i have a macbook pro and with accessories it weighs a ton. however, it cost not much more (refurb) than this machine and my shoulder is hardly aching. i'm sure there are people who can justify the expense but i can't given the lack of features - no ethernet port? one USB port? c'mon!
On 1/16/08, Mark Schraad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > But if the horsepower is beyond what you currently use... and you carry a > laptop everywhere, it may in fact be worth the bucks (to save your > shoulder). This is not a machine targeting power users or designers. But, I > know a ton of designers in small shops and even at the corporate level who > are doing say... print design and production with slower machines and less > than 2Gig. Frankly, were I in the market for a new laptop right now, this > would likely be my purchase. > > Mark > > > > > On Wednesday, January 16, 2008, at 12:02PM, "Ari Feldman" < > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >i concur. this has cube written all over it. > >the new macbooks are a much better value. space and weight are important > but > >for $1799, you can damn near buy a refurb core duo 2 macbook pro with 2GB > of > >RAM and 40% better performance plus much more expandability. > > > >the macbook air is a design achievement but seems more of a toy for the > >affluent than those who work for their money or just want the latest toy. > > > >On 1/15/08, Diamond Eric <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> > >> I can't help but think they've missed the boat on this one. Yes, it is > >> beautiful and technolust-inspiring but the flaws are many. to wit: > >> > >> No user-removable battery. This is a guaranteed trip to Apple in a > >> year or two, and when traveling, one will have to carry a dongle- > >> enabled external battery if one needs extra power away from a wall > >> outlet, 5 hours of battery life not withstanding. > >> > >> External DVD drive. I remember when I had my Powerbook Duo. When > >> commuting I never worried about the external drive, but when traveling > >> I always carried it. Why? It seemed like there was always software to > >> install, or offload to a client or video to watch. So in the bag it > >> goes, along with the cable. Didn't really save much space. And then > >> there is the external connector--a possible failure point...unless it > >> is magsafe too. > >> > >> A single USB port, and no firewire. This limits the disks and > >> peripherals you can connect to, and will inspire a plethora of USB > >> hubs meant for the MBA. Which will go into the bag. Again, space > saving? > >> > >> The RAM disk version is $3k. I'm not sure you're gonna save a lot of > >> weight because of the extra stuff you'll have to carry around (Is the > >> AC adapter as sleek?) and purchase. The Duo failed because it while it > >> was beautiful and cool as hell, it underperformed as laptop and was > >> limited as a desktop. > >> > >> I can't see anyone who is in a creative field purchasing this unless > >> it is a luxury. I can't see this being a primary machine and at > >> $2k-3k, it is a very expensive peripheral. I see this as targeted > >> toward executives who want a sexy meeting accessory, or someone who > >> just uses her MBA to blog a little, and surf a lot, or a writer. > >> > >> It is a beautiful machine but it smells like the Cube. It too was a > >> beautiful, limited machine, a feat of engineering. But with the lack > >> of expandability and it's cost, people could not justify it. It died, > >> as did the 10th anniversary mac, the other "executive" mac. It's > >> really funny but Apple from time to time comes out with these products > >> that are meant to show off their engineering prowess, but don't really > >> address that sweet spot intersection between cost, utility and > >> aesthetics. Each time they do, the product usually fails, but serves > >> to inform other products. For example: > >> > >> Failure: Apple Lisa > >> Value: Precursor to the Mac, proved the concept of GUI interfaces and > >> the mouse > >> Evolution: Mac Plus > >> > >> Failure: Macintosh Portable > >> Value: Introduced the trackball > >> Evolution: Powerbook > >> > >> Failure: Mac 10th anniversary edition > >> Value: First example of a vertical computer built around a screen > >> Evolution: iMac G5 and later > >> > >> Failure: Cube > >> Value: Compact design, fanless ducting, limited technology, desktop > >> eye candy > >> Evolution: Mac Mini > >> > >> Failure: Newton > >> Value: PDA, synchronization, touch screen > >> Evolution: iPhone > >> > >> In each case the failed product was sexy and groundbreaking, but > >> failed to meet a need. I can't help thinking that is what happened > >> with the Air. > >> > >> From a strategic perspective they targeted the wrong target. Instead > >> of out Vaio-ing the Vaio, they should have targeted and out eee'd the > >> eeePC. Small, light, Linux capable and cheap. ($400) An excellent > >> machine that bridges the gap between smartphone and laptop. Imagine > >> the eeePC running OS X with a svelte polycarbonate shell with aluminum > >> trim. I'd jump on it in a second, just to have something with me at > >> all times. For $400 it is a no brainer, but for $2k? I'd have a hard > >> time justifying it and I think others will too. I'll have to let the > >> Air breeze by. > >> > >> Now of course, I'll be proved completely wrong, and it will be a > >> raging success and I'll feel really dumb about this email. But that's > >> Karma, and she's a tough old broad. :-) > >> > >> --- > >> Eric Diamond > >> F I R S T W A T E R > >> strategic design + planning > >> > >> 847 674 6568 office > >> 847 414 6467 mobile > >> 847 380 1887 SkypeIn > >> ericdiamondmm AIM, Skype > >> > >> > >> > >> On Jan 15, 2008, at 12:45 PM, Murli Nagasundaram wrote: > >> > >> > There's probably going to be at least one person on this list who's > >> > got a glimpse of MBA today: > >> > > >> > http://www.apple.com/macbookair/ > >> > > >> > Any reports on this, particularly the multitouch interface would be > >> > appreciated. > >> > > >> > Another issue -- there are some similarities here to the design > >> > parameters for the Tata Nano -- strip the dang thing down to its > >> > essence. MBA, of course, has a more elitist market than the Nano. > >> > There's unlikely to be any issues raised regarding the possible > >> > downsides of proliferating the Air. Incidentally, Apple claims that > >> > they've gone the extra mile in making the Air eco-friendly (in > >> > disposal). > >> > > >> > Thanks. > >> > > >> > Murli > > -- -------------------------------------------------- www.flyingyogi.com -------------------------------------------------- ________________________________________________________________ *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
