Macworld '08

[Ken]

So what are your impressions of Macworld '08 RMC'ers? Anything suprise you? Anything burning a hole in your credit card bill? Let's hear it.

[MacMan]

No surprises really. It's good to see that Apple have expanded and straightened out their media services and the movie rentals through iTunes is a great idea.

As for the MacBook Air: iWant! It is so stylish and I reckon it is probably a half-way house to a fully fledged Apple tablet.

[Derek]

(whine) No Ethernet!
(whine whine) Integrated battery à la the iPod!
(whine whine whine) only one USB port!

I want one! :D

[Ken]

The MacBook Air certainly is an impressive piece of hardware. But now that I've had my fill of info on the unit here's what gets to me.

1. The 64gb SSD tacks on $999 to the cost. Ouch.
2. The battery cannot be swapped out. This creates an iPod-like dilemma when it holds little charge.
3. Lack of an Ethernet port. Apple does offer a USB ethernet adapter in their store to rectify this issue, but it would eat up that one USB port. In the midwest wireless isn't as prevalent (but growing). An ethernet port should still be on the unit.

All in all it is a step forward. Watch the other laptop manufacturers scramble to integrate all the new features and tout them as their own. Do I want a MacBook Air? Yes. I think I'll wait until revision 2 on this one.

[MacMan]

I think they avoided the ethernet port because it would require too much space in the casing and on the motherboard. For those with wireless it doesn't pose too much of a problem but in a situation where ethernet is necessary, (like some offices and collages), it's going to be a pain. Hubs can be used for multiple USB devices but at the end of the day, they're all dependant on one port.

[Ryan]

Apple has really let my down recently. I did love the iPhone .. But then i gave it a closer look and though, No 3G, no User replaceable battery, 3mp or up camera, No mms and the cost ! i will get a very good phone on a contract either free or a chunk taken out of the price. They under estimated the UK. I still loved the design.

I got the iPod touch instead (Then droped it in a river !)

But this .. It looks very nice (Well .. not as nice as it could ... Thats just me though) but i think its to wide ! And not upgradeable in any way. Apple has changed...

[Derek]

Also, I was thinking... "...gee, Apple's in a generous mood--2GB of RAM in the base model?" And then it hit me: you can't upgrade the RAM, either! Slots, ports and sockets are all evil because they take up more space, right?

Small price to pay for such an incredibly small package, though.

Another thought: if you need to use the optical drive, you're out of luck if you need the USB port... unless you like carrying powered USB hubs around with you.

1984: 1 floppy drive = vicious swapping
2008: 1 USB port = vicious swapping?

[Ken]

Good point Derek about the vicious swapping. I never even thought about that.

[Wholly Mindless]

I see me putting it my backpack and then folding it on the book (that is also in my backpack) when I put it down.

[Derek]

I don't actually expect much vicious swapping. :) That was just a "what if" scenario.

Here's a big head-scratcher: why do they pitch iLife and in particular iMovie along with the MacBook Air when the machine lacks a FireWire port...?

[Ken]

True. 1.6-1.8 GHz is ample to do audio work. But for iMovie I'd rather have the processor and RAM horsepower of a desktop. Not to mention the necessity of serious screen real estate.

[Derek]

Right.

Enough of the chit-chat, though.. who's buying one?

More importantly, how many years until it's featured on RMC? ;)

[Wholly Mindless]

Does it have BASIC in ROM?

Maybe we can get it to read a cassette tape.