MacBook Air

MacBook Air is Apple's ultrathin lightweight notebook computer. Apple markets it as "the world's thinnest notebook." The first generation MacBook Air was released in February 2008 but plagued with overheating problems.http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/03/13/apples-macbook-hot-air-problem/ A second generation (or at least an update) Macbook Air was announced in October 2008. A new MacBook Air may be released at WWDC 2010 with hopefully better graphics and more RAM.http://technofriends.in/2010/06/06/list-of-expected-announcements-from-apple-wwdc-2010/ Additional information on a third generation MacBook Air can be found on this page as it becomes available.

On October 20, 2010 Steve Jobs announced that the new Macbook Air will be available starting at $999. It comes with an 11.6 inch or 13.3 screen, is instant-on and has memory that is up to twice as fast as older models. The thickest point of the latest Macbook Air is .68 of an inch, and it weighs 2.9 pounds. There is no optical drive or hard drive, which allows for the instant startup. Memory is stored on a solid state state flash drive, located directly on the motherboard rather than on a hard drive, which allows for a smaller, lighter machine.http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/1010qwoeiuryfg/event/index.html The new models are described as a cross between a Macbook and an iPad. They have full sized keyboards, Core 2 Duo processors and Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics.http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/10/20/apple_unveils_new_instant_on_macbook_air_macbook_meets_ipad.html

Announced at the October 14, 2008 Apple MacBook event, the 2nd generation version of the Air has the following features:

1. NVIDIA 9400
2. 120GB hard drive
3. Mini display port
4. Price: $1799
5. Second option: $2499 with 1.86GHz CPU and SSD

The MacBook Air has an all-aluminum case, a mercury- and arsenic-free LCD screen, PVC-free internal cables, and the majority of circuit boards free of brominated flame retardants.

The MacBook Air meets ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 requirements and rated EPEAT Gold.

• "It seems, however, that almost everybody has missed the real significance of the MacBook Air. Sure, it's a very thin laptop that a lot of serious road warriors will buy, but its greatest importance lies in the fact that it will attract hundreds of thousands of new customers. All of these folks are going to flock to the Apple stores to see it first hand and while they're there..."' PC Magazine: Apple's MacBook Air Will Soar" (February 1, 2008)

Unveiled at the Apple Lets MacBook Event in October 2008. Sales began in November 2008.

The updated MacBook Air. Price: $1799 and $2499. Will feature 120GB hard drive, NVIDIA 9400M, 2GB RAM.http://www.macworld.com/reviews/product/43960/review/macbook_air186ghz.html?expand=true

The current specifications are:http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html

Height: 0.16-0.76 inch (0.4-1.94 cm)

Width: 12.8 inches (32.5 cm)

Depth: 8.94 inches (22.7 cm)

Weight 3.0 pounds (1.36 kg)

• 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with support for millions of colors

• 1.86GHz or 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed

• 1066MHz frontside bus

• 2GB of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM onboard

• 120GB 4200-rpm Serial ATA hard disk drive or 128GB solid-state drive

• DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter (optional)

• VGA output using Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter (optional)

• Dual-link DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter supports 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display (optional)

Announced at Macworld 2008 on January 15, 2008 with a price of $1799.

1. Height: 0.16-0.76 inch (0.4-1.94 cm)
2. Width: 12.8 inches (32.5 cm)
3. Depth: 8.94 inches (22.7 cm)
4. Weight: 3.0 pounds (1.36 kg)
5. Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB on-chip shared L2 cache running at full processor speed
6. 800MHz frontside bus
7. 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM onboard
8. 80GB 4200-rpm Parallel ATA hard disk drive
9. Wireless: Built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
10. Built-in iSight

Tagline: "thinnovation"

• Gizmodo: Nvidia-Powered MacBook Airs Now Shipping (October 29, 2008)

• Macworld: MacBook Air gets faster graphics, more storage (October 14, 2008)

• Gizmodo: MacBook Air Now Has Faster Graphics, Mini DisplayPort, Holds More Stuff (October 14, 1008)

• PC Magazine: "Apple's MacBook Air Will Soar" (February 1, 2008)

• InformationWeek: Intel To Sell Apple MacBook Air Chip To PC Makers (January 31, 2008)

• Macworld: The MacBook Air: What you need to know (January 18, 2008)

• San Francisco Chronicle: Closer look at Apple's innovations (January 17, 2008)

• USA Today: Many laptops are lighter than MacBook Air (January 17, 2008)

• PC World: Steve Jobs Keynote: The MacBook Air (January 15, 2008)

• TradingMarkets: Apple Introduces MacBook Air - The World's Thinnest Notebook (January 15, 2008)

• ZDNet: Why DIDN'T the MacBook Air get the new 45nm CPU? (January 16, 2008)

• PC Magazine: Apple MacBook Air (January 16, 2008)

• Topix: MacBook Air

• Google News: MacBook Air

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• Google Blog Search: MacBook Air
• Engadget: Posts Tagged MacBook Air
• Engadget: MacBook Air gets the unboxing treatment (January 31, 2008)
• I4U News: Apple MacBook Air Ships (January 30, 2008)
• The Unofficial Apple Weblog: Apple posts MacBook Air support page (January 30, 2008)
• Gizmodo: Is MacBook Air Worth the Money? Five Slim Laptops Face Off (January 16, 2008)
• Info World: Mac users: MacBook Air lacks features (January 16, 2008)
• MLive: What's the value in an ultrathin MacBook Air? (January 16, 2008)
• TUAW: Macbook Air: The downside (January 15, 2008)
  • This post discusses some of the downsides to the new device, including the sealed battery, single and recessed USB port, and lack of Firewire port.
• Engadget: MacBook Air doesn't have a user-replaceable battery (January 15, 2008)
• Mac Rumors: 'MacBook Air' Design Considerations (January 14, 2008)
  • Despite the rumors of the MacBook Air being an ultra-slim laptop, there are components which will limit Apple's ability to scale the new machines.
• SlashGear: MacBook Air (January 12, 2008)
• ParisLemon: 'MacBook Air' or 'MacBook Error'? (January 12, 2008)
• MacRumors: "MacBook Air" Whispers... (January 11, 2008)
• CrunchGear: MacBook's new name is Air? (January 11, 2008)
• MacRumors Forum Discussion: "MacBook Air" Whispers...