The Macbook Air

[Wise Young]

Watch it. It has real "wow" value, showing innovation and thoughtfulness.

See http://www.apple.com/macbookair/guidedtour/

IN a nutshell, it is very thin, light (3 lb), aluminum shell, 1.6 GHz Duo-Core, 2 Gb RAM, 80 Gb hard drive, large multi-touch pad, 13.3 inch diagnonal screen, USB, external dvi for external screen, ethernet, wireless and bluetooth, headphone jack, camera and microphone, and a 5-hour non-exchangeable battery. It is solid, silky, and sexy.

That above costs $1,799.00. If you want a faster Macbook Air, you can get one with all of the above but a 1.8 GHz Duo Core and a 64 Gb solid state memory for $3098.00

http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1374/store.apple.com/Catalog/regional/amr/macbook-air/img/gallery-big-06.jpg


What does it lacks?
• CD/DVD drive. You can connect one to the usb port and it is powered.
• Firewire. Those who have a firewire drive will not be able to use it.
• PCI slot. Some people use this slot for cell modem digital wireless.
• Big drive. 80 Gb is the biggest drive available.

So, if you use any of the above routinely, you may have to change the way you work. So, most people would have to buy and even carry the following extra items if they buy the Macbook Air:
• the $99 CD/DVD superdrive
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1374/store.apple.com/Catalog/regional/amr/macbook-air/img/accessories-hero.png
• the charger
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1374/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/ma938_125.jpg
• an airplane/car charger
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1374/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/ma598lla_125.jpg
• mini-DVI to video adaptor
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1374/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/m9319ga_125.gif
• A $499 Time Capsule 802.11g Wifi 1 Tb hard drive that talks to your Macbook Air.
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1374/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/timecapsule_125_080115.jpg

Wise.

[dan_nc]

It looks really sweet. I'll have to put it on my wishlist.

[Broknwing]

Nice looking! but that 80gig hard drive really kills me :( I can handle an external CD/DVD but YIKES! I just upgraded to a 250gig and it's at least half full...

[dan_nc]

On each of my computers, I rarely use more than 20GB including the operating system and applications so I think I could work within the 80GB on the MacBook Air as the primary portable laptop.

Chelle--what takes up all that storage? MP3s? Photos? Videos? I'm always wondering why everyone else seems to use up so much disk space.

I am considering taking up digital photography as a hobby and I'm quite sure I'm going to be increasing my storage needs in the near future. I believe most of my computers have harddrives that are 160 or 250GB in size.

Are these machines available at Apple stores to demo?

[Wise Young]

Nice looking! but that 80gig hard drive really kills me :( I can handle an external CD/DVD but YIKES! I just upgraded to a 250gig and it's at least half full...

Actually, I was really put off by that as well and, like you, have about 180 Gb on my disc already. Fortunately, Apple is offering their Time Capsule Drives (500 Gb or 1000 Gb) which is includes a wifi router in one box. So, you put that box next to your ethernet/cable/dsl. The MacBook would be able to log into that hard drive and use it as a hard drive from anywhere in your house and also for high-speed remote backup (=http://thedailytech.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/time-capsule-2/]Source).

[kate]

I love my macbook . . . but I think I might give it to our daughter when she leaves for college next fall and replace it with one of these.

Someone said the new computer feels kind of like a large ipod nano--sleek and beautiful. Yummmmm.

[Broknwing]

Chelle--what takes up all that storage? MP3s? Photos? Videos? I'm always wondering why everyone else seems to use up so much disk space.

I am considering taking up digital photography as a hobby and I'm quite sure I'm going to be increasing my storage needs in the near future. I believe most of my computers have harddrives that are 160 or 250GB in size.

Are these machines available at Apple stores to demo?
about 40gigs of MP3's and I do A LOT of photography...I don't even have my photos on this drive that I'd moved to my external(a 250gig as well) before the old drive crashed and I'v got a good 15-20 gigs of photos & videos that I've taken since August/Sept...My SD card is 2gig and I usually transfer when it's about 1/2-2/3 full...Sometimes an event can take the entire card(NYE at BUSCH GARDENS almost did, I did a 14 min video)


Digital photography can EASILY and QUICKLY use up hard drive space...Now granted, I'm bad about not going back and deleting crap pictures...but then again, I never got rid of crap film pictures either, so that's not a change...LOL...

