Next generation of Macbook Air?

[Brian SD]

I'll probably never buy anything less than a MacBook Pro 15". Anything less just isn't enough computer for me. Airs are still super nice and I'd like one if I actually had the money / needs for two notebooks.

 

[impolyt_one]

Originally Posted by Alter

Really? No flash? That is a downside.



I already have a standard macbook at home and another as my work computer. I am looking for something that I can use on my daily commute and when on biz trips of 2-3 days also for a quick forum/email/facebook check at night. The ipad looks perfect for the daily commuting and the macbook air looks better for the biz trips, both look fine for the night-time use and I agree that my kids will love playing with it....leaning towards the ipad because of that.

About the softbank plan...I looked into it but decided that it would be better to get the wifi ipad and a portable wifi unit from emobile or wimax that offers unlimited usage for around 3000 or 4000 yen/month. Check it out. The softbank deal is around 5000/month but it is not unlimited so expect to be paying more than that if you use it a fair amount.

You have a good point about the pocket wifis, forgot about those entirely. I will just get one of those.

For the forumming/email/facebook, the iPad is not bad.. in fact I really like using the friendly facebook app on iPad, pictures are big and bright, there's only the new feed column and the extraneous side columns are taken away, etc. Better than Facebook for iPhone. Forumming is ok, but typing replies sucks unless you get that keyboard. Email works but I don't like Apple's mail programs on anything, so it's even there. Plus you get a reader out of it, which is better to do on an iPad than on a laptop you open and close, when you're on a train or something. If those are the 3 main things you do, the iPad is no lesser than an MBA in those areas. I don't consider a MBA a full function computer either, since it doesn't have an optical drive built-in, and I still use DVDs.

 

[Brian SD]

About the softbank plan...I looked into it but decided that it would be better to get the wifi ipad and a portable wifi unit from emobile or wimax that offers unlimited usage for around 3000 or 4000 yen/month. Check it out. The softbank deal is around 5000/month but it is not unlimited so expect to be paying more than that if you use it a fair amount.

Don't you find this to be pretty limited in use?

I could have sworn I was told just a few weeks ago that you could get a 3G USB dongle (from a number of providers, not just SoftBank) that offered unlimited internet for some 4000円 / mo. I don't want to incur the extra costs as I'm pretty dependent on high-speed connections at home so it would require almost 10,000円 a month.

 

[Alter]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

Don't you find this to be pretty limited in use?

I could have sworn I was told just a few weeks ago that you could get a 3G USB dongle (from a number of providers, not just SoftBank) that offered unlimited internet for some 4000円 / mo. I don't want to incur the extra costs as I'm pretty dependent on high-speed connections at home so it would require almost 10,000円 a month.

Not sure if I understand the question. You drunk, Bri?

 

[Brian SD]

a portable wifi unit from emobile or wimax that offers unlimited usage for around 3000 or 4000 yen/month.

I was referring to this. Maybe I misunderstood - aren't you talking about a WiFi subscription that allows you to connect to hot spots for internet?

I was comparing that to 3G, where it is available most everywhere in Japan, as opposed to only certain locations with accessible WiFi connections.

 

[Alter]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

I was referring to this. Maybe I misunderstood - aren't you talking about a WiFi subscription that allows you to connect to hot spots for internet? I was comparing that to 3G, where it is available most everywhere in Japan, as opposed to only certain locations with accessible WiFi connections.
Ah...I see. They are 3G units that allow you to create your own personal wifi spot. They are the same as the USB ones you referred to but they are wireless so you can connect more than one gadget at the same time. And they are pretty fast.

 

[Brian SD]

Originally Posted by Alter

Ah...I see.

They are 3G units that allow you to create your won personal wifi spot. They are the same as the USB ones you referred to but they are wireless so you an connect more than one gadget at the same time. And they are pretty fast.

Oh nice. Had no idea that's how it worked. Pretty cool.

Will be nice when 4G makes the rounds.

 

[Gene Parmesan]

I'm eagerly awaiting this upgrade. I only need a lightweight laptop to take to and from lectures, classes, etc. I also want it to be a fully fledged laptop, so an iPad is not a viable substitute. I would have purchased the existing Air already but people keep saying that an upgrade is imminent, so I figure I might as well wait.

 

[impolyt_one]

the 3G pocket wifi will be really useful for me, I can probably get the lowest cost plan on my Japanese iPhone and a BB connection at home and I'm set with those 3 things. Won't have to buy anything hardware wise except I will go ahead and get the iPad keyboard and use that when I'm outside.

 

[epb]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

Oh nice. Had no idea that's how it worked. Pretty cool.

Will be nice when 4G makes the rounds.

I've got a 4G unit from Clear - quite nice, as fast as my connection at home. It's nice being able to share the connection, but I'm waiting for the day you can get 4G built-in and don't have to carry a separate device.

 

[oneeightyseven]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

I am liking my 15" MBP but I really wish I had gotten an 11" Air, because the 4 times I've gone outside with my computer it's been a ************* to carry, it's the heaviest computer I've ever owned it feels like - and I had one of those really gay looking two-tone iBooks about 11 years ago, and traveled with it frequently. By the end of summer I think I am gonna get an iPad2 and the keyboard (which I don't have on my iPad 1 and it probably keeps me from doing any actual work on it) in lieu of the Air.

this is the ******* truth. I have the 15 inch MBP and it is terrible in terms of mobility. At school I get by because it's not as if I'm standing for long periods at a time (I don't have a laptop bag or a case..I think they're ugly lol so I carry it as you would a binder), but just today I was at the airport in Lisbon and I had my laptop, charger and other random socks and shirts in my carry-on duffle and holding it for 2 hours in a line up nearly killed my hands. My laptop made the bag so heavy to carry without putting it down that I had to switch hands every once in a while while the other recovered from the loss of circulation lol my gf wanted to get the same one as me for school and I immediately said, "get a 13; you'll thank me later"

 

[impolyt_one]

The lack of flash on the iPad is only really half bothersome - you might want to flick through some smut if you're sitting there on the throne (which the iPad is serendipitously made for, btw - toilet time pre-iPad is the dark ages) but other than that, you aren't really gonna browse the XXX **** at a cafe or anything, so it's not a huge problem for me.

 

[Sazerac]

Looking forward to the upgrade. I'm running on an early '08 MBP with a 2.4Ghz Core 2 Duo. The computer is still plenty fast for my needs, but I want the added portability that only the sweet, sweet lines of an MBA can offer.

To me, the 11" is too small for someone like me who needs glasses. The 13" is where it's at.

 

[Jr Mouse]

It would be nice is Apple offered discrete graphics as an option, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

 

[GreenFrog]

anyone interested in my top of the line macbook air 13"?

the battery was just replaced and only has two cycles.

good condition as i had a skin on it since the moment i unboxed it, but i dropped it twice on the edge and there are two tiny scruff marks. i didnt even notice them until a week ago.