Engadget, CNET and Slashgear take a look at the new and smaller MacBook Airs. Like I said before, these are going to be huge (no pun intended) for people who need OS X running on a highly portable device.
Videos and quotes below. Read more
The Air’s Place In An iPad World→
The Air’s Place In An iPad World
In fact, the MacBook Air’s biggest competition is the iPad. Both can be used as a standalone product, but really shine when used as a secondary device. Both have great battery life and are thin and light. The smaller Air is even close to the size of the iPad.
The difference of course is all about software. For some people, iOS just doesn’t meet their needs. The new 11.6″ MacBook Air offers all of the features of Mac OS X in the smallest package ever. For people who need a full-blown computer that can go just about anywhere, the Air is an obvious choice. For everyone else, though, the iPad is really, really hard to ignore.
The iPad is similar in size to the new Air, and it’s cheaper. But don’t forget and don’t underestimate the importance of a small device running OS X at an acceptable form factor. For some people working in certain conditions with very few space available and frequent travelers, the 11.6-inch Air is a God-send.
Facelette: Like Chatroulette for FaceTime
So Apple launched a FaceTime app for Mac. Ok, now we have the possibility to start a Facetime call from desktop computers to iOS devices, and vice versa. But that’s not the cool thing I’ve just stumbled upon. Read more
Marco Arment On The New MacBook Air→
Marco Arment On The New MacBook Air
Insightful analysis by Arment:
The 11” looks impressively tiny, but realistically, most people are unlikely to see significant benefits in portability or practicality from the 11” over the 13”. There are very few situations in which you’d be able to comfortably carry or use the 11” but not the 13”.
The 11” screen resolution of 1366x768 is great for its size, but it’s going to bevery cramped, especially vertically. Screen size is very important and noticeable in everyday use, and it’s often the limiting factor for how much work advanced users can comfortably get done on a laptop.
The 11” is also significantly slower and with less battery life, although these are less important factors.
The whole post is a must-read. Although in my opinion, that 11-inch model is damn tempting.
Things Apple Killed Today
With the introduction of OS X Lion and the Mac App Store today, Apple set the path to a future full of changes. In the process, they’ve killed a few things.
Let’s take a look. Read more
Apple’s “Back to the Mac” Event Now Available For Download & Streaming
Today’s Apple event is now available for streaming here and download in iTunes. To download it, you’ll have to search for “Apple keynotes” in iTunes and grab the latest October episode.
Or, just open this link.
Apple Releases Aperture 3.1
Thoughts and Questions On The Mac App Store
Many of us thought Apple would never announce an App Store for Mac. When we discussed the subject, the most frequent reaction I heard from developers was:
“They can’t force users to go through an App Store on computers”
That is going to change. Like it or not, Apple wants to make the process of finding and installing software on the Mac easier, faster and integrated, and by bringing the system created on the iPhone and refined on the iPad back to the Mac, they’re going to literally reinvent the wheel. Read more
Inside FaceTime for Mac
Earlier today Apple announced FaceTime for Mac and released a first beta version for download. Despite some initial download issues, the beta is now up and available here. I’ve tested the app on my MacBook Pro by calling a couple of friends on their iPhone and MacBooks, and it works really well.
It’s a first beta though, and there are some unpolished areas and unfinished features Apple is likely going to address in the future updates. Read more