What % of notebooks in WWDC audience, are Airs?

[thinkdesign]

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And, I wonder, last year too (pre-iPad)... what percentage of notebooks in the WWDC-9 audience were Macbook Airs, vs. what percentage are heavier Macbook Pros? Can a trend... up or down... be seen in that audience, at each of the conferences that have happened during the time that the 'Air' has been available? ------ The same question could be asked of the REPORTERS at WWDC-8 / 9 / 10. How popular is the 'Air' among them, and which way is that trend going?

 

[entatlrg]

That's a good question. Need to find someone who was there to get the answer to that one.

My guess is a LOT of 13" MBP's where used by journalists in the audience?

 

[thinkdesign]

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Re: Journalists -- I recenyly saw in a big up-to-date journalism school textbook, a flat statement that the standard reporter's laptop is a ThinkPad. ------Someone else who advises journo students on I.T. told me that publications (print and/or on-line) all want articles submitted in 'Word'. Though that could be on a Mac, of course. ------- Now, journalists who specialise in computer topics, and who show up at an Apple event, may be a subset that tilts the "Which laptop?" answer. And ones who bought their own laptop, another subset. Mac-focussed ones, yet another subset. ------ The 'Air' should appeal to journalists. But of course any working reporter needs 3G, and would rather have it inboard than outboard. You can't say to your editor "Well, um, um, I would've sent in my article on time, but all the Wi-Fi's in that area were locked."

 

[flynz4]

The single most concentrated place that I see MBAs is in the United Red Carpet Club lounges. I think that demographic matches the MBA target audience more so than journalists.

/Jim

 

[Consultant]

The single most concentrated place that I see MBAs is in the United Red Carpet Club lounges. I think that demographic matches the MBA target audience more so than journalists.

/Jim

Yeah I was going to say, Air is more for management type.

Most reporters & developers probably use MacBook Pro.

 

[darren.miller18]

It probably varies

 

[ninjaw]

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And, I wonder, last year too (pre-iPad)... what percentage of notebooks in the WWDC-9 audience were Macbook Airs, vs. what percentage are heavier Macbook Pros? Can a trend... up or down... be seen in that audience, at each of the conferences that have happened during the time that the 'Air' has been available? ------ The same question could be asked of the REPORTERS at WWDC-8 / 9 / 10. How popular is the 'Air' among them, and which way is that trend going?

Let's see.... I am now in one of the session of WWDC for this message thread. There are around 10 laptops around me: EVERYBODY are using MacBook Pro 15"!!

I actually seldom find people were using MBA in WWDC(this or last year)

 

[ooo]

Let's see.... I am now in one of the session of WWDC for this message thread. There are around 10 laptops around me: EVERYBODY are using MacBook Pro 15"!!

I actually seldom find people were using MBA in WWDC(this or last year)

Definitely lots of mbp before the aluminum days. Bunch of aluminum mbp and surprisingly more airs than i thought. I've seen a handful of people with them in every sessions. Oh and lots of iPads.

 

[Hellhammer]

Yeah I was going to say, Air is more for management type.

Most reporters & developers probably use MacBook Pro.

I would guess due USB ports as they usually have several devices with them and Air's single USB may not meet their needs. Also, the longer battery life in MBPs is a deal-breaker for most people

 

[tim100]

how about 17 MBP?

 

[ooo]

how about 17 MBP?

I noticed one yesterday. Also saw an IBM machine. Oh windows.

 

[flynz4]

I would guess due USB ports as they usually have several devices with them and Air's single USB may not meet their needs. Also, the longer battery life in MBPs is a deal-breaker for most people

I've used my USB port once when I initially setup my MBA using the USB-Ethernet cable from my Time Capsule. In retrospect, I could have easily done it via WiFi. I do not think I have ever used my superdrive... but I could be forgetting. I know that I tested it. I do have a flashcard reader that I can connect to USB, just in case i need to download pictures while in the field... but I have never done that yet in the year that I have had an MBA. I keep that stored in my camera bag.

Beyond that:

- I have connected my MBA to a monitor a couple of times using a mini-DP - DVI cable
- I print to a network attached color laser printer at home using WiFi
- I connect to the cloud storage, or home NAS via WiFi
- I have never connected anything to the headphone jack
- I always connect to the internet via wireless, using an Airport Express in hotels, or a Verizon MiFi when necessary
- I expect to dump my MiFi (@ $60/month) and tether via Bluetooth once ATT offers the iPhone tethering plan (@ $20)
- I have connected an external keyboard once via bluetooth
- I often connect an external magic mouse via bluetooth

I really do not see why I need more ports of any kind... and in fact, I would probably be satisfied without the audio and mini-dp. I am happy that it does have a single USB, because I can actually connect as many devices as I want if necessary (even though I think it is a rare occurance)

For me... the MBA has excess wired connectivity. It is a great machine as is -- and for the most part, I would value reduced weight over more features.

