Macbook Air - Almost Great?

Well, the MacBook Air I mentioned in an earlier post has gotten blessed off as being adequate to the task. The shameful part is it is barely being used as a Mac. Windows is loaded on it and it boots to Windows. I don't even think the person using this has even booted it once under OS X. She will eventually I'm sure and the pressures of work have made it impossible to experiment too much. I had it essentially ripped from my hands several days early so didn't get to play with it as long as I would have liked. Either way, it passed the test and is a keeper! That is great news for me.

Before I forget, it is worth mentioning that multitouch is absolutely amazing. I realize the MacBook Pro's have some of this capability but the super size touch pad with multitouch is the best thing ever. I HATE touchpads but I came to like the Air's which is saying a lot. Also, the screen on this thing is fantastic. Perhaps the new MacBook Pro 15" screens are the same but this is hands down the best screen on a laptop I've ever used.

The only gripes about the platform are pretty nit picky but are worth mentioning and most focus on using it with Windows which may not be fair:

• Lack of a DVD drive - Of course, it would have added weight. On top of that, if you see this thing, there is absolutely no way they could have put one in the system without making it thicker. It would be a lot like complaining the iPod doesn't play LP's or some non-sense like that. The medium is totally outmoded at this size. Now, for $1799, including one WITH the system would have been really nice.
• Trackpad - No adjustments for it within Windows. Why not? In particular the two finger scroll is WAY WAY too fast and can't be adjusted.
• Unforgivable lack of tap click - This is too bizarre to comprehend. You can't tap to click. I have no idea what is so difficult with making this work but it seems it has been lacking for quite some time on most of the laptop line.
• Too light - OK, this isn't really serious BUT it is almost too light. It tends to move and shift around almost too easily as if there is nothing to hold it in place. It is even a bigger pain trying to plug and unplug stuff from the door that has the one USB port on it. The door tends to close when you don't want it too either which is when you are trying to plug something into it.
• Power - The magnetic power cord is very cool but wants to fall off a bit too easily. I wish there was a lock in case you don't want the easy on/easy off function of the magnetic plug.
• Windows drivers - If Apple is going to advertise the boot camp feature they really need to spend more time developing basic driver functionality. A lot of the power management and other tuning features that are available on other Windows laptops are not available in Windows on the Air. It is probably the biggest weakness since it really spoils the experience a bit. To be fair, this wasn't meant to be a Windows laptop and running Windows in Fusion or Parallels is probably the best way to go but I seriously doubt it would take much to go just a bit further with the driver functions under native Windows.
• No PC Card slot - Again, form is probably too small but it is a pain when you can't plug in the Wireless Cell card everyone is using. To use a USB type really spoils the portability too.
  

With all that said, the MacBook Air is a brilliant if not pricey laptop. I'd say it was worth the money however if you want portability. Having seen it and used it, I think they probably made the right choices with the possible exception of a non-replaceable (or should I say user replaceable) battery. Seeing and hearing what these things are like to take apart, the experience of trying to replace it might be too much for most people and too expensive if outside warranty. Plus, I'm sure there are a fair number of people out there that might need it while on the road.

Hopefully the Mac at work is the start of a trend. Only time will tell.