Fun with my new MacBook Air
I am defenseless against a gadget attack
I have been sick as a dog since my east coast trip and staring at the computer for too long gives me this fantastic vertigo sensation...but nothing can stop me from posting about my new-found love for the MBA.
The Good:
It's the perfect size for a portable computer
I mean this in terms of both weight and usability. My former best friend, the Asus EEE is a little small to use all the time (and it has a serious battery life problem.)
My main requirement these days is to have a machine that I can take with me anywhere I go, regardless if it's international trip or to a meeting across town. My existing MacBook Pro (MBP) has been a decent machine, but I have always found it too heavy and slightly awkward at 15". If you have back problems (I do) the MBP gets to be a burden pretty quickly.
It's a Mac
Our IT guy Kevin has tried on any number of occasions to move me to one of those tiny Thinkpads. I really don't enjoy Windows, and the various Linuxes all still have some issues. I am comfortable with the hegemony and lockin that Apple provides me. Plus, the user experience remains superior to any other OS.
Battery life is rarely an issue
I have an extra battery for my MBP whenever I go on big trips (5+ hours) but I don't know that I have ever used it. Even flying back from Japan I realized I needed to stop looking at the computer after 5 hours.
The Bad:
The Ports
You really need 2 USB ports in this day and age, and while a USB hub is not a big deal, it's annoying that you have to carry it with you on the road.
The fact that Apple charges you for an Ethernet connector is completely lame. If nothing else they should have done a promotion so you got it for free. When I was in Boston last week the hotel only offered wired connections so I would have been hosed (and infuriated.)
The new power connector looks cool, but I kept knocking it out. I would have sacrificed some of the aesthetic to be able to use my existing power supplies easily. (Note, the old power mags work, but you have to hang the machine over an edge to access the port)
My overall take
CNET gave the MBA a 7.7 score and I agree-I might even go up to an 8. It's a good machine that serves the purpose of a certain user group.
On the downside, the MBA is about $300 too expensive. I assume Apple did this on purpose, and I don't think they expect to sell nearly as many of these as the MacBook, but it's still a little too much to get any meaningful level of adoption.