I haven't even gotten back into doing design and stuff like that(soon though)...I'm afraid what kinda space I'll need for lighting programs...Scott-you know AutoCad or VectorWorks requirements? or what the typical file size is???

[Broknwing]

Actually, I was really put off by that as well and, like you, have about 180 Gb on my disc already. Fortunately, Apple is offering their Time Capsule Drives (500 Gb or 1000 Gb) which is includes a wifi router in one box. So, you put that box next to your ethernet/cable/dsl. The MacBook would be able to log into that hard drive and use it as a hard drive from anywhere in your house and also for high-speed remote backup (=http://thedailytech.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/time-capsule-2/]Source (http://=http://thedailytech.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/time-capsule-2/%5DSource)).

That's a pretty cool concept Dr Young....I'll have to look into this when I'm ready for a new comp then...It'll still be a lil while tho...As I said to Scott the other nite, a new, reliable vehicle is higher on the priority list...BUT I do REALLY REALLY like the magnetic connector on the power supplies...JUST that makes me want to upgrade...

[JustinB]

I thought that looked off....
Time capsule supports 802.11n. Much much much faster :D

-- JB

[Wise Young]

On each of my computers, I rarely use more than 20GB including the operating system and applications so I think I could work within the 80GB on the MacBook Air as the primary portable laptop.

Chelle--what takes up all that storage? MP3s? Photos? Videos? I'm always wondering why everyone else seems to use up so much disk space.

I am considering taking up digital photography as a hobby and I'm quite sure I'm going to be increasing my storage needs in the near future. I believe most of my computers have harddrives that are 160 or 250GB in size.

Are these machines available at Apple stores to demo?

There are three things of a Mac that takes up a lot of space. The operating system and applications take about 40 Gb. If you get a lot of emails and documents (40 Gb), have a large photo collection (40 Gb), have a big iTunes (40Gb), and scan a lot of documents (40 Gb), you can easily take up 160 Gb.

It sounds, however, that you can easily run Windows on this computer. Yes, they are available in the Apple stores to be played with.

Wise.

[Scott Pruett]

I haven't even gotten back into doing design and stuff like that(soon though)...I'm afraid what kinda space I'll need for lighting programs...Scott-you know AutoCad or VectorWorks requirements? or what the typical file size is??? I don't know off-hand, but storage is so inexpensive these days that I wouldn't worry about it. Look at the Western Digital My Book external hard drive series. You can get a Terabyte for under $300.

re: the MacBook Air, it's a subnotebook focused on portability. Its target audience won't be using it as a primary computer. If you need more storage/capability, look for a different machine. Sure, it's slick, but it's not a do-it-all system.

[Patonb]

Just be warned, EVERY review agrees these arn't designed as a main use laptop. But really for the ultralight weight user that has a main desktop. As well, there is nothing truely revolutionary that would make ditching your current lappy for this. Systems start at 1800 bucks.

Also missed is the non-changable/replaceable battery. But a 5hr life is sweet.. Mainly due to the lower power 1.8Ghz c2d, AND the LED screen.

It's a really nice system/package, but not that special.

[trainman]

I like the idea of the size and weight, but I'm with Wise that it doesn't have enough hard drive space and not having the CD/DVD drive attached would be a pain. Mouth sticks don't work with touch pads, and I don't have the range of motion to reach both mouse and keyboard, so the only USB port, that I saw, would be used up by an external mouse.

I'm hoping to upgrade my PowerBook this summer, but I don't think this will be it. Now, if Apple brings out something with a larger hard drive, 250GB+, and not so many requirements for external devices, that would be very good.

[Wise Young]

I like the idea of the size and weight, but I'm with Wise that it doesn't have enough hard drive space and not having the CD/DVD drive attached would be a pain. Mouth sticks don't work with touch pads, and I don't have the range of motion to reach both mouse and keyboard, so the only USB port, that I saw, would be used up by an external mouse.

I'm hoping to upgrade my PowerBook this summer, but I don't think this will be it. Now, if Apple brings out something with a larger hard drive, 250GB+, and not so many requirements for external devices, that would be very good.

