|
The MacBook Air is a line of Macintosh ultraportable notebook computers from Apple Inc. The Air was designed to balance both performance and portability, consisting of a full-sized keyboard design, a machined casing made of aluminum, and a very light and thin structure. The MacBook Air is available in two sizes, with the length of the diagonal display determining the model size: 13.3-inch and 11.6-inch (or 33.78 cm and 29.46 cm, respectively). A range of model choices with different specifications are produced by Apple, and as of 2011, all Air models use solid-state drive (SSD) storage and Intel Core i5 or i7 central processing units (CPUs).〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air )〕 In the current Macintosh product line, the MacBook Air sits below both the thicker, higher-performance MacBook Pro and thinner, lighter new MacBook. The MacBook Air was originally released as a premium ultraportable which was positioned above the then entry-level MacBook.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display review (2013) )〕 Since then, the MacBook Air has become Apple's entry-level laptop due to the discontinuation of the original MacBook in 2011, as well as lowered prices on subsequent iterations of the MacBook Air. In recent years, the MacBook Air has become the best-selling Macintosh computer and the best-selling ultraportable notebook,〔.〕〔.〕 being credited with revolutionizing lightweight yet powerful laptops known as Ultrabooks.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=How the Mac changed the world - Features - Macworld UK )〕 ==History== Steve Jobs introduced the first MacBook Air during a speech at his keynote at the 2008 Macworld Conference & Expo on January 15, 2008. The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, initially promoted as the world's thinnest notebook.〔 It featured a custom Intel Merom CPU and Intel GMA graphics. In late 2008, the CPU was updated to a faster, non-custom Penryn CPU and integrated Nvidia GeForce graphics while the hard drive capacity was increased and the micro-DVI video port was replaced by the Mini DisplayPort.〔 A mid-2009 refresh, introduced alongside the MacBook Pro family, featured a slightly higher-capacity battery, and a faster Penryn CPU. On October 20, 2010, Apple released a redesigned 13.3" model, with improved enclosure, screen resolution, battery, and flash storage instead of a hard drive. In addition, a new 11.6" model was introduced, offering reduced cost, weight, battery life, and performance relative to the 13.3" model, but better performance than typical netbooks of the time.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title= Special Event October 2010 )〕 On July 20, 2011, Apple released updates to the 11.6" and 13.3" models of the MacBook Air, which also became Apple's entry-level laptops due to lowered prices and the discontinuation of the white MacBook around the same time.〔 The mid-2011 MacBook Airs were powered by the new Sandy Bridge 1.6 or 1.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, or 1.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processors, that came with an Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor, and with a backlit keyboard, two USB 2.0 ports, FaceTime camera, a standard of 2 GB of RAM (configurable up to 4 GB), Thunderbolt which shares function with Mini DisplayPort and Bluetooth was upgraded to v4.0.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Apple refreshes MacBook Air with Sandy Bridge, Thunderbolt, and backlit keyboards )〕 Maximum SSD flash memory storage options were increased up to 512 GB. The camera was upgraded to 720p FaceTime HD. Both 11" and 13" models had an analog audio output/headphone minijack (that also supports an iPhone/iPod touch headset with microphone), but only the 13" model had an integrated SDXC-capable SD Card slot. These models use a less expensive "Eagle Ridge" Thunderbolt controller that provides two Thunderbolt channels (2 × 10 Gbit/s bidirectional), compared to the MacBook Pro which uses a "Light Ridge" controller that provides four Thunderbolt channels (4 × 10 Gbit/s bidirectional). A USB ethernet adapter was immediately available upon release and a Thunderbolt-to-Firewire 800 adapter became available in mid-year 2012. On June 11, 2012, Apple released an updated model in the same form factor as the prior model. The new model is powered by the new Ivy Bridge dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, doubles the RAM and SSD speeds, has the new USB 3 ports (with USB 2 capability) in place of the USB 2 ports and the new MagSafe 2 charging port. On June 10, 2013, Apple released another update in the same form factor as the 2012 model during the company's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). The 11" and 13" models have a minimum standard 4 GB RAM, with a maximum configuration of 8 GB. Both models are powered by the Haswell ULT 1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processors, with Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz, while a 1.7 GHz Dual-Core i7, with Turbo Boost up to 3.3 GHz, option is also available. Each model's storage standard is 128 GB SSD, upgradeable to 256 GB and 512 GB SSD. Due to the Haswell CPUs, battery life has been considerably improved from the previous generation, and the mid-2013 models are capable of 9 hours on the 11" model and 12 hours on the 13" model; one team of reviewers actually exceeded the manufacturer's battery life ratings during their rundown test. While Apple's MacBook lines have not been immune to the consumer trend towards mobile devices,〔.〕 they still managed to ship 2.8 million MacBooks in Q2 2012 (the majority of which are the MacBook Air) compared to 500,000 total Ultrabooks,〔〔 despite there being dozens of Ultrabooks from various manufacturers on the market while Apple only offered 11" and 13" models of the Macbook Air.〔.〕 While several Ultrabooks were able to claim individual distinctions such as being the lightest or thinnest, the Air was regarded by reviewers as the best all-around Ultrabook in regard to "OS X experience, full keyboard, superior trackpad, Thunderbolt connector and the higher-quality, all-aluminum unibody construction".〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=NPD: MacBook Air owns 56 percent of the US ultrabook market )〕 The Air was among the first to receive Intel's latest CPUs before other PC manufacturers, and Apple Mac OS X has gained market share on Windows in recent years.〔.〕〔.〕 Through July 1, 2013, the MacBook Air took in 56 percent of all Ultrabook sales in the United States, despite being one of the higher-priced competitors. 〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=NPD: MacBook Air owns 56 percent of the US ultrabook market )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「MacBook Air」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|