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See the original image at arstechnica.com —

MacBook Air aflutter: demand stays strong, sold out often

arstechnica.com — Thintresting move, Steve! Be it marketing or design, the MacBook Air is hotter than many expected. Even a month after general retail "availability," the MacBook Air is out of stock in major markets and Apple's own online store is still showing significant delays.

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  • k2001, on 03/03/2008, -51/+24This prove that people want shiny object no matter how cripple it is.
    • dukeeeey, on 03/03/2008, -19/+4lol
    • nwilling, on 03/03/2008, -20/+12or maybe they value real portability....
      • bbardlbradd, on 03/04/2008, -2/+5How is it any more portable than my iBook G4? Because it's wider but thinner? Because it's lighter by (insert an amount of weight measured in grams that only an ant would notice) grams?

        It's slightly greater portability doesn't make up for it's horrible usability. USB CD/DVD drive? Where's Firewire 800? Where's the video card?
    • sabarsky, on 03/03/2008, -12/+19Or maybe they have different needs than you do?
      • neiltc13, on 03/03/2008, -14/+7Why is it that whenever Apple does something people start talking about "needs"???

        It's a COMPUTER. You don't NEED it at all.
        • Skarz3d, on 03/03/2008, -4/+7For me it has nothing to do with Apple- I NEED a computer for my career to be successful. Also, if I end up traveling much more than I do now I just might get an Air myself.
        • joebeastie, on 03/04/2008, -2/+8wtf, are you thirteen? Some of us have jobs.
        • bbardlbradd, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3I don't need a computer to do my job. I could theoretically do logistics on paper... BUT, I want to have a life after work, so having a computer is GREAT.
        • scstraus, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1I'm going to buy one just because it's the only small light laptop Apple makes. Not because it's good. Actually besides the multitouch it was quite a disappointment. But I want a small light mac, so what choice do I have?
        • tacojohn, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Yeah I guess I could dig out my metal type and set everything by hand, but then I doubt my printing company would accept it...
    • web2pointYo, on 03/03/2008, -14/+3me think you type true word. me go to get new shiny ipod soon, as me need replacement for lost one. me just wait for 6 hundo from G W.
    • vibrokatana, on 03/03/2008, -5/+24> "no matter how cripple it is"

      The only thing crippled is your grammar skills.
      • web2pointYo, on 03/03/2008, -6/+1*sigh* I believe that's what my o so witty retort was attempting to reveal. Sadly for me, it appears I failed. I will attempt to do better in the future.
        -Thank You
      • frostw, on 03/04/2008, -4/+5The only things crippled are your grammar skills.
        • oggydefl, on 03/04/2008, -2/+2No, "skills" is collective, the first post was correct.
        • stevealford, on 03/04/2008, -1/+0Grammar Nazi got OUT-Grammar Nazi'd.
    • lharrod, on 03/03/2008, -10/+4That tiny thin "cripple" thing could whoop your laptop's ass.
  • llsethj, on 03/03/2008, -38/+13If it is selling so well, why is Amazon selling them $55 cheaper than Apple?
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006HU4DK/104-74 ...
    • Light11, on 03/03/2008, -4/+6because they are selling so many, they can?
    • bbland, on 03/03/2008, -2/+18Because they always do, with almost all products. It gives a reason to people to buy form them instead from other retailers.
  • DaffyDuck, on 03/03/2008, -4/+60It's all relative to how many Apple is making. Usually they seem to be good at estimating demand but it appears they underestimated this time. You can't tell how well it is selling simply by the fact that it's sold out often.
    • edstate, on 03/03/2008, -4/+16Hey, it worked for the Wii.
      • TrueJournals, on 03/04/2008, -1/+4People don't say the Wii sells well because it's always sold out. They say it sells well because they look at the numbers, and it is creaming the competition. For the video game market that works great because there are things to compare to, but in the ultraportable market... it's a bit different. Apple is the first company to really market an ultraportable. So, the best indication we currently have of it "selling well" is that it's sold out.
        • doctordbx, on 03/04/2008, -0/+0Asus is the first company to market an unltraportable and they've sold a crap load more eeePCs than Apple have Airbooks.
          Personally, I don't think the Airbook qualifies as an ultraportable... maybe ultrathin, but apart from its thickness, it's the same as any other notebook.
    • fiorenza, on 03/03/2008, -1/+23As the report says, Apple shows it outselling all other Macs at this time. I think that's a good indicator that it's selling well for a Mac, at least.
    • cbuddha42, on 03/03/2008, -4/+9Apple got the demand right. They set up to produce enough to make a bunch of sales but not enough for the new factor to wear off. The longer you keep it difficult to find and buy then the longer you keep it looking like the hot new item the "in" crowd wants and the more sales you make at a higher pricepoint.
      • superkendall, on 03/03/2008, -4/+11Or you know, they could actually just have a really popular product. The simplest answer is usually the true one...
        • lharrod, on 03/03/2008, -4/+8Exactly right. It's like the iPhone. Since it came out, Mac haters kept making excuses for it's strong sales. God forbid the iPhone sells well because it's a solid product that people enjoy.
    • theprez, on 03/03/2008, -0/+10This isn't much of a surprise. A lot of people on digg simply didn't get the point about price vs. size. It's the same thing with the iPod nano and the classic and the previous models before that. Who in their right mind would buy a music player with 1/10 the storage capacity, smaller screen and less features, right?
    • jabberwolf, on 03/04/2008, -4/+2What trying to create an artificial shortage to show it's in demand ??
      That sometimes works on products that have utility, the Macbook Air does not.
      • MacParrot, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4It's currently sitting at #26 on Amazon's best selling laptops list. That's not bad considering so many of you keep touting less expensive laptops (I myself recommended a MacBook as a better cheaper alternative), so some demand IS there.
        Even though I wouldn't buy one, the MBA is just as useful as any other computer in the same class so your troll-fu is wasted.
        As of Monday night, Apple has 4 out of the top 5 laptops at Amazon' best selling laptop list. Not bad for a company you seem to feel no one cares about. Maybe you find another target?
    • pjsheldon, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1What this could be saying also is this:
      Apple predicted the amount of MacBook Air's they could sell, thought that it was a financially sound idea and sold more than that. This computer is selling better than even Apple thought.
  • clak, on 03/03/2008, -12/+118I knew the MacBook Air was going to be a hit because all the geeks were complaining about the same thing: no user replaceable battery! No firewire! No optical disk drive!

    Will this laptop break my arm on the way to the subway? That's only thing regular people care about. That and "Can I get on the internet with this thing? Can I use Microsoft Word?" You cover those basics and you've got it made.
    • bigbadgoat, on 03/03/2008, -31/+6So why pay $1800 for something that would cost anyone else $300.