Trainman,

If you have any interface device that you can work with and has either USB or bluetooth, you should be able to connect it to the airbook. A wireless Time Capsule drive could be used for backup and extra storage. I am also certain that there will be faster and bigger solid state drives in the coming months. The pressure such devices right for the Air or the iPod must be huge.

I was impressed by the thought that went into this design not only from the engineering and storage point of view but also from the marketing point of view. By offering only a 80 Gb drive, they are forcing people to cut the umbilical cord to their hard drive and go the wireless route for their storage. That is also very interesting and innovative marketing approach.

What will happen next is that the iPod or iPhone with larger storage capacity will be made available and can be connected wirelessly to the Macbook Air. The ipod will be in the pocket while the MacBook Air is on the lap. You can listen to music while you are working off the disk. So, what people will be carrying around is the MacBook Air and an iphone/pod.

Wise.

P.S. I think that they should have named it something else. The MacBook Air just doesn't trip off the tongue. They should have made it simpler like MacAir.

P.P.S. MacWorld has a review (Source (http://www.macworld.com/article/131624/2008/01/macbook_air_tradeoffs.html?t=204)) where they praised the MacBook Air but pointed out
• It is not all that much smaller than the Macbook Pro. It is 3/4 inch thick (at the fattest part) versus a the uniform 1 inch thickness of the Macbook Pro.
• The Macbook Air processor of 1.6-1.8 GHz is slower than the 2.4-2.6 GHz of the MacBook Pro, it is about in the middle of the pack of the subnotebook field which is 1.2-2.2 GHz.
• The 80 Gb drive is slower, only 4200 rpm compared to 5400 rpm for the standard MacBook Pro and 7200 rpm for the top-of-the-line 200 Gb drive.

P.P.P.S. Infoworld has a critical review (Source (http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/01/16/Mac-users-MacBook-Air-lacks-features_1.html)) suggesting that it is aimed at a niche market but is not priced correctly for students or others who need more features. I don't know. I have watched a couple of my friends react to this computer and think that it will sell. There is a drool factor associated with this computer that exceeds those of other computers. If people figure out that they can do this with a wifi hard drive and reviewers begin publishing articles showing that you really don't need the 2.6 GHz cpu, I think that this computer will be more popular than predicted. A weight difference of 3 lb is significant and it pushes the concept of a wireless hard drive. Why carry that drive around if it reduces battery life, adds weight bulk, and expense to the computer?

[Andy]

Ok, so when you have to change the battery, what do you do...send it to Apple for a 'refurb' machine like the Ipod? Can this be broken open to change it? I'm kinda wondering what the lifespan of this thing is with the non-swappable battery feature.

[Scott Pruett]

Ok, so when you have to change the battery, what do you do...send it to Apple for a 'refurb' machine like the Ipod? yeah, for $129, IIRC.

Can this be broken open to change it? someone will probably figure out how to do this.

FWIW, the RAM is soldered on as well.

[dan_nc]

There are three things of a Mac that takes up a lot of space. The operating system and applications take about 40 Gb. If you get a lot of emails and documents (40 Gb), have a large photo collection (40 Gb), have a big iTunes (40Gb), and scan a lot of documents (40 Gb), you can easily take up 160 Gb.
Wow, I had no idea that MacOS was that thick (in terms of disk space)! My last Mac was a Powerbook G4. When I got rid of it, I'm pretty sure I had only used up 20 or 25 Gb, including the operating system. My data (my documents, ebooks, my (small) mp3 collection and itunes television shows) fit on two dvds (and the second one wasn't even close to full).

Not having a built in DVD drive in a laptop is probably a big hurdle for me--while I understand I can probably download movies and other entertainment on flights, I'd prefer just popping in a DVD; having to carry around the external device just seems like unnecessary hassle.

5 hours seems pretty reasonable for battery life, however, the fact that it can't be swapped out does disturb me. I'm wondering how many charge cycles before the battery wears out.

[Tiger Racing]

What does it lacks?
• CD/DVD drive. You can connect one to the usb port and it is powered.
I saw this computer the other day and it's gorgeous, but no CD/DVD? That's crazy. Especially for what would seem to be an obvious choice for a traveler. It's so small and lightweight, but if you can't even watch a movie on it, that seems really odd.

C.

