Topic: Macbook Air (Read 22062 times)

DavidGrohl · « **on:** 15 Jan 2008, 15:30 »

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/guidedtour/

Sooo . . what do you think?

KvP · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 15:51 »

That's certainly pricey.

And ol' Steve can take his lack of a disc drive and shove it up his ass. He's certainly made it clear that he does not want my patronage.

DavidGrohl · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 16:39 »

I agree . . although I don't use my DVD drive that much, it'd be annoying as hell to plug in a DVD drive just to watch a movie or install a program.

jeph · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 16:52 »

Pretty sexy, but I got plenty of computers as it is.

KvP · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 16:54 »

It's the program part that gets me. Steve probably isn't wrong when he says we'll soon have the ability to download movies and such with relative ease. But I'm primarily a gamer, and as a gamer, Apple can fuck right off (they always could, really). They were getting better, and now we've got to start using Direct2Drive or something. Blah.

jeph · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 16:59 »

Eh, it's not like they don't have a ton of other options, even in the laptop market, for gamers. The Air is pretty obviously not meant to be a "gamer's" PC. It's meant to be super fancy-looking so you can impress everybody else at the coffee shop.

KvP · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 17:06 »

That's certainly true. I just sort of resent Apple on principle these days (a rare and fantastic phenomenon, I know) I remember when Macs came with some pretty cool games, Spectre and the like. And I played Warlords from a floppy disc.

And if I really wanted to impress people, I'd show them my high school press pass, signed by Al Jourgensen. Oh yeah.

Liz · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 19:11 »

Aside from the lack of an optical drive, it's pretty darn neat. The crazy trackpad is quite possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen in relation to computers.

ackblom12 · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 20:24 »

There should be a "Looks cool but I like games" option.

celticgeek · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 20:30 »

If I can't view it without QuickTime, then screw it.

ForteBass · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Jan 2008, 20:44 »

Of course it's only in quicktime. It's on an apple website!

Catfish_Man · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Jan 2008, 08:37 »

Something tells me 98% of the posters in this particular subforum are waaaay outside the target market (and indeed the target market of any machine with integrated graphics)

OrigNES · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Jan 2008, 08:43 »

Looks like it would make a nice paperwieght

Ozymandias · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Jan 2008, 10:00 »

The problem is that the price range is outside of any market who will accept integrated graphics too.

Except for Mac whores.

jeph · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Jan 2008, 17:21 »

Well, mac whores have always been Apple's #1 customer base. I can see this appealing to more casual users with cash to burn though, much like the early iPod or iPhone- sure, it's expensive, but it's shiny and sleek and a Magic Box*.

"Magic Box" is basically Apple's main product line these days. You turn it on, it Just Works and you have no idea how (or ability to open it up and find out). Ipods, Iphone, iMacs, and now the Mac Air are all effectively Magic Boxes.

Catfish_Man · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Jan 2008, 21:13 »

jeph: eh, that's half true. One reason I like my macbook (non-air, of course) is that it's a lot easier to replace bits of than apple's previous laptops; the hard drive in particular.

Quote

The problem is that the price range is outside of any market who will accept integrated graphics too.

I have weird requirements of computers. The only resource intensive thing I do is compile and edit code, and I do a lot of that. Integrated graphics is a total nonissue for me (possibly an advantage, even, if it's more power efficient), but the 1.8" HDD is probably unusable. I can't wait for SSDs to come down in price.

pannic · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 06:35 »

To me, you buy a mac to get a stable machine that's more intuitive and stable. That's how it's always been. This is more of the same- they're adding a bunch of the things from the iphone into a laptop. They're also charging enough that you could get a macbook and an iphone... so while mac's are a joy to use, they're still way too expensive to be worth it, and this only exacerbates the problem.

jeph · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 17:35 »

Personally I cannot WAIT for the Mac Touch. Even though it'll be at least a year until we see it.

ViolentDove · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 17:48 »

Quote from: pannic on 17 Jan 2008, 06:35

To me, you buy a mac to get a stable machine that's more intuitive and stable. That's how it's always been. This is more of the same- they're adding a bunch of the things from the iphone into a laptop. They're also charging enough that you could get a macbook and an iphone... so while mac's are a joy to use, they're still way too expensive to be worth it, and this only exacerbates the problem.