      This computer has no advantages over the competition. None.
      • kinseyincanada, on 03/03/2008, -7/+32its made by Apple, its gorgeous, stupid small and a hot product.
        • mywhitenoise, on 03/03/2008, -4/+7Am I the only one who thinks Macbook Air a lot uglier than a Pro and standard Macbook? I love the design of the other 2.
          • bigbadgoat, on 03/03/2008, -6/+3I think it looks horrible. it has a lot of awkward angles to it.
          • vibrokatana, on 03/03/2008, -1/+5I sorta like the design. It looks like it would be comfortable in the lap at least, that is if it isn't too heavy toward the hinge.
          • kinseyincanada, on 03/04/2008, -2/+1@vibro i think that is the only time ive seen the word heavy in the same sentence as macbook air
      • monospaced, on 03/03/2008, -7/+33Show me a laptop that's as thin and as capable as the MacBook Air for only $300.
        • bigbadgoat, on 03/03/2008, -20/+5I can find a laptop that can do word processing and connect to the internet wirelessly for $300, which was my point.

          There are cheaper "ultra portables" that are lighter, with more features for cheaper than the air,

          Apple made a lot of sacrifices in functionality for styling. The 13" screen is FAR too big for it to be considered an ultra-portable in my eyes. I don't see how anyone would have an advantage carrying that around over my macbook. Sure, the airweighs 1/2 as much, but the battery life of my macbook is better, it gets better wireless reception, and it's pretty damn light to begin with. I have never had any issues carrying it around, and I take it practically everywhere I go. Not to mention if my battery dies on those long trips, I can pop it out and pop in another one in less than a minute.

          The thinness is useless because its so ***** big, and 13" and smaller laptops are so light to begin with that a pound or two difference in weight is almost negligible. So please, tell me, what advantages does it have over the competition?
        • jj101, on 03/03/2008, -2/+9@bigbadgoat - "I don't see how anyone would have an advantage carrying that around over my macbook. Sure, the airweighs 1/2 as much..." Just because you may not like it for your own personal reasons does not stop reality form being reality. If you travel with your laptop, light is good. No matter how you feel, screen real estate is still important to some people. Are you a Dell PR rep or something?
          • bigbadgoat, on 03/03/2008, -7/+2Yeah, since when does a Dell PR rep own as macbook as his only computer?

            In fact, I hate Dell.
          • stevealford, on 03/04/2008, -2/+2@bigbadgoat: That's exactly what a Dell Rep would say if he was in cognito... We're onto you, mister!!!

            /facetious
          • bigbadgoat, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2do I need to take a picture?
      • lharrod, on 03/03/2008, -6/+5The one advantage the Air has over its competition is that's superior in every way the end.
      • SuperSunny, on 03/03/2008, -2/+6Umm...Apple design and OS X?
    • monospaced, on 03/03/2008, -6/+26Agreed. Ultraportable means people use this on the go and probably won't be plugging in ethernet cables or installing software from optical drives or using multiple peripherals with it. It is not meant to be a primary machine, and hence doesn't require all the features. Apple is on to something.
      I own a Mac because in the creative design and advertising industries they are the standard. Bias aside, the MacBook Air really is impressive. Yesterday I was walking through the Sony Style store in SF and checked out their ultraportables to see what the fuss was all about. I saw a cheap plastic laptop full of holes (tons of ports) and not nearly as thin or sleek as the Air. While it is small and feature-rich, Sony's competition is NOT $300; $2000 for an ultraportable is the going rate, and at that price the Air is quite stunning.
      • Dumbledorito, on 03/03/2008, -8/+2I find that the MacBook Air would find itself precisely at a disadvantage for the design/advertising industry for several reasons. The screen is too small for you and the client to look at anything together comfortably. The lack of optical drives limits being able to load things from client-provided media unless you buy one separately, etc.

        Also, given that Apple's other ultra-portables (the iPod line) is all about media, the lack of a slim drive for watching (or ripping) DvDs seems rather odd... unless they hope you'll iTunes them a lot of cash to make up for it.
        • wedges, on 03/03/2008, -2/+14I work in advertising, and we all have MacBook Pros, even the account execs. This machine isn't for us. it's for people with hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer miles, it's for trendy women and hipsters, it's for teenage girls, it's for your mother, and it's for the millions of people who use the computer solely for myspace, word processing, and listening to music.
          • FatLoser, on 03/04/2008, -3/+1If it's just for myspace, word processing, and listening to music, then it is also for wasteful morons. Honestly, if you're going to defend it at least make something useful up that any of the other ultraportables at 1/2 to 2/3 the price can't do.
          • MacParrot, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1@FatLoser
            Simple enough. It runs OS X and exclusive Apple apps. No other non-Apple laptop that you care to name will do so without jumping through hoops that most people aren't interested in doing. If that's something a person looking for an ultra-light portable wants, then the MBA is a great choice. I would choose a regular MacBook myself, but I don't speak for others who may want something different
      • jabberwolf, on 03/04/2008, -5/+1Yeah cause tons of ports and accessabilty to function.
        What the ***** would an Apple user need that for?!
        And sorry Sony has a bit more style than Macs... or is white the only color you macfans are programed to like? I kinda like the carbon tops from Sony.

        And the design industry is not using laptops to design !!!! If anything they do use Macs for simply things like photoshop and pictures but real 3d and advanced designers use PCs and linux rendering farms but then that would be telling the truth and you want none of that.
        • MacParrot, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4Wouldn't "style" be up to the individual? Oh that's right, individuality isn't something anyone should have if it's not a product YOU prefer. There are black Macs, white Macs, aluminum clad Macs and so on. Apple has a very tight product line, if none of them suit you, you're more than welcome to walk over to the Sony Style store and no one will care.
          Yes, many 3d shops and advanced film studios use something other than Macs to do their high-end work. And yet, I'm still able to sleep at night with that knowledge rattling around in my head. But at least I know of ONE constant. Tomorrow there will most likely be some digg post involving Apple and you'll be there whining about it.
    • edstate, on 03/03/2008, -2/+10Agreed as well. Although personally, and I'm not alone, if they make a version of this thing 11" wide, instead of 13.5" wide, they'll sell zillions.
      • bigbadgoat, on 03/03/2008, -1/+9I'd buy one if it was that small, its too big in the only dimension that really matters when it comes to ultra-portables.
      • superkendall, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3Possibly but I can't help but note they are already selling zillions.
        • doctordbx, on 03/04/2008, -1/+0A zillion is a big number.
          Apple haven't sold a zillion computers in its lifetime.
          • MacParrot, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1Well perhaps zillions IS a stretch. How about kadoodles? Can we say they've sold kadoodles of Macs?
    • web2pointYo, on 03/03/2008, -2/+32"My prediction: people will bitch about the MacBook Air until it's released and then it will sell like hot cakes, and every pundit, blogger, reporter, rabbi, will try to explain WHY people are buying the MacBook Air." -Clak (1-25-08)

      hey...it looks like you were correct. yeah, i do research...on you...clak.
      :)
    • wedges, on 03/03/2008, -1/+22i used to work at the apple store, and when i worked the floor i almost never got questions about multitasking or final cut studio or creative suite. sure i got them, but the majority of users wanted to know how easy it was to hook up to the web and use microsoft word and send emails. and when it came down to creative sessions, no one was asking how to edit video, they wanted to know how to put gmail into mail.app.

