MacBook AirI remember when Apple killed the floppy drive, and thinking they were out of their minds. Then there's the infamous Slashdot reaction to the iPod. Now they're releasing a laptop without a cd drive, no ethernet and only one usb.
This time though, I think I'll reserve judgment knowing that Apple tends to have a knack for this sort of thing.
Thinking of my own laptop usage, I almost *never* use a cd or a dvd, I'm almost never plugged in to my network, and I'm only rarely using more than one USB and it's generally when I'm doing something I normally wouldn't be doing (backing up to an external drive or something).
The MacBook Air is a damn sexy device. It's absolutely perfect for the vast majority of my traveling and I'd say a large portion of home use. I need wireless internet, a terminal, a headphone jack and streaming radio. Give me this in an ultra-light carry on package and I'm good to go where ever work needs me.
The big problem is the price tag. $1800? Yikes. $1250 and this thing would be taking over every coffee shop in the country. Apple tends to not adjust price much but ya never know. For 1800 bones I'd pick up a full on MacBook instead.
Time Capsule
I just bought a 500gig external hard drive on Sunday. Is this thing a full out NAS, or is it just a back up device? If it's a NAS, I think I'll be taking back the drive I bought and pre-ordering Time Capsule. Wireless N, Wireless printing, and plug-n-play hard drive action. Perfect.
Apple TV
Finally looks attractive/useful to me. Sure would make a dandy birthday present..... (ahem)
iPhone Update
Locate me is hot. If we would have had this in Memphis, it would have been hella useful. Customizing the home screen? Eh. It'll be useful when Apps start coming out in February. I just want access to the SDK so I can try and find time to play. I wonder if iPhones have X-Grid built in like the rest of the OS/X family? :) I don't know why that seems intriguing, but distributed computing taken to a mobile level seems like it'd be.. well.. pretty frigging awesome.
Comments...
(Page 1)1. From reading the tech specs, I'm pretty sure it's a NAS. Just look at their windows compatibility descriptions. Sounds like it's using Samba with minimal magic.
8:52PM on Jan 15th 2008 by Eliot
2. Macbook Air looks awfully purdy. It reminds me a lot of my Lenovo
x60s and the reasons I bought it.
-No need to think, take it everywhere with it. It's tiny enough and there's plenty of battery power.
-Work from anywhere. My x60s has Verizon EV-DO built in...
So, a miss on #2. But it completely nails #1. EV-DO built in wouldn't be a mainstream option quite yet anyway. Mainstream wide
area wireless will have to wait till google is done bidding in the
spectrum auction on the 24th. ;)
On price, my notebook, which is about a year and a half old now,
would have come in at just under 2k without the docking station I
purchased that added more ports and a dvd/cd combo. The price for
their current top end models is still in that same range. That being said, I think that Apple priced the Air right on the money for what it is: for the power user, a companion machine to their primary. For the non-power user who wants to look cool and has the cash to toss around, it's spot on.
All that being said, I still think I have at least another year left in my Lenovo. =)
10:23AM on Jan 16th 2008 by Bill Ferrante
3. that Slashdot link is priceless.
I seriously thought that the icon re-ordering was going to lead directly into the SDK, but it does make sense that they'd take it a step at a time. I do like the ability to plop an icon for the Google iPhone page on my home screen but it definitely seems like a stopgap. Let's hope that SDK comes out on time.
1:33PM on Jan 16th 2008 by Mike
4. Okay - what happens when the drive fails? It's embedded in your router! With the announcement of the DroboShare, making any Drobo network attached (and still usable as direct attached) - just plug your Drobo into a DroboShare, then into your existing router for easy, expandable storage. I would say a much better bet...
6:13PM on Jan 16th 2008 by Rob Quarters
5. I was talking with Jamison about all the latest Mac news and we came up with these conclusions:
1. The second iteration of Apple TV will actually be successful this time around.
We all know that the first one was pretty much a flop, but Jamison feels that with the new features and good marketing, it will fly off shelves.
2. The MacBook air will flop.
Maybe not flop, but it won't do as well as Apple hopes it will. Sure it is really pretty and nifty but what market segment are they targeting with it? Who is really that strapped for weight saving that they can justify spending that kind of green? I know there are those people that will buy it regardless of the price, but like you said Alex, I would rather have a regular MacBook packed to the gills for that kind of money.
3. DO WANT IPHONE APPS
I just want to see all the crazy shit people are going to make for my little phone.
Anyway, just wanted to drop a line on your blog Mr. Rudloff.
11:42PM on Jan 16th 2008 by Will Cheung