Apple has an uncanny ability to infuse their products with that nebulous sense of futurism. When I first held the iPhone, the one word that immediately came to mind was just that: This is the future. It’s that unadorned look, the nobody-else-is-doing-just-this feeling.
When my MacBook Air arrived this morning, I felt exactly the same thing. Even the packaging feels future. It’s so tiny. It doesn’t look like any other packaging out there. The box opens as a board game and it’s really solid and sturdy.
The machine itself is without a doubt the prettiest laptop I’ve ever seen. The proportions feel so right. Impossibly thin, lighter than the ~3 pounds would lead you to believe. And yet it’s a full-blown computer with no sacrifices in the interaction. The keyboard is a slight bit more klackity-click than the new stand-alones, but still awesome. The screen is very bright and instantly at full strength (go LEDs).
People have been wondering how this is going to play out in the market. It doesn’t have enough features, the specs are too low, it’s too expensive, it’s not this, it’s not that. Bah. This is the RAZR of laptops. Lots of people won’t care about the compromises once they get a chance to taste the future up close and personal.
Anyway, enough pouring my heart out in love for Apple’s industrial design and ability to capture that feeling of future so perfectly. I’ll try to live with the machine over a week and report back with findings.
So far it’s very positive, though. The machine feels more than plenty fast. It runs the tests for Highrise about 25-30% slower than my MacBook Pro (2.4Ghz). Which is just about exactly what you would guess from a machine with 1.8Ghz. In normal operations (web/mail/textmate/iphoto), I can’t feel any difference at all yet.
Update: Ars Technica has an in-depth review of the Air. The reviewer only got 2.5 hours out of his machine, though. I’m currently on my 4 hour of service with the screen at half brightness, using the internet all the time, power savings set to “Better Battery Life”. Wonder how much of the difference is the SSD or if the reviewer just had something very CPU intensive running.
Update 2: MacBook Air Haters: Suck My Dick by Wil Shipley of Delicious Monster is funny and spot on.
Beerzie
on 05 Feb 08Pictures?
DHH
on 05 Feb 08I don’t think I can do a better job at photographing the air than Apple has already done on their own site ;)
Shawn Medero
on 05 Feb 08I get where you are going with the RAZR comment but it is not a good thing in my eyes. The RAZR has one of the worst cell phone software user interfaces I have ever used in my life. Even though it is super thin, I wouldn’t even consider getting another one given how horrible it is to use.
Yes you are sacrificing performance with the MacBook Air but at least the underlying hardware and software interfaces are still easy to use.
DHH
on 05 Feb 08Shawn, that only makes the comparison all the more apt in the sense that if people were willing to live with such a shoddy UI experience in order to get the RAZR, then even more people should be interested in the Air as the rest of the experience is actually awesome.
Joga Luce
on 05 Feb 08The negative reactions to the MacBook Air are very reminiscent of the removal of the floppy drive from the Mac. “How will people get data onto their computers!”
Change is always resisted by those comfortable with the way things are.
Don C
on 05 Feb 08I’m reassured that it feels reasonably fast even doing the kind of development work that you do.
With that in mind, I’m curious whether you chose the SSD or the HD version. I’m increasingly tempted by the SSD, but I would only spring for the difference if it makes a noticeable difference in the feel of the machine. (My local Apple store only has the SSD on display, not yet any HD models.)
Peter Cooper
on 05 Feb 08I considered the Air, but then I somehow bought an 8-core Mac Pro and 30” Cinema Display instead (!). There is a lot to be said for portability, but there’s a lot to be said for being chained to a comfortable chair and desk and not being distracted too :)
sandofsky
on 05 Feb 08I’ve spent most of my afternoon setting up my MacBook Air, and I agree, it’s great.
I recommend grabbing the free utility Trimmit, which strips the PPC binaries and non-english languages from binaries (among other probably needless things). It was able to cut Mail.app down from 220 megs to about 20 megs.
Also, grab AppZapper and OmniDiscSweeper. Wipe out iDVD, Garage Band, iMovie, and all their templates. So far, I’ve cut my base installation to 11 gigs.
