New Macbook Air

[KingIsaacLinksr]

So what about people like me?  Who are bitter about Windows screwing them again and again every time they buy a laptop, does that mean we just want to spend more because it's "pretty?"  I beg to differ tbh.  I'm switching my mobile machines to Apple because I don't hear about the "this mac will last only a year, maybe a year and a half".  I had my own Windows laptop it lasted 3/4ths of a year before sent back, then 2.5 years before sent back again before finally kicking the bucket after 4 years, I've dealt with other people's laptops and all I see is pure crap.  I switched because we get burned every time we get a laptop.  My Mom's laptop is on the fritz, my brother's laptop is also on the fritz and it's a year old.  

What was the biggest complaint about the iPad?  No flash.  That is a gigantic difference to me when I compared Apple technology to Windows technology. 

Windows laptops need to step up.  They are cheap because they are cheaply made.  And I'm tired of dealing with it.  

King

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Oh and here is the best part.  Woman in my class tonight just got her laptop from FredMeyer earlier today, and it's track pad was already buggy and non responsive.  It was an ASUS laptop.  I shook my head and told her to restart in a vain attempt to fix it.  

Now can you see why I switched?  Specs in all the world don't mean a dang difference if the machine can't operate correctly within 24 hours of purchase!!!

1 day and her laptop is already bugged.  Wow.  

Sorry if my nerdrage is coming out in these posts a bit, I'll be a little more calm from now on, I promise :)

King

[X]

So what about people like me?  Who are bitter about Windows screwing them again and again every time they buy a laptop, does that mean we just want to spend more because it's "pretty?"  I beg to differ tbh.  I'm switching my mobile machines to Apple because I don't hear about the "this mac will last only a year, maybe a year and a half".  I had my own Windows laptop it lasted 3/4ths of a year before sent back, then 2.5 years before sent back again before finally kicking the bucket after 4 years, I've dealt with other people's laptops and all I see is pure crap.  I switched because we get burned every time we get a laptop.  What was the biggest complaint about the iPad?  No flash.  

Windows laptops need to step up.  They are cheap because they are cheaply made.  And I'm tired of dealing with it.  

King

umm, I'll try to answer that for you with three questions. What are you going to do with a computer with a 64gig hard drive for 999.99? Will that fit your needs and support 3+ years? Do you realize that not all PC manufactures are created equal and some companies have better products than other?

Not all Windows based computers are cheaply made. My daughter has a 5 year old compaq that she beats to high hell and it still works perfectly. I think that computers are like cars in that way. If you do the right maintenance on it, it will last you a longer time. This is why some cars become classics and others become scrap. My father owns a 36 year old Corvette that runs perfectly. My bother in law needs to get a new car every 4 years because he doesn't know how to take care of them.

I really think that the longevity of any product has 100% to do with the person using said product. I don't care if it's Apple, Dell, or Alienware, how you treat your product will determine how long it lives.

Mileage on how long you can keep something working will totally depend on the end user.

Also, one more question. How is Windows screwing you when you buy a computer when they have nothing to do with how that computer is made. It's kind of like blaming Exxon because your Ford got an oil leak. Or blaming your ISP because you don't have a great video card.

[X]

Oh and here is the best part.  Woman in my class tonight just got her laptop from FredMeyer earlier today, and it's track pad was already buggy and non responsive.  It was an ASUS laptop.  I shook my head and told her to restart in a vain attempt to fix it. 

Now can you see why I switched?  Specs in all the world don't mean a dang difference if the machine can't operate correctly within 24 hours of purchase!!!

1 day and her laptop is already bugged.  Wow. 

Sorry if my nerdrage is coming out in these posts a bit, I'll be a little more calm from now on, I promise :)

King

If she just got the computer it could just be defective. That can be any product from getting a new TV with a stuck pixel, to getting a new sound system with sound issues. I don't see how one problem can relate to another. Apple, as some media outlets have pointed out also don't build 100% perfect products 100% of the time. No one does.

[Bryancd]

Well, now that we have established that X's family is wealthy, his dad has an old Corvette, and that apparently tact skips a generation, I'm done here. Apple will sell a bunch of these, likely converting some iPad buyers to the Air. It won't be massive numbers, but then again Honda sells way more cars than Porsche, but.....

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I took care of my laptop the best way that I could, keeping it maintained, but it's cooling system, something to do with the Harddrive & motherboard and screen all failed at separate times.  Once, right in the middle of college year too so to say I was...upset...was an understatement, especially since I had no backup systems at the time. 

I pulled the women's troubles as just another example in a long line of examples.  And I believe that Window's OS' number of issues are already well known, susceptibility to viruses, Os-quirks, the list goes on.  My mother still has troubles with her's due to a failed hard drive "backup" partition, which seems required on every Windows system, yet never, ever works when you need it. 

Your right though, products are defective, it happens.  I have a hard time believing that our family was cursed with bad luck on this though.  I did state however earlier that Windows on Desktops works just fine and I've been satisfied with my experience.  Mobile wise, has not been the same experience.  Which tells me there is a flaw with them that needs to be fixed sooner, rather than later. 

King

[X]

Well, now that we have established that X's family is wealthy, his dad has an old Corvette, and that apparently tact skips a generation, I'm done here. Apple will sell a bunch of these, likely converting some iPad buyers to the Air. It won't be massive numbers, but then again Honda sells way more cars than Porsche, but.....

