BootsnAll Travel Community

So I have to ask. All of you American types who also like tech 'stuff'.

If you've seen/used the new Macbook Air what do you think? Particularly size and weight for travel.

I took my Macbook on my last trip and just wondered how this new offering compares. It hasn't been released here yet, and not likely to be for awhile so thought I'd see if I could settle my curiosity here.

Haven't yet touched/carried the Air yet, but it looks great.

My biggest worries for travel would be:

- Cost/Theft.
- Width (the thing has the same 13.3" screen as your Macbook. It seems thin and light enough to be good for travel, but the footprint is still huge and it doesn't fit in a small bag very well.

I guess I'd still rather go for an older, smaller, and (slightly) thicker computer.

BUT, the Sold-State HDD looks awesome, durable, and super battery-efficient.

I guess I didn't really find the 13" to big to carry as such, however not sure about the States but it seem the only day packs currently on the market here that carry both SLR equipment & a laptop + have room for other 'stuff' are slightly bigger and fatter than a normal day pack (obviously). The laptop compartment is usually made to fit a 17".

Its not carrying it I had an issue with it was fitting it under the seat on the bus or in luggage rack above. In most busses it just wasn't going to fit. I generally had to either stuff it where my feat would normally go (just as well I'm short) or carry it on my lap.

The Air looks great from what I've seen of it online. Just as well its not here already since I have to keep telling my self that I really do not need it (at least not yet)

That new lens I'm eyeing off for my camera though.....

It looks pretty nice. I'm not sure how many people realize it doesn't come with any sort of CD/DVD drive though. You can buy an external one, but by itself it doesn't have one.

As with the Razr phone, I'm afraid I'd snap the thing in half. I'm not very nice to my electronics...

Its not the lightest laptop - its the thinnest - I would say over all weight and size is probably more important than the actual thinness. You are paying too even for a Mac - although they start at around US$2000 which is comparable to the Toshiba R500 and Sony Vaio - the solid state drive version is over US$3000! The main critiscim from the mainstream media is the lack of connectivity, also no optical drive - but that is not exactly uncommon in the ultra-portables. For detailed comparison of the see here for MacBook Air v. MacBook Pro

Personally I am very interested in the Asus EeePC is less than US$500 and includes wireless, a SD card slot and is only 7" screen - basically a PDA but with a useable, just keyboard. I included it in the lineup of laptops in my sig

quote:

It seems some early adopters are experiencing some problems with the ultra slim notebook, including “unstable iSights”, interference with 2.4 GHz routers, and overheating issues, which apparently cause the Air to shut down a core and decrease clock speed to compensate. Additionally, it appears the headphone jack is recessed, meaning not every pair of head phones is going to fit (something iPhone users have already (reluctantly) gotten used to). via Macenstein

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