Maybe you just bought a new MacBook Air. Or maybe you still sport the 2010 model, like I do. Either way, you need a great case (or bag) to carry it around in, as well as protect the aluminum lid that scratches so easily.

Already earlier this year, we listed ten great cases for the Air. But with the release of some new cases, it’s worth coming back to the subject. Here are four new cases or bags that we think are worth your attention, and one repeat recommendation that we still love that survives from the previous list.

In David Letterman fashion let me count them down, starting with a nice sleeve and ending with my favorite.

5. Zagg Invisible Shield Sleeve for MacBook Air – $54.99

Zagg is mostly known for protecting screens with their thin film that stands up to the punishment you can get from keys in a pocket. Or even rocks, if you drop your phone. They also make a shield for the MacBook Air that will protect your aluminum case. The company promises that the Invisible Shield keeps finger prints off your computer, although I’ve not had too much problems with fingerprints on mine. I hate any accessory in my bag that rubs against, and then scratches, the soft aluminum Apple uses. Zagg’s shield will protect the computer and make it look like you don’t even have anything around it.

Zagg offers a guarantee: they will replace the shield if you ever damage it. That way you don’t need to worry about messing up the shield.

4. Incase Perforated Hardshell Case – $59.95

The Incase Perforated Hardshell Case for the 11″ and 13″ MacBook Air should meet your standards for a quality case that will protect the MacBook Air without adding a lot of weight. The hardshell case offers great protection. The case feels nice, with a smooth coated plastic. The cutouts give access to all the ports and connectors. The bottom of the case raises the Air slightly, giving it plenty of ventilation since the Air’s aluminum can get a little warm when running under a strain.

I like the look of this case. Incase offers similar cases for all of Apple’s products. This one costs $59.95. You can choose between black, white and purple.

3. Knomo MacBook Air Envelope – $75.95

The Knomo Envelope will appeal to business users or others who just like things that have a high quality look and feel. Designed only for the 11″ MacBook Air, the case protects your computer with a soft genuine leather and soft black velvet lining. The Flap snaps closed. Each case has a unique ID number to help you find your computer if stolen.

The case comes in black for $75.95 direct from the company or from your Apple Store. They also sell cases for other sizes and even other manufacturers. The lady’s bags look really nice, but I wanted to keep this unisex.

2. The Cartella for MacBook Air by Pad & Quill – $79.99 or $89.99

If you want your MacBook Air to look like a book instead of a MacBook, The Cartella does the job. Made for both the 11″ and 13″ MacBook Air and iPad, on the outside the case looks like a book. An elastic band around the case holds it closed to keep your computer in the case. Layers of Baltic Birch wood hug your computer on the inside. Pad & Quill trimmed the case in three colors – red, green and blue on the inside flap and under the computer. On the inside of the cover a pocket holds a few papers.

Here is my video review.

Pad & Quill calls this a bookbindery case. It reminds me of a huge ledger that you might see in a 19th century London accountant’s office. I can imagine Bob Cratchet using books like this. If you want a somewhat unique case, The Cartella will grab attention while protecting your case from scratches and dings.

The company updated the design since my review with rounded corners and a tougher quality interior cloth. Pad & Quill discounted the cases $10 bringing the price for he 11″ to $79.99 and the 13″ to $89.99.

1. MacBook Air Travel Express Case from Waterfield Designs – $79 or $89

Waterfield Designs cases have a special feel and look to them. The rugged ballistic nylon used to make them not only keeps your precious MacBook Air safe, but also looks nice. They remind me of cases that an incredibly talented seamstress might make for your computer if you commissioned her.

Waterfield Designs released the MacBook Air Travel Express Case when the new Air came out. Inside the soft lining keeps your Air and accessories from scratches. The case can be used with just the Air, or it can house accessories in a number of pockets. You have room for a phone, a thin mouse like the Apple Magic Mouse, your charger and other items. Apple’s external Super Drive will fit as well. The zipper opens along both the long and short edge to open very wide.

The model they sent me for testing had rings and a strap to use the case as a shoulder bag. You can get it without the strap, but I like to carry around my Air hands free over my shoulder. My iPad 2 fits in the the case with my Air, but it is a tight fit and would not work if I had a lot of accessories.

