The MacBook Air Is a Horrible, Horrible Product
I’m not one to immediately write off any product as horrible without considering what it can do, but in all honesty, I think the MacBook Air is a misplaced product.
The whole point of an ultra portable is to be just that: easy to carry and easy to use. Many companies have tried and actually pulled off some amazing designs without losing functionality or making up for it by targeting a different demographic. The MacBook Air is just really, really thin. How thin you say? Thin enough to fit in a manila folder while retaining the MacBook’s form factor and shaving off 2 pounds. Essentially the scarred child of the MacBook and MacBook Pro that had a bad case of bulimia.
But what does the whole package get you? A usable Mac, one a road warrior who relies on the Internet more than local apps might fall in love with. Besides it being so thin (did I mention it was thin?), you have to make some serious compromises. Only 1 USB port, no Firewire, no Optical Drive, and worst of all, no user replaceable battery.
Did I also mention the price? For an extended period of time, you too can not only compromise on essential features but also pay far out the wallet for it! At a cool $1800 for the baseline model, you can enjoy a seriously powered down MacBook that sets itself apart from its bulkier counterparts by being really, really thin. So thin that you’re being charged a premium for the removal of what makes a laptop a laptop.
So far, Apple really screwed up on this one. It’d be nice if the MacBook Air was the entry level model to the MacBook family due to its lack of features, but instead Apple thought it necessary to further muck up the branding by pricing it just under a MacBook Pro and a lot more than a MacBook, both of which would eat the MBA for breakfast with room left over (you know, because it’s so thin.)
Besides that, Apple really drives home the point that physical media is dying. Great, Steve, but the library of DVDs and software isn’t shrinking. What’s a movie loving consumer to do? Buy them all on iTunes! Who needs an optical drive, just repurchase everything in lower quality, did I mention you can now rent it too? Did I also mention that the thin form factor just makes it that much better?
“In redefining thin, MacBook Air has shed something you no longer need: the optical drive. That’s because MacBook Air is built for the wireless world. So instead of watching DVDs, you can rent movies wirelessly from the iTunes Store.”
But wait, it only has an 80 GB Hard Drive! No matter, we’ll just upgrade it to make room for all that great content I’m downloading, oh wait. That’s right, non upgradeable. Did I also mention you can defeat the purpose of an ultra portable by attaching a removable hard drive or keep it mobile by going on what Apple says…
“Mac OS X Leopard brought you Time Machine, the built-in backup that automatically copies files to an external drive. And now, Time Capsule—the new hard drive plus Wi-Fi base station—lets you use Time Machine to wirelessly back up your files. It’s effort free and yet another way MacBook Air lets you live and work untethered.”
The only positive thing I’ll say is the design is decent. The concept totally contradicts itself, though; it’s not smaller in any way, only thinner and lighter. The price point is the real killer also, as the lack of features could be compensated with a lower price point. But in all honesty, the MacBook Air is an abomination that only waters down features.
Did I also mention that it’s really thin?
del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Slashdot
StumbleUpon
Comments
Oh great, yet ANOTHER opinion of the ‘Air which makes an eating disorder reference. Still it’s better than the hackneyd supermodel references.
And for EXTRA old hat points the word ‘road warrior’ has been applied.
I don’t know precisely WHO the market for this notebook is, but it is defiantely aimed at people who are already willing to pay just under - starting price of - $1,500 for the myriad of Sony sub-notebooks out there (particularly the TZ series).
I personally do not like the ‘Air.
Yes it is agressively thin and light, but thinness at the expense of ports/funcationality and other factors (not to mention optical drive) is not what I personally look for in a device at that payscale, but then I am not the target user.
So imho, the above rticle does present valid points, just in an unpalatable way.
I have to disagree with this article. I currently own a MacBook Pro and an iMac. I am not a road warrior. However, I do tote my laptop from my house to my work. The MacBook Air is perfect for me. With 5 hours of battery life with Airport running is fantastic. While I am at work, I use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. I also use a bluetooth keyboard at home and a USB mouse. I don’t find that I need any other tools. The MacBook Air’s weight, style, and appointments are more than enough.
