

MacBook Air - merrick33
http://www.apple.com/macbookair/

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menloparkbum
It is a fine machine, but very high-end consumer oriented. I use my mac
laptops for programming, video editing, and running music applications. I
actually DO have multiple batteries, maxed-out ram and use multiple firewire
and USB accessories. I was quite disappointed that there were no updates to
the "pro" laptop line. Perhaps this market (the "creative mobile professional
market") is a loser for apple and they want to get out of that business.

Also, I purchased a MacBook when they first came out, and had numerous
problems with the battery and power supply. Thus, the lack of replaceable
battery makes me nervous.

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apgwoz
It's been said to death various places on the internet, but the lack of
inputs, and the lack of a easily replaceable battery (it's "integrated") are a
huge loss. It may be wireless and have few wires to deal with, but you'll have
to deal with USB hubs and other cables when it's in "desktop" mode. Traveling
usage (for anyone other than those who carry spare batteries) will probably be
OK though slightly inconvienenced. I wonder if Apple will come out with a USB
"dock" for desktop mode.

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axod
Why use a laptop in 'desktop' mode at all? Last time I used a desktop was...
well... years ago.

~~~
Tichy
I have a 24'' external display attached to a 2lb notebook. I like my small and
lightweight notebook for traveling, but for longer stretches of work I like to
have the big screen, too.

~~~
imsteve
It has a DVI port...

[edit]: oh gocha.

~~~
Tichy
I know, I was replying to the "why desktop mode" post. But perhaps I
misunderstood it.

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inovica
Grrr. I've been waiting to replace my 12" PowerBook. I mean, waiting and
waiting. I bought a black MacBook, but it has no soul. Oh well... looks like
I'm going to have to buy one

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eVizitei
That's a pretty machine, alright. The "aesthetic" factor almost makes me want
to preorder one (I really like the look of the mac, even with the
aforementioned design flaws). I won't, though, because my 2005 toshiba
satellite is still ticking and all my current development tools run without a
problem on it, so I can't justify it as a necessity.

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pius
There's a lot to like about this computer, but a lot to dislike as well, even
for those who favor a minimalist aesthetic.

For example, designing the "Remote Disc" feature was great; telling the world
with a straight face that "you can just wireless rent movies from Apple
instead of playing DVDs" was just lame.

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axod
no, discs, DVDs, blueray, HD-DVD... they are all dead. My MacBooks superdrive
is barely of use anyway since it has stupid region coding on it so I can't
play half the DVDs I own.

I think it's great Apple have 'got it' as regards the future. In 5 years
people are unlikely to be shoving discs into things.

~~~
pius
Blu-Ray, DVDs, and HD-DVD are dead? Not so fast there. :)

As tempting as it is, I won't get baited into that particular discussion. My
point was that the idea of eschewing viewing the DVDs I already own in favor
of renting from Apple is preposterous. As they say in Propaganda, Jobs was
"passing from the acceptable to the dubious" with product placement thinly
veiled as cool minimalism.

~~~
imsteve
Just look at what the college down to the first grade kids are doing these
days.... disks are dead.

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palish
Letting people rent movies on USB sticks may work. They could rent out several
movies at a time, and you wouldn't need to keep track of them separately. They
could also throw in a few random free movies, too. And since the sticks are
ordered en masse, they'd probably pay for themselves within a short amount of
time. It's something Blockbuster could try to stay in the game, at least.

~~~
dcurtis
Why? The internet is a much better and cheaper alternative, and it offers the
enormous upside of instant gratification.

Software might come on USB sticks for a while in the future, I think, but
eventually even that will be delivered digitally. Valve has done this insanely
well with Steam.

~~~
palish
Heh. I didn't say it was the best way, just that it was a way. And I was only
referring to movie rentals. (It doesn't make sense to deliver software via
USB, since it seems like CDs and DVDs will always remain cheaper than USB
sticks. The dynamic USB drive isn't an advantage for software.)

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Prrometheus
Does anyone have a good guess as to where we are in the Macbook Pro upgrade
cycle?

~~~
jgrahamc
<http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook_Pro>

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bjelkeman
This one seems perfect to me. Just what I need.

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gojomo
Biggest concern: 2GB RAM.

No configurator option for more, and wording about RAM "onboard" and tight
design makes me wonder if more is even possible.

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nikolaj
i get along fine in xubuntu with 512.. _ducks_

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sabat
It's the Sony Vaio as an Apple.

Seriously, I think I liked the whole "Something's in the air" thing when FSJ
suggested it was a reference to Woz's flatulance back in the garage days. "You
could barely work with the guy."

~~~
pius
Kathy Griffin seems to be surviving.

~~~
noonespecial
Wozzzz Noooo!!!

Ha. That's the first I'd heard of that. To each their own, I suppose. Maybe
she'll feel rich enough to not do comedy.

Oh horrid thought. What if she uses the Woz's cash to make more reality tv?!

