That’s what Steve Jobs would have you believe. Haven’t you seen the commercials? Hip, cool-looking trendy stud: “Hi, I’m a Mac” Middle-aged and balding man in business attire: “Hi, I’m a PC.”

Steve Jobs, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Apple, Inc. has been at it ever since he re-assumed leadership at the then-fledgling Apple in late 1996.

You’ve undoubtedly been acquainted with the innovation of Apple’s products since then: the juvenile-looking, brightly colored iMacs of the 90s, the more recent silver and white Apple laptops that seem to have infiltrated the campus, the astoundingly thin new iMac found in today’s computer labs and what was that last thing? The iPod? Yeah, that’s it.

The Macworld Conference and Expo was last week. Macworld is an annual trade show featuring the latest and greatest Apple products. There’s always a keynote by Steve Jobs in which he reviews recent company progress and introduces new products and upgrades. The rest of the conference is a convention of hardware manufacturers and software publishers; in short, a bunch of developers who endorse the Mac platform by providing goods and services.

Aside from typical software updates to products such as the iPhone, iPod Touch and the Apple TV, there was one eye-opening product announcement last week at Macworld – one that some argue will set the scene for an array of competing products from rival companies. This product is the Macbook Air.

“What?” you say? Apple is in the air business now?

Not quite. The Macbook Air is the world’s thinnest notebook computer; only 0.76 inches at its thickest and 0.16 inches at its thinnest.

It still features a full-size display (13.3 inches) and keyboard. At 3 pounds, it’s hard to ask for much more, or should I say, much less. During his keynote speech, Jobs introduced the Macbook Air to the world by effortlessly sliding it out of a manila business-style envelope like it was a sheet of paper. Yes, folks, it’s that portable.

There are some turn offs, though. The Macbook Air lacks an optical drive for CD’s and DVD’s, almost surely because it takes up so much space inside a laptop computer. Apple has developed software that allows the Air to use the optical drive of another computer on the same wireless network if need be.

Additionally, nothing about the Air is user-replaceable. The 2GB of RAM, hard drive and battery are buried within the machine, out of reach of anybody but a professional. Even then you can count on voiding the warranty.

Once again, Apple has upheld its reputation of redefining the standard in the consumer electronics industry. If you’re interested in laying down $1,799 for one of these, go right ahead and pre-order one on the Apple website. And if that doesn’t interest you and you’re looking for something to do this evening, I would recommend hitting up the iTunes Music Store for a $2.99 movie rental; yet another new service announced at Macworld.

Columnist: James Glenos - 01/23/07