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iPad vs. MacBook air
- Thread starter uirer
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By contender he means competitor. Anyways - no I doubt it is. I believe they are designed for different people for different uses. iPad is a portable tablet clearly not meant to replace a full computer - at least for the majority. Mac Air is a full computer and can run almost all the software a professional engineer might need; I say almost all because many engineering softwares are still limited to the Win platform, at least for me it is mandatory to have a computer running Win (even though I hate it).
I just got a Mac Air, and have installed Win7 on it via bootcamp. Not sure how well it will run CPU intensive software, but it runs MS Office and other such regular Windows software just fine.
Actually, my iMac developed problems soon after I got the Air and is now in for repairs. In the meantime, the Air is doing great as a replacement for the iMac. The iPad is just the iPad. It doesn't replace the iMac or the Air. If I hadn't just bought an Air when my iMac broke down, I would have had to borrow another computer while it was being repaired. But then, the iPad is good for things both the Air and iMac aren't good for. Namely, it's extremely portable, and doesn't have a keyboard. I can use it lying down in bed or standing in a hallway. The Air, while also very portable, has to be opened up to use, and the keyboard doubles the space it occupies. IMO, iPad and Air are very different devices, with only a very slight overlap in use and function.
Nope not really, these two gadgets are design for different purposes although iPad is amazing it can't be a threat to Mac book Air.
I bought my iPad on launch, sold it bought a MacBook air 11.6, sold the MBA because I missed my iPad too much, bought another iPad.
Well for instance in wordpress its hard to add a youtube vid because everytime you go to youtube it goes to the mobile version and its impossible to get the embedded code or url of the nonmobile vid you want. Small things like this put it more in common with the ipod than a true tablet or the air. But it could change if apple decides to make it more independent from Theother idevices.
That is youtube doing that, not the iPad. If you use Atomic (I hate saying this, you should not have to do this) you can mimic any browser and trick youtube into not sending you to its mobile site. Unfortunately too many people (that's ANY web master that forces iPads to mobile sites), don't understand the iPad's capabilities.
The Ipad can´t read Cd´s and the screen resolution is much lower than in the Macbook air plus you cant also do Skype Webcam calls from your ipad because you don´t have a front or back camera. To acess internet everywhere you need to buy a 3G Ipad which goes from $629-$829 Which is pretty expensive. Working on the Ipad isn´t the best thing even if you have the bluethooth apple keyboard.
I think that apple will put a Retina display on the Ipad 2 aswell as a front camera.
On the Macbook air you can do all those features plus you can get Flash content and the ipad doesnt even have FLASH. Which is pretty anoying and when you are working on the ipad having flash would be good.
I don´t think that apple will put flash on the Ipad 2. So I think that you shouldn´t even compare the Ipad to the macbook Air because the Macbook air will win.
For A Comparision Watch these video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2zZr-QkziM&feature=related
I think that apple will put a Retina display on the Ipad 2 aswell as a front camera.
On the Macbook air you can do all those features plus you can get Flash content and the ipad doesnt even have FLASH. Which is pretty anoying and when you are working on the ipad having flash would be good.
I don´t think that apple will put flash on the Ipad 2. So I think that you shouldn´t even compare the Ipad to the macbook Air because the Macbook air will win.
For A Comparision Watch these video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2zZr-QkziM&feature=related
Thanks Mr. Willie. I hate that term "toy". It's usually tossed out by those who don't own the "toy" they are trying to denigrate.
Retina is a marketing term. Please educate yourself, and no it will not be included in the iPad2.
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What makes you so sure? Oh, and what do you want to call that display since it's so WIDELY known as the RETINA display? Jeez.
I sold my ipad 32GB 3g a couple of weeks ago. I purchased it on launch day in April. It had a good 7 1/2 month run. But in the end, I still felt like a guinea pig (1st time adopter)
1. Frustration with waiting so long for ios4 update when iOS4 was released in the middle of June.
2. "lack of RAM" compared to iPhone 4, yes that's a big deal to me since had I known iPhone 4 would have twice the RAM as iPad, I wouldn't have purchased ipad.
3. Pending iPad 2 release within the next 2-3 months.
So I sold it for $600. Sure I took a lost; but all electronics lose value over time.
Now if the MacBook Air had at least a base core i3 processor (not expect core i5/7), I would get it in a hearbeat (yes I know the reason why Apple still uses core 2), mainly because of it's spat with Intel wanting to use intel HD graphics on their newer core i processor.
