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MacWorld 2008 Keynote Thoughts: I’m Getting An Apple TV

January 15th, 2008

Even my lowered expectations missed the mark somewhat. Apple announced an Airport Extreme with a hard drive (Time Capsule), iPhone updates, iTunes video rentals, updated Apple TV, and the MacBook Air. I got those right with the exception of the Airport Extreme and hard drive, and the name of the ultraportable wrong. I also thought there would be 10.5.2, an iTunes DRM announcement, and Beatles on iTunes.

Thoughts on the products:

Time Capsule: Definitely fills a need – I was just considering a dedicated external drive just for Time Machine backups.

iPhone updates: Cool that the update is free for current iPhone owners. Paying for the iPod Touch update iPhone apps that were previously not on the iPod Touch however, is a bit of a head scratcher.

iTunes movie rentals and Apple TV update: I’m definitely into both of these. I think Apple is right about how people consume movies, and the rentals plus HD were two of my criteria for what would move me to purchase one. I’m also extremely happy with the reduced price of $229.

I am disappointed in the rental price. $1.99 a movie would have been the sweet spot for me. Instead, the flicks are $2.99 for 24 hours (and the prices rises to $3.99 for a recent movie and $4.99 for HD). This just doesn’t compete with Netflix which is as much as you can rent for a monthly fee, plus Netflix has a much wider selection and HD discs to rent.

The MacBook Air: Excellent product, definitely future-leaning with an emphasis on thinness, wireless connectivity, and eliminating the optical drive.

But personally, the price is too high – $1799. Its position between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro has me worried – the exact spot of the now discontinued G4 Cube.

The 1.6 GHz processor is also slower than the MacBooks.

Another negative is that the battery and hard drive are non-user replaceable. Those are two items Apple finally made easy to access and repair on their current MacBooks and MacBook Pros. The MacBook Air is a step backward in that regard – you have to return the computer to Apple for servicing.

I wouldn’t care about this in the case of an iPod since those relatively cheap enough, but on my MacBook that is less than two years old, I’ve had to replace both. The drive failed in under a year and the battery crapped out at little over a year. I have no assurance that either part of the MacBook Air will last any longer.

So the MacBook Air looks like the type of the product for those who care most about portability, looks, or have tons of money to blow – those who would pay an extra hundred bucks for the black MacBook just because it’s black, and when the hard drive craps out they might just buy another one. I’m not those people, and I’m betting most mainstream users are definitely not these people either.

(If I ever do get a MacBook Air, it will be when its form factor replaces the current MacBooks sometime in 2010 and you can get one for $1099. Let’s hope it’s not discontinued, first.)

So the Apple TV at $229 is the one product I’m ready to buy today, with Time Capsule second. And I’ll be sure to avoid the iTunes rentals in excess, in hopes the price comes down.

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folder Categories: Apple, General, Technology :: ::

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  • DaveD
    Since when does a computer with EXACTLY the same dimensions (height, width), a slower processor, smaller storage, and a higher price tag get to be called "ultraportable"?

    Is it because it weighs 3 pounds instead of 5?

    I know it certainly cannot be called a sub-notebook. And I'm still stupified why those two measly pounds (which do admittedly tack on another 40% total weight) make THAT much difference.

    You have no clue how happy I am that I bought that 2.16 GHz MacBook last Otober - and then immediately turned around and brought it up to 3gig RAM and 250gig 7200rpm HD via 3rd party hardware.

    Oddly enough, I still haven't paid what Apple thinks their base config MB Air should be had for. You know, the device with no internal optical drive and no removable battery.

    Oh yeah, and I got _MY_ remote for free instead of paying $20.

    Like you, I really wanted to buy something today. Unfortunately - unlike you - I already own that AppleTV. Unfortunately? Double-edged sword. Sure, I get THAT upgrade for free (unlike that $20 iPod Touch one)... but you get to buy the unit for $70 less.

    Call me underwhelmed by this year's MWSF keynote. Very underwhelmed.
  • Yeah... seems like if the MacBook Air could have been made even more portable by shrinking the screen size and the keyboard a bit. Thin and lighter is great, but the height and width matter much more as far as what case to use. Since it's the same size as the MacBook I really don't see how it's much more portable - and certainly not several hundred dollars more portable. IMHO of course.

