MacWorld testing showed MacBook Pro LED getting half what Apple claims...
I'm still waiting for evidence to back up the claim that you're not going to get the 5 hours. Virtually every recent report says that Apple easily meets their estimated times.
Apple: (
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs.html)
o 15-inch MacBook Pro
--- 60-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery (with integrated charge indicator LEDs) providing up to 6 hours of battery life
MacWorld: (
http://www.macworld.com/article/58476/2007/06/macbookprorev.html)
The Santa Rosa chip set, as well as the switch to LED backlighting in the 15-inch models, boosts the MacBook Pros’ battery life.
In our testing, both the 15- and 17-inch models delivered an impressive 3 hours, approximately, of DVD playback. This represents a gain of 11 percent for the 15-inch models and 14 percent for the 17-inch model over the previous generations.
Surprisingly, we didn’t do as well—about 2.5 hours—in our wireless productivity test (writing in Microsoft Word while listening to streaming audio and checking e-mail via AirPort) on the 15-inch unit. Without the streaming audio, however, the batteries lasted just over 3 hours.
In my book, that's pretty good evidence that actually
*using* the laptop means that your battery life will be far less than Apple claims. Simply running Word and checking email drops the runtime to half of Apple's claim.
As far as electrical outlets in airport lounges go, we must not go to the same class of airports. The ones I go to usually will have a couple of outlets scattered about, often with white plastic power bricks already plugged into them.
You did say "Every airline lounge I've ever been in has
a power outlet" so I suppose that you're correct. One power outlet for the 200 people waiting for the plane, though, isn't very good odds.
And for power in the cabin, it depends on the airline and the plane. (American's 757s and 767s between SFO and ORD have power ports in every 3rd row from the wing to the back, the MD-83 has ports in 15 of 25 rows
http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/American_Airlines/American_Airlines_Boeing_767-300_B.php)
Depending on getting power in the plane isn't much better than in the lounge. The spare battery in my bag is much better for odds.
Except you forget that the airline's math is flawed....
While on the plane you can't use it for the first 20 -30 minutes and last 20-30 minutes of the flight anyway. I also doubt that you would be spending every moment on the plane feverishly taxing you MBA to the max and running the battery low.
The only "math flaw" is believing 100% in Apple's claims about battery life regardless of the use of the system.
The MacWorld test shows the MBP getting 50% of Apple's claim when under light use (Office Word and email, not "feverish use").
50% of the Apple's MBA claim is 2.5 hours. Take your 30 minutes front and back off the 4 1/4 hour plane flight, and that's a potential 3 1/4 hrs on the plane. Use it for 30 minutes at the gate, and that's an easy 3 3/4 hours with a machine with a probable 2 1/2 hour battery using Office to work on my presentations, sort email, maybe do some coding and testing.
My math comes up with two alternatives:
- Buy a First Class ticket, where most planes have power ports.
- Buy a laptop that lets me swap in a spare battery over Nebraska.
Unfortunately, my company's travel guidelines make #2 the only possibility. Although, even if I could fly First Class all the time I'd still want a battery that I could swap. The SFO->ORD flight isn't the only time I'd want a laptop to go longer than 2 1/2 hours.
While working in the lounge, you can easily plug in, same thing holds true if you are going to be delayed.
Where do you people find these airports that have a power outlet by every seat in the gate waiting area?
'nuf said on this topic - if you don't believe in this use case for a replaceable battery yet, your mind won't change no matter what arguments are made.
