“It’s like nothing you’ve never laid your hands on,” says National Geographic’s Steve Casimiro (ngadventure.com) of the MacBook Air. “And yes, you have to lay your hands on it to get the full effect.” It has, he notes, “ the heft of a leather portfolio, the dimensions of a design magazine, and the cool-to-the-touch exterior of some exotic metal.” MacBook Air, Casimiro concludes, “is the future now.”

“Thanks to its superior design, excellent software bundle, and approachable price, Apple’s MacBook tops our list for those matriculating this fall,” says CNET.com in its 2008 Back-to-School Gift Guide. MacBook earns an “Excellent” 8.3 (out of 10) rating to top the list of recommended laptops.