See, I use a new iMac at work, and it's pretty much as unstable as the windows PC I run at home. Not that I want this to descend into some kind of Mac vs. PC thingy. Just sayin'.

jeph · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Jan 2008, 17:51 »

Macs vary a fair bit. I've had not a lick of trouble with my G5 or iBook or MacBooks, but my old 15" PowerBook G4 was hella issue-heavy.

DavidGrohl · « **Reply #20 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 08:58 »

As with all computers, the faster it is -- the less problems it will have. Unless you drop it. Then it's your own fucking fault.

(I wonder if the Air could handle a 3.5 foot drop)

AngelofShadows · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 09:56 »

Quote from: DavidGrohl on 18 Jan 2008, 08:58

As with all computers, the faster it is -- the less problems it will have. Unless you drop it. Then it's your own fucking fault.

(I wonder if the Air could handle a 3.5 foot drop)

It will float down to the ground like a feather. That's the rules.

GenericName · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 19:47 »

It would open up and fly.
Actually, for that price, it should do that anyways, and be able to pull a significant number of people airborne.

pannic · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 20:06 »

also it should make me dinner.

AngelofShadows · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 21:05 »

and get me laid.

Spinless · « **Reply #25 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 00:23 »

Oh, it can definitely do that last one.

calenlass · « **Reply #26 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 03:43 »

I picked the options "Mac's suck, yo!" just for the erroneous apostrophe.

Ladybug · « **Reply #27 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 04:31 »

It certainly looks awesome, and it's pretty darn sexy, but personally, if I had that amount of money, I'd rather throw in a couple of hundred bucks extra and buy a MacBook Pro, or a MacBook (if a smaller screen size was an issue, and, ehm, I didn't already have one) and either save money or get an iPod touch/iPhone. It's just not worth it for me without an Ethernet-port (I know it can be bought externally), no optical drive (again, I know it can be bought externally), no FW-port etc, for that prize.

That being said; Awesome sleeve for the MacBook Air

calenlass · « **Reply #28 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 06:14 »

Exactly. The reason I have no interest in it is I cannot just simply plug in all the other things I already use (like my external) that are not wirelessly accessible. The potential for being completely wireless is great, but if they want to really expand their market they need to make it more compatible with what is already there.

valley_parade · « **Reply #29 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 06:35 »

I already have a MacBook. Sorry Apple. If I did get a new one, It'd be the Pro, anyway.

clockworkjames · « **Reply #30 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 19:02 »

So the only way other than a USB modem is to wirelessly connect to the interbutts which is about as bad as a USB modem for security. Nice. Obviously it is made for wireless offices and starbux but honestly there are better things to spend two grand on are there not? I only like stuff that is functional and I cannot see a use for this where nothing could do it better.

MusicScribbles · « **Reply #31 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 19:29 »

What?

DavidGrohl · « **Reply #32 on:** 20 Jan 2008, 09:57 »

I think he means that connecting to a router wirelessly is insecure for some reason. Not like Macs get many virii.

jeph · « **Reply #33 on:** 20 Jan 2008, 23:41 »

The irony of the Mac commercials is that John Hodgeman is way hipper than the dude from Die Hard and whatever.

clockworkjames · « **Reply #34 on:** 21 Jan 2008, 10:50 »

Quote from: Anyways on 20 Jan 2008, 14:55

The design is, in fact, a large portion of the mac functionality. Most people I've seen using macs (hipsters, that is) uses their laptops not necessarily because it's practical or better in terms of computer performance, but it conveys an image, and it does so very well - you're well off economically, you're a hip designer type person and the esthetical parts of what you buy is just as important to you as the function it's meant to carry out. It's a big part of what mac's been playing on all along - the mac/windows comparison commercials with the tie-guy and the hip guy display perfectly what they're is shooting for. I don't think any sane person would pick up an air if they were looking for a high performance computer, but for someone conscious about how they look while working (read: assholes) it's perfect.

