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January 15, 2008 6:43 PM PST

Photos: MacBook Air

by Matthew Elliott
(Credit: Apple Inc.)

I watched The Prestige (starring the always-excellent Christian Bale) this past weekend, so I was looking for the sleight of hand used by Steve Jobs as he pulled the MacBook Air out of that manila envelope at the Moscone Center earlier today. Jobs skipped the Pledge and the Turn, and jumped right to the Prestige (while oddly choosing Paul Otellini over Scarlett Johansson to assist him on stage). Still, it was an excellent display of consumer electronics magic. I've assembled a bunch of images of Apple's newest and thinnest laptop. Take a spin through this Macworld 2008 slide show to get a good look at the MacBook Air and find out which features it boasts and those it lacks.

Matt Elliott, a CNET editor since 2000, heads up coverage of computer hardware, from desktops and laptops to their assorted components and peripherals. Prior to joining CNET, he worked for PC Magazine. When not writing about computers and wrestling with their shipping boxes, he likes shooting with his Nikon D50 camera. Matt is also skilled with a tape gun. E-mail Matt.
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So will Apple's legal staff now make...
by make_or_break January 15, 2008 10:09 PM PST
...'Air' a trademarked, proprietary word? Sir Jordan will be SO disappointed.

Will we ever be allowed to breathe the stuff again? Without a licensing fee?

Wonder just how much chassis flex it'll take for that slender LCD to go 'POP'. Guess Apple doesn't think much of Panasonic's bullet-proofing laptop marketing strategy. 'Air' vs. Toughbook...it's a Prizefight just achin' to happen.
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Panasonic's Toughbook
by veggiedude--2008 January 15, 2008 11:22 PM PST
I think Panasonic need not worry. They have cornered the Rambo market for
notebooks and Apple isn't interested in going there.
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Not too bad, not too good
by MrRetardo January 16, 2008 12:58 AM PST
Lack of a CD/DVD player seems like a downside.

Great! I can stream movies! But now I have to buy something extra so I can watch stuff if I can't stream it.

Love the touchpad gestures. Hate the Screensize. LOL! Even the cheapest Dell Laptop has a bigger screen!- AND it comes WITH a built-in CD/DVD player!!
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Air Fills a Niche
by dc73p January 16, 2008 8:42 AM PST
Interesting that the comments point out what the Air doesn't have or what it
isn't. The new MBAir may be the perfect computer for me. I travel. A lot. I have
a MBPro which is way too much computer for me. As a traveler I just want a
handy machine that I can get on the internet and check mail and do some basic
work. I don't want or need an optical drive, I don't need a huge screen, I don't
need ports of every kind, I don't need a complete computer. I have plenty of
those where I need them. The Air appears to be the perfect machine for a road
warrior like myself BECAUSE of what it doesn't have and what it isn't.
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