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BS... they should have put at least one more USB port in.. and spaced them a little better.

Feb 14, 08 - 10:59 am Comment from: Islandgirl

Has anyone here tried to use the MacBook Air Superdrive attached to a USB hub plugged into the Air?
I've read a couple posts elsewhere that say the Superdrive must be plugged directly into the Air's USB port to work. It would be unfortunate if you couldn't use a USB hub, because most people would need one, I think.

Feb 14, 08 - 11:00 am Comment from: Think

What 2 USB devices do you use when traveling?
Like to hear from many road warriors on this.

Superdrive and USB flash drive.. at least.

Also considering it does not have built-in ethernet... you would have to use a usb port for that too in many cases.

wait you use a superdrive and a flash drive at the same time? what are you doing copying files from CD to thumb drive?

If you said superdrive/thumb drive and a usb mouse with scroll wheel I could believe you.

the only thing that really gets me about the air is no ethernet jack. that way you could use ethernet, and the superdrive at the same time.

Huawei datamodem, Miglia DTT Tuner, USB card reader

Feb 14, 08 - 11:25 am Comment from: Mr. Reeee

I use an old WACOM Graphire tablet (eeek, NOT a mouse!) and an Iogear USB SD Card reader/thumb drive with my MacBook Pro. Sometimes I'll plug in a Canon LiDE scanner.

Feb 14, 08 - 11:35 am Comment from: Think

OK, lets reword that. If you're TRAVELING with a laptop, what do you use?

I don't think I'm packing a Wacom tablet and scanner. Although the airport screeners might have fun with the scanner.

I believe we'll see this fall into two distinct groups. The engineer/techy types that will always want to take every gadget known to man or the sales rep types that want to keep it as simple and light as possible.
Nothing wrong with either, just different mind sets.

iPod/iPhone and EVDO modem would be the two USB devices I'd have use with the MBA (as if I'd ever give up my MBP).

"BS... they should have put at least one more USB port in.. and spaced them a little better."

im sure theyll get you to design the next one then as your comment suggests that you know better in the weeks its been out rather than the 2 years development on the product.

Macally USB mouse, iPhone or ipod, thumb drive, and I use this old silver flex light that plugs into a USB port.

I work in a hotel and I see road warriors sitting around our lobby all day long using the hotel's Wi-Fi system and I have NEVER seen a single one with anything plugged into a USB port. Not one. Ever.

Now the hotel doesn't have Wi-Fi in the rooms but an Airport Express would be a great solution for that. I honestly don't know more travelers haven't discovered them. I love mine.

I think the complainers are just that--complainers.

"BS... they should have put at least one more USB port in.. and spaced them a little better."

HOW THE HELL DO YOU THINK THAT THEY CAN GET MORE THAN 4 ON THAT STICK" They already have one at the end and 3 on the side..Pretty compact.. Things just aren't good enough for some people..

Your right Bob. I should just take it up the arse and be satisfied with what an engineer decides is the best way for me to use my computer.

What was I thinking.

The air is perfect in every way.. it must be... because it took 2 years to develop.

Why would I want to have an "ultra portable" that doesn't come with a cd/dvd drive or wired network connectivity to have enough usb slots so I don't have to carry around yet another thing (usb hub) in my bag.

After all.. when you are done traveling.. and reach your destination.. that laptop is going to be sitting on a desk.

@ whatever.. I was referring to the 2 usb ports on the air. Not this accessory.

My opinion is that having only 2 usb ports.. that are too close together.. was not a good design decision.

How many of you have actually used an air? Look at one in person and you will see what I am taking about.

This is still pretty snazzy

Feb 14, 08 - 12:35 pm Comment from: El Guapo

@Jesus (& everyone else)

The MBA only has 1 (uno) USB port, not 2 (dos).

I carry two WD 160 portable USB powered disks. They won't run from a single PB USB port so I use a powered 110/220 volt hub for use in hotel rooms, cruise ships and a vacation cabin. One disk is for TM, one for scratch space for DV. Also have a mouse and a charger cable for a PDA connected so I use all 4 ports of a Vakoss hub. It's only a little larger than the one shown, but it will run both disk drives from it's AC adaptor.

BTW, the PB USB port on the right side is used for a jump drive intermittently but I don't like to use that one because I am right handed and anything plugged in that side gets in the way of the mouse.

It's as thick as the Air!

Wow! You buy the Air book because it's light, convenient and cool and then you have to start buying various attachments to make up for the shortcomings needed to get the Air to its slim and sexy profile. Then you get to write a short article telling everyone how easy and inexpensive such-and-such a device is that will get you back the missing functionality.

In about a year you'll be carting around 4 or 5 small hardware widgets with your Air which will require an extra pocket somewhere and feeling pretty cool.

I like the MBA, but I want one with a 512GB SSD drive. How long before that is a reality? 2 years perhaps? For now my 17"MBP will have to do.

Feb 14, 08 - 01:27 pm Comment from: Mr. Reeee

Oh yeah, I use USB charging and sync cables for my phone and my Palm. And a USB charging cable for my Jawbone Bluetooth headset.

