Macbook Air: Cables, cables everywhere but not a port to sync?

– posted January 28th, 2008 by Laurence Veale Comments (7)

MacBook Air

My quick take on the MacBook Air…

1. Not enough ports

Cables, cables everywhere but not a port to sync. One USB port does not a networked computer make, at least not for me. But it’s built for the wireless world, isn’t ethernet sooo last year?

MacBook Air is designed and engineered to take full advantage of the wireless world. A world in which 802.11n Wi-Fi is now so fast and so available, people are truly living untethered - buying and renting movies online, downloading software, and sharing and storing files on the web.

Great in theory but this “available Wi-Fi” world is actually more like a Utopia here in Ireland. Maybe it’s in SecondLife. What it gains in seamless design, it loses in the number of accessories I’d need to get it working in my current environment.

Of course, the cynic in me thinks that’s where the real beauty in the design lies - having to buy all the kit to get it to work.

2. Beautifully designed

A bit of a volte face here but in true Apple fashion, it’s unquestionably beautifully designed. I want one despite the above reservations. I’d happily change aspects of my working environment to fit around how the MacBook Air, if it were practical.

Here’s hoping for a sudden broadband revolution in Ireland, ahem.

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Categories Design, Spotted, Technology

7 comments so far

1. Eoghan McCabe on Jan 29th, 2008 - 14:32

Instead of wondering why it doesn’t match your current working setup, wonder why your current working setup doesn’t match it. It’s not that difficult or expensive to setup a wireless network, so why don’t you have one? You’re right, ethernet is soooooo last year!

2. Lar on Jan 29th, 2008 - 15:16

Hi Eoghan,

don’t want to set up a wireless network as all those microwaves would fry our brains

3. Peter Knight on Jan 29th, 2008 - 15:51

Your brains are being fried anyway. Might as well be your own data that contaminates you :O)

Seriously though - I’ve had a few Netgear wireless setups over the years and the installation and control panel are very user friendly.

4. Paul Campbell on Jan 30th, 2008 - 12:29

Also,

USB hubs are cheap and cheerful, if you’re to use the Air as a hub-style computer. My own use case for it would be to have as a go-between floating computer between my laptop at home and desktop at work…

…all in my little fantasy world of course, for now…

5. David Moore on Jan 31st, 2008 - 21:36

No Firewire either note, and the hard drive is slow (imagine booting a machine from an iPod and you get the idea). So definitely not a desktop replacement (though it doesn’t pretend to be, I guess). Think I’ll stick with the MacBook Pro.

But if I was doing sales presentations all day (and didn’t have to do any real work save send the odd email from a wifi-enabled cafe), I could see the appeal).

6. A6 GK on Feb 10th, 2008 - 01:26

The design is beautiful but the world is not ready for total wireless laptops yet. What year will that be?

7. Pacific Palisades Real Estate on Apr 1st, 2008 - 13:16

I’m glad to know a bit about it. I saw it on a commercial on TV and have wanted to check them out ever since. However, knowing that it would take a lot of garb in accessories and plugs just to make it go kind of discourages this purchase. I’m with the previous posted comment on this one. I’d rather buy 4 Dells for the same price and still be completely wireless. While it’s way ahead of its time for some, it’s right on time for others. I think everyone’s time is coming. I still love the sleek design though… very cool.

Christine