Checking in with the MacBook Air

MacBook Air.jpg

So as I’ve been working with the Apple gang to sort out the troubles with my MacBook Pro, I’ve had the opportunity to spend a lot of time behind the MacBook Air and I thought I would check back on my impressions after using it a few months.

To begin with, the underlying assumptions of my original review haven’t changed. It still is very light and thin and the slowest Mac laptop in the Apple lineup. It also still fits in every bag I use and effortlessly goes with me just about anywhere.

I’ve found myself pulling it out in restaurants, court, meetings, coffee shops, and just about everywhere else I get stuck for more than ten minutes. I find it extremely useful for dealing with just about everything I do in my job (word processing, email, Omni applications, and keynote). It is also very handy for the blog. It could do Aperture and Photoshop but I haven’t used it much for that purpose. Likewise I’ve not even bothered trying to use it for screencasting. Logic isn’t installed but I have recorded Midi files into Garage Band and later transferred them over to the MacBook Pro. It can drive an external 22″ monitor with no trouble but struggles when I hook up an eyeTV. I’ve recorded several reviews on it and audio recording is just fine.

The drive space hasn’t been a problem. I sync my files with the MacBook Pro using SugarSync and have had very few hiccups. I don’t keep the Aperture library on the Air and the iTunes library is a very condensed version of my library with 4 gigs of my absolute favorites. Since I normally listen to music through my iPhone anyway, I’m toying with the idea of taking most of the music off it but since space is not currently a problem (still 31 gigs free) I probably will leave things as they are.

The battery has never lasted five hours but I have got over four hours out of it with Airport and Bluetooth off. With all the bells and whistles running I usually get slightly more than 3 hours.

The LED screen is gorgeous. I didn’t think there would be that much difference between the technologies but there is. This is especially true for white and light colors. Do your own comparison next time you are in an Apple Store and see for yourself. I like it so much that I’ve ordered it on my replacement MacBook Pro.

I still get a lot of comments on it. The most interesting comments are from those people who go out of their way to tell me what a bad computer it is. “Dude, my Dell could run circles around that piece of junk” The funny thing is they usually end up asking permission to hold it and look over my shoulder as I use it. It is baffling how much they want to get their hands on “the piece of junk.”

For a Mac user on the run, I think it is an outstanding machine. It probably is overpriced but that will likely change in the future. Put simply, the honeymoon is not over.

5 Comments Checking in with the MacBook Air

  1. benwall1988@gmail.com

    Good review, I don’t have one but always thought they look the nuts for day to day tasks on the go. I have compared the screens instore and the screen on the air is much better than the one on my mac book 🙁

    Keep up the good posts.

    Reply
  2. benwall1988@gmail.com

    Good review, I don’t have one but always thought they look the nuts for day to day tasks on the go. I have compared the screens instore and the screen on the air is much better than the one on my mac book 🙁

    Keep up the good posts.

    Reply
  3. benwall1988@gmail.com

    Good review, I don’t have one but always thought they look the nuts for day to day tasks on the go. I have compared the screens instore and the screen on the air is much better than the one on my mac book 🙁

    Keep up the good posts.

    Reply
  4. benwall1988@gmail.com

    Good review, I don’t have one but always thought they look the nuts for day to day tasks on the go. I have compared the screens instore and the screen on the air is much better than the one on my mac book 🙁

    Keep up the good posts.

    Reply
  5. benwall1988@gmail.com

    Good review, I don’t have one but always thought they look the nuts for day to day tasks on the go. I have compared the screens instore and the screen on the air is much better than the one on my mac book 🙁

    Keep up the good posts.

    Reply

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