      we are not the majority of computer users. the majority of computer users are the our parents and the types of people that pester us with questions
      • wentwj, on 03/04/2008, -0/+12What?!?!?! My opinion and needs don't represent the majority! Thats unpossible!
    • BrendanSheehan, on 03/04/2008, -8/+3"Can I get on the internet with this thing?"

      No, your 3G antenna won't plug in the lousy, recessed, single USB port.
      • wentwj, on 03/04/2008, -0/+6hint: the average user isn't using a 3G antenna in their daily use
  • fahrvergnuugen, on 03/03/2008, -23/+74Anyone bitching about the Air's lack of features is missing the point.
    • MCA2142, on 03/03/2008, -20/+4Or...

      Maybe the point of Macbook Air IS to miss the point.

      Or...

      Maybe I'm just blowing your mind right now.
    • mywhitenoise, on 03/03/2008, -17/+8Well what exactly is the point of owning a Macbook Air? It isn't THAT much smaller than the other Macbooks.
      • wedges, on 03/03/2008, -3/+21i didn't think so either, until i held one.
        • dandonia, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4its not like the mac book pro is too heavy to transport though. Before the Air people were saying how light it is, me and my mate Jay were comparing his 17" MBP to my 17" (probably not get too many chances to say that again) Inspiron and his is almost half the weight and its not like mine is too heavy to carry. and it has far greater features. The MBP is by far the better purchase, its cheaper and offers more. Its ike carrying a great desktop computer in a light case, as opposed to carrying a pretty poor desktop in a very light case.
        • JammyJT, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1Dan your always trying to sneak my 17" inch into conversation ;)
    • nwilling, on 03/03/2008, -1/+16actually it is, see one for yourself
    • chrisinsocalif, on 03/03/2008, -11/+11It's just overprice for what little it offers, same with the Iphone. Apple has great marketing.
      • nwilling, on 03/03/2008, -5/+21honestly dude, i've never seen a product that worked so well. i thought 600 was a steal when i got it... been waiting for something like this for years. in fact, it actually opened my mind about apple and eventually i bought an imac, and i was a total pc nut. the macbook air is not overpriced for those who are looking for portability. if you want value, get something cheaper...
      • daborg, on 03/04/2008, -0/+5I've had my iPhone since launch and I personally find it to be totally worth the $600 I paid for it. Not to mention that I got a $100 voucher as well.
      • atticus8, on 03/04/2008, -0/+6I bought my Razr a long time ago for $200. I didn't like it so much so I bought a very good Nokia later for $200. Was the iphone worth two of those Razrs or two of those Nokias? The answer is whole-heartedly yes, I am completely satisfied with my purchase. I couldn't believe how accurate the simulated GPS is (in cities at least) in the 1.1.3 firmware update. When the SDK is released and programs start to roll out, it's going to be like a second Christmas. (Please please get a portable Slingplayer and Salling Clicker on there.)
      • FatLoser, on 03/04/2008, -1/+4Don't lump the iPhone in with this craptop. The iPhone is awesome once you start to use it; the MBA, on the other hand, is really good at nothing. My only question for Steve Jobs is: why the hell didn't you give it a 10" screen? The only thing I can think is that it would have been thicker. I'd take an extra 1/8" for a smaller screen so that it truly is an ultra-*portable*.

        Anybody weak-wristed enough that the weight difference between this and a MB is material enough to justify $700-$2000 increase in price for less performance, probably has other issues that they should be spending their money on. If you know what I mean...
        • bigsteve, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3I recommended one to one of my clients who was in a terrible car crash. Cutting a pound here and there from her daily carry has cut so much pain from her commute.
        • dandonia, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2the 3" screen boost is worth it dude think about what your saying. You would sooner have less screen and a fatter machine that weighs more. 13" is just larger than an A4 sheet of paper, hardly unportable.
      • superkendall, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4Since there's nothing like the iPhone except for the iPhone any price would be acceptable.

        As for the Air, there are other products like it but in case you haven't noticed the air is cheaper than a lot of them and also has better performance in almost any metric (see recent CNet review as an example).
    • saleem, on 03/04/2008, -5/+2false. people who are complaining/bitching just think the features vs. portability balance that Apple struck is way too far to the right.
    • chingy1788, on 03/04/2008, -3/+1USB ports!
      1 half hidden one is not enough, so you need a hub
      and that defeats the purpose of getting an MBA
      • bigsteve, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3No, -you- need this. Others don't. If diggers realized that they as tech gurus represented the super-minority, these threads would have half as many comments.

        There are multiple Apple portable configurations. Buy which is right for you.
        • chingy1788, on 03/04/2008, -2/+1if I do take a while and think about it
          what I do use on my laptop
          if its not serving as a desktop replacement
          I only worry about battery life
          so the only downside is i cant change the battery when I want to with ease

          I rarely use the USB ports (unless i have the laptop being used as a desktop replacement)
          I barely use the DVD drive (unless ... desktop... replacement)
          and the rest gets barely touched at all
  • wild, on 03/03/2008, -11/+20I have admit, I was one of the first haters (as long time Apple fan). But lately we have been exploring getting them for everyone in our company. The strengths far outweigh the weaknesses.
    • slvrbullet87, on 03/03/2008, -15/+8So your company is going to go down the ***** since 90% of people dont need $1800 ultraportable laptops. Most people at a decently sized company need either the most basic functioning laptop, or a standard office desktop, both available for $400 dollars and as cappable as a MBA.
    • DarkSamus, on 03/03/2008, -3/+13dude i'm gonna email you my resume
    • tnoy, on 03/03/2008, -4/+6If everyone needs a more portable laptop, then a X61 is near perfect. You'll save at least $600 per laptop.

      The strenghts of the Macbook Air are bascially saving an additional half-pound and not giving anyone the option above its paltry 5ish hour battery life.

