Is the MacBook Air the Next PowerMac Cube?

One word: Yes.

the Cube never had the incredible portability factor that the MacBook Air does, so perhaps the latter will have better success. but i would still agree that it’s for a very small niche market.

No, but it won’t be a MacBook pro. A lot of execs I know have macs at home and badly want an updated PowerBook 12″ that can run both OS’s. Weight wise it’s there. Footprint on a plane could be tough.

They are defiantly missing the boat on this one. I’m an eee pc user and I love it. It’s one pound lighter, and much smaller. Why would i go and spend between $1700 and $4000 when my eee cost $350. And i can put OSX on my eee if i wanted too. And for them most part i’m going to use them for the same thing.

Most people who would be interested in this machine most likely already have a laptop and just want something a little lighter and more portable for plane rides, meetings and couch surfing. So yes, I think they are off target with this one but you can defiantly see the potential of what they have done.

Steve Jobs did not get where he is by making small bets. I believe the MBA is a big gamble but if it ushers in a new wave of adoption by new users, then the payoff will be well worth it. The question is, will this product motivate a new class of users to adopt portable computing? Will they buy this thing ? Will they replace their tower box PCs with it? It is possible but we cannot know at this time. We must wait to see the answer.

NO.. You can buy a 1 year old mac for cheap which is likely still better than a new pc at the same price. Apple packs so much technology into their computers they are way ahead of the curve.

Compared to the Macbook, it’s awfully expensive. Compared to a MBP, it’s limited. It’s more of a fashion statement than a Cube, but with the economy tanking, it might just turn out to be the wrong product.

I’d like to see Apple open up the technologies they already have to be a little more accessible. The Time Capsule, for instance, is great, but couldn’t that be done with any wireless storage solution with HFS+ or ZFS? It worked in pre-release versions of Leopard…

The MBA is supposed to be the replacement for the semi-popular 12″ PowerBook G4, and is priced accordingly. Had this machine come out when the 12″ was discontinued, it would have made more sense. But the wait means many 12″ owners may have upgraded to 13″ MacBooks. That may serve to make the MBA a laptop Cube, if you will.
Personally, I’d like to see Apple get more aggressive at the $500-1000 segment on both laptops and desktops. If Apple wants to grow its market share, that is where the real action is. I’d love to see Apple update the Mac Mini line, simply by taking the MacBook logic board and shoving it in a thin desktop enclosure. That way, any time the MacBook is updated, so is the Mini. By using the same parts, it would lower the cost on both machines. In addition, The MacBook would be well served to have a 15″ 1280×800 model to complement the current 13″ design. If the pricing were right, it would make Apple more competitive at the low end with top tier PC manufacturers.

the MBA is not a mass-market device. if you’re concerned that it’s too expensive/not upgradable/not a desktop replacement, it’s b/c you’re not the target demographic. this post makes a good point about a significant market willing to pay for style: http://www.blackfriarsinc.com/blog/2008/01/macbook-air-is-ideal-product-in-right

for that market segment, they really aren’t “sacrificing a ton functionality”: they don’t need firewire, 80gb is enough, 2GB RAM is plenty, and they’ll never upgrade their laptops anyway.

Apple is making products that are impossibly thin/small/powerful and on the high-end of the market. The EEE PC market isn’t what they’re about. If you want a full feature set, there’s the MBP. If you want the consumer level, there’s the Macbook.

3000+ is a bit exorbitant. .

I don’t think people get what Apple is doing here. This is their first generation of Ultra portable laptops. They are pushing the market into a new area and by doing so making mobile computing more enjoyable for everyone. In a year or two no will by a laptop unless it has similar form factor, and who brought it to you first… Apple. This model may not sell the best but I don’t think that was their goal. Personally I think they made this to get the manufacturing cost down on multitouch, ultra think lcds, and solid state drives so at next years MacWorld they can unveil the worlds thinest multitouch tablet.

I think this one will be a hit. Execs will purchase the SSD version (not because they know what it is, but they want this kind of computer and always purchases the most expensive one). Regular people will buy the other. Current MB and MBP users will not upgrade.

