Apple's new MacBook Air software reinstall drive contains OS X 10.6 and iLife 11 and comes with new MacBook Airs as a way to do system recovery without an optical disc.

(Credit: Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

A nice option that now comes tucked away in the MacBook Air's included documentation is a USB key containing a full version of the Mac system software and iLife '11 suite.

When plugged into the computer, holding down the "C" key as you boot up treats the USB stick just like an optical disc, letting you run system diagnostics, or do a clean re-installation of OS X. Apple has long included the same tools on CDs, and later DVDs, but given the Air's reliance on external disc drives, this proves to be a much more user-friendly option for those without