PC & Mac?

Hi.

I have been interested in Mac's for a while, and I did manage to keep a MacBook for 2 months, but I wasn't that impressed with Tiger. Leopard looks better.

I have been thinking that the task's I do, can be done on a PC:

Internet & Email
MSN Instant Messenger
Microsoft Office
iTunes + iPod

No Gaming
No Development
No Graphics
No Music

Possibly HTML, Dreamweaver & Flash.

Thats it! All I do, I have been looking into the MacBook Air.

Is it for me?

Thank you.

Nick

P.S

I know this is a Mac forum, but if the best choice is with a PC please tell me.

 

The tasks you do can be used on a PC or a mac. You do not need to be doing a certain thing to justify you buying a mac, it is a matter of preference over anything else really. Go and test drive macs out at an apple store and see if they are for you. Only you can really be the one that chooses the platform. We can probably better narrow your decision to a single model, but the platform you use is entirely up to you and you alone.

The Macbook Air seems ideal for the king of stuff you do. It is very pricey but if you think it would be worth the cost go for it. The Macbook is a more typical fit for your needs, but if you are looking for slim and stylish the MBA will suit you fine.

 

you are not impressed with Mac (tiger) probably because you use small screen resolution; macintosh system do better on large resolution display; which is part of the reasons they choose to have "zoom" button, instead of "maximise" of course, i think the "zoom" button could have been smarter, such as setting a minimum display window size, so at least the content be readable.

leopard is a considerable improvement over tiger. features i really like that tiger doesn't have; would have to be the "bread crum address bar".

Macbook air is not really a practical computer; it is just a design statement for the company. not really recommended.. it is just compromises on too much things, and tooo expensive.

 

I am windows user, and I almost use exactly all the programs you mentioned.. and I ordered MBA, but I choosed the SSD version to guarantee a good performance.

Yes, it compromises some stuff, but all that won't affect my work as long as its good sized screen + good keyboard + good performance.

So take a look at the compromises and check if it will affect your work on it then decide...

 

I agree with those that say you don't seem to need a Macbook Air for the kind of use you describe. I'd add that the Air can even dissapoint you (no ethernet, 1 usb, etc) unless you're a frequent traveller that really "needs" it. A Macbook might not be as nice as the Air, but at the end of the day, what's your main reason to think about going for a mac? Look? OS?

Cheers

DrPoi

 

Well I don't use many USB stuff, apart from a memory stick and to charge my iPod.

I don't use wired down connections, just in August I need a dial-up connection for where I go But the modem is a add-on.

I am tired of cheap keyboards, and I liked the MacBook one.

I also feel like I am buying something that may be finished, I think Apple may exit the hardware market. And as 97% has a PC, i don't feel any better.

But I am 1 inch away....

Thank you.

Nick

 

The only legitimate reason I can imagine for someone to get an MBA is that they have really narrow free space available inside their bags.

So the real decision is whether to remove a book from your bag and get a MacBook, or reap the benefits of thinnovation.

 

I think that a macbook will be better for you. Macbook air only has one USB port+non-changable battery+no DVD rom.
You do the math. I think that mac is better as for the security and user friendly.

 

I did mention that I had managed to get a Macbook Black for two months from a friend.

For that price, the build was rubbish. Creaking plastics, flex. I want a Air as it has a aluminim case.

If I was going for a Mac, then it would be for the Air.

£99 for a battery replacement is fine, considering it last's 5 hours under wireless uses.

1 usb port? Buy a hub

Remote Disc will do me, and for £65 I will get the CD drive.

Thank you.

Nick

 

If price isn't a factor and you only plan on using your laptop as described, the macbook air will serve you well.

It runs Microsoft office 2008, you can get on the internet and check your email, obviously itunes and the ipod work well, and you can use msn instant messanger (comes with office 2008) - or you can just download adium (better)

Obviously there are cheaper PC alternatives. There are also cheaper mac alternatives! But it sounds like your needs won't overpower a macbook air.

PS - Apple is a hardware company. They won't be exiting the hardware market.

 

Money is a issue, but I can't really go any higher than the Air with the CD drive.

There will always be cheaper alternatives, but to be fair they are rubbish. The Dell XPS M1330 has a flexing keyboard, and a cheap plastic case. I would rather wait and get a better product.

PC Notebooks may be cheap, but they are nasty.

Apple dropped the "computer" part from their name??? That get's me worried.

Thank you.

Nick.

 

Apple dropped the "computer" part from their name because they are expanding. This is a great thing because Sony used to be the king of multimedia now it's Apple. Sony is diverse on everything, Apple is becoming diverse but they are still sticking to computer type products.

Notice all of Apple's products are still computer related, they are not selling cars or real estate they are just expanding because of their offerings.

I agree with you about the Dell m1330. I finally took a look at it after all the talk about it and it was just as low in quality as you explained.
You will get people on this forum talking you out of the Air. If you like the Mac OS X system go ahead and buy the Air, it's your choice and your decision and if you like the Air then go for it, it's a very nice computer.
Yes you can all the tasks you mentioned on either on the Mac OS or Windows however keep in mind that it's not just easy like that. You will have to deal with the ever popular anti-virus/spyware subscriptions on Windows as well as dealing with the Registry. If you are fine with that then go for whichever works for you.
The Air will run both systems which is why I agree with your decision to get it.