But as other users stated: Apple is clearly marketing Macbook Air as an ultra portable fully functioning computer. While iPad is marketed as a consumer device for quick browsing, magazine reading, light games etc.
1. Frustration with waiting so long for ios4 update when iOS4 was released in the middle of June.
2. "lack of RAM" compared to iPhone 4, yes that's a big deal to me since had I known iPhone 4 would have twice the RAM as iPad, I wouldn't have purchased ipad.
3. Pending iPad 2 release within the next 2-3 months.
So I sold it for $600. Sure I took a lost; but all electronics lose value over time.
Now if the MacBook Air had at least a base core i3 processor (not expect core i5/7), I would get it in a hearbeat (yes I know the reason why Apple still uses core 2), mainly because of it's spat with Intel wanting to use intel HD graphics on their newer core i processor.
But as other users stated: Apple is clearly marketing Macbook Air as an ultra portable fully functioning computer. While iPad is marketed as a consumer device for quick browsing, magazine reading, light games etc.
What makes you so sure? Oh, and what do you want to call that display since it's so WIDELY known as the RETINA display? Jeez.
Ok man first of all, like he said before, do your research first!
"What makes you so sure?"
Do your reading, find out why.
"What do you want to call that display"
What exactly do you think a retina display is? And how would it be achieved on an iPad, if they were to do it?
Do research, man.
I read your post and without looking at the posters name knew it had to be you; as usual your posts are generally well stated and hit the spot. I completely agree.
I'll second the guy above and say this post is exactly right. Listen to this guy, people, he got it right.
depends on what you're needs are really...
An iPad cannot take the place of a Macbook Air but a Macbook Air can take the place of an iPad minus a little social status, and the iOS interface.
An iPad cannot take the place of a Macbook Air but a Macbook Air can take the place of an iPad minus a little social status, and the iOS interface.
I'd say the answer lies in a) your needs/wants in a computing device and b) whether you are comparing it to the 13" MBA or the 11" MBA.
As for your needs/wants if all you really are looking for is a browsing device, can live without Flash and perhaps the ability to run apps from the iTunes App Store, then the iPad is perfectly suited for you. There is absolutely nothing a non-3G iPad can do that an iPod Touch can't do....its just a bigger version of the iPod Touch. But with that larger screen comes a wealth of productivity application capabilities. I wouldn't consider it my only computer, but as an adjunct to your laptop, its a great portable platform for consuming media, reading books, playing a casual game or two, etc.
On the other hand, if your needs involve heavy typing, need to run MS Office apps, heavy email and Flash-enabled websites, then the MBA is not only your better choice, but for some apps, your ONLY choice other than a full laptop.
Where I'd differentiate things is between the 11" or 13" MBA. For real computing experience, the 13" MBA is all the horsepower of a 13" MBP in a smaller, far lighter (and less expandable) package. The 11" offers far more of a "netbook" kind of experience, although you won't find a better netbook out there.
Take your pick but your question is incomplete without comparing your wants/needs to available solutions.
As for your needs/wants if all you really are looking for is a browsing device, can live without Flash and perhaps the ability to run apps from the iTunes App Store, then the iPad is perfectly suited for you. There is absolutely nothing a non-3G iPad can do that an iPod Touch can't do....its just a bigger version of the iPod Touch. But with that larger screen comes a wealth of productivity application capabilities. I wouldn't consider it my only computer, but as an adjunct to your laptop, its a great portable platform for consuming media, reading books, playing a casual game or two, etc.
On the other hand, if your needs involve heavy typing, need to run MS Office apps, heavy email and Flash-enabled websites, then the MBA is not only your better choice, but for some apps, your ONLY choice other than a full laptop.
Where I'd differentiate things is between the 11" or 13" MBA. For real computing experience, the 13" MBA is all the horsepower of a 13" MBP in a smaller, far lighter (and less expandable) package. The 11" offers far more of a "netbook" kind of experience, although you won't find a better netbook out there.
Take your pick but your question is incomplete without comparing your wants/needs to available solutions.
Ever since I saw the new MBA 11" model, I've really wanted one. But I would never want to give up my iPad. I eventually see myself as migrating my power needs from my current 15" MacBook Pro to a desktop (currently testing all my Final Cut and Adobe CS3 needs on my new Mac mini 2.4Ghz) and getting an 11" MBA and having that and my iPad be my travel companions.
