14 DAY TRIAL // Every once in a while, Apple decides to take matters into its own hands and single-handedly eradicate a technology. It has done so in the past, and it is poised to do it again later this year, with the introduction of an incredibly thin and light notebook.
The details about this system are more abundant than they used to be a couple of months ago, which obviously got people talking. Not surprisingly, very few people are taking kindly to the upcoming Mac, mainly because it’s said to eliminate a lot of ports and connectors.
Shedding ports
Among the numerous bloggers resisting change is one Erik Eckel, an author and information technology consultant who recently penned an admittedly pertinent piece on how “Apple's rumored new MacBook Airs [are] potentially business unfriendly.”
The analysis is fairly accurate in and of itself, but the context couldn’t be more inappropriate. The MacBook Air is not a business machine. Never has been, never will be.
Businesses are not managed from MacBook Air computers, and those departments that can use a MacBook Air will do so without complaining, because the job description there will not require extra computing prowess or processing oomph.
Eckel even admits that he "may gravitate back to MacBook Pro options," if the specs of the 12-inch MBA turn out to be true. If this holds true for other business users, then Apple has even more incentive to proceed with these plans. As everyone knows, a MacBook Pro is considerably more expensive.
A Mac for the masses
The Air is a consumer-oriented machine first and foremost, one that has always been focused on portability and wireless connectivity, not office work and wires. So what if it’s losing the SD card slot? Ask around and see how many people – who aren’t photographers and don’t already own a MacBook Pro – still lug one around.
Some areas where the new Air indeed could fail with the masses are: the rumored exclusion of MagSafe, which might spell trouble for clumsy folks who trip over wires on a regular basis; the smaller spaces between the keys which force a person to adjust their writing (and everybody writes a lot on these things); and the lack of tactile feedback from the new trackpad (a design compromise to allow the notebook to be as thin as possible).
It remains to be seen how the new Mac fares in the face of these minor changes.
Portability may be more important than you think
A MacBook Air almost as light as an iPad will undoubtedly provide more incentive for people to carry them around all the time, in a bag, a back-pack, a briefcase, even a sleeve. Just shaving off a hundred grams makes a world of difference for someone who is required to move around all day carrying a device like the MacBook Air. I say this from experience.
The device probably couldn’t have gotten as small and thin as described by the people who leaked its specs had it packed more ports and external connectors. USB 3.1 will be the next connectivity standard across a plurality of devices, and Apple wants to be among the first to adopt it. What will you do two years from now when USB 3.1 is in full swing with no ports on your laptop to take advantage of it? Chances are you’ll see traditional USB with different eyes then.
Bottom line
All I’m saying is let’s not be hasty. First of all, the specs aren’t even confirmed yet (though they do seem plausible, knowing Apple’s modus operandi). Secondly, you need to carefully consider your usage scenarios before judging, and that includes both your personal needs and your line of work. Third, Apple probably has a good idea who will buy which computer of theirs. They wouldn’t make an all-new device unless they had a good reason to.
Is the current-selling 11-inch MacBook Air any more promising than this upcoming 12-incher? It certainly isn’t. That’s exactly why this newer model is (supposedly) taking its place. While the 12-inch MacBook Air may not be a business-oriented machine, you can be sure that the 11-inch model isn’t superior in any respect.
Disclaimer
This is a Personal Thoughts piece reflecting the author’s personal opinion on matters relating to Apple and / or the products associated with the Apple brand. This article should not be taken as the official stance of Softpedia on Apple-related matters.