Thinnovation Apple Style
Apple’s got a knack for coming up with catchy slogans. This one is self explanatory – It’s an innovation in thinness. With Apple making their products more powerful and compact every year, it was about time that they took a swing at the ultra-thin and ultra-portable laptop segment. With the new MacBook Air recently announced at MacWorld 2008, Apple has once again hit the ball clear out of the ballpark. But, don’t rush out just yet!
How thin is “airy”? At only 0.76 inches at its thickest point it may not sound so impressive. But, it gets even thinner as it tapers off. It measures at 0.16 inches at its thinnest. It’s so thin it floats on air, at least that’s what the ad at Apple’s website depicts it doing. Apple went so far at the recent MacWorld 2008 as to compare the MacBook Air to Sony’s thinnest laptop. They proclaim that the thickest point of the Air is actually less than the thinnest point of the Sony offering.
Apple streamlined everything they could on the Air. You could say they cannibalized a regular MacBook as the Air is missing an optical drive and even a replaceable battery. Ports too have been trimmed down and the Air now only comes with 1 USB port and is missing the FireWire and Optical ports traditionally found on MacBooks and MacBook Pros. There’s a silver lining though as all this reduction of internal space led Intel to produce a 60 percent smaller Core2Duo processor. You may never see the actual processor in the Air but you’ll feel the effect of a smaller and cooler laptop on your lap.
What it’s missing: Optical Drive – no CD or DVD drive means you’ll have to use the optional external USB Optical Drive or connect to the optical drive of a nearby desktop via WiFi; Replaceable battery - no extended usage; - FireWire ports - can’t upload your digital media; Optical Data Port - Apart from a single USB port it doesn’t have any extra connection points.
So should you buy the MacBook Air? If you’re into elegant and great looking products, you’ll happily part with your cash just to add it to your collection of fashion conscious gear, as long as you treat it like glass. If you’re a professional or student on the go who needs a light (3.0 pounds / 1.36 kg), thin (fits in an envelope!) and fully-functional laptop, and can afford the high $1,799 price tag, then you should seriously take a look at this product. But if you’re part of the real world laptop crowd that must have certain features, broader functionality, such as a replaceable battery and can’t do without a built-in CD/DVD drive, then you may end up admiring the MacBook Air but not buying it.
Source: Apple Computer
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