The case comes in a black nylon with a colorful accent stripe. They offer black, copper, flame, green, pearl and pine. The 11″ starts at $79 and add $10 for the 13″. If you have your own shoulder strap but need rings sewn into the case add $5. Add $12 for a simple strap and $22 for a cushioned strap.

Five Awesome MacBook Air Cases is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Rumors of a possible 15″ MacBook Pro that looks and behaves more like a MacBook Air flourished on the Net yesterday as all the major news blogs rushed to report the story that, like other manufacturers, Apple may copy the design of the MacBook Air for the next generation MacBook Pro design, the idea being that the popularity of the MacBook Air inspired Apple to look at a 15″ version of the design.

Apple’s MacBook Air is a fast machine with two primary characteristics: a fast SSD drive replacing traditional spinning optical hard drives that are slower and suck up more electricity than their big brothers, and a super thin body that looks more like axe’s blade than a computer.

The larger screen version of the design might be another MacBook Air or a new version of the MacBook Pro. Either way the rumor says the new machine entered the final stages of testing at Apple’s headquarters.

The design of the MacBook Air received the copycat treatment from a number of manufacturers, with companies including Samsung and MSI revealing very similar thin wedge-shaped ultra-portable systems.

The MacBook Air sells well, especially compared with the previous first generation Air, which flopped. That begs the question, what made the second (and now this third) iteration of the Air so successful? The body design is roughly the same. What are the differences?

• First Air only had 13″ model while second/third has 11″ as well.
• New Air screen resolution upped to 1366×768 or 1440×900 versus 1280×800.
• Processor speed increased in newer Air with dual core for 2nd and Core i series in 3rd.
• Much faster SSD in the newer Airs over very low 4200rpm spinning hard drives in 1st.

Except for the last item on the list, these changes mimic all other manufacturers notebook line refreshes – faster and more power for the same or lower money. It is Moore’s Law - faster and bigger gets cheaper every 18 months.

There is one major thing that I left off that list, though: price. The first generation MacBook Air cost $1,799 on the low-end with optional configurations taking a bigger chunk of cash. The machine was seen as a luxury item appealing to the highest-end buyer, while the new MacBook Air started under a grand at $999, appealing to people who wanted an Apple notebook but were unwilling to drop two Gs.

Will a larger and undoubtedly more expensive MacBook Air with a 15″ or even 17″ screen be as popular? Don’t we need the traditional MacBook Pro with a SuperDrive and room for bigger keyboards and space on the screen for two open windows for writers or all the little windows used in editing files in Photoshop? We do! That is why I think Apple should move forward with the large screen version of the Air, or if you prefer to see it as a new Pro, a thinner version of their flagship notebook to fulfill the second need. To take care of the first need they could just create an external SuperDrive with a Thunderbolt port connector instead of USB 2.0. Such a drive will be faster for creating discs but still useful for viewing DVDs and loading very specialized software that often only comes in one way – on a DVD or CD.

The two primary characteristics of the Air should be the design goal of every notebook manufacturer going forward. Thinner and lighter notebooks are more portable and more useful in more situations. The more SSDs we have in notebooks the lower their price will be and the easier it will be to have a 500GB drive that doesn’t cost as much as a new car. I love my MacBook Pro, but I would love it even more if it wasn’t as heavy and had a capacious and fast flash drive.

Source: AppleInsider

Apple Rumored to be Copying MSI and Samsung by Copying Air Design for MacBook Pro is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

WaterField Designs didn’t waste any time jumping on the release and refresh of the new MacBook Air. They already have a new case for the computer called the MacBook Air Smart Case, which resembles their iPad Smart Case design. It is ready for you to get one to protect your shiny new 11 or 13 inch MacBook Air.

The new cases come in six colors – black, pearl, green, flame, pine and copper. Translation: black, white, green, reddish-orange, green and brown. You can order one for an 11 or 13 inch Air.

The simple sleeve case protects your air with a multi-layer padding made of a special water resistent nylon material that WaterField Designs designed themselves. A plastic insert offers added protection and the ultrasuede won’t scratch the scratch prone aluminum Apple uses.