      • imnojezus, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4Near perfect... except it can't boot OS X, which may be what his company his company is looking for. Don't underestimate the value of being able to boot Windows, Linux, and Mac OS on a single machine.
        And, as a frequent flier, I can attest to being overjoyed to carry even a half-pound less after traveling for 14 hours. You might not be in the market for the Air, and I know I'm not, but that doesn't mean a market doesn't exist.
        • doctordbx, on 03/04/2008, -1/+0"And, as a frequent flier, I can attest to being overjoyed to carry even a half-pound less after traveling for 14 hours."
          Serioulsy man, you should stop standing holding all your luggage on the plane, that's what seats and overhead lockers are for.
          As a frequent flyer myself, and one who is regularly flying such trips (London Dubai Singapore Australia) I can honestly say if you haven't got your travelling kit worked out and running on wheels now you really shouldn't be worrying about your notebook.
      • 12340987, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1I was wondering if anyone was aware of the x61 line. The x61s start at 2.7 pounds. If you buy it at the right time you can get them for $1000 well equipped. For a couple hundred more you can get a tablet variant. For about another .5 lbs you get 8hr battery life.
        You could get OSX running on it if you really wanted to.
        But the air does have a larger, higher resolution screen.
    • FatLoser, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1dude i'm going to short your company's stock
    • jabberwolf, on 03/04/2008, -6/+3AND THE STRENGTHS ARE?
      So far alot of talk but no substance but then what else to expect from a macfan ?!?!
  • MacParrot, on 03/03/2008, -11/+7It means one of two things. Either the initial roll out was so low that the few who wanted them bought them right after they came out making supply low or demand is higher than many (even me) thought was possible. I look at the MacBook Air as a crippled (slower/no optical drive/ few ports) MacBook for more money and cannot conceive wanting one for myself. Maybe Apple found a sweet spot between performance/ weight/ design that I didn't see when I saw one at Macworld.
    If the MacBook Air is something you think will meet your needs, then your needs are pretty low. Just my opinion
    • wedges, on 03/03/2008, -1/+5what are the *average* travelling *business person's* needs? ms office, safari, monitor out. that's pretty much it, and the air is more than capable of that.
      • MacParrot, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2You correct but when I travel I'm doing a bit more than that which is why the Air won't suit my needs. Everything you said an average traveler needs doesn't discount what I said. Those are pretty low requirements for a computer that in my opinion would be better suited with a regular MacBook. But hey, if you've got the scratch and don't mind the compromises...have at it
  • surian, on 03/03/2008, -22/+17I took my friend out to the apple store in downtown Chicago a few weeks ago and we looked at the MacBook Air. She was going on and on about how neat it looked and how she wanted to buy one. Me, being a software engineer and a little bit more computer savvy, took a look at the price, then looked at the specs on the machine, and told her that I could build or find a laptop that was about 5 to 6 hundred dollars cheaper with the same specs or I could get a top of the line machine for the same price.
    She looked at me and said "But it wouldn't be cute!"... I guess we know who the target market is.
    • colincornaby, on 03/03/2008, -6/+24Would the laptop that you'd get for $500-$600 cheaper be as small? I mean, that really is the point of the Macbook Air. After all, Apple sells the Macbook, a computer with better specs and a user replaceable battery for $1000. For the price of the Macbook Air, you can almost get a Macbook Pro with a large screen and a high end graphics card. The price of the Macbook Air really has to do with it's size...
      • surian, on 03/03/2008, -6/+4Oh, I totally understand that. I was just pointing out that from my perspective, I look at the laptop and see something that costs too much for the features in which I'd be interested. I know that the appeal is in its size (mostly).

        It's just interesting to me that two people can have such wildly different ideas of what makes a computer "worth it". To me, I don't mind having a computer that is larger but more powerful. However, to her, she wants a fashion accessory. To other people, they want something that is lightweight and able to do "enough" for them. Apple has done well to find its niche market, people who don't want raw power but want to usability above all else. To me, I just want to crank out as much power from my machine as possible even if my laptop crushes my kneecaps while I use it.
        • colincornaby, on 03/03/2008, -1/+12But is this all that unusual? People don't like to buy ugly cars. They don't like to buy ugly homes. They don't like taking vacations to ugly places. Is it all that surprising that people don't really want ugly computers? Would you be all that shocked if someone wanted a brand new BMW rather than a old ass Ford Fiesta?
          • mywhitenoise, on 03/03/2008, -4/+3Macbooks and Macbook Pros are ugly?
            People think Hummers and SUVs look nice, but think a Prius and a Civic Hybrid are ugly?
            God damn I hate this country.
          • surian, on 03/03/2008, -3/+3Nope, not surprising in the least. I was just saying that there are those of us who would rather have an ugly car with lots of torque than a pretty car without that power for an equivalent price. So, like I said in my original comment: "We know who the target market is". The target are those people who want to have something pretty or neat rather than something that is a power house.

            Again, personally, for 1500 to 1700 dollars I would expect a lot more out of a machine than the MacBook Air provides. It's a neat toy, granted, but I would not want to spend the money on it because, given the specs, it will be obsolete much quicker than any other equivalently priced laptop. If you're willing to spend the extra cash on something that's just "neat" then that's fine. It's just that, as an engineer, I look for functionality more than gimmicks. Apple has been great at providing gimmicks lately. That's not to say that they haven't provided some top notch stuff at the same time, but their stuff is just far too expensive for what I'd be using it for when there are alternatives that suit my needs better.

            The thing is, Apple's MacBook Air is going to be very successful simply because for every person like me out there, there are probably 10 people like my friend who really just need a computer to do email, browse the internet, and edit the occasional text document. For those people, if they aren't interested in computers that much to begin with, they will most likely look at the MacBook Air and see a really neat toy that can also do their email and browse the internet. The price won't matter too much because, like my friend, they have already sold themselves on the MacBook Air before even talking to a sales person. No one needs to point out to them the system specs because that's not why they're buying it in the first place.
      • mrminty, on 03/03/2008, -5/+3I would buy an old ass Festiva if it went faster than a BMW.
        Bad metaphor.
        • DaffyDuck, on 03/04/2008, -2/+2Someday you will grow up and laugh at yourself for making such a comment.
        • DarkSamus, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1don't worry, all these automatic driving idiots don't understand what you're saying
    • sabarsky, on 03/03/2008, -6/+11Would the one you build be thin enough to fit in a manila envelope?
      • tupperbacharach, on 03/03/2008, -3/+5Maybe not build, but buy one ready-made -- of the zillions of ultra-slim laptops that existed before the Macbook Air, every single one of them would fit into Steve Jobs' envelope.

        In fact, the Macbook Air is not the "world's thinnest laptop": that honor goes to the Intel Metro Mobile that was first unveiled last Summer:
        http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/notebook-supermodel/int ...
        • bigsteve, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4And where can I buy one of those? I can't. It's a prototype.
          • tupperbacharach, on 03/04/2008, -2/+1Nevertheless, the Intel Mobile Metro is the world's thinnest laptop, and it was exhibited operating at trade shows long before the Macbook Air appeared.

