New netbook sized Apple MacBook Air models deliver mobile broadband in style

As was widely rumoured, Apple yesterday unveiled a brace of new models to its range in the shape of the 11-inch MacBook Air and it's slightly bigger 13-inch counterpart. Both models are available immediately, with the basic 11-inch version priced at £849 at the Apple online store and the 13-inch model beginning at £1,099.

The new models take the concept of the high-end MacBook Air and cram everything into a much smaller package. Both are incredibly light and thin, which will make them a sure-fire hit with anyone who wants a portable mobile broadband experience but with the benefit of Mac durability and style. There are no hard drives present either, with data storage coming in the shape of flash memory.

There are some minor disappointments, however, as only the 13-inch model has an SD card slot, there is no backlit keyboard, which could prove frustrating on a premium-priced device, and both models come minus increasingly essential connectivity ports like VGA or HDMI outputs. Similarly, there is no built-in 3G wireless or Ethernet, with the latter needing an adapter - sold separately.

The units are apparently also shipping minus the Flash Player software that is used to display interactive and movie content on the web. Apple has long been unhappy with the Adobe program and this latest move might suggest that they are leaving it up to owners to decide whether or not they want to install it.

Nevertheless, if you've got a bit of spare cash and want to turn a few heads on your next commute then either one of these will do the job admirably.