MacBook Air Refresh This Week?

[Paul Daniel Ash]

A previously unknown model number found in an Apple database is providing hints this morning that the MacBook Air may finally be getting a refresh. A source told the Australian edition of MacWorld that supplies of the Air are running short, even though online stores around the world are still promising 24 hour turnaround.

The same source who last month correctly predicted the MacBook Pro refresh a week before it was officially released says that he's found a new entry - MC516LL/A K87 BETTER BTR-USA - in Apple's database. As many as "several thousand" units of the new product (which, confusingly, he says may be either a MacBook Air or a 27-inch LED Cinema Display) are supposedly shipping to Australia. The possibility of a refresh has pundits scratching their heads to figure out what new capabilities Apple may be building into the lightweight notebook, with general opinion being that they'll continue to be powered by Mobile Core 2 Duo SL-series processors but upgrade the graphics processor to the GeForce 320M chipset.

Other popular theories include RAM upgrades to 4GB, a larger hard drive option and possibly an SSD, longer battery life, and a 'buttonless' glass trackpad. The MacBook Air line hasn't seen a refresh since back in June 2009, when the low-end 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo model went on sale for $1,499 US.

[rockjohn]

sweet

[ty22]

One of the key reasons I like mine is because it has separated trackpad and clicker, I hate the combined trackpad on the macbooks.

[Poseidon79]

Definitely needs an upgrade.. although I'll take my 13" MBP + iPad combo over an Air any day. I used an Air for about 6 months and sold it... battery life was under 4 hours and it got way too hot.

[elite_jounin]

The AIR was a waste. There was really no point to it other than apple saying " HEY! We made a REALLY, REALLY THIN MACBOOK soooooooo BUY IT!".

Yeah i'm good on that...next!

[extremzocker]

same, hate the idea of attaching things just to read a cd

[MetallicaFan1991]

I wouldn't mind the Air only if it had 2 USB ports and higher specs for the price, until then I'll stick with my 15"MBP 2.66Ghz C2D.

[StealthBravo]

Definitely needs an upgrade.. although I'll take my 13" MBP + iPad combo over an Air any day. I used an Air for about 6 months and sold it... battery life was under 4 hours and it got way too hot.

I agree. I am really surprised they haven't just killed off the Air yet.

[mikerlx]

Air is just as worthless as the ipad IMHO in the real computing world

[StealthBravo]

iPad is not for "real" computing

[vruls]

y dont stop making crap and focuse on somethin useful an
IPAD WITH OS X

[moon#pie]

MBP is thin enough. IMO, it's too thin. It is actually quite hard to get headphones and usb's unplugged without lifting the computer.

[Poseidon79]

y dont stop making crap and focuse on somethin useful an
IPAD WITH OS X

Tablet computers are not desitgned to run a full OS. This is why HP abandoned the Slate. Symbian, Android, Google Chrome, and the iPhone OS are all much better alternatives since there are obvious hardware limitations.

[PainBlade]

The MacBook air already has an ssd.

[eZStaR]

Tablet computers are not desitgned to run a full OS. This is why HP abandoned the Slate. Symbian, Android, Google Chrome, and the iPhone OS are all much better alternatives since there are obvious hardware limitations.

Well HP slate was a failure due to windows installation on it. Since windows is not productive on any tablet computer, Mac OS would have been a better alternative to any tablet. Due to dock making life easier, and the bar ontop, everything you need is right in front of you. On a desktop just to get to program files it takes like 4-5 clicks while on mac it takes like 2. Everything takes much longer to get to on windows, while its easier on the Mac OS. So what would be harder to use on a touch screen tablet? Windows.


As for the air, yea I thought it was a stupid idea to make such a device. Its not only thin (sure its technologically more advanced than the Pro, due to everything being so thin and working fine and etc, but it cannot even read a dvd/cd. + There is no point to having something so thin, especially due to the fact that 65%+ people are klutz, and don't know how to handle their devices.

[mikerlx]

The MacBook air defective weak spot was the plastic hinge that breaks. The ipad iPhone os is gimicy as it looks like a large iPod touch granted it is basically.

[sziklassy]

The AIR was a waste. There was really no point to it other than apple saying " HEY! We made a REALLY, REALLY THIN MACBOOK soooooooo BUY IT!".

Yeah i'm good on that...next!

It hit off the netbook market though.

[whereswaldo]

i dont get why people like macbook airs, sure its skinny but it does less than the Macbook pro for more money

[tudtran]

It's time to upgrade my Macbook Air. Can wait to see what Apple will put out.

[DisneyRicky]

Kinda cool to say you have, most people don't have it. But my guess is that it is really fragile, so I can't use one