Filed under: Macworld, MacBook
MacBook Air
Apple stunned a nation, or at least those who haven't been paying attention to the rumors, today with the unveiling of a very thin new MacBook called the MacBook Air. 'The world's thinnest notebooks' starts at $1799 and comes with a 13.3 inch display (LED), a full keyboard, built-in 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, built-in iSight, and a multitouch trackpad that lets you use gestures to control a number of actions on the MacBook Air. Some other stats include:
- 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache
- 2GB of RAM
- 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive (with optional 64 gig solid state drive
- 1 USB 2.0 port
What it doesn't come with are built-in ethernet ports, FireWire, and optical drive, or enough graphics power to power a 30 inch Display (but you can hook up a 20 or 23 inch display via a built in mini-DVI port).
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Bruce Riddick said 12:27PM on 1-27-2008
Technically handicapped: compromised CPU, inadequate hard drive - too small too slow, no ethernet port, only 1 USB since optical drive won't run off a hub, footprint too large - but I can live with that. Weight is right. Need a light weight primary machine and this isn't it. If round two doesn't solve the major limitations, may have to sell the iMac etc in the office and move everything back to MS machines. And, oh yes, can't put in or attach a spare battery on the road.
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Justin said 1:01PM on 1-31-2008
For all of those interested in the MacBook Air (or plan to purchase one in the future), there's an online community and message board forming here: MacBook Air Lounge & Forum (http://www.macbooklounge.com/). It looks like it will have a mods & hacks section when the product starts to get tweaked.
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Callipso said 3:19AM on 2-22-2008
I love my macBook Air no matter what.
I think it's suitable and great for most people. Not really many of us need all the things it lacks.
I'm not stupied, I've bought mine only after reading all the reviews and stuff on http://www.maconair.com, I thought carefully, and I'm glad I have it.
It's a good computer! And everyone should just stop arguing and hating. After all, you prevent people of buying a good laptop because of your hate.
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Paul said 12:09AM on 3-06-2008
Go to http://freemacbookair.com/index.php?referral=753562 to get a totally free Apple MacBook Air!!!!!!!
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Billy K said 2:26PM on 1-15-2008
R.I.P. Firewire? I really hope this isn't the end.
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mark said 8:43AM on 1-16-2008
Are these special trackpads? or might a software update unlock multi-touch gestures on my macbook pro?
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Jon Niola said 2:34PM on 1-15-2008
I was wondering the same thing.
badweasel said 2:31PM on 1-15-2008
To clarify, it's not an LED display, it's LED backlit TFT display. And FYI, there is no firewire port.
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Andrew said 2:30PM on 1-15-2008
Meh
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Tony said 2:32PM on 1-15-2008
I love it. Not as a primary machine, but as an "on the road" machine. I currently have an iMac and a MBP. I keep my documents in sync between the two using ChronoSync. I've found that 99% of the time I'm either using the web or using NeoOffice on the MBP. Although it's powerful enough to do other stuff, I just find myself using my dual-monitor iMac setup for Photoshop, Final Cut Express, etc. So, the MacBook Air (MBA? Nah...sounds dumb) is perfect. I'll seriously consider selling my MBP and getting an Air once the initial user reviews start pouring in.
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JGO said 2:33PM on 1-15-2008
I wonder why the company that invented Firewire has decided to stop using it in their devices??? (ie. newer generation ipods, iphone, ipod touch, and now the macbook air)
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James said 2:34PM on 1-15-2008
Speakers?????
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Fin said 2:42PM on 1-15-2008
Yeah... Where are the speakers...
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adrenalin said 2:41PM on 1-15-2008
At first I thought wow, I have got to get me one of these. Then I went to the apple store and thought what the hell was I thinking. First off, I have to pay $100.00 in Canada for the same thing I can drive 30 minutes to the US for. Given that the dollar is still par, $100.00 more is absurd. Second, add the upgrade price for the 64GB SSD and now you are over $3,000. Dang, it would have been great to have a very light, easy to carry notebook but this is way more than I figured it would be. Man, it sucks when reality kicks in.
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adrenalin said 2:42PM on 1-15-2008
Oops, meant to say I have to $100.00 "more". See how frazzled I am.
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adrenalin said 2:43PM on 1-15-2008
Dang, I still can't form a sentence properly. So ya, where are the speakers :)
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csjk789 said 2:45PM on 1-15-2008
the curved design makes it look like the original iBook...
no firewire, 1.8 inch slow as hell HD, no optical drive, only .25 inches thinner than my macbook pro...
no thanks.
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guy said 2:47PM on 1-15-2008
This is a terrible idea, the macbook air great! if it was anything near cost efficient, why do i give a flying fuck how thick my laptop is within reason.....
The sales of these suckers will be extremelly low, beaucse first of all you could get better specs on a normal flat out macbook for much cheaper. Also about the upgrade, so it uses SSD hdd, 90% of people dont know what that is and say oh its a smaller hard drive and I'm paying more! WTF mate.
This laptop fails.
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ljun said 2:47PM on 1-15-2008
mono speakers, NO replaceable battery, NO ethernet port, NO optical drive .... ONE usb port that's gone if you add the optional superdrive, NO firewire, MORE $$$ :(
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Ryan said 2:48PM on 1-15-2008
No express card slot?
OH! No worries, I can pair my iPhone and surf the web.
...Hey, wait a minute....
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