Imagine a sleek, ultra-light laptop computer weighing less than 3 pounds, with a glossy LED screen and being overall quite slimmer than a slice of whole wheat bread. The name MacBook Air depicts it all, as this is the first notebook computer that was built to be extremely lightweight and as the name suggests, almost even thinner than air!

However, for all those enthusiasts a word a caution is necessary, as with every scaled down electronic there will be some drawbacks and amenities that are sacrificed to allow the slim and ultra-light qualities.

-At a closer insight, beyond it's appealing looks, it is easily noticeable that the MacBook lacks some important features that have become somewhat indispensable for many users. For instance, the MacBook air comes with only three basic connectors:a USB port, a headphone jack and a mini DVI output. There is no built in Ethernet port, no multiple USB ports, no optical drive.

- The battery life is overall pretty short. This however, should be expected in a laptop of such dimensions. Five hours is the length of battery life advertised, however in most cases it appears to last a lot less.

- Another problem related to the battery is that it is not accessible so it basically cannot be replaced by another battery if you are running low on energy and have no way of charging. This becomes a big issue for those who enjoy bringing along their laptops on long flights.

- MacBook Air may be the slimmest computer produced, however it is also the slowest laptop produced by Apple. This may be an issue for those that are used to faster speeds and may turn up getting quite frustrating. It all depends on personal priorities, there are those that cherish looks versus speed and those that prefer speed rather than looks.

Now, for those skeptical about the world's thinnest laptop, some great features that MacBook Air has to offer despite it's size:

- Of course, the most obvious feature is the thinness which allows the laptop to fit into a business portfolio, slide into a manila envelope and take almost less space than a magazine in your luggage if you are traveling.

- The LED glass screen is simply wonderful. It displays crisp, bright colors and sharp images that can compete with the much more bulkier laptops on the market today. The screen may not tilt back as some people prefer but just enough to make most satisfied.

- The keyboard is a feature that despite size has not been sacrified in the MacBook Air and has remained full size. It presents as a pretty sturdy keyboard and appears to be simply a pleasure to type on.

- MacBook air offers the "multi-touch gesture" trackpad feature which allows you basically to navigate with the touch of your fingers. Many appreciate this cool feature although, some prefer more archaic methods.

Overall, the MacBook Air seems to have balanced pros and cons. It may however, seem very appealing to some people or too much of a hindrance to others. Ultimately, your overall opinion of the MacBook Air remains a personal choice depending on what you plan to use it for and the importance you give to looks. At the "heavy" price of $1799.00 however, the choice of purchasing a MacBook Air or not remains not a "light " decision to make.