There is something in the air ...

Hi everybody. I may be a little late compared to the announcement at the keynote of the Macworld 2008, but I cannot resist to share it with you. As every year, the Macworld makes meet all the companies working in the Macintosh universe to show their new products. This meeting, that during a week, always starts with a great show presented by the Apple's CEO himself, Steve Jobs. Last tuesday, at 7:00 PM (French times), he presented the all new Macbook Air.

Since two years, this chimera was fed by different websites specialised in the rumors about the Macintosh world. Since Tuesday, the dream finally became reality, Apple has released the world thinnest laptop. This machine is an ultra-nomad computer from the Apple's professional range. This computer is the direct successor of the deceased Powerbook G4 12-inch, the last ultra-nomad designed by Apple since the transition to Intel processors.

In its seductive dress of anodized aluminum, the Macbook Air announce measurements that just came out from a dream. A 13.3-inch glossy screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 and a LED energy-efficient backlighting, a weight just above the kilogram (1.36 kg) and a thickness between 0.4 and 1.94 cm. This is the first real development of the laptop's design since the Powerbook G4 released in 2001 and really this machine is so cute. You can also notice that the keyboard becomes black and adopts the Macbook Pro's backlighting system.

The Macbook Air is equipped with an Intel core 2 duo low voltage processor (merom) clocked a 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz in option, which has been 60% miniaturized to be more easily integrated into the compact dimensions of the machine. To support this, the Air has a 2GB SDRAM memory, which is quite generous for an ultra-nomad. For the storage, it's a classical 1.8-inch hard drive of 80GB which is used but you can also choose a SSD drive (FLASH energy efficient memory) of 64Go with 900€ more. The Macbook Air is also equipped with an iSight webcam with a microphone for video conferencing and a new revolutionary type of trackpad. This trackpad provide the multi-touch technology used in the iPhone which allows to use zoom function, rotation and anything else very easily directly with your fingers.

About the connections, that's where the Macbook Air might have sins. Indeed the connections seem minimal, but it's enough for a small ultra-nomad. We can find a headphone jack, a micro-DVI port (including VGA, DVI and S-Video, adaptators provided) and only one USB 2.0 port (it's designed to deliver more electricity than a basic USB port to be able to plug in a USB HUB without problems). But you will have no additional port for ExpressCard 3/4, or Ethernet port (adapter sold separately) and no Firewire port 400 MBps. Beside this, wireless interfaces of the Macbook Air are really great, we can find WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. A simplified connectivity for the benefit of communication through the air. There is also no optical drive, but you can buy one external at the purchase of the machine or use the remote system disc (wireless sharing of a DVD drive) from another computer (Mac or PC).

I think this machine is really cool, very beautiful and very efficient given its dimensions, and of course has a really comfortable battery performance (5 hour of wireless performance and a illuminated screen without being plugged, while a standard Macbook has between 5 and 6 hours with Wifi turned off and the screen luminosity very low). I really want this Mac, but it's too expensive for me (1700 € and count 1900€ with all optional accessories, which is not so expensive for an ultra-nomad). But I think this laptop will delight nomads people that want be able to work quietly in the train, to watch a video during a trip or that always need to have their computer on them. If you intend to use this machine as a main computer (laptop + desktop), I think that the minimal connections and the use of multiple USB peripheral quickly become tedious. Use only as a nomad computer. Doubtless a very good laptop for students to work at college on our own environment, but only if it's cheaper.

Links:

Apple website