New MacBook Air - competition for iPad?

[Seadog]

Along with a new version of the 13" MacBook Air, Jobs unveiled an 11" MBA. At $999 for a 64GB model, could this be a competitor for the iPad in certain quarters, especially with the blending of iOS features into OSX Lion? If they were to offer it with built in 3G and the same iPad price structure?

 

[EpiciPad]

I think it will be as popular as the iPad. It's small like the iPad, but it will be faster and it supports flash. Not to mention it has a USB port along with some other things the iPad is missing. If the iPad had all these features the iPad would be in more peoples hands.

 

[Hasty]

I don't see the Air having much influence on the tablet. It won't be as convenient to use on the sofa, in bed on the move etc., but it will cater for those who need a solid keyboard with the portability of the iPad.

Far more interesting is the effect of the iPad on osx lion. Programs as apps with their own AppStore. App style installation and upgrading. The instant on experience and full screen focus. This little gadget is having a seismic effect on the desktop. It will be interesting to see where it ends.

 

[gentlefury]

I think it's more a testing ground for a full os on a device that probably reflects the next gen iPad specs.

Betcha iPad 2 will run lion....since they seem to be gearing it towards touch support.

 

[Seadog]

The Lion touch interface is more geared to the touch pad. Jobs pretty definitely nixed any touch screen for the Macs. Lion on the iPad would be interesting, but major gains would need to be made in battery life and processor pricing before it would be practical. I would say iPad 5 and OSX 8 before it happens.

 

[Seadog]

A couple of sweet things about the new MBAs is that they take only 15 seconds to boot up. Try that with a Windoze unit. Plus they have a special USB stick to reboot the system. It can also reboot from any wireless PC nearby.

 

[tuanmai]

Although the ipad and macbook are still pretty different in their pros / cons. It seems as though the macbook's new size and functionality will probably give the ipad some competition since a lot of critics seem to bash on the ipad for its lack of certain features ( which the new macbook makes up for imo)

 

[tuanmai]

and for those who don't really know what we are discussing in this thread (tsk tsk..) you can check out this link for some pictures and specs along with some info on lion and other new things
In Pictures: New MacBook Air, OSX Lion, iLife '11 : MacBook Air: Two New Models

 

[mac]

Give it a convertible touchscreen and a gyro and you could wave bye bye to the iPad (and any other tablet for that matter)

 

[Hasty]

What the iPad has done is make me impatient with my current desktops.

I want instant on and off, I want simple install and updates. I like and currently run all my programs full screen, hiding and switching with kbd.
If the iPad can run such capable apps such as pages and filter storm in such limited storage and memory why the hell is my quad core slower with massive software installs.
It's not all just flash storage rather a reappraisal of traditional computer assumptions. Lion and the Airs is just a start.

 

[col.bris]

I have to agree. I also have a MacBook. I get frustrated waiting to launch to go on the net etc and most times. I often turn to the iPad. Since buying the iPad I now only use the MacBook maybe once every 2 weeks mainly to transfer songs etc.

My personal opinion is that most people purchasing computers, and i mean home users not gamers or professionals for some reason believe they must have intel core 2 500gb hard drive 4 gb ram and a fast video card just to do basic stuff
Yet all they want to do is get email and surf the web. It seems they live in a box. From my perspective the Mac book air along with the iPad is perfect for doing mobile computing I really love the instant on and great battery life

Col.bris

 

[RAC]

Along with a new version of the 13" MacBook Air, Jobs unveiled an 11" MBA. At $999 for a 64GB model, could this be a competitor for the iPad in certain quarters, especially with the blending of iOS features into OSX Lion? If they were to offer it with built in 3G and the same iPad price structure?

I think that this might explain why the iPad seems inexplicably "crippled" by the lack of an SD card slot and exposed file system, positioning for the MacBook Air.

 

[ProPhotoGA]

I have an ssd drive in my Alienware laptop and Win7 64 is instant on very
similar to my iPad which BTW gets more use than the laptop. In fact I think
I have used my laptop maybe 10 times since getting the iPad. It is about
as perfect for what I do and weighs about 7lbs lighter than my laptop.

But when it comes to computing power..well the big guy wins.. but for
portability... NOTHING compares to the iPad.

 

[gentlefury]

I have to agree. I also have a MacBook. I get frustrated waiting to launch to go on the net etc and most times. I often turn to the iPad. Since buying the iPad I now only use the MacBook maybe once every 2 weeks mainly to transfer songs etc.

My personal opinion is that most people purchasing computers, and i mean home users not gamers or professionals for some reason believe they must have intel core 2 500gb hard drive 4 gb ram and a fast video card just to do basic stuff
Yet all they want to do is get email and surf the web. It seems they live in a box. From my perspective the Mac book air along with the iPad is perfect for doing mobile computing I really love the instant on and great battery life

Col.bris

Considering the form factor of the new air I would not doubt at all that a 13" iPad with lion could be seen next year...and I will be getting one

 

[pallentx]

A couple of sweet things about the new MBAs is that they take only 15 seconds to boot up. Try that with a Windoze unit.

We have windows 7 laptops at work with solid state storage booting around 25s. Resume from suspend is even faster.

The new air looks interesting. More options to meet more needs. Its all about different users having different needs requiring different tools to address them.