Top 5 reasons the Google Chromebook should fear the 2011 MacBook AirWith the Acer and Samsung Google Chomebooks now readily available in North America, Chrome OS is showing signs of significant growth since its Cr-48 prototypes. Unfortunately during that time Apple has been hard at work on its MacBook Air refresh.

1. OS X Lion
Chrome OS boots in 8 seconds and resumes instantly. The MacBook Air, by way of solid state memory, shares these same features (though more like 16 seconds). Once you’ve turned on the Chromebook you are greeted with a fullscreen Chrome browser. Apple’s upcoming OS refresh also offers fullscreen apps and even boots from Safari.

2. Speed
A dual-core Atom processor is a step up from a first-generation Netbook, but the 2011 MacBook Air is bring Sandy Bridge chops. Up from the low voltage Core2Duo processor found in the original, the next generation MBA adds most of the same upgrades found in the recent MacBook Pro refresh. Given the Samsung Series 5 WiFi Chromebook’s $429.99 price point, a $999.99 MacBook Air is not so discerning. Additionally, open box (current generation) MacBook Airs can be had for $839.99 on Amazon Warehouse deals.

3. Mac App Store
Apps have become a way of life. For a laptop that lives and breaths in a web browser, well crafted apps are mission critical. Apple’s Mac App Store not only has more apps, it has loads of developers ready to fight for your business. Technical accolades win headlines, but Apple has proven quality apps can define a device. The iPhone is a prime example.

4. Cost
Under normal conditions a laptop without a 3G data connection is not a deal breaker. Unfortunately without Internet, the Chomebook offers little functionality. All of your content is stored in the cloud which is as much a blessing as it is a curse. When you purchase the 3G Chromebook (Acer or Samsung) in the U.S., you’re given 100MB of data for the month. Additional data usage comes out of your pocket. When you factor in this cost, the price difference between a MacBook Air and Chromebook evaporates.

5. Multi-tasking
Want to multi-task on Chrome OS? Good luck. The full screen browser experience occupies all of the Chromebook’s 12-inch display. While this is plenty of room to view a spreadsheet, OS X Spaces delivers up to 16 virtual desktops, allowing dozens apps to be managed simultaneously. This leads to increased productivity and for business users — higher profitability. Google is targeting both the education and business segments with monthly, per user, rental fees for its Chromebook. Until the productivity can match a standard notebook, the 2011 MacBook Air, with its ability to run both OS X and Windows, will remain a fierce competitor.

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  • munter

    wot a load of bullocks

    • Rob Centros

      “wot a load of bullocks”

      Exactly. Who in the world seriously compares a Chromebook and a Mac Air? Where do they come up with this stuff? 

  • http://profiles.google.com/janniklindquist Jannik Lindquist

    If I had to single out one article that should be preserved forever as a monument of the level of ignorance that caused Apple to lose to Google, this would be it

  • http://profiles.google.com/janniklindquist Jannik Lindquist

    If I had to single out one article that should be preserved forever as a monument of the level of ignorance that caused Apple to lose to Google, this would be it

  • ThreeEyedFish

    I’d love to meet the guy that can rack up $500 of 3G charges over the lifetime of a netbook.

    This article makes me wow.

    Next week, we explain why a car is better than a bicycle. Exclusive tests on petrol efficiency and ability to travel on motorways.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Wright/1447491326 Chris Wright

    I think you have it backwards. The MacBook Air should fear the Chromebook.

    And your head is in the sand… Tabs in a chromebook IS multitasking… since a tab is an app. 

    I love Macs. They were the only PC I’d buy… until now. Maintenance worry free computing – here we come.

    Apple caught on because it was much more simple to use than DOS. 

    I suspect Chrome OS will catch on the same way. No wonder there are so many “hit piece” reviews out there. The status quo is scared.

  • Krose

    terribly written junk…

  • Sometimesibreathe

    Don’t forget the MacBook Air costs 3x more also.

  • Anonymous

    Well I’ve got to join the chorus and say this article is absolute short sighted nonsense. What on earth were you thinking when you wrote this.
    Images of Steve Jobs sat at the head of the table at your iDinner party floating through your head. Giving you an iPat on the back?

