This proves my original point - MBA is a machine for people who want to look cool rather than people who want performance.
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Am I crazy for wanting an MBA? Everyone I know says YES.
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This proves my original point - MBA is a machine for people who want to look cool rather than people who want performance.
J
jmadlena
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Or... just maybe, it is for people who prefer portability over performance.
My God, could there be such a thing? No, there couldn't! I mean, who wouldn't just buy a 8-core Mac Pro, considering specs and performance are the only issues to consider?
Sometimes, when it comes to specific needs, portability > performance.
DerekS, you're such a poser with your Macbook Pro. Always trying to look cool!
Personally, I use a Cray XT4 Supercomputer that I've put on wheelies and drag behind me as I walk around. I don't look cool like you but I need serious performance because I'm serious person that does very serious things. You would never understand because my work is more important than you could ever understand.
I'll answer, since you asked...
The thread actually came up on my RSS reader and, since I have opinions (which is what the original poster requested) I decided to share them.
I actually didn't realize I was in a MBA specific board until I read your post. I agree, it would be pretty antisocial just to troll boards for products I dislike. And I don't dislike the Air per se, I just think it's all about looks and not about utility.
Some people want a computer to show off with. Some people are manager types that do nothing more than read emails and powerpoints. For those people, an MBA is ideal.
I'm a developer. We have large egos and like fast powerful computers. Form follows function.
Or... just maybe, it is for people who prefer portability over performance.
My God, could there be such a thing? No, there couldn't! I mean, who wouldn't just buy a 8-core Mac Pro, considering specs and performance are the only issues to consider?
Sometimes, when it comes to specific needs, portability > performance.
I have an 8 core Mac Pro for home/work use, and a 17" MBP for portability. I prefer using the Mac Pro most times because it's so much faster. I don't consider the MBP to be heavy or a burden in any way when I want to go mobile.
To each his own
I'm going to shut up for a while because this is becoming a nonproductive flamefest (not my intent.) In the end, we all love our Macs and that's what counts, right?
maybe im crazy cuz i got a mack book air
look on craigslist to buy one i found one on there new sealed w 3yr/warranty for 1.6 for $1850
look on craigslist to buy one i found one on there new sealed w 3yr/warranty for 1.6 for $1850
People here get the impression that an MBA is for executive type who just cares about fashion, just cares about portability, or both. The reason for buying an MBA can be neither of these reasons. It could just be the design, which isn't so ridiculous. After all, we don't treat clothing, cars, houses, shoes, keyboards, mice, pens, pencils, cameras, chairs, etc, as utilitarian objects. We choose and purchase these things based on a plethora of reasons.
I also don't understand why people think the MBA is just an underpowered piece of pretty crap. What is "underpowered"? Everything that I personally do with my MacBook, I can do equally well with an MBA, and I'm in physics/prostate cancer research. I'm NOT the executive type who wears a suit and carries a $600 briefcase to meetings. The MBA is light, doesn't lack processing power, and does essentially everything that I do with my current 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook. It's equivalent to carrying everything I need in a laptop with me, rather than just carrying everything with me in case I need it. If I bought a bluetooth mouse, I'd still have the USB slot free. I don't need the 2nd slot because I only need 1 USB slot on my MacBook. I also never use the DVD drive, so an external would work fine for me. Cut the excess out, and I have an MBA that's lighter.
The only thing I would lose if I purchased an MBA is unnecessary weight, an extra 1 GB of RAM (I have 3 GB), an ethernet port, and around $500. However, it felt solidly-built and looks great. I can't say the same thing about my MacBook.
I'm not saying "I want a MacBook Air". In fact, my next laptop is likely to be a MBP, not an MBA. However, I'd definitely consider the MBA.
And I guess my point is that people with your mentality are complete hypocrites.
Again, not everything has to be about utilitarianism, and I'm sure the same people who criticize someone for spending an extra $500-600 on a laptop just for its appearance are the same ones who spend an extra bit of money to get the nicer pair of shoes, shirt, (computer) accessories, or car at some point in their life. You have. Fess up.
