Can you please explain how you "sync" up the last 2 mos of pics you have?
I agree- I am not sure I *need* all my 50GB of photos at my fingertips all the time- nor do I need my music. That is what my iPhone is for.
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Can someone explain what EXACTLY a refreshed MBA will let me do?
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Can you please explain how you "sync" up the last 2 mos of pics you have?
I agree- I am not sure I *need* all my 50GB of photos at my fingertips all the time- nor do I need my music. That is what my iPhone is for.
You'll be waiting a long time then. Ivy bridge in the MacBook air Isn't coming anytime soon. Due to the fact the MacBook pro will have it first and apple will probably not see it essential to have it in the MBA for the time being until 1 or 2 years later just like c2d.
Sandy Bridge is must for June on the MBA because c2d is emphatically dated tech. other competitors are ahead of the MacBook air in specs in it's class ATM and for another year if no refresh were to incur. That's why there will be an update.
Buy a $50 external 500GB HDD and use it for your photos or media you don't use on a daily basis.
Get the current 13.3" MBA with 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD for $1189 refurbished. It is by far the most bang for your buck of any Mac right now.
To add my two cents about the original thread topic. If you need a Mac that does highly CPU intensive apps, you should buy a different Mac and not wait for an MBA update. The current MBA is quite capable for the average user. Sandy Bridge CPUs require Intel's chipset and built-in IGP which is a gigantic step back in graphics to get a little more processing power.
I understand Apple using SB in the 13" MBP for two reasons. First, the pro user cares about specs and has apps that require more. Second, the pro users will be forced to upgrade to the 15" and 17" MBPs which is what Apple wants as it means a lot more money; pro users know when the 13" MBP will not suit their needs due to the seriously handicapped IGP.
The MBA user is looking for a well rounded mobile experience that just works. Sandy Bridge would reduce many of the graphics capabilities due to the much less capable IGP in low and ultra low voltage variants. Apple is going to need to wait until there is an Intel update that makes sense for the MBA, and Ivy Bridge is the next chance. I would prefer they even wait for AMD but I know IB is more likely.
I think the wait for an updated MBA will be a loonnnnggggg one, so you're better off buying now and being happy.
Get the current 13.3" MBA with 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD for $1189 refurbished. It is by far the most bang for your buck of any Mac right now.
To add my two cents about the original thread topic. If you need a Mac that does highly CPU intensive apps, you should buy a different Mac and not wait for an MBA update. The current MBA is quite capable for the average user. Sandy Bridge CPUs require Intel's chipset and built-in IGP which is a gigantic step back in graphics to get a little more processing power.
I understand Apple using SB in the 13" MBP for two reasons. First, the pro user cares about specs and has apps that require more. Second, the pro users will be forced to upgrade to the 15" and 17" MBPs which is what Apple wants as it means a lot more money; pro users know when the 13" MBP will not suit their needs due to the seriously handicapped IGP.
The MBA user is looking for a well rounded mobile experience that just works. Sandy Bridge would reduce many of the graphics capabilities due to the much less capable IGP in low and ultra low voltage variants. Apple is going to need to wait until there is an Intel update that makes sense for the MBA, and Ivy Bridge is the next chance. I would prefer they even wait for AMD but I know IB is more likely.
I think the wait for an updated MBA will be a loonnnnggggg one, so you're better off buying now and being happy.
OK I like this advice. 13" MBA 4GB/128SSD/1.8 C2D + ext HD
1) can you tell me which exactly are the "highly intensive CPU" apps?
2) If one is running iPhoto on the ext HD, what is the process of syncing from your camera/iPhone? Do you have to have the ext drive hooked up to the mac at the same time as you are syncing the phone to get the photos in?
The renderings would be faster, but the creation of the 3D models would be crappy due to the awful graphics card.
I now have a little over 100Gb in use, but I ordered the ultimate version. One because expansion is still really expensive, second reason is because a long tine ago I ordered a smaller iPod and within months it was stuffed with music and there couldn't be anything added. Third is that it will be my primary machine and I need to run parallels with xp and a very tiny program and I didnt want to be it too slow. An other reason is that ssd's like to have their space, a cramped SSD usually gets slower. I don't know if apple did something to prevent this, but I plan to use the machine for a couple of years at least, so why buy such an expensive brand and high quality if you run the risk of running out of memory? If it is a second machine with specific uses, then it is another thing. But as a primary machine I didn't want to risk it.
But each to his own, I use it professionally every day, 8 hours a day or more (and a little bit for private use at night) but it might be completely different form your intended use.
But each to his own, I use it professionally every day, 8 hours a day or more (and a little bit for private use at night) but it might be completely different form your intended use.
Runs quite smooth actually, i dont do too much intensive with it, have it mostly because I watch my kid at his daycare through a webcam and in order to make it zoomed in or full screen I need to run an activex control, so I run IE on it. I also have Office 12 installed on it in case I need to run any crazy macros in excel that the mac excel cant handle. I have it set to 2GB memory and all memory will get eaten in the system once you have windows 7 plus safari, excel, word, powerpoint open. I usually do though and really do not notice much of a slow down if any....this is why the 4GB is essential..a MBA with 8GB would be the greatest system ever....