    I know Jobs said screen size and keyboard size, they didn't want to sacrifice on, but perhaps they chose the wrong features to reduce. And they sure kept the price at a non-reduced level.

    Lastly - Good thing Apple is pushing out the upgrade for free, for the current Apple TV users. They need all the users of Apple TV out there they can get, so the product can move forward and someday succeed.
  • JC
    For those talking about dimensions on the MacBook Air, I encourage you to take a look at it in person. It is noticeably smaller and lighter than a Macbook. The reduction in weight and thickness will make a difference to a lot of people when carrying it in a backpack. It's not EXACTLY the same dimensions, in any case.

    This coming from someone who is happy to tote a 17" MacBook Pro everywhere I go. Still, it's smaller than you think, and it's smaller without compromising screen real estate or full-sized keys. That's pretty essential. I think Apple would make a large Newton-like touch-screen device running the iPhone interface before they'd make a smaller keyboard or screen on a laptop.

    Regarding the $20 iPod Touch situation: The software update giving you all the new features found on the iPhone is actually free on the iPod Touch. It's the extra 5 apps that are $20. You can do one without the other. While I think those apps should have been on the Touch in the first place, that is slightly better than many are making it sound.
  • JC
    I'm not shocked about the price on the Air, either. The components speak for themselves. They had to lobby Intel to make a special version of the Core 2 Duo. They had to design and produce a unique system on a board that is tiny, and can't be used for any other computer. It's much like the round motherboard on the Flower-pot iMacs of old. Cool, but costly.

    Bottom line: you always pay a premium for portability. Period. There really is no way around that.
  • I'm currently loading the iPod Touch update which I just discovered was free. Would be nice to get those extra apps without the $20 bucks though.

    I guess I'll have to check out the MacBook Air in person and really take a look at it. I'm sure it will look more impressive in the flesh as all Apple hardware does.

    Paying a premium for portability makes sense. I guess at this stage - looking at pictures and having not seen it in person - I can't imagine the portability and reduced specs are worth paying an extra few hundred bucks.

    But that said, I'm the "frugal" Mac User that doesn't like to pay more than $1100 for any Mac and waits until revision 2 or 3 of any product. Just as I'm about to do with the Apple TV. Early adopter I'm definitely not.

    So I really hope the MacBook Air eventually filters down to replace the MacBook line and get closer to that $1000 price point. I'm willing to wait a few years until that happens.
  • I'd probably consider the 1800 macbook air if I was in the market for a replacement for my macbook pro. I hardly use the optical drive and I lug the thing every day on the muni. 2 pounds difference is definitely discernible. I remember when I made the switch from a luggable 7 pound laptop to a more reasonable 5-pounder. It was a world of difference (for my shoulders that is).

    I agree it probably doesn't have a ton of mainstream appeal, but considering that it runs OSX and Windows and it's lightweight, certain businesses can certainly pony up the dough (and at least now, more than ever before, managers can justify the purchase).

    Apple TV price is good, but it's not something I'd buy yet. Oddly I've been going to Blockbuster lately for movies -- it makes me feel old-fashioned, I'll admit! (makes a difference that I moved right next door to one). I've been starting to get the itch for an iPhone though...I've got the hankering to be able to use Yelp, Google Maps and Nextbus (for Muni) when out and about...

    I was hoping for 10.5.2 to come out. I'd feel a lot better about upgrading my desktop if it was available. (btw Jase, have you tried out Vmware's 'Fusion' yet? I've been using it for a couple of months and it's been great in conjunction with bootcamp -- for those of us that have to fire up the windoze on occasion).
  • Endless list of Mac Stuff to buy. I think my next purchase is an Apple TV, with the iPhone second (still having a hard time with AT&T;).

    Haven't tried Fusion because I don't have a copy of Windows. I'm thinking I need to get one for a very specific reason - Netflix "watch now." If I do that I'll get around to Fusion at your recommendation.
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