Apple MWSF 2008 - MacBook Air, iPod touch, iPhone, Apple TV & iTunes Store updates...

[aryayush]

Hello!

In case you missed it, it was Macworld Conference and Expo 2008 today and Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced a couple of new products and updated a few of the existing ones.

Here are links to all the stories.

MW08: The MacBook Air floats into town
Posted on Jan. 15, ’08, 12:04 PM PT by Aayush Arya

Big day for Apple today. After announcing the Time Capsule, the free software update for iPhone users and a paid one for iPod touch users, free software update for Apple TV users coupled with a price drop and massive iTunes Store upgrade, Apple announced the immediate availability of the world’s thinnest notebook today, the MacBook Air. Here’s a post Macworld prediction from this blogger, it is going to knock the lids off the collective heads of the entire industry.

The thickest part of the slightly wedge shaped notebook measures just 0.76 inch with the front being an unbelievable 0.16 inch thick (or should I say thin) which, as you might know, is even slimmer than most smartphones today. It weighs in at three pounds and due to the sheer size of the device, it can snugly fit inside a regular manila envelope. Read more...

[Via MacUser]

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-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

MW08: Just the facts

MW08: The iPhone gets even cooler

MW08: Debuting at the iTunes Store today - Movie Rentals

MW08: Time Capsule lets you backup over your network

MW08: iTunes Digital Copies in Fox DVDs

MW08: Apple TV joins the iTunes Store bandwagon

MW08: Apple shows some iPod touch love too… at a price.

[Via MacUser]


So, vote in the poll above and let us know by posting replies to this thread. How was the keynote?

[rockthegod]

Holy mother of God !!!! The MacBook air....... !! :O: :OMG: My Goodness.. how can it be 0.16" thick.... !!! Beauty redefined for a gadget .. evry gadget lover's wildest and "wettest" dreams come true. :O But as with "wildest dreams", it is quite unreachable. With that extremely hefty price tag, I think I will go for an Alienware anytime (given the choice !!!)

[aryayush]

It does not seek to compete with an Alienware or any other high end laptop. It is an ultra-portable, a companion device and in that respect, it is the best one money can buy.

[krazzy]

I voted for MacBook Air. Didn't saw the keynote.

[rockthegod]

Originally Posted by aryayush

It does not seek to compete with an Alienware or any other high end laptop. It is an ultra-portable, a companion device and in that respect, it is the best one money can buy.

Yeah, that is completely true.... but if I had that kind of money to spent, (its tough to decide though because I would love to have both of those), I would dump my choice of the sexy sleek ultraportable for the more powerful one (Alienware is also sexxxxy to its boot)... And It obviously had to be the best (that money can buy) bcuz u r spending that much amount behind an ultra-portable.....!!!!

Well, just talked with my advisor/professor, who is a mac fanatic (bad for me, because I was provided a Mac to work on, and for work I would seriously love to have a PC )..and he seems to be biased to this beauty and is planning to get one as soon as it available for order online at Apple Store. If I can get my hands on it, I will definitely post my personal review and "wild" pics of it here....

But it seems so skinny that theres always a fear of it getting snapped...

[aryayush]

Originally Posted by rockthegod

Yeah, that is completely true.... but if I had that kind of money to spent, (its tough to decide though because I would love to have both of those), I would dump my choice of the sexy sleek ultraportable for the more powerful one (Alienware is also sexxxxy to its boot)... And It obviously had to be the best (that money can buy) bcuz u r spending that much amount behind an ultra-portable.....!!!!

Exactly how much do you think it is? It is only Rs. 85-90 K. You can't buy an Alienware in that low an amount.

Plus, Alienwares don't run Mac OS X so they are out of the question anyway.

Originally Posted by rockthegod

But it seems so skinny that theres always a fear of it getting snapped...

It is made of anodised aluminium so no snapping.

[goobimama]

Be advised people. It is NOT 0.16 inches thick. That's the thinnest point. It sort of slopes till it reaches the rear end which is .7 inches thin. Still thin, but not 0.16" (that would be insane!)

[Charan]

Yes comparing a ultraportable with regular notebooks should not be done. Ultraportables are for business guys if you a home user or you want to buy your first laptop then MBA is not for you.

[aryayush]

Originally Posted by iMav

if u buy mac book air u will need:

1. time capsule: $300 for storing data (more as a portable hdd for ur air to access ur mbp data)
2. usb to lan connector: $29 (wtf!)
3. Supredrive: $99

now add this to the $1800 and also taxes now try carrying all of this wen ur on the move, not having any of this results in a major compromise, because wen ur on the move considering a moving working person - every now and then u need to connect to some1's network for data transfer (yes it happens), u need to burn or copy discs (no matter how obsolete they may seem to goobi they are still used and will be; even after dvd came cds are still used), 80GB hdd we all know how easily an 80gig can be filled

o and yeah not to forget the charger too

Are you freaking crazy!

