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The new MacBook Air 11.6" vs the iPad
- Thread starter lozpop
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Love your work!
I couldn't have put it better myself - nice one!
Agreed! What an Ah.
I still don't really see the reasoning behind the MBA..... 13" MBP does everything the MBA (but better/faster) for an extra pound. I think it might have been smarter for Apple to have gone for i5 without the 320m. The performance with the intel GPU is enough for on the go productivity and the i5 would smoke c2d in the stuff that really matters.
Well, the iPad never pretended to be a full mobile solution (i.e., it is mainly a media consumption device). The problem I see with the MBA is that it has been minimized beyond a realistic point (i.e., just ONE USB port, no FireWire ports and no built-in optical disk drive). It is marketed as "more" mobile. The reality, however, is that if you want to do any of the things you EXPECT a computer to do, you have to carry enough extra accessories (i.e., MBA SuperDrive, USB Hub and AC Adapter, etc) around that any advantage in mobility you might have gotten from the design no longer is an advantage because you have to remember to carry extra things around just to get a minimal level of functionality out of the computer. My biggest complaint with Steve is with his willingness to minimize a design for the sake of minimizing it, sometimes discarding consideration for what is a practical minimum (for instance, you could get away with two USB ports as are on the MPB 13"/15"; however, ideally, it should have at least three regular USB ports or two regular USB ports on one side and a mini USB port on the other side).
That said, this shortcoming would be less significant if the next MBA had a single LightPeak port that you could concurrently run several different peripheral protocols over. We don't have that yet and so I say that this design is ahead of its time; but, then again, Steve always has been.
That said, this shortcoming would be less significant if the next MBA had a single LightPeak port that you could concurrently run several different peripheral protocols over. We don't have that yet and so I say that this design is ahead of its time; but, then again, Steve always has been.
It has 2 USB now, as well as SD card (which eliminates what most people used a USB port for)
I think there will be some people who bought the top end iPad as their "netbook" that may be a bit sad that this new Air is what they would have really wanted.
But otherwise I think many people don't want a netbook because they already have a computer. They want an iPad.
I have an ageing Mac osx netbook (Dell 2GB RAM - 64GB SSD) that runs really rather well for basic use. I only use it as a rough and tumble travelling device when I don't want to take my shinny expensive MBP.
The point is that I use my iPad (16GB) all day every day for loads of different tasks in loads of different situations.
I never find myself grabbing the small, light, perfectly functioning netbook with full osx!
They are very different animals!
But otherwise I think many people don't want a netbook because they already have a computer. They want an iPad.
I have an ageing Mac osx netbook (Dell 2GB RAM - 64GB SSD) that runs really rather well for basic use. I only use it as a rough and tumble travelling device when I don't want to take my shinny expensive MBP.
The point is that I use my iPad (16GB) all day every day for loads of different tasks in loads of different situations.
I never find myself grabbing the small, light, perfectly functioning netbook with full osx!
They are very different animals!
The new Air is pure sex, but it's not an iPad competitor. Mostly it will cannibalize the sales of the cheap plastic MacBook.
they really are two different use cases.
i will likely get an 11" macbook air to replace my netbook. it's used mainly for trouble shooting, and will need to run xp, win7, and mac os. running full oses, it's incredibly flexible, but the hinge and clam shape don't work well for use out and about. just try walking while using it!
my ipad is my satellite when i'm not at the mac pro and easily beats the air in battery life and connectivity (3g). i can carry to friend's places, get online or watch netflix anywhere, and use it while we're not sitting down.
i think once the 11" air achieves a 10 hour runtime (and it will, eventually) it will be a much bigger threat to my ipad usage.
i will likely get an 11" macbook air to replace my netbook. it's used mainly for trouble shooting, and will need to run xp, win7, and mac os. running full oses, it's incredibly flexible, but the hinge and clam shape don't work well for use out and about. just try walking while using it!
my ipad is my satellite when i'm not at the mac pro and easily beats the air in battery life and connectivity (3g). i can carry to friend's places, get online or watch netflix anywhere, and use it while we're not sitting down.
i think once the 11" air achieves a 10 hour runtime (and it will, eventually) it will be a much bigger threat to my ipad usage.
I realize my scenario is not the norm, but I am debating between the new MBA and the next version of the iPad. I currently have a first gen MBA and an iPad. The biggest thing I am lacking right now is solid video conferencing. My parents live 1000 miles away and like seeing their granddaughter regularly. We do this on my MBA but it is too slow and overheats.
I like using my iPad for basic stuff (internet and e-mail) and my wife likes using the MBA more for basic stuff. I can't think of any reason why I would much prefer the second gen iPad to the first other than video conferencing. This leads me to think we should replace the MBA. At least then the entire computer would be faster.
I also do use my MBA for other purposes mainly that deal with Flash. Some internet experiences are just meant for a computer and not an iPad.
Anybody have any ideas of what a second gen iPad would offer over the new MBA keeping in mind that I will still have the original iPad? Most of the things I come up with seem to be software based (multitasking) and shouldn't need any new hardware.
I like using my iPad for basic stuff (internet and e-mail) and my wife likes using the MBA more for basic stuff. I can't think of any reason why I would much prefer the second gen iPad to the first other than video conferencing. This leads me to think we should replace the MBA. At least then the entire computer would be faster.
