Is MBA right for me?

Well with Intel supposedly pushing back Ivy Bridge's release to June, it's more than likely we won't see any updates to the MBP or MBA (or any other Mac line) until mid/late summer, or even into Autumn. Also with Mountain Lion being announced for a summer release, that's probably a good indication that a new Mac won't launch before it (seems to me it'd be more likely a Mac would launch with it... but that wasn't the case last year for the MBP or iMac, so who knows)

So if you can wait 4-8 months, I guess that'd be the best option if you think you'd be a victim of buyer's remorse.

However! The current MBA is more than enough for your needs and will last you a good ~4 years (or longer), I'd estimate. Which one would you go for? 11in or 13in? 64GB or 128GB or 256GB? You may not need an external unless you have a gigantic music collection.

Another option, if you need the ports/etc on an MBP is to get an MBP with an SSD (either build-to-order or self-installation).

The Macbook Airs would be more than enough for what you need. You will have no problem multitasking on them. The current design is awesome and I wouldn't stress too much on a redesign anytime soon. The ultimate advice is always the same, if you need it now, buy it now. We probably won't see new Airs until probably the Summer/Fall.

I used to have a MBP (2008) and, as I travel a lot, and weight is an issue, I bought a MBA in 2010.

The advantages of the latter are firstly, a blazingly fast start-up and responses (thanks to the SSD - once you have switched to a SSD, there will be no going back to the more traditional form of HDD); secondly, superb screen resolution, especially on the 13", and thirdly, it is extremely portable.

While none of us can predict the future re actual design, personally, I cannot see the design of the MBA being jettisoned in the near future; indeed, if anything, the 'pro' branch of the Mac laptop family may come to resemble the MBA more, rather than vice versa.

Moreover, while advances in technology and design will, inevitably, make any current MBA relatively redundant in time, that will take a few years to take effect fully. Meanwhile, I suspect that such advances as will take place are likely to be incremental rather than revolutionary.

My advice is to buy a MBA now if you think you need it. Should the design of the thing be radically overhauled in a year or so, why then, sell your MBA, and buy the later model.

Best of luck with it.