Pages

Oct 16, 2010

The Newer, Smaller MacBook Air: The Storage Is the Secret?

An intriguing detail from AppleInsider about the new, 11.6-inch MacBook Air that's expectedto be revealed next week: It's not going to use a hard drive or an SSD for storage. It's going to use something else.

Instead, says AppleInsider's sources, it'll use "something described as an 'SSD Card'" for storage that's more like a stick of RAM than a traditional hard drive, a proprietary SSD alternative designed by Apple. It's almost like an SSD that's shed the bulk of a hard drive enclosure (since SSDs are basically just bundles of memory chips inside of a hard drive casing), but integrated, so it'll take up less room in the notebook.

It makes a lot sense, actually, to dump a hard drive enclosure's weight and bulk, particularly in a machine that's supposedly only 11.6 inches (and presumably even lighter than the original Air). It's a lot like when Apple ditched replaceable batteries in the MacBook Pros. Using only flash storage would also mean that the Air would be instant on, and more like an iPad in that regard.

44 comments:

Drackar said...

So, exactly like the first gen EEEPC from years ago?

Dbankai said...

knowing them they're only using that new form of storage to increase the cost more.

Anonymous said...

That looks pretty neat. I wonder if that technology will spread further.

Donkote said...

the air is getting smaller? It seems so fragile as is

Edward said...

Seconding what Dbankai said. It's just going to give Apple an excuse to further gouge prices. And knowing them, they definitely will. Well, whatever. There's a reason Macs only make up 5% of the computer market. Q_Q

Mario said...

ima buy this when they release it

Archivist X0042 said...

you would never catch me dead with one

Sam said...

DO WANT. :3
I think I might actually buy this if they do something groundbreaking.

nikefootballbh08 said...

very cool. I really like my mac

Sparrow said...

TOTAL AWESOMENESS!

RonNiebOy said...

interesting...go on...showin love

Blinkin said...

anything is a good excuse for mac to take up the prices...

Lil' Rocker Flower said...

Interesting, but surely it will be expensive like an idiot in a college.,

Student said...

It's newer and smaller! You need it! You know you want it! Sigh..

Anonymous said...

will never buy an apple computer, never!

glosey said...

apple users need there devices as small as possible
so they won't clash with their peenys

icøn¡c said...

Eh my macbook pro's good enough for the next year or two.

Delfin said...

not a mac guy but if i was into movie editing then hell ya bring on this acer eeepc i mean apple product.

SimsGuy said...

Too bad its still a mac.

El Trombone said...

Apple Insider rules... good post.

YouNostalgiaYouLose said...

lol apple sux

Not A Tourist said...

I will always be a PC guy

Joel C Anatoli said...

Pretty cool.

Food said...

huh, interesting development.

gomby said...

im content with my mac pro

Kartoffeln said...

Great, but they could have started selling this stuff before. Now it will be more expensive, even the production costs are the same.

Hopz said...

wow if i had the money i would so buy that so fast!!!

rockStar said...

really nice!

wishbear said...

Lol by the time I ever get this, there will probably be a Macbook Air version 5.0

iammyself said...

not sure if i want this

razortek said...

i love laptops!

Olimpiky said...

bah i dont like macs but my sis makes me look at this blog.

Per S said...

The only problem is SSD's have been known to fail more than regular HDD's, so replacing the integraded SSD on that Mac.... not so fun.

Unknown said...

Not an Apple fan, but i can appreciate pretty things when i see them. Doesn't mean i would pay for them :P

ReggaeMaster said...

I hate mac, sorry...

Max Steel said...

you can fits tons of data on a tiny ssd these days

Longkid said...

Looks awesome! I'm going to get one!

Suciô Sanchez said...

Nice form factor.

Anonymous said...

lol very funni :))

ilikeicecream said...

few more year and your laptop will fit in your pocket

That Stoner Kid said...

Macs are nice but unreasonably expensive

thecatzpajamas said...

i dont think ill survive with a 11inch notebook

Car Enthusiast said...

Apple is homo except their computers are sexy

Unknown said...

I would totally get this is I ever bought a MAC ...but i wont