Introducing MacBook Air. The world's thinnest notebook

There are few machines that can hold a candle to Apple's new laptop, writes Claudine Beaumont

Apple's newest laptop, the MacBook Air, has to be seen to be believed. It's so thin that it almost disappears when you flip it on its side

But the Air is a real feat of engineering, too. Apple and its partners, including chip-maker Intel, have done an excellent job of miniaturising already microscopic components to make them fit into a laptop that measures just 0.76in (1.9?cm) at its thickest point. To do this without scrimping on screen or keyboard size is hugely impressive.

The Air may be waif-like, but it still feels substantial. The generous 13.3in widescreen is perfect for watching films, while the backlit keyboard is comfortable to use.

It may not be the touchscreen device some people were hoping for, but Apple does nod towards the world of gesture-control with a big multi-touch trackpad. It's easy to configure to your individual specifications, and it quickly becomes second nature to use twisting, tapping and stroking movements on the oversize pad to rotate photos, move around web pages and zoom in and out.

Nother way that Apple has kept size and weight so low is to strip out the optical drive - the new "Remote Disc" feature, where you can "borrow" a CD drive on another networked machine to install software on your Air is an impressive touch, which other manufacturers will aim to copy.

Still, some people will want to play DVDs or burn CDs, so the additional inexpensive external optical drive is a worthwhile optional extra.

The Air is designed to be more of a second computer for "road warriors" than a main laptop, as the relatively small 80GB hard drive demonstrates. But at £1,199, portability comes at a price, especially when you consider that Asus's portable notebook, the Eee PC, while not as well built, costs just £219.

Regardless, Apple surely has another hit on its hands, because in terms of looks and elegance, there are few machines that can hold a candle to the Air.