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The '''MacBook Air''' (MBA) is a thin [[Macintosh]] [[notebook computer]] produced by [[Apple Inc.]] It is part of the [[MacBook family]] and features an optional [[Solid-state drive|solid-state hard drive]]. Apple [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] [[Steve Jobs]] revealed the MacBook Air at the [[Macworld Conference & Expo]] on [[January 15]], [[2008]]. It weighs {{convert|3.0|lb|kg|2|lk=on}} and is {{convert|0.76|in|cm|2|lk=on}} thick at its thickest point and {{convert|0.16|in|cm|1}} at its thinnest, making it the thinnest notebook currently in production. The MBA has a 13.3-inch, widescreen LED backlit display, with 1280 x 800 screen resolution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9850943-7.html |author=Michael Kanellos |publisher=CNET |title=MacBook Air: Not the thinnest notebook ever |date=2008-01-15 |accessdate=2008-02-26}}</ref>
The '''MacBook Air''' (MBA) is a thin [[Macintosh]] [[notebook computer]] produced by [[Apple Inc.]] It is part of the [[MacBook family]] and features an optional [[Solid-state drive|solid-state hard drive]]. Apple [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] [[Steve Jobs]] revealed the MacBook Air at the [[Macworld Conference & Expo]] on [[January 15]], [[2008]]. It weighs {{convert|3.0|lb|kg|2|lk=on}} and is {{convert|0.76|in|cm|2|lk=on}} thick, making it the thinnest notebook currently in production after the [[Thinkpad|Lenovo X series]] which is {{convert|0.73|in|cm|2|lk=on}} thick and weighs {{convert|2.7|lb|kg|2|lk=on}}<ref>[http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:expandcategory?current-catalog-id=12F0696583E04D86B9B79B0FEC01C087&current-category-id=135A781CA29B4ECB9ADAD8E72CF6FD61&tab=2#tab-container-5 Lenovo Thinkpad X Series]</ref>. . The MBA has a 13.3-inch, widescreen LED backlit display, with 1280 x 800 screen resolution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9850943-7.html |author=Michael Kanellos |publisher=CNET |title=MacBook Air: Not the thinnest notebook ever |date=2008-01-15 |accessdate=2008-02-26}}</ref>


==Overview==
==Overview==

Revision as of 01:18, 29 April 2008

MacBook Air
File:MacBook Air 1.jpg
DeveloperApple Inc.
TypeLaptop or Notebook
Release dateJanuary 29, 2008
Introductory priceUS$1,799, CA$1,899, EU€1,699, GB£1,199, JP¥229,800, AU$2,499, NZ$2,988, HK$14,900, INR 96,100, MXN$ 22,999
CPUIntel Core 2 Duo 1.6 or 1.8 GHz
Websiteapple.com/macbookair

The MacBook Air (MBA) is a thin Macintosh notebook computer produced by Apple Inc. It is part of the MacBook family and features an optional solid-state hard drive. Apple CEO Steve Jobs revealed the MacBook Air at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 15, 2008. It weighs 3.0 pounds (1.36 kg) and is 0.76 inches (1.93 cm) thick, making it the thinnest notebook currently in production after the Lenovo X series which is 0.73 inches (1.85 cm) thick and weighs 2.7 pounds (1.22 kg)[1]. . The MBA has a 13.3-inch, widescreen LED backlit display, with 1280 x 800 screen resolution.[2]

Overview

Steve Jobs with a MacBook Air at the Keynote Address during Macworld 2008.

To reduce the computer's size and weight, Apple omitted certain features long standard on its laptops. It is Apple's first notebook since the PowerBook 2400c without a built-in removable media drive.[3] Users may purchase an external USB SuperDrive, or use bundled Remote Disc software to access the optical drive of another computer, but only for installing software.[4]

It lacks a security slot[5] and an Ethernet port,[6] although a USB-to-Ethernet adapter may be purchased separately.[7] In addition, the MacBook Air offers only a single USB port. The MacBook Air lacks Cardbus and ExpressCard slots, both standard features in older and newer laptops, respectively.[8]

The MacBook Air (MBA) is Apple's first laptop computer to be offered with an optional solid-state hard drive.[9] ArsTechnica found "moderate" performance improvements of the 64 GB solid-state drive over the standard 80 GB hard drive in tests. The MBA comes with 2 GB (2 GiB) RAM memory as standard.[10]

The CPU is an Intel Core 2 Duo chip, which was specially redesigned for the MacBook Air, reducing the physical chip packaging's size by 60 percent.[11] While the processor is unique, it has been criticized for being under-powered and last generation technology.[12][13]

The laptop has the magnetic latch system of the MacBook and an aluminum casing like the MacBook Pro. The oversized trackpad offers iPhone-like Multi-Touch gestures, an improvement over previous MacBook trackpads. Among the gestures are pinching, swiping, and rotating.[14]

The MacBook Air is pre-loaded with Mac OS X v10.5 and iLife '08.

