Apple introduces new MacBook Air with flash storage

Apple yesterday unveiled an all new MacBook Air, the first of a next generation of notebooks which will replace mechanical hard disks and optical drives with internet services and solid state flash storage.

These next generation notebooks are: faster since solid state flash storage is up to twice as fast as hard drive storage and more reliable as hard drive crashes are eliminated.

Moreover since solid state flash storage is up to 90-per cent smaller and lighter than hard drives, these notebooks are lighter and smaller.

MacBook Air uses the same solid state storage technology as iPad to deliver instant-on responsiveness, up to seven hours of battery life and up to 30 days of standby time.

''MacBook Air is the first of a new generation of notebooks that leaves behind mechanical rotating storage in favour of solid state flash storage,'' said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.

Jobs added, ''We've taken what we have learned with the iPad - solid state storage, instant-on, amazing battery standby time, miniaturisation and lightweight construction, to create the new MacBook Air. With its amazing responsiveness and mobility, it will change the way we think about notebooks.''