You can sum up 90% of this week's 'Book Review with two words:
MacBook Air, an ultralight notebook that has earned Apple tons of free
publicity since it was unveiled on Tuesday. Is it right for you? That's
the question we've been discussing at Low End Mac - and around the
Web.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
General Apple and Mac desktops is covered in The Mac News Review. iPod, iPhone, and Apple
TV news is covered in The iNews
Review.
News & Opinion
Tech Trends
Products
News & Opinion
Apple Introduces MacBook Air
PR: Apple on Tuesday
unveiled MacBook Air,
claimed to be the world's thinnest notebook. MacBook Air measures an
unprecedented 0.16" at its thinnest point, while its maximum height of
0.76" is less than the thinnest point on competing notebooks.
MacBook Air has a stunning 13.3" LED-backlit widescreen display, a
full-size and backlit keyboard, a built-in iSight video camera for
video conferencing, and a spacious trackpad with multitouch gesture
support so users can pinch, rotate and swipe. MacBook Air is powered by
a 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4 MB L2
cache, and includes as standard features 2 GB of memory, an 80 GB
1.8" hard drive, and the latest 802.11n WiFi technology and Bluetooth
2.1.
"We've built
the world's thinnest notebook - without sacrificing a full-size
keyboard or a full-size 13-inch display," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.
"When you first see MacBook Air, it's hard to believe it's a
high-performance notebook with a full-size keyboard and display. But it
is."
MacBook Air
has a vibrant 13.3" LED-backlit glossy widescreen display that is
energy efficient, and its spacious trackpad offers multitouch gesture
support for pinch, rotate and swipe, making it more intuitive than ever
to browse and rotate photos or zoom into web pages in Safari. MacBook
Air features a full-size keyboard design in a sleek and durable
aluminum enclosure. The backlit keyboard makes it ideal for dimly lit
environments such as airplanes, studios or conference halls, and a
built-in ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of
the keys as well as the display brightness for optimal visibility.
MacBook Air delivers up to five hours of battery life for wireless
productivity and includes AirPort Extreme 802.11n WiFi networking,
which delivers up to five times the performance and twice the range of
802.11g*. Apple's Migration Assistant software now enables users to
quickly transfer files, applications and preferences from your old Mac
to MacBook Air right over your wireless network.
MacBook Air
users can buy the companion MacBook Air SuperDrive, a compact external
drive designed for MacBook Air, for just $99. The MacBook Air
SuperDrive is powered by MacBook Air's USB port, eliminating the need
to carry a separate power adapter. Many MacBook Air users will not find
a need for an optical drive now that they can wirelessly rent movies
from the iTunes Store, wirelessly backup files with Time Capsule and
access the optical drives on remote PCs or Macs to wirelessly install
software applications on MacBook Air.
MacBook Air is powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors running at 1.6
GHz or 1.8 GHz, and includes as standard 2 GB of memory and an 80
GB 1.8" hard drive. An optional 64 GB solid state drive contains no
moving parts for added durability. Every MacBook Air includes a
micro-DVI port so users can connect to Apple's gorgeous 20-inch or
23-inch Cinema Displays to extend their desktop or connect to
projectors and other displays via DVI, VGA, Composite and S-video
adapters. MacBook Air includes USB 2.0 for plugging in peripherals or
charging an iPod or iPhone, a headphone jack and Apple's acclaimed
MagSafe Power Adapter designed especially for mobile users.
Every MacBook Air comes with iLife '08, the most significant update
ever to Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications,
featuring a major new version of iPhoto and a completely reinvented
iMovie, both seamlessly integrated with the new .mac Web Gallery for
online photo and video sharing. The new MacBook Air also comes with
Leopard, the sixth major release of the world's most advanced operating
system. Leopard introduces Time Machine, an effortless way to
automatically back up everything on a Mac; a redesigned Finder that
lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick
Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application;
Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications
and instantly switch between them; a brand new desktop with Stacks, a
new way to easily access files from the Dock; and major enhancements to
Mail and iChat. .mac members can use the new Back to My Mac feature to
browse and access files on their home computer from a MacBook Air over
the Internet while out on the road.
The new MacBook Air embodies Apple's continuing environmental
progress with its aluminum enclosure, a material highly desired by
recyclers; Apple's first mercury-free LCD display with arsenic-free
glass; and brominated flame retardant-free material for the majority of
circuit boards as well as PVC-free internal cables. In addition,
MacBook Air consumes the least amount of power of any Mac, and its
retail box, made primarily from 100 percent post-consumer recycled
material, is 56 percent smaller by volume than the previously smallest
MacBook packaging.
The new MacBook Air will be shipping in two weeks through the Apple
Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a
suggested retail price of $1,799, and includes:
- 13.3" LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with 1280x800
resolution;
- 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4 MB L2 cache;
- 800 MHz frontside bus;
- 2 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM;
- 80 GB hard disk drive with Sudden Motion Sensor;
- Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100;
- Micro-DVI port (includes Micro-DVI to VGA and Micro-DVI to DVI
Adapters);
- built-in iSight video camera;
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth
2.1+EDR;
- one USB 2.0 port;
- one headphone port;
- multitouch TrackPad with support for advanced multitouch gestures
including tap, scroll, pinch, rotate and swipe; and
- 45 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
Build-to-order options and accessories include the ability to
upgrade to a 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor; 64 GB solid state
drive, MacBook Air SuperDrive, Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, Apple USB
Modem, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple Remote and the AppleCare
Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include
preinstalled copies of iWork '08, Logic Express 8, Final Cut Express 4
and Aperture 1.5.
*Battery life depends on configuration and use. See
www.apple.com/batteries for more information. AirPort Extreme is based
on an IEEE 802.11n draft specification. Actual performance will vary
based on range, connection rate, site conditions, size of network and
other factors.
The MacBook Air's New CPU
Ars Technica's
Jon Stokes reports:
"I'm getting a number of questions about the new processor in the
MacBook Air, so here's my quick take on what this processor may be.
"The first question that has to be answered about the CPU is which
process is it made on. There's a possibility that it could be made on
Intel's new 45nm process. Intel just launched 16 new 45nm desktop and
server processors last week, and the company is set to launch the
mobile portion of its 45nm line on January 20th. Given that the MacBook
Air will be available in two weeks, it's possible that this it could
sport a Penryn mobile processor."
Link:
The MacBook Air's New Processor
Apple's Green Thumb
ITWire's
Stephen Withers reports:
"Having taken some stick for allegedly poor environmental practices
(though that was as much about communication as actual performance),
Apple has played up the green aspects of its latest model.
"The company has drawn attention to the fact that the new MacBook
Air lightweight notebook is fitted with a screen that uses LED
backlighting. Traditional panels have fluorescent backlights, which
contain small amounts of mercury. LED lamps also use less power, and
Apple boasts that the MacBook Air uses less power than any other
Mac."
Link: Apple's Green
Thumb
Can Apple Justify MacBook Air's Value
Proposition?
BetaNews's
Scott M. Fulton, III says:
"...The MacBook Air is an attempt to fill a gap, and with the iPhone
now having reportedly sold 4 million units by Apple's numbers, that gap
is smaller now than ever before.
"The gap is this perceived empty space of form and functionality
that manufacturers continue to believe exists between the smart phone
and the small PC....
"Although from certain angles it's certainly beautiful, from a
practical perspective, the MacBook Air may not be that much of a
standout. It has some classic elements of Apple innovation, including a
touch pad that recognizes gestures similar to what the iPhone
recognizes, and a mere 3 pounds of weight. But for the type of
applications that define a Macintosh as opposed to a mere iPhone, an 80
GB hard drive will not be enough. And its Remote Drive concept - which
borrows the machine's built-in 802.11n WiFi link to connect with
another nearby device, including a Windows PC, for borrowing its
optical disc - runs the risk of turning the Air into an $1800
peripheral."
Link:
Inside the MacBook Air: Can Apple Justify Its Value
Proposition?
MacBook Air: Who's Driving the Innovation Now?
One Laptop Per Child News's Alexandre Van de Sande says:
"The first manufactured computer to ship without a floppy drive was
the original candy colored iMac, back 1998, which relied only on
internet, a CD-ROM and a port called the Universal Serial Bus
ports....
"Fast forward to 2008 and Apple announced the wireless MacBook Air,
a ultralight low power laptop with no CD or dvd drive, no hard disk,
but highly connected portable computer. In a few years this will
probably be the industry standard, but this time around it's not
Cupertino who's setting it.
"Granted, one cannot compare the $199 XO to a $1,799 MacBook anymore
than one can compare the recently announced $2,500 Nano Car by India's
Tata motor to a $50,000 Porsche, unless on technological grounds. And
that is what I'm going to do."
Link:
The Apple Ultrathin: Who's Driving the Innovation Now?
MacBook Air: Let's Not Lose Our Minds
ExtremeTech's
Jason Cross says:
"So Macworld is going on now, and as usual Steve Jobs has caused a
fervor on the tech community with his powerful salesmanship. Love or
hate Macs, you have to hand it to him-the guy can sell. There's plenty
to talk about, from Apple senselessly gouging iPod Touch customers for
$20 to enable apps that should be on there for free, the cool (and
welcome) software updates to the Apple TV, to the new iPhone firmware
we all sort of knew about that still doesn't add MMS support. But the
big news is the MacBook Air.
