In article <1390452.Do0V2ZjtPK@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> The MacBook Air misses its mark
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | So Apple has just announced its MacBook Air, a very thin, very
> | snazzy-looking, not-so-cheap $1,799 notebook.
> |
> | [...]
> |
> | However, there are a few companies that are actually starting to get it.
> | Small, Linux-based boxes such as the Asus EEE and the Everex CloudBook
> | don't
> | have the sleek designs of the Vista (and Mac) devices, and they suffer from
> | awkward keyboards and some OS issues, but they are lightweight, functional,
> | and (at $400) inexpensive enough to grab as a useful tool rather than as a
> | showy investment.
> `----
>
> http://blogs.computerworld.com/the_macbook_air_misses_its_mark
That's a rather silly comparison, as the machines are so different.
Ways the Air is better:
* The Air has an 80 gig hard drive. The EEE has 8 GB of flash.
* The Air has a 13.3" 1280x800 display. The EEE has 7" 800x480.
* The Air has a 1.6 or 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo. The EEE has a 900 MHz
Celeron.
* The Air has 5 hours battery life. The EEE has 3.5 hours.
* The Air has a better camera.
* The Air's volume is less.
* The Air can drive an external DVI monitor at 1920x1200. EEE is VGA
1600x1280.
* The Air has Bluetooth.
* The Air has 802.11n. The EEE has 802.11g.
Ways the EEE is better:
* Weighs less (2 pounds vs 3 pounds).
* EEE has more USB ports and an MMC/SD card reader.
* Has ethernet.
* Has expansion slots.
* Has built-in stereo speakers. Air has a mono speaker.
* The EEE is less long and less wide.
They are clearly targeting different markets. The Air is for people that
want a light laptop that they can use for fairly heavy-duty tasks. You
could do some serious office work, or Photoshop work, or development, on
an Air while on a long flight, for example. The EEE is for people that
want a small machine they can toss in a backpack, for things like
browsing and email.
The Air is a machine that you could take as your only computer on a
month long business trip and be reasonably happy. The EEE is probably
not going to work for that. On the other hand, the EEE would be great
as a machine to have in the kitchen or the living room, for when you
want to quickly check a recipe or a TV schedule.
--
--Tim Smith
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