I have a HP 6910p that I want to replace with this MBA as my first mac. I know of a friend who wants to replace his iBook G4 1.2 with an MBA.

Apple is onto something here. I think it is here to stay, and there will be an updated version coming. Not a Cube I say.

The most hilarious thing about this new laptop is all the people acting like Mac invented the concept of ultra-portable fully-functional laptops. Hopefully this isn’t indicative of some sort of technological myopia that infects mac fans, but I suspect it is (“If it doesn’t run OS X, I don’t know it exists!”)…

@MARK H

Well I wouldnt say the Apple invented anything, I am sure there are mac heads out there that think that, but I would say that Apple takes over the market once they enter it. Look at the iPod, Diamond invented, no one outside the computer industry knew about it, enter Apple everyone in there mother has one. The iPhone, only business and computer people used Smart phones, now everyone is realizing the power you can have inside a cell phone. It not so much invention as it is packaging and presentation.

The only companies I know that make ultra portables are Fujistu and Sony, and they are either underpowered (Fujistu) or way too expensive (Sony). And now compare the MBA with anything from either of those companies and they fail in all areas, style, form factor, horsepower, and functionality (multitouch). Now it may be expensive, but its been introduce and the competition from other companies is now going to drive down the price and everyone wins.

So cube, no.

I know that Apple did not invent the sub-compact notebook. I had a sony vaio for some time and I loved it but when I upgraded, I went to MBP because of windows but I am getting off topic.

The point is that Apple/Jobs now feel that the place to have an offering is the sub compact laptop. They feel there is going to be growth in that area so they are moving in that direction.

The question is: Are they correct that there is going to be growth in the sub compact notebook product category?

Will people choose the MBA ?

We all will have to wait and see. The next big buying cycle will likely be in June for Dads and Grads.

While I’m not a fan of Macs the MBA has potential. Its only real competitors in size are very limited in storage and processing power. A lot of people could use a high performance small and long battery life laptop. The price is actually decent considering the specs/size. However if people who want portability and are not worried about full performance MBA will be a flop. I Say this because I think EEE PC and everex’s Cloudbook (prevoiusly nanobook?) are probably the beginnings of more ultra portable notebooks that cost $400 or less and can handle doing the basic on the go work.

“viable ultra portable line”? Isn’t this thing like 13-14″?? My ancient Compaq from 2000 is 14.something, and probably more powerful…

Just because it’s “thin” does not an “ultra portable” make.

Well by now most people who had a Cube most likely already turned theres into a nice little aquarium. It wasn’t really made to be portable, just small and space saving. If I am getting a workstation though, size is not an issue, as long as it holds everything i want and need it to do. Just don’t really see the point in a mini pc?

On the other hand the Apple air is made to be portable. So portable they forgot to put in a cd drive. In my opinion they pushed the whole wireless concept way to fast. Yes, wireless is awesome and i don’t know what i would do around town and campus with out a wi-fi hot spot, but there is not always one. The world today still is not perfect with the wireless issue. Another thing is that i would only really have the need to use this “on the go” because if i bring it home and sit at my desk, I’m going to have to plug in all sorts of usb devices, this is where the Apple Air lost a lot of points from me – the lack of usb ports.

in all, it is a sick design, compact, and great for on the go. But it lacks many things for using at home, or even watching a simple dvd, or popping in your favorite audio cd. Like you said “premium for its engineering while sacrificing a ton functionality” – and I love functionality.

If Apple drops the price, then it is not destined for Cubism. AU$2,499 is a bit steep, especially when the MacBook + 2GB RAM has more functionality, almost as portable and is $600 cheaper

Price…wow, that’s a big feature. At work I use Apple’s Final Cut so I need a Mac. But at home, I only use PC. It’s not as nice, no built in raid, little more buggy, but I can put up with that. How much power do I really need to surf the net & to run photoshop? My 3.0 single processor w/ 3Gb of ram does fine.