Fuck me that is the best explanation of mac usage I have ever heard. I just couldn't comprehend wanting aesthetics > performance in computing. It makes no sense to me but what you just said makes PERFECT sense. As for wireless and usb modems it wasn't the point of viruses but more peopele accessing your junk one way or another which is easier to do with a pc connected wirelessly or by usb modem.

But yeah, hipsters going for looks over performance. Damn I feel silly now.

Ladybug · « **Reply #35 on:** 21 Jan 2008, 12:12 »

It is possible to simply like/love the operating system as well - I can't really explain it in short right now, but I honestly do. Sure, it looks nice, but I wouldn't buy crap just 'cause it looks good. I "only" have a MacBook, but it's enough for my usage (some programming, a tiny bit of designing and lots of "regular" stuff) for now, and I love how the operating system and most of the programs seem a lot more...something. More integrated with each other? Better UIs? More..complete? I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but something like that. Sure, it has its flaws, but everything does.

Still doesn't mean I like the MacBook Air, though.

jeph · « **Reply #36 on:** 21 Jan 2008, 17:53 »

you know who else used macs?

the NAZIS

GenericName · « **Reply #37 on:** 21 Jan 2008, 17:58 »

Oh shit. He's got us there.

Valrus · « **Reply #38 on:** 21 Jan 2008, 18:42 »

Quote from: Anyways on 21 Jan 2008, 12:36

Hey, I'm not saying all mac users are assholes - my mother has a MacBook Pro, and I use it all the time when writing

Your mom is an asshole, though.

celticgeek · « **Reply #39 on:** 21 Jan 2008, 18:55 »

Sorry, I just can't help myself.

http://www.techdip.com/mac-vs-pc-vs-linux-ads/

muteKi · « **Reply #40 on:** 21 Jan 2008, 23:44 »

But... Mac is based on the Linux kernel!
And honestly, Ubuntu and such at least look indistinguishable to me versus Mac.

And it's free and not tied into a certain make or model of PC. If you want a Mac just get Linux instead.

Spinless · « **Reply #41 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 00:06 »

Honestly, I think I am the perfect example of why people buy macs.
Yesterday, I bought a laptop bag that I KNEW was too small for my laptop, because it looked nice.
I'll buy shoes that are two sizes too big if they're shiny enough.

I have a macbook pro. I'm constantly keeping an eye out for things that'll make it look a little less dull. As sleek and shiny as they are, I've always thought the recent macs are boring kinda. Remember the brightly coloured clamshell notebooks? Those were nice. I'm constantly changing it's appearance through stickers and faceplates.

This is the image conscious part of being a mac owner.
The second part stems from crippling self doubt and being incredibly accident prone.
See, I have broken countless PCs by deleting things I shouldn't have, installing programs from evil corporations, accidentally clicking ads on sendspace, so so many reasons.
I have TRIED to damage my mac in this way. It is completely impossible. That's fantastic. They're idiot proof. I couldn't break my macs software if I TRIED.
They're pretty tough too, and the magsafe power cable is a godsend, I have damaged countless electrical items because they didn't have that feature.

In short: Macs are for self conscious people who feel destined to fuck up everything they lay their hands on.

Catfish_Man · « **Reply #42 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 01:28 »

Quote from: muteKi on 21 Jan 2008, 23:44

But... Mac is based on the Linux kernel!
And honestly, Ubuntu and such at least look indistinguishable to me versus Mac.

And it's free and not tied into a certain make or model of PC. If you want a Mac just get Linux instead.

Every statement of fact in this post is incorrect except "free". Congratulations.

Specifically, OSX is based on a heavily modified mach micro-turned-monolithic kernel with bits of the userland stuff from FreeBSD, NetBSD, and others. The entire layer above that (and much of the kernel/*nix userland) is either Apple-created, proprietary, or both. Definitely no Linux code in there (it'd be in violation of the license, for one thing).

Also, driver issues have plagued Linux for quite a while, so it is definitely worth doing some research on the particular make & model of machine you buy for it.

As for the opinions in this thread, I'm pretty useless for discussion of those, as I'm about as far from the stereotypical Mac user as you can get; I'd beige box if I were interested in desktops, and I picked my system almost entirely on non-aesthetic things, such as:

APIs: This is honestly the biggest one for me. Cocoa isn't available for any other platform, and I am *so spoiled* by it. Same goes for WebKit. Only recently have the Qt and GTK+ ports of WebKit even begun to approach maturity.

