MacBook Neo? For whom?

[Bmosbacker]

According to William Gallagher, writers.

- YouTube

[LisaSpangenberg]

I wrote my dissertation on an “Icebook,” and an iMac G4.

I wrote multiple heavily illustrated books on an Apple MacBook “Core 2 Duo” 2.0 13" (Unibody) with 8 GB of RAM, over 11 years.

If I hadn’t bought an M3 MacBook Air last year, I’d be buying the $700.00 Neo.

[geoffaire]

@alvinc

Coping with various daily situations, this iPhone (as well as others in entry level) can deal with real-time image processing like portrait mode.

But when A18 Pro chip is inside MacBook Neo, influencers said it’s for emails and documents.

There are two different operating systems and different apps on the two different platforms. Excuse the pun, but you’re comparing apples with oranges

[alvinc]

Now benchmarks tell the story: First MacBook Neo Benchmarks Are In: Here's How It Compares to the M1 MacBook Air - MacRumors

Plus: "We're not making any compromises" says Molly Anderson

[geoffaire]

Benchmarks rarely provide an idea how things operate in real situations.

[zkarj]

@KVZ

TouchID is only available on the 512GB Neo model. It’s like “c’mon guys, a useful security measure is only available on the ‘big’ Neo?”

Yeah, it’s daft, but at least you can get Touch ID on a Neo. There are lots of things you cannot have.

[geoffaire]

I love the introduction video. it’s very cool.

[MCV]

1. Schools/students
2. Chromebook Users
3. Web, email, word processing users
4. Seniors

[webwalrus]

@alvinc

Plus: “We’re not making any compromises” says Molly Anderson

Of course they are. That’s just silly. Reading through the article, she says that they are not doing things like reducing the quality of materials – meaning things like the aluminum body.

“We are not making any compromises” – and then they proceed to define the term in such a way that the compromises they make are not included in what they consider “compromises.”

It’s not a bad computer, for what it is. But when you are shipping a USB 2.0 port on a modern Apple laptop, let’s just concede that some compromises were made.

[F.Jones]

I cannot tell you how many times (on multiple subjects) I have to ask “how are you defining __________ ?” after recognizing that we are talking past one another. Then, not only do I come to understand what they are saying, I can answer accordingly. Alice in Wonderland syndrome.

[LisaSpangenberg]

I was just about to say I don’t think she really understands what compromise means.

[snelly]

I took Molly to mean compromises in industrial design or build quality. I think this machine looks incredible for its price point, and if I were in its target audience, I’d consider one as a loafing around machine.

[Kraftwerk]

John Gruber says the Neo is for him, to replace his iPad, and “for users that already have an expensive desktop setup “ and “need a cheap travel device”
John is a millionaire, has lost touch of reality. He could buy a MacBook Pro every week or two if he wanted to.
I love reading his takes, but he’s definitely not the target market

[snelly]

Can’t believe we’re all circling the drain on a computer that is obviously priced for people who want a Mac laptop, probably haven’t had one before, but don’t have $1100 USD for a MacBook Air. That’s the target market. There’s a lot of people in that market.

There’s also John’s point, where I disagree with @Kraftwerk a little bit. His point isn’t that it’s for him specifically. His point is that it’s cheaper than an iPad with a keyboard, which was previously an option in that price bracket. I think he’s saying the same thing as me, which is “this is for people who want to buy a MacBook, but want it on the cheap for whatever reason.” That reason could be “I want a loafing around laptop.” I am tempted by it for that reason, because my 16" M4 Max is a tank. (I won’t buy it. because I know I probably wouldn’t actually use it by comparison to my laptop, but I know people who would happily get this as a cheap to-go laptop when they leave their office/studio.)

[geoffaire]

@Kraftwerk

John is a millionaire,

I really don’t think that he is

[geoffaire]

@Kraftwerk

I love reading his takes, but he’s definitely not the target market

No, but he’s never been a massive fan of iPadOS, vastly preferring the macOS interface, so giving him an interface he much prefers in a form factor he likes is going to be preferable to an iPad he’s agnostic on with an Interface which looks a bit like the one he actually loves, but doesn’t work the same.

If I hadn’t bought a MacBook Air recently and wanted something to do Web, email, rss reading, I’d buy a MacBook Neo before the iPad Air.

[Clarke_Ching]

I asked my 3rd year university student daughter if she’d like a fancy new “cute” MacBook Neo.

My cunning plan is that I’d get my old MacBook Air (with 24GB of RAM, which she doesn’t even know about!) back, not that I really need it since I have a bigger and better MacBook Pro, but, hey, who knows!

And she said, “No thanks, though it is cute! I’m happy with my MacBook Air, thank you.”

[Kraftwerk]

Sponsorships are 11k per week, that’s about 572k

[flybynight]

People are way underselling the Neo.
Think of how amazing the M1 MacBook Air was. 8GB was fine. It’s still a very useful laptop. And Neo is better.

TouchID on only the 512GB model is unfortunate, but not the end of the world. Typing your password is a FWP. If you have an Apple Watch, that can unlock it and verify other things like ApplePay.

They are going to sell a metric crap-ton of them!

I do wish they had the option for more RAM and/or storage. There is a big hole in the price points between $699 and $1099 for the Air.

[Clarke_Ching]

I bet @TimCook is sitting at his desk, in his underground lair,with a big white cat on his lap, reading this thread right now, and thinking:

“Excellent! Those power users know the 8GB memory limit is not for them. They’ll keep buying the Airs and Pros. Mwahahaha. We have successfully segmented our market without cannibalising our high-margin products. Mwahahaha. Mwahahaha. Mwahahaha.”