While I wish it used a different video card, the computer is perfect. With 2gb RAM standard, this thing should run remarkably well. Plus the trackpad is fantastic.
This laptop is exactly what I’ve been looking for. The price does reflect the R&D;involved and the cost of getting Intel to spend money on shrinking the chip as well.
This article is very narrow minded in how it is written and doesn’t take other perspectives into account. You’ve never even tried the product out to provide a true review. But what else do I expect from this site?
If you don’t like the website and it’s reviews of certain products why do you even bother reading and obviously putting a lot of effort into producing a coherent and well thought response. Doesn’t make much logical sense.
While I like the design of the MacBook Air the price point is too high and the features are very limited. This is definitely a niche product for a certain target consumer demographic. The same demographic that would spend so much money on an Ipod Touch for only 16 gb of memory.
The reviewer is obviously basing his review on the specs only which is what every consumer does when deciding to buy a product. He’s just doing it out loud and on a website.
Wolp and others, its fine to disagree but lets keep any site attacks or personal attacks out of it….it gets old real quick.
The ironic thing is I just returned on the Red Eye from San Francisco where in between trying to sleep, and watching my first iTunes rental on my iPhone (which worked great btw) I started writing a piece about how great the Air is. That piece will appear soon.
I truly believe the Macbook Air has to be seen, and picked up, to be appreciated. As for your points about price, Tanner, it costs more to make a product that is more compact. The technology innovation required to pack that much power into such a light-weight package is not easy, and once you pick up an Air you’ll appreciate it more.
I do agree that 80GBS is a little slim, and I was surprised to see no option to upgrade to a 160GB drive (maybe it’s too thick?). But I think the real reason is that this machine is supposed to be someone’s alternate machine, not their dedicated machine. To be used when traveling.
That said I could easily survive with an Air as a dedicated machine. 80GBS is fine, the processor rocks (which is where people should be concerned if there was a compromise) and it is super-light and beautiful.
The reviewer obviously considers himself a road warrior and gives his opinion in a rather unpalatable way.
Let mme put it this way: the trades off are obvious, as is the price. Let people decide if it is a good product or not.
One obvious thing: it is not for people who own a single computer. If you have any kind of computing infrastructure at home, this is the computer you take out with you.
The only big question mark to me is the HDD. Not the capacity mind you but the PATA interface and reliability.
“...what makes a laptop a laptop.”
Is it no longer that you can use it on your lap?
For the most part I agree. Let’s see, for $100 (and 6lbs) more, I can get a MBP with:
- a larger screen
- firewire
- dedicated video chip
- larger HD
- FASTER HD
- replaceable battery
- DVD drive
- ethernet port
- ability to run pro apps that balk if you try to install on a machine with onboard video
Yes it’s heavier, but… $100! Value-wise the Air is not even close. It’s just priced way too high.
I also agree with dbregeon that if you have one computer to buy, Air is not it.
Also, keep in mind that the MacBook Air is less costly than a comparable Sony, even when you purchase the external Super Drive. It also provides you with more screen real estate, far more processing power (1.6Ghz dual core vs 1.06 Ghz single core). Plus the added bonus of having a nicely sized keyboard is a plus.
My primary point that I was trying to make was that the author reviewed the MacBook Air without actually reviewing the MacBook Air. While many people buy based on specs, many also read reviews in which people actually physically put these machines to the test and see how they work in a day to day setting.
This review was very narrowly focused by just analyzing the specs without even physically seeing the product. I’ve seen it, and trust me, you need to actually hold this thing to ‘get it’. The price point is very much in line with the size, form factor, and the intensity of R&D;from both Apple and Intel.
But what of using it? Looking nice is fine, but what if the lack of ports or drives causes hardship in the using it part?
First define the market, then tell me how it meets that market’s needs.
It is not a primary computer so any criticism about missing features is misplaced.
It is designed to be operated over a wireless network with a primary computer on that network so storage and optical drive limitation criticisms are invalid.