          • MacParrot, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2tupper, if you can't buy it, then it's not relevant. That's like saying the most innovative computer (and I'm not saying this except as an example) is that 32" rounded iMac concept from the other day or all those concept cars wheeled out at auto shows.
          • tupperbacharach, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1@MacParrot

            ***if you can't buy it, then it's not relevant.***

            Really? Which computer would be listed in the Guinness Book Of World Records as "the world's thinnest laptop?"

            Also, what is "relevant" to Mac fanboys constantly changes relative to whether or not the wind direction favors Apple. Hypothetically, let's say Apple had created Mac OS before the Xerox Alto, but had only exhibited it at trade shows until 1984. Without a doubt, every Mac fanboy would consider relevant that early, non-released OS as the first modern GUI -- even though it didn't sell until 1984.

            Whether or not something is the "first" or "thinnest" has nothing to do with sales nor marketing.


            ***That's like saying the most innovative computer ... is that 32" rounded iMac concept from the other day or all those concept cars wheeled out at auto shows***

            Not really. What is "most innovative" is very subjective, but one can objectively determine which laptop is thinnest by using a caliper.

            In addition, Alienware had exhibited a working, curved monitor at trade shows long before the Apple concept sketches were released. So, even from within a fanboy reality distortion field, it would be difficult to claim that curved monitors were first created/conceived by Apple (or an Apple fanboy).

            Also, with a few exceptions, the concept cars at auto shows are mostly new aesthetics -- they usually still have four tires and a steering wheel.
      • surian, on 03/03/2008, -1/+1No, and that was her point when she said "It wouldn't be cute!". I'm not shocked by the MacBook Air or the price. I know why it's priced that high and I know why people would want one. I think they're neat too, I'm just not going to buy one. But I'm in the minority when it comes to what I look for in a computer. Most people are like my friend, so I'm not surprised at all that the MacBook Air has been selling incredibly well.
    • santaliqueur, on 03/04/2008, -4/+3Mr. software engineer, I wonder if you remembered to look at the most important spec of an ULTRAPORTABLE machine, the size.
    • diggSJaustin, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3"I guess we know who the target market is." Um, not you?
    • GhengisKhan, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2You're dead-on. I showed it (the website version) to my wife who's currently on a 4 year old Toshiba Sattelite and she REALLY wants one. I'm out 2 gr.
  • borneo66, on 03/03/2008, -13/+101Surprise! Apple knows its customer base better than the knuckleheads on Digg!
    • daborg, on 03/04/2008, -0/+8But... but... The Internet is Always Right!
      • virtualball, on 03/04/2008, -0/+5No. The internet is for porn and nothing else.
    • jabberwolf, on 03/04/2008, -8/+1You are absolutely right.

