MacBook Air

Apple has introduced the MacBook Air, a computer that the company claims is the world's thinnest notebook ("nearly as thin as your index finger").
It weighs about 3 pounds, and sports a thickness of 0.16-0.76 inches. and it's 12.8 inches wide and 8.95 inches deep.

Sporting a silvery finish, the MacBook Air features a 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display that has a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. The backlighting saves power and provides "instant on" response from the moment you turn it on. The device has a slightly wedge-shaped profile.
The MacBook Air also features a built-in iSight webcam.

A full sized keyboard is full-size with crisp keys just like the ones on MacBook. But MacBook Air goes further by adding backlit key illumination, making it easy to work in low-light settings such as airplanes and conference halls. A built-in ambient light sensor automatically adjusts keyboard and display brightness for optimal visibility. And with the oversize multi-touch trackpad, it just keeps getting better for fingers. The trackpad is also capable of recognizing multi-touch gestures, similar to using an iPhone or iPod touch. As a result, the MacBook Air's trackpad is disproportionately large, compared to the size of trackpads found on the MacBook or MacBook Pro.

The MacBook Air features a 1.8-inch hard disk drive with 80GB of storage capacity standard. A 64GB solid-state disk (SSD) drive is an option. The hard drive is a Parallel ATA (PATA) model that operates at 4200 RPM.

The laptop is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo chip running at 1.6GHz, with 1.8GHz available as an option. Jobs noted that Intel was willing to engineer a new version of the Core 2 Duo specifically to Apple's specifications -- it's 60 percent smaller than others. The chip operates with 4MB of on-chip shared L2 cache running at full processor speed, and uses an 800MHz frontside bus. 2GB of 667MH DDR2 SDRAM is also included.

Like the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air features a slimmed down MagSafe connector for power. It comes with a 45 watt power adapter. A flip-down door on one side reveals USB 2.0, Micro-DVI (to connect an external display) and a headphone jack. The MacBook Air also includes 802.11n-based wireless networking support and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.
Apple estimates that with wireless networking turned on, the MacBook Air can get about 5 hours of battery life.

No internal optical drive is included, but Apple will offer a $99 USB 2.0-based add-on SuperDrive for users who need it. For users that opt not to get the optical drive, Apple is offering a new software feature on this machine called Remote Disk; it enables you to "borrow" the optical drive of another Mac or PC on the same network as the MacBook Air, to use for installing software, for example.

Technical Specifications

Size and weight

Height:

0.16-0.76 inch (0.4-1.94 cm)

Width:

12.8 inches (32.5 cm)

Depth:

8.94 inches (22.7 cm)

Weight:

3.0 pounds (1.36 kg)¹

Processor and memory

Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB on-chip shared L2 cache running at full processor speed

• 800MHz frontside bus
• 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM onboard

Storage

• 80GB 4200-rpm Parallel ATA hard disk drive²
• Optional 64GB solid-state drive²
• Optional external USB MacBook Air SuperDrive

Environmental status report

MacBook Air embodies Apple’s continuing environmental progress. It consumes the least amount of power of any Mac and is also designed with the following features to reduce environmental impact:

Highly recyclable aluminum enclosure

Mercury-free LCD display with arsenic-free glass

PVC-free internal cables

Largely recyclable, low-volume packaging

Meets ENERGY STAR requirements

MacBook Air received a Silver rating from EPEAT

Display

13.3-inch (diagonal) glossy widescreen TFT LED backlit display with support for millions of colors

Supported resolutions: 1280 by 800 (native), 1152 by 720, 1024 by 768, 800 by 600, 800 by 500, 720 by 480, and 640 by 480 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768, 800 by 600, and 640 by 480 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio; 720 by 480 pixels at 3:2 aspect ratio

Graphics and video support

Pure digital video output

DVI output using micro-DVI to DVI adapter (included)

VGA output using micro-DVI to VGA adapter (included)

Composite output using micro-DVI to video adapter (optional)

S-video output using micro-DVI to video adapter (optional)

Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory

Extended desktop and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 1920 by 1200 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors

Built-in iSight camera

Input

• Built-in full-size keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys, 4 arrow keys (inverted “T” arrangement)
• Backlit keyboard with ambient light sensor for automatic adjustment of keyboard illumination and screen brightness
• Solid-state trackpad with multi-touch gesture support for precise cursor control; supports two-finger scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities

Wireless

Built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on IEEE 802.11n draft specification); IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible

Built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)

Peripheral connections

Audio

• Analog audio output/headphone out (minijack)
• Built-in mono speaker
• Built-in omnidirectional microphone

Battery and power³

Integrated 37-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery

45W MagSafe power adapter with cable management system

MagSafe power adapter port

Electrical and operating requirements

• Line voltage: 100V to 240V AC
• Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz
• Operating temperature: 50° to 95°F (10° to 35°C)
• Storage temperature: -13° to 113°F (-24° to 45°C)
• Relative humidity: 0% to 90% noncondensing
• Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet
• Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet
• Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet

Installed software

• Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools)
• iLife ’08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand)

What’s in the box

• MacBook Air
• Micro-DVI to DVI adapter
• Micro-DVI to VGA adapter
• Cleaning/polishing cloth

• MagSafe power adapter
• Install/restore DVDs
• Printed documentation

Accessories

MacBook Air SuperDrive (MB397G/A)

Play or burn discs directly with the external USB-based MacBook Air SuperDrive. Thin, light, and easy to take with you, this drive is designed specifically for MacBook Air.

• Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• Size: 139 x 139 x 17 mm / 5.47 x 5.47 x 0.67 inches (L x W x H)
• Weight: 320 g (0.71 pounds)
• Requires MacBook Air with available USB 2.0 port

USB Ethernet Adapter (MB442Z/A)

No Wi-Fi? Connect to wired networks with this simple, one-piece external adapter.

MagSafe Airline Adapter (MB441Z/A)

Plug into your airline seat power port and keep MacBook Air powered up for the entire flight.

Micro-DVI to Video Adapter (MB202G/A)

Get composite and S-video output from the MacBook Air micro-DVI port.

• Time Capsule (MB276LL/A)
• AirPort Extreme Base Station (MB053LL/A)
• AirPort Express Base Station featuring AirTunes (M9470LL/A)
• Apple Wireless Keyboard (MB167LL/A)
• Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse (MB111LL/A)
• Apple USB Modem (MA034Z/A)
• .Mac Subscription (MA361Z/A)
• AppleCare Protection Plan (MA516LL/A)

1. Actual weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process.
2. 1GB=1 billion bytes. Actual formatted capacity less.
3. Battery life depends on configuration and use. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information.

During its presentation, Steve Jobs also offered information about the environmental goals behind the MacBook Air. It has a fully recyclable aluminum case, and is "the first" to have a mercury-free display with arsenic-free glass. All the circuit boards are BFR-free and PVC-free, and the retail packaging uses 56 percent less material than the MacBook packaging.



The MacBook Air is priced starting at $1,799 and will be available within two weeks.
You can pre-order it at Apple.

More Info:
Apple
www.macworld.com