It is a self-indulgent luxury item so price criticisms are meaningless.
It is designed to appeal to people of means who appreciate the finer things in life and already have a fully functional desktop computer on their wireless network.
There are millions of us out there who can afford one or who can get our business or our employer to buy us one.
Many of us will get one.
I’d say it fits it’s market’s needs quite well.
Just because it’s not for you or you don’t need it - does not make it a horrible product. If you stand in a store and hold a laptop (any laptop), the weight is usually okay but for road warriors who have to schlep it from town to town, up & down and all around, 1/2 lb is like 10 lbs by the time you cross the plaza and 2 lbs weight savings is 30 lbs running down the concourse. With the added “remote” feature, there is really nothing missing - OF COURSE, we all want EVERY feature known to man on EVERY machine not just a Mac but the compromises are reasonable. I can carry a uSB stick with utilities and recovery software. I can load movies via wifi or a USb cable or a USB stick. And I’m sure in a month, someone will sell me a portable battery that charges the Mac via USB - in fact, it’s better that it’s an external because maybe I don’t even to shut down before removing the other battery - WHICH I HAVE TO CARRY ANYWAY so whether it’s an internal battery or an external one, the weigh is ALL THE SAME - big whoop. It’s NOT for everyone but for those who value weight and battery life over having 5 ports to plug into THIS INSTANT, it’s a gorgeous machine that serves its main purpose of being fairly speedy and very, very lightweight. If you don’t get it or don’t need, fine, just step away - it’s not even remotely a horrible product unless you have no idea what you are talking about.
Sterling North, the lack of ports is not really a problem. This is not meant to be your primary computer. 1 USB port is enough. I use bluetooth peripherals (keyboard and mouse) when at the office. The only time I need a USB port is the occasional use for syncing my digital camera or connecting my iPod. This one port is not even a hinderance. Even if I connect an USB keyboard an mouse, most keyboards even have additional ports. Wait till it is released, the utility of this notebook will surprise you. It looks great and is highly functional and extremely portable.
But what of using it? Looking nice is fine, but what if the lack of ports or drives causes hardship in the using it part?
By SterlingNorth on 2008 01 18 Washington, DC
But I think the real reason is that this machine is supposed to be someone’s alternate machine, not their dedicated machine.
For $1800? Most people don’t spend that much money on their PRIMARY computer, much less an extra one.
That’s kind of the Apple trap. The only way to defend the lack of ports and features is to say it’s a secondary computer. But then it becomes more difficult to justify the insane price. It’s almost the exact same specs as the Macbook minus a Superdrive, but $700 more expensive.
You’re basically paying for style. I think the justifications here basically are another argument that Apple products are pretty much for the rich only.
Let people decide if it is a good product or not.
Are you somehow new to the concept of a review?
One obvious thing: it is not for people who own a single computer. If you have any kind of computing infrastructure at home, this is the computer you take out with you.
I think we’re all familiar with the concept of a portable computer. Apple didn’t invent it. In fact, Apple has TWO other computers that you can “take out with you.” One is the much less expensive but similarly specked Macbook. And the other is the way more powerful but nearly the same price Macbook Pro.
Nice discussion…I often get a chuckle on the perceived personal attacks that participants misinterpret in these threads. Obviously, the reviewer feels that this new device is not suitable for his personal needs & has felt the urge to voice this as a vendetta against the product. I, for one, am excited about the Macbook Air. I currently own & use an up-to-date Macbook Pro as my primary computer & I love it—it is powerful & sleek, although not without its negatives. We also have a newer iMac at home, & that machine has served well for “desktop needs”. Obviously the new Macbook Air has shortcomings, but for some people (like myself) who’ve longed for a moderately powerful notebook (made by Apple) that is both sleek and portable, it will fill a void very nicely. There will always be users who need more (or less) out of their laptop & for these people it will prove inadequate. But to say that it is unequivocally a “horrible, horrible product” is simply poor & biased journalism. I welcome the daggers