MacBook Air Reviews: Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, USA Today [Now Shipping]
The first reviews are in for the MacBook Air:
Wall Street Journal
- "beautiful, amazingly thin computer, but one whose unusual trade-offs may turn off some frequent travelers."
- "difficult to describe just how surprising this feels in your hands"
- "MacBook Air's screen and keyboard were a pleasure to use."
- felt speedy
- Limitations: Sealed in battery, no optical drive, no built in Ethernet jack
- Battery test: screen brightness at maximum, Wi-Fi on, playing endless look of music: 3 hours, 24 minutes.
Newsweek
- "When I slip it in the sleeve of my backpack where my six-pound MacBook Pro usually travels, the pocket still looks empty"
- "diminutive dimensions pretty much evaporate the eternal quandary of whether or not to take your computer along with you."
- Doesn't get as hot as other Apple laptops.
- Max hard drive space is 80GB; no 160GB option due to thinness of machine.
USA Today
- "remarkably sturdy-feeling machine, especially given its size and weight"
- Not ideal for everyone (due to known limitations, non-replaceable battery, limited ports, etc..)
- "Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."
- Battery test: surfed web, used Remote Disk, wrote: 3 hours, 40 minutes.
- don't expect Air to be someone's only computer.
Readers who have ordered a MacBook Air continue to wait in this discussion thread. Meanwhile, friend-of-Apple John Mayer already has one. One reader's MacBook Air has shipped and is due for delivery by Friday.
Wall Street Journal
- "beautiful, amazingly thin computer, but one whose unusual trade-offs may turn off some frequent travelers."
- "difficult to describe just how surprising this feels in your hands"
- "MacBook Air's screen and keyboard were a pleasure to use."
- felt speedy
- Limitations: Sealed in battery, no optical drive, no built in Ethernet jack
- Battery test: screen brightness at maximum, Wi-Fi on, playing endless look of music: 3 hours, 24 minutes.
Newsweek
- "When I slip it in the sleeve of my backpack where my six-pound MacBook Pro usually travels, the pocket still looks empty"
- "diminutive dimensions pretty much evaporate the eternal quandary of whether or not to take your computer along with you."
- Doesn't get as hot as other Apple laptops.
- Max hard drive space is 80GB; no 160GB option due to thinness of machine.
USA Today
- "remarkably sturdy-feeling machine, especially given its size and weight"
- Not ideal for everyone (due to known limitations, non-replaceable battery, limited ports, etc..)
- "Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."
- Battery test: surfed web, used Remote Disk, wrote: 3 hours, 40 minutes.
- don't expect Air to be someone's only computer.
Readers who have ordered a MacBook Air continue to wait in this discussion thread. Meanwhile, friend-of-Apple John Mayer already has one. One reader's MacBook Air has shipped and is due for delivery by Friday.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
53 months ago
I think with the MacBook Air it is either the perfect computer for you or it just isn't for you. There isn't really any in between with it like there is with the MacBook or MacBook Pro.
53 months ago
i feel like right now the macbook air is only good for the rich
it will start getting fun with future improvements and price drops though.
it will start getting fun with future improvements and price drops though.
53 months ago
Maybe not for everyone but .....
Delightfully different .... can't wait to get my hands on one!
.
Delightfully different .... can't wait to get my hands on one!
.
53 months ago
Crock!
Just put a user-accessible slot for one of these:
http://www.novatelwireless.com/products/expedite/index.html
Then the customer can choose the 3G carrier.
Just put a user-accessible slot for one of these:
http://www.novatelwireless.com/products/expedite/index.html
Then the customer can choose the 3G carrier.
53 months ago
Well, unless they come out with an external battery w/ MagSafe power-through connecter I won't be buying one. I want the lightweight machine but without getting more longevity out of it I am better off with my MacBook and 3 batteries for the long flights I take.
Here's hoping.
Here's hoping.
53 months ago
"Jobs told me last week that Apple considered [adding 3G mobile broadband] but that adding the capability would take up room and restrict consumers to a particular carrier. Through a USB modem, he says, you can still subscribe to wireless broadband with your favorite carrier."
Restrict consumers to a particular carrier is what Apple and Steve wants, just look at the iPhone. So it must have been "take up room". ;)
Restrict consumers to a particular carrier is what Apple and Steve wants, just look at the iPhone. So it must have been "take up room". ;)
53 months ago
Sounds like pretty weak battery results ... Even if the SSD improves them, it won't be a drastic increase I think. I can live with a non-user replacable battery but you should be able to get 6+ hours being conservative (low brightness, some WiFi), and it doesn't look like we're there yet... I guess I'll wait the next iteration of the air (not that I had the need or the money now anyway :) ).
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