Feb 14, 08 - 01:28 pm Comment from: UltraVisitor

I'm sorry, but the whole concept of USB hubs reeks of lame. The computer should just have enough USB ports.

Or at least integrate a USB hub into something useful, like the Apple does with their Keyboard.

Feb 14, 08 - 01:29 pm Comment from: Grifterus

OK, le's start with my fav USB list:

When I'm on the road: Prety much nothing (eventually, my iPod), but....

At home:

- Keyboard + Mighty Mouse
- iPod (sometimes the iPod Shuffle too)
- Canon Scanner
- 2 external hard drives
- Additional DVD burner
- Laser Printer

So, it's a bunch of hardware. From all of them, the Canon scanner and the iPod (not the Shuffle, even though it's slow) need to be plugged into the laptop's USB port (a hub won't do).

THAT'S WHY the MacBook Air is for PEOPLE MOVING. It's a "sidekick" laptop. If you need a setup like mine, get a MacBook Pro. I have it and I can't complaint.

BTW, as sidekick computer, I just got my new iPod Touch. Now, THAT'S the ULTIMATE sidekick computer. It's just an amazing device. I don't have enough words to praise it. I think of it as a much more revolutionary device than the MBA (no iPhone service in my place, FYI). Just outstanding.

Feb 14, 08 - 01:37 pm Comment from: shen

why is it that if this machine isn't right for someone, they take it as a personal insult?

"Your right Bob. I should just take it up the arse and be satisfied with what an engineer decides is the best way for me to use my computer. "

no moron, you should buy one of THE OTHER TWO LAPTOPS APPLE MAKES.

why is this so hard for you morons? did you think they stopped making the other Macbooks? is every product that doesn't fit you perfectly an insult to you?

ya know, i have no desire at all to ever own a corvette. ever. so guess what i don't do? i don't buy one! i choose a car that fits ME. i DON'T go to the car sales floor and stand around the 'vettes bitching about how much the car sucks!

i would LOVE a MBA, and i will neither buy this nor any other device to go with it. not the superdrive, nothing. because it fits the way i work perfectly.

...if that is not true for you, DON'T BUY IT! this isn't rocket science people! i am glad (as a shareholder) that some of you feel compelled to buy every freaking thing Apple makes, but me, i buy what fits me. get a clue. try it sometime.

Calling my son names IS NOT a good idea.

So, all you guys who carry stuff with you already have a MacBook or a MacBook Pro. so if you had the air and had to carry a couple things, what's the big deal?
The idea is it's progressively getting smaller.

Feb 14, 08 - 08:42 pm Comment from: studentrights

The whole "translucent" candy color scheme thing is over.

Feb 15, 08 - 09:12 am Comment from: Mr. Reeee

At least the "over" translucent blue isn't white or black... speaking of over-done. Candy colors make a dull little dongle a bit more fun & interesting.

If you absolutely NEED a USB hub, then the fact that this does NOT have an AC power option limits it's ability to work with devices that need more power than a USB port can provide or if multiple devices draw too much power.

@ Jesus, as a minor deity, you should really have a better handle on punctuation. Don't count on your Dad to clean up all your messes after you, like some earthbound deities we've got around here! "Your", in the context you use it should be "you're" as in "you are". WHEN will people, or gods, learn!

@ GOD... Lighten up, Pop! Sheesh!

"After all.. when you are done traveling.. and reach your destination.. that laptop is going to be sitting on a desk."

If that's the case, bring a MacBook Pro if it's not being used very much in transit and you don't mind carrying the weight.

The MacBook Air is perfect by itself. I have no need to plug anything into mine, only the digital camera or USB thumb drive from time to time.

Adding stuff to it is stupid; might as well bring a MacBook then, if you don't mind the weight.

Mar 31, 08 - 10:44 pm Comment from: pedro66

So I found a kind of solution the the Superdrive USB issue

I have the drive plugged into MBA and everything else plugged into a Belkin F5L009 wireless USB hub $72 at Walmart you will need to download the drivers from the Belkin site in the UK as the US site does not have the 10.5 drivers yet. (03-31-08)

http://www.belkin.com/uk/support/article/?lid=enu&pid=F5L009uk&aid=9174&scid=255

The thing works great it will even see the iPhone as a media device, I have not worked out if it will sync yet but maybe it will.

Been using it with a WD USB drive and burning DVDs from the files on the HDD to the Superdrive 100%

Not got it to work with a WebCam yet which would be nice

Hope This Helps

I just brought belkin 4 port usb hub 2.0 but cant seem to make my superdrive work through this connection can anyone help?

I have the macBook Air!

Hi,

I have a Belkin Network USB hub, and a MBA superdrive... I had read in so many places that the superdrive will not work over the network hub, but today I thought I'd try it just for an experiment... it works!!

I have watched an entire DVD wirelessly over the network hub which is plugged into my airport base station... very cool!

I haven't done anything special to make it work, just plugged it in and the DVD started playing automatically.