Well it's just been announced, and it looks lovely.

1.6/1.8ghz Core 2 Duo
80gb drive (or expensive 64gb SSD)
Multi-touch trackpad (like iPod touch)
LED Backlighting
0.76 to 0.16 inches thick
13" widescreen display

No Ethernet port; all wireless (802.11n and bluetooth 2.1)
No optical drive

I want one!

Sounds interesting, but no ethernet port?

Ethernet ports are evidently too big for computers nowadays...(!)

No firewire? Well that basically rules it out as a nice slim addition to my portable setup.

And no floppy drive

No ethernet, no firewire?

I'd say that just about completely rules it out for any serious music-making. At least if you want to run a project off a client's external hard drive, as I do most weeks.

Dumb beyond belief would be my initial reaction.

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Dynamite with a laser beam...

No optical out,
No optical in,
No line in,
Mono speaker,
No FireWire

With full spec at over £2000 to me it's way too expensive. Is a macbook that much thicker? At half the price, faster CPU, double the Hard Drive, included SuperDrive, firewire, ethernet, optical in/out, line in, stereo speakers. The only downside is the none LED screen and 1Gb ram as standard.

I think I just talked myself out of wanting a MacBook Air!

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PM 2x2GHz G5 | 10.4.10 | SX 3.1 | 2.5G Ram | MOTU 2408 | D8B | BM15a & BM12s | MBP 17" C2D

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Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

Newsflash:

MacBook Air is geared to business-people and students. View:

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

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"It all seems so stupid, it makes me want to give up, but why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?"

I think Apple have blown this big-time..!!! No optical drive but they still provide you with the OS X install DVD..?? No FireWire...are they mad..? How do we connect our audio interfaces, hard-drives etc..???? Normally I'm drooling at the thought of new Apple machines but this time I'm scratching my head in disbelief. Definitely not be selling my soul (as I usually do.!) to get this one. Seriously disappointing..

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Mac G5 Dual 2.3/6gb Ram, MOTU 828mkII, Yamaha 02r, DBX 286A, Logic 8, Roland SRV-3030D, Roland JV-1080, Roland JV-1010, Emu Proteus 2000, Roland SC55 MK2, Tascam DA-30 MK2

The lack of FW and optical is just naff !
But hey, don't forget you have full wireless networking !!
The solid state HD should be a real winner as it is going to be faster than a mechanical drive and use less battery power.

Imagine a Mac laptop where the battery specs are not "imagined" by Apple's marketing boys.

could this be it ?

The Sony and Fujitsu flash-based laptops get about 4-6 hours battery life, so I'd expect something similar.

These are cool, but they aren't really anything new.

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http://www.jeremycorbett.co.uk

I am scratching my head on this one. I would buy a macbook for a few hundred less than the "airbook".

Dumb IMO.

It looks more like an business mans dream - in that it looks cool as f***.

If i had a load of money kicking about i would buy one for general computing and internet stuff. For serious stuff, i doubt it. 2gig of RAM is nice though, hopefully that will filter down to MacBook and MB Pro.

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A computer, some cool mic's and amps.

Quote Steve Hill:

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No ethernet, no firewire?

I'd say that just about completely rules it out for any serious music-making.

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Pretty daft I agree.

But.... Don't forget there's always USB2. OK, folk on bang on and on and on about firewire being better, but for many users it's only a little better. I'm sure you can run a project off a client's USB2 drive. (well, unless the clients drive is firewire...)

Anyway, I'm not sure I really see the appeal of an extra "thin" computer. My MacBook is great. Might be nice to have a somewhat lighter one. Dunno how this new air thing weighs ? [reads specs] OK, just over half of the MacBook. But what I really want is a smaller one, that fits in an oversize pocket. All current mac laptops are too big, and iPhone / pda type things are too small, in that there isn't a qwerty keyboard you can realistically type on.

So I guess I'm waiting for the "MacBook Mini".....

The way I see it is that it's not particularly suitable for music-making or as something that would be the centerpiece of an entertainment rig or office setup. Yes, it's incredibly expensive for what you get. And I don't see it selling in huge numbers either. But still...

I think Apple at least paves a way for a new generation of laptops, with just solid-state memory and no harddisk, but with longer batterylife, cooler running and higher portability. I know quite a few people travelling a lot and who would just love to have this laptop for its low weight alone. Three pounds/1.36 kgs. is not a lot whilst it still provides plenty of power under the hood. I know a few other ultra-portable lightweight laptops (Sony has a few Vaios specifically intended for the Asian market) but these usually have lower-spec'ced processors.

So yes, the MacBook Air is groundbreaking in some terms I think, just not for us musicians.

Cheers,
Frank

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Imagination is more important than knowledge - A. Einstein

Well all i can say is thank god they havent made my macbook pro, bought last year, obsolete yet
....hopefully it will be another few months before they do!

