First thoughts about the new Macbook Air

[*DAMN Mauti]

Alright Apple just released the new Macbook Air, a wonderful ultra mobile laptop.

I can imagine it as a perfect web dev platform, presentation Mac, and addition to your iMac, Mac Pro or even Mac Mini, but it's hardly a replacement for e.g. my powerbook. Nevertheless I really like it and I can't deny I wouldn't like to buy me one.

For myself the knock out criterion ist that I don't have a desktop Mac at home and that the Intel graphic card is in the best case as good as my broken NVidia 5200 Go from 2004.

Last but not least the price gap between the Macbook is too large and too low between the MBP to justify a purchase.

I think the Macbook Air is a great product and good companion for everyday tasks, but not for people like myself that look out for a replacement.

I really hope that Apple gonna release a new MBP, or at least an update, pretty soon with a Multitouch trackpad(at all this should just be kernel a extension and doable on current MBs and MBPs, just like the 2 finger scrolling features I added to my powerbook), but I'm sure I gonna see some MB Air's pretty soon at university.

What do you think about the Macbook Air?

[BTs_Mysterio]

I have a MacBook Pro personally and have found myself becoming quite interested in the Air. The only problem with replacing the MBP with the MBA is (obviously) the lost power. That would be a non-issue for me if my desktop was still reasonable to today's demands, but until it's replaced it couldn't substitute the lost performance.

As for updates, the MacBook Pro may be delayed a bit because of the shipment delays on Penryn processors from Intel, which would justify a update to the MBP. I suppose Apple will announce them soon, but they might have a shipment delay.

[*DAMN Mauti]

Yeah, nevertheless I still hope for a MBP announcement within the next 4 weeks. I'm sure there will be nothing close to my 12 PB, but at least some updated specs.

The MBA has a lot of disadvantages but as an extension to your stationary Macs it will work like a charm. I don't see the lost performance as big issue, 'cos to be honest in most situations my 1.33 Powerbook got it's job done perfectly. I can't view HD movies, and play the latest games, but even the Maya speed was fine and I'm only editing SD movies. So the MBA should handle almost all tasks you throw at it. The only problem maybe the slow harddisk and of course forget anything that needs a graphics card.

[BTs_Mysterio]

I personally will be looking at one when I want to update my laptop in a couple (?) of years. I wonder if there will be a professionalized version. That'd be nice. ExpressCard, dedicated GPU, Firewire. That'd be nice.   

[*DAMN Mauti]

Exactly a true replacement of the 12 PB version or at least a little bit more PRO features. I don't need the slot and a drive but firewire and a dedicated GPU would be awesome.

Well I'm young enough to carry around extra 1.1 kg ;-)

[BTs_Mysterio]

I just think it would be good to have the ExpressCard for Networking cards; not like the ethernet ones, the cellular internet ones. Next gen of cellular net will be very nice.. but then again, is it worth the continually greater risk of encouraging cancer with the horrible (unproven) cellular radiation? 

[*DAMN Mauti]

Yeah, I agree for mobile UMTS/Edge surfing an Express card is nicer than an USB connected modem.

Well you also use a cell phone everyday, so an additional potential cancer source doesn't matter… ;-)

[*DAMN Mauti]

If you take a look at Appleinsider's Macbook Air photo coverage you should take a look at the lid comparison picture with the MBP.

I'm amazed how much thinness Apple has saved just with the new lid. From the pictures I would say Apple saved at least another 2mm in comparison with the MBP. So we maybe also gonna see a thinner MBP(lid) pretty soon.