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Don Pickett · Jan 19, 2008, 01:41 PM

Appleinsider has the poop: takes three minutes, and the battery isn't soldered to the motherboard.

mduell · Jan 19, 2008, 07:02 PM

*boom* goes your warranty.

tr · Jan 20, 2008, 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

*boom* goes your warranty.

well, let's hope the battery won't need replacing while one is still in warranty. but if it's this easy, maybe the $129 replacement will be able to be performed in apple stores, so you won't have to send it out.

although, i have faith in aftermarket MBA batteries in the future. which may mean i will be able to pick up an Air cheap a few years from now, replace the battery, and have a sweet, used piece of hardware. sort of like what i did with my current iPod, a 3G.

Koralatov · Jan 20, 2008, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by tr

although, i have faith in aftermarket MBA batteries in the future. which may mean i will be able to pick up an Air cheap a few years from now, replace the battery, and have a sweet, used piece of hardware. sort of like what i did with my current iPod, a 3G.

That's exactly my plan; I've done exactly the same with a Clamshell iBook. I figure within a couple of years, my iBook might be nearing the end of its useful life, and an MBA would make the perfect replacement: I use my Clamshell as an internet and email machine, and that is exactly what the MBA is made for. Also, the fact that it is (much) lighter, and runs Leopard, are two very big plus points in my mind.

gooser · Jan 20, 2008, 11:22 AM

i also have a 466 clamshell and i believe it has more functions than the air. 7 year old computer, isn't that awful? i wouldn't be surprised if lowend mac designated the air as a road apple before anyone gets their hands on one. i know the air isn't a computer for everyone but just who is it a computer for?

Koralatov · Jan 20, 2008, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by gooser

i also have a 466 clamshell and i believe it has more functions than the air. 7 year old computer, isn't that awful? i wouldn't be surprised if lowend mac designated the air as a road apple before anyone gets their hands on one. i know the air isn't a computer for everyone but just who is it a computer for?

I wouldn't say that the Clamshell has "more functions" than the Air. Granted, it has more ports, but you have to bear in mind that the Clamshell has much more limited wireless capabilities (802.11a/b vs. 802.11a/b/g/n), a USB1.1 port instead of USB2.0 and it weighs just shy of seven pounds. Whilst it has FW, ethernet and a modem socket, it doesn't have a VGA- or DVI-out, and performance-wise it is much more compromised.

As for the question of "who it's for", that is being extensively debated over in this thread. Overall, it comes down to a question of what you want from a laptop. If you want a full-fledged computer/desktop replacement, then get a MacBook or MacBook Pro; if you want a desktop supplement (which is what my iBook currently acts as), and you can afford one, then the MBA might be fore you.

EndlessMac · Jan 20, 2008, 01:14 PM

I've had the original battery on my PowerBook for 4+ years so for some people they'll probably replace their MBA before the battery dies on them. Just use the battery the way Apple recommends and it should last a few years. Considering the cost of buying a replacement MBP battery is $129 also it seems a reasonable price to get Apple to replace your MBA battery. The problem is the estimate of 5 business days for replacement.

Although by the time your battery dies your notebook will probably be out of warranty anyway so I don't think voiding the warranty will be a major issue. If Apple were smart they wouldn't make user replacing the battery to void their warranties. It would take a lot of argument out of the this whole MBA battery issue considering how easy it is to replace the battery.

Koralatov · Jan 20, 2008, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by EndlessMac

Just use the battery the way Apple recommends and it should last a few years.

I think part of the problem is that a lot of people treat their batteries like crap, and then complain when they significantly shorten the lives of them. One of my pet peeves is the fact that a lot of people I know will sit right next to a power socket and still insist on running it off the battery. That's another (totally unnecessary) load-cycle right there, and every load-cycle diminishes the capacity slightly. If people were just a bit more sensible with their batteries, the lives on them would be much better.

If Apple were smart they wouldn't make user replacing the battery to void their warranties. It would take a lot of argument out of the this whole MBA battery issue considering how easy it is to replace the battery.

Absolutely. Only time will tell whether Apple are sensible with it or not, to be honest. Sadly, the necessity of a screw-driver in battery replacement does somewhat undermine the possibility of carrying multiple batteries and swapping easily when you're out and about.

Personally, I can't wait until the MBA drops to around £200 second-hand, at which point I'll be all over one. Also, by then, I imagine NewerTech will have a higher-capacity replacement for the stock battery (much as they do now for various G3 and G4 models).

Don Pickett · Jan 20, 2008, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

*boom* goes your warranty.

The chances of the battery needing replacing during the usual one year warranty period are pretty slim. If it did happen I imagine the battery would be defective, in which case it would be covered by the warranty. And, after a year, what warranty?