On the outside a pocket will hold accessories or on other carry-along items. The computer fits snugly into the case. On the bottom the thumb tab gives you some leverage to slide the computer out. Unless you pull it out, the computer won’t slide out on its own. The sleeve is small enough that it easily fits into a larger computer bag. That way you can carry it by itself when you need only the computer and the case’s protection, but throw it into a book bag or briefcase when you need all your other extras too.

We’ve tested a number of their cases, including the iPad version of this case, and love them. They are available today for $79 or $89 for the 11.6″ or 13.3″ MacBook Air respectively.

WaterField Designs Celebrates MacBook Air Refresh with New Cases is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Apple will release a refresh of the 2nd generation MacBook Air next week according to rumors. If you act quickly, you can sell yours now and help defray the costs of an upgrade.

We expected an update this week along with the release of Mac OS X Lion, but that didn’t happen. Now, one reliable source often proven correct about all things Mac, reported that the refresh won’t happen until next week. All Things D quoted a source which said, “The rumor sites are off by a week.”

We reported that the refresh should include the following:

• Intel 2nd Generation Sandy Bridge Core i3 or higher processors
• NVIDIA GPU to replace the integrated graphics chip
• Thunderbolt port

We’ve read about these rumored changes, which include:

• Increased RAM from 2GB base config to 4GB
• Increased storage space from 64GB base config to 128GB
• increased high-end storage space from 256GB to a higher amount
• Faster RAM and SSD
• Backlit keyboard like the original MacBook Air

If you own a current generation MacBook Air and want to upgrade, you have a few options for getting some cash to help with the cost of the upgrade.

Gazelle

A technology buying site that offers cash for your older gadgets. A 13.3″ 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook Air with 2GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD you will bring an offer of $447. Not great, but it makes that new MacBook Air more affordable.

eBay

If you don’t mind the risks and expense of eBay, you will earn twice what you get from Gazelle. We searched for the same MacBook Air and found four completed listings with the above specs. Two sold at $1,010 and $1,025, while two went unsold for $1,099 each.

Craigslist

On the free classified ads site Craigslist, we found six MacBook Airs listed in our area for between $725 and $745. This will vary based on the region in which you live. Craigslist doesn’t charge for listing items and you get a face-to-face transaction (if you follow their strong recommendation to not deal with non-local buyers, as that usually results in a scam). You also don’t get the eBay reputation system to judge if a seller or buyer has a good history or not.

Others

Some other gadget buying services that we have not used include:

• Nextworth
• eBay Instant Sell
• BestBuy Buy Back
• Radio Shack

Sell Your MacBook Air to Get The New One Next Week is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

If you would like to protect the ultra-portable MacBook Air in a fashionable way, then the Cartella case from Pad&Quill might be just the thing. The case looks just like an oversized accounting ledger with an elastic band like most high-end leather folios have. There are two sizes for each of the MacBook Air models – 11″ and 13″ sizes. Pad&Quill calls it a “bookbindery case” which is appropriate.

Cartella MacBook Air Case from Pad&Quill

Build Quality and Look

The frame is made of Baltic Birch wood. Inside the frame there is a layer of thin rubber along the edges to act as a bumper. The inside bottom of the case has circular pads where the feet on the bottom of the MacBook Air rest. This raises the computer a little to give it some ventilation. The front is raised slightly higher than the back making the keyboard flat instead of the ever so slight angle at which the MacBook Air normally sits without a case.

The Cartella is made from Baltic Birch

The trim inside the case is an attractive red. The binding is black. On the inside cover there is a pocket to hold thin papers. When you open the case it has instructions for installation as well as a “Table of Contents” which lists major accomplishments of the company as if they were chapters. The Cartella is the fifth chapter. The tongue and cheek nature of the “story” of a pair of “starving artists” which ends with the sixth chapter telling “The Story of No Longer Starving Artists…” is a nice touch. The final line says, “… Thanks to our customers.”

Cartella has an inside pocket for the "Table of Contents"

This is a solid case that will protect your MacBook Air. The wood frame is light but sturdy. It is an expensive case because it is a quality product.

