Apple introduces the Macbook Air - the worlds thinnest notebook

[Darksaber]

Apple just unveiled their new ultraportable notebook, called the Macbook Air. It features a 1.6 GHz Core 2 Duo, which can be upped to 1.8 GHz at a price. There is no optical drive, but a 80GB 4200 RPM hard drive or an optional 64GB SSD drive. The battery should last around 5 hours. The front is just a mere 0.16 inches high, while the back tops out at 0.76 inches. The keyboard is full size and features the same layout as on the new Mac Pro keyboard. It is backlit and has a black finish. The optional USB 2.0 Superdrive is available for $99 USD.

The Macbook Air will sell for 1,799 US Dollars or 1,699€s.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Basard]

Paint it red, and put hearts on it.... wonderful valentines day present....

 

[Dangle]

This is pretty damn cool. Optical discs are becoming obsolete. Most games these days can be downloaded. I hardly ever buy packaged software. I could never buy this because I think Mac's software is ghey, but I will admit their harware is totally bad ass.

 

[Dark Revenger]

Insane

 

[WhiteLotus]

wow that is thin. i to admit that the products there release are insanely good eye candy.

 

[MrW]

Sexiest notebook I've seen.

 

[Ripper3]

@ Dangle, you could always buy it, try the software out, and if you don't like it, install Windows on it, you'd have the looks of the Mac, and the software you like

Personally, I want. Alot... makes my m1330 feel really thick and heavy (which it really isn't).
I also want to try out Leopard, but my old Macs can't handle it.

 

[newtekie1]

$1800 Thin comes at a price...

Very nice though.

 

[Ripper3]

Thin laptops, and ultra-portables, ahve always come at a huge price, if anything, that's actually competitive, atleast in the UK it is, imo. $1800 is just over £900, foir a laptop that's got a nicer screen size (13"), but without compromising lightness and, well, it's damned thin. Shame about the fact it has one USB port, one mini-DVI port, and an audio out port, and nothing else, but meh, people who'll be buying this laptop will hardly ever need anything else as long as they have WiFi and Bluetooth, for networking and to use an external mouse.

Actually, just realised it's $1799, or €1699... meaning it'll probably be £1599... damn 'em.

 

[Completely Bonkers]

Very nice

But too big for an ultra portable. Lets hope they do a 12-13" hi-def. screen version. Then, I'm in!

(PS. With boot camp. )

>>> Look at that $ price compared to the € price! WTF! Grrr.

Oh, you HAVE to check out the new patented mouse-pad gestures in action. 100%

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/guidedtour/index.html?size=medium

 

[Ketxxx]

Fools move removing the optical IMO.

 

[newtekie1]

Shame about the fact it has one USB port, one mini-DVI port, and an audio out port, and nothing else, but meh, people who'll be buying this laptop will hardly ever need anything else as long as they have WiFi and Bluetooth, for networking and to use an external mouse.

It is also a shame that it doesn't come with an optical drive of any sort. How are the users supposed to upgrade to the newest version of OSX when it comes out? Only having one USB port does kind of suck, because that one USB port will probably be used for the optical drive. Or if the computer is being used for any type of video editing(they are very nice for that) an external hard drive.

A USB hub would certainly be a must if I had this laptop.

 

[mdm-adph]

It is also a shame that it doesn't come with an optical drive of any sort. How are the users supposed to upgrade to the newest version of OSX when it comes out? Only having one USB port does kind of suck, because that one USB port will probably be used for the optical drive. Or if the computer is being used for any type of video editing(they are very nice for that) an external hard drive.

A USB hub would certainly be a must if I had this laptop.

It can use another computer on your network as an optical drive -- seriously, how many times a month do you use an optical drive? I tinker with a system a LOT, and I only use an optical drive maybe once a month -- everything else is transferred over a network.

But anyway -- all I see when I look at this laptop is a way to get laid. Seriously, like basard said, this thing is the ultimate Valentine Day's present.

 

[King Wookie]

Definitely a yuppy machine.
I really like the SSD option though.

Not quite enough to tempt me away from my macbookpro though.
(it even does vista)

 

[nflesher87]

that is sweet

time to ditch my 17" Macbook Pro

 

[newtekie1]

It can use another computer on your network as an optical drive -- seriously, how many times a month do you use an optical drive? I tinker with a system a LOT, and I only use an optical drive maybe once a month -- everything else is transferred over a network.

I use my optical drive daily. It would be a pain in the ass to have to walk into the other room every time I wanted to watch a different DVD, or play a different game(not that this machine will be playing many games).

Transferring everything over the network is a solution, but not a practical one for many people. Especially the people looking at buying a laptop or people that don't own multiple computers.

 

[joinmeindeath417]

id say 70 percent of society don't use cds unless they listen to music and concidering p2p sharing is insanly popular by many most already just download mp3's and such as for programs yeah but with mac there aren't many programs most people would get that are for it aside from office 2k8 or something along those lines and they invented usb flash drives for a reason

i give apple alot of credit in the hardware department

 

[Darkrealms]

I will give Apple a hand for product inovation but lately they haven't had the vast majority in mind.

 

[Ravenas]

Hefty price tag, but it's a killer hardware and software laptop. Very, very thin as well...

 

[beastiebob]

Once again Apple sets out to prove it only exists to serve trendy people. The laptop is very slick no doubt, but the price per square inch of space you save vs a standard laptop is ginormous! It's about as powerful as your avg $500-600 PC notebook nothing all that special. But since it doesn't come with Vista it must be priceless

 

[sheps999]

I wonder if they had any problems with it snapping when the lid was opened?

 

[Wile E]

Once again Apple sets out to prove it only exists to serve trendy people. The laptop is very slick no doubt, but the price per square inch of space you save vs a standard laptop is ginormous! It's about as powerful as your avg $500-600 PC notebook nothing all that special. But since it doesn't come with Vista it must be priceless

But those 500-600 laptops aren't as portable, and weigh more than 3lbs.

that is sweet

time to ditch my 17" Macbook Pro

So, what kind of money you lookin to get out of it? Tina needs a laptop.

 

[beastiebob]

The Dell XPS starts at $1000 and weighs 3.97 lbs, and is pretty thin as well and is just about as powerful. But will it make all of your friends go ohhhh and ahhhhh when you whip it out of your briefcase?

 

[GSG-9]

I like it, its thin. Im not buying one, I ant a real(ish) videocard

 

[Eric3988]

I could never buy one of these things. I would either break it or lose it in a week b/c it is so small and fragile. Plus, it's uber expensive.