I think the point he was making was that the TC definitely falls into the style over substance category.
But some people reserve the right to disapprove of those reasons, as if it's any of their business. I would think this is an argument which a Mac user would never direct at another Mac user, given how often a similar anti-choice argument is directed at all Mac users in general. But life is full of surprises, I guess.
Not true. The Air is the perfect computer for people that just need to do a few things. I have a MacBook. I used it everyday as a desktop, tethered to a K&M as well as a Cinema Display. Last month I bought a Mac Pro. Now, I find the only time I hop on the MacBook is to surf the internet, check my mail, send an IM, or kill some time while the wife is hogging the Mac Pro. So for me, pulling out a MacBook to surf the internet on the couch now seems kind of overkill. I don't think I'll ever use the Superdrive again, or any of the I/O ports for that matter. So owning an Air for sitting on the couch or the bed to tinker around with would be perfect. And that has nothing to do with looking cool.
Remember, the Air is not supposed to be a power house. That's what the MacBook Pro is for. And it's not supposed to be a low-cost I/O solution either. That's what the MacBook is for. The Air is an extension of your current desktop machine, a connection to your wireless world. A quick and easy on-the-go computer.
Some people want their cake and eat it too. You can't have a machine as powerful and tricked out as the MBP and be as sleek and lightweight as the Air. You can't have both. You either have low profile, or high performance. Not both.
Not you DerekS, but I hate when I read people bashing the Air because it doesn't fit their needs. Hey, a $15,000 Harley doesn't fit my needs, does that mean it's a piece of junk?
The Air is all about confidence.
Confidence to know what exactly it is you need. What exactly it is you don't.
It's about understatement.
It's not a "hey look at all my hardware" kind of computer. "Look at all my ports, my storage space, my screen size and all my power."
It's about people who have thought precisely about their lifestyle, how they live it and are comfortable enough with that choice.
They are not the "might" kind of people. The I might need to use an extra port, or I might need some more storage or I might need more GHZ.
They are no stranger to making the hard choices and the tough calls and what is it that really matters. Not the I want everything in order to be happy kind.
They have thought their choices over and have come to terms with it. They know exactly what their life is, and what it demands from them - nothing more, nothing less.
Confidence to know what exactly it is you need. What exactly it is you don't.
It's about understatement.
It's not a "hey look at all my hardware" kind of computer. "Look at all my ports, my storage space, my screen size and all my power."
It's about people who have thought precisely about their lifestyle, how they live it and are comfortable enough with that choice.
They are not the "might" kind of people. The I might need to use an extra port, or I might need some more storage or I might need more GHZ.
They are no stranger to making the hard choices and the tough calls and what is it that really matters. Not the I want everything in order to be happy kind.
They have thought their choices over and have come to terms with it. They know exactly what their life is, and what it demands from them - nothing more, nothing less.
Well said.
What I'll add to that is that the MBA's potential customer base also understands relative priorities. I travel a lot on business and my new laptop (Thinkpad T60) is a {explitive!} pound heavier than my old one (Thinkpad T41p).
It doesn't seem like a lot, but every pound adds up when you're travelling light...especially in environments where having wheels on your suitcase are a marked disadvantage (including carrying that suitcase ... which is heavier because of its wheels ... up & down staircases in metro stations, train platforms, over lousy cobblestone streets, etc), and what applies to the suitcase also applies to the briefcase - - hey, I have one of those "thought it was a good idea at the time" wheeled briefcases with the telescoping handle at home ... anyone want to buy it?
What I've found in the past two years of some pretty intensive travel ... over 100K miles ... is that I've used my Optical drive exactly once, and that was to watch a movie on my PC because I had already seen the one on the flight...and I really should have been using the battery to get work done. What this really means is that I personally don't really need to carry the extra weight of an optical drive anymore. Similarly, when away from my office desk's docking station, other than needing one USB port for plugging in thumb drives to transfer files, I've used ZERO hardwired ports ... since 2004.