Jeff L
on 05 Feb 08How’s the heat output on that thing?
ChadL
on 05 Feb 08I recall getting the same comments when I purchased my laptop last year. Wait for it… a Dell D420. I can hear it, boooo!
Seriously though, it has similar specs but it’s not quite as thin. No CD, ultra small, ultra portable. I got the same heckling, telling me I sacrificed too much for portability. Portability is huge! And performance is a non-issue. My theory is they either they don’t pack a machine with them wherever they go, or they are simply accounting for some form of envy.
Congrats on your new toy, if you do any sort of travel or commuting with your laptop you will not regret this purchase.
Tim
on 05 Feb 08The Ars Technica review was more measured in its praise. In particular they panned the speed of the hard disk and said they only got 2.5 hours battery life.
I’d be very interested to know how the SSD option performs. Which one did you get David?
Patrick Henry
on 05 Feb 08The RAZR had a replaceable battery.
The RAZR had every feature of every high end Motorola that came before it.
The RAZR was not the future, it was merely the fashion phone of its own time, quickly hated by its buyers for the stupid volume-buttons-on-the-wrong-half-of-the-flip feature.
Joshua Peek
on 05 Feb 08I remember hearing rumors about Apple doing some “ultra light laptop with wifimax/some cool wireless feature”. I thought that would be a great idea. Its like a big iPhone with a full OS.
I really like how Apple pushed the wireless thing with iTunes rentals and backup. Hopeful the iDisk gets bumped up. Then who cares how big the HD is.
Great thing for web apps ;) To bad there is no slot for Verizon EVDO
DHH
on 05 Feb 08I got the SSD version, but it’s hard to know how much it matters when you can’t compare them side by side. My girlfriend will probably go for just the regular version with a HD, so I’ll try to do some comparison then. It doesn’t feel like a big deal against the 7200rpm in my MBP.
sandofsky, I did the same thing. The 64GB SSD only gives you 55GB usable space. So pruning the unneeded is a good deal.
Patrick, I couldn’t care less about not being able to replace the battery myself. I’ve had a spare battery for the MBP, but I never, ever use it. I also don’t care about no CD drive or the ports.
Additionally, I don’t have a EVDO card, so loosing all these things that never really mattered too much to me in the first place seems like a small price to pay to get a machine like the air.
But to each his own. If you do want/use all these things, it’s not like there’s a shortage of choice out there. I’m so happy that Apple doesn’t let their product strategy drive only by what the conventional wisdom say that the mainstream would presumably buy.
Patrick Henry
on 05 Feb 08@DHH So, in your imaginary future, more people will put up with a slower, heavier, non-user-serviceable machine because it’s thinner? Right now, such people are just not yet mainstream?
FredS
on 05 Feb 08^Oh shuddup
Will M
on 05 Feb 08Thinness is worth a lot to me. I love my RAZR even though the UI sucks. Had a bigger phone before w/a better UI. But the RAZR is the first phone that’s in my pocket all the time.
Otto VanTeasdahl
on 05 Feb 08Has anyone been able to port Ubuntu onto it yet?
Shawn Oster
on 05 Feb 08I’m not sure why some people don’t think super portable and sleek design won’t be enough of a selling point when it comes to the Air, even me, a Vista-loving ASP.NET developer can instantly see the love when it comes to how thin and light this puppy is. My wife, who in her wisdom perceives the whole PC vs. Mac debate as only slightly less nerdy than a Star Trek vs. Star Wars debate being held at a comic book convention while rolling a twenty-sided die picks her gadgets on actual usefulness in her job and she’s declared the Air the next notebook for her (though running Vista via Bootcamp).
The only question I have is how sturdy is it? How well will it take being shoved carelessly into bags and bumped through airports and cramped into overheads?
August Lilleaas
on 05 Feb 08People that complain about mackbook air is the same lame kind of people that argues that, say, Linus Torvalds sucks (who are they to say that?). And they really deserve the Even if you win, you’re still a retard poster.
