3lb 13.3″ models without needing to cut features/power, so I’m sure Apple is more than capable of doing the same.

By: sk

sk — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:33:58 +0000

I took some photos when i was down at MacWorld on tuesday. I took a size comparison image the the MacBook Air with my Dell m1530. It’s quite impressive to see how small the apple laptop really is. More people would buy it if it was cheaper. I feel getting a regular macbook is a better choice than the Air right now.

pics I took:
http://skattertech.com/2008/01/macworld-2008-macbook-air/

By: Yonghwee

Yonghwee — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:33:02 +0000

The price is a major setback for most people I’ve spoken to. I do want one but a souped-up MacBook or MacBook Pro is a better choice.

By: Eric Soubiron

Eric Soubiron — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:35:00 +0000

This laptop makes my 17′ PowerBook G4 look so bulky comparing. But not ready to replace it yet.

By: Kabren Levinson

Kabren Levinson — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:20:14 +0000

I wouldn’t purchase one. I would rather have a nice 15″ MacBook Pro that can do more, and be more “all-purpose”.

Sure, I want it, but still, seems useless (to me, at least).

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:07:39 +0000

I’m with Paul on this one. As sexy as this thing looks, it’s just not worth it for the price, the lack of replaceable battery and other hardware, etc.