The IDES of Steve – Macbook Air leaves fans gasping for more

January 15, 2008

On this 15th of January 2008, Steve Jobs may have shown the first crack in his armor with the lackluster announcement of the MacBook Air. I’m not saying that he’s lost the skill to do a real dog and pony show, but I am worried that somehow the horse is leaving the barn when it comes to knowing what products are really MacWorld Keynote-worthy.

That’s right, if you didn’t get the innuendo I’ll spell it out for you. I think the MacBook Air left the Mac faithful gasping for air in a bad way. The product is just an underpowered, overpriced and still oversized computer. When comparing apples to Apples, you’ll clearly understand that the Air is just a slimmer version of a computer that already exists.

Want me to be objective? I am. While I sat with 30 other Mac enthusiasts this afternoon in a cooperative work loft in Cambridge, I watched as scowls took over the majority of faces when this ‘revolutionary’ piece of hardware was introduced.

In the audience were writers for BostonNow, developers for Safari and myriad other creative professionals. NONE thought that the new ‘Book lived up to the hype and concurred that the best announcement of Jobs’ 2008 keynote address was the improved Apple TV. Second was the movie rentals from the iTunes Store.

Compare, if you will, these specs. Then tell me I’m insane.

MacBook 2.2GHz, 250GB hard drive, 4GB of RAM, 13.3″ computer with two USB ports, one Firewire port, a dvd burner and true 802.11n WiFi. All that for a mere $1500 complete. That’s the machine on which I’m writing this blog entry.

MacBook Air 1.8GHz, 80GB hard drive, 2GB of RAM, 13.3″ computer with one USB port and true 802.11n WiFi. That’s it. No DVD, no Firewire, no other USB ports. But it’s THIN. Only .76″ at its thickest point. All that for $1799.

What’s your thought? Is a slimmer notebook computer that goes slower, holds less info and has fewer connections worth $300 more than a book that is about an inch thick? Me either.

Until Apple steps up to the plate with a 10-inch notebook computer with similar functionality and a 2.5lb weight, I’m not buying.

More to come…