Remote Disc

The MacBook Air can wirelessly access the optical drive of another Mac or Windows PC that has the Remote Disc program installed, allowing the installation of applications from a CD or DVD.[15][16] It can also reinstall the system software from the included installation DVD.[17] Remote Disc supports netbooting, so the MacBook Air can boot from its installation DVD in another computer's drive.[18]

The optional MacBook Air SuperDrive

User-serviceability

Unlike the rest of the MacBook family, the MacBook Air has no directly user-replaceable parts. Its hard drive, memory, and battery are enclosed within the casing, with memory soldered directly to the motherboard. The MacBook Air's battery is not easily replaceable, enclosed in a manner similar to the iPod and related Apple product lines.[13][12][19] The hard drive is not soldered and can be replaced through a non-trivial disassembly procedure.[20] Relatively expensive solid-state drives (SSDs) are commercially available. As part of out-of-warranty service, Apple offers to replace the battery for a fee.[21] It may be possible for the end user to replace the battery, though it's unclear whether this process would void the notebook's warranty.[22] Users looking to replace batteries through third-party vendors will need to wait until replacement batteries are made available for this model.[23]

Environmental impact

The MacBook Air has an all-aluminum case, a mercury- and arsenic-free LCD glass substrate, PVC-free internal cables, and the majority of circuit boards free of brominated flame retardants.[24][25] Greenpeace, which had previously criticized Apple for its ecological practices, stated that the "greener" MacBook Air is a step towards what it considers necessary improvements.[26]

Concerns about overheating

Several Macbook Air users[27] since the release of the first generation product have complained of problems with severe overheating, causing CPU lockup. This effect appears to be exacerbated in warmer climates, such as northern Australia. A software update released by Apple in early March which attempted to fix the problem had mixed results.[28] The problem seems to appear when undergoing system-intensive tasks such as video playback, video chatting, or playing games.[29]

Criticism

The MacBook Air has been criticized for its high price compared to other notebooks of similar specifications, suggesting that a premium is being paid for its form factor.[30]

Another criticism is the difficulty in accessing the USB port. Because of tight clearance, some devices, including some 3G USB cell modems will not fit into the USB port, requiring users to purchase either a powered USB hub or an extension cable in order to use their devices.[31]

Specifications

Component Early 2008[32]
Display 13.3-inch glossy LED-backlit TFT LCD widescreen display, 1280×800 pixel resolution
Graphics Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144 MB (144 MiB) of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
Storage 80 GB ATA 1.8" 4200 rpm hard disk drive
64 GB SSD optional
Processor 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Merom,[33][34] with 800 MHz FSB
1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo optional
Memory 2 GB (2 GiB) PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM soldered to the logicboard
Wireless networking Integrated AirPort Extreme supports 802.11a/b/g/draft n
Wired Ethernet none, Optional USB Ethernet Adapter
Optical storage none, Optional External USB SuperDrive
Camera Built-in iSight, 640×480 pixel resolution
Battery 37 W-Hr Lithium-ion polymer battery
Physical dimensions 22.7 cm D × 32.4 cm  W × 0.4–1.94 cm H
8.9 in D × 12.74 in W × 0.16–0.76 in H
3.0 lb (1.36 kg)
Bluetooth Built-in (2.1+Enhanced Data Rate)
Port connections 1× USB 2.0
1× Micro-DVI video port (adapters are included for VGA or DVI monitors up to 1920×1200 pixels)
1× Audio out (3.5 mm stereo jack)
Audio 1× microphone
1× mono loudspeaker
External speakers must be plugged in for stereo.
Keyboard Backlit full-size keyboard with ambient light sensor
Trackpad Supports Multi-Touch gestures like the iPhone, iPod touch, and MacBook Pro
K-slot None

Advertising

The MacBook Air launch was accompanied by a television commercial emphasizing its thin form factor. In the commercial a hand unthreads a manila envelope and slides out a MacBook Air, then opens it to wake it from sleep. The music playing is "New Soul" by Yael Naïm.[35]

