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I don’t like where this is going. An $1800 feature-stripped laptop is considered Apple innovation? This year’s Macworld introduced the thin MacBook Air to the world, the worst kept secret since Santa Claus. The specs are ok, but it seems to be more about that it’s missing than what it has:

• There’s no optical drive – allowing it to be ultra thin. There’s a separate USB-powered SuperDrive that you can add on for $100.
• There’s a multi touch trackpad. While I can see the benefit on a keyboardless iPhone, I’m not sure what this buys you on a laptop.
• Remote Disk was announced to allow you to drive-share from another PC or Mac. Interesting, but seems like basic file sharing to me. I know I know – Netbooting ability. Should be the last resort, not the first.
• It uses a 1.8″ 80 Gig Hard drive that can be upgraded to a 64Gig SSD for a cool $1000!
• There’s no RJ-45 Ethernet jack. You have to use the 802.11n radio to connect to the network or buy the USB Ethernet adapter for $30.
• No Stereo speaker and no Mic jack. You either have to use the built in mic, or connect a USB solution like the iMic.
• There’s no user replaceable battery. You have to take your machine in to change batteries – which will make it a bit useless on long flights if you’re stuck in coach with a bunch of Hanbraked DVDs sitting on your hard drive.
• And the most jarring for me – there’s only one USB port. So if you want to use your external SuperDrive, your USB Ethernet adapter and your iMic, you’ll have to timeshare. that USB Port or get a powered hub.

This is innovation? Other than form factor, I don’t really see anything typical of Apple’s innovation. It’s a completely wireless machine that’s more inflexible than any other Apple computer hardware I’ve ever seen. It’s all style – no function. And to pay for $1800 for the privilege? No way, Cupertino. Not even the fanboys can save this one. They’re even calling it the next Cube.

I noticed this trend of a slow gravitation toward expensive appliances when the iPhone was released with no SDK and discouraging innovation. Speaking of which, no HSDPA iPhone was announced either. Hello? AT&T has the towers up – what’s the delay? It’s not like HSDPA phones don’t exist. And if you’re touting the iPhone as a web surfing tool, 3G speed is essential. Not everyone will be near open wifi and browsing content-rich sites like Youtube on EDGE speed is like driving a Ferrari in quicksand.

The one thing that was announced that piqued my interest was a newer, cheaper Apple TV:

• Price: $229
• Computer: Unnecessary. You can link directly to the iTunes store through your Apple TV and download without the computer as a middleman. (Though, if you do have a computer, you can sync the content on your Apple TV to your computer and vice versa).
• Content
  • 600 TV shows ($1.99 a piece)
  • all of the podcasts available on iTunes
  • anything already in your iTunes library
  • over 50 million videos from YouTube
  • your pictures — not only what’s on your computer, but there’s also now flikr.com support.
  • and, finally, the big news: movie rentals! You can get DVD quality movie rentals ($2.99 for catalog titles, $3.99 for new releases) or HD quality (with 5.1 surround sound) for a dollar more. The movies are available for viewing up to 30 days after you rent them and you’ll have them for 24 hours once you actually start watching them.

Now that’s what I’m talking about. And thanks to the innovators out there – there are tons of ways to make this thing more useful. Also of note is Time Capsule, a wireless NAS whose low price apparently is making some Airport Extreme purcharers upset. Both of these may be worth the cost. But I must say the Macbook Air disappointed. And I’m glad to see I’m not alone.

We already have diskless wireless thin laptops. In fact the Asus EEE is a much better option in terms of price and flexibility if not thinness. It has 3 USB ports and an IDE-connected SDHC reader that allows endless expansion on even the cheapest unit. It has a 7 inch screen although a 9 incher is in the works. What would have made the Air revolutionary to me is not the size, per say, but the technology trend setting. Apple revolutionized the PC space by pushing USB. This time around, pushing Wireless USB on a machine meant to be completely wireless would have made more of an impact to me.

I also would have been interested if (and indeed was hoping that) this secret computer would have been the long rumored Newton successor. Although it seems Apple’s interest in Tablet computing only extends to the patent stage, Axiotron just released their MacBook-modding tablet solution, the Modbook. It has some nice specs and a tolerable price tag. However, I suspect that it would be a lot cheaper to build it the first time instead of hack it up. Perhaps Apple is seeing how popular this becomes before it puts them out of business by releasing their own tablet. I can only hope.

For now, I’ll focus on the cheap, flexible and hackable as well as stylish solutions like the AppleTV, Asus EEE, Time Capsule, and even the new $99 Shuttle Linux kPC.

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