I use a "smart folder" in Aperture to create a new library of last 2 months photos, which I name Macbook Air Library and just pull it over to the air....
Thanks- I think this is possible in iPhoto as well, no?
So what you do is sync your iPhone or camera to your MBA and save photos in the "temp" folder on the MBA.
Then you drag and drop it over to the real folder on the ext HD at a later time?
If this works, it sounds like a good solution.
How do you handle syncing of your iPad or iPhone? If your iTunes is coming off the ext HD, does that HD need to be plugged in whenever syncing the iPhone?
Well, what I actually do is keep the main Aperture file on an external HD so I have all my picture files with me if needed, but from my home computer I create the smart folder and additional aperture library which I then transfer to my MBA. I could access my entire library just by pointing the library to the external library. I have not messed with iphoto much so not sure if the capabilities to create additional libraries exist, but I dont see why it wouldnt.
I also sync my iphone on my home computer to a specific playlist, however also keep my itunes library on my external, which my mba is pointed to. I have my iphone on manual everything so that if I have files on any computer I want to add I can add it without having to "erase and sync"....Any photos I take with my camera or iphone I can import to my mba but just dont erase the files until it syncs my main library. If this is not possible because you are trying to dump files then it is easy enough to create a folder on your MBA to store the files until you sync elsewhere.
This solution may not be for everyone but I find that for as often as I feel like accessing my music and photos from my MBA or laptop in general this solution manages well. I only really use the desktop to manage large files...
At least if you want to add some from the library to the iDevice.
If you need to access your photos and music regularly (daily), then an external HD may ruin your experience. It is a hassle and kind of kills the idea of the MBA if you need to have the external connected to it often. Your music takes only 9GB so that should be fine in the SSD. That leaves us with your photos. How often do you need to access them?
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I agree, with 9gb of iTunes I wouldn't worry about keeping them on the MBA. I have 80gb of iTunes and 40gb of pics. That's my main reason for keeping an external with me. But like the last post said, I don't need them everyday so I create the last 2 months just to show people some pics of my kids.
I agree, with 9gb of iTunes I wouldn't worry about keeping them on the MBA. I have 80gb of iTunes and 40gb of pics. That's my main reason for keeping an external with me. But like the last post said, I don't need them everyday so I create the last 2 months just to show people some pics of my kids.
If they're going to put an i3 chip in the next Air then I would definitely prefer to keep the current configuration. The i3 is nothing more than a relabeled Celeron, ie extremely weak. Then toss in Intel's crummy graphics and you'll have a computer with the power of an iPad. If this is where Apple is going then I'll keep what I have, thank you.
i3 is based on the same architecture as i5 and i7 it simply has features stripped out like hyper threading, less cache, dual instead of quad core. Clock for clock it performs better than a Core 2 Duo and far better than a Celeron.
There are no (ultra) low voltage i3s. If you had read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Bridge#Mobile_processors , then you would have noticed that all XXX9M chips (which by common sense in this forum will be used in the 13" as they have 25W) are i7 and the XXX7M chips (to be used in the 11", running at 17W) are either i5 or i7.
SB alone does not = hotter chips. All chips depend on TDPs and you (conveniently) neglect to mention that the MBP's, both the 13" and 15/17" went UP in TDP in this refresh. The 13" jumped from 25W to 35W and the 15"/17" went from 35W to 45W. That's a big jump for no change in form factor. Those laptops run hotter 'cause their chips suck more energy.
SB has some LV chips in the i5/i7 family that run at 17W and would suck up LESS energy than the current C2D+320M combo in the Air. Hence, they'd run the same or cooler, and have better battery life.
Yah, Ivy Bridge for MBP will be this time next year. LV Ivy Bridge for the MBA will be Summer 2012. That's a almost two years from the October 2010 refresh. AKA, a LONG Time for an update for Apple's new #1 selling portable machine.
While I agree with you in Theory, new data leaves me to believe it'll be October possibly before we get any sort of refresh, and even then possibly just a Spec bump to more RAM and a thunderbolt port (and hopefully BL keyboard) to Spur Holiday Sales.
And while I'd have no problems with SB in a MBA (why not want a laptop that's faster, runs cooler and has better battery life at the expense of gaming performance - who games on a MBA anyway?), new reports are suggesting the MBA is currently still selling like gangbusters.
And despite all the SB hate in these forums, I've always said it'll come down to sales numbers. If the MBA sales drop off, the refresh will happen sooner. If the sales numbers hold up, the refresh will happen later.
Current reports are saying the MBA is still selling great - in fact the Air (due to a price-drop, mostly I'd say) is selling up to 300% more than last year (when the product WAS stagnant) so I see that as meaning the refresh will not happen soon (June) and may happen in the Summer/Fall (SB or not).
SOURCE: http://www.macnn.com/articles/11/04/04/could.reap.22.billion.per.year/
That being said, as the air now makes up for 15% of total laptop sales, and could potentially grow, I have a hard time believing that Apple would leave their hot selling portable completely stagnant for 18-20 months. That seems ludicrous to me, and something Apple's *never* done before (especially when there's a chip that would give better battery life, and save Apple $$$$$ by not having to include a separate graphics chip).