If you need an ethernet port and optical drive on the move, and you absolutely don't (you're just a crazy person), you buy a MacBook. This notebook is not for you.

I already have a Mac at my house. I need this notebook because I have to carry a notebook to college everyday. I don't need fifteen USB, FireWire and ethernet ports or an optical drive when I'm in college but I do need a large screen and an ultra-portable (the most ultra-portable) form factor. When I'm home, I can share my Mac's connection over Wi-Fi (even if I didn't have a Wi-Fi network, which I do) and use its optical drive as a remote disk (which is an innovative and awesome feature, by the way). This notebook is perfect for me.

The price is a tad on the higher side but then again, that's a complaint you will always have with Apple. The fact of the matter is that it is the best ultra-portable notebook in the world and if you want the best, you gotta pay for it. Quality comes at a price, as usual.

Oh, and it's not for people like you, who look for the most "bang for the buck". In fact, the whole company is not for you. So why not just quit the whining and get back to your life already!

[iMav]

arya lets just say u did the worst thing u could by mentioning "college" do i need to explain to u the possibility of a use of cd/dvd by students or acc to u no student uses a cd/dvd and add to that the fact that i cant connect the air book to my college network coz i need a connector for that

el jobso said the same thing to NYT "this is not for u"

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by aryayush

If you need an ethernet port and optical drive on the move, and you absolutely don't (you're just a crazy person), you buy a MacBook. This notebook is not for you.

I already have a Mac at my house. I need this notebook because I have to carry a notebook to college everyday.

Ya ya, we know u r flithy rich & insane to sepnd Rs 1.5 lakh on a laptop. You have a Macbook Pro but still u will buy this just cos you can show off & need this when you can simply take your "old" Macbook pro to college.

Hey, we like convergence, one device to do it all. One laptop (Dell XPS M1530 )

remote disk (which is an innovative and awesome feature, by the way).

On a PC or Mac network of many computers, just right click on the CD Drive of any computer & select to share over the network, which could be wired or wireless....vallah...instant remote disk///

it is the best ultra-portable notebook in the world and if you want the best, you gotta pay for it. Quality comes at a price, as usual.

An ultra portable which does nothing, no thanx...I would rather prefer buying a Linux based Asus EEE PC instead.

why not just quit the whining and get back to your life already!

Who filled 3 pages of the Macworld 2008 thread by just countdown & whining....& said " u r wrong with your predictions" then said " u nailed it GX" & then said " u just wrote speculations"...lolz...

Originally Posted by iMav

arya lets just say u did the worst thing u could by mentioning "college" do i need to explain to u the possibility of a use of cd/dvd by students or acc to u no student uses a cd/dvd and add to that the fact that i cant connect the air book to my college network coz i need a connector for that

He has obviously never been to any college or hostal of mumbai, or IET Lucknow, or IIM Lucknow or SCIT Pune or I2IT Pune, where students get 2 Mbps line & there harddisk fill in no time with movies, porn, music etc etc & DVDs are the best & cheapest way to archive files...

El jobso said the same thing to NYT "this is not for u"

WTH...El Jobso said the same thing, arya said the same thing....who the hell is this laptop made for cos everyone is going to need an Optical drive or atleast a RJ45 connector. Even photographers & journalists get data on Optical drives most of the time, guess what, they can't see it in there Mac BOOk air

[preshit.net]

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

Y
On a PC or Mac network of many computers, just right click on the CD Drive of any computer & select to share over the network, which could be wired or wireless....vallah...instant remote disk///

FYI, that will just let you access the contents of the Optical Disk. Apple's Remote Disc feature lets you use the Remote Drive as your machine's own.

[iMav]

Originally Posted by DARK LORD

FYI, that will just let you access the contents of the Optical Disk. Apple's Remote Disc feature lets you use the Remote Drive as your machine's own.

and whats the difference

[aryayush]

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

Do u expect me to send House season 4 to iMav in Mumbai in a Rs 1,500 Pen drive of 4 GB???? Nah, I would rather send him House season 4 on a Rs 15 DVD.

Yeah, but you won't be sending DVDs to iMav while you're in your car or in an airplane.

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

I have lots of movies & TV shows. Well, I find them archiving in a DVD way better then a Harddisk, 4.5 GB of Space in Rs 15 is not a deal to laugh at

Sensible people archive their movies and stuff on external hard drives. People like you use DVDs. Tell me one thing, is your whole life driven by only one goal? Finding the cheapest and worst way of doing stuff?

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

If I have to take another drive with me, then what's the purpose of an Ultra Portable then...isn't it supposed to save me from all that clutter...

And DVDs don't add to the clutter?

