The big news out of Macworld this year is the new MacBook Air. Billed as "the world's thinnest notebook", the air measures an impressive 0.76" high, weighs in at 3 pounds, and is based on a specially designed Intel Core 2 Duo processor.
“When we started this project we didn’t think it was possible. The product that we ended up building for [Apple] is about the width of a dime, it’s as thick as a nickel; it has 400 million really fast really efficient transistors. It is state of the art.” - Intel CEO Paul Otellini
Aside from the smaller processor, the MacBook Air's thin design is also thanks in part to the elimination of the optical drive. Users have the option of purchasing an external SuperDrive or utilizing a new feature called Remote Disc. Remote Disc allows users to use the optical drive of any Mac or PC located on the same network to install software or access files on CD or DVD.
It's thin, it's sexy, it's revolutionary, and it doesn't have a user replaceable battery. Just like the iPhone, users will not be able to replace the battery on their own. Not sure how that's going to work, but hopefully Apple will make the battery replacement process a painless one. Based on that small point alone, I know I'll never own one of these little puppies. But that won't keep me from admiring it.
The MacBook Air is available for preorder from the Apple Store in two base configurations ($1799 and $3098) and is shipping in 2 - 3 weeks. CTO options include 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo processors, 80GB PATA HDD or 64GB SSD (solid state drive), and an external USB SuperDrive.
