Samsung's aluminum-clad, 11.6-inch ultraportable is shipping from retail stores in the U.S., the second Series 9 laptop that takes precise aim at Apple's MacBook Air line.

Though obviously following Apple&39's lead, the Samsung Series 9 includes some important differences, such as a USB 3.0 port and WiMax 4G.

Samsung seems to be on a mission to--let's put this carefully--emulate Apple. First Samsung came out with the 13.3-inch Series 9. Like the 13.3-inch MacBook Air, it is carved out of aluminum, is super thin at 0.64 inches (the MacBook Air is 0.68 inches at its thickest point), weighs just less than 3 pounds (2.88 pounds) and has a great display (with 400 nit brightness).

Now, Samsung has come out with a likeness of the 11.6-inch MacBook Air. And just like the the Air, it is 2.3 pounds. Hmm...I'm beginning to see a pattern here.

The 11.6-inch Series 9 is now listed as "in stock" at stores like Amazon. Previously, it had been listed as pre-order only.

Though Samsung is obviously following Apple's lead, there are some important departures from the Apple template. First, the Series 9 uses Intel Core i series processors, not the older Core 2 Duo Intel chips in the MBAs. Second, it has a USB 3.0 port (the Air only has USB 2.0, no Thunderbolt ports--yet). Third, it packs 4G WiMax capability (Air has Wi-Fi only).

A few Samsung Series 9 11.6-inch highlights:

That's a pretty impressive spec sheet. Not only matching Apple on design but besting it on hardware in some areas.

Not everything comes up roses, though. The $1,199 11.6-inch MacBook Air packs a 128GB solid-state drive, twice that of the Samsung. And despite the high-end design, Samsung still must contend with the formidable Apple brand.

Via Netbooknews