I bet the Air becomes Apple’s flagship notebook
I’ve been using Apple laptops pretty much exclusively for the last ten years (all the way back to the 3400c), and this thing is, without a doubt, the sexiest, slickest, most tasteful laptop to ever exist ever. It’s going to be impossible to hold that thing next to a MacBook and not consider flipping the extra bucks (or taking the slower hard drive over the MacBook Pro).
We’re already shelling out $1500 to get the MacBooks in black. It’s priced as the gorgeous, chic up-sell to the dull MacBooks, and a cheaper, sleeker alternative to anyone who doesn’t need the power of the MacBook Pro. I’m waiting to see these start showing up with freshman after the summer, and be made ubiquitous over the next 3-4 years by jealous classmates. Expect to hear lots of pleads to parents about overweight bags and back problems.
I bet we also see it steer folks considering a new MacBook Pro towards an (ultra-mobile) Air + (big/fast) iMac combo for a few hundred dollars more.
Speaking of the iMac, one thing I learned selling computers at Tekserve: People are really convinced they need (or will even ever unplug) a portable computer, even if it’s just going to wind up sitting on their desk until they replace it. Probably for the same reason we always list “Travel” as a hobby. For all those shoppers lured in by the iMac’s sex appeal, it’s going to be really hard to put down the Air with its disproportionally large trackpad and screen staring at you like a puppy. And it gets really bad when the price comes down $100-300.
As for me, I’m still living/developing off one laptop, so the 13” screen is tough. I’m hoping the MacBooks eventually get replaced with a 13” MBP to make room for a 15” Air. That’s the day I wind up spending WAY too much money on a solid-state drive.
So far as I can tell, all of the early details have been positive:
- The battery can’t be removed, but can be swapped out while you wait at any Apple Store for $129.
- Remote Disc looks brilliant and solves the problem of unused optical drives taking up space in portable computers.
- No important ports missing. If you’re in a dorm or apartment w/o wifi, you can print, browse, and blast your music wirelessly for $99. It can drive a 24” monitor, and with Bluetooth the USB port shouldn’t be doing much more than charging your iPod.
The only caveats: No 3D gaming or firewire. With all my video coming off of USB and all my gaming happening on Xbox, I think I’ll get by.
Not only does this thing look magical, it does something that seems remarkable for something in the ultra-portable class: For most people, this can be their computer. The computer they take to school, take notes on, work from, sync photos to, and browse porn on. Not just a mobile companion to a desktop. A real computer, without any excess, that’s going to be REALLY hard not to fall in love with.
— david
