Air

Behold! The object behind my hyperventilation!



Apple's new Macbook Air is an object of geekery of the highest order. While I wouldn't go out and buy one now, it's packed full of awesomeness. Check this: It has no disc drive, owing to Apple's assertion that such a device is all but obsolete! You've got to admire the thought.
Why the obsolescence? Why, iTunes allows all to download movies and TV shows at their convenience. Therein lies my 'wouldn't buy one right now' mentality' - Aussie's iTunes is yet to offer such things, no doubt owing to our draconian media policies and/or owners.

Of course software is still installed via disk, so the Air can wirelessly co-opt the drive of a nearby machine. True, this isn't a computer you'd buy without a desktop to anchor it to, but once our 'net speeds and download limits catch the rest of the world we'll be flying.
How awesome is that? It's a valuable first step in the march towards me owning four pairs of microprocessor pants which regulate the colour of my shirt, order new milk when my fridge is empty, co-ordinate the playlists found in my media centre sunglasses and regulate the pacemaker I need in such an inactivity filled technoparadise.

You can also upgrade to a solid state hard-drive. No moving parts! This machine is awesome. All who disagree are mistaken.

Of course, the fact that it looks amazing is nothing to poke a stick at either.

If it has any failings, it's that it's operating at a PS3 'operating too far in the future to be relevant yet' level of advancement.

But I can't help but imagine sitting on a bus, pulling out the envelop I would always carry this in - for melodramatic purposes - and opening up my minuscule super machine.

"Oh, me? No I'm just watchin' a movie. Yeah, it's a bit bumpy, but this thing has no moving parts so, ya know, 'tis cool ... Wha'? DVD? No, I downloaded all my content. How? Well wirelessly of course. BEAMED TO MY EYES VIA INVISIBLE DATA STREAMS TRAVELLING THROUGH THE AIR ITSELF!"

"Yeah. You're totally running away. That's cool. I can chase ya. This thing barely slows me down. Weighs like three pounds."