      You can never under estimate the stupid enough!
      • MacParrot, on 03/04/2008, -0/+5What did the enough ever do to you?
    • uppedbyhiggins, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1Dugg this comment for the first time I've ever seen "knuckleheads" used on the internet.
  • macwac, on 03/03/2008, -11/+6I still hear a lot of negative things about it.. and those (i know) that wanted to initially buy it don't want it anymore. We just ran a promo for it in a university and not a single student wanted it, but obviously its doing good in some other market. I'm really surprised.. good on ya Apple!
    • fitzfan, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3what student is going to impulsively buy a 2k laptop in the middle of the school year? they obviously already have one or dont need one at this point in the year. Wait till spring when people are buying new laptops for school.
  • clak, on 03/03/2008, -23/+23Microsoft Fanboy: But... but... I hate the Macbook Air so much! Why are people buying it? They could buy a crappy laptop for $200! Why doesn't anybody listen to me?
    • slvrbullet87, on 03/03/2008, -7/+7Well i could buy a $200 laptop that does everything the MBA does, and spend the other $1500 on asian spa to handle "the strain" of carrying an extra 2 pounds.
    • aenima987, on 03/03/2008, -2/+14microsoft has fanboys?
    • dukeeeey, on 03/03/2008, -4/+9microsoft makes pcs ?
    • Jereso, on 03/04/2008, -4/+6You could call me a fanboy (blah blah blah, I use XP and I own a Zune), and I still think the MacBook Air was a bad idea. But guess what? I don't care. People want to waste their money? Fine, helps the economy a little. We're suggesting a better offer for the people, that's it.
      • imnojezus, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3You could call me an apple fanboy, (I use OSX and I own an iPod) and I really appreciate this comment. I will argue that we're not wasting our money. We just see the value in what Apple offers, and are willing to pay for it. Like you said, it's our choice, and thanks for recognizing that without losing your ***** over it. Now if I could get more people on my side to do the same...
  • diggB, on 03/03/2008, -4/+44It's odd how people are complaining about the price when an Lenovo X300 ThinkPad starts at $2,476 for a stripped-down model and at $2,799 for a preconfigured retail version with a half-size battery. (The x300 configuration with a full-size battery and DVD drive is a whopping $3,000). Yes, it comes with a DVD drive, a removable battery, and 2 additional USB ports, but you're really paying a premium for it. From this perspective, the Air is quite price competitive.
    • logandurand, on 03/03/2008, -0/+4That's not a fair comparison because the X300 is smaller and has many more features, of course it's more expensive. The Air is just a thinner MacBook, and when compared with Apple's other laptops, the price is crazy expensive. You're paying a premium for the "thin" factor, but that's all it has going for it.
      • superkendall, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2But the Air also performs better and has better battery life, so the "more features" thing you mention is offset by that to a large extent.
        • chingy1788, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2ill just get a MacBook pro over the MBA SDD version
          performance is better on the pro, and the MBP costs similar to the MBA SSD version
    • diggB, on 03/04/2008, -0/+8According to engadget.com, the Air and the X300 are the same weight (~ 3lbs), same width X height, but the Air is quite a bit thinner (0.76in compared to 0.92in at the thickest). In fact, the X300 is about the size and thickness of a MacBook. So, yes the X300 comes with additional features like a DVD and USB ports, but starting costs are way, way higher.
      BTW. I think the X300 is sweet looking laptop and if anyone gave me one, I'd be happy to use it. I just think that the Air has gotten an unfair rap on being overpriced.
  • MaxMWood, on 03/03/2008, -22/+7Why the ***** would anyone buy this piece of *****?
    • nwilling, on 03/03/2008, -6/+17why didn't your dad just pull out?
      • santaliqueur, on 03/04/2008, -1/+4I was thinking he should have been a blow job.
  • jenrzzz1, on 03/03/2008, -6/+9Dugg for "thinterestesting"
  • OnlineAddict, on 03/03/2008, -9/+2Its affordable that's why it is flying off the shelves!
  • amawg9, on 03/03/2008, -4/+35Well I bought one for school, and I have to say it has worked out great. It is easy to carry around campus. I don't typically use the ports on my notebooks so thats no big deal, and almost never use an optical drive. So I would say Apple nailed it for my needs.
    • mrminty, on 03/03/2008, -12/+4"...and thank you for reading "Memoirs of a Liberal Arts Major"
      • amawg9, on 03/03/2008, -1/+8I have to admit I laughed at that. (AD/PR Major)
    • superkendall, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3Sure like CS users with an EEPC have more power on tap (not). If I were still in school taking CS courses I'd jump at an Air, because books are already heavy and thick enough to make a backpack unwieldy.
  • wedges, on 03/03/2008, -5/+5though i haven't seen one in a coffee shop yet here in boulder, which is typically a mac savvy town. just ignore the hippies and frat boys, please, and there's a decent creative community to be found here.
    • motherwell, on 03/03/2008, -2/+2i miss Boulder. CU is a great place to go to school.
    • tupperbacharach, on 03/03/2008, -2/+6That's what Apple products are all about -- posing with them in coffee shops.
      • BossKey, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2That doesn't explain why Mac laptops also turn up at Unix conferences and Jet Propulsion Laboratory control centers.
        • tupperbacharach, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2A few of the nerds want to be hipsters, too.
  • Adamesq, on 03/03/2008, -6/+3The problem with this unit isn't its shortcomings. It's the price charged for them. I don't think the size-factor is enough to justify the price tag. A company's budget will certainly be a part of the supply/demand curve...particularly when the IT dept. isn't making involved in purchasing.
  • bovox, on 03/03/2008, -11/+22How many newbs on Digg said that the Macbook Air would flop and never sell? Seriously. I'd like to give each and every one of these newbs a "told you so" because they don't know s**t.
    • doctordbx, on 03/04/2008, -3/+0Really? I think we need to wait and see it's Wk II sales and it's release to video sales before we say it's not a flop.
    • jmg703, on 03/04/2008, -2/+2There's a sucker born every minutes.
  • FarmPunk, on 03/03/2008, -14/+5No big surprise they're out of Stock. Apple has been making supply mistakes since the days of the Mac Classic. Soon there will be a glut of them and prices will go down.
  • Rmo4, on 03/03/2008, -5/+4Dude, "thintresting"? Ugh...
  • nycmac247, on 03/03/2008, -10/+4Keep laughing, haters - just as you always have...
  • sabarsky, on 03/03/2008, -5/+9The Air is all about aesthetics as well as being razor-thin and light, and shockingly, some people value that over having a dvd player, a boatload of ports, processor speeds, etc...
    • nwilling, on 03/03/2008, -2/+3those looking for such things should get a desktop
    • tupperbacharach, on 03/03/2008, -3/+2Too bad it is not "the world's thinnest laptop."
    • clak, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3I think the point was for it to be faster than other ultraportables, which on average, are 1.2 GHz. But how do I know this? Why, Steve Jobs said so in his keynote!
      • morcheeba, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4Yep. CPU is 50% faster than the more expensive Lenovo X300 (which also looks like a great machine)
    • superkendall, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1No it's all about performance in the thinnest form factor possible. Aesthetics are secondary concerns that arise naturally out of trying to solve the core problem of how do you get as much power as possible into the smallest space possible, and still keep the features that make a notebook usable to the most people?
  • riskybeats, on 03/03/2008, -7/+3How long do you THINk it took the submitted to thinvovle the word 'thin' into his descripthin?
  • zwilliams, on 03/03/2008, -8/+8I've been a Mac owner for a long, long, long time, and I'm not even that interested in the MacBook Air. I own PowerMacs, Performas, iBooks, iPods, and plenty of other Apple products. For the most part I've been quite happy with my purchases. But to me the Air is so unappealing, I would much prefer a 12" MacBook Pro over the Air. I don't care if it is thicker or heavier.

    Now before anyone goes on fanboy tirade; I also have tons of PCs, PC hardware and have built more PCs than I can remember.
  • ThinkFr33ly, on 03/03/2008, -6/+7Thanks, but I'll be going with the Lenovo X300. Better in virtually every way... aside from it not being as pretty.
    • SuperSunny, on 03/03/2008, -0/+5Except the fact that it doesn't have OS X? The point of buying an Apple computer is OS X. Although there is OSX86, it's just not the same without having the same parts and a Vanilla Kernal.
    • atticus8, on 03/04/2008, -0/+4Well, there is that and the X300 costs a $1,000 more and it's heavier and thicker. If you have the money, go for it. My pocketbook tells me I'll be getting neither ever.
  • HappyScrappy, on 03/03/2008, -3/+17You cannot tell sales by looking at inventory.

    It's ridiculous every time a new product comes out, people try to indicate it is or isn't a success by how many sit on shelves.

    Even if only 2 a day were sold, there could still be backorders if the supply were only 1 a day.
  • idavidcrockett, on 03/03/2008, -9/+11I bought one for school. People around campus just go nuts when they see it. I don't like to bring it to the library because every 5 minutes someone will notice the computer and start heckling me. The most popular comment I receive is "wow, it is WAY thinner than it looks on TV!"
  • effer, on 03/03/2008, -7/+7It is likely that the MBA is NOT selling in great numbers, only that Apple has yet to produce many units for sale. The appearance that MBA's have sold out due to high demand is one of the oldest marketing tricks. Although I am not accusing Apple of doing this.

    In other news, I just picked up a new pre-penryn MBP for $1595.
  • JasonCox, on 03/03/2008, -9/+7I'll take my XPS M1330, thanks.
  • mogebier, on 03/03/2008, -9/+15Thank Gawd there's an Apple story today.
    The Kool-Aid drinkers have had nothing to jack off to.
  • stubbyc, on 03/03/2008, -4/+1apple marketing did a good job on this one. rather than listening to the geek crowd that would always want the best and most in a product, apple went for usability for a direct market segment. mba isn't for everyone, but it will fit the needs for many. the mistake apple made though was a poor decission to not include the optional drive for the same price. that's a decission that should be thought through again.
    • tupperbacharach, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1***apple went for usability for a direct market segment.***

      What? How does usability on Macbook Air differ from that on other laptops? And what does marketing have to do with a product's usability?
      • stubbyc, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1apple is adding weight, size to it's usability definition for a market segment that needs a weight trade-off. yes bigger machines are useable, but they don't quite fit what some people actually need day to day or while traveling, especially if ones gear includes other weighty items. good marketing better be feeding good data to product dev.
        • tupperbacharach, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1***... usability definition...***

          Never heard of usability "definition" before. To me, usability involves how easily and quickly one can use a product -- not a product's "form factor" nor weight.

