MacBook Air -- how are you liking them now?

[Godfrey]

Godfrey, very unusually, you are in error. A search of the blogs from 2-3 years ago will turn up hundreds of references.

All current MBPs have FW, which was my point: I and many others who use video and audio peripherals skipped that unibody model.

And I use only a 128GB SSD on both my machines, and do not store files on them at all: they are used only as system disks. The 128 SSDs are very reasonably priced (tho' not $67; about $325 from memory!). I use FW LaCie Ruggeds on location for images or video files, and a bunch of other FW HDDs in the studio.

Hmm. I dunno ... I have looked through all the MBP specs from Apple and all of them from 2006 onwards seem to include FireWire ports with the single exception of the late-2008 MBP 13" model, the first time they offered the MBP in 13". Far as I can tell, all the 15 and 17 inch models have had FireWire. The first gen of 13" didn't ... it's was pretty obvious the design was derivative of the standard MacBook which don't have FW.

I like having enough space on the startup drive to run my daily use without another drive tethered to the system all the time, and 50% free space. I plug in an external drive when I'm doing image or video processing, which isn't a much smaller % of the time. My music and video library alone is 200G ... !

Different needs, different preferences.

 

[kit laughlin]

It was that 13" MBP I was talking about; sorry about not being sufficiently specific.

At the time, I was looking to downsize my 15" MBP, the earlier gen., which had FW. The MBP 13" was the first of the small form factor laptops that looked as though they might be powerful enough to do double duty as both a take-anywhere laptop AND be a real computer when in the studio, powering a big monitor. When I saw that Apple had removed the FW port (as you say, the design derivation is clear), I stuck with the one I had, until the new models were released (your generation one). But, at around the same time, the new MBAs were released, and then the 15" MBP with the matte screen—the rest you know.

Re. SSDs vs. standard HDDs: if you keep 50% free, the standard drives are quite fast and the bigger the capacity, the faster they are, as you are using the fastest parts! But decent SSDs are faster, and the Mercury Extremes are over-provisioned, space-wise, which is where the utilities that keep this model working at lightning speed reside. The Apple SSD's performance degrades over time.

I agree, horses for courses. Cheers, KL

 

[Jan Brittenson]

I love my 15" MBP i7 - it's great laptop. But it's not so great when traveling and all I need is something to take to a cafe to check my email over breakfast, do some trivial work, or to make backups of my flash cards each evening. It's pretty heavy to carry around. For something like that an 11" MBA is a better tool IMO.

 

[Godfrey]

It was that 13" MBP I was talking about; sorry about not being sufficiently specific.
...
I agree, horses for courses. Cheers, KL

To be honest, I hadn't even noticed that the MBP 13" existed before the current series. The first generation model seemed to come and go pretty quickly.

Been working on mine for the past two days and I'm lovin' it. Great little machine. Tighter, lighter, MUCH faster than my ancient PowerBook 15".

 

[kit laughlin]

And what we're talking about might be the reason why (well, one of them, at least)!

I think the new ones really have got most things right. If yours has a shiny screen, though, there is a Japanese matte skin that really works (I had one on my 13" MBP). The difference before and after is substantial. Cheers, KL

 

[Godfrey]

... I think the new ones really have got most things right. If yours has a shiny screen, though, there is a Japanese matte skin that really works (I had one on my 13" MBP). The difference before and after is substantial. Cheers, KL

Apple doesn't offer the MBP13 with a matte screen. I thought I wouldn't like the glossy screen, but after working at the office with a new iMac 27 glossy screen for a month, and once having calibrated the MPB13 glossy screen to my parameters, I find it simply isn't a problem. Once in a bit I get some reflection ... I just reposition the computer and my seat, the reflection goes away.

Personally, I don't like skins and protectors and such. They inevitably cut the display's sharpness and brilliance.

Was over at Micro Center today looking for a simple sleeve case* and played with the MBA 11 and 13s while I was there. Like them both, quite handy little machines. But now that I have the MBP13, I'm happy and I'm waiting for the next iPad model to come out before buying.

* I have a nice couple of bags that I drop the MBP13 into when I'm taking it somewhere, but I like to have a fitted, minimal sleeve for computer and power supply to protect them when I put away ... I often use the bags for carrying other stuff and leaving the computer sitting on a table, etc, runs the risk of something being dropped on it inadvertently. It's kinda like why I have a couple of bags in the closet that I stuff the second camera and lens in ... I rarely take it out in them, just a cover to keep them protected when not in use. Call me fussy about the finish ...

 

[kit laughlin]

Godfrey, that's really interesting. Because I spend so much time in airport lounges, I have found that those environments are hard ones to find an angle that's essentially reflection free.