I have to admit, the MacBook Air envelope ad got my attention. Good video. But I would of been floored to see a MacBook pro with a price tag of $1000. That would really get my attention!

-dMR

Short answer: Yes
Short why: Price

@G. H. I. S. C. O. T. T.

The idea of replacing one’s desktop with one these is one other major faults in most people’s understanding of the Air. Most of the target market will be using it to connect to a larger system, like a VPN, or to sync to their desktop. The device is meant to be mobile, with enough power to to basic tasks on the go.

@Eric

But who “pops in an audio cd” or even “watches a simple DVD” these days? Maybe I’m just too deep into the digital world, but I probably haven’t used an audio CD or DVD more than two or three times in the past year, minus ripping. For a growing number of people, physical media is obsolete. 80Gb is more than enough to pull a few Xvids and MP3s off a desktop and take a trip. You can also substitute those for iTunes rentals, etc. if you’re into that sort of thing.

I’m not buying a laptop without an Ethernet jack…

I don’t think this is for a niche market. I have a MacBook and a Mac Pro in my house. The MacBook probably gets 4-5 hours a day, but I’d bet 90% of that is just running Firefox and surfing the web. I would totally love to have a MBA for just web surfing and other basic tasks. The real work can be done in the office on the Mac Pro. (And with Leopard’s screen sharing feature I often find myself using the laptop to control the desktop so I don’t have to leave the cozy living room fireplace warmth). Right now the price is a bit too high to justify such simple needs, but I bet it wont be too long before these skinny apple laptops will be tempting me from a much more comfortable price point.
This is definitely not the next “cube.” The MBA is following a tried and true design (laptop computer) and just making it really skinny. In time the performance will improve and the price will drop. I can’t see how they can get too much skinnier though.

I think it’s a good idea to push things along. It may fail, but may push other companies to come up with other ideas in the next year or two. Innovation is key here, not profitability. Guess he figured with Apple’s stock doing so well they could afford the hit and go out on a limb here. And like what was said above, if this ends up taking off the payoff would be huge.

I am so amazed how “geeks” pan the Macbook Air. The geek culture and tech writers just are out of touch. Just mentioning the Cube proves it.

The Cube failed because Apple had a set number of Mac users that only wanted certain types of Macs.

This is the next generation of tech consumers. No longer do geeks get to say what will make it and what will fail. It is now the average consumer who decides and the want small, stable devices that will not look out of place in thier home.

This product will be a hit. The consumers will vote with their dollars. And if us geeks don’t wake up and start to understand what gadgets are all about now, then we will be scratching our heads every new product that is a hit.

an ipod on sterioids, selling air.
come on guys get your heads out spj’s butt long enough to stop praising everything he does ..
emperor is wearing no clothes

Tiny assed hard drive, no replaceable battery, and more expensive ?

jobs is playing us for fools.

A lot of people are really raising a fuss about the MBA but in all honesty I think they just don’t really realize the market that would use the MBA the most. My guess is that the MBA is targeted for teens and college students looking for something that is stylish, trendy and will get the job done. Being a highschool student myself I can most definitely see this being a hit with a younger audience.

The MBA’s design is stunning, sleek and ultra thin. What’s there not to like? Face value means a lot to a teenager. When picking up a computer for the start of the new year… kids will walk up to their parents and say “I want that one!” The MBA has found it’s niche. Yes it is sacrificing functionality for looks but when it comes to just taking notes, surfing the web and the occasional game or two, MBA will be a perfect match for any student with a little extra cash. (Or daddy’s plastic)

The price is a tad high but that will go down in time. We’ll just have to wait and see if this will be another cube.

I’m amazed at the number of people who are talking about the Air in terms of “instead of X, Y, or Z.”

Surely the bulk of Air customers will be people who have it AS WELL as X, Y _and_ Z.

I won’t throw away my existing video editing machine just because I buy a new laptop. My Dell laptop will go to be 5-year old… and I’ll have…

… something that I can carry anywhere and runs the web apps in which I spend 95% of my computer-based life :-)