Quote Frank Eleveld:

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So yes, the MacBook Air is groundbreaking in some terms I think, just not for us musicians.

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I completely agree. A very cool and futuristic product, but utterly useless for us making music.
I see no problem with that since it's an addition to the laptop line, not a replacement.

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Ciao, Francesco, Oslo, Norway

Apple are doing a USB to 10/100 ethernet adaptor for £19, shame they couldn't at least put a 4-pin firewire port on there.

Asus EEE PC approx £220 with 4GB SSD, 8GB SSD about £75 more.

Ethernet, wireless, 3 USB, 7 inch screen, ULV Celeron Mobeile 900Mhz. max 2GB RAM.


8.9 × 6.5 × 0.9~1.4 inches

0.92 kg











Also available in black.

The EEE PC isn't quite comparable to the Air. The Air is more competition to other so-called 'ultraportable' laptops around, such as Sony's TZ-series VIAOs, Fujitsu's B-series Lifebooks and IBM's Lenovos.

The Air is a little thinner than these, although weighs slightly more. Most of the others have firewire, although the Air has a bigger screen. All are of similar prices.

It's cool, and obviously there is a market for such devices, but it's far from revolutionary. Apple are merely getting involved in what I assume is a growing market in such devices, and Apple's customers must be demanding something similar that runs OSX.

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http://www.jeremycorbett.co.uk

What the Asus EEE PC at £220 highlights is that in SSD laptops with low voltage cpus, £2k prices are unnecessary.


If Asus brought out a 9" screen with Dual Core Low Voltage L2400 L2500 (as on the Air)
or Ultra Low Voltage U2400, U2500,
16GB SSD as standard, Gigabit ethernet, FW


it would be a Killer.

Quote table for two:

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What the Asus EEE PC at £220 highlights is that in SSD laptops with low voltage cpus, £2k prices are unnecessary.

If Asus brought out a 9" screen with Dual Core Low Voltage L2400 L2500 (as on the Air)
or Ultra Low Voltage U2400, U2500,
16GB SSD as standard, Gigabit ethernet, FW
it would be a Killer.

---

Where's this 2K? I see a price of £1199, not 2k. The Air has a 1.8Ghz Core 2 Duo, not a 900Mhz Celeron.., and an 80G HD. Sure it' 2K with SSD, but that's 64Gb not 4Gb.

I'm sure Asus could well bring out a laptop with the spec you mentioned, I could also guarantee it'd cost an awful lot more than £220.

BTW, according to the keynote, Intel developed the Core 2 Duo specifically for Apple.

One other thing that hasn't been mention here, the trackpad on the Air is Multi-touch á la iPhone.

As for "it's got no FW, ethernet!!!" whatever, it's not aimed at us, we make up a tiny percentage of users. Get over it.

The Air refers to wireless, you can install SW remotely from other computers.

I'm not interested in it, but I'd be interested in a Pro version, that perhaps did have FW & ethernet.

Quote table for two:

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Asus EEE PC approx £220 with 4GB SSD, 8GB SSD about £75 more.

Ethernet, wireless, 3 USB, 7 inch screen, ULV Celeron Mobeile 900Mhz. max 2GB RAM.


8.9 × 6.5 × 0.9~1.4 inches

0.92 kg











Also available in black.

---

Just nowhere near as pretty.

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http://www.soundclick.com/hol

Quote steveman:

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Where's this 2K? I see a price of £1199, not 2k. The Air has a 1.8Ghz Core 2 Duo, not a 900Mhz Celeron.., and an 80G HD. Sure it' 2K with SSD, but that's 64Gb not 4Gb.

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YES !

That's why I wrote the specs of the eee pc so anyone could see the diiference between it and the air.

I am fully aware of the differences.

Quote:

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I'm sure Asus could well bring out a laptop with the spec you mentioned, I could also guarantee it'd cost an awful lot more than £220.

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Of course it would ... that's a given !

Quote:

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BTW, according to the keynote, Intel developed the Core 2 Duo specifically for Apple.

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There is certainly air in that keynote statement ...

Quote Hol:

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Just nowhere near as pretty.

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Aye looks count eh ... but for £220.

I can sort of see the point... But for £2,028 to make it worth my while, I'm not cashing in just yet.

Now as a student, it seems attractive. Lightweight and small is a good selling point. If I were to use it for word documents and internet surfing on the train to uni, then it's brilliant... But I can't get past the ridiculous price tag.

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"How many drummers do you know of that kick their drums?!"

Students and business people are really going to eat this up. The last thing you want to worry about when traveling is a huge laptop. Heavy travelers rarely need more than an internet connection and a reliable computer. This thing is perfect for someone on-the-go who needs to make presentations, deal with spreadsheets, etc. around the world, checking email as they go. It is a great entertainment machine with the SSHD, but the big selling point is that the drive won't end up with a damaged platter. I'm sure nobody at Apple intended this thing to be all things to all people. I can tell you, I never have need for tampons, but that wouldn't mean a company is foolish for making them! I am not going to kid myself into believing I represent the entire market.

