So maybe you didn't catch Apple's latest release: the NEW MacBook Air. Now some of you may remember the "old" MacBook Air from the '08 original release (the first Mac to feature the "unibody" aluminum enclosure that's Mac-standard now).
So what's the big deal? You may be wondering. The big deal is that this Air is even lighter and more functional than it's predecessor. Oh, and it's about $400 cheaper. Apple addressed a few of the bigger issues with the previous Air (only 1 USB slot, so-so battery-life, poor graphics processor, price) and then released this new one with the following slogan: "the future of the notebook."
One of their biggest moves with the Air is eliminating a physical Solid-State Hard-Drive and instead simply putting the sticks of "Solid-State" onto the logic board (like they do with the iPod, iPhone, & iPad). Although this now creates a problem if you ever wanted to "upgrade" you hard-drive capacity, it makes it possible for the Air to be even lighter, even more efficient and even smaller (all things Apple, and I'd say the "general public", want).
One detail that was brought to my attention was the simple fact that the white MacBook is $999 (2.4GHz core2duo, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, 320M NVIDIA integrated video, 13" screen) and 4.7lbs. Where as $999 with the Air gets you (1.4GHz core2duo, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, 230M NVIDIA integrated graphics 11" screen) and 2.3lbs. and for a mere $200 more you get 128GB of hard drive space, same weight.
So for $1199 you can get pretty much the same thing, with a 50% weight reduction.
My BIGGEST warning to those who are looking into buying an Air is this: do NOT buy it if you're planning on it being your only computer. If you're the proud owner of an iMac, MacMini or the mighty MacPro, why wouldn't this be your next notebook computer?? But if you're like the majority of people out there, your notebook is your ONLY computer.
Apple's boldest move is what they're REALLY trying to do. They're telling us, "if you buy ALL of our products (iMac, iPhone, iPod Nano, MacBook Air, iPad, AppleTV, TimeCapaule, MobileMe) you'll be set." This is a bold statement, but I honestly believe that they're right. But only if you're willing to make the investment (and meet the criteria for the use of all of it).
All of Apple's products work beautifully and harmoniously with each other. No other brand's products work as well together as Apple's. This is the biggest appeal of their hidden claim that "you should buy all of their products and your life will just be better, easier, simpler, more connected, more in sync."
The most difficult obstacle is "changing your lifestyle" (at least digitally). It means having a Mac desktop at home, it means having & utilizing MobileMe to it's fullest capacity (calendars, contacts, 10GB of data all in a virtual "cloud" accessible anywhere on all of your devices), it means an iPhone, it means a TimeCapsule. Set that all up and you then have a final decision to make. MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPad. For the average mobile computer user, I would suggest you go Air, simply because of the weight and ease of functionality once you have everything else I mentioned setup. For a more robust user I'd say keep buying those MacBook Pros. You need powerful computing on-the-go. Then there's me, lover of "new" gadgets, willing to take a chance, love that "cool" factor. Went with the iPad (no notebook of any kind).
The iPad for me is what I've been waiting for with mobile technology. It's almost like an extension of my arm (much like my iPhone is an extension of my hand). It does just enough for what I use mobile computing for, and allows for just the right "work-arounds" for those moments when you may just need the capabilities of a desktop (iWork for iPad, LogMeIn Ignition, etc.).
I also have an idea that the iPad isn't for people older than 30, or at least for people that haven't grown up in the age of "iPod" & touch interface. Those of us that have probably love everything Apple does, and appreciate their products, flaws and all. Well, at least I know I do.
So what am I really trying to say here? "I love the iPad?" "Buy a MacBook Air?" I guess I'm really trying to say, "know who you are and your computing needs/style and then mount up and buy it."
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