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Apple launches MacBook Air
Speculation has been running rampant in recent days over a new ultra-thin notebook from Apple and today, during his keynote speech at the Macworld 2008 expo in San Francisco, Steve Jobs finally confirmed not only that it exists, but that recent rumblings on the grapevine have been close to the mark.
Dubbed MacBook Air, the new device features a 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, full-size and backlit keyboard, built-in iSight webcam and a spacious trackpad with multi-touch gesture support. It is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo chip running at 1.6GHz (with 1.8GHz available as an option), and includes as standard features 2GB of memory, an 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive, 802.11n Wi-Fi technology and Bluetooth 2.1.
But the real breakthrough stems from the device’s form factor. The MacBook Air is amazingly thin, going from 0.76 inches at its fattest section down to 0.16 inches at the thin end – the notebook has lost the optical drive as a result though. Interestingly, Apple claims the ability to get the laptop reduced down to the size that it is came from a reduction in the size of the Intel chip to 60% of its previous dimensions.
The new MacBook Air will cost $1799 and starts shipping in two weeks, pre-orders start today. Check out three more pictures after the jump.
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User Comments (8)
Post a comment| jhill3d on January 15, 2008 3:00 PM | No Optical drive? They must be kidding.
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| buttus on January 15, 2008 3:13 PM | The optical drive is external. Actually with the built in WiFi (and some added software), you can even use the optical drive in your PC to install software onto it.
The product tour is pretty impressive and is available on Apple.com. I for one think this is a stunning product. Maybe Julio can dig one up to give away? 
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| canadian on January 15, 2008 3:39 PM | Hey Julio, buttus has a good idea there 
Just this time *cough* I should win *Cough*
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| Julio on January 15, 2008 3:52 PM | As I was telling Jose earlier, this is a very nice product that is being marketed just right from scratch. I remember looking for a similarly equipped laptop last year and I ended up buying the Sony Vaio TXN (comparable to today's TZ series) which is 3 lbs. with a 11" screen and an optical drive, basically there is no other product other than this and Toshiba's R500 that can offer the same kind of extreme portability.
The Macbook Air joins the leagues of the ThinkPad X series in terms of mobility, weight, and features (full sized keyboard), although it comes in an overall nicer package, don't be fooled by Apple's clever marketing. Specs-wise the MB Air is nothing too special, neither is its price, but the form factor deserves some recognition.
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| phantasm66 on January 15, 2008 6:01 PM | If you are someone who really does fly all over the place taking your machine with you, you absolutely LIVE BY something like this. Anyone who has ever depended on taking their machine all over the place will tell you the extrs $$$ are well worth it for something this portable.
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| jhill3d on January 15, 2008 6:15 PM | I have a good idea, why don't they leave out the keyboard and the screen to make it even thinner. Really, no "internal" optical drive? I think that's a step back IMO. It doesnt really matter however, the mac fans will pray before it and declare yet another innovation for all to behold. Julio - apple's "clever" marketing, IMO is just the opposite. I see people hiss and turn away when apple tries to make fun of them. The normal non tech people see their marketing as cry baby tactics that are only shown to make themselves feel better. I for one have to agree for the most part.
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| jhill3d on January 15, 2008 6:25 PM | Just when it couldn't get worse...just saw that this new air mac has some serious flaws. The battery, ram and HD are sealed like an ipod! Yikes!
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| 9Nails on January 15, 2008 10:03 PM | Flaws? Probably serious flaws in my opinion. I really would need a DVD drive and a Ethernet port. But at $1800, I'd still pass on this and take a cheaper model with better performance.
Ok, it's not the "world's thinest" laptop, but it is the thinest that is shipping! The Intel Metro announced last year is at least 0.06 thiner than this laptop. (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2007/tc20070523_272039.htm) But, I have no word if the Intel Metro will have a DVD drive or if it will have the nice LED backlit display.
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