[PN]

The Solid-state HD produces very little heat, is probably faster and has a longer battery life when the laptop is on. However, there is a limited number of read/write cycles and, therefore, we don't know how long it will last. I think the HD that they are using in the Macbook Air is the same one that is being used in the 80 GB iPod.

[Patonb]

.

P.S. I think that they should have named it something else. The MacBook Air just doesn't trip off the tongue. They should have made it simpler like MacAir.

P.P.S. MacWorld has a review (Source) where they praised the MacBook Air but pointed out
• It is not all that much smaller than the Macbook Pro. It is 3/4 inch thick (at the fattest part) versus a the uniform 1 inch thickness of the Macbook Pro.
• The Macbook Air processor of 1.6-1.8 GHz is slower than the 2.4-2.6 GHz of the MacBook Pro, it is about in the middle of the pack of the subnotebook field which is 1.2-2.2 GHz.
• The 80 Gb drive is slower, only 4200 rpm compared to 5400 rpm for the standard MacBook Pro and 7200 rpm for the top-of-the-line 200 Gb drive.

P.P.P.S. Infoworld has a critical review (Source) suggesting that it is aimed at a niche market but is not priced correctly for students or others who need more features. I don't know. I have watched a couple of my friends react to this computer and think that it will sell. There is a drool factor associated with this computer that exceeds those of other computers. If people figure out that they can do this with a wifi hard drive and reviewers begin publishing articles showing that you really don't need the 2.6 GHz cpu, I think that this computer will be more popular than predicted. A weight difference of 3 lb is significant and it pushes the concept of a wireless hard drive. Why carry that drive around if it reduces battery life, adds weight bulk, and expense to the computer?

Like they said, great setup, but truely is a niche market. Which is not most of us on this site. Saddly, because of Macs new popularity, people are expecting the new products to be for them.. Like how ipods and phone have been. The Other two systems are for your average folk, not this one.

[Wise Young]

Wow, I had no idea that MacOS was that thick (in terms of disk space)! My last Mac was a Powerbook G4. When I got rid of it, I'm pretty sure I had only used up 20 or 25 Gb, including the operating system. My data (my documents, ebooks, my (small) mp3 collection and itunes television shows) fit on two dvds (and the second one wasn't even close to full).

Not having a built in DVD drive in a laptop is probably a big hurdle for me--while I understand I can probably download movies and other entertainment on flights, I'd prefer just popping in a DVD; having to carry around the external device just seems like unnecessary hassle.

5 hours seems pretty reasonable for battery life, however, the fact that it can't be swapped out does disturb me. I'm wondering how many charge cycles before the battery wears out.

Dan,

My library contains a lot of stuff. I use several databases to store all my scanned documents and that is in the library. It also contains the caches for the programs, parallels and Windows XP. So, it is really two operating systems.

The responses of people to the Air book are very interesting. By the way, like everybody, I initially thought that I cannot live without a big hard disc and a CD/DVD. To tell you the truth, I seldom use a DVD/CD today. Almost all my applications come through internet or via USB memory stick.

The remote disc feature of the MacBook Air is quite radical You go to any PC or Mac computer, pop in a CD and install a program. After that you can just log into the computer through wireless (if it has wifi) and utilize the CD/DVD in that computer. It also can go directly via wireless to a hard disc. If you have to, you can always just plug in the $99 external drive.

One item is missing I did not realize was missing. The MacBook Air does not have an ethernet port! At first I thought that the reviewer was kidding but it appears that the Macbook Air does not have an ethernet port. If you want to plug it into ethernet, you need to use a ethernet-to-USB dongle.

For those that are environmentally conscious, the screen is mercury and arsenic free. The circuit boards in the Macbook Air are also PVC free or use brominated surfaces (Source (http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyId=12&articleId=9057741&intsrc=hm_topic)) and all parts of the computer can probably be recycled.

I have to admit that I was surprised by MacBook Air. It wasn't what I expected. But, that is what Apple specializes in, the radical and the unexpected. In my opinion, this is really a radically different computer than all others on the market.

It is not the thinness or the light weight that makes this computer so radical. There are lighter and will be thinner computers (although I don't see why anybody would something that is thinner). No, the real radical development is that Apple has not introduced a computer that has minimal local storage.