 

the mba will handle what you throw at it, and clearly you dont mind the usb ports, drive, etc.
in which case, it is a good buy for you, as there are very few "cooler" laptops available.

 

Well, I don't think Apple dropping "Computer" from their name is anything to worry about...I was frankly surprised they were still called Computer until then, considering that they no longer only do Mac computers, and the other businesses they have account for a large chunk of their revenue and sales.

I agree with those that say the MacBook Air may not be the best choice. I mean, based on your tasks, the MBA will do them fine, as will any Mac, but there are limitations on the MBA that I don't think you should pay for. The MacBook is not a bad choice, and its more economical than the MBA. Like for example, with its one USB port, it means you can't be syncing an iPod while having a flash drive plugged in...to me, that's very annoying.

So yeah, if you really want it, by all means, get the MacBook Air, but from my personal point of view, I would go for a MacBook instead .

 

If you weren't impressed with Tiger, I don't think you'll be blown away by Leopard. Leopard is an improvement in many areas, and I think it's great, but it's not so much of an upgrade from Tiger that someone who didn't like Tiger will miraculously love Leopard (usually).

Sure there are a few interface changes, and some neat new features, and a bunch of improvements underneath, but the overall user experience, while certainly more pleasant in many cases, isn't necessarily that different from Tiger.

Not saying you wouldn't like Leopard - but just don't expect to suddenly fall in love with the Leopard if you were disappointed with Tiger.

 

You should really go into an Apple Store location if possible to try it out before you buy. Most of us haven't seen a MacBook air in person yet because they finally hit stores yesterday.

If you are worried about a weak computer though, may I interest you in a Toughbook? Two of us in the Panasonic forum have gotten severely drunk and done stupid things with our laptops that we kinda regret, but never made it so it wouldn't boot

 

I liked Tiger but I thought Vista was better.

I have seen Leopard and I do like it, It will grow on me. Plus the security is a huge bonus.

For the software I use, it has a Mac version available.

I am going to order my Air at the end of February.

Thank you.

Nick

P.S

What are the best bits about Leopard?

 

All those which don't resemble Vista at all!

 

yeah lol. the fact that it is unix and not windows is a pretty massive plus. especially the fact that it is 180 degrees away from vista is an excellent perk. tends to work instead of *the alternative*...

if you are going to get the overpriced macbook air, I would highly recommend checking out the macbook pro as an alternative. Its cooler imo, and definitely much more well rounded. Its a complete machine.

 

I have been considering the MacBook Pro.

But I want the portable version! So I will probably get the Air.

I don't like plastic, so it won't be the MacBook.

 

Well, the MacBook Pro is only about 2 pounds heavier than the MacBook Air...so really, I would accept the extra 2 pounds for the larger display plus more power.

 

I will be buying mine in London, so these are the prices:

MBA: £1,200 (real price £1,199. £1?)
MBP: £1,300 (real price £1,299. £1?)

What in the Pro is better than the Air? What could I do with a Pro?

Thank you so much, I really appreciate this!

Nick.

 

Pro is a just overall stronger laptop for performance. It has faster processors, a dedicated GPU, and a larger HDD. It's also larger in size and slightly heavier.

You buy the MBA if you need the smallest/thinnest/lightest laptop you can get that's still from Apple. You buy the MBP if you want more performance.

 

But MBA + SSD might match or even be better than the MBP performance wise, but that's just my assumption..

Hopefully we will get real benchmarks from MBA + SSD in these 2 days

 

the HDD isn't always the bottleneck though depending on what you're doing, and the write speed isn't that great on SSDs...

The SSD is nice, but it won't make up for the processor and GPU sacrifices in many instances (i.e. gaming for example).

MBP is also more expandable than the MBA (ports, etc.). They're just targeted at different markets.

 

True, but regarding his kind of work:

Internet & Email
MSN Instant Messenger
Microsoft Office
iTunes + iPod

No Gaming
No Development
No Graphics
No Music

Possibly HTML, Dreamweaver & Flash.

Then the SSD could be equal or better than MBP or ?

 

I'm not sure it'd matter since those uses wouldn't strain either of the systems at all (except the dreamweaver/flash maybe, and I'd say that processor power is more useful for that than HDD read speed).

btw, what is he planning on using itunes + ipod for if he's not interested in music?

 

I won't be buying the SSD to expensive for a hardrive.

I am still 100% for the Air, as I don't game or do any major graphics tasks.

Maybe some photoshop, but not much.

Dreamweaver
Flash
Photoshop

Will those run well on the Air? As the extra £100 can go towards that software.

Thank you.

Nick

 

SSD first impressions:

Quote from MacRumors:

"I got to play with the 1.8/SSD model. All of you who opted for this configuration are in for a real treat -- it is speedy. Basically, sub-one-bounce application loading. I wasn't able to do anything heavy-duty, of course, but the feel I got was of a total performance package on par with a current MBP. It left a strong enough impression on me that I'm seriously considering abandoning my plan of upgrading later and opting for the SSD now. The $3K pricepoint actually began to make sense."

