Macbook Air [Archive] - Graphic Design Forum

D-Frag

01-15-2008, 09:39 PM

i plan to get a mac book in may. i cant wait. i just sucks that i can get the creative suite with it, ill have to wait for the web suite.
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

well dont get the brand spanking new one, apparently Jobs thinks they can release a laptop without a CD drive, so unless you have an external drive good luck getting ANY software on it.

gigabitz

01-15-2008, 09:49 PM

thanks d frag for the heads up. whats the purpose of this. no cd drive? slower processors? can anyone shed som light as to why? also who would use it?

i plan to get a mac with a cd drive. and i meant i can only get the creative suite with it, not the web standard at the same time.

heres the link http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/006294.html

JgS

01-15-2008, 10:01 PM

It's small... I think I would break it the first time i used it.

John G

01-15-2008, 10:02 PM

whats the purpose of this. no cd drive? slower processors? can anyone shed som light as to why?
form > function
also who would use it?
posing hippies

gigabitz

01-16-2008, 12:02 AM

form > function
i prefer function > form
posing hippies

u couldnt be anymore right

01-16-2008, 12:56 AM

Ya this this is pretty useless to designers.

From what I understand apple developed software called remote disk that allows you to "borrow" another computers optical drive that is on the same network.

I will admit though .... a lot of companies are starting to offer you the option to download the software instead of having it on a physical disc. Could this be the beginning of eliminating the totally like the floppy drive?

gigabitz

01-16-2008, 01:56 AM

i much rather have the hard copy of any major software i get. what if i get a new comp cause my old one completely crashed and i cant get he exe files to restore the program. i have to pay for it all over again. not cool. i know one would say back it up to a external hd. but not everyone has one or acess to one. i really hope the market dosent go in the direction of completly doing away with cd rom.

bigrich1

01-16-2008, 10:30 AM

LOL @ John G...

Couldn't be more correct!

PrintDriver

01-16-2008, 11:07 AM

It seems to be the trend at Apple. First they take away cool things like GraphicConverter and Art Director's toolkit, then they take away necessaries like iPhoto etc and expect you to pay for them.
Pretty soon you'll get an empty tower and they'll ask, "do you want a computer with that? :p

Drazan

01-16-2008, 11:18 AM

I told this to my roommate and he made the commet of this.

Many people are now using flash drives to transfer files from one place to another. There's even been promotions where you get a "free flash drive" with a program or supporting software when purchased with something.

Also with the next gen of flash and mini drives this could very well be a future possibility that CD/DVD drives will be optional.
http://www.edgetechcorp.com/storage/migo-portable-hard-drive.asp

Jade

PrintDriver

01-16-2008, 11:22 AM

They are all too expensive. A CD costs you pennies.
Do you want to send your files to me your on $79 mini-drive and hope I remember to send it back? :)
I've got a STACK of old 100mb $20 zip disks here...

Drazan

01-16-2008, 11:37 AM

heh, I've received a 40mb email before. ;)

We also have FTP services for the really large files, if the customer wants.

I didn't say they'll go away tomorrow, but there will be a time where the CD will have less usage than now.

And we have gotten files on flash drives. I actually have a 2gig flash drive that was given to me during my free lance days of web design.

Jade

captain spanky

01-16-2008, 11:39 AM

lol
i used to get well annoyed with print companies who never could be bothered to send back my zip discs...
they can have me cds tho :D

Typically

01-16-2008, 12:54 PM

haha zip discs man i haven't used one of those in a long time... thank god :D i think as long as we have dvd players we will continue to have a cd/dvd drive on a computer. a lot more people edit video themselves with the newer easier to use software and burn them to dvd instead of having vhs home movies.

cjdevlin

01-16-2008, 01:00 PM

It's not supposed to be a designers main computer, the size alone says that. It could be a computer you take with you on the road to do presentations, or work up changes with a client. It could also be the pretty Apple product that a lot more people are running Windows on.

While the missing CD/DVD drive is probably the most annoying, remember how we all felt when he took the floppy drive out back in the G3 days.

JgS

01-16-2008, 01:39 PM

So if it doesn't have a DVD drive why does it come with restore DVDs?

(copied for the apple website)

What's in the Box
• MacBook Air
• 45W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, and power cord
• Micro-DVI to DVI adapter
• Micro-DVI to VGA adapter
• Display polishing cloth
• Install/restore DVDs
• Printed and electronic documentation

cjdevlin

01-16-2008, 01:41 PM

Instead of using an on-board drive, it has technology that allows it to "borrow" a networked drive from another computer, even a pc. That's how you do your installs. I'm sure there's a slight time loss, but it takes time to install major programs today anyway...

PrintDriver

01-16-2008, 02:02 PM

Well, they better put more ports on the front of the comp then. :D

The trick is having another computer to do your installing. I hate a machine where I cannot erase and reconfig the moment it comes outta the box.

Mynock

01-16-2008, 02:04 PM

Sweet a $1.5k computer I can loose in a stack of papers.

PrintDriver

01-16-2008, 02:06 PM

Are we talking wide-screen iPod here? LOL! Pictures. I want pictures.

