MBA - 80GB HDD/1.6GHz

[Doju]

Will this be good enough for simple word processing (pages and keynote, occasionally both open at the same time) and the occasional web browsing. NO FLASH, just simple web browsing like reading MacRumors, NY Times, Engadget, etc. NO FLASH OR ANY VIDEOS. Can't stress that enough.

Also, no gaming. Also, no Photoshop, video editing, or any kind of other graphics editing. Just simple word processing and sometimes web-surfing.

Will it be sufficient enough to do this? Also, how do I hook it up to one of those projectors? (The ones that shoot the light out onto the white canvas.)

Do you MBAers carry your chargers when you bring it to school? Or do you find the charge enough? Can you get through a whole day without the battery going dead? It can last longer than four hours if it's on standby, right? And you just shove it in your bag, and take notes with it, right?

CHEERS!

 

[Ironic]

yes, but flash ads, (the moving kind) on any webpage sets the fans and heat in motion! Yes, it Ok but if you can the B get it,!

 

[zap2]

Yes....sure its a MBA, but its still a good computer...the stuff your doing could be done on a netbook.(not thats is bad, it just isn't hardware intensive)

 

[Doju]

But I heard the old MacBook Airs (keep in mind this is the first version I'm talking about) start to burn your legs and make ridiculous noise with fairly decent internet usage. Are these claims at all exaggerated, like is it that bad that it will totally shut down if you're just browsing the web? Can I watch YouTube on it, or will it asplode? Any Flash?

And thanks, but the MacBook Air is completely what I need. Netbooks are gross, small keyboard, small (understatement) screen, and no OS X.

 

[zap2]

Netbooks are gross, small keyboard, small (understatement) screen, and no OS X.

Not that I'm saying you should get one, but Dell makes a 12'' netbook, and keyboard are very big now, almost all 90%+ of a full keyboard...OS X can be hack, but again thats not what you want, which is fine.


Not that I'm saying you should get a netbook, just trying to make sure info is correct about them

 

[lincolnchee]

yes, but flash ads, (the moving kind) on any webpage sets the fans and heat in motion! Yes, it Ok but if you can the B get it,!

I have tried MBA Gen1 at one of the Apple local retail stores and I don't find it that slow as what others have described. I tried playing videos in Youtube and I don't find it annoyingly slow.

If u are not too overly concern with the heat then this machine certainly meets your needs. Try it out in one of the retail shops, seeing is believing.

 

[Doju]

No retail shops near here. >_>

Heat does bother me, though. With simply running pages/web-browsing, I can't imagine it will get hot? (C'mon, word processing and lo-fi sites like MR!)

12" netbook or MBA?

 

[Ironic]

But I heard the old MacBook Airs (keep in mind this is the first version I'm talking about) start to burn your legs and make ridiculous noise with fairly decent internet usage. Are these claims at all exaggerated, like is it that bad that it will totally shut down if you're just browsing the web? Can I watch YouTube on it, or will it asplode? Any Flash?

And thanks, but the MacBook Air is completely what I need. Netbooks are gross, small keyboard, small (understatement) screen, and no OS X.

I have had both revs, I was always pisst that the fans kicked up to 6200 RPMs for no reason, and the heat was crazy, they worked those issues out in B, I myself would never buy a A again, but really do what you can afford . 12" netbook

 

[aussie.damo]

yes, but flash ads, (the moving kind) on any webpage sets the fans and heat in motion! Yes, it Ok but if you can the B get it,!

Isn't it Ironic that most of your posts on this site criticise people for overstating the "thin horizontal lines" problem on the Rev Bs, yet you make blanket statements about fan and heat problems on the Rev As? Presumably this is based on your individual experience with the Rev A which you have assumed is identical to everyone else's. Aren't you "blowing out of proportion" the Rev A problems?

On topic - I have a Rev A and use it in a similar way the OP intends. I also run fusion (XP) and frequently watch movies on YouTube, DivX downloads, QuickTime stuff, you name it. I don't experience undue heat (hottest it has ever been was 72). I have installed smcFanControl and run my fans at a (still silent) 3000RPM. I do this on all my Mac laptops, so it's not specifically because of a heat problem with the Air.

In summary - the Rev A Air will be just fine for your needs. Sure, you may get a bad one, but all things being equal, the Air works great.

Damo

 

[Ironic]

I stand on my statement, Netbook

 

[gsampson]

No retail shops near here. >_>

Heat does bother me, though. With simply running pages/web-browsing, I can't imagine it will get hot? (C'mon, word processing and lo-fi sites like MR!)

12" netbook or MBA?

I have a first generation MBA, but its the 1.8ghz 80gb version and I haven't had any problems. I do go on youtube and the temp raises a bit and fan goes on, but nothing crazy. Go with the MBA!

 

[coupdetat]

Dude your needs are so low you could get away with a PowerBook. Look into that...

 

[LinMac]

I have a first generation MBA, but its the 1.8ghz 80gb version and I haven't had any problems. I do go on youtube and the temp raises a bit and fan goes on, but nothing crazy. Go with the MBA!

Flash 10 typically helps when using Flash, but it is no substitute for Adblock Plus, Element Hider, and Flashblock (or Noscript).

 

[Lumpydog]

Get it

I have a Rev A MBA. I use it as a second PC to my Mac Pro.

It performs admirably for the way I have used it so far. Web surfing, email and other low impact computing (no photoshop or video editing/rendering or gaming).

I've hit a few videos and flash-based web sites that cause the fan to spin up, but it spins back down once I move to a different site.

I have never had a problem with video stuttering or a core shutting down.

All in all, it's a great laptop.

 

[Doju]

Thanks. So it's a good enough computer that it won't go crazy when just web-browsing? What's the most one can do without it heating up and getting noisy?

 

[jimboutilier]

Thanks. So it's a good enough computer that it won't go crazy when just web-browsing? What's the most one can do without it heating up and getting noisy?

I've been using a RevA 1.6/80 for months doing things a lot heavier than I would have expected it to be capable of. Running a Dozen or so Mac apps along with an XP VM and a few Windows apps with no difficulties all day long.

It runs cooler than either my MB or MBP under the same load. Video does tax it but I've not personally experienced any core shutdowns. Cpu load goes up and fan speed goes up (same as on my MB or MBP) but the MBA still runs cooler. I'll take a pegged MBA over a pegged MBP on my lap any day. Maybe I'm just lucky but I know more people happy with theirs than unhappy. Likely depends on the programs you use and your usage patterns more than anything else.

 

[MRU]

As an owner of one of the first MBA's in Ireland, I never experienced any core shutdown or excessive heat from my MBA. The only problem I had was disastrous charging times and a battery that had to be replaced meaning a two week stay in the apple service agents.

Other than that the MBA worked a treat, and I also never had any problems doing the odd bit of photoshop work on it either.