Who Wins in a Fight: MacBook Air or HTCX9000 CDMA Shift?

Posted on 19 March 2008 by


Several people noticed an Amazon pre-order page for the yet to be released HTC Shift. I’m missing the reason anyone (other than for gadget sentimentality) would pay $1,499 to put a Shift on pre-order. Hasn’t the MacBook Air (only $300 more) raised the bar so high that products like the Shift could arrive on our shores totally DOA? I think the MacBook Air is officially a category killer. Had the Palm Foleo lived, it’s demise would certainly be had by the introduction of the Air. Let’s look at the capabilities of each machine, shall we?

shift.png

Matthew Miller over at ZDNET has a big 140+ un-boxing photo gallery of the HTC Shift that you can review here.

I didn’t have to read his thoughts very far before I started shaking my head. I admit that I skipped right to the cons (I’ve learned that every reviewer thinks a gadget’s size is fantastic and screen is gorgeous – so I typically skip those platitudes and head right to what the reviewer didn’t like).

Some of Matthew’s initial observations:

- 19 GB storage space available space out of the box….
- 1 GB RAM
- Vista is “too much” for the device (Note: Isn’t running a Windows OS the Shift’s selling point???)
- 800 x 400 default screen resolution, 1024 x 600 software resolution is “fuzzy”
- inking is virtually unusable, the slightest touch sends it off vectoring bad

Read his full article here

air.png

….should I keep going?

Why not spend an extra $300 for a MacBook Air that has 1,280 x 800 screen resolution with an LED backlit screen reviewers universally fawned over.

Not to mention a standard 2 GB of RAM, and 80 GB hard drive.

With a little coaxing, the MacBook Air even runs Windows and Mac OS simultaneously.

HTC Shift, you’re sexy – but at $1,499 your cost is about triple what I’d be willing to pay. And I think MacBook Air will knock you out cold in the first round…

This post was written by:

- who has written 2131 posts on Gear Diary.

Wayne is a diehard Blackberry user and consultant specializing in Sage MAS90 Accounting Software. He lives in Glastonbury CT with his two children. When not helping them with their homework or pushing the latest school fundraiser off on his co-workers, he is active hiking, Scuba Diving and investigating all manner of technology.

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  • http://www.geardiary.com Judie Lipsett

    When you are right, you are right. Preach on brother…

  • http://www.geardiary.com Mitchell Oke

    I think $1499 is more than triple what you should pay. I think the biggest problem for the Shift is the Eee. With a few hacks to an Eee it can have just as much storage (probably more actually) and still be under half the price. The Shift looks great, but it’s too late, and it’s too much.

  • Joel Mclaughlin

    The Eee is a awesome PC. It’s sweet. Really looking forward to the next version. Apple should have went the ultra low end way too. They did it with the Mac Mini but why can’t they do it with the Airbook?

  • http://www.geardiary.com Mitchell Oke

    I don’t reckon the Air is overpriced, I think it is pretty good value for an extremely thin, well-built, stylish and good performing machine. Would recommend it highly to anyone who needs to get work done on the road, but doesn’t want to compromise keyboard or screen size.

    To be honest I thought the Zareason was overpriced, I just can’t see any reason to buy it over say a Dell or a MacBook.

  • Stan Lau

    ouch!! This rant sounds like something I’d write-oh wait, being a MacBook Air owner this is exactly what I’d write. Yes the Air is worth every penny I must agree-a full laptop that feels like you’re carrying a legal pad :-) Love it!

  • http://www.geardiary.com Mitchell Oke

    My dad bought one today to replace his Dell M1210, he just loved it when I showed him ;)

  • Stan Lau

    I plan to spend hours on mine learning all the fun things there are to do on a Mac -just love how compact it is-hey did anyone hear about what happened to Charlie Rose and his new Macbook Air? It’s almost as good as the one about the Newsweek writer’s wife throwing his Macbook Air out with the Sunday paper

  • alese

    I’m sure you all love your Airs (or at least MacBooks :wink: ), but for one don’t have any intention of buying overpiced ultraportable, beeing Air or Shift. I’m also not so sure that Air is such a category killer in ultra portable space or that Air is such a clear winner against the Shift, maybe in USA where Apple is media darling…

    For one thing Shift has certain things going for it, like built in 3G, smaller size (it’s not really pocketable, but it’s definatelly more pocketable than Air), touch screen that can make it more desirable for some people. Also the fact that at least in Europe some carriers will have it subsidized will make it more “price attractive”. I haven’t used/handled Air yet, but we do have Sony Vaio 505 here in the office that is extremly light an thin (way before apple and with more than just one USB port :smile: ) and looking at Sony I think Shift is still more a device that can be used on the go (standing up, with WAN…) and Air on the other hand is still more the device to be used in the hotel room…

    A bit off topic, why can’t someone create a device as thin as Air, maybe even a bit smaller but with convertable touch screen, so that it can be used as tablet.