Diablos

01-16-2008, 02:07 PM

It looks great though, it's the Mac version of paying for a body kit on your car when the engines broken :)

Mynock

01-16-2008, 02:11 PM

Are we talking wide-screen iPod here? LOL! Pictures. I want pictures.and full keyboard!

cjdevlin

01-16-2008, 02:14 PM

One usb port! No firewire? And of course, the "optional" MacBook Air Superdrive for an additional $99.00.

Silence04

01-16-2008, 02:18 PM

the macbook air isn't marketed towards anyone like us, it's meant for people on the go that need a powerful computer for doing specific tasks and nothing more.

This is actually perfect for our company's trainers, small and lightweight with no cd drive but capable of running a 2 gig Keynote presentation.

Patrick Shannon

01-16-2008, 03:41 PM

Heh, it's funny, the geeks on the web were whining "Apple, please put out an ultra-mobile portable!" and now that they got it, people now don't get it.

I can see some appeal for this thing, especially a college student already lugging around heavy books, but the price point just isn't there. I totally understand removing the optical drive for a unit like this - you have to - but why not bundle the external drive with it for that price?

If you really think about it, the Macbook/iBook is cheaper, has the easy to carry form factor and does a lot more. For that matter, the MacBook Pro is not that heavy either (and not that more expensive), it's the thinnest and lightest laptop I've ever used and I love mine.

This situation is very, very similar to the G4 Cube. While it was an amazing product for it's time, that had a price tag about the same price as the MacBook Air, and a fully configurable tower wasn't that much more. That resulted in the Cube's demise, and lightning may strike twice with this. If the price was more on par with MacBooks, probably cheaper since it doesn't do as much, then I would totally see it.

mojoprime

01-16-2008, 04:14 PM

like silence said, it's a nifty machine (albeit not a cheap one) targeted at a very specific audience. And, built to compete with these:

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644507782&parentCategoryId=16154

but for designers, nope, i wouldn't have a machine without an optical drive and a firewire port. think about it: how do you troubleshoot the machine? can't put it into FW target disc mode, can't boot from installation discs (if the machine is unresponsive... still, a wonderful feat of technological cramming.

oh yeah, the ram is soldered to the motherboard and the battery is *not* user-replaceable.

but, all shipping macs do come with the full ilife suite, so that's one thing you don't have to pay for... ;)

Danger_Mouse

01-16-2008, 04:28 PM

they really should have named it the Mac Hot Air.

Patrick Shannon

01-16-2008, 04:34 PM

Jackimalyn

01-16-2008, 04:43 PM

mojoprime

01-16-2008, 04:56 PM

Holy crap, Vaios are THAT expensive? Hmm.....maybe Apple might do okay with this, then. <shrugs>

wait -- check the specs first. those are with solid-state drives (some of them are, at least), like having a massive flash drive in your machine. boots quick, uses very little power since there are no moving parts in the drive. nice technology, but it comes with a premium:

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=639BD6F7&node=home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air

check the price of the one with the solid-state drive. 3100. by the time you add applecare, the new usb-to-ethernet adapter, and the external superdrive? $4000. yikes.

gigabitz

01-16-2008, 06:14 PM

"yeah bro, check out my new comp. oh crap where did i put it. damn i left it in the files i gave to my attorney"

i looks cool. but i dont think ill get one. i just need a macbook and ill be fine.

Patrick Shannon

01-16-2008, 06:50 PM

wait -- check the specs first. those are with solid-state drives (some of them are, at least), like having a massive flash drive in your machine. boots quick, uses very little power since there are no moving parts in the drive. nice technology, but it comes with a premium:

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=639BD6F7&node=home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air

check the price of the one with the solid-state drive. 3100. by the time you add applecare, the new usb-to-ethernet adapter, and the external superdrive? $4000. yikes.

$3,475.00 actually. I would leave the Applecare off though for a fair comparison. Even still, it brings it within the range of those other guys.

Frankly I don't see why many people would get either a Vios or an Air.

BJMRGTIVR6

01-16-2008, 06:51 PM

Well, the MBA doesn't fit my needs but I see it as a great option for the user who has a desktop and needs a travel laptop that is lightweight and can be used under normal conditions. If you want cheap...buy the MB, if you want power buy the MBP, if you want lightweight, buy the MBA.
This computer is not for everyone...just like a full-priced laptop is not for me when I want a BIG screen and ability to update the insides, but some people love laptops.

on a side note...Apple dropped the Floppy drive and people were shocked but look around now, not too many floppies. Sure, there were CD-Rom drives but there are also Cheap Thumbdrives that will surely be able to hold programs...Why not have companies sell Portable Software that installs minimal drivers and the key components stay on the drive. This way you cannot simply install the software on everybody's computer until you plug the drive in. Then in 5-10 years when those disappear and all software is sold over the internet where you sign in and use the software you "bought" so you can use it on any machine that has an internet connect...then people will be shocked we used CDs/DVDs/thumbdrives for things as often as we are shocked today about how Floppies and 5.25 disks were.

This product will sell and will sell out quickly to the right customer...many who have already pre-ordered it I'm sure.

