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MacBook Air

Nothing's thinner. The new status symbol. They do it again.



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CUPERTINO (Rixstep) -- Apple introduce the new standard in portable computing and a new status symbol. The company's hardware design team do it again.

As predicted by E24.se and reported by this site only hours earlier Apple today introduced a new standard in 'slim computing', adding iPhone features to the new MacBook Air.

With fashion laptops becoming all the rage in the world of business and when status means having the smallest sleekest laptop of all Apple give the business elite a new totem.

At the most the MacBook Air is 1.9 cm thick and tapers off gracefully to an incredible 0.4 cm at the edges. Despite the ultra small size the computer offers a full size keyboard. The weight of the unit is less than 1.5 kg.

Jr & Sr

Developed under the codename 'MacFlaunt' the MBA - an acronym which also appropriately serves 'master of business administration' - comes in two distinct status defining models: the $1799 lower end model for the up and coming pinstripe and the ultimate $3098 'can't be higher' model for the exec who's really arrived.

Accessories

The MacBook Air comes with its own collection of bling. Get it all for a modest $5536.90. For that pocket change you get a 1.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo engine, a 64GB solid state drive, the MBA 'SuperDrive', a 23 inch high definition Cinema Display, the MagSafe airline adapter, a USB Ethernet adapter, a USB modem, Apple Remote, iWork, Final Cut ('Express' not 'Pro') preinstalled, Aperture, Logic Express, a printer, .Mac for a year, a basic 'accessory kit', and the AppleCare 'protection plan'.

As fashion experts stress it's important to use at most seven accessories at any one time you'll have almost unlimited combinations at your disposal. Another good tip: when your cab to the airport arrives look at yourself quickly in the mirror, turn away, then turn back again: the first accessory you notice - remove it.

Time Capsule

Another hot item is the all new Time Capsule. A slim box like the Mac mini, this backup device has a capacity of up to 1TB. And all you do is connect it and tell Time Machine to use it. Apple warn the initial backup can take time - overnight or longer - but complete backups generally do. Once the initial backup is complete only modified files are touched.

Detail

The MBA screen is 'glossy' and 13.3 inch diagonal. It's widescreen and LED backlit. It has a 1280x800 resolution. The trackpad borrows a few tricks from the iPhone as predicted.

The keyboard is 'full size' with essentially full size arrow keys as well. The command keys are wider than on the other Apple portables so execs don't have to worry about the '⌘' key and what it means - it actually says 'command'. Even the 'ctrl' key is now wide enough to say 'control' instead.

Apple describe the keys as 'crisp' and compare with the MacBook keys - which might not be a good thing; however the keyboard is 'backlit' as on the other high end portables.

The keyboard comes in black; after years promoting single colour and white Apple are back with the ugly black/silver combo from the Wintel market. But as always when Apple say it's cool it becomes cool. This will also provide a smoother transition for those Madison Avenue types who are used to ugly.

This computer - depending on how many kinks it has - may also become the standard for network admins who've missed the twelve inch PowerBook and been waiting for a high end replacement.

Flat Out Stunning

Apple's appraisal of their own product is spot on. If the iPod became a status symbol; if the iPhone became a better even bigger one; count on Wharton and Harvard grads finally having a toy of their own. Count on Yao Ping, Verne Troyer, and Jeff Goldblum being seen in first class with them; count on Karl Lagerfeld being photographed with one; count on them appearing repeatedly in countless movies and in countless newscasts worldwide.

And they might just be useful too.

See Also
Apple: MacBook Air
Apple: Time Capsule
Industry Watch: Jobs Super Thin, IBM Super Win

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