[paulmerrill]

Price.
That's the single biggest disadvantage that Dan hardly mentioned at all (compared to the MacBook). I guess it's not an issue for him.

[Martian]

These articles and posts totally ignore one point — this computer could have been made just as thin, light, mobile and sexy without omitting Ethernet, Firewire, and a battery door. Saying that some users don’t need these features (we will see about the battery issue as they age) doesn’t really address the unjustifiable reason for crippling the Air.
Apple marketing is always looking for ways to exaggerate the distinction with the “Pro” line. Why do you think the MacBook doesn’t have ExpressCard like the cheapest of comparably sized and even smaller PC's?

[eteen]

Let's not forget the lack of Floppy drive in the original iMac. Same kind of reactions as the MB Air (a lot more actually).

At least, the MB Air is not a high volume machine...more a «niche» one like the Cube used to be or an example of things to come...à la iMac.

Just to let you know...floppy drives are still an option on desktop at Dell now...

A+

[Tidewind]

I think Dan Frake's story points out a couple of things for me:

1. Editors and readers alike (and that includes me) are guilty of a pervasive problem that is ailing America: we're quick to judge, and even quicker to judge something we've never seen or used. I call it the American Idol/House Hunters Criticism Plague. We're all armchair experts, all anonymous know-it-alls. Hidden behind a vague-sounding User ID, we're all the undisputed kings of the message boards. It's a great place to vent our spleen, never mind the fact that we probably have no clue about a specific item on which we're offering our opinions. (That ought to start a nifty phlegm war...)

2. Surprise! The MacBook Air might not be the right Mac for you! Who would have thought that Apple might offer a specialized Mac for a a road warrior? The result: immediately the hyenas moved in. It doesn't have Firewire, Parallel and Serial ports!! It doesn't have a DVD SuperDrive! It doesn't have a 5 1/4" Floppy Drive!! Then that must mean only one thing: Apple is DOOMED! DOOMED I say! Then guess what, folks: get over yourselves. This might not be the right Mac for you. And that's okay. It really is.
But try this: Take the stupid Dell Perspiron Laptop I'm forced to use, stuff it and the boat anchor power brick, a bunch of papers and accessories into a heavy shoulder bag. Drag it and your butt on a trip from LA to Florida via DFW. Schlep all that weight on your shoulder through Terminal F in DFW, and by the time you get to squeeze into the center seat of Economy Class, your shoulder will hate you. Forever. Maybe now you might understand why some road warriors have dreamed of a Mac like this. Not you? Fine. There's another Mac that's perfect for you then.

3. Memo to Dan Frakes and your editors: please guys, next time you write an article about a Mac you haven't used, put a dollar in the hat for your favorite charity. You are guilty of drive-by journalism. But to your credit Dan, you owned up to your miscue. But remember this, lest you do a disservice to Apple or any other company on whose products you are reviewing.

All I am saying folks, is give peas a chance. I mean, can't we all just get along? Judging from how popular the MacBook Air is in terms of sales on the Apple Store, the market is embracing this new Mac. No, it's not for everyone. But those who own one apparently love it. And at the end of the day, it's the wisdom of the market that wins out. Amen.

[Dan Frakes]

Martian said:

These articles and posts totally ignore one point?this computer could have been made just as thin, light, mobile and sexy without omitting Ethernet, Firewire, and a battery door.

An argument could be made for Ethernet and FireWire, although adding these ports would have required more circuitry, more room for external connectors, etc., which might have made it difficult to keep the profile as slim as it is. But the Air could not have been "just as thin and light" with a removable battery. Switching to a replaceable battery means adding several layers of body material (which add weight and thickness) and making the battery itself more compact (which means considerably thicker) with its own protective shell (which adds both weight and thickness). Some people would have deemed the added weight and thickness to be acceptable tradeoffs for a removable battery, but there's no getting around those tradeoffs.

But that's really a different discussion. The point of my commentary wasn't to address which features the Air does or doesn't have?it would be great if the Air had more ports and more "traditional" features and, in fact, I won't be surprised if we see a few such features in future versions. This particular article was about my surprise at how much I liked today's MacBook Air.

[Dan Frakes]

Tidewind said:

3. Memo to Dan Frakes and your editors: please guys, next time you write an article about a Mac you haven't used, put a dollar in the hat for your favorite charity. You are guilty of drive-by journalism. But to your credit Dan, you owned up to your miscue. But remember this, lest you do a disservice to Apple or any other company on whose products you are reviewing.

Although I appreciate the sentiment, and agree with it in general, I do think you're overstating the case a bit here ;) My original article, back in January, was essentially an objective look at the tradeoffs of the Air?the compromises Apple made to get the Air so thin and light. It's true that I included commentary at the end with respect to the potential market for the Air?and it's one particular statement in that commentary that I think I got wrong (the one I addressed in this article)?but it wasn't a review by any means.

[greg30307]

I, too, have been waiting for the Intel PB 12". But I was disappointed. I completely agree with losing the optical drive, but not having ethernet and firewire was a deal-killer. Especially since it seems they could have been put in with little compromise to the overall design. So it is continue on with the MB for now, while looking at Windows machines like the Lenovo ThinkPad X series.

[Dan Frakes]

paulmerrill said:

Price.

