Comments on: Is the MacBook Air Another Cube? http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/ Daniel Eran Dilger in San Francisco Mon, 8 Sep 2008 16:58:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Two Decades of Portable Macs: 1989 - 2009 — RoughlyDrafted Magazine http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-11781 Two Decades of Portable Macs: 1989 - 2009 — RoughlyDrafted Magazine Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:30:13 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-11781 [...] How the MacBook Air stacks up against other ultra-light notebooks Is the MacBook Air Another Cube? [...] [...] How the MacBook Air stacks up against other ultra-light notebooks Is the MacBook Air Another Cube? [...]

]]> By: iPhone Blog » Is the MacBook Air Another Cube? http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-5111 iPhone Blog » Is the MacBook Air Another Cube? Fri, 08 Feb 2008 01:29:20 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-5111 [...] (more…) [...] [...] (more…) [...]

]]> By: ncbill http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4954 ncbill Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:36:49 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4954 Not the Cube so much as a sealed "appliance" ala the first iMac. Apart from the possibility of a 3rd-party battery, there are NO upgrades for the MBA. Not the Cube so much as a sealed “appliance” ala the first iMac.

Apart from the possibility of a 3rd-party battery, there are NO upgrades for the MBA.

]]> By: David Dennis http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4817 David Dennis Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:30:50 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4817 I considered a Cube at the time but realized I could get the PowerMac G4 with the much more powerful dual processor option for not too much more. I made the right decision; the dual G4/450 lasted me straight up until the first PowerMac G5 was introduced, which is a pretty long run for a computer. I sold it to someone who needed a cheap but reliable ProTools machine, and he's been using it ever since. I have noticed something about how much people talk since iPhone was introduced. People were saying it was too expensive, they were saying it was too limited in features, and they really hated that it was tied to AT&T's network. And yet six months later they were lined up in front of the Apple, Inc store! I think the Air's going to have a similar trajectory. It might take six months but I'll bet a lot of the people I see putting down the Air here and elsewhere will be walking out of Apple Retail Stores with one. I feel that I need the higher power of the MacBook Pro since I plan to travel a lot in the next few years. If I was planning to stay in one place I'd be very tempted to buy a new Mac Pro and an Air. D I considered a Cube at the time but realized I could get the PowerMac G4 with the much more powerful dual processor option for not too much more. I made the right decision; the dual G4/450 lasted me straight up until the first PowerMac G5 was introduced, which is a pretty long run for a computer. I sold it to someone who needed a cheap but reliable ProTools machine, and he’s been using it ever since.

I have noticed something about how much people talk since iPhone was introduced. People were saying it was too expensive, they were saying it was too limited in features, and they really hated that it was tied to AT&T’s network.

And yet six months later they were lined up in front of the Apple, Inc store!

I think the Air’s going to have a similar trajectory. It might take six months but I’ll bet a lot of the people I see putting down the Air here and elsewhere will be walking out of Apple Retail Stores with one.

I feel that I need the higher power of the MacBook Pro since I plan to travel a lot in the next few years. If I was planning to stay in one place I’d be very tempted to buy a new Mac Pro and an Air.

D

]]> By: Ephilei http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4809 Ephilei Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:29:45 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4809 You'll see on Air on the street as often as you see a BMW roadster. If you consider that successful or not successful, so be it. To me, that seems good, but not Apple good. But the Air helps Apple indirectly: 1 Advertising. The Air will be more visible than its other computer because it's so mobile and that entire Windows users to switch to something Mac, even if not the Air itself. 2 Techie clout. As with the iMac and the floppy, Apple has declared that optical discs are optional. REAL geeks get their media and software downloaded from the Cloud. And even users that don't like the Air can't deny it's unbelievably thin. 3 R&D. The smaller motherboard and OLED display will later go into the other MacBook lines and the Air sales will help pay for that. You’ll see on Air on the street as often as you see a BMW roadster. If you consider that successful or not successful, so be it. To me, that seems good, but not Apple good.

But the Air helps Apple indirectly:
1 Advertising. The Air will be more visible than its other computer because it’s so mobile and that entire Windows users to switch to something Mac, even if not the Air itself.
2 Techie clout. As with the iMac and the floppy, Apple has declared that optical discs are optional. REAL geeks get their media and software downloaded from the Cloud. And even users that don’t like the Air can’t deny it’s unbelievably thin.
3 R&D. The smaller motherboard and OLED display will later go into the other MacBook lines and the Air sales will help pay for that.

]]> By: lnikj http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4785 lnikj Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:07:20 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4785 As a travel writer and photographer, I so wanted Apple to get this one right, and they almost did, except for the absence of firewire. I would have bought it in a flash, but no firewire is simply a showstopper for me. From the moment the rumours started, I had dreams of leaving my MBP at home, and traveling a bit lighter, but I'm afraid that maintaining large libraries of raw files on external disks on a long trip over a USB connection is not a compromise I am prepared to make. I hope Apple listen, and roll out a version 2, that manages to cram at least a firewire 800 connection on board, or, even better, the forthcoming USB3 or FireWire S3200 connection. As a travel writer and photographer, I so wanted Apple to get this one right, and they almost did, except for the absence of firewire. I would have bought it in a flash, but no firewire is simply a showstopper for me.
From the moment the rumours started, I had dreams of leaving my MBP at home, and traveling a bit lighter, but I’m afraid that maintaining large libraries of raw files on external disks on a long trip over a USB connection is not a compromise I am prepared to make.
I hope Apple listen, and roll out a version 2, that manages to cram at least a firewire 800 connection on board, or, even better, the forthcoming USB3 or FireWire S3200 connection.