The Cartella is designed with detail in mind

Functionality

The design makes the case easy to put on the MacBook Air. You slide the thin end of the case into the front of the case. Then just drop the back thicker end of the computer down and it should fall right into place. There are a couple of strips of the bumper material with a sticky back in case you need to add some tension to the case to keep the MacBook Air in place better.

Notice the beveling which lets the MacBook open while in the case and allows for easy removal

We must say they have thought of every detail. The rear side edges have cutouts for the ports. And on the back left cutout is slightly larger to accommodate the MagSafe power connector. The woodworking fits the computer nicely and the spacing is perfect. It is easy to get the computer open thanks to the front spacing where the notch is on the MacBook Air. The spacing allows you to lift the lid. The back edge allows the lid to open and gives room for you to get your finger under the back of the computer for quick removal from the case.

Notice the front opening which allows the MacBook Air to be opened while in the case

Not for Everyone

Not everyone agrees that the Cartella looks nice. My wife looked at it and her first reaction was that it looked kind of cheap. I was stunned because I thought the opposite – it looks classy. So you may agree with me or her. At either $80 or $90 you will want to be certain about the look and feel of this case.

I just think the case fits in a category by itself and is designed for a unique market. It is for people who like nice things and don’t feel the need to show off their Apple hardware. They want more than a cheap rubber cover or a nylon computer bag for protection. If you fit that category, then I think you will really like the Cartella from Pad&Quill.

The Cartella top cover bows a little

It is not perfect. The top cover on ours bowed after a short usage. It could be because we stored the two bumper strips in the inside pocket. But where else would you put them? Also the elastic band that holds it closed can get in the way a little. I’ve never been a fan of those folio style elastic bands around covers. These are two very minor complaints.

The Cartella design allows MacSafe connector to be used while in the case

Video Review

Price, Availability and Other Cases

The Cartella from Pad&Quill is available now for $79.99 for the 11″ model and $89.99 for the 13″ model. Soon there will be an iPad 2 case called the Octavo and we will be reviewing it when it is released. Right now there are also cases available for the original iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Kindle 3 and Nook. We love that the iPhone case is called “The Little Black Book”. Pad&Quill takes quality seriously, but they don’t take themselves too seriously and we like companies like that.

The ports are available for use while in the Cartella case

Pad&Quill Cartella Case Review: Turns MacBook Air into MacBook with Class is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

When my desktop system got really old, I bought an iMac. But after two lemons were returned, I opted for a new MacBook Pro 15.4″ model and I’m glad I did. So when I saw a post by a colleague at The Unoffical Apple Weblog, one of my favorite sites, I was surprised to hear of the author’s bad experiences with Apple’s notebooks. He has a reason to be unhappy. I’d be unlikely to get one if I’d experienced the same bad track record. Fortunately, for most of us who own Apple products, his experience is not the norm.

The gist of his post is that since buying a white MacBook in 2007, he has had nothing but trouble with it. The list of repairs is long and amazing. I think the key sentence in the article though is this one:

One lemon machine is bad enough, but at least she (the author’s wife) got the most positive outcome imaginable: only months before her AppleCare expired, Apple gave her a brand new replacement machine with another three years of AppleCare coverage.

A company should stand behind its products with such customer-centric care, especially if they paid extra for Apple Care, Apple’s premium warranty and support service.

The fact that Apple did this, is actually stunning in the present day of company’s cutting back on customer support to make a buck. I think this is just one reason why Apple is rolling in the billions while other manufacturers are struggling to stay afloat in a weak economy.

It is also the reason why my next Mac is a MacBook Pro.

But why a MacBook instead of the iMac or Mac Mini?

I have always had a desktop computer. Got my first as a gift back in 1992 and have had one on my desk ever since. Back in 2000 I began building my own systems and did so with my next three computers. Sure, I’ve also had a laptop  during that time, but it was always my second PC. My desktop was my friend. When away from it, I missed it.

Fast forward to 2011 and my Lenovo desktop was getting long in the tooth and the last time I cracked the case to upgrade him, he moaned and said, “Not again!’ So instead of trying to squeeze another year out of my friend, I gave him away and bought an iMac – another desktop. Then nine days later, after it over heated and started literally whining really loud.

