IBM has some fun at the expense of the MacBook Air

motivez · 04-30-2008, 10:05 AM

YouTube Video

Funny because it's true, you have to carry around so much stuff with the MacBook Air just to do basic tasks like burn a CD, I am really surprised people seem to like it as much as you do

It looks great, but usability really sucks.

JaJae · 04-30-2008, 01:22 PM

It really is true. It's not that much bigger, but the size is probably a good thing. Even if all you use your computer for is internet/office apps I'd be a bit skeptical about the MacBook Air. It's too small, heat dispersion is crucial in the longevity of laptops. There's really no reason why it can't be a bit thicker. I like how Apple is on the cutting edge of making things smaller and more powerful, but they have to learn when it's overgrown its usefulness. I was looking at it, it doesn't seem to have much in the way of heat dispersion.

The MacBook Air is rated at .76" while the X300 is rated at .73-.93" which really is not much of a difference at all. However with the X300 you get a built in dvd burner, ethernet port, optional secondary battery, etc. Plus it just seems like it is all around better designed and will last longer. Focus was placed on usability and reliability over looks.

EDIT: I just did a google search, apparently the AirBook does have a chronic overheating issue which causes frequent lockups. Even if you're one of the lucky ones who doesn't have this problem the system runs extremely hot and the components are going to lose their shelf life.. especially if you don't opt for the upgraded solid state drive and use the standard 4200RPM harddrive.

Apple has released a software patch for the MacBook Air, hoping to fix overheating issues that have plagued the super-thin laptop since launch.

The update "fine tunes the speed and operation of the internal fan", Apple said, but some users have found the fix useless.

It follows user reports that the underperforming fan caused the MacBook Air to overheat and eventually lockup, leaving the machine intermittently unresponsive. Countries with warmer climates, such as Australia, appear to compound the problem.

Apple fans burned by hot Airs - Technology - smh.com.au

It's not the fan, it's the stupid design. Which is why the fix doesn't work. This is another reason why you should never buy a first generation item from Apple.

7960 · 05-01-2008, 10:49 AM

When I used to travel for work my boss was always pushing the newest/smallest/lightest laptops on us. I wanted my 8lb beast because it had everything built-in...no brick on the power cord, built-in CD/DVD and yes, even floppy

, big screen, 2 usb, PS/2 for an external keyboard.

He didn't get it that he had to drag around 4 cables and a USB hub and I only had one power cable. All he cared about was that his laptop was "as light as possible." I kept wanting to weigh the laptop bags we carries because I bet him the bags would weigh the same but all he would ever say was "4.2lb laptop" over and over.

motivez · 05-01-2008, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

When I used to travel for work my boss was always pushing the newest/smallest/lightest laptops on us. I wanted my 8lb beast because it had everything built-in...no brick on the power cord, built-in CD/DVD and yes, even floppy , big screen, 2 usb, PS/2 for an external keyboard.

He didn't get it that he had to drag around 4 cables and a USB hub and I only had one power cable. All he cared about was that his laptop was "as light as possible." I kept wanting to weigh the laptop bags we carries because I bet him the bags would weigh the same but all he would ever say was "4.2lb laptop" over and over.

Yeah, I mean, if you have to carry around as much junk with you as you do with a Macbook Air, it's just counterproductive..

Especially since they have extremely limited usb ports, you have to carry around some kind of hub with you..

6SpeedTA95 · 05-01-2008, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

Yeah, I mean, if you have to carry around as much junk with you as you do with a Macbook Air, it's just counterproductive..

Especially since they have extremely limited usb ports, you have to carry around some kind of hub with you..

Thats exactly right. If I have to lug around 19 accessories my productivity just went to shit. I dont like huge laptops but i want to be able to do my job.