]]> By: L http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4731 L Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:40:12 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4731 Complainers of the MacBookAir don't appreciate the obselecense of optical drives and external peripherals. Nor do they appreciate the new era of longer battery life, or optionally higher performance. Complainers of the MacBookAir don’t appreciate the obselecense of optical drives and external peripherals. Nor do they appreciate the new era of longer battery life, or optionally higher performance.

]]> By: eyecon http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4688 eyecon Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:09:51 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4688 Great article! I'm so sick of hearing people slam the MacBook Air for what it doesn’t have. I have traveled all over the world and NEVER used my cd/dvd drive. Ok, I used it once on a long flight to watch a dvd movie and the battery was dead in 2 hours... which is why I NEVER used it again! I've sat in hundreds of WiFi hotpots with my laptop and NEVER had 2 usb devices hooked up at the same time. A table at Starbucks or an airport lounge IS NOT my desk at home so why would I ever need 2 usb ports? I can wait to replace my heavy clunky Dell Inspiron, that has a cd/dvd drive and too many usb ports, with a MacBook Air. :) Great article!

I’m so sick of hearing people slam the MacBook Air for what it doesn’t have. I have traveled all over the world and NEVER used my cd/dvd drive. Ok, I used it once on a long flight to watch a dvd movie and the battery was dead in 2 hours… which is why I NEVER used it again! I’ve sat in hundreds of WiFi hotpots with my laptop and NEVER had 2 usb devices hooked up at the same time. A table at Starbucks or an airport lounge IS NOT my desk at home so why would I ever need 2 usb ports?

I can wait to replace my heavy clunky Dell Inspiron, that has a cd/dvd drive and too many usb ports, with a MacBook Air. :)

]]> By: josh http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4687 josh Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:22:07 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4687 well i don't see the air as a homerun like the iphone but it isn't a failure either. what i think jobs & co. are doing here is trying to get out in front of an upcoming trend: the solid state portable. forget the hard drive. the air was really designed with the 64gb flash drive in mind. it's too pricey for most folks now but wait until the flash memory prices drop some more. by then, the air will be on it's second generation. i think the comparison with the asus eee is apt. basically, both companies are exploring the same market: lightweight flash drive based portable with wireless connectivity. asus is doing it on the lowend and apple is doing it on the high end. well i don’t see the air as a homerun like the iphone but it isn’t a failure either. what i think jobs & co. are doing here is trying to get out in front of an upcoming trend: the solid state portable. forget the hard drive. the air was really designed with the 64gb flash drive in mind. it’s too pricey for most folks now but wait until the flash memory prices drop some more. by then, the air will be on it’s second generation. i think the comparison with the asus eee is apt. basically, both companies are exploring the same market: lightweight flash drive based portable with wireless connectivity. asus is doing it on the lowend and apple is doing it on the high end.

]]> By: charkley http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4686 charkley Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:38:01 +0000 http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/30/is-the-macbook-air-another-cube/#comment-4686 I just have to say that as a collage student with a macbook, the macbook air looks very attractive for me, the three main "issues" with it are the price, lack of ports and that it's apparenly underpowered. The main thing i want to say is i think that they have the right amount of ports on the machine. I have never used the ethernet port on my macbook, i have wireless internet, printers and network shares at both home and school and all my mate's houses. Never used the microphone port and only used the firewire port on external hard disks and ipods that support usb anyways. and when i am away from a usb hub, i only use usb sticks with a single usb port. On the other hand i am constantly using the headphone jack, and monitor output for class presentations and with an external screen at home. I carry the macbook to and from school every day and between classes (six per day!) and the 2.5KG macbook does get heavy. I would kill for a lighter notebook of similar specs. The Macbook air would be perfect for me, and most people at school, i think this could sell really well at schools because of it's tiny form factor, wireless everyting (we have all apps on a shared disk at school) and strong aluminum casing. Price isn't really an issue, everyone regually spends $3500AUD on their laptops anyways (private school). Yeah i know, minority, but that doesn't change the fact it is perfect for me. I just have to say that as a collage student with a macbook, the macbook air looks very attractive for me, the three main “issues” with it are the price, lack of ports and that it’s apparenly underpowered. The main thing i want to say is i think that they have the right amount of ports on the machine. I have never used the ethernet port on my macbook, i have wireless internet, printers and network shares at both home and school and all my mate’s houses. Never used the microphone port and only used the firewire port on external hard disks and ipods that support usb anyways. and when i am away from a usb hub, i only use usb sticks with a single usb port. On the other hand i am constantly using the headphone jack, and monitor output for class presentations and with an external screen at home.

I carry the macbook to and from school every day and between classes (six per day!) and the 2.5KG macbook does get heavy. I would kill for a lighter notebook of similar specs.

The Macbook air would be perfect for me, and most people at school, i think this could sell really well at schools because of it’s tiny form factor, wireless everyting (we have all apps on a shared disk at school) and strong aluminum casing. Price isn’t really an issue, everyone regually spends $3500AUD on their laptops anyways (private school).

Yeah i know, minority, but that doesn’t change the fact it is perfect for me.

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