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"It all seems so stupid, it makes me want to give up, but why should I give up when it all seems so stupid?"

I'm very dissapointed with this. In my mind it would only make sense if it were cheaper than the macbook.. You'd be mad to pay twice as much for something with less everything.

Quote Casiokeys:

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I can sort of see the point... But for £2,028 to make it worth my while, I'm not cashing in just yet.

Now as a student, it seems attractive. Lightweight and small is a good selling point. If I were to use it for word documents and internet surfing on the train to uni, then it's brilliant... But I can't get past the ridiculous price tag.

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Where you get that price from ? If you're at uk uni you get the HE price which appears to be £1031 for the basic "AirBook".

But yes, with a regular MacBook you get more computer for a LOT less money.

Quote Chris Edwards:

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But.... Don't forget there's always USB2.

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To follow up my own post, I now see there's only ONE usb port......

Quote Aftertouch:

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Apple are doing a USB to 10/100 ethernet adaptor for £19

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All good, but the low-end MacBook has 10 / 100 / 1000 ethernet...

Quote:

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shame they couldn't at least put a 4-pin firewire port on there.

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Wonder if firewire port would be pushing the available thickness. Not as big as the ethernet port, but thicker than USB.

Pretty cool though, def not for music. Softsynths only maybe?
It's expensive because it's a "got to have" techie thing of course.
SSD is interesting, but skimpy.
I think the trackpad is the most interesting thing! Multi touch, and looks as it there is no button.
Although, have to say I was expecting a full screen multi touch laptop from apple. I guess one more gen then.

The air is clearly for rich business men who already own many a mac, who just want a compact mac when they go on holiday to America or Australia...

Maybe?

Lau

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P.I.G.L.E.T - where is polly?

dont forget the thing also uses 1.8" hard drives like iPods, not a standard 2.5" laptop drive. I dont know what rpm those things have but I can't imagine it's going to be setting any kind of speed records in any category.
I can see big city yuppie types will be snapping this thing up but any sort of even moderately demanding user would probably best avoid it like the plague.
It also doesnt have a user-replaceable battery, which is a big turn off. what are you supposed to do during a flight when it runs out of juice?

Business men will love it - its the cool factor, price fairly irrelevant in that area of the market I think.

I hope Apple make a bundle on it.

I don't want Apple to forget about the pro audio/video/graphics market, but neither do I want them to go back to the near bankruptcy days.


PS
I think the Asus dinky laptop is very cool

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Matt
www.krcollective.org

Quote matt keen:

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Business men will love it - its the cool factor, price fairly irrelevant in that area of the market I think.

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I'd be surprised. I used to have some purchasing responsibilities at PricewaterhouseCoopers, who must run 100,000 computers globally. There's no way they'd buy an overpriced glitzy toy that could not, say, be plugged into their expensively assembled) ethernet network when someone brings it into the office, and the the additional cost, multiplied by 100,000, is a big enough number to make a perceptible dent in partners' annual incomes.

Most large corporates are far tighter on this sort of spend that they used to be.

I can't see it really working there either. Maybe a few rich self-employed types who only have to buy one to look cool? But it won't hit the mass market IMO.

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Dynamite with a laser beam...

Quote Tim Davis:

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I'm very dissapointed with this. In my mind it would only make sense if it were cheaper than the macbook.. You'd be mad to pay twice as much for something with less everything.

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agreed.

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if you don't know who i am, i aint gonna tell you.

Quote Steve Hill:

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...that could not, say, be plugged into their expensively assembled) ethernet network when someone brings it into the office...

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Hi
Things have moved on in every office I've worked in recently - everywhere has a wi-fi network (secured by a knowledgeable IT dept.) with rows of staff using their own lap-top as well as their desktop Dell/HP when they're calling by their office desk.
The question is 'is this another Cube?'
I wouldn't bet on it.
Actually the stonker at the MacWorld presentation is the new $299 direct-to-broadband iTunes/YouTube etc Apple TV.... No computer needed, 720p HD/Apple-uncompressed-audio ready. Cuts the computer completely out of the iPod/AppleTV loop.
Oh and 20th Century Fox announcing that all future DVDs/Blu-Rays will contain the copyable rip of the movie ready for your iPod or Apple TV.
Things are evolving....

Quote Max!:

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Quote Tim Davis:

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I'm very dissapointed with this. In my mind it would only make sense if it were cheaper than the macbook.. You'd be mad to pay twice as much for something with less everything.

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agreed.

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Me too.
I hoped for Macbook with metal case with the good ol' functions not for this weirdo

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Pro. violinist who likes some experiments...
www.myspace.com/pagannini