"It sounds almost too good to be true. A 13-inch MacBook that is so
thin and light it fits into a manila envelope! Finally, you'll be able
to carry around just a super-thin three pound notebook, saving your
back, and your luggage space, and all that good stuff. Right?
"Then the gotchas set in."
Link: MacBook Air
- Let's Not Lose Our Minds
Hands-on with the Disappointing MacBook Air
PBCentral's
Noah Kravitz says:
"MacBook Air looks kind of lame to me. At $1,799 for a 1.6 GHz Core
2 Duo processor, 80 GB 4200 rpm hard drive (i.e. an iPod drive), and a
single USB port, Apple has basically given us a very overpriced entry
level machine (with a multitouch trackpad!) in a sexed up outfit. Don't
get me wrong, it's one of those very alluring sexed up outfits, but
unless you're either lugging your laptop around darn near every day or
absolutely must make an image statement every time you pull out your
laptop, I'm not sure why you'd want this machine. The 'entry level'
MacBook is faster, more versatile, and $700 cheaper than Air, and the
MB Pro provides way more performance for the dollar if you've got two
grand to spend....
"...MacBook Air won't be a total bust, but it's not the gee-whiz
home run that most folks I know wanted from a Mac subnotebook. I'm
pretty sure the footprint of my Duo 280 is smaller than Air's
footprint. That is to say that Air is more a flattened out, compromised
MacBook than it is a truly new genre of machine from Apple. It's no
Vaio TZ, Eee PC, or Everex Cloudbook that weighs two pounds and fits in
a coat pocket. Instead it's a very thin MacBook that's also very light.
Which is great. But not as it could have been."
Link: Hands-on
with the Disappointing MacBook Air (with Video)
MacBook Air Raises Troubleshooting Questions
MacFixIt
says:
"Apple's new MacBook Air is svelte-as-can-be, but the device's
limitations and lack of traditional components raise some interesting
troubleshooting/general questions:
"What happens when the battery loses capacity or runs out?....
"How do you perform an emergency boot?...
"How will you apply major Mac OS X updates?....
"How will you use target disk mode?....
"How will you NetBoot?..."
Link: MacBook
Air Raises Troubleshooting Questions
Clash of the Compacts: Asus Eee PC vs. MacBook
Air
Register Hardware's
Tony Smith reports:
"The hottest mobile products of the moment? Undoubtedly, Apple's
MacBook Air and Asus' Eee PC. So how do these would-be pinnacles of
ultra-portability compare?
"Let's take a look at the features each machine offers...."
Link: Clash of the
Compacts: Eee vs. Air
$130 MacBook Air Out-of-Warranty Battery
Replacement Program
A new Apple Knowledge Base
article says:
"If your MacBook Air requires service only because the battery's
ability to hold an electrical charge has diminished, Apple will repair
your MacBook Air for a service fee.
"The program cost is based on your region:
- United States $129
- Canada CA$159
- Europe £139 inc. VAT
- Japan ¥15,800
- Asia Pacific AU$199 inc. taxes
"...Many repairs require Apple to replace or reformat the hard disk,
which will result in the loss of your data. Please make sure you back
up your data on a regular basis to minimize your data loss.
"The repair process normally takes 5 business days."
Link: MacBook Air
Out-of-Warranty Battery Replacement Program
Tech Trends
Intel's Penryn Processor Profiled
ZD Net's Jason D. O'Grady
reports:
"On Monday Intel announced the first mobile quad-core processor
called Penryn. The new silicon is the cousin to the Penryn desktop
processor, the Core 2 Extreme QX9650, announced on 12 November
2007.
"The next generation transistors, used in the new Penryn processors
(Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core 2 Quad and Xeon family) feature 'new
high-k + metal gate material that will allow for higher frequencies,
lower resistance, less leakage and lower power consumption.'"
Link: Intel's Penryn Processor
Profiled
OLPC Designer Plans $75 Laptop
PC Magazine's
Jim Finkle reports:
"The scientist who designed a notebook computer for poor children
that is being produced and sold by a nonprofit foundation has set up a
company to commercialize the technology with a goal of producing a $75
laptop computer.
"Mary Lou Jepsen, who left her post as chief technology officer of
the One Laptop per Child Foundation at the end of last year, said on
the company's Web site that she has founded the company, called Pixel
Qi, and described it as 'a spin-out' from the nonprofit group."
