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January 15, 2008

intel_macs

MW08: The MacBook Air floats into town

Posted Jan. 15, ’08, 12:04 PM PT by Aayush Arya
Category | Hardware » Intel Macs

overview_bigair_three20080115Big day for Apple today. After announcing the Time Capsule, the free software update for iPhone users and a paid one for iPod touch users, free software update for Apple TV users coupled with a price drop and massive iTunes Store upgrade, Apple announced the immediate availability of the world’s thinnest notebook today, the MacBook Air. Here’s a post Macworld prediction from this blogger, it is going to knock the lids off the collective heads of the entire industry.

The thickest part of the slightly wedge shaped notebook measures just 0.76 inch with the front being an unbelievable 0.16 inch thick (or should I say thin) which, as you might know, is even slimmer than most smartphones today. It weighs in at three pounds and due to the sheer size of the device, it can snugly fit inside a regular manila envelope.

So how do you put a Mac in there? Well, first of all you ask Intel to make a custom processor for you. The MacBook Air ships with a 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor that is 60% smaller than the processors in Intel’s regular Core 2 Duo line-up. The notebook also employs the 1.8-inch, 80 GB hard drive that the iPod Classic uses and ships with 2GB of RAM in the standard configuration. The standard integrated Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor found on the MacBooks finds a place for itself in the MacBook Air too.

overview_bigair_one20080115It also ships with built-in support for the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi standard (also backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g) and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. There is a flip-down door that reveals one audio out, USB 2.0 and Micro-DVI port each. It has a built-in iSight camera and mic as well.

The one thing that I’m excited about is the trackpad on this thing. Apple already has the best trackpad on their notebooks but the extra large trackpad on the MacBook Air is going to put those trackpads to shame with its “multi-touch gesture support for precise cursor control; supports two-finger scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities”. You really have to use this one to believe it or at least, watch the guided tour. I confess to having been completely blown away. But then again, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone, right?

As Steve Jobs gleefully noted when introducing the notebook, the two main components have not been compromised on - it has a 13.3” LED backlit display and a full-size backlit keyboard with 78 keys. What they did compromise on were the speaker (which is mono, as opposed to the stereo speakers found on the MacBook and MacBook Pro line-up), FireWire and ExpressCard (only one USB 2.0 port and that’s it) and, predictably enough, the optical drive. Though it does not ship with any optical drive, an optional external USB 2.0 SuperDrive (specially made for the MacBook Air) is available for an additional $99.

overview_bigair_two20080115With all of that included and with Wi-Fi switched on, Apple claims that the included lithium polymer batter has enough juice to power the notebook for five hours. Thoughtfully enough, a 45W MagSafe power adaptor is included as well (a magnanimous gesture indeed). The standard configuration is available for $1,799. Optional enhancements include the option to have a 64GB solid state flash drive in place of the 80GB hard disk in the standard configuration and a 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which will drive the cost up to $3,098. The notebook is available for pre-order today and ships within two-three weeks.

Steve Jobs also had a word or two for the Greenpeace supporters among us. The MacBook Air is Apple’s most environment friendly product in the line-up, using a mercury free, recyclable aluminum enclosure, LCD display with no traces of mercury or arsenic, PVC-free internal cables and 56% lighter packaging.

Phew! That’s quite a mouthful. I only wish they’d come up with a better name. Check out the technical specifications page in case we missed something and let us know your thoughts on this shiny new toy from Apple.


3 Comments

Kate the M Author Profile Page said:

Dang, it makes my MacBook look chunky. I have no practical reason to switch laptops...but I really want one.

January 15, 2008 3:52 PM
Scooter said:

Won't want one. A bad investment, imho. Slower processor than MBP, small HDD (80G? c'mon... I have that much in music alone), no optical drive unless I pay more (don't really use one but the one time I'll need it, I won't have it with me, or it will be in the way and defeat the purpose of the "thin and small" concept), expensive for its specs (base model price is about the same as MBP in basic configuration, with 2.2G Core 2 Duo, 160G HDD, etc.) The only factor here is thin - indeed, impressive - and "cool" - true, but that will wear off eventually. This is hardly a sub-notebook - with a 13.3" screen, the length and width alone preclude that. Thin and light are the name of the game here, and I don't think there are a lot of buyers who will want it for just that reason alone. A niche product for a very specific market segment, a-la Mac Mini; iPhone, iPod, MacBook and MBP will be the mainstays for serious users.

January 15, 2008 5:52 PM
Tokyo Rose said:

Ugly black "chicklet"-style keyboard similar to MacBooks really detracts from the clean design. Should have used the MBP style-and-color keyboard. Hate the "chicklet" keyboards - always wind up missing letters, so far apart! (Own MBP, 2.6G, 200G HDD, 4MB RAM)

January 15, 2008 5:56 PM

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