MacBook Air: Difference between revisions

MacBook <thintext>Air</thintext>
Developer	Apple Inc.
Type	Laptop or Notebook
Release date	January 29, 2008
Introductory price	USD$1,799
CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo 1.6 or 1.8GHz
Website	Apple — MacBook Air

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Revision as of 07:25, 16 January 2008

The MacBook Air is a lightweight Macintosh notebook computer by Apple Inc. It was unveiled at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 15 2008, and is claimed by Apple to be the "world's thinnest notebook"^[1], at 0.76 inches (1.93 cm) thick at its largest point and 0.16 inches (0.41 cm) at its thinnest.

Overview

The Macbook Air is a portable computer aimed at the travel-driven consumer market. The device uses the magnetic latch system of the MacBook and an aluminum casing like the MacBook Pro. It is Apple's first notebook since the PowerBook 2400 without a built-in removable media drive and the first since the original iBook to lack a FireWire port. While the product's forward-looking concept is almost entirely web-based and wireless, backward-compatibility is available at a premium: users may purchase an external USB SuperDrive, or use bundled Remote Disc software to access the optical drive of another computer. For non-wireless networking, Apple also offers a USB-to-Gigabit Ethernet adapter as an optional accessory. The trackpad offers iPhone-like Multi-Touch gestures, an improvement over the MacBook and MacBook Pro trackpads. Internal storage options are a standard 80 GB 1.8-inch hard drive similar to those in the iPod classic or an upgraded 64 GB SSD drive for $999.

Thinnest Notebook

Apple claims the MacBook Air is the thinnest notebook on the market. CNET noted that the thinnest notebook ever was the 1998 Mitsubishi Pedion, which was 0.7087 inches (1.80 cm) thick.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Remote Disc

The MacBook Air can wirelessly access the optical drive of another Mac or Windows PC that has the Remote Disc program installed. This makes it possible to install applications from a disc onto the MacBook Air despite it's lack of an optical drive.^[5] It can even reinstall the system software from the included installation DVD.^[6] Remote Disc supports netbooting, so the MacBook Air can boot from it's installation DVD in another computer's drive.^[7]

User-serviceability

Unlike Apple's other notebooks, the MacBook Air has no user-replaceable parts. Its hard drive, memory and battery are sealed within the casing.^[8] Apple will replace the battery for $129.^[9]

Green credentials

According to Apple, MacBook Air is the company's most environmentally-friendly laptop, having an entirely aluminum case and a mercury- and arsenic-free glass display. The circuit boards designed by Apple are free of BFR and PVC. The packaging has 56% less volume than the regular MacBook.

Specifications

Component	Early 2008 ^[10]
Display	13.3" glossy LED backlit widescreen 6-bit display, 1280x800 pixel resolution
Graphics	Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144 MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
Storage	80 GB PATA hard drive 64 GB SSD optional
Processor	1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 800 MHz FSB 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo optional
Memory	2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM Soldered to the logicboard
Wireless Networking	Integrated AirPort Extreme supports 802.11a/b/g/draft n
Wired Ethernet	None An external USB-to-Ethernet adapter may be used for wired LAN connections.
Optical Media	None An external USB SuperDrive is an optional accessory.
Camera	Built in iSight
Battery	37 W-Hr Lithium-polymer battery 5 hours estimated run-time Not user accessible.
Physical Dimensions	22.7 cm D x 32.4 cm W x 0.4~1.94 cm H 8.9 in. D x 12.74 in. W x 0.16~0.76 in. H 1.36 kg (3.0 lbs.)
Bluetooth	2.1+EDR built-in
Port connections	1x USB 2.0 1x Micro-DVI video port (adapters are included for VGA or DVI monitors up to 1920x1200 pixels) 1x Audio Out (3.5 mm stereo jack)
Firewire	None
Audio	1x microphone 1x mono loudspeaker External speakers must be plugged in for stereo.
Keyboard	Backlit full size keyboard with ambient light sensor
Trackpad	Supports multi-touch gestures

Timeline of portable Macintoshes v t e
See also: List of Mac models

External links

MacBook Air Official site

References

[macbookair-1] ttp://www.apple.com/macbookair/

[thinner-2] ttp://global.mitsubishielectric.com/news/news_releases/1997/mel0451_b.html

[3] ttp://www.news.com/Mitsubishi-unveils-notebook/2100-1001_3-205190.html

[4] ttp://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9850943-7.html

[5] ttp://www.apple.com/macbookair/wireless.html

[6] ttp://www.apple.com/macbookair/guidedtour/index.html?size=small

[7] ttp://daringfireball.net/2008/01/macbook_air

[8] ttp://gizmodo.com/345177/macbook-airs-fatal-flaw-battery-ram-hd-sealed-like-an-ipod

[9] ttp://www.engadget.com/2008/01/15/macbook-air-battery-replacements-129-free-install/

[specs-10] Apple's MacBook Air technical specifications page

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 ==Overview==
-The Macbook Air is a portable computer aimed at the travel-driven consumer market.  The device uses the magnetic latch system of the [[MacBook]] and an aluminum casing like the [[MacBook Pro]].  It is Apple's first notebook since the [[PowerBook 2400]] without a built-in [[removable media]] drive and the first since the original [[iBook]] to lack a [[FireWire]] port. While the product's forward-looking concept is almost entirely web-based and wireless, backward-compatibility is available at a premium: users may purchase an external [[USB]] [[SuperDrive]], or use bundled Remote Disc software to access the optical drive of another computer. For non-wireless networking, Apple also offers a USB-to-Gigabit Ethernet adapter as an optional accessory. The trackpad offers [[iPhone]]-like [[Multi-touch|Multi-Touch]] gestures, an improvement over the MacBook and MacBook Pro trackpads.  Internal storage options are a standard 80 [[Gigabyte|GB]] 1.8-inch [[hard drive]] similar to those in the [[iPod classic]] or an upgraded 64 [[Gigabyte|GB]] [[Solid state (electronics)|SSD]] drive.
+The Macbook Air is a portable computer aimed at the travel-driven consumer market.  The device uses the magnetic latch system of the [[MacBook]] and an aluminum casing like the [[MacBook Pro]].  It is Apple's first notebook since the [[PowerBook 2400]] without a built-in [[removable media]] drive and the first since the original [[iBook]] to lack a [[FireWire]] port. While the product's forward-looking concept is almost entirely web-based and wireless, backward-compatibility is available at a premium: users may purchase an external [[USB]] [[SuperDrive]], or use bundled Remote Disc software to access the optical drive of another computer. For non-wireless networking, Apple also offers a USB-to-Gigabit Ethernet adapter as an optional accessory. The trackpad offers [[iPhone]]-like [[Multi-touch|Multi-Touch]] gestures, an improvement over the MacBook and MacBook Pro trackpads.  Internal storage options are a standard 80 [[Gigabyte|GB]] 1.8-inch [[hard drive]] similar to those in the [[iPod classic]] or an upgraded 64 [[Gigabyte|GB]] [[Solid state (electronics)|SSD]] drive for $999.
 ===Thinnest Notebook===