I exchanged it for another one. Then after 32 days and the same result – repeatedly over heating and a final loud whine and electronic thumping sound, I took it back thanks to my Best Buy Silver Rewards membership which gives me 45 days instead of 30 days for returns. And this time I replaced my Mac truck (a desktop) with a sports car – the Intel Core i7 Quad Core powered MacBook Pro 15.4″ model. And I’m glad I did.

First, I was tired of getting my new iMac setup only to have it fail. Sure, it is unlikely that a third one would be that bad. But it is also unlikely that someone would have all the trouble my colleague at TUAW had with his wife’s white MacBook. So, I felt like it was a better bet to try a different system.

Second, I wanted a Mac. I like the OS and have a MacBook Air for my mobile computing use. But it’s not quite powerful enough for some of the tasks I want to do on a computer. So I need a more powerful system and I want it to be a Mac to stay consistent. I can still run Windows on it too.

Third, I chose the MacBook Pro because it is fast! It has a Quad core processor and switching ATI graphics. The keyboards on these are great. And while it sits on my desk I have 2TB of storage hooked up for offloading my video projects, my huge picture library from when I was shooting with a DSLR in RAW, and it is my backup. Being able to always get back to where my system was in the last few hours, is nice.

All day computing on the go with MacBook Pro, Air and iPad 2

Finally, I now have the ability to compute all day long if I need it. I can actually load up my MacBook Pro and my MacBook Air in a computer bag and go. When one runs out of battery life I can pull out the other. The MacBook Air is that small and light that I don’t notice the added weight, especially since the two combined are still lighter than my previous HP system with the extended 12-cell battery. Combined I have 8-9 hours of battery life.

This is a more expensive option. My MacBook Pro was $300 more than the iMac and probably a thousand more than a Windows desktop. But already, after a little more than a week, I am noticing the difference. It is cooler, faster, more versatile and more reliable than the iMacs I had. And it may just be because its new and different, but I really like using OS X. There are some challenges of getting used to it, even after six months of use. But now I can run both Windows and Mac. You can’t do that with an HP or Dell desktop. And you can’t take an iMac on the road.

Check out our New MacBook Pro Review.

Why My Next Notebook is a MacBook is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The Dell Adamo was a thin ultra-portable competitor to Apple’s MacBook Air that has been discounted several times over the past months and was recently phased out. It appears that Dell isn’t leaving the ultraportable laptop market, but instead planning a MacBook Air competitor.

CNet report that Dell is working on a new model that will be released sometime in the next six months. It will not be under the Adamo name, but will just be added to one of Dell’s already existing lineups, like the XPS.

There is little info yet on specs or pricing. But it will likely be in line with the MacBook Air, now the standard for light, ultra-portable notebooks. The lowest priced Macbook Air is $999 for an 11″ model with a 64GB SSD and 2GB of RAM and only an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. With the release of next generation processor and graphics chips from both AMD and Intel, we can bet the successor to the Adamo will likely have a little more oomph in the processor spec than the Air at a lower price.

Unfortunately for Dell, it appears Apple is going to be upgrading the Air already with the new Sandy Bridge platform from Intel.

Dell Phases Out Adamo and Plans MacBook Air Competitor is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The new MacBook Air, which we just reviewed this week, is causing some problems for a few users, according to a report from Cult of Mac.

The first issue is a freezing problem with the MacBook Air display. Various users in the Apple discussion forums have stated they have experienced problems like strange colors and lines showing up in the display and blank screens.

David Martin of Cult of Mac said, “I observed horizontal sparkling bands running up and down the screen, but the computer did not freeze. Subsequently after rebooting the problem hasn’t happened again.” One user was able to get the anomalies on video which is below:

Apple does have an update that you can apply doing a Software Update from the Apple menu in the upper left corner. Or you can download it directly at their web site. The description of the update doesn’t seem to apply to the lines or bands, but could fix the blank screens.

In addition to display issues, there is a report that users are seeing Kernel Panics in OS X. This is where the operating system crashes and displays a warning message on screen.

Such kernel panics are not very typical on a Mac. We have not experienced any such issues, but will report if we do.

