A tale of two laptops

I agree with everything Wayne MacPhail has to say on the new super-thin Apple Macbook Air. And comparing the new, $1,700 low-power eye-candy laptop to an actually useful and meaningful technology (meaning the XO that Wayne contrasts with the Air) is spot-on.

Let’s face it, the Air is a frivolous computer. It’s too expensive, it’s a step backwards in processing power, and while it is stylishly thin it’s width and depth pretty much mean it’s still the size of a laptop. Even so, I can see a market for status-seeking road warriors. It’s lightweight and small enough that convenience should be a factor, but one that is currently outweighed by the hefty pricetag.

I can see the Air selling as an entry point computer. Something a bit smaller, a bit thiner and perfectly suitable for word processing and web browsing. In many ways it’s a great student computer. I’d love to have one too, for those occasions when I’m traveling and just want to have the basics on hand. But paying $1,700 for it when I could get a full-blown laptop for the same price? I think not.