I also do use my MBA for other purposes mainly that deal with Flash. Some internet experiences are just meant for a computer and not an iPad.
Anybody have any ideas of what a second gen iPad would offer over the new MBA keeping in mind that I will still have the original iPad? Most of the things I come up with seem to be software based (multitasking) and shouldn't need any new hardware.
a wwan slot would be a killer feature. but i doubt at&t or anyone else would be keen on having a full fledged laptop data plan for any reasonable price...
I have. A 64gb 3G iPad. I'm contemplating buying a 11" MBA additionally. Don't see why they both can't co-exist together.
Apple came up with what could be a worthy successor to the 12" powerbook? BFT.
And I can see some overlap between a top of the line 3g ipad and the new MBA if you're a mobile professional.
Both are thin, light and have enough battery life to throw in a briefcase and pull out as needed without a lot of thought or prior preparation. The MBA's usb slot can accommodate a usb 3g drive like from cricket for some fairly cheap all you can eat mobile broadband. If you throw in a BT keyboard the cost for either is roughly the same. Probably has enough horse power to make quick work of web pages that are a bit laggy on the iPad. Interesting.
The iPad has completely changed the way I thought about mobile computing. Before my decision making process was "Eh, I'm only going to be in court for an hour and a half, gotta throw the MB in a case, frak it." I carry my ipad with me everywhere, and use what was sitting in a courtroom downtime to check my email, look up statutes, text clients and manage my productivity using iCal and omnifocus. I got down notes on it instead of using a legal pad. I listen to podcasts on it in the car while I'm topping off the charge. My defender case sufficiently protects it to lug it around without a briefcase.
Before the iPad, I considered the MBA to be an overpriced toy or a CEO status symbol. Now if my iPad or home laptop breaks, I'd probably get the base model to replace it.
And I can see some overlap between a top of the line 3g ipad and the new MBA if you're a mobile professional.
Both are thin, light and have enough battery life to throw in a briefcase and pull out as needed without a lot of thought or prior preparation. The MBA's usb slot can accommodate a usb 3g drive like from cricket for some fairly cheap all you can eat mobile broadband. If you throw in a BT keyboard the cost for either is roughly the same. Probably has enough horse power to make quick work of web pages that are a bit laggy on the iPad. Interesting.
The iPad has completely changed the way I thought about mobile computing. Before my decision making process was "Eh, I'm only going to be in court for an hour and a half, gotta throw the MB in a case, frak it." I carry my ipad with me everywhere, and use what was sitting in a courtroom downtime to check my email, look up statutes, text clients and manage my productivity using iCal and omnifocus. I got down notes on it instead of using a legal pad. I listen to podcasts on it in the car while I'm topping off the charge. My defender case sufficiently protects it to lug it around without a briefcase.
Before the iPad, I considered the MBA to be an overpriced toy or a CEO status symbol. Now if my iPad or home laptop breaks, I'd probably get the base model to replace it.
Yes. Finally someone tries to answer the question.
There is certainly a comparison to be made here. The iPad and MBA are right next to each other in the marketing lineup, and they were even presented in comparison to each other ("Mac meets the iPad"). There will be many making a decision between the two, and plenty of iPad owners considering selling or switching. In some places there are shortages of iPads and you can still sell your 6 month old device for more than you paid for it.
I'd say the portability and that stuff are comparable. MBA will not last the whole day, and especially if you're doing heavy stuff, probably not even a few hours. But that's the difference- the heavy stuff- the applications. The choice between the two must be made by what you want to run. If it's just email/web/consumption, it's the iPad for sure (although I do plenty of "creation" on my iPad). But if you need to edit/compose/code most of the day, and you want the sexy new thin light, slightly compromised but gets the job done, then the MBA will be the way to go. Just remember, it's got a relatively slow processor. So the heavy lifting will be slow.
I am. I have a 13" MBP, a 64Gb iPad and a 32Gb iPhone. I think I could swap all that for a 13" MBA and the iPhone.
It was presented as "Macbook meets the iPad",
but really - what did it take from the iPad ? Nothing but Size?
The iPad was supposed to be apple's netbook and it does pretty well at that.
The MBA is inferior in many ways (no touchscreen, no 3G), even if it does have the full fat OS X.
but really - what did it take from the iPad ? Nothing but Size?
The iPad was supposed to be apple's netbook and it does pretty well at that.
The MBA is inferior in many ways (no touchscreen, no 3G), even if it does have the full fat OS X.
It look nice.
But I'd expect a higher resolution screen than that, a slightly higher clock speed and I would like an Ethernet port on a notebook.
I wouldn't use it to read, on flights when I want to watch my own TV shows or in bed (because of no backlit keyboard, WTF!)
But I'd expect a higher resolution screen than that, a slightly higher clock speed and I would like an Ethernet port on a notebook.
I wouldn't use it to read, on flights when I want to watch my own TV shows or in bed (because of no backlit keyboard, WTF!)
I was thinking of this too today, but in the end the iPad wins for me. It's more of a personal experience and while the new MacBook air is soooooooo cool, I'd rather the second gen ipad. Hopefully they make the new iPad ios more lion like.