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

If I have to carry a Macbook Air, an External HD with me along with USB to RJ45 adapter, then instead of all these atleast I would logically prefer to buy a Macbook instead.

You don't say! WOW, gx_saurav! What an amazing concept! It's a shame that never occurred to any of us:

Originally Posted by aryayush

If you need an ethernet port and optical drive on the move, and you absolutely don't (you're just a crazy person), you buy a MacBook. This notebook is not for you.

WOW! Thanks for pointing that out! You are so intelligent, it is mind blowing. /sarcasm

It is meant to be a secondary computer and in that role, it fits perfectly. You guys are just assuming that someone would want to use it as the primary computer and then screwing around trying to find drawbacks with it.

[iMav]

Originally Posted by aryayush

It is meant to be a secondary computer and in that role, it fits perfectly. You guys are just assuming that someone would want to use it as the primary computer and then screwing around trying to find drawbacks with it.

thats the whole point a secondary computer should have the ability to use cd/dvds or connect to the network of other primary computers

i cant tell my frenz that u know what i cant copy this disc as jhonnny ive forgot to put the dvd drive in my air or tell them that u know what go home get the contents of this disc in a pen drive

and then me going back to my place and write another disc when i can save the previous disc as an iso access it on my lappy/ edit the iso and then simply burn it on my notebook .... now doing this on mba i hope u get the point

[aryayush]

Originally Posted by goobimama

I dont' expect you to think suddenly on your trip to birdland, "Oh! I'll send iMav some pirated material on DVD! If only I could do it here!"

But that's the problem, you see. You expect him to think at all, anywhere in the world.

Originally Posted by goobimama

There you have it. The macbook air is not for everyone. There's a perfectly good laptop called the Macbook which many will find cheaper and more feature rich than the Air.

But far more hefty, which some people like me find unnecessary baggage when they don't need to carry around an optical drive and a full range of ports and connectivity options all the time. Apple has three products in the notebook category and each one target a different segment of the market.

Fat lot of good it would do to make another notebook exactly like the MacBook name it the MacBook Air and sell it for a higher price! Use some common sense for goodness sake!

[iMav]

they didnt need to come with this .... rather reducing the weight of an existing mbp or mb giving it the multi touch making it sexier by having a black carbon model ...

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by aryayush

Yeah, but you won't be sending DVDs to iMav while you're in your car or in an airplane.

U never know, u won't...I might need to. What if someone gives me files on a DVD while i m on the move???

Sensible people archive their movies and stuff on external hard drives. People like you use DVDs.

Plz contact zeeshan for this. ...he had about 300 GB of Movies & Videos, now archiving them on an external HD of 280 GB would cost about Rs 5,000 but archiving them on 65 DVDs would cost him Rs 975.

Tell me one thing, is your whole life driven by only one goal? Finding the cheapest and worst way of doing stuff?

lolz....The day you start earning money on your own, (unlike the blogging money u get now which is more like pocket money), you will also start looking for cost effective ways to do things....

And DVDs don't add to the clutter?

How thick is one DVD compared to one external HD?

It is meant to be a secondary computer and in that role, it fits perfectly.

Then reduce the damn price, $1800 for a secondry computer...which lacks a LAN port...u gotta be kidding me, EEE PC looks like a better secondry computer to me.

[QwertyManiac]

What Sony replied to the Air's thinness is correct. And with Steve and Mike both not knowing who the product was supposed to be targeted at, Sony stands corrected.

Only the sales can speak now.

[aryayush]

Originally Posted by iMav

thats the whole point a secondary computer should have the ability to use cd/dvds or connect to the network of other primary computers

A secondary computer shouldn't have to connect to networks. If you have to connect to wired networks frequently and your friends give you so much stuff on DVDs (are all your friends stupid!), you don't need an ultra-portable at all.

Originally Posted by iMav

i cant tell my frenz that u know what i cant copy this disc as jhonnny ive forgot to put the dvd drive in my air or tell them that u know what go home get the contents of this disc in a pen drive

I don't know about you but even my technologically challenged friends have common sense enough to bring stuff to me in pen drives.

[iMav]

thats all u have to say

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by DARK LORD

FYI, that will just let you access the contents of the Optical Disk. Apple's Remote Disc feature lets you use the Remote Drive as your machine's own.

U mean you can read & burn DVDs using remote disk????????

Hey, I M doing that since ages on a network shared DVD writer with Nero 4 & above

Originally Posted by aryayush

A secondary computer shouldn't have to connect to networks.

That's teh most lamest comment I have ever read

I don't know about you but even my technologically challenged friends have common sense enough to bring stuff to me in pen drives.

Ya....but not everyone has friends like u na....damn, I need to buy new friends now///

[iMav]

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

Ya....but not everyone has friends like u na....damn, I need to buy new friends now///

be careful - if they dont have proper ports then u will regret it if no cd/dvd drive vista installation will be problem

[aryayush]

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

U never know, u won't...I might need to. What if someone gives me files on a DVD while i m on the move???