Link: OLPC Designer
Plans $75 Laptop
Products
Tom Bihn Size 6X Brain Cell Case for MacBook
Air
PR: Tom has just completed the pattern for the new Size 6X
Horizontal and Vertical Brain Cell laptop cases, designed specifically
to fit the new unbelievably thin MacBook Air laptop introduced today by
Apple. The Size 6X Brain Cells are available for pre-order now with a
shipping date of late February.
The Size 6X Horizontal Brain Cell will clip
securely inside our ID, Ego, and Super Ego messenger bags, Empire
Builder and Zephyr briefcases, Western Flyer travel/overnight
convertible briefcase, and Brain Bag backpack, or slip inside your
current briefcase or messenger bag. The Size 6X Vertical Brain Cell
will clip securely inside of the Brain Bag backpack or slip inside your
current backpack.
The TOM BIHN Brain Cell laptop case has gained a reputation for
offering the best protection one can get for their laptop. For more
information on the protective qualities of the Brain Cell, visit the
Brain Cell page.
Size 6X Horizontal or Vertical Brain Cell. $60. Available for
pre-order now. Ships late February.
Link: Tom Bihn Size 6X Brain Cell Case
for MacBook Air
Bargain 'Books
Bargain 'Books are used unless otherwise indicated. New and
refurbished units have a one-year Apple warranty and are eligible for
AppleCare.
There are two different versions of WallStreet running at 233 MHz,
the cacheless MainStreet version and the
later Series II with
a level 2 cache. It's not always possible to determine from the
vendor's listing which is being offered, so we've included links within
this paragraph to the two models. The same goes for the PowerBook G4/667 (VGA) and
G4/667 (DVI), the
titanium vs. aluminum 15" PowerBook G4 at 1 GHz, and 1.25 GHz to 1.5
GHz 15" PowerBooks.
PowerBook, iBook, and MacBook profiles linked in our Portable Mac Index.
Changes this week with Apple refurbs are a 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro for
$1,499.00 and out of stock on MacBooks. My advice: pay the extra $200
and go for the 2.2 GHz MacBook Pro with twice the RAM, a better GPU,
and LED backlighting as well as the Santa Rosa version of the Core 2
Duo CPU cm
- refurb 15" 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,499
- refurb 15" 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,699
- refurb 15" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,899
- refurb 15" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,099
- refurb 17" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,199
- refurb 17" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,399
- refurb hi-res 17" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD,
$2,599
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 512/80/SD, $779.99
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz, 512/80/Combo, $799.99
- 17" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, 512/60/SD, $999.99
- 15" 1.83 GHz MacBook Pro , 512/80/SD, $1,179.99
- 15" 2.0 GHz MacBook Pro, 512/80/SD, $1,239.99
- 15" 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro, 1 GB/100/SD, $1,399.99
- 17" 2.16 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/100/SD, $1,459.99
- 17" 2.16 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/120/SD, $1,499.99
- 17" 2.16 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,529.99
- 17" 2.16 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro, 1 GB/200/SD, $1,619.99
- open box 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,439
- open box 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, warranty
started, $1,399
- open box 2.16 GHz Core 2 MacBook, black, 1 GB/160/SD, $1,419
- open box 15" 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, $1,899
- open box 15" 2.2 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $2,229
- open box 15" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/120/SD, warranty
started, $2,199
- open box 17" 2.33 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, $2,599
- open box 17" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/160/SD, warranty
started, $2,649
- open box 17" 2.4 GHz Core 2 MacBook Pro, 2 GB/200/SD, $2,899
- 12" iBook G4/800, 640/30/Combo, $449
- 12" iBook G4/800, 640/30/Combo, APX, $485
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 GHz, 512/80/SD, $685
- Add Airport Extreme for $39
- Clamshell iBook G3/300, 64/3/CD, $149.95
- 12" iBook G3/500, 128/10/CD, $199.95
- 12" iBook G3/600, 128/20/CD, $179.95
- 12" iBook G3/600, 128/20/CD, $219.95
- 12" iBook G3/700, 256/20/CD, $229.95
- 12" iBook G3/800, 256/30/CD, $269.95
- 12" iBook G3/500, 256/10/Combo, $299.95
- 12" iBook G4/800, 640/40/Combo, $469.95
- 12" iBook G4/1 GHz, 768/40/Combo, $519.95
- 14" iBook G3/900, 256/40/Combo, $379.95
- 15" PowerBook G4/1.67 GHz, 1 GB/120/SD, APX, $1,299.95
For more deals on current and discontinued models, see our MacBook deals, MacBook Air deals, MacBook Pro deals, 12" PowerBook G4 deals,
15" PowerBook G4
deals, 17"
PowerBook G4 deals, titanium PowerBook G4
deals, iBook G4
deals, PowerBook G3
deals, and iBook G3
deals.
