To clarify, when someone mentions their notebook, they are most likely talking about a computer. However, today's notebooks as so lightweight and thin
that some are actually smaller than the spiral-bound paper type. The latest addition to your choice of notebooks comes from Apple. The new
MacBook Air
pioneers a category of notebooks that replaces the standard notebook hard disk for solid state flash storage.
The solid state drive (SSD) is not only a fraction of the size of a hard disk – which makes for a smaller device – it is also much faster. With no
moving parts, the flash storage drive's points of failure are drastically reduced and hard drive crashes are nil. Apple boasts that the MacBook Air – currently, their lightest notebook – is twice as fast as notebooks with hard drive storage. In addition, the solid state flash storage is up to 90
percent smaller – and lighter – than a hard drive, while the uber-thin aluminum, unibody enclosure aids in the sturdiness of the device. The MacBook
Air has Intel Core 2 Duo processors, NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, full-sized keyboard, glass Multi-Touch trackpad as well as a built-in FaceTime
camera, mic and stereo speakers. Also integral to the MacBook Air is a Mini-DisplayPort that can connect to a 27-inch Apple LED Cinema Display,
projector or HD TV.
If you're wondering about connecting to the world around you, don't worry. With a 802.11n Wi-Fi connection- praised by industry leaders – you can
download music and movies from iTunes in addition to any other action that is enhanced by the speed of your Wi-Fi connection. The
Wi-Fi Alliance
states that 802.11n is a "breakthrough technology that enables Wi-Fi networks to do more, faster, over a larger area." They continue to add that it
"provides the very best connection available for computer networking and home entertainment applications alike – delivering the range, bandwidth, and
performance today's multimedia applications and products demand." While the MacBook Air's power and portability lets you work and play to your heart's
content, it is also a green product. The MacBook Air has been awarded EPEAT Gold status, meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, is partially recyclable
and isn't comprised of poisonous chemicals.
"MacBook Air is the first of a new generation of notebooks that leaves behind mechanical rotating storage in favor of solid state flash storage," said
Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We've taken what we have learned with the iPad—solid state storage, instant-on, amazing battery standby time, miniaturization
and lightweight construction, to create the new MacBook Air. With its amazing responsiveness and mobility, it will change the way we think about
notebooks."
The Apple MacBook Air is available for purchase from the
Apple Store
and Authorized Apple Resellers starts at $999.o0 for the 1.4 GHz, 11-inch with 2GB of memory and 64GB of flash storage. The 128GB model is available
for $1,199.00 and the 256GB model with 1.86 GHz, 13-inch screen, 2GB of memory and a 128GB flash storage is available for $1,299.00. There's also a
256GB model for $1,599.00.