Applications: No Adium? Bzzt. No Photoshop (without hacks like WINE)? Bzzt. Flex Builder delayed a ton? Bzzt, can't do my job effectively. No Shark or dtrace? Not a deal-breaker, but *ouch*

Usability: I'm unaware of any other system with OSX-style app bundles, or *working* pervasive drag & drop, or any of the thousands of other things (from big to almost unnoticeably small) that I've become accustomed to. Things like the magnetic cables and latches Spinless mentioned also fall in this category.

Community: I hack on Adium and WebKit, and they are the two most awesome open source communities I've ever found. I'll pass on the KDE vs Gnome battles, or Debian's idiotic IceWeasel stuff, or the Pidgin team's attempts to alienate anyone who ever speaks with them. There are exceptions to this, of course (hooray telepathy.freedesktop.org!), but in general I've found Linux OSS communities to have a lot more infighting, and a lot more concern about license purity and less about getting actual work done.

So ends one programmer's attempt to point out that there are actual reasons beyond "ooh shiny" :/

<edit>
Oh, and what attempt to restore sanity would be complete without a link to http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/A/All-hardware-sucks--all-software-sucks-.html ?
</edit>

Spinless · « **Reply #43 on:** 22 Jan 2008, 07:43 »

Yeah, I take the drag and drop features of OSx for granted. If I want to open a file with a particular program? Drag and drop. Eject something? Drag and drop. Or push the all-purpose eject button. Installing a new application? Often as simple as drag and drop. It's ridiculously efficient.

pilsner · « **Reply #44 on:** 24 Jan 2008, 03:14 »

Quote from: DavidGrohl on 15 Jan 2008, 15:30

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/guidedtour/

Sooo . . what do you think?

Jim shaves his balls daily. I am willing to bet large sums of money on this assuming someone cares to drop by his "Apple retail shop" and find out . . . Watching him give his Macbook Air the shocker has been the most fulfilling moment of my life to date.

As for the product, prejudging a product pre-release is a chump's game. I'll be interested to see how this gets tested and reviewed, running on the assumption that the $100 optical drive is pretty much necessary (the remote drive feature strikes me as awkward and infeasible). I know a lot of geeks who get really excited when they hear "solid state" hard drive for obvious reasons, although in this day and age 64GB sounds like an ipod rather than a notebook . . . .

DavidGrohl · « **Reply #45 on:** 24 Jan 2008, 07:23 »

Macs aren't JUST about the looks. PCWorld named the highest end MacBook Pro, the fastest Vista running machine. Shelling out the money for it is another matter, though. I'm with Jeph, I'm waiting on the iTouch, myself. <--- See what I did there?

jeph · « **Reply #46 on:** 24 Jan 2008, 23:10 »

I like the phrase "asshole machine."

pilsner · « **Reply #47 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 12:31 »

Quote from: Anyways on 24 Jan 2008, 14:23

but the Air is essentially an asshole machine.

Given that this subcompact notebook sells between $2000 and $4000, has one usb port and no DVD drive, it has about as much relevance to the vast majority of the people on this forum as, say, a fractional ownership in this private jet. However, if you're curious, the Wall Street Journal says that it's beautiful, a little inconvenient on long haul economy flights because of the size of the screen, and a pain in the ass if you want to play DVDs on the plane or indeed do anything with a DVD outside of your hotel room.

Ozymandias · « **Reply #48 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 12:41 »

I would buy a Mac if they combined multitouch technology with this technology to effectively create a fully functional portable computer that's just a touch sensitive screen with a cover. Like some sort of unholy PDA/laptop hybrid.

KvP · « **Reply #49 on:** 25 Jan 2008, 17:19 »

Hmm, one USB drive? I knew Macs tended to be simple, but 2 is generally considered minimum standard. 1 for the mouse and 1 for the ipod. Or the external drive and the ipod, if you're into the touchpad thing.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Poll

What do you think of the Macbook Air?

Author Topic: Macbook Air (Read 22062 times)

ackblom12

pannic

pannic

Spinless

muteKi

Spinless

Spinless