MacBook Air Display Problems and Crashes Being Reported is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Air is an excellent mixture of beautiful design and function. The larger of the two new MacBook Air notebook computers from Apple is thin, light, and capable. It gives new meaning to the term ultra portable. Even though it is small and light, the MacBook Air is also fast and can handle most day-to-day tasks it’s owner will throw it’s way. With long battery life, people on the go will get a lot of use out of Apple’s new wonder.

Quick Specs ($1,399 available directly from Apple)

• 13.3-inch display with 1440×900 resolution
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor running at 1.86MHz
• 128GB SSD storage
• 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM
• 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-fi and Bluetooth 2.1
• .11-.68 inches think and 2.9 lbs

Display

The MacBook Air display has a beautiful 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with a really high resolution of 1440×900. At that level you would think that text would be hard to read. While I recognize that people with sight problems might struggle – with healthy eyes, everything looks crisp and sharp. For others using Mac OS X’s tweaking tools text can be enlarged and it will be quite readable on the sharp display.

The viewing angle is insanely wide. I could position myself almost 90 degrees to the right or left and still read the contents of the screen. Video looks rich and while I didn’t really play any games on it, because that is not what this is for, I am sure simple games able to run on integrated graphics cards would look good.

Keyboard, Trackpad and Mouse

The keyboard of the MacBook Air is the typical Apple island keyboard. While I struggled as a Windows user to adjust to the Mac keyboard layout and the lack of my memorized Windows shortcuts, typing on it was not a problem at all. I am really picky about the keyboards that I use and this one is impressive. I had no problems, once I got used to the keystrokes of OS X.

Another really noticeable feature of this notebooks is the track pad. It is huge especially when compared to most PCs out there. Apple gives the user plenty of room to perform the OS X gestures. Even large hands like mine could perform a four-finger swipe to bring up the application switching feature in the OS. It is responsive and easy to use. As someone who doesn’t like track pads, I find this one is easily the best I have ever used on any computer. Ever.

The MacBook Air doesn’t come with a mouse, but I did review Apple’s Magic Mouse used with this computer. It is a nice companion mouse.

The only thing negative I have to say about the mouse on this computer is that the mousing speed even cranked all the way to the maximum is not fast enough for me. I cannot move the pointer from once side of the screen to the other in one motion. I usually have to pick up the mouse and replace it to finish the motion.

Processor, RAM and Graphics

Of the two possible configurations, the MacBook Air we tested has the slower one with a 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. A 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo is also available.

We were a little disappointed to learn that Apple did not put an Intel Core i3 processor in this machine. But there is a good reason for it.

AnandTech is one of those very technical sites that specializes in this kind of thing and they have a great explanation for Apple’s choice. While it is complicated, the simple reason is Apple needed a fast chip that could run at lower temperatures and inside the extremely confined space of the MacBook Air. So they Intel came up with a special chip that is both smaller than a typical Intel Core 2 Duo and runs on less power making it cooler and offering better battery life while giving the machine more power than a netbook. As a result the computer feels very responsive, mostly because of the SSD, but the processor is not a bottleneck slowing the system down. The heat it generates is minimal.

The RAM inside this computer is DDR3 SDRAM. It comes with 2GB but we had them add a stick to bring it to 4GB of RAM. Doing simple photo and video editing is not going to be a problem for the MacBook Air. My video included with this review was edited in iMovie on this MacBook Air and most 10 minute videos exporting at higher than VGA resolution but not quite HD (960×540) take about thirty minutes to export from iMovie, which is not bad for this machine.

The graphics chip in the MacBook Air is the NVIDIA GeForce 320M with 255MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared memory. While we wish it had discrete graphics, the battery life would not be as good. So the video chip is a bit of a compromise.

The MacBook Air is not intended to be a high-powered gaming system or a professional video editing computer. For what the vast majority of users will be doing, surfing the Internet, writing documents, and doing light video/photo editing, the graphics are sufficient.

The graphics processor in the MacBook Air is capable of powering up to a 2560×1600 resolution display via the Mini DisplayPort adapters that Apple sells to go with it. There is one for HDMI, Dual-link DVI output, DVI output and VGA and they cost $29 a piece.