          Maybe our jargon is a little loose these days.

          Or perhaps "usability definition" is a new paradigm for a fast-paced market segment that requires portable work-flow.
          • stubbyc, on 03/04/2008, -0/+0i think apple was thinking a bit different with mba. usability generaly refers to ease of use which should challenge all product stakeholders to view in new ways. it is not limited to UI. the average consumer wants a product that delivers a 'wow' factor. that experience is governed by many things and usability which is limited to just the standard industry definition often leave product solutions wanting. customers like to use products that are easy to use, yes. that doesn't just mean when the power button is turned on though.
          • tupperbacharach, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1@stubbyc

            ***i think apple was thinking a bit different with mba.***

            If you are referring to why the Macbook Air lacks common features, the reason probably has more to do with engineering limitations rather than a marketing ploy. No doubt, if they could have included the missing features, they would have.

            The slimmer Intel Metro Mobile has most of the features which are missing on the Macbook Air, plus a few extras that are completely new to laptops (the outer, secondary display, for example). Also, the four-year-old Sony X505 has everything the MBA lacks, except for a built-in DVD, yet the X505 is only 0.03" thicker.


            ***usability generaly refers to ease of use which should challenge all product stakeholders to view in new ways. it is not limited to UI.***

            Usability involves ease of use, speed and, sometimes, savety/security, and has nothing to do with marketing (except, perhaps, that one could advertise ease of use and speed). Usability is always about the UI, regardless of whether a product is a laptop or a plastic spoon. Of course, plastic spoons usually don't have a "graphical" UI.

            Also, for the sake of creating a superior product, I believe that marketing should not have a "stake" in the development of a physical product. As a product designer, I would sooner listen to sales reps (who deal directly with users) rather than some detached, marketing joker. However, extensive field testing is the best way to optimize usability.


            ***the average consumer wants a product that delivers a 'wow' factor***

            Other than maybe a pause of admiration, "wow" factor has no bearing on the speed nor ease of use of a product and, thus, has no effect on a product's usability.


            ***that experience is governed by many things and usability which is limited to just the standard industry definition often leave product solutions wanting.***

            I have found that products that "wow" people often have terrible usability.


            ***customers like to use products that are easy to use, yes. that doesn't just mean when the power button is turned on though.***

            Agreed. However, people frequently believe that a product is is easy to use because of what the marketing suggests, not because a product is actually easy to use.

            In addition, I never said that usability only applied to electronic products -- there are very few plastic spoons that have power buttons.
          • stubbyc, on 03/04/2008, -0/+0>> No doubt, if they could have included the missing features, they would have.

            perhaps ... however the design is following a product objective. the whole point is that apple realizes the a market segment exists that really doesn't require what the industry views as must-haves. also, the other products you mention do not run OS X. agaiin, we are back to usability.

            >> Usability is always about the UI, regardless of whether a product is a laptop or a plastic spoon.
            yes, but it involves so much more.

            >> "wow" factor has no bearing on the speed nor ease of use of a product and, thus, has no effect on a product's usability.
            sorry but i have to disagree on this one completely. these items are active ingreatients toward creating a 'wow' factor ... at least in my product book.

            >> I have found that products that "wow" people often have terrible usability.
            some may produce an initial 'wow' but if they don't adequately solve a need in a friendly manner, then the 'wow' fades to something like, 'wow, i could have had a ...' when that user is exposed to something that is more useable.

            >> people frequently believe that a product is is easy to use because of what the marketing suggests, not because a product is actually easy to use.

            >> hmmm, i think most consumers are bit more savvier than this. marketing may cause one to purchase an inferior product because the ad or package says 'the best product' but the user will soon form an opinion on how true that is. if the marketing does not match the product, then the brand suffers. (stubbyc thinking about vista).

            >> I believe that marketing should not have a "stake" in the development of a physical product.
            this is often a view shared by many. but again good marketing should be feeding good data to product. product dev/product mngt is not an island unto itself and looks for data and the customer pulse in many places including, field test, direct customer contact, focus and well the list is quite extensive. when marketing is excluded from product decisions, then product mayhem is not too far off. of course a good product mngr must sift through the sand and find what the customer is actually saying.

            >> a spoons 'on' state is when it is first picked up. it may be in sleep mode sitting in the package or on a shelf but if i don't feel it is friendly to use even though it is so nice and shiny, i'll reach for that old scratched spoon that just feels so right in my hand.
        • tupperbacharach, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1***good marketing better be feeding good data to product dev.***

          As a product designer, this notion is very disturbing.
          • stubbyc, on 03/04/2008, -0/+0ahh someone with experience in the trenches who is used to dealing with marketing. i concur. but a good product dev and management team should be gleaming clues from marketing (not the only source though). good marketing data (so much is not good) really can provide some product direction. a good marketing team that 'gets it' can provide some gems. in any event, the product manager should have a good sense of what his customer wants and i believe that somewhere in apple, someone saw a need and is providing a solution. time will tell if the solution is favorable but i'm putting my money on this one.
          • tupperbacharach, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1@ stubbyc

            Field testing is always superior to marketing focus groups.

            Marketing might be advantageous in development if one wants to sell a lot of a product. However, a product is not superior just because a lot of units sell (in fact, the opposite is often true).


            ***the product manager should have a good sense of what his customer wants***

            What a customer originally wants/needs is sometimes different than what marketing steers the customer into.

            Field testing is the only way to make sure that usability is optimized.


            ***i believe that somewhere in apple, someone saw a need and is providing a solution.***

            As I said above in this thread, I think engineering limitations had more to do with the Macbook Air's lack of features, than some dubious, half-baked inspiration from a marketing person.

