I like this comparison on Engadget between the Macbook Air and the Thinkpad X300.
Yes, the Thinkpad represents a much better compromise between features and size – even though it’s pig ugly. No amount of cringe inducing twaddle and laboured, automotive analogies can rationalise what is a (typically Jobsian) style first, function third design philosophy of the Macbook Air.
Although he has been heading in this direction for some time, this particular post defines Gruber1 as the Paul Thurrott of the Mac world.
By making Air so thin Apple have sacrificed – in order of increasing significance – an internal drive, expandable memory, an ethernet port and a removable battery. The last will be an issue for a great many potential users. By restricting the number of USB ports to one, difficult to reach at that, Apple have made using Air needlessly irritating as well as restrictive.
Finally, the lack of expansion slots means that cards for accessing mobile networks can’t be used. I’m sure many people looking for an ultra portable would appreciate this particular feature.
I suspect there will be a quite a lot of work done by the Hackintosh community to put together a working OS X distribution for the X300.
1As with many things related to Apple, one can at least rely on a certain amount of good taste. Gruber may reek of a shill, but his site is far more likely to contain links to interesting stuff than those concerned primarily with Microsoft.
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I agree with you completely, why make it so thin that it’s no longer a lap top?
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