As such, a MBA offers me just what I need, nothing more, and at the benefit of shaving off a couple of precious pounds.
IMO, that's worth the $500 premium to me, assuming that it really is an actual cost premium: the new uber-lightweight Lenovo is more expensive if I recall correctly. I'm serious enough about saving weight that I've already talked to my boss about ditching this anchor (my new T60 Thinkpad) and have threatened to go back to the T41p that we bought back in 2003...all just to save a "mere couple of pounds" of weight when on the road.
As it already stands, my ability to travel light has saved my company from expenses on many occasions, including a cost avoidance of $1500 a year ago because I was able to make a botched airline connection (weather) and avoid a night wasted in a hotel room in Frankfurt waiting for a new flight.
Thus, when it comes to the real costs of doing business, a smart manager realizes that spending extra $500 on a laptop is trivial. For personal use, it may be a bit more difficult to justify, but I'm glad to see the MBA exists, because when it hits REV B, I'll probably buy one as the replacement for my 2005 vintage 12" G4 Powerbook.
-hh
Just tell them "we have different needs",
A convertible car won't work well in Alaska.
A Ferrari won't work well for moving furniture.
But they are sure good way to pick up girls.
MacBook Air can crunch numbers as fast as Dual processor PowerMac G5, and that's enough for many users. But keep in mind the trade off for small size is that for the same price, you can get a refurb MBP.
Well it's your money, you decide.
A convertible car won't work well in Alaska.
A Ferrari won't work well for moving furniture.
But they are sure good way to pick up girls.
MacBook Air can crunch numbers as fast as Dual processor PowerMac G5, and that's enough for many users. But keep in mind the trade off for small size is that for the same price, you can get a refurb MBP.
Well it's your money, you decide.
One thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is the importance of location. I notice that a lot of people from NYC are attracted to the MBAir, which makes sense considering they probably don't own a car. I live in brooklyn and take public transportation everywhere, without exception.
Every single pound counts to me.
I think a lot of people who complain about this notebook are those that get up in the morning, put their laptop in their bag and walk alllllll the wayyyyy out to the driveway before putting it down in the passenger seat of the car. And then they arrive at work and walk alllll the wayyyyy from the parking lot, to their desk. No wonder they can't understand what a few pounds difference might mean.
Depending on where you live, "travel" means very different things.
Every single pound counts to me.
I think a lot of people who complain about this notebook are those that get up in the morning, put their laptop in their bag and walk alllllll the wayyyyy out to the driveway before putting it down in the passenger seat of the car. And then they arrive at work and walk alllll the wayyyyy from the parking lot, to their desk. No wonder they can't understand what a few pounds difference might mean.
Depending on where you live, "travel" means very different things.
I think you might have just convinced me. I was leaning heavily against the idea of an MBA... now I have to do some real soul-searching.
Here's a piece of advice: If you need someone else to make up your mind for you then you're never going to get anywhere. Make your decision and to hell with the consequences.
Life's too short to second guess it.
I'm making my own decision. He didn't tell me to get one. He just raised very intriguing points that will lead me to my decision.
I ran over to the Apple store today and spent some time with the Air (1.6/80) after reading a lot of reviews, searching through this board, and doing some other basic research. I am also a PC owner and have never owned a mac.
My conclusion is that the Air is fine for students or anyone in general who does not play games or do heavy design on a computer. There really is not a lot of need for an optical drive and you always have the ability to get the external or use another computers drive through the new virtual software. The thinness/size is a real benefit for people who have to carry laptops around with them and is perfect for students.
I also put the Air through its paces by opening Safari and running video on cnn.com in full screen, also opening excel and powerpoint and a few other programs. I could not hear the fan but the store was loud so it could have come on. I did put my ear up to the computer to see if I could catch anything and I didn't.