Timeline of portable Macintoshes
Mac transition to Apple siliconiMac ProApple WatchiPadiPhoneMac ProPower Mac G5Power Mac G4Power Macintosh G3Power MacintoshCompact MacintoshMacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)iBook G4PowerBook G4PowerBook G4iBook (white)PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook 2400cPowerBook 3400cPowerBook 1400PowerBook 5300PowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 190PowerBook G4PowerBook 150PowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 160PowerBook 140PowerBook 180PowerBook 180PowerBook 160PowerBook 160PowerBook 140PowerBook 170PowerBook 140MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Intel-based)12-inch MacBookMacBook Air (Intel-based)iBook G4iBook (white)iBook ClamshellMacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)PowerBook Duo 210MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)MacBook (2006–2012)PowerBook G4PowerBook 100Macintosh PortablePowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoMacintosh PortablePowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoPowerBook Duo 230Macintosh Portable
See also: List of Mac models

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to MacBook Air.

References

  1. ^ Lenovo Thinkpad X Series
  2. ^ Michael Kanellos (2008-01-15). "MacBook Air: Not the thinnest notebook ever". CNET. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  3. ^ Apple Macintosh 2400c/180 specs, EveryMac, retrieved January 2008.
  4. ^ MacBook wireless specifications,Apple Inc. retrieved Jan2008
  5. ^ Frakes, Dan (2008-01-16). "MacBook Air's Tradeoffs". Macworld. Retrieved 2008-01-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ MacBook Air specifications, Apple Inc., retrieved Jan2008
  7. ^ Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, Apple Inc., retrieved Feb2008
  8. ^ Mossberg, Walt (2008-01-24). "Apple's MacBook Air Is Beautiful and Thin, But Omits Features". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
  9. ^ Choney, Suzanne (2008-01-24). "Lighter laptops move to flash-based drives". Newsweek. Retrieved 2008-01-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ What does $1,300 extra really get you?, Jacqui Cheng ArsTechnica, 5 Feb 2008
  11. ^ Cohen, Peter (2008-01-15). "Apple introduces MacBook Air". Macworld. Retrieved 2008-01-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ a b Ackeman, Dan (2008-01-29). "Apple MacBook Air (1.6GHz)". ZDNet Australia. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  13. ^ a b MacBook Air: top 10 things wrong with it
  14. ^ MacBook Air features, Apple Inc., retrieved January 2008.
  15. ^ Yager, Tom. "MacBook Air, a detailed preview". Infoworld. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
  16. ^ "MacBook Air". Apple Inc. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  17. ^ "MacBook Air - Guided Tour". Apple Inc. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  18. ^ Gruber, John (2008-01-15). = 2008-01-15 "The MacBook Air". Daring Fireball. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "MacBook Air's Fatal Flaw: Battery, RAM, HD Sealed Like an iPod". Gizmodo. 2008-01-15. Retrieved 2008-01-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "First Look at the MacBook Air". iFixIt. 2008-02-01. Retrieved 2008-02-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "MacBook Air Out-of-Warranty Battery Replacement Program". Apple Inc. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  22. ^ "Sources: MacBook Air battery replacements take only minutes". AppleInsider. 2008-01-18. Retrieved 2008-01-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ "MacBook Air Battery Easy to Replace". Wired. 2008-01-22. Retrieved 2008-01-23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ "Apple Introduces MacBook Air—The World's Thinnest Notebook". Retrieved 2008-01-16.
  25. ^ A Greener Apple, Steve Jobs, Apple.
  26. ^ "Apple Unveils Green Ultrathin Laptop". 2008-01-15. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
  27. ^ [1] Bleeding Edge
  28. ^ [2] CNN Fortune Blog
  29. ^ The Age, retrieved March 2008.
  30. ^ MacBook Air review
  31. ^ Adding insult to injury: USB 3G modems and even some thumb drive and mp3 players will not fit in the MacBook Air flip down USB port
  32. ^ "MacBook Air - Technical Specifications". Apple Inc. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  33. ^ Lal Shimpi, Anand (2008-01-15). "Apple's MacBook Air: Uncovering Intel's Custom CPU for Apple". AnandTech. Retrieved 2008-01-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ Anand Lal Shimpi (2008-01-17). "The MacBook Air CPU Mystery: More Details Revealed". Anandtech.com. Retrieved 2008-01-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ Hey, Let's Write A Song Called "Steve Jobs Is Dreamy" 100 And Single, Idolator. Accessed 12 February 2008
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