I'm sitting on my couch surfing the web with my MacBook Air. I've been thoroughly delighted with this machine since day 1. It is so light and comfy and, yes, it is a gorgeous piece of tech.
Just a reminder, I do have an iMac 24 sitting in my home office. And, I use it now and then. But when I do, I find being chained to a desk, constraining and uncomfortable after a while. I would much rather sit or lie or lounge in one way or another on my couch, while I work or use my computer recreationally.
Weight matters. I don't know why but 3 lbs is extraordinarily more manageable to move around and carry than 5.5 lbs. I did own an iBook at one time and its 4+ lbs did not have the same effect. The size is also waaaay smaller (due to the thinness) than the Macbook Pro.
What about the lack of DVD-drive? I've been wanting Apple to dump the DVD drive in their lapltops to lose weight for years now. I don't watch DVDs on my laptop. I use Handbrake to rip them to my hard drive for Apple TV and other use. I can use Remote CD software from another computer with CD - works fine. Most software is downloadable. If I have a Net connection, I can email a file I want to backup to my gmail account where I have an extra 5gb of space if I need it.
What about the lack of ports? It's not bothering me at all. If you hate the trackpad and only use a mouse, 1 USB port would be limiting. I don't have a 3G USB stick, but if and when I do, I would use it in the one slot I have until such time that I needed the slot temporarily for something else. The point is that Apple has taken away what is not David (not essential) to deliver this full screen, keyboard, high speed, gorgeous screen in as trim a package as possible. It truly is a feat of engineering.
Constant Companion. There's never a reason to leave the Air home, or hardly ever. It is too easy to take, too useful and enjoyable to resist taking. Unlike my MacBook Pro, it competes well with my iPhone for comfortable non-work computer use. You don't have to struggle with the decision of whether to take your notebook when you leave the house. Before, the answer was mostly no, now the answer is always yes - no struggle, just yes.
Frequent Travelers and rich people aren't the only ones who deserve to have a Macbook Air. I know the tech elite is all agog for netbooks, but I think they took their eye off the ball on this one. The Air uses a core 2 duo processor not an atom. It has a 13" LED screen that is probably the best on any Mac. It has a 120 gb drive.
But it is so expensive. There's some truth in that but I bought a Macbook Pro for the same price or more than this SSD Macbook Air. And the Air has replaced it. If you regard an Air as a travel-only device, it is an expensive luxury. As your main Mac, it is a different story. Maybe cut corners and get a refurb unit. If you are a casual computer user, I'm sure you can survive without the SSD and pay $1799 or less for the AIr. That's not much more than the highend Macbook.
As we move from Notebook to more mobile devices, the Macbook Air earns the right to be used a lot. After you use an iPhone for a while, getting out a 5.5 lb Macbook Pro and putting it on your lap while you watch TV doesn't seem worth the brick on your lap. Too much. Rather use the slower iPhone. Less hassle. That's why the Macbook Air exists. [My first post on the Air]