/Jim

 

[Cheffy Dave]

- I expect to dump my MiFi (@ $60/month) and tether via Bluetooth once ATT offers the iPhone tethering plan (@ $20)


Sorry boss,I hear tethering is a dead horse

 

[thinkdesign]

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/Jim: The other day an Apple salesman who I'd asked to ennumerate - what the 'Air' could not do, said even if I got a hub (splitter) for the USB jack, that if a monitor is plugged in there, nothing else can be (via hub), due to some electrical limitation. Was that incorrect? ------ Also, would there be some advantage to connecting to a monitor via the USB, over using the Mini Display Port? I think a previous salesman DID say that I can get adapters to connect the Mini Display Port to whatever type jack my future monitor may have.

 

[thinkdesign]

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When Macbook Airs ARE seen at WWDC, could someone please tell me, if you're seeing any demographic correlations? On average, are the Air-users physically smaller? More likely than average WWDC attendee, over 50? Over 60? Is there any statistical tilt, genderwise, to the Air users? More fashionably dressed? More expensively dressed?

 

[allmIne]

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When Macbook Airs ARE seen at WWDC, could someone please tell me, if you're seeing any demographic correlations? On average, are the Air-users physically smaller? More likely than average WWDC attendee, over 50? Over 60? Is there any statistical tilt, genderwise, to the Air users? More fashionably dressed? More expensively dressed?

Weirdest troll post evAr.

 

[gimmi80]

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When Macbook Airs ARE seen at WWDC, could someone please tell me, if you're seeing any demographic correlations? On average, are the Air-users physically smaller? More likely than average WWDC attendee, over 50? Over 60? Is there any statistical tilt, genderwise, to the Air users? More fashionably dressed? More expensively dressed?

I saw a guy with a MBA camouflaged as MBP. he was seated beside me. At the beginning I thought he has a normal mbp but at a certain point he opened safari to check the mail (gmail) and the fan kicked at maximum speed. He was toasting myright arm. I tried to move a bit but no way. It felt as if I had an hairdrier pointed to my right elbow.
I looked better at the MBP and I noticed he had a sort of shield on. So I told him that probably that case/protectio/shield was frying his laptop. He ignored me at the beginning but as I kept looking at him he admitted that was a disguise for his MBA so people would not bother him on the heating issues.

 

[flynz4]

- I expect to dump my MiFi (@ $60/month) and tether via Bluetooth once ATT offers the iPhone tethering plan (@ $20)


Sorry boss,I hear tethering is a dead horse

Dave,

I thought tehering was announced along with the new 200MB/2GB plans. Is the "dead horse" comment due to some recent news?

If so, I will continue to keep my Verizon MiFi albeit disgrudgingly. My problem is that I travel a real lot. For me, it is a productivity issue on business travel (ie: tight connections going plane to plane... but getting a quick email sync before they close the plane door). Other times, I choose to work remotely (ex: at the coast), and I otherwise have no internet connection. Having the MiFi allows me to work away from the office. I am not willing to jailbreak my phone to use the MiWi app. I would rather pay the $60 month than destabilze my phone. It is business tool, not a hobby.

I might have one other salvation. I can probably support my corporate email on my iPad... which would at least give me partial access to my most important data and still be productive at meetings. I have unlimited data on my iPad.

/Jim

 

[thinkdesign]

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Gimme80: That's hilarious. The whole idea of a "mobile" product, that has any need for adding cladding or padding on the outside, is an area where laptop designs need to make progress. A "portable" product SHOULD be designed so it's a complete thing, as it arrives... with no need to add anything.

 

[calsci]

most likely alot or the 13" macbook or macbook pro. there might even have been a 12"powerbook or and ipad. hmmm the possibilities

 

[entatlrg]

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When Macbook Airs ARE seen at WWDC, could someone please tell me, if you're seeing any demographic correlations? On average, are the Air-users physically smaller? More likely than average WWDC attendee, over 50? Over 60? Is there any statistical tilt, genderwise, to the Air users? More fashionably dressed? More expensively dressed?

oh my

 

[tigres]

I saw a guy with a MBA camouflaged as MBP. he was seated beside me. At the beginning I thought he has a normal mbp but at a certain point he opened safari to check the mail (gmail) and the fan kicked at maximum speed. He was toasting myright arm. I tried to move a bit but no way. It felt as if I had an hairdrier pointed to my right elbow.

Yeah. A hairdryer frying your arm,

Alrighty then.

 

[turugara]

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/Jim: The other day an Apple salesman who I'd asked to ennumerate - what the 'Air' could not do, said even if I got a hub (splitter) for the USB jack, that if a monitor is plugged in there, nothing else can be (via hub), due to some electrical limitation. Was that incorrect? ------ Also, would there be some advantage to connecting to a monitor via the USB, over using the Mini Display Port? I think a previous salesman DID say that I can get adapters to connect the Mini Display Port to whatever type jack my future monitor may have.

1. USB connected monitors are inherently much slower in terms of response time than a mini display port connected monitor. Many people use the USB solutions from company's such as DisplayLink to connect a second or a third monitor.

2. I'm pretty sure that if you connect a monitor via the mDP and USB via a powered USB hub you should be fine with connecting other devices via that same hub. Get a powered USB hub and you shouldn't have any worries.

 

[thinkdesign]

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turugara: Any suggestions for a powered USB hub, chep, and doesn't take up much space?