Patrick Shannon

01-16-2008, 07:05 PM

on a side note...Apple dropped the Floppy drive and people were shocked but look around now, not too many floppies. Sure, there were CD-Rom drives but there are also Cheap Thumbdrives that will surely be able to hold programs...

As you say, there was a CDROM option so there wasn't a whole lot of hurt there, and CD-ROMs were already long popular. In this situation now, there is still some great dependence on an optical drive one way or another with this unit (either external or the virtual network option). The usage of downloadable software isn't there yet, and I can't see something physical ever going "completely" away, not anytime soon anyway. (Even CDs still play a large role in the digital music age.)

Thumbdrive prices are coming down quick, but I would think they're still far too expensive for larger sizes needed for programs when you can manufacture a stack of CDs/DVD, maybe even Bluray discs soon, for a fraction of the cost.

01-16-2008, 07:40 PM

The usage of downloadable software isn't there yet, and I can't see something physical ever going "completely" away, not anytime soon anyway. (Even CDs still play a large role in the digital music age.)

Installing software via download is becoming increasingly popular. I bought an imac last night and I think I could have downloaded all of the software that I needed to buy and install.

Adobe Suite
If you are a PC gamer there is steam
Utility software like Font management / stuffit / etc.
Quickbooks
itunes is the third largest music retailer (I still prefer cd's though)

Almost anything you can think of to load your computer up with can be downloaded ... Typical apple fashion ... just 2 years ahead of its time?

Tea

01-16-2008, 11:27 PM

My boss said the apple rep for our school came by and had one of these and showed him the inside. He said it has a roll bar like thing in there to protect all the components in there and as a PC kind of guy he was rather impressed.

Just my 2 cents.

The_Black_Knight

01-17-2008, 12:15 AM

I really don't get all of the bitching that I'm seeing on the web about the MBA's price.

What exactly is wrong with a computer that makes something of a fashion statement and costs a little more? If you don't like it, no one is forcing you to buy it.

Some watches cost $20. Some cost more than $500. Both just tell time.

Some cars cost less than $15,000. Some cost more than $50,000. They both get you to work and back.

You can get shoes for $20. You can get shoes for over $200. Both pairs will cover your feet.

You can get a toaster for less than $20. You can spend more than $100. You get toast out of both.

You can get computers for less than $500. The MacBook Air is pretty and starts at $1800. So what?

Stop acting like the MBA shot your dog, or something, just because it's a little more expensive than another computer model. If you like the MacBook Pro better, buy that. If you want the cheap Wal-Mart special that comes with a free printer that you won't ever use because it's a piece of crap, then buy that, and be happy.

I think it's odd that people think computers should all be ugly, cheap looking pieces of plastic with manufacturer stickers all over them. They don't feel that way about their houses, cars, or their footwear. Would you wear sandals, jeans, and a t-shirt to a business pitch or a job interview just because they're functional? No, you'd probably wear a suit (at least, if you're smart and you want the business or job you will). Why shouldn't the way your computer looks match the rest of your personal presentation?

The MBA is geared toward a specific market of computer buyer. If you don't like it, then guess what? You're not in it. :)

PrintDriver

01-17-2008, 01:02 AM

TBK, I like you.
:D

Patrick Shannon

01-17-2008, 01:10 AM

You can get shoes for $20. You can get shoes for over $200. Both pairs will cover your feet.

Except if those $200 shoe makers left the bottoms off for an additional $99, then I think people would gripe ;)

The_Black_Knight

01-17-2008, 01:11 AM

TBK, I like you.
:DThanks, PD. :D

PrintDriver

01-17-2008, 01:13 AM

Maybe some people have a use for soleless shoes? If you don't, don't buy them?
:p

gigabitz

01-17-2008, 05:28 PM

officially derailed. time to close this one

Devious

01-17-2008, 06:19 PM

This threads on every forum, lol. NO COMMENT!

SurfPark

01-18-2008, 02:54 AM

I don't get it. This laptop has the power of a terminal. I suppose its not marketed as a replacement for a work machine, but aside from the portability, I wonder who would want this?

I have a feeling this machine is just a dummy terminal to help push their time capsule, terabyte drives, and Apple TV machines, all of which have massive storage options.

I'm a little perplexed that they think the future of computing involves breaking the laptop concept into 2 boxes. I suppose it makes sense, but there is a sense of security I have with a Macbook Pro that I can burn a CD and hand it to someone.

The lack of an optical drive makes me suspicious. We're in the middle of a format war for video and Apple thinks their digital rental/download model will win? Yeah right! Does anyone have the typical download speed for an HD film?

I don't hate the Macbook Pro, I'm just confused by it. If they want to make a statement about how media delivery is going to happen, that's fine. They just need to come up with a better method of delivery. With bandwidth crunches and US ISP companies putting caps on speeds...it doesn't seem to make much sense for the consumer.

John G

01-18-2008, 03:02 AM

Well a true 1080p quality download should be anywhere from 15gb to 30gb depending on the audio... that's no extras. I'm sure Apple crunches them to around 4gb sub SD-DVD quality (480p).

I can't get anything more than 480 out of my wireless network off my file server at home so I doubt streaming HD is much of an option either.