One of the few weeknesses of the MacBook Air is the limited storage. The SSD is its biggest strength as far as speed goes. But that speed comes at not only a monetary prince, but also a price in the amount of storage. The largest drive available is only 256GB. This one has 128GB requiring me to get an external hard drive. I won’t carry the external drive around all the time, but it does make me have to think about what I will and will not store on the system. I have also chosen to not even bother running a copy of Windows on the computer, something I originally planned to do.

Battery Life

Apple promised that the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro should get up to seven hours of battery life. I was reading reviewers saying that number was either accurate or even low. So when I did my first battery test the night I got the machine, the battery lasted on about three and a half hours. I was really disappointed. I did another test with the screen’s brightness way down, Bluetooth off, and Wi-Fi off except for when I needed it to get online. Again I was only getting around four hours. There was a real problem.

After some research, I found that Apple recommends a battery calibration every so often. So I followed their steps which include charging the battery until the indicater light on the MacSafe adapter turns green. Then run the computer plugged in for two hours. After two hours, unplug it and drain the battery. After the computer shuts itself off due to a dead battery, let it sit for five hours before plugging it back in and charging it again.

Since running the calibration procedure, the battery life is much better. i still have not achieved seven hours, but I keep my display turned up to at least 80 percent most of the time.

The battery life is excellent and this means that with my lifestyle I can carry a fully charged computer out of the house in the morning and not have to bring the power adapter. Some might complain because the battery is not user replaceable, but I seldom every changed the battery on my previous PC laptops.

Let me also add, as a new Mac owner I love the power adapter. This is something Mac owners will take for granted, but we PC people will appreciate the small footprint. The white brick is small and light, half the size of a typical PC power brick. The fact that you can connect the brick directly to the wall saving you from having to carry around half the cord is nice. When needed there is an attachment that provides double the cord length. The part that connects to the computer (called a MagSafe Connector) is so thin not taking up much room in a bag. And the magnetic connector that detaches if you trip over the cord or step on it has already saved me from pulling the computer onto the floor twice, once due to my own clumsiness and once due to my dog’s over attentiveness.

Video

Watching a DVD is impossible unless you add an external optical drive. Apple makes one for the MacBook Air, but most of the software I install is downloaded. And most of the videos I watch are online. The MacBook Air handled hulu without any problems. I watched an episode of The Good Guys on hulu and some podcasts from Twit downloaded via iTunes. I also viewed some YouTube videos and some that I created and edited on the machine. All of them look good. The blacks are dark and the contrast is good. There was no stuttering at all. It looked like I was watching TV, even better at times since my DirecTV receiver is not working right lately.

Audio

Since the MacBook Air doesn’t have noticable speakers, I expected sound to be muffled. Instead it is strong and loud. Sure it could be better if Apple put some expensive speakers in the thing and made openeings for the sound to escape the case. But despite the speakers being behind the aluminum case, they sound pretty good. Plugging in headphones produces good quality audio as well.

Software

The new Apple iLife 11 comes pre-installled on the MacBook Air. I have not tested Garage Band 11 that much. But I have used iPhoto and iMovie a little and they both are nice programs for simple editing needs. For quick snapshots of product reviews and for making short videos, they do a good job and are simple enough.

Not a lot more comes with Mac OS X and Apple doesn’t load down their computers with a lot of “crapware” like other venders. There are plenty of optional add-ons and buying them at the time of purchase can save money. For example iWork retails for $79 but if you bundle it you save $30.

For the first time Apple has done something unique by including, not a restore disc to reload things like the OS or iLife, but a USB flash drive since there is no optical disc. This is a welcome change and I hope all PC manufacturers will follow suit.

Connectivity

The MacBook Air has all versions of 802.11 Wi-Fi and Buetooth 2.1+EDR. What it doesn’t have is an Ethernet port. That may not be a big deal for some, but if you only plan to use yours via Ethernet you will have to add an adapter. Apple sells one for $29 as an add on.

I had little problem with the wireless connections. Occasionally the AirPort could not connect to my home network, which was frustrating. But I cannot say if it was the computer or the network. My Apple Magic Mouse does have a problem reconnecting to the Bluetooth after the computer is closed and goes into sleep mode and then comes out of it. I have to reconnect almost every time. I am not the only one with this problem according to the Apple support forums. Again, I am not sure if this is a MacBook Air Bluetooth problem or a Magic Mouse problem. It is easily solved by just clicking the mouse and it usually reconnects. This may be by design.

