MacBooks

MacBook Air

MacBook Air (October 2008)

Nickname: AirBook

Overview

The updated MacBook Air (MBA) has the same Mini DisplayPort introduced with the 15" MacBook Pro. Drive options are a 120 GB hard drive or a 128 GB solid state drive (SSD).

Perhaps the biggest improvement is ditching integrated video for the new Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics processor, which has 16 cores and uses 256 MB of system memory.

There are lots of incremental improvements - a 6 MB level 2 cache (vs. 4 MB in the first MBA), a 1066 MHz memory bus (up from 800 MHz), and a tiny bit more speed at the top end - 1.86 GHz instead of 1.80.

The MacBook Air supports wireless NetBoot, and the Remote Disc software that comes with the MBA (on CD) can turn a Mac or Windows PC into a NetBoot server, allowing access to that computer's optical drive from the MBA even for reinstalling the operating system. (However, you have to use a USB optical drive to install Windows for use with Boot Camp or virtualization.)

The MacBook Air has no built-in optical drive, but you can add an external USB 2.0 SuperDrive (only compatible with the MacBook Air) for US$99.

A few things are missing. There is no FireWire port, and you only get one USB port. There is no option to upgrade RAM from the 2 GB built into the computer, because it's soldered to the logic board. There's no built-in ethernet port; if you need ethernet, Apple sells a USB 2.0 ethenet adapter for $29. The Apple Remote is not included with the MBA; it sells for $19.

The MacBook Air has a backlit keyboard.

The MacBook Air is available only with an 18-bit glossy display (not the 24 bits you might expect). Like the iPod and iPhone, it does not have an easily replaceabled battery. Cost to have Apple replace the 37 Watt-hour battery out of warranty is $130.

The MacBook Air is available in two configurations, which can be further customized:

  1. 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 120 GB 4200 rpm hard drive, 2 GB RAM, built-in iSight, and a 1280 x 800 display for US$1,799.
  2. 1.83 GHz, 128 GB solid state drive, 2 GB RAM, US$2,499.

Closed Lid Mode: All Intel 'Books support "lid closed" (or clamshell) mode, which leaves the built-in display off and dedicates all video RAM to an external display. To used closed lid mode, your 'Book must be plugged into the AC adapter and connected to an external display and a USB or Bluetooth mouse and keyboard (you might also want to consider external speakers). Power up your 'Book until the desktop appears on the external display and then close the lid. Your 'Book will go to sleep, but you can wake it by moving the mouse or using the keyboard. The built-in display will remain off, and the external monitor will become your only display. Since all video RAM is now dedicated to the external monitor, you may have more colors available at higher resolutions. The TiBook is designed to run safely in closed lid mode, but if yours runs hot (perhaps due to overclocking or high ambient temperatures), you may want to open the lid when in closed lid mode: The screen will remain off and the computer will more readily vent heat from the CPU.

To resume use of the internal display, you need to disconnect the external display, put the computer to sleep, and then open the lid. This will wake up your 'Book and restore use of the built-in display.

Intel-based Macs use a partitioning scheme known as GPT. Only Macintel models can boot from GPT hard drives. Both PowerPC and Intel Macs can boot from APM (Apple's old partitioning scheme) hard drives, which is the format you must use to create a universal boot drive in Leopard. Power PC Macs running any version of the Mac OS prior to 10.4.2 cannot mount GPT volumes. PowerPC Macs won't let you install OS X to a USB drive or choose it as your startup volume, although there is a work around for that.

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