There is a MacBook in the Air

Macbook

The MacBook Air pleasantly surprises you even before you feast your eyes on it. And that’s not because of Apple’s prolific advertising campaign. It’s actually all in the packaging. The box that stores the notebook and its accessories is compact enough to fit into a backpack. Think of the possibilities - you can breeze through the customs carrying two MacBook Airs in your bag!

A mix between the MacBook and its elder sibling the MacBook Pro, the Air is a stunner. From the former it borrows the 13.3 inch screen and overall look, while from the latter it takes the all-aluminium body and backlit keyboard. At three quarters of an inch thin at its thickest point, it’s the pinnacle of Apple’s design and snuffs out any competition in one fell swoop.

Also the much-advertised full-sized keyboard, which is now black in colour with a very spacious touchpad, is neat. Basically, you can pinch, swipe and do all those cool tricks as you would on the iPhone touchscreen. There’s adequate palm space on either side of the touchpad, ensuring no accidental touches when immersed in an engaging cyber session.

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Feel it

Opening the clamshell is an awfully simple thing to do. Its magnetic latch keeps the screen tightly shut when the notebook is closed, yet it’s sensitive enough to be opened with one hand. Which brings us to the touchpad - it’s large, comfortable, and is a peach to use thanks to Apple’s multi-touch functionality. You can use the three finger swipe technique to move from one picture to the next, and it works as a charm.

Want to rotate a picture by 90-degrees? No problem, just move your index and middle finger in a circular fashion and voilá! Despite the LCD screen’s anorexic proportions, it still has an embedded webcam, a mic and an ambient light sensor.

Besides, the build quality’s so good, you can squeeze the frame edges as hard as you like but you won’t see the slightest of a shimmer. A small, rubberised ridge around the screen will protect it from coming in contact with the keyboard when the laptop is closed. The only thing that might get your goat is the abundant sharp edge on the notebook. It’s quite nasty and can be used with good effect when missing a paper cutter or knife.

Explore it

Apple’s done a mammoth undertaking putting that entire tech into a device that’s less than 2cms slim. For instance, most impressive is its Intel Core 2 Duo 1.6GHz processor. Most of its competitors have gone the Intel ULV (Ultra Low Voltage) way.

Those processors don’t get much faster than 1.2GHz and are basically smaller versions of yesteryears’ Pentium Ms. That means the kit you’re working on, has three-year-old technology running underneath. Not so with the Air. There’s 2GB of DDR2 RAM and an 80GB hard drive. Don’t expect much from the hard drive though; it’s the same 4,200rpm sloth that’s used in the iPod Classics. But it’s connectivity has suffered the worst due to Apple’s design decisions. There’s no optical drive, Ethernet or Firewire. Instead, you’ll have to make do with one solitary USB port, a micro-DVI port, and a stereo 3.5mm headphone connector. Thankfully, WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1 EDR come to the rescue. Its LED backlit screen is a beauty while being rich, clear, and exceptionally bright.

Exploit it

Fortunately Apple hasn’t left its users totally in the dark when it comes to using an optical drive. An application called Remote Disc allows the Air to temporarily ‘borrow’ another computer’s optical drive. However, you’ll need to install the provided software for this to work. There is a caveat though: you can only use Remote Disc to install software on the Air, not for anything else.

If there are files that you need to transfer from a movie you’ve been dying to watch, well, tough luck. If you really need an optical drive, you can always pick up Apple’s slick MacBook Air SuperDrive - but be prepared to shell out some more moolah. The SuperDrive is very slim, sexy, and portable so it should be included in the shopping list when you pick up the Air.

The keyboard ranks amongst the most comfortable ones ever and the magnetic power connector will save it from instant death every time your clumsy dog saunters into your room. Usage is always a joy thanks to Mac OS X Leopard and the iLife 08 productivity suite. Battery life at 3.5 to 4 hours is good too, though it is not user-replaceable. Also, you can’t upgrade the RAM since it has been physically soldered onto the motherboard.

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Love it or leave it

We say love it! Despite the Air’s inherent shortcomings, it’s one heck of a piece. It separates the wheat from the chaff where it’s required the most and that’s saying a lot. It’s light, terribly convenient to carry around and wonderfully easy to use because of Mac OS X Leopard, the multi-touch trackpad and spacious keyboard.

It makes for a great travel laptop that’s high on style and ease of use. Don’t get us wrong; the lack of an optical drive and Ethernet, and its shortage of USB ports are big, big downers. But it’s just that the Air does so many things right and is generally great fun to use . We still can’t call it the best deal around though, not until Apple includes the external SuperDrive and USB-to-Ethernet connector in the deal for free. Hint, Apple…

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