Pluses:
Beautiful Screen
Fairly responsive power - not as fast as a MB or MBP but honestly not too different
Great trackpad
Solid design - the build quality is amazing
Very light and thin - if you want ultra portability this is it
Minuses:
The edges are sharp (this could become an issue for many)
I noticed the bottom and the palm rests were pretty warm - bordering on hot (most laptops have this issue but it was uncomfortable)
Hard drive space (for the price, it would be nice to have more, but my current laptop only has a 60 gig in it so this is still an improvement)
Small mouse button under trackpad - could have been bigger but this is really nitpicking
A lot of people do not need more than 1 USB port, a lot of people rarely use their optical drive, and I think most would be fine using the Air as their primary computer. If you are a windows user you can run parallels and problem solved. Eventually windows users who switch will probably move away from the OS and into OSX permanently once they adjust. At this point I see no reason to go learn Vista when I can migrate to OSX.
I do not agree that the Air should be an extension of your desktop/larger laptop - it can stand on its own as your primary. If you already have a functional laptop I see no point in adding the Air. I would only buy it if you wanted to replace your laptop. In all honesty if you buy it I could see you never using another one of your computers unless you had to play a game or do something that required more power.
I remember when I bought my first laptop - at first it took some adjustment - there were a few drawbacks etc but once I got used to it I never had the need for a desktop again. The Air is the same way, it is pushing people to get rid of the parts they don't really need and wont miss. After you adjust, you probably wont ever go back.
My conclusion is that the Air is fine for students or anyone in general who does not play games or do heavy design on a computer. There really is not a lot of need for an optical drive and you always have the ability to get the external or use another computers drive through the new virtual software. The thinness/size is a real benefit for people who have to carry laptops around with them and is perfect for students.
I also put the Air through its paces by opening Safari and running video on cnn.com in full screen, also opening excel and powerpoint and a few other programs. I could not hear the fan but the store was loud so it could have come on. I did put my ear up to the computer to see if I could catch anything and I didn't.
Pluses:
Beautiful Screen
Fairly responsive power - not as fast as a MB or MBP but honestly not too different
Great trackpad
Solid design - the build quality is amazing
Very light and thin - if you want ultra portability this is it
Minuses:
The edges are sharp (this could become an issue for many)
I noticed the bottom and the palm rests were pretty warm - bordering on hot (most laptops have this issue but it was uncomfortable)
Hard drive space (for the price, it would be nice to have more, but my current laptop only has a 60 gig in it so this is still an improvement)
Small mouse button under trackpad - could have been bigger but this is really nitpicking
A lot of people do not need more than 1 USB port, a lot of people rarely use their optical drive, and I think most would be fine using the Air as their primary computer. If you are a windows user you can run parallels and problem solved. Eventually windows users who switch will probably move away from the OS and into OSX permanently once they adjust. At this point I see no reason to go learn Vista when I can migrate to OSX.
I do not agree that the Air should be an extension of your desktop/larger laptop - it can stand on its own as your primary. If you already have a functional laptop I see no point in adding the Air. I would only buy it if you wanted to replace your laptop. In all honesty if you buy it I could see you never using another one of your computers unless you had to play a game or do something that required more power.
I remember when I bought my first laptop - at first it took some adjustment - there were a few drawbacks etc but once I got used to it I never had the need for a desktop again. The Air is the same way, it is pushing people to get rid of the parts they don't really need and wont miss. After you adjust, you probably wont ever go back.
Your Gillette joke was inapt and unfunny the first time. Why emphasize it with a second try?
Your Gillette joke was inapt and unfunny the first time. Why emphasize it with a second try?
Well I could have just said the original post was probably the most stupidly hilarious thing I'd ever read - the idea that the thrusting decisive sort buys the MacBook Air because he has no truck with maybes - but the Gillette comparison was kinder.
Mind you, actually taking that post seriously is probably even dumber but what can you do?
You are not crazy in the least!! I switched over from a Dell 700m to the MBA. I LOVE IT. I have had it for almost 3 months now, and it never crashed on me once. Plus it is so convenient and sexy. It is perfect for what I need it for!!
May have to start looking at external HD though... That 80gb filled up fast!!!
May have to start looking at external HD though... That 80gb filled up fast!!!