iBox (the hardware)

The usb-Et0 dongle is $29. I suspect that more than a few travelers will drag along an Airport Express too. Anybody who buys this thing for themselves will alreadyhave a BT phone. The question is only how much simple is it to do the "use phone as modem" -- I think that is one area where buying an unlocked phone is far superior to hoping for a generous policy from a carrier subsidized phone -- they just don't so that.

It's easy enough with my Treo 750... and it's not an unlocked version even. It supports Bluetooth PAN which makes things wicked easy to set up.

It depends what you use it for. I tend to agree with Wil Shipley on this.

Speaking as someone who has a MBP, but not as my primary machine (either at home or the office), if I were buying a laptop today, I would be sorely tempted to buy the MBA instead of the MBP. I hate lugging around the MBP when I travel. The smaller, lighter form factor is a big feature. I don't see any of the "missing" features as being critical.

Correct. Wireless networks are forbidden at work.

What a journey.

Yeah, stan, and even at that, it took me some tinkering and downloading some guy's scripts for my phone for BT tethering to work. Granted, this is on T-Mobile's $5.99 restricted data plan (where they use a proxy to prevent you from visiting most sites).

No ethernet is a yeah-duh moment for me. I can't remember the last time I plugged in ethernet, and that includes the last two iMacs I set up. 802.11n's throughput is higher than 100Mb Ethernet, and maybe you'll start seeing offices not bother with wiring soon. Practically, there's nothing that FireWire can do that USB2 can't, for most users. So what else is there? ExpressCard slot would've been nice, but definitely not Jobs' style. Jobs won't be happy until wireless USB is in place.

How long before you see a slick little dock that has a USB hub, regular size video ports, and an Ethernet jack (and maybe even a DVD burner)? Not long.


edit: I will save that Wil Shipley article for every goddamn commenter on Gizmodo.

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You are GEAR HEADS. ... recognize that what you think is cool is NOT what my mom thinks is cool

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2008 09:34AM by johnny k.

I agree with Wil, too. I think he's dead on.

And the first comment on his post: It's missing Firewire...seems odd." No, it doesn't. What are you going to do with the FireWire port? Hook up an external drive? Do that with USB. Hook up a camcorder? Should get a MacBook or, better yet, a MBP. This thing isn't really aiming for the video editing crowd here, even with iMovie.

Of all that is "missing" on the MBA, the biggest one is Ethernet, and there's a solution for that. As I read on another post, just because it doesn't meet your needs doesn't mean it shouldn't exist.

My mom has never spoken the word "COOL"

What a journey.

Hey Sparby, remember when I asked your mom to prom?

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Madaracs
Hey Sparby, remember when I asked your mom to prom?

i went to the prom a few weeks ago:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16933097@N06/sets/72157603657041171/

Shut up, Ted!

(Would that be as funny if it wasn't true?)

You REALLY went to a (fake) prom?
Should have coupled that with a fake wedding, too.

What a journey.

Is that B-Side?

One of my friends was having a birthday party. She themed it as a prom.

And yes, that was B-side. And the inside of my apartment.

I have no idea what B side means... ????

DId you get 'some'!???? ;)

What a journey.

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El Jeffe
I have no idea what B side means... ????

DId you get 'some'!???? ;)

A gentleman never tells.

well, what's stopping YOU, then!? ;)

What a journey.

I got to play with the MBA and see one taken apart.
Seriously cool. Very tough. Doesn't seem easy to dent.
There is no target disk mode. It will boot and restore over wifi.
The ethernet dongle and the ext superdrive are MBA only.
There is no wasted space in the case.
It is in no way shape or form a game machine. It will throttle down the CPU when it gets hot. 3D games will make it hot.
It is not upgradeable. ever. RAM is soldered. HD is custom. (extra thin)
It is remarkably light.
The multi touch pad is new technology. No way to add it to old Macbooks.

Dongle and SD MBA only? Hmmm. Makes me wonder if third-party equivalents will work there. I'll check into it tomorrow.

In other news, don't hold your breath expecting older APB with hard drives attached to ever work with Time Machine. It's a bit complicated. Let's just say it's not simply a software change that makes Time Capsule work.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2008 05:31PM by Mighty Mouse.

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Mighty Mouse
In other news, don't hold your breath expecting older APB with hard drives attached to ever work with Time Machine. It's a bit complicated. Let's just say it's not simply a software change that makes Time Capsule work.

Apple better be careful here as using Time Machine with the current Airport Extreme Base Station was heavily promoted right up to the day before Leopards release, even by their in store sales staff and a lot of people bought one just because of this feature. I can smell a lawsuit brewing over this one based on some of the comments I have read.

Daniel

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Dongle and SD MBA only? Hmmm. Makes me wonder if third-party equivalents will work there. I'll check into it tomorrow.

for the SD, it's a power issue. the mba provides extra power on the usb port to support it.
the dongle is just a driver issue.