Bryan, I didn't say that I was wealthy. I'm not. I was putting my real world experiences into perspective to what I thought. You mentioned wealthy people being savvy and I agreed with you. I didn't toss out numbers or say that it's my business to know these things. I told of experiences on why I think the way I do.

I used cars as an analogy to life expectancy of a produce because, again, it's something that I have seen in action. What at all does that have to do with tact or lack there of? I didn't post anyone's gross annual income or say anything other than wealthy, which is pretty damned vague and allows each person to have their own ideas of what that means.

[X]

I took care of my laptop the best way that I could, keeping it maintained, but it's cooling system, something to do with the Harddrive & motherboard and screen all failed at separate times.  Once, right in the middle of college year too so to say I was...upset...was an understatement, especially since I had no backup systems at the time. 

I pulled the women's troubles as just another example in a long line of examples.  And I believe that Window's OS' number of issues are already well known, susceptibility to viruses, Os-quirks, the list goes on.  My mother still has troubles with her's due to a failed hard drive "backup" partition, which seems required on every Windows system, yet never, ever works when you need it. 

Your right though, products are defective, it happens.  I have a hard time believing that our family was cursed with bad luck on this though.  I did state however earlier that Windows on Desktops works just fine and I've been satisfied with my experience.  Mobile wise, has not been the same experience.  Which tells me there is a flaw with them that needs to be fixed sooner, rather than later. 

King

I'm not suggesting that you're cursed with evil tech skills or anything. Some times we get a crappy product, but that could be any product. That's what I'm getting at. Apple does offer some great products, but I don't think that they are innately better built or anything like that. I also know that they aren't immune to viruses. When the numbers rise enough to garner the interest of hackers, it's going to become open season. As it stands, Apple hasn't been much of a target because of the numbers game. You write a virus and it does far more damage world wide because it hits the largest OS. Apple has had the benefit of being far below the radar in terms of that. As the numbers rise from the increased sales, which I have no doubt will happen, it will paint a wider target on it's head.

I personally don't want to see that day because all hell is going to break lose because most of the Apple users buying things because they work won't have the experience of dealing with the threats of viruses and how to get them safely off your system.

I haven't had a Mac in years, but I don't think that it had the best selection of anti virus software when I did.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Perhaps. 

@ your comment about the Air and all that, I guess I should have said that I would have seriously looked at the Airbook if my next device was going to be a laptop.  Since it isn't, the Airbook is cool, but a product not on my radar. 

I haven't totally forgotten about the lack of anti-virus programs Apple has.  It'll be interesting to see what happens in this arena later on.

King

[X]

My mother still has troubles with her's due to a failed hard drive "backup" partition, which seems required on every Windows system, yet never, ever works when you need it.  

This is actually a new manufacturer tact to save money and generate new sales. They have the partition instead of the discs because the discs cost more than a partition. I still hate that tactic. Which isn't to say that Apple doesn't have their own issues. The Airbook does have restore Cds, but no drive to restore them with. You have to buy a new drive to use the discs.

[Rico]

Thanks for keeping the support going here X.  ;)

And I'll say again for the millionth time, this may be a fine machine for some people - just not for me.  The "bang for your buck" is severely lacking.  A Macbook Pro is a much smarter purchase if you want to stick to a Mac.  For those of us that know computer hardware, this new Air is like driving an old Chevette.  Sorry, but I prefer my machines to have a lot more guts and capabilities to them.

[Blackride]

Thanks for keeping the support going here X.  ;)

And I'll say again for the millionth time, this may be a fine machine for some people - just not for me.  The "bang for your buck" is severely lacking.  A Macbook Pro is a much smarter purchase if you want to stick to a Mac.  For those of us that know computer hardware, this new Air is like driving an old Chevette.  Sorry, but I prefer my machines to have a lot more guts and capabilities to them.

I agree Rico. I have a Macbook Pro just because I wanted to see what the hype was. For $1800 it's really not worth it. It's a nice piece of hardware but my Linux and Windows 7 laptops run circles around it and will last just as long with far cheaper upgrades. There are lots of high quality Windows laptops out there but mostly Dell and HP imo.

Apple's model is moving away from desktops and laptops anyways. It's not that they won't make them but it will not be their main focus anymore within the next couple of years. I need to find that article I just read about that.

Different strokes for different fokes.....

[Bryancd]

Actually, yes and no. Apple does believe strongly that the mobile technology market is the growth sector and their porduct mix reflects that with iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Air (which is really NOT a laptop device but a portable media device). The PowerBook, iMac, and G series desktops still represent a major aspect of their business and revenue with very high margins. Mac PC sales have been growing very steadily as Apple's portable devices drive people into Apple stores where they are often converted over to the Mac computer platform. That aspect of their business will never go away as their machines on the very high end are in strong demand from a number of industries that are graphic intensive and their laptops and iMac's are very popular on the consumer side. Growing their overall PC market share is and will continue to be a key aspect of their corporate focus.

[billybob476]

I'd say the worth of the Air (and netbooks in general) is extreme portability. If I was a consultant constantly travelling and needing a computer for little more then email, presentations and other Office type uses then I'd be hard pressed not to consider something like this. Personally I find my 15.4" Dell a bear to carry around. Fran's little 13" Toshiba netbook is great.

Maybe the Apple is more expensive but a precedent has beens et. People will pay the premium.

[Rico]

Oh, definitely Joe.  It all depends on your needs and so forth.  However, if you want a portable laptop that is still light and also kicks butt, get the Alienware Mx11 for only $799!  Portable and still very powerful!

P.S.  I still want one of these.  Or the Mx15.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-m11x/pd