 

That's a slightly skewed viewpoint though. The $1k price point for the SSD drive is not purely representative of relative performance since the tech is new and limited.

In any event, sure the SSD is faster in many areas and given a choice between two HDDs, I'd probably pick the SSD - all other things being equal. I mean, seek times are incredible, and artificial benchmarks almost have it reading at 2x that of a smaller 7200rpm drive.

However, here, there are just other aspects of a laptop that matter more than the HDD for overall performance though, and all things considered, the MBP should still be by far the faster and more powerful laptop.

 

Saying Apple is going to get out of the notebook business is like saying Toshiba will also, because Mac is ahead of them in terms of notebook market share. You can't just compare Windows vs OS X users and say "well Windows has a lot more so Apple will get shoved out," because it doesn't work like that. Microsoft doesn't own those PC manufacturers, so you can't just compare the OS's you need to compare manufacturers, because that's the only thing that matters. 97%(according to you) may have a PC, but that's spread over many, many difference manufacturers. That means 3%(according to you) belongs solely to Apple. But I've read that Apple has a 6.1% market share in notebooks alone at the end of Q4 07. Also, if Apple didn't drop out when they were really behind and unpopular, what can possibly make you think that they'll drop out when they're doing so many times better? If you decide to, then buy a Mac and be happy. They are not going to leave the market any time soon, because they're business men, and it would be a very very stupid idea.

 

Toshiba's still hanging around the notebook business? They need to find an exit strategy or something

 

Yes, TBH I thought it was a great example since no one owns a goddamn Toshiba, yet they're still around if they can still make profit, then hell, Apple can too. Plus they're making so much money off iPods I bet if they really wanted to they can stay in the notebook market just for fun xD

 

Well being in for fun, is different from being #1.

 

Well, I wouldn't say Apple is #1 in terms of power, but they arguably make the most well designed, and built notebooks on the market. Finding a 1 inch thick, 6 pound 17-inch notebook isn't exactly an easy task unless you visit the Apple store.

 

Screen 12.1" WXGA X-Brite 1280 x 800 TFT Screen
Processor Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile T7250 2mb Cache Processor
Processor Speed 2x 2.0GHZ
Memory 2GB DDR2 667MHz Memory
Hard Drive 160GB SATA Hard Drive
Drive DVD/RW Multi Burner
Modem 56K Modem
Graphics Intel GMA X3100 Graphics
Sound Azalia High Definition Audio
Speakers 2 x 1 Watt
Memory Slots 2 x DDR2 SO-DIMM
Memory Capacity 4GB
Audio In Port 1 x Mic-in
Audio Out Port 1 x H'phone/Speakers
Networking Port 1 x Gigabit LAN & 802.11n Wireless LAN
Ext Monitor Port 1x VGA Port
Power Socket AC Power Adapter
USB Ports 3 x USB 2.0
PCMCIA Port 1 x Express Card Slot
Firewire Port 1 x Mini IEEE 1394a Firewire
Webcam 1.3 Mega Pixel
AC Adaptor AC Adapter Supplied
Internal Battery 4 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Touchpad Glidepad with 2 buttons & scroll button
Scroll Button 1 x scroll button
Dimensions (mm) 36h x 299w x 219d
Warranty 12 Mths RTB
Weight 2.0Kg with battery
OS Compliance Windows XP/Vista
Notes 7 in 1 Card Reader ( SD, MiniSD,MMC, RSMMC, MS, MS PRO & MS Duo ) & 1.3Mp WebCam

I found that notebook, at a FANTASTIC price. I am thinking twice...

 

What make/price is that?

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HP-Pavilion...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1201815412&sr=1-2

 

The make is Novatech, which is a Clevo.

 

£589.00 is the price.

 

That is $1,100.

 

WOW. I was just looking at the UK Apple store and realized that they are much more expensive over there. Was going to say "Well that's the same price as a base macbook" but I'm glad I checked first, lol. In comparison to a Mac, you're getting pretty much the same specs at a bargain. If you're comfortable with a 12.1" then it's a pretty good PC. Price-wise, I'm not too sure since I'm not familiar with how laptops are priced there.

 

Well, here we are in a Microsoft paradise.

PC's are super cheap, Mac's super expensive!

Nick

 

Macs are more expensive, but to me I think its worth it. Mac OS X, its well-knit integration to other Apple products, hardware design...if you don't want to pay for that, Apple's Macs don't sound right for you. If your main priority is price, I'd advise you not to consider a Mac.

 

I can afford a MacBook Air, but for that price I am looking into alternatives.

I am really really really really close to ordering it, but I am thinking about going for a PC.

Nick.

 

You may want to try posting in the "What Notebook Should I Buy?" forum if you are looking for some ideas about alternatives.

 

Agreed.

 

Yeah I am going for a PC, I saw Leopard today and I didn't like it.

I am really grateful for everyone helping me, even though it wasn't meant to be. I am grateful you were there. Thanks.

I think I am going to buy the HP tablet-pc.

Thank you.

Nick