And what if someone asks you to marry him on the move? Will you whip out a wedding ring right away and get on with it? I'm assuming you like to be prepared for any eventuality at all when you're going to your office in your car!

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

Plz contact zeeshan for this. ...he had about 300 GB of Movies & Videos, now archiving them on an external HD of 280 GB would cost about Rs 5,000 but archiving them on 65 DVDs would cost him Rs 975.

I don't know about you or Zeeshan but give me a single external hard disk over 65 friggin' DVDs any day of the week!

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

the blogging money u get now which is more like pocket money

Answer this honestly. Please!
How much do you earn today? And how much did you earn when you were nineteen? And what did you earn that doing? And what do you do today? Please answer all this honestly!

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

How thick is one DVD compared to one external HD?

How much can you fit in that DVD and how much time does it take to write to it and how easy is it to change its contents (if at all possible) and how reliable is it?

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

Then reduce the damn price, $1800 for a secondry computer...which lacks a LAN port...u gotta be kidding me, EEE PC looks like a better secondry computer to me.

Then buy it.

[iMav]

why macboys want to buy the air:

Originally Posted by gizmodo

At Giz, we're only tormented inside because we still want to buy it, despite it being not all that practical.

now this is a common feeling in every macboy no matter what they say

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by aryayush

And what if someone asks you to marry him on the move? Will you whip out a wedding ring right away and get on with it?

Depends on the gal

How much do you earn today?

Rs 0, exhausted all my previous savings on studies. Got 8k on my bank account right now...that's all.

And how much did you earn when you were nineteen? And what did you earn that doing?

Rs 4k to 16k a month depending on the work I used to do as a freelance graphics & CAD designer. Bought my Bike & K750i from the savings.

And what do you do today?

Preparing for GD & PI, flirting with gal friends....preparing for MAT February///among other things

How much can you fit in that DVD

4.5 GB

and how much time does it take to write to it

10 mins max for writting 4.5 GB & verifying it.

how easy is it to change its contents

DVD RW costs Rs 50 here, just format it & add/remove contents from it. Can be used about 50 60 times like this.

(if at all possible) and how reliable is it?

How reliable is an HD???? It can die anytime, the motar can break...or some accident which happened with your external HD...Don't compare reliability, nothing is 100% reliable.

Then buy it.

Nah....W960i is all Need instead of EEE PC

At Giz, we're only tormented inside because we still want to buy it, despite it being not all that practical.

Lolz....correct

[goobimama]

W960i. So this is what it has come down to huh folks! W960i. I give up. That doesn't mean that I won't be getting the Macbook Air...

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by goobimama

W960i. So this is what it has come down to huh folks! W960i. I give up. That doesn't mean that I won't be getting the Macbook Air...

Fine u get it, good luck with multiple machines, syncing them frequently etc

[aryayush]

For what's it's worth, it does not need to be synced or anything. It runs the full fledged Mac OS X Leopard operating system.

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

Rs 0, exhausted all my previous savings on studies. Got 8k on my bank account right now...that's all.

...

Rs 4k to 16k a month depending on the work I used to do as a freelance graphics & CAD designer. Bought my Bike & K750i from the savings.

And you still have the gall to post comments like this one: "the blogging money u get now which is more like pocket money"!

I don't know how much you spend per month but Rs. 20K/month aint no pocket money for me. Please don't make me open my mouth. Generally, I'm not one to boast about anything I own or do.

________________________________________

Coming back to the topic, just STFU already. I'll post a rate chart from Ars Technica comparing several ultra-portables when I have the time later to write up a proper post to accompany it.

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

I have the bolded items permanently connected.

When your notebook is on a freaking desk! If you're going to buy a MacBook Air with the intention to keep it on a desk for prolonged period, IT IS NOT FOR YOU!

Only the most morbid idiot would connect a mouse, keyboard, camera and TV Tuner (for crying out loud!) when they're in a car going to their office and want to check out their email. Yes, I know you can do it on your crappy cellphone but some people, like me, prefer the real estate that a notebook offers. Not to mention that it's just one example.

And, in any case, the whole discussion is inherently useless because you are not its targeted audience. You, and iMav and others tightwads like you guys, are not the potential Apple customers, for any of their products, so why do you have to keep commenting on them. Go use your $50 briefcase-sized laptop and $2 brick-sized phone, connect them with fifteen wires and hook them up with TV tuners and card readers and install Windows on anything and everything. Go do your thing. Why do you have to keep commenting on Apple related threads when you're not interested in the company's products!

My God!

[iMav]

arya is pissed uv probably had a bad day trying to convince ur college guys too that the air is a worth product