Zis Mac
Alan Zisman on the Mac
MacBook Air Makes a Convert
- 2008.09.24 - Tip Jar
Popularity: 
Follow Alan Zisman on Twitter.
Last spring, Apple's newly announced MacBook Air (MBA) laptop gathered a lot of attention. Weighing in three pounds, it was slim and sleek. TV ads showed it sliding out of a manila envelope. But I wondered about its practicality. The Air lacks a built-in optical drive and wired network adapter, and it has only a single USB port. Though its 2 GB memory is adequate, neither the memory nor the battery are removable or upgradable.
Like ultralight notebooks from Toshiba and Lenovo, the Air isn't designed to be a buyer's only computer; it's designed to be a second system for users who are frequently on the road and willing to trade features for reduced size and weight.
Since I was going to be traveling in August, Apple loaned me an MBA for road testing. It accompanied me on six flights through five countries. The review machine came with Apple's optional external SuperDrive ($99) and wired ethernet adapter ($30). Users wanting to connect an Air to an external monitor or digital projector would also need to add a micro-DVI adapter ($20).
Apple includes Remote Disc software in Mac and Windows versions. This software allows an MBA user to use a CD or DVD drive built into a nearby computer. Less cleverly, the company seems to have left out instructions on how to make this work. (Hint: the software is on the Air's software installation disc.) While you can't watch a DVD movie on the Air using a remote drive, this feature would be handy if you want to install software.
I needed the network adapter for wired Internet access in several hotels. I don't like these sorts of dangly adapters. They're too easily lost or left-behind.
Competitive ultra-lights have ethernet (and external video) adapters built-in, but the price is a package that's thicker than the Air. On the other hand, the Air's 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz processor is faster than the 1.2 GHz CPU used by the competition. It also provided more than adequate speed and power for all the basic computing tasks I carried out on the road.
The system boots up quickly. It goes into sleep mode simply by closing the lid and comes back to life almost instantly.
Wireless performance (WiFi and Bluetooth are both built-in) and battery life (a bit under four hours) were both good. My review Air came with an optional 64 GB solid state drive (a C$625 option on top of the Air's C$1,900 base price, which is in line with the pricing of competitors' ultralight models). Solid state drives are more robust and promise better performance and battery life than traditional hard drives. Published tests suggest that the technology is not yet fulfilling these promises. I can't consider it a must-have feature now - especially at current high prices.
Apple gets bonus marks for attention to multiple little details. Examples include the MagSafe magnetic connector on the power cable: if someone trips over the cord, it pops off rather than pulling the laptop to the floor. Or the keyboard with letters that glow gently in the dark - very handy on overnight flights. And all in a case that's minus the protrusions and stickers of PC laptops, though that same streamlining eliminates useful network and video ports.
And yes, you could install Windows (XP or Vista) onto it (I didn't), though the relatively small (64 GB or 80 GB) drives are not ideal for holding both Windows and Mac OS X.
As I write this, the rumour mill is buzzing with talk that the Air might be updated, perhaps before this column goes to print. But I'm converted: The model I was loaned was a pleasure to use - a stylish, easy-to-transport second computer for the frequent flyer.
As long as you don't lose that network adapter.
First published in Business in Vancouver, September 23-29, 2008; issue 987
Join us on Facebook!, follow us on Twitter, use our Google+ page, or read our RSS news feed
Alan Zisman is Mac-using teacher and technology writer based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Many of his articles are available on his website, www.zisman.ca. If you find Alan's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.
Other articles by Alan Zisman
- 3 Ways to Use Microsoft Office on Your iPad, 2012.05.14. You can't run Microsoft Office natively on the iPad, but one of these workarounds may do the job for you.
- Adobe CS6: Why Buy When You Can Rent?, 2012.05.01. Adobe hopes its software users will switch to its $50/month Creative Cloud service rather than buy its software outright.
- iPad Dilemma: New iPad or Stick with the Old?, 2012.04.30. Compared with the original iPad, the New iPad has more power, a better screen, and a better camera, but does that really matter?
- More in the Zis Mac index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: Unitron Mac512, introduced 1985. Unauthorized Brazilian clone of the Mac 512K.
- May 23 in LEM history: 00: A computer I understood - 01: Mac: A dream fulfilled - 02: PowerKey - 03: 12" PowerBook better than 15" TiBook - 05: The First Macs - 06: What's in your workspace? - Picking the right laptop - Sun has set on the G4 - 06: Running your notebook using flash memory - 08: MacBook holds its own against Dell and HP
- Support Low End Mac
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Lion and the End of Bootable OS X Installers, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 2012.05.23. Mac OS X Lion is only available as an upgrade from Snow Leopard. Is this the end of bootable installers from Apple?
- Mac Pro on the Way Out or Changing with the Times?, Dan Bashur, Apple, Tech, and Gaming, 2012.05.22. No other desktop Mac offers a wide range of expansion options, but is that enough reason for Apple to keep the behemoth powerhouse Mac Pro around?
- iPhone 3D: Stereo Photography and 3D Movies for the Rest of Us, Anne Onymus, The Rumor Mill, 2012.05.22. Until now, stereo photography and 3D movies required expensive dedicated equipment. With the iPhone 3D, Apple will make it available to the masses.
- iPad 2 'Feels Like an Upgrade' from New iPad, Samsung Tops Apple in Smartphone Market, and More, iOS News Review, 2012.05.21. Also Apple to maintain tablet dominance, working in portrait mode, Wozniak would like to see end of walled garden, and more.
- MacBook Airs Top Ultrabooks, Boost MacBook Performance, MacBook Pro Update in June?, and More, The 'Book Review, 2012.05.21. Also Retina displays available now but costly, USB 3 expected in next MacBook rev, hybrid drives an affordable alternative to SSDs, and more.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
- Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals
- Best MacBook Air Deals
- Best iPad Deals
- Best Mac OS X 10.6, iLife, and iWork Deals
- Best iPod classic Deals
- Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals
- Best iBook G4 Deals
- Best Classic Mac OS Deals
- More deals in our archive.
About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact
Follow
Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac
on Facebook
Low End Mac Reader Specials
Macsales.com SuperSpeed SSDs from $58. Transform your Mac with an SSD Solution of up to 960GB! You won't believe it's the same machine! Once you experience an OWC SSD, no going back! - Macsales.com
Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Macpokeronline.com will show you how to download and play Poker on a Mac natively on your Mac in just minutes.
Favorite Sites
MacSurfer
Cult of Mac
Shrine of Apple
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac Museum
Deal Brothers
DealMac
Mac2Sell
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End Mac FAQ
Affiliates
Amazon.com
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay
