Oct 04
Who ever said that the laptops do not become so thin and small that we could put them in envelopes …. or rather that he believed or could even imagine …. The 15 years of bringing the computer and find things day after day through the network, which never ceases to amaze me or see technology in the market 5 years ago would have been unthinkable that we could see the products in stores and … Sometimes the things that really make me hallucinations …..
And, of course, with this brief introduction I am thinking at this time for the Apple MacBook Air.

Apple MacBook Air

There is no doubt that Apple’s MacBook Air has all the characteristics of being the product of the year, but said, for both its advantages and disadvantages, but surely we all agree that if there is less of a product espectacular . Bueno simply go to the point, many will wonder what this thing is so incredible that hides behind the name of the MacBook Air ….. simply because a laptop …. and can be asked, and hallucinogens as a simple portable ….. But no, just that our “Apple” favorite surprises us with another of its wonders, which has accustomed us and give us a laptop with the size and weight that just seem to laugh, to give you an idea before registration, advertising says that we can put the laptop in a simple on ..

Features of the MacBook Air

MacBook Air can only be found today 2 versions, which differ mainly in the processor and a few points. * LED 13.3-inch TFT glossy widescreen
* Maximum native resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels
* Intel Core 2 Duo (one at 1.6 GHz and 1.8 GHz)
* 4 MB L2 cache
* 800 MHz data bus
* Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144 MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared
* 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM at 667 MHz on board
* Hard Drive 80 GB 4200 RPM (version 1.6 Ghz)
* Disk SSD 64 GB (version 1.8 Ghz)
* Integrated camera
* Wi-Fi 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
* Outputs:  Micro DVI , USB 2.0
* Audio Analogue
* Integrated handsfree
* Integrated microphone
* Battery life 5 hours
* Weight: 1.36 kg
* Height: 0.4 (cm, the lowest) to 1.94
* Width: 32.5 cm
* Depth: 22.7 centimeters

Package Contents MacBook Air

The MacBook Air has the following components:
* The MacBook Air
* A Micro-DVI to DVI Adapter
* A Micro-DVI to VGA adapter
* A cleaning cloth
* A MagSafe power adapter
* An installation DVD and restore
* Manuals

Beyond that, it comes with the following programs installed: Mac OS X 10.5, Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row , Xcode Developer Tools, iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb and GarageBand
First impressions of the MacBook Air

Let me tell you that you want, be lying if I did not say that the first thing you think when you see that it is “like a small thing can be a laptop …. …. I can not believe the makeup .. . Without of course the first thing that will surprise you is the size, I would bet that you want. Along with this, another thing that Apple is almost unbeatable, is the subject of design, the MacBook Air, is like most Apple products pretty, and put it in caps because it is, like all Apple products have a very careful design is minimalist, with rounded lines and almost no holes to break with the aesthetics.

Honestly, though computerized, it seems incredible that in an average of between 0.4 and 1.94 inches were able to put a computer almost completely, surprises and much truth, especially to see him live. This is what most proud no doubt on its website and in its advertising.
This portable, the truth is that there could be more portable, the size of two thicknesses and sizes, are striking. The screen is 13.3-inch widescreen (widescreen) and
has a maximum resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels.
Depth portable …

As I said, just harmony computer is broken, and that Apple knows that it is done to perfection, but look at his design of the iPod touch, for example. The fact is that this laptop only has 3 slots that break the uniformity of the shapes, but the secret is not to be visible to the naked eye.
The slots correspond with the first three entries and exits available for the laptop, these are:
* A micro-DVI to connect the laptop to external video sources, such as televisions, projectors, etc. ..
This output comes with two adapters to convert the DVI output and a standard VGA (D-SUB).
With this result, we can achieve higher resolutions than those of 13-inch screen and reach the 1 .920 x 1,200 pixels.

* The following is an entry slot USB 2.0, it is essential that we connect a mouse, because most of you are experts that the laptop touchpad, I think anyone that uses only the mouse, and does not have a laser or optical hand anyway.
This problem, in my opinion is a problem, and now have a single USB port is quite complicated to use all devices to which we are accustomed. To think that not only use the mouse every day, she says, MP3 players, USB drives, printers and more, that there will almost certainly buy a USB hub to have more than one, is not a problem for the cost of hubs, since they are cheap, but the hassle of having to bring them.

* Finally, we have an audio output, the typical or connect headphones or speakers at work and enjoy the music.
On the theme of connections, you see this rather limited, since in these times especially USB connectors required to connect virtually any device, and this may become an issue for many of us that are usually used to connect multiple devices and enlist the ‘help of an external hub, which is inconvenient to have to take as I have said before and also because they usually need an external power supply.

On the other hand on the issue of connectivity, we can not complain, since it has more or less typical of today’s computers, the traditional Wi-Fi Bluetooth 2.1 device, so in this aspect we can not complain.
Perhaps an Ethernet network port would be a good idea for people who usually do not use WiFi for security reasons or simply because they do not need it anyway you can understand were eliminated because WiFi can be more than enough for many.
If you have not noticed, but I never named or floppy or a CD or DVD, and this is neither a mistake nor an oversight, let’s not there … to see him, but because you think you’re so nice hehe.
I think this is a small inconvenience, but we can buy an external one that connects via USB or you can use another machine, if we are online, the fact is that DVDs and CDs at the moment, are the means of transport information quite used, so I think it is only necessary to have a reader. And that comment only on the question of the transfer or conveyance of information, think of the film on DVD.
It ‘clear that both drives and DVD drives will soon disappear, because the units are already under way, but the DVD and CD, I still take many years to stop using these, we also consider the Blue Ray, who is also in optical format.

For my other negative point of this laptop.

There are two versions on this laptop, which differ mainly for the main type of microprocessor and the hard drive.
These two versions have a price difference, the truth is abysmal, and there is a difference between them more than a thousand euros.
The first version we could find and more accessible is a Core 2 Duo at 1.6 Ghz with a 80 GB hard disk, besides this what is in all services, 2GB of RAM, etc.. This model is about € 1700, we will say it is more convenient not taking into account the capacity of the disc and the supplements that will have to buy two used the power of the whole. (I mean DVD or CD, USB Hub, etc. ..).

The second version would be a premium version to put in some way, and about 2800 euros, going half a million which I think is an ass. It is identical to the first but with two differences are the microprocessor and the hard drive. As a Core 2 Duo processor at 1.8 GHz and a hard disk, and here comes a real difference and the reason for the price mentioned above is one of the first SSD drive that will begin to sell in the market for 64 GB .
SSD technology is relatively new and now beginning to take root, and the disk drives that consume less electricity and also are faster than traditional units. This is a high quality product aimed squarely at consumers who are willing to invest money to access data faster.

Finally, the battery life is 5 hours with full use of WiFi, thank goodness, because bearing in mind that you can not use the network cable is just a detail for the part of Apple.

Conclusions and closing remarks

Speaking of laptops this fund could take hours of discussion, much of its flaws and virtues of which is priceless tantas.El in particular the “basic” model seems beyond excessive for a laptop with those features even considering its size, Recuero but the $1,000 I spent on my laptop 14 inch Toshiba brand as strong performance has given me.
The price of the model “professional” can be justified by the inclusion of the SSD, but for me not worth it.

Another negative aspect is the subject of expansion of components, which is frankly a mission impossible, the battery, as in other Apple products is solid as the only possible substitute for it, and the memory is integrated into the plate.
Another problem is negative connections, seems rather low in the USB port and other issues, such as a DVD player or a memory card reader, things that I use daily and which are unnecessary in a Portable Power although alternatives such as hubs or external readers , which carries a substantial price increase.

I must say that it is also true that these measures, of course, the lack of many elements, but I find that some are practically unnecessary or disposable, as Apple has done in this case.
In any case, users at home and with few needs, the notebook perfectly meets your requirement with its 2 GB of Ram and its microprocessor more decent, but I find that paying a high price for what it is.

written by North J. Kroster \\ tags: , , ,

Mar 12

MacBook Air Design MacBook Air Design
MacBook Air Design
MacBook Air Design

[More Pictures]

MacBook Air Summary

Rating: 5 stars 5/5 Stars

The good: Incredibly thin yet surprisingly sturdy; new trackpad gesture controls are very useful; remote optical drive makes living without a built-in drive much easier.

The bad: Very limited connectivity; slower than other MacBooks; SSD hard-drive option is ridiculously expensive and standard hard drive is small; battery is not user replaceable.

The bottom line: You love it or hate it. The design is revolutionary, but Apple’s MacBook Air will appeal to a smaller, more specialized audience than the standard MacBook, thanks to a stripped-down set of connections and features.

Specs: Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (1.6 GHz); RAM installed: 2 GB DDR II SDRAM; Weight: 3 lbs See full specs >>

Apple’s new laptop, the MacBook Air, may not be the true ultraportable that many had hoped for, but it still easily breaks new ground for small laptops. Mimicking the 13-inch silhouette of the current MacBook line, it’s only 0.76 inch thick at its thickest, and Apple calls it the “world’s thinnest notebook.” Some nitpickers say an obscure Mitsubishi laptop from 1997 was a hair thinner, but two of the smallest current ultraportable laptops, the 11-inch Sony VAIO TZ150 and the 12-inch Toshiba Portege R500, are both slightly thicker, and neither tapers to 0.16 inch as the Air does along its front edge.

As we’ve come to expect from Apple, the design and engineering that went into the MacBook Air is extraordinary, but it’s certainly a much more specialized product than the standard 13-inch MacBook and won’t be as universally useful as that popular system. The biggest compromises, which have been well-documented, come in its connectivity: The MacBook Air finds room for only one USB port and doesn’t include a built-in optical drive, FireWire, Ethernet, or mobile broadband. And like with its other laptops, Apple refuses to outfit the Air with a media-card reader or an expansion card slot. Offsetting its sparse connectivity are genuinely useful new features including new trackpad gesture controls and the ability to wirelessly “borrow” another system’s optical drive.

Choosing the Air over the cheaper, faster standard 13-inch MacBook, or the comparably priced MacBook Pro, will depend on your needs. Travelers who want minimum weight, maximum screen real estate, and who live their lives via Wi-Fi hot spots, with little need for wired connectivity, will find the $1,799 starting price a reasonable investment for owning one of the world’s premier bits of high-tech eye candy. And while the MacBook Air’s specs are inferior to those found on the cheaper MacBook, they compare more favorably when you look at other ultraportables, where a price premium is always exacted. For instance, both the Sony VAIO TZ150 and Toshiba Portege R500 cost hundreds more than the MacBook Air and feature slower CPUs and half the RAM as the Air.

MacBook Air -- Very Thin

Amazingly thin at just 0.16 inches at its thinnest and 0.76 inches at
its thickest point, the MacBook Air weighs just 3 pounds.

Although it shares a desktop footprint with the standard black and white MacBooks, the first thing you notice about the Air is its aluminum chassis–similar to the one found on the MacBook Pro, and much more fingerprint resistant than the standard MacBooks. Picking it up, the MacBook Air feels a little heavier than you would expect from looking at it, even though it’s only 3 pounds. At the same time, it feels very sturdy and solid, thanks in part to the aluminum construction, and we’d have no qualms about carting it around with us all day. By way of comparison, the VAIO TZ150 features an 11.1-inch screen and weighs only 0.3 pound lighter than the Air, and the Portege R500 is 0.6 pound lighter than the Air with a 12.1-inch screen.

The MacBook Air includes an iSight camera and mic, and an LED-backlit display that works with an ambient light sensor to adjust the screen brightness in response to the light in the room. The keyboard–the same full-size version found in other MacBooks–has backlit keys that are also controlled by the ambient light sensor, although we had to adjust the room lighting a good deal to see any difference.

The revamped trackpad is large, measuring nearly 5 inches diagonally, and it works with new multitouch gestures. Other MacBooks let you do things like use two fingers to scroll through documents–this one lets you use three fingers to go forward and back in your Web browser history, and use your thumb and forefinger to zoom in and out of documents and photos–much like on the iPhone. The three-finger forward/back gesture was immediately useful, and we’re already missing it when using other laptops. Apple tells us these new gestures won’t be available on older MacBooks as a firmware upgrade, as the hardware behind the new trackpad is different.

Another noteworthy new feature is the remote disc function. Since the Air lacks an optical drive, you can instead remotely use the optical drives of other systems, PC or Mac, as long as they’re on the same network. The setup was a little cumbersome for the “host” PC–requiring us to insert the OS X disc that came with the Air, run a small setup program, and then find and turn on “CD and DVD sharing” in the Windows control panel (the documentation could have been a little clearer on what you need to do to on the Windows side). Once we set it up, however, it worked like a charm. You won’t be able to stream DVD movies or music CDs via remote disc, but it’s fine for getting files and installing apps. A matching external USB DVD burner is available from Apple for $99, but any USB DVD drive should work.

The display offers the same 1,280×800 native resolution as the standard 13-inch MacBook, but the Air’s LED-backlit screen means its lid is thinner with an image that was somewhat brighter, at least with both systems set to max brightness.

The MacBook Air includes a vibrant 13.3-inch LED-backlit display and a full-sized keyboard.

The real key to finding out whether the MacBook Air is right for you lies in its stripped-down set of ports and connections. Those who regularly use more than one USB device, or need FireWire, an SD card slot, or an Express card slot will find the single USB jack too limiting. Likewise, we often say the telephone modem jacks and S-Video outputs on most laptops are a waste of space, but the MacBook Air goes even further, removing the Ethernet jack (a USB-to-Ethernet adaptor will run you $29) and offloading video output to a pair of included dongles (one VGA, one DVI).

If you live on Wi-Fi hot spots, use Bluetooth for your external mouse, and only need a USB port to occasionally sync and charge your iPod or iPhone, these limitations may not be a deal-breaker for you. While most hardware vendors offer a choice of mobile broadband options, Apple continues to offer none, which is disappointing for a system so clearly meant for life away from home and office. Without an Express card slot, your only option would be a USB mobile broadband modem, but with the sole USB jack under a tiny flap on the right side of the system with limited clearance, you may need a small USB extension cable to get a bulky USB mobile broadband modem connected (similar to the problems people had with the iPhone’s recessed headphone jack).

And as we often point out, any modern dual-core CPU is going to be more than adequate for Web surfing, multimedia playback, and productivity tasks, and we were able to surf the Web, play videos, and work on a document at the same time with absolutely no slowdown or stuttering. We’re currently conducting additional benchmark tests and will update this review with new results as they’re available.

One of the biggest drawbacks of the MacBook Air is the lack of a user-replaceable battery. While most laptops will be obsolete before their batteries wear out, we are sensitive to the desire to occasionally carry an extra battery for extended field use. We’re still conducting our standard DVD battery drain test on the system, and will report those scores shortly, but in anecdotal testing, the Air lasted for nearly 4 hours of mixed use, including video playback, software installation, Web surfing, and productivity tasks. That’s reasonably close to Apple’s 5-hour claims, but may not be enough for a full day of off-site use.

We’re still not fans of Apple’s nearly obligatory extended warranty upsell (so much so that we’ve simply copied this complaint from our last MacBook review). The default warranty for the MacBook is one year of coverage for parts and labor, but toll-free telephone support is limited to a mere 90 days–well short of what you’d typically find on the PC side–unless you purchase the $249 AppleCare Protection Plan, which extends phone support and repair coverage to three years.

MacBook Air Test

MacBook Air Test

Reviewed by CNET

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written by North J. Kroster \\ tags: , , , , ,