In some ways, the MacBook Air is as radical as the iPhone in that it encourages us to break away from conventions of what we need or don't need in a laptop. Every manufacturer plays to the perceived needs of consumers. Apple doesn't or at least Steve Jobs doesn't.

The Macbook Air is telling you that you don't need a big hard drive. As I think about it, I think that Apple is right. I have a lot of unnecessary stuff on the drive that I lug around the world. 80 Gb is enough. If I need more, I can get it over internet or from some other computer.

The MacBook Air is also saying that you don't need firewire or even ethernet to be connected. All it has a an audio plug out, a USB 2.0 for up to 480 Mbps, and a micro-DVI. That is really all that is necessary. Every place I go now, there is wireless. If I never plug into ethernet again, I think that I will survive with wifi and bluetooth .

Finally, the Macbook Air says that you don't need high speed processors. I think that they could have put in the faster processor with just a little bit of thickening of the waist. The fact that they chose a 1.6 GHz dual core tells you quite a lot about the audience that they are aiming for.

I think that Apple is aiming directly at women users who are not as power conscious but are very weight-conscious. It is slim and sexy. Definitely feminine.

Wise.

[Patonb]

It is not the thinness or the light weight that makes this computer so radical. There are lighter and will be thinner computers (although I don't see why anybody would something that is thinner). No, the real radical development is that Apple has not introduced a computer that has minimal local storage.

In some ways, the MacBook Air is as radical as the iPhone in that it encourages us to break away from conventions of what we need or don't need in a laptop. Every manufacturer plays to the perceived needs of consumers. Apple doesn't or at least Steve Jobs doesn't.

The Macbook Air is telling you that you don't need a big hard drive. As I think about it, I think that Apple is right. I have a lot of unnecessary stuff on the drive that I lug around the world. 80 Gb is enough. If I need more, I can get it over internet or from some other computer.


Actually, IBM has been making these for awhile, the X Series, (http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/special-offers.workflow:find-config?category-id=1EEC64E5FB8342ADBD9807711D829D48&ifacet=0&filter=Starting%20weight_0) and other than the crazy touchpad, are identical to the Air, AND can be upgraded.
And as IBM's don't have the "cool" factor of the Mac, nobody really payed attention.

The lack of ethernet port is a downer, but with "Always on" Internet now common, having a router with a firewall is your best protection, so the 10 bucks more for a wifi isn't an issue. But as i don't work and need to access the web from offices, that might be a pain.

All in all, it's a great addition to Macs lineup, a large screen MacBook would be good too, for a certain market, and not the general market, which is most of us.
It will be really intresting to see how they fare in 6mo, when their newness is done.

[Wise Young]

Actually, IBM has been making these for awhile, the X Series, (http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/special-offers.workflow:find-config?category-id=1EEC64E5FB8342ADBD9807711D829D48&ifacet=0&filter=Starting%20weight_0) and other than the crazy touchpad, are identical to the Air, AND can be upgraded.
And as IBM's don't have the "cool" factor of the Mac, nobody really payed attention.

The lack of ethernet port is a downer, but with "Always on" Internet now common, having a router with a firewall is your best protection, so the 10 bucks more for a wifi isn't an issue. But as i don't work and need to access the web from offices, that might be a pain.

All in all, it's a great addition to Macs lineup, a large screen MacBook would be good too, for a certain market, and not the general market, which is most of us.
It will be really intresting to see how they fare in 6mo, when their newness is done.

As I just bought a 15-inch Macbook Pro, I am definitely not in the market for a MacBook Air. But, it has been really interesting to go through the decision making process and I am definitely interested to see how the market responds. If it does respond with brisk sales, this means that Apples does it again and breaks all the modes. If so, all the other companies will follow suit. If not, then people who by the Air will have a real collector's item.

Wise.

[dan_nc]

http://joyoftech.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/1059.html

http://joyoftech.com/joyoftech/joyimages/1059.gif

[Zeus]

I saw this computer the other day and it's gorgeous, but no CD/DVD? That's crazy. Especially for what would seem to be an obvious choice for a traveler. It's so small and lightweight, but if you can't even watch a movie on it, that seems really odd.

C.
Your supposed to rent the movies off iTunes silly! :)

Chris.

[WADDiE]

/me shakes his head.