            If Apple could have included the missing features, they would have.
  • deadbaby, on 03/03/2008, -4/+11Does this really surprise anyone? All the nitpicking is inside baseball. The average person can do their mobile computing on a P3-500 with 256MB of RAM. No optical? CDs are dead. Most programs you install are downloaded from the internet. Cost? A few years ago a decent laptop was going to set you back $2k+ I don't think most people think $2k is too much for an ultra portable laptop.
  • pnunn, on 03/03/2008, -6/+4I still can't figure out why anyone would want a computer with so little I/O at that high price. Long time mac user though I may be, I have never seen a more useless looking computer- lowered bus speed, no optical drive- to me it's just a jacked up iphone... (Dear PC angry types- I have no quarrel with you- and for the record I have a blackberry- not an iphone.) ...then again, haven't actually seen one in the flesh yet- maybe the design will lull me into consumer hypnosis- but I am actually also bothered by the size of the area bordering the working monitor space.... Yes, this macbook air bothers me. There. I said it.
    • jmg703, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2People will buy it because it has a brand that in the past was the underdog. Apple has successfully turned their brand into a culture entity with a loyal fanbase that revels it it's exclusivity. Fundamentally this is flawed because all it takes to be a part of this club is to buy an apple product, which anyone can do. So you have a "club" that anyone can get into that, not completely, but for the most part, is filled with pretentious people that thinks they are special for recognizing the genius that is apple when they had no part whatsoever in the creation of that genius. I, for one, own many apple products, but still think this Macbook Air is a POS for my uses. I'm sure someone out there could use it, but in reality there are cheaper alternatives out there. This is far from a groundbreaking product. All they did was strip it of things that some of us find usefull.
  • Tiemmothi, on 03/03/2008, -2/+3I look at it from this perspective, its not for me. If its for some one else they will buy it, thats the choice they make for themselves. Apple brought something to market and they take the chance on it selling or not. If YOU don't like it, then don't buy it. You don't have to say it sucks because it dosen't have this or that. One persons needs are not the needs of every other person out there.
    • jmg703, on 03/04/2008, -1/+3No.. it pretty much sucks all around.
  • spgass, on 03/03/2008, -8/+4I'm actually not surprised it's selling. People will buy all kinds of expensive stuff they don't need. By the way, the MacbookAir is not actually the world's thinnest notebook: http://lowtechtimes.com/2008/02/19/macbook-air-is- ...
  • cryptoki, on 03/03/2008, -2/+3yeah.. but no-one REALLY needs this. do they.? Are there not 1000 less expensive options? I still think its all marketing and shell moulding really.
  • rswelling, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1What's this post about? Sorry I can't see it the Mc Skillet ad just took a ***** all over the text...time to install adblock i guess...sigh.
  • mr.gates, on 03/04/2008, -2/+1I don't mind it not having a disk drive or no fire wire. What kills me is the price also it has a decently thick bevel around the edges remove that which will make it a bit smaller and bring the price too 1400$ and I'll buy one.
  • piratearggghhh, on 03/04/2008, -2/+6Arnold: "Come on, Cohaagen! You got what you want. Give these people air!"
    • clak, on 03/04/2008, -0/+5Dugg for the obscure Total Recall imagery.
  • SpectreFire, on 03/04/2008, -7/+2Yeah, cause you know, Apple would NEVER trick people into thinking their products sell well.
    • aamir2, on 03/04/2008, -0/+21) Create a brand new standard-setting laptop,
      2) Refuse to sell it to customers who want one by claiming it is out of stock!
      3) ???
      4) Profit?
    • jmg703, on 03/04/2008, -0/+2"standard-setting laptop" = stripped laptop. Big deal. Of course it's smaller, there's no DVD drive! What is so ground breaking about that?
  • SOS84, on 03/04/2008, -7/+4How over-rated is the Air, Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computers, called it an over-priced, under-performing trinket. But, JobsMob are always willing to dump money down the drain per their master's orders. If you want a real ultra-portable, look at the ThinkPad X300, it is everything the Air want to be but isn't. Perfect (at least for now).
    • qpid, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2So let's listen the person who is not worth billions of dollars..
      • jmg703, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1how about we not let someone else tell us how to think?
    • sudowrestler, on 03/04/2008, -0/+0Woz likes to carry around a 17" MBP. Ever seen the "Woz Pack?" The guy believes in being fully equipped. He isn't always the best source of Apple insight. He at least used to say that he thought OS X wasn't a good idea, and that they should have kept trying to improve on the classic Mac OS. Yikes..And BTW the Lenovo, as nice as it might be, isn't "everything the Air wants to be," because the Air wants to run OS X. But if you don't get that tiny distinction, then you don't. The thought of unpacking a really nice computer and booting it up and saying hello to Windows isn't the stuff dreams are made of if you're a Mac user.
  • Tyr7BE, on 03/04/2008, -3/+6Meh. It's the initial fanboy rush. Just wait until real IT departments with real budgets start buying real ultra portables for real and then we'll compare thinkpad sales with apple's. Just as well. I prefer the thinkpad brand anyway. Built solid, and you don't have to look like a yuppy douchebag when you're using it.
    • bigsteve, on 03/04/2008, -0/+3This just in, IT departments buy Thinkpads over Apple portables for mobile deployment. Where have you been?
  • misterc22, on 03/04/2008, -2/+9i don't get how some people on digg can't understand that there are alot of us out here who couldn't care less if a beautifully designed product costs a couple hundred more than some lame-o laptop with a longer spec sheet. Some of us also drive and pay more for audis and porsches and mercedes because we value aesthetics and elegance in products we interact with every single day. Go for quality in life when you can afford it... if you can't afford that quality, no problem, there are other options...
    • jmg703, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2As an audi driver and Macbook Pro owner I can say that i DO value aesthetics and elegance, but the MBA is a POS for sure. You get less for more and the space it saves isn't even that much, so what are you paying for exactly? If you are smart with your money then you know it's a bad deal. If you're not smart with your money you are either tastelessly wastefull (Paris Hilton) or pretending to be able to afford it (Ghetto fabulous).
  • SoxFanNH, on 03/04/2008, -3/+2Nope people are just more uninformed and naive that expected...
  • chingy1788, on 03/04/2008, -3/+4after you get past the amazing thinness like I got past Flip 3D on vista (yes I've seen the MBA yesterday finally, it is really thin, like diaries or note books)

    the MBA, like vista will be annoying to use, the non plus sides will show, that 1 usb port will be a bitch
  • L0g1X, on 03/04/2008, -7/+2I wish the MBA had the design and performance of the X300. Or just make a Lenovo X300 that can run OSX.
    • liuping, on 03/04/2008, -1/+5You want Apple to lower the performance of the MBA to match the X300? why ?
    • jo21, on 03/04/2008, -1/+1that lenovo can run OSX :p
  • greevar, on 03/04/2008, -2/+2I'm a game design major. Take that Mac Air!
    • MacParrot, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2That's just wonderful but WTF does that have to do with this article?
    • greevar, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1If I have to explain, then you fail.
  • scy1192, on 03/04/2008, -2/+6in other news, sales of manilla envelopes have increased proportionately.
  • jakeh111, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2Im glad I got my Eee PC over this, you can put any OS onto an Eee (atm I got OSX runnning), and for the price it fits my budget (college student)!
    • superkendall, on 03/04/2008, -1/+2You can put any OS onto an Air as well you know...
      • jakeh111, on 03/04/2008, -0/+1But do I want to pay that high of a price for something I can do on a 400 dollar laptop?
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