Is the new 11.6-inch MacBook Air a netbook? Steve Jobs would become apoplectic if you called it one, and he’s right. Sure, the 11.6-inch MacBook Air has about the same form factor as a 12-inch netbook, but without any of the latter’s compromised build quality or lousy performance… even when running a netbook’s go-to operating system, Windows 7.
We start off with another deal on the MacBook Air, including a 1.4GHz version with a 12-inch screen for $969. Also, the Apple Store is offering several factory refurbished tablets, including a 16GB Wi-Fi model for just $449. We also have the latest crop of App Store freebies for your iPhone or iPod touch, including “Bear vs. Penguins,” a new take on the tower defense game.
Along the way, we’ll also check out some accessories for your iPad, some cases for your iPhone (as well as a deal on a iPhone 3GS), along with software for your Mac. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
We start off another week with a mix of bargains for the Mac fan. First up are several factory-refurbished Apple MacBook Air laptops from the Apple Store, starting at $849 for a1.86GHz Core 2 Duo unit with 13.3-inch screen. Also, Handhelditems has a 77 percent discount on various cases for the iPod touch. Finally, AT&T Wireless has several refurbished iPhone 4 handsets, such as a 32GB model.
Along the way, we’ll also check out the latest batch of iPhone app price cuts, including “Harry Potter: Spells.” Additionally, we’ll take a look at another sale on 160GB Apple TV units, iPhone applications and Mac software. As always, details on these and many more items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
The Solid State Drive, or SSD, appears to be the future of Apple devices, including the recently updated MacBook Air. Toshiba, the maker of the SSD in the razor-thin MBA is making the Blade X-gale series more widely available. The drives – just around 2.2mm thick – are available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB configurations to resellers and bulk purchasers.
“Delivering a product that enables superior user experience in a smaller footprint is the ultimate goal,” said Scott Nelson, vice president, Memory Business Unit, Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. A denser memory module permits the smaller size, Nelson explained.
If you’ve decided to pick up one of Apple’s miraculously thin new MacBook Airs, but have a large media or photo library, you’re probably going to have to pick up an external USB hard drive to go with it: those SSDs are blisteringly fast, yes, but they’re not exactly voluminous.
What external hard drive can match the Air’s resplendent svelteness, though? Try the Hitachi G-Drive Slim. It’s only 0.39 inches thick and clocks in at 320GB for $99.99. That’s not a lot of storage space for the price, but then again, neither is the Air.
We begin with several refurbished MacBook Air laptops, starting at $849 for a 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo 13.3-inch model. Also on tap is a two-year iPad warranty from SqaureTrade. The warranty covers drops and spills. The spotlight is also on a new batch of free App Store titles for the iPhone and iPod touch, including “Finger Traffic Navigator”, a line drawing puzzle.
Along the way, we’ll also check out storage options, ways to keep your iPhone 4 in power, as well as software for your Mac. As always, details on these and many other bargains can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
I recently reviewed the 13-inch MacBook Air and I noted that many of you were curious to know how well the new MacBook Air would work emulating other operating systems running Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac or VMWare Fusion.
I’m happy to report to you that I spent some time with both of these applications and I have some good news — they not only work, but in my opinion they work pretty damn good if you ask me.
Apple’s new 11-inch MacBook Air is astonishing. It’s unbelievable. It’s the most exciting consumer PC that’s come out for years. It’s a netbook, but it’s not a PoS. It’s blazing fast. It’s unbelievably light and thin. It’s beautifully made. Really beautifully made.
It has an older CPU and skimpy RAM, but it is NOT underpowered. For users like me, who aren’t editing Hollywood movies, it’s more than adequate. Heck, it’s a huge leap forward. Like Jobs said at the launch, this is the future of notebooks. Extremely thin and light, yet capable of running dozens of applications without bogging down. There are compromises, of course, but the most important things — portability, durability and functionality — are very much in place.
Last year, I bought a 13-inch MacBook Pro, which I loved. But in comparison to the 11-inch Air, it looks like a bloated old relic. It’s positively primitive: a porky throwback to a previous computing era.
I know what you’re thinking, “Cult of Mac. This guy’s a zealot. He’ll buy anything Steve Jobs tells him too.” I admit, I’m a fan. But the Air is important. It’s different. It’s right up there with the iPad and the iPhone. This is a breakthrough product.
We wrap up another week of Mac deals with three bargains in the spotlight. MacConnections is now offering a discount on Apple’s recently released MacBook Air laptops. The $969 deal includes an 11.6-inch unit with a 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor and 64GB SSD. Also on tap is a bevy of iPhone games from EA, including Sims 3, Spore Creatures and more. Finally, there is a deal on the iDuo iPod/iPhone dock with card reader.
Along the way, we’ll also take a look at iPhone hardware and Mac software. As usual, details on these and many other bargains can be found on CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.
A recent teardown of the new MacBook Air today revealed that the pretty little notebook is unsurprisingly laden with a bevy of proprietary engineering making it one of the most difficult notebooks on the market to repair. Highlights of the full break down can be read after the jump.