[Tom]

Like a lot of folks, I've always wanted a Mac, any Mac but just simply don't have the money. That new Macbook Air looks pretty cool, but for 1800-3100 bucks plus all the add-ons they didn't include the darn thing should have been cased in titanium, or gold if a little bling didn't bother you. Nonetheless Wise had some really interesting comments, it pushes the envelope and the market, now its getting down to 'how light is too light' and compatibility with the various iPods and such, which I've also wanted to buy but again, not having funds nor addressed my current computer issues, have set off. I think it would be pretty cool if you could do everything between the macbook Air (now why on earth didn't they just call it AirMac? Surely Michael Jordan and Nike wouldn't have a problem with that, would they?)

I have to admit in the end I'd probably just go with a basic Macbook for 1200-ish, it would be more than capable enough for what little I do on a computer anyway.

Tom

PS: Am I the only one here that keeps thinking that AirBook looks an awful lot like a high-tech dinner tray? :D

[metronycguy]

i think the 3 lbs and thinness puts it into the market that needs more than a smartphone but doesn't want to lug around a laptop with over 7 or 8 lbs of stuff.
without fire wire, video editing cant be done.

[Patonb]

i think the 3 lbs and thinness puts it into the market that needs more than a smartphone but doesn't want to lug around a laptop with over 7 or 8 lbs of stuff.
without fire wire, video editing cant be done.

This is exactly what it is...

Even now, after reviewers have had a few days to play, they are still not overly impressed with it... In the sense of a new and inovative, as it's just an anorexic MacBook.

All reviewers are recommending it not be your main lappy.

[Wise Young]

Here's a website (perhaps the first) to show a MacBook Air completely taken apart. 88 screws later.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/First-Look/Mac/MacBook-Air

Wise.

[Broknwing]

thx for the link, that's pretty cool :)
I've used that site to guide me in replacing the hard drive in my Power Book...I love their color coding for each screw type...very handy :D

[Patonb]

Hmmmm, Bad news/reviews for the Air.

Many reportscare surfacing that it easily over heats, so it's throttling back and even shutting down a core. So your slowish system gets right slow.

[Andy]

I guess there is a good thing about this thing, it got me thinking about SSD drives. I like the MTron MOBI series, nice 80MB/sec writes unlike most other SSD's, so no compromises going to this tech, and the price isnt too obnoxious. One problem, my laptop is PATA, grrrrrr. So maybe the Macbook isnt so good, it is making me think of a whole new laptop, lol. Maybe in 6 months or so I can get a fast consumer grade drive in PATA for cheap(er)

[Zeus]

I think the MacBook Air is great for a certain demographic. In person it is so thin, light and sturdy that it takes your breath away.

But with only 3 or so hours battery life and a sealed battery, it's seriously flawed. My GM would get one in a heart-beat, but for the battery. He flies interstate all the time to attend meeting etc., and needs a good 5-6 hours battery life minimum, preferably more.

He got so excited when he saw the weight/screen size/keyboard size combo. I think Apple got most things right except for the battery.

Chris.

[Patonb]

I think the MacBook Air is great for a certain demographic. In person it is so thin, light and sturdy that it takes your breath away.


The IBM X series have been like this for years now.


But with only 3 or so hours battery life and a sealed battery, it's seriously flawed. My GM would get one in a heart-beat, but for the battery. He flies interstate all the time to attend meeting etc., and needs a good 5-6 hours battery life minimum, preferably more.


Hmmmmmmmm, They claim 5hrs.

[Wise Young]

Hmmmm, Bad news/reviews for the Air.

Many reportscare surfacing that it easily over heats, so it's throttling back and even shutting down a core. So your slowish system gets right slow.

I am not sure that this is so. The macbook air is not that different from the macbook pro in terms of surface area. Both the pro and air have efficient fans The macbook pro has a hotter cpu and it has never "throttled up" on me. I can't imagine the Air getting hotter than a Macbook Pro.