Ports and Plugs

One of the differences between the two MacBook Air models is the number of USB 2.0 ports. It is a shame Apple won’t include USB 3.0 ports as that is likely going to be the new standard in a year. But having 2 ports instead of just the one on the old MacBook Air is nice.

There is also an SD card slot and a Mini DisplayPort for connecting to an external display via a $29 adapter. I am used to having at least a VGA port and that was a problem at a recent meeting where I was to give a presentation. I had to run out and buy the adapter. But it works well.

There is also a headphone jack, which offers decent sound. The  FaceTime camera, as they are now calling them thanks to release of FaceTime for the Mac is adequate.

Conclusion

The biggest thing people will notice with the new MacBook Air is of course the thickness, or should we say thinness. The front edge of the computer is so thin in fact that it is almost sharp. The cutout just in front of the trackpad is sharp enough that my right thumb was slightly irritated after a few hours of use the other night. I have had to break myself of the habit of resting it there while I use the trackpad.

Aside from the size, the speed coming from the SSD is amazing. A computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo at 1.8GHz should not be this fast. But it is and it makes the 13.3-inch MacBook Air a great ulta-mobile option.

A light portable computer like this should also feel flimsy, but the MacBook Air feels the opposite. The aluminum case is sturdy and solid. I wouldn’t want to drop it on the ground, but it does feel like it will hold up normal wear and tear.

The only question is the price. At $1,399 a buyer has to think twice especially when a PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo running at 1.86GHz can be purchased for under $500. The problem is that comparing a sub-$500 notebook is comparing apples and oranges (pun intended). The MacBook Air is not a netbook or budget computer. It is a high-end ultra-mobile notebook computer. People should not compare it to budget systems.

The MacBook Air is not for everyone. If you need more than 256GB of storage you will have to look elsewhere. If you plan to do processor intensive or graphics intensive projects, look elsewhere. But if you want a Mac and really need something ultra-portable and have the budget, then this is a splendid option.

I like the new MacBook Air so much, that I am not sure I am addicted to my iPad anymore. I know it is likely because it is newer and therefore more exciting, but the size and weight of this computer makes it so easy to transport. I can put both my computer and my iPad in the same computer sleeve. And I can get my MacBook out and start it up so fast, that I find myself choosing it over the iPad much of the time now.

Video Review

Pros:

• Size: weight and thickness
• Battery life over six hours
• Speed is excellent thanks to SSD
• Screen is bright, crisp and has a higher than average resolution
• Display has a very wide viewing angle
• Keyboard is comfortable and easy to touch type
• Track pad is very large and responsive; makes a track pad hater enjoy it
• Sound is good for no exposed speakers
• Feels durable

Cons:

• Limited storage
• Sharp front edge

New MacBook Air 13″ Detailed Tech Specs

Specifications

MacBook Air 13.3-inch Review: Excellent Mix of Form and Function is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The MacBook Air promises to be one of the fastest booting systems available today. Wake from sleep is said to be nearly instantaneous. Laptop Magazine did a comparison between the new 11-inch MacBook Air and what they call one of the fastest Windows-based notebooks available, the Sony VAIO Z with Windows 7. They also throw in the Apple iPad.

Their results were as you would expect. The MacBook Air booted from the fully off position in about 15 seconds. It woke from sleep in less than two seconds.

The Sony VAIO Z used had a faster Intel Core i5 or i7 processor (depending on which model they used; it is not specified) and a pair of SSD hard drives configured for speed. It is in the same family of the notebook that APC recently called “The best notebook of all time.” And it took longer to get through it’s BIOS system check than the MacBook Air took to boot. Total time was 40 seconds, which for a Windows 7 notebook is very fast. Waking from sleep took about five seconds.

As a way of showing just how fast the MacBook Air is, they also tested the boot time of an iPad, which took 25 seconds to boot. It woke up instantly like the MacBook Air. It might even be faster.

Below is their video that demos all of this.

MacBook Air Boot and Wake Times Compared to Windows Notebook and iPad is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.