That's the single biggest disadvantage that Dan hardly mentioned at all (compared to the MacBook). I guess it's not an issue for him.

Macworld's a great gig, but they don't pay us that much?price is definitely an issue and, of course, I wish everything was less expensive ;) But for the things this particular laptop will be used for, the cost/benefit analysis came out in favor of the Air over the MacBook and MacBook Pro. That won't be the case every time or for everyone.

[NickFalk]

I think the real haters really went too far to begin with but also that the greatest supporters missed a lot of the finer points in some of the critique.
As I've said all along. I love the Air for everything it is, but wouldn't buy one for what it's not. (Don't know if that made any sense). I still stand by this though, as I don't think this will be a big seller for Apple in its current incarnation:
http://www.tbenjamin...3f1eedf7-13.php

[OlsonBW]

The key word here is "most".
Most of my friends scoff at the MacBook Air. But you know what? The only time they pull out CDs, DVDs, or their video camera is rare.
"But I use it to edit our vacation video." They claim.
BS, I tell them. Show me the videos from your last three vacations.
Uh ... they blush and then admit they only imported it into their computer and never touched it after that.
So they used the FireWire port to input video they never use.
"Most" of the stuff on their hard drive. If you go down one by one as to what they've actually touched in the last twelve months and keep that and deleted everything else, guess what, what is left could EASILY fit on the MacBook Air's hard drive.
What about games? Yes they buy them. They play about 30 minutes of the game, get bored with it and never look at it again. So power isn't an issue either.
When it comes down to it, "most" of the time they never need anything that the MacBook Air doesn't have. Once I prove that to them they are surprised at what they actually do.
It's actually good enough for their graphics editing. It's good enough for their programming. NONE of their programs are really that huge. Neither is their ACTIVE photo collection. Meaning photos they are likely to use in the next twelve months. Those are behind them now
So ... "most" of the time they never need to worry about what the MacBook Air doesn't have. For those few times they do, their other computer at their house can handle it.
And I proved to them that my 15" iMac "lamp" may not be fast but it is still capable of importing and editing videos and pictures. Maybe not with the newest versions of software but remember, they hardly ever use the other ports. So their newer but old Macs don't need to be replaced yet. They can buy a MacBook Air instead and do everything they do 98% of the time.
People lie too much about what they actually need. They lie a lot because they've got to have the biggest and fastest even when they don't use it.

[georgep]

I am sad. The fact is that I have used Macs and Windows for years, but was trying to make the complete switch to Macs. I have use Sony Vaio machines for travelling since the 505FX with Windows 98 on it. But, for the last two years I have followed the Mac rumour sites desperately hoping that Apple would finally bring out a small and light machine to replace my Sony's. So, I was very disappointed to see that Apple had just brought out something of the form factor of the Sony SZ series (same weight if you include the optical drive), just thinner and with far fewer ports.

I know what to expect from Windows, so there will be no surprises. Though I will try installing Linux to pick up the performance. Yes it is a question of needs. But, Steve Jobs has needlessly crippled the MBA just to make it a few millimetres thinner.

Asus makes machines similar to the Sony SZ and TZ series for less money. They all have full USB, Firewire, internal optical drives, video ports, etc. for the same or less weight than the MBA. Sad!!!

[georgep]

Dan, I am sorry but this was an unnecessary compromise. Sony, Asus, Toshiba and others make 13.3 in machines with all the ports, internal optical drives, replaceable batteries and they weigh no more than the MBA with an optical drive. The only thing the MBA provides is a few millimetres less thickness . . . and the Mac OS. If Steve had given up those few millimetres, he would have addressed a market many times larger. Even I might have moved from my desired 12 in to 13.3 in format if the rest of the machine had not been so compromised.

[macshaggy]

My partner just bought a MacBook Pro, and I have to say that I love his laptop more than my old PowerMac G4. I love it so much that I created and account on his system and migrated. I never thought that I would like working on a laptop but the sheer convenience is awesome and the power is better than my PowerMac.
After reading this article I have to admit that now I'm thinking that I wouldn't mind the MacBook Air. I'm more of a mobile person than my partner. He loves his laptop but is more about using it anywhere around the house. I am more apt to go to the coffeehouse, the library, etc to use my computer. I'm back in school and the 5-6 lbs of the MBP and its size (15-inch) means that it would be a bit cumbersome. Also my current bag wouldn't fit a MBP. The MBA is looking more and more like the system that I will want to purchase as soon as we can afford the next system.

[eztider]

Yeah, I owned a 12" G4 Powerbook that I bought in Jan 2004. Last summer I sent an email to Apple Feedback telling who? Steve? that I was going to be in the market for an ultraportable and Apple had about six months to produce one. I went to the Apple Store and bought a MBA the minute I found one in stock. I didn't think Apple had made a machine that would meet my needs until I actually held it and used it for a day or two. The MBA didn't just meet my expectations, it exceeds them. I've owned very small notebooks before...Toshiba Libretto, Thinkpad X20, and even HP 100LX come to mind, but the MBA is just about perfect in size and weight while retaining the utility one would expect for the price. Given that I can (and did) install Windows on it too, there is, for me, no point in looking at small, light notebooks from other vendors.