Giles Bowkett made a very nice blogpost about fanboy beta hardware. People play World of Warcraft and Warhammer, they buy Transformers toys on eBay, and . And some buy green lasers, usb rocket launchers, binary led watches – and super thin and very expensive laptops without CD drives. We don’t care wether or not it’s useful.
James
on 05 Feb 08I wouldn’t say it was pretty, its not up to standards with the normal Apple laptops. Its too curvy which reminds me of pc laptops, I prefer the ±0-esque squareness of the normal apple laptops
Oh and the RAZR wasn’t the future really was it? iPhone etc
Manuel Martensen
on 05 Feb 08Isn’t it funny how there are people everywhere, who are upset when it comes to the Air?
I can only speak for myself, but i envy you guys, those with the deeper pockets. Sure, with my budget i can’t buy such a thing, because i need more horsepower for my money. But if i had the money for a heavyweight workhorse and this beauty for commuting/travelling, i would sure get one.
Me too.
Fred
on 05 Feb 08Yeah, but photos would be nice anyway, on the apple pages I’ve found no picture showing the MBA in Your hands… ;)
That’s exacly what I thought when I received my free MacBook Air...
Looking forward to read your HDD-SSD comparison.
Simon
on 05 Feb 08It’s the first Apple design in the past 5 years that I haven’t liked. The super thick bezel on the screen looks awfully out of proportion to me.
Henrik Lied
on 05 Feb 08Portability is a big issue for a lot of us. Especially for those of us who are required to be on guard wherever we are. For my part, I usually travel with either my MacBook (business) or my EeePC (on vacation, but still able to do some work).
What worries me more is what I’m saying in the above paragraph: In our business we’re often required to be reached, wherever we’re at. We’re looking at a picture of a generation who’s burned out at age 35. Not that’s scary, and this technology is a big part of what’s making this possible.
edddy
on 05 Feb 08Do you think that you will be able to tell us a negative review if you don’t like it?
I don’t think so.
Elliot
on 05 Feb 08I have a 15” MBP, and use about the same functionality as an Air provides.
My mouse and keyboard are bluetooth, my secondary monitor would plug into the micro-DVI port and USB sticks into the single port. Only time I need more than one is when a drive needs an extra USB for power.
I do plug into a wired network though ( seperate VLAN’s for wireless and wired for security ) which would be the only problem but anywhere else from work I rarely plug in.
Only thing I would need is more disk space, which is sure to come in an upgrade.
Simon
on 05 Feb 08Interesting that Apple products seem so futuristic, considering that they are often based on relics of the past.
Free Business Model
on 05 Feb 08Well, just the fact that it runs OS X is great if you ask me. I recently moved away from an HP laptop running Vista. That was a true nightmare.
One thing I don’t like is that the screen looks glossy. I know a lot of people like glossy, but I don’t. My MacBook Pro has a flat screen and I love it. Is there a choice with the Air?
Oh, and speaking of my MacBook Pro, the video input on the right hand side drives me nuts. I have a dual monitor set up and that cable gets in the way of my wireless mouse. I’ve been temped to run the video through a VGA / USB adapter thing, out of a USB hub, so that the cord is out of the way. Does this make any sense?
Tom G
on 05 Feb 08If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands!
Seriously can’t anybody express an opinion around here with the negativity going over the line ;-)
All the drawbacks have been pointed out – it’s nice to hear what a real (albeit heneymoon stage) owner thinks about their purchase. Beats buyers remorse…
beerzie
on 05 Feb 08Photos of the packaging, man! The packaging!
Please?
Manuel Martensen
on 05 Feb 08Best reply i saw in a long time.
Keith
on 05 Feb 08I’m only hung up on this laptop because of the lack of a built in CD/DVD drive. (hung up for 1 reason…being a topic this blog has covered in the past lol)
I just wish Apple would have put a wireless CD/DVD RW combo drive into the Time Capsule. I could certainly sacrifice the extra 1/2” to carry around an external HDD + my CD without having to lug 2 pieces of equipment around.
