but hey, it's like 2cm thin. so yeah.
oh the ways steve jobs like to tempt us. LoL

yeah... that's too much needing. i have to have that plug in internet sometimes.

i think the nonreplaceable battery is a big disadvantage too. it's one thing if it's in my ipod, but a laptop?

I just don't think the macbook pro is that bad...I'll give up the track pad for the rest of my mbp. That really was the only thing I found to be really cool about the air...and for that I can just buy the iphone (waiting for the 3rd gen).

I am not buying it for those specific reasons. One thing I wish they would do is to bring the touch pad features to the other macbooks.

2cm thin at one point, not all the way through. It gets just as thick as the rest of them, just the overall volume is not there.

I hate how it's sealed too. No access to anything. :\ If I were a frequent traveler, I'd probably opt for one of the small lightweight Dells or Sonys.

SkinnyMarie - supposedly the touch pad thing is a software feature so they COULD update the mbp's to do that too...but they won't...they just want folks to buy another and another and another...

I think Mac missed the boat on this. There are too many other things that you need, so once you stuff a hub and an external drive in your bag, you might as well have bought a MacBook.

i think that living w/o 2 of those features is ok - the ethernet and USB thing because there are so many wireless networks all over the place that you can jump on. but the feature that would bug me is the optical drive. it's a big drawback if you can't watch DVDs or record tracks from CDs to iTunes. oh well....next generation of the air will fix it i'm sure

I agree...I think the laptop is really nice looking but if it doesn't have all I need then it is more of a hassle to attach everything else.
It needs too many external components now to be user friendly.

That is so sleek and sexy for a laptop, I'm sure they'll figure out a way to get those features back or at least the optical drive. I hope so anyway because I really want one.

The fact that I couldn't upload my cds to itunes single handedly kills the sell for me. But Steve Jobs is no fool, I'm sure the hordes will buy this one...and then trade them in for new ones when he adds on some or all of these features.

Yeah, I'm usually the type of gal that upgrades every time Apple changes their laptop and um....I think I'm going to hold off on the MacBook Air. It does give me an excuse to get a MacBook Pro now.

As beautiful as it is...I agree that it's completely lacking some much needed features.

I agree that the USB and CD/DVD thing are huge drawbacks. It looks sweet but for now I'll stick with my beloved black MacBook.

I think the complaint over it being sealed for the battery is a bit ridiculous...apple isn't charging to replace it so all you do is buy the battery, which you would do anyways, you just now take it to an apple retailer. And the optical drive? who needs it when you can borrow one that's from close range? And I'm sorry but i've never once used an ethernet cable, I'm all wifi:) And I guess it's just me but i've never used more than one USB at a time, and if i did I think that a hub would be more practical anyways.
That's what the bloggers are finding out in the tech sites, that all the drawbacks really aren't drawbacks for those that actually watched the keynote.

What the laptop is NOT designed for is someone who this is their only computer. But if you're like me and have a household full of macs...then it's really ideal! You have to have a desktop to go along with to really enjoy all of the specs.

How thin do you really need?

I would personally choose functionality over looks. The Mac laptops out right now are already attractive, light-weight, and they don't leave out crucial parts.

Absolutely spot on! Couldn't have said it any better myself!

I love the way this looks, and I love some of the innovative features such as the touchpad, but I can't see spending $3000 on a laptop that I'm basically just going to get to surf the internet. I don't need a lot on it, but it has to give me something more than style for $3000 when I have a 17" MacBook Pro already. All this laptop has done was visually excite me for 5 minutes, then make me wonder if what other people say about Apple is true. I almost feel betrayed.

It's a gorgeous computer, but you need to a)travel a TON, b)have a bunch of extra money laying around to pay for it, and c)have all wireless accessories and never use a CD/DVD. I'm anxious to see the changes that will be made to this computer next year.

I think you're missing the point that this notebook is designed to be ultra-thin! It's all about portability. Of course, it's going to have to sacrifice some features like an optical drive. That's why it's designed to wirelessly connect to another computer's CD/DVD drive.

And do you really need more than one ethernet port these days with the huge prevalence of wifi? The people who use this sort of laptop are probably not going to be hooked up very often to an ethernet jack.

As for USB, lots of keyboards and mice can use bluetooth. How often will your ultra-thin laptop need to be jacked in to more than one USB device?

If you need all three things so desperately, save your money and get a MacBook.

Sorry, but I'd rather buy the Sony SZ or Asus EEE...
It's gorgeous and thin, that's pretty much where it ends.

oops. "need more than one ethernet" should be "need an ethernet"

I use my MacBook every day at work and I have to be connected via ethernet to print. It's very impractical if it's going to be your only computer, but if you have a desktop or another laptop, it works. It just depends on the lifestyle- that's all.

I have a Gateway right now. I like it just fine. I think the next laptop I get will be a Macbook, but not this one. It needs to have more of the things I want. I love how thin it is, but that's about it.

I guess the more attractive they are, the less functionality they get. And that's a huge disadvantage.

I wonder how well it's really going to do. The economy is in a pinch and it's not designed to be your only computer, just a travel one. It's not got enough memory for students, so .... I guess we'll see

As fantastic as the Air seems to be, I'm still leaning more towards the Macbook.

that's disappointing. but hey, for such a skinny little laptop, i guess some things have to give.

I would love to have this Laptop. I can only dream since I can't afford it right now and I just use my work laptop for everything that I need to do.

Thanks for posting this, because I was so wanting one until I paid attention to these missing features - in this situation, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. I could see myself getting frustrated with it verrrry quickly.

Honestly, this notebook is NOT for the everyday person.

It's more for business people on-the-go who can use it to take quick notes and stick it in a briefcase.

It's not supposed to be a decked-out media center/work station.

If you want something like that, get a MacBook or a MacBook Pro.

The purpose of the MacBook Air is versatility and convenience, and having been a business student, I have to say, carrying around something that thin and light for taking notes, is very, very convenient.

Exactly what I said was wrong with this laptop when I commented in the Mac Air v. Slim notebooks pole.

I rarely need ethernet, more than 1 USB or even an optical drive but the MacBook Air is still not for me. I need the power and the bigger screen to so my job. I will be looking forward to the bigger trackpad on future models though.

And to think, I was actually fooled by it's commercial and advertisements! It sure is lacking a lot from the older macbooks but it sure is beautifully thin!

It's not a replacement to the MacBook or MacBook Pro line. People have been yelling for this for quite awhile, but who knows it could go the way of The Cube.

it's really great looking.......but I think I'll stick with the MacBook for now.....

SkinnyMarie (Comment #5) doesn't have the numbers right:
It's almost 2 cm at its thickest; not at its thinnest point.

At its thinnest point its .4 cm.

Remember when Jobs intro'd the first computer without a floppy drive? The same doom-&-gloom comments appeared, bemoaning the absence of this "much needed feature." And it wasn't "fixed" with the next rev.

What actually happened? No computer has a floppy drive now.

I'll take bets that this is the wave of the future.

Steven Jobs does it again! He is soo brilliant!

sfjberk- I remember that too! The end of the world was near I for one am happy that Steve is ahead of the curve.

I just don't see the point in making an even lighter laptop. Aren't laptops light and portable enough?

I love the fact its so light however, it so expensive to buy!