If the 11" had had the option of a matte screen, I would have paid extra for that.

When I travel for a photo shoot (and take the 15 for processing/culling on location, rather than the 11), I notice that aspect immediately on using it in a lounge. Having said that, I still reach for the 11 most of the time at home and, if I am travelling for teaching and there's a shoot as well in the same trip, I check the 15 and take the 11 in hand carry, because it's so light and fits the seat-back tray so perfectly.

I agree that the screen skins do cut the sharpness and brilliance of the display, but the new 15 with the matte option calibrates to spec effortlessly. On location, I usually only cull and wait until I get back to the studio to use the big screen for anything more.

re. bags: I use one called a "tree frog" that's slightly larger than the 11"; its side pockets allow a book, dictaphone, etc., and it fits inside my carry-on bag. I have "Invishield" on the 11; the 15 is 'naked'!

Slightly OT: for me, the iPad (which my brother, a scientist, absolutely loves) has the fatal flaw (for me!) of no built-in keyboard. This was the big reason I jumped on the 11" MBA when I saw it in Vancouver last year: not much bigger than an iPad, but with a real keyboard, AND you can adjust the screen in the usual way. The iPad spends much more time in people's hands when I see them being used.

Good discussion; cheers. KL

 

[Terry]

Slightly OT: for me, the iPad (which my brother, a scientist, absolutely loves) has the fatal flaw of no built-in keyboard. This was the big reason I jumped on the 11" MBA when I saw it in Vancouver last year: not much bigger, but with a real keyboard, AND you can adjust the screen in the usual way. The iPad spends much more time in people's hands when I see them being used.

Good discussion; cheers. KL

LOL - the fatal flaw of the MBA for me is the lack of built in 3G with a data plan like the iPad. It is so nice to get to a hotel and not even have to worry about connecting to their wifi network or if they charge from $12-15 a day for service.

 

[kit laughlin]

Ha ha: yes, agree totally. However, they sync perfectly with my 3G iPhone...



edit: not sure if you have that facility there; here, we sync with iPhone on same plan via Bluetooth; assume it's the same there?

Hotel wi-fi charges are usurious (not a word you get to use every day!), I agree completely.

 

[Godfrey]

... if I am travelling for teaching and there's a shoot as well in the same trip, I check the 15 and take the 11 in hand carry, because it's so light and fits the seat-back tray so perfectly.
...
re. bags: I use one called a "tree frog" that's slightly larger than the 11"; its side pockets allow a book, dictaphone, etc., and it fits inside my carry-on bag.
...
Slightly OT: for me, the iPad (which my brother, a scientist, absolutely loves) has the fatal flaw (for me!) of no built-in keyboard. This was the big reason I jumped on the 11" MBA when I saw it in Vancouver last year: not much bigger than an iPad, but with a real keyboard, AND you can adjust the screen in the usual way. The iPad spends much more time in people's hands when I see them being used.

I have some work I want to do on the iPad, but mostly I will use it for reading books, movies, music, lecture podcasts, casual internet and mail, etc. To me, it's a very different device from a laptop ... I don't see myself managing or editing photographs with one. Or doing much typing. An iPad is for hand-holding.

 

[kit laughlin]

Ha ha; got that completely. When I watch my brother, it seems that there is a deeper relationship than I have with the MBA, for sure!

 

[weinschela]

Just saw this thread. I have a 13" MBA and for me it is perfect. Light and fast and a big enough screen for editing photos when necessary. CS5 runs just fine on it. But I do agree that a 3G chip in it would be A+

 

[Godfrey]

My brother bought an MBA 13" last week. I think he sleeps with it... !

 

[ustein]

>he fatal flaw of the MBA for me is the lack of built in 3G with a data plan like the iPad. It is so nice to get to a hotel and not even have to worry about connecting to their wifi network or if they charge from $12-15 a day for service.

You can now use the IP4 as a hotspot.

 

[GrahamWelland]

You can now use the IP4 as a hotspot.

This alone has made the 11in MBA much more appealing to me as the replacement for my iPad when out & about. I had to give up my unlimited Enterprise data plan to add the hotspot feature (AT&T really hate having that option out there!!!) and so now 4GB/mth is the limit although I seldom even get close to that normally even with my now ex-data card that I used to have.

In fact the iPhone 4 hotspot option also makes a WiFi only iPad a practical consideration if I ever decide to jump to an iPad v3 or higher.

 

[ustein]

>In fact the iPhone 4 hotspot option also makes a WiFi only iPad a practical consideration

For that reason I got the WiFi only iPad. If you don't watch movies 4GB is a lot.