I don't give a sh[i][/i]it what the battery looks like or how it's connected. No user-replaceable sucks, and Apple is raping people for replacing it. And anyone who thinks you won't be replacing it more than a few times in the life of the machine is smoking a special kind of crack!<br><br>No user-replaceable RAM is the same, and so it the hard drive.<br><br>There are just WAY too many limitations on this machine to cost that much. If this thing were $500-$700 it would be another story... but nearly $2,000 is flat-out stupid.<br><br>The Graphic Mac for your Mac and graphics news, tips and more.

I imagine that the steep price is due in part to:<br><br>• the 'new technology, get it here first, gottahavit' premium pays towards R&D<br>• new, more compact technology costs more to make until it's manufactured/sourced in considerable bulk<br>• more environmentally friendly electronic products cost more to make, which is why manufacturers don't already naturally do that (I bet the specially sourced, non-toxic glass screens don't come cheap)<br><br>For some people, the MBA is going to be perfect, because it's light but still has a big enough screen to demo stuff on to people in meetings or whatever - folk will either cough up for it because it's the best tool for their needs and pays for itself through increased productivity - or because it's cool and they want it. Fair enough.<br><br>Looks to me as though they couldn't have made it that thin if they'd wanted a user-swappable battery in there. If you need a mac that thin, it's worth it. If you just want a mac that thin, it's up to you, eh? <br><br>- padmavyuha<br><br>[color:purple]A lopsided man runs best along the little side-hills of success<br>- Frank Moore Colby</font color=purple>

Your bullet points all make perfect sense, and are typical of new tech, especially from Apple - one only has to look at the iPhone price drop fiasco a while back for example.<br><br>However the rest of your comments are what makes me wonder what Apple is thinking.<br><br><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>because it's light but still has a big enough screen to demo stuff on to people in meetings or whatever<p><hr></blockquote><p>So is the regular MacBook. The MBA isn't THAT much lighter and smaller - at least not enough to warrant such a huge price tag.<br><br><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>folk will either cough up for it because it's the best tool for their needs and pays for itself through increased productivity<p><hr></blockquote><p>But because the MBA is no different than the regular MacBook, you can't do a single thing on it that you can't do on the cheaper MB. So when you consider how many things you CAN'T do with the MBA, how could you possibly increase productivity? The only thing different with it in the positive respect is that it's thinner - which cannot in any way increase productivity.<br><br><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>or because it's cool and they want it. Fair enough.<p><hr></blockquote><p>Well, you've got a point there. Some people will spend money on "cool" no matter what. <br><br><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>If you need a mac that thin, it's worth it. <p><hr></blockquote><p>My questions is WHO is that person? Who needs a Mac that thin, and why? For example, I GET why people want a tablet Mac. Tablets are useful in many professions (such as the medical field), and while I have no use for it, I can certainly see why others can. <br><br>With the MBA, I simply can't think of a single niche market that NEEDS a full laptop that is just thinner than a regular laptop, but without so many features.<br><br>The Graphic Mac for your Mac and graphics news, tips and more.

Sounds like the machine is not for YOU, so you assume it's wrong for everyone <br><br>Do you believe these limitations have nothing to do with the purpose of the machine--compactness?<br><br>Nobody cares what the battery looks like. We care that the resulting machine is thin.<br><br>My special kind of crack tells me I've never replaced a laptop battery. They get low enough to WANT a new battery, but not low enough to BUY a new battery, even at third-party prices. But third-party prices WILL surely be available for the MBA should I change my mind.<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>TeamMacOSX.com | MacClan.net

Define "need" vs. "want" any way you like... I don't get why anyone would "need" a tablet... but I DO "need" a 3lb. MacBook.<br><br>Luckily, I happen to respect that my needs don't speak for the world. Thus, I won't pitch a fit if Apple introduces a product someone ELSE wants and not me <br><br>As for price--look at the ultrathin/ultraportable 13" competition. Looking at other name bands, you won't find an exact comparison to the MBA's mix of features and (as is always needed to get smaller) compromises. Looking at the competition from other name bands, you also won't find anything cheap.<br><br>You may feel that an ultrathin like this should not exist on the planet, rather than just figuring it's not for you. But I don't see how you can argue it could have been done much cheaper.<br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>TeamMacOSX.com | MacClan.net

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>My questions is WHO is that person? Who needs a Mac that thin, and why? For example, I GET why people want a tablet Mac. <p><hr></blockquote><p> Me. I hate carrying a laptop. If I can figure a way to not then I don't. If I give a talk and I know they will have a computer on the other end (and of course they do) I will copy the talk onto two thumb drives and put them in two separate pockets.<br><br>But if I had a nickel for every time I thought, "shoot, I wish I had my laptop" I would have a lot of nickels. Taking notes, changing a slide, looking up data, making me look smarter. I could do all that if I had one.<br><br>The 12 inch G4 MBP was close. But I still left it behind occasionally and paid for it. IS going from 7 to 5 to 3 pounds a big deal. For me, yes, a really big deal. I used the original Macintosh portable. It weighed the same amount as a cinder block. 16 pounds. I thought 7 pounds would be ideal. No. 3 pounds is not ideal either. I want it to be 2 pounds. But three will do.<br><br>So you ask how could an MBA possibly increase productivity? I would respond, "big time". Because having one is the key and at three pounds I will be more likely to have it. Anyone who has to get on a plane often with a laptop is going to eat these up.<br><br>Now you say you get why someone would want a tablet Mac. I would never want one. I guess we have different needs.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br>

Well said.<br><br>And what's interesting is, as with many Apple products, those who need/want it don't think everyone is wrong who does NOT need/want it.<br><br>Yet some of those who don't need/want it just cannot stand that some do. I'm not certain why, but it's a pattern. Imagine going into a store for a heavy winter coat, and because you hate cold and don't mind the rain, you actually get upset that OTHER people are after rain coats! <br><br>nagr[color:red]o</font color=red>mme<br><br>I require stroyent!<br>TeamMacOSX.com | MacClan.net

Same here - I tend not to take my MBP out with me on a whim because it weighs just that bit too much. I can see folk who are smaller or have bad shoulder/backs/wrists or just not much room in their briefcase will love this, regardless of the limitations, if they like macs.<br><br>Oh, and I've still yet to see anyone - well, frankly, anywhere - apart from Steve himself mentioning the eco-factor, or its impact on the manufacturing cost. It's all just 'wah, wah, I want a tiny thin mac with everything in it for hardly any money and it's not fair! Don't my years of loyalty count for anything?' Okay, I'm just blowing off a bit of steam there...<br><br>- padmavyuha<br><br>[color:purple]A lopsided man runs best along the little side-hills of success<br>- Frank Moore Colby</font color=purple>

that's what i've been doing this year. i leave my MB at home and just take my iPhone and 2 thumb drives. i teach at 3:00 today and that's my plan once again.<br><br>

You make an excellent point about the "green" features. It's gonna cost BIG. Everyone likes to yap it up how we should all be eco friendly but don't want to put the extra cost where their mouth is. If ya don't want to pay the increased costs then keep quiet how we should be helping the environment.<br><br>