Most of the reviews of the macbook air suggest that it does not heat up so much
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/25/macbook-air-review/
There are a lot of things that the Air gets right, and a decent amount of horsepower is one of 'em. Apple didn't take the easy route and go with an etiolated Ultra Low Voltage (read: ultra low performance) chip, they actually pushed Intel to repackage a slower version of its full-on Core 2 Duo processor. We were a little disappointed when Steve announced this wasn't the new power-efficient, lower-heat 45nm Penryn chip design, but in the time we've played with the Air, it's still rarely managed to output enough heat to raise an eyebrow. This is actually a laptop that belongs on your lap -- without any fear of sterility. Of course, as our Mac-on-Mac benchmarks showed, the 1.6GHz chip is still a little on the slow side, but the Air is by no means unusable. It's not really one of Steve's "screamers" -- but ultraportables aren't really intended to be.

http://gizmodo.com/348753/macbook-air-review
played with one at MacWorld and in addition to how amazingly light and thin the MBA feels, the one major improvement that few reviewers barely mention is how COOL it is. Not fashion/design cool, but temperature cool. Compared to my MB Pro, the Air is barely warm to the touch. My Pro gets uncomfortably hot on my lap when plugged in. The Air's fans are super quiet and efficient. Maybe most reviewers miss the heat issue, since you don't even notice it at all.

In terms of CPU power, the macbook air is plenty fast, especially compared with other ultralight portables such as Vaio or Toshiba.
http://reviews.cnet.com/macbook-air/

[mimin]

Too bad that touchpad is a waste for someone who doesn't have finger movement

[Patonb]

I think the issue is, to keep them at a good temp, as the Other MacBooks have, They throttle back. Else the heat would be a problem.
Heat problems are back with a vengeance in Apple notebooks. You may experience spontaneous or, God forbid, random shutdowns when using MacBook Air for long periods. The MacBook Air deals with heating problems in other ways: one of them is shutting down one core and slowing down the clock rate of another.

http://www.maccomplainer.com/macbook-complaints/pre-ordered-macbook-air-arrives/

I think, a system like the Air, only needs the 1.6Ghz chip. Buisness type apps, movies/music, etc. really don't require much power, and thus why use a high powerd, power gulpig chip?

[Wise Young]

I think the issue is, to keep them at a good temp, as the Other MacBooks have, They throttle back. Else the heat would be a problem.


http://www.maccomplainer.com/macbook-complaints/pre-ordered-macbook-air-arrives/

I think, a system like the Air, only needs the 1.6Ghz chip. Buisness type apps, movies/music, etc. really don't require much power, and thus why use a high powerd, power gulpig chip?

Patonb,

Either I have or somebody in my family has owned and used every powerbook that has ever been made by Apple. I had read that there were some initial concerns with Macbook Pros overheating but these were individual machines that may have been malfunctioning. It is actually quite difficult to run a dual core cpu at 100%. As explained in the following post (Source (http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=57165)), you have to do something rather silly like running three chess games and having the machine play against itself in all three games, to get the cpu use to stay at 100%. I was never able to do so with Photoshop or other programs that one might use regularly.

I have never been able to get the cpu temperature to get into the 90's. For example, I am running a McBook Pro 15 inch with a dual core running at 2.6 GHz. When I am just running my regular programs (Firefox, Word, Excel, Yojimbo, and Endnotes), I seldom even get sustained CPU usage exceeding 50% of each of the CPU working and CPU temperatures usually hang about 60-65˚C. So, I just ran a game of chess with the computer playing itself at the highest speed possible for the past hour. The program iStat Pro is showing both CPU's running at 100% but CPU A was only 77˚C, the CPU diode was 84˚C, and the CPU heatsink was at 68˚. The dual fans are going at about 2000 rpm. The rest of the computer temperatures range from 37˚ to 52˚C.

When the ambient temperature is hot (like during the summer in Hong Kong), the McBook gets too warm to put on my lap (at 60˚C) but I don't think that I have seen CPU temperatures of 90˚C. It is possible to push it up there but it is rare under normal usage situations. I also looked up the fan specs on the McBook Air and it is apparently the same as in the other powerbooks. My wife ordered one but there is apparently such demand that one has to wait a couple of weeks on backorder. I will report back if there is a heating problem.

Wise.

[Patonb]

Oh, I agree you rarely can get a 100% CPU usage, however even SimCity 4 can tax a computer. The typical usage of this type of computer shouldn't run at 100%.

I eagerly await, a real persons review on it, heat and usability. You'll need to watch the core voltage as well as temp, when you get it.

Wasn't half the MB heat issues cause they forgot to remove a plastic peice?