I see a use for both as both do similar yet different tasks. For those times when I really embrace the instant on of the iPad, I long to have something really close in a Mac that runs everything.
The vs. for me is doing something on the iPad that I could easily do better on the Mac. And vice versa. Email, blog reading and creating posts on the iPad is lot easier than using my Mac (for non-photo and formatted posts at least)
I see a use for both as both do similar yet different tasks. For those times when I really embrace the instant on of the iPad, I long to have something really close in a Mac that runs everything.
The vs. for me is doing something on the iPad that I could easily do better on the Mac. And vice versa. Email, blog reading and creating posts on the iPad is lot easier than using my Mac (for non-photo and formatted posts at least)
What makes you so sure? Oh, and what do you want to call that display since it's so WIDELY known as the RETINA display? Jeez.
Just like the Jedi Mind Trick working on weaker minds, Apple's marketing team claims another victim. As for being sure, have you been paying attention to the numerous threads providing factual info aboutbwhy it is currently possible, not to mention the prohibitive costs involved?
Great post NS. I am in the same situation. Picked up an Air as a compliment to my iPad and 17 inch MBP that I use at home for the heavy lifting. I made the Air a family computer my removing the email, address book and a few other apps so that personal info is not stored on it. I could have set up profiles but wanted as simple as possible. I even set up our networks and iTunes libs to access it. Nothing is stored on the Air. Great on the go device.
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Thanks to everyone who left compliments on my post.
It's actually been an interesting experience living just with the Air and iPad while the iMac is being repaired. Like you, I didn't want email or contacts on the Air, so my iPad is serving as my email machine while the iMac is away. Otherwise, the Air has smoothly replaced every other function my iMac has been serving. In fact, I could very well live with the Air as my primary computer. The only thing keeping me from using it as such is that I have a number of external hard drives I keep hooked up to my iMac for backups and storing large media files. Detaching and reattaching them to the Air every time I wanted to take the Air out with me would be a chore.I'm still not sure how much use the Air would get once the iMac comes back. I wavered over getting the Air for the longest time, but there's just some formatting tasks on MS Word I sometimes need to do that can't be done on the iPad, and I spent one too many times twiddling my thumbs when I could have been getting some work done if I had a notebook computer with me. But regardless of how I split my usage between the iMac and the Air, I expect my iPad usage to stay the same. The portability of the Air tempted me to try reading ebooks on it, and sure, reading ebooks with the Air on my lap was a better experience than reading them while seated at a desk, but in the end, curling up with my iPad is for me the best reading experience. Surfing the web while on the go or sitting on sofa/in bed is also more comfortable with the iPad than the Air. Typing with the Air in my lap is comfortable, but so is typing on my iPad, and as I mentioned before, I can do so in more positions with the iPad than I can on the Air.
All that said, if I could afford only one computing device, then I would have to reluctantly go with the Air, as it maximizes function+portability. But since I'm lucky enough to be able to have multiple devices, you will pry the iPad from my cold dead fingers. I do need at least one "full" computer in addition to the iPad, but that could be the Air, iMac, Dell, HP... I don't much care.
And I now think everyone's learned never to compliment me, or I'll never shut up!
Why do you guys need so many devices. Just get a good desktop or imac or a very good laptop with a lot of storage and an ipad for everythint else on the go. Or just get one laptop, one desktop/imac, and theipad and use the laptop if your a work or business person onthe go or to connect to the tv as an entertainment center while your desktop is upstairs for say heavy gzming, and the ipad for on the go. There is no reason to have both a macbook air, and a windows laptop or a macbook pro as well as an ipad. The ipad is way more dofortable to use and mobile and fun and the macbook air isnt good enough and too casual for heavy use that the pro does anyway. So why would anyone want an air?
Plus, when the ipad splashtop desktop app updates ull be ale. To do heavy stuff snd all the os stuff from ur desktop mac on the go anyway. Is thatnow the app has some ****** port forwarding crap or handicaps that doesnt allwo most people to use it outside of lan so its kinds worthless.
Plus, when the ipad splashtop desktop app updates ull be ale. To do heavy stuff snd all the os stuff from ur desktop mac on the go anyway. Is thatnow the app has some ****** port forwarding crap or handicaps that doesnt allwo most people to use it outside of lan so its kinds worthless.
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