ChadL
on 05 Feb 08Ok, we just got one at work. Packaging is nice, but the machine didn’t knock our socks off. I was expecting something smaller than my Dell D420, and something lighter.
Hate to be the antagonist here, but it’s not really that small in comparison to other ultra portables. It’s great for those who want a portable Mac though, so in that respect this Macbook Air is fantastic!!
As for having no DVD/CD drive. Do you seriously need it? I’ve had my laptop (minus a CD drive) for a year now and the only time I used the external drive was to confirm it actually worked.
Kenn Wilson
on 05 Feb 08Clint Ecker
on 05 Feb 08Hey David, Clint from Ars here! Just a few things:
1. Jacqui is a woman ;)
2. We now have both an SSD and a HDD model (expect the SSD addendum tonight), and our SSD model is getting around 2:45 – 3:00 hours. We’ve asked around to our contacts Jason Snell who edits MacWorld and he says that this is very similar to the times he’s getting on his SSD and HDD models.
3. The way Jacqui is testing the laptops is this: She charges it to maximum and then proceeds to do her daily tasks on the device. This entails writing articles, colloborating on IM and IRC, Twitterrific, et cetera. Brightness set to the absolute minimum, WiFi on (obviously! :)). On the HDD model we did 4 complete cycles and there was minor variance in the times. We’ve been working hard on the SSD today and it looks like ~3hours is all we’re getting.
For reference the HDD model was purchased online and the SSD model was the first SSD purchased from the flagship store on Michigan Ave. yesterday morning.
We’re not sure what the issues is here (perhaps a bad bunch of batteries?), but we’ve heard of a few individuals getting close to reported battery life like you, but it seems like more often than not they aren’t. We’ll have to do some more investigation on this and report back.
John A Davis
on 05 Feb 08Sorry, not interested.
Josh
on 05 Feb 08I just got mine this morning (at the Cambridge, MA Apple Store) – already I can tell it’s the best Mac laptop I’ve owned – better even than the 12” MBP.
Clint Ecker
on 05 Feb 08Also, David, I would really be interested in seeing your laptops battery information from the system profiler:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305405
Full charge capacity, specifically. If you could email that to me, I’d very much appreciate it!
[email protected]
carlivar
on 06 Feb 08SSD is still too expensive. But otherwise, kudos to Apple. I actually actively dislike the DVD drive on my old Powerbook. I never use it, and the other day when I actually left a DVD in it for the first time in forever, the damn drive kept spinning up and draining my battery faster.
I would actually prefer a MacBook Pro but with an extra battery instead of the DVD drive. But I’m kinda weird. Actually now that I think about it, I had a 2nd battery stuck into the DVD slot with my otherwise crappy Dell laptop 7 years ago. Sigh.
Lesson I guess is Apple’s smart and good but not perfect. (Like why do I have to plug in the iPhone to a computer to sync with iTunes? IT HAS BLUETOOTH).
Marlyse Comte
on 06 Feb 08And it is exactly this avant-garde feeling which Apple celebrates to perfection which makes our hearts beat higher with anticipation and brightens the horizon for with expectation of things to come… such a stimulus, plain fabulous.
Matthew
on 07 Feb 08James wrote: “Its too curvy which reminds me of pc laptops”
One thing, two perspectives. I’ve been waiting for the curves to return to Apple’s ID, but then I’ve been an Apple customer since 1986 and my fondest memories are of the early designs.
The MBA is an Apple computer through and through. It’s a fine balance of design, performance, price, and (yes) compromise. Apple’s not an “all things to all people” company and never has been.
Anonymous Coward
on 08 Feb 08David, please share your full charge capacity with all of us if you don’t mind so we can all learn. :-) I’ll post mine here when I’m back on my MBA later tonight.
Josh Goebel
on 08 Feb 08Looks like 4954 is mine…
http://pastie.org/149156
Tony H
on 09 Feb 08I get that you love the futuristic look of the Air, but I don’t think form has met function in this just yet. But I also do not think this is a blunder. The Air is a stepping stone, and the next step is a tablet. THEN form will truly have met function and you’ll see the next craze.
This discussion is closed.