  • http://twitter.com/davidhaigh David Haigh

    The most ridiculous, dull yet strangely sensationalist piece of fanboy rubbish I have read. In your first two points, you can’t argue that something that is twice as bad (boot time, cost) is quite close or “…not so discerning”. In your third point – you bring in iPhone and its apps (what? why?). Your fourth point is about airtime contracts (and nothing to do with the comparison). Finally, your last point about multi-tasking is just wrong (Chrome OS multi-tasks as does Chrome) and ends with the trite “…[MBA] will remain a fierce competitor” (well yes wow). Nick Marshall – remember the name. The new Hemingway reporting on the Spanish civil war!

  • http://twitter.com/davidhaigh David Haigh

    The most ridiculous, dull yet strangely sensationalist piece of fanboy rubbish I have read. In your first two points, you can’t argue that something that is twice as bad (boot time, cost) is quite close or “…not so discerning”. In your third point – you bring in iPhone and its apps (what? why?). Your fourth point is about airtime contracts (and nothing to do with the comparison). Finally, your last point about multi-tasking is just wrong (Chrome OS multi-tasks as does Chrome) and ends with the trite “…[MBA] will remain a fierce competitor” (well yes wow). Nick Marshall – remember the name. The new Hemingway reporting on the Spanish civil war!

  • Sawyer

    This is just the ‘Windows netbook vs Chromebook’ argument, but with OS X. It’s not about how many features you get for the price, but whether the features match what the user wants their machine to do. The appeal of the Chromebook is that it doesn’t have a fully-featured OS, because a vast number of people just don’t need it. I’ve had Macs for years, but my last Macbook felt like a huge waste of components. Why did I pay £700 for a dual-core something and a massive hard drive, when everything I do is on the web?

    And did you really just put price across as a point in favour of the MBA? Twice?

  • http://profiles.google.com/wei947 Waine Wei Ru Yong

    go for samsung series 9 13 inch i5 processor, Windows 7 pc.

  • http://twitter.com/Smutchings Sam Hutchings

    Interesting, but a bit rubbish. A MacBook Air and Chromebook have very different target markets, and this is reflected in the features and price point.

    The MacBook Air is targetted at those users who want all the power of a mac, in a lightweight and compact form factor. They are willing to pay the premium that this combination brings.

    The ChromeBook is designed for those who want the feature set we expect in a tablet (internet browsing, fullscreen apps, quick on/off, long battery life, price) in a laptop form factor. These people want a device in the sub £500 range, that doesn’t way very much, and that they can access Facebook and play Angry Birds on. They don’t care about editing videos, hardcore multitasking, etc. They wanna get in touch with their friends, play a few online games, and perhaps write an email or document once in a blue moon.

    There will be a grey area where people will look at getting on or the other, perhaps those techie people who wonder if they can pare down what they do, or go the whole hog; or people who use the cloud a lot, but may want to have a bit of power at their fingertips now and then. But apart from this, these 2 devices will not be encroaching on each other’s territory for a while to come.

    Now… If apple release an 11inch, sub £500, pared down Lion running SKU of the MacBook Air, then Chromebooks will have something to fear (but I don’t see that happening very soon)

  • Joe Mama

    LOL.Love all of the comments with no actual arguments. I’ll try to keep them in mind when I (along with millions of others) are ordering new MBA’s.

    Chromebook is just another netbook. Not as good at being a full fledged computer as a laptop, not as good at being portable as an iPad. On a related note, how many of you are actually planning on buying a chromebook? Yeah that’s what I thought.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DJMYIZRNEF5QRSA6XIG3NZ43Y4 Noe Angeles

    2 years ago in my country you can only buy apple computers from a mac store.
    now almost every retail had a space for apple in their store.
    if 2 years ago you can only find apple products in 2 stores in a 10 million city, and now you can find it in hundreads of stores (each one with a huge inventory)
    i hardly think my city is a exception, it could be happening all over the world.
    sum that, and add, i cant see an ipad in real world (school, office, friends, parents, etc) make me ask if not all that big sales numbers are virtual (sold units shipped to retail stores waiting to sell them to actual people)
    we may see the apple bubble burst by next year

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