For a long time, Apple fans have been hoping for a slim and lightweight version of the MacBook to come along. Even the lightest MacBook was over 4.5 pounds (2kg).

And so, after a long wait, it’s finally here. The MacBook Air.

Debut at the MacWorld 2008 yesterday, the MacBook Air is currently the world’s thinnest (and may I add, the coolest) notebook in the market, measuring a mere 0.76-inch (1.94cm) in height and 3lbs (1.36kg) in weight.

The Goodies

It packs a punch as well, sporting a 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of memory, 80GB PATA hard disk drive, 13.3-inch glossy widescreen display, MacBook-style keyboard with backlighting, super-cool iPhone-like multi-touch trackpad, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+, and an awesome 5-hours battery life on Wi-Fi.

The Baddies

Sounds amazing! But surely it has its cons right?

Sure enough, upon closer inspection you might ask, “Where did the optical drive go?” Apparently, Apple ditched the optical drive to make the thinness possible. Quite a pain if you are a frequent user of optical drives.

But as always, Apple offers alternatives. First is the new Remote Disc feature, which is a software that you install on another Mac or PC on your home network, and it automatically shares that computer’s optical drive with your MacBook Air. The second alternative is to purchase the optional external SuperDrive at US$99.

Good things come in slim packages. And slim packages come with heavy price tags. A MacBook Air with the above mentioned specifications is currently priced at US$1,799.

And there is a higher-end model which has a better 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a 64GB solid-state drive instead of the regular disk drive. We’ll probably see less of this model on the streets, as it has a heavy price tag of US$3,098.

Pre-order

The MacBook Air is perhaps the best Apple notebook by far for the road warriors. Lightweight and long battery life, with decent specifications to boot, what more could you ask for? It is available for pre-order now from the Apple Store.