MacBook Air for 13 year old?

[SnowLeopard2008]

not that i necessarily disagree or disapprove of anything you've said specifically (other than the fact that i don't think sports are a 'waste of time'), another thing you'll likely do when you have kids is roll your eyes at people who talk about what they will or won't do when they have kids

Completely irrelevant. You don't need to have cancer in order to study it. It is my opinion that sports are a waste of time. Specifically mine.

 

[DisplacedMic]

Completely irrelevant. You don't need to have cancer in order to study it. It is my opinion that sports are a waste of time. Specifically mine.

uh huh, you'll see.

 

[xdxdaustin]

Because you can't surf the web with other computers? Sorry, I don't mean to be sarcastic but I simply don't understand this logic. If you said, you had started programming XCode I could understand but reading articles? I agree that the MacBook might last longer BUT most of the time it's always depending on the user how long a gadget lasts.

Hahaha I agree with you! If all I was doing was reading articles then you would be quite right; I wouldn't need a MacBook for that and even an iPad would suffice (even though they didn't exist then). I also got into heavy photoshopping, building 3D Models with Google Sketchup, and using many applications in the Adoble suite as well as some light video editing and some emulation for gaming. Part of the reason why I feel the Mac was so beneficial to me though, besides the articles, is both that I didn't have to contend with virus's and the general slowdown overtime of a PC but also that I was able to make better presentations projects by using Mac only apps such as Keynote.

No offense but this just sounds like non sense written by a teenager

I'm not going to lie, I am a teenager! But this isn't nonsense. This purchase allowed me to greatly increase my knowledge; it isn't without a doubt in my mind that without this purchase I wouldn't have the 4.2 GPA I have today because of what I was able to expose myself to and the things I was able to create.

 

[DisplacedMic]

I'm not going to lie, I am a teenager! But this isn't nonsense. This purchase allowed me to greatly increase my knowledge; it isn't without a doubt in my mind that without this purchase I wouldn't have the 4.2 GPA I have today because of what I was able to expose myself to and the things I was able to create.

holy triple negatives batman!

 

[Mershy]

Get what you think he is ready for. It's as simple as that really.

If you think he wants a laptop for the sake of it, or if he's just going to sit on his facebook etc then get him a cheap Windows one. If he's a clever, curious and eager type of guy get him the best of the best (or the best of the price range ).

My parents bought me a top of the range computer when I was his age. Whether that was them being annoyed at me for hogging the family desktop or actually rewarding me, I don't know Nonetheless, I am so thankful that they did that for me.

 

[7enderbender]

By reading through this thread I'm not really sure if this is a technical question. Sure, the machine seems expensive and really any user needs to have good reason to buy anything like that. For me personally down the road I'm looking to phase out Windows in our house. Win 8 will not enter my world at home and we'll have to see what that means for everyone.

My kids are still little (6 and 9) and we're homeschooling so that makes it a different environment as far as concerns around "bullying" or peer-pressure goes. But I also find it sad that our first thought today is to lock computers down and to restrict access. I thought about that as well of course but it turns out that I passed on that and my 9 year old daughter gets to use my wife's old netbook pretty freely. And guess what: I haven't noticed anything yet that would me want to change that. The only rule that I have about our computer use is that there are no video games of any kind. Not installed and not online.

Going forward we'll all have to watch and learn since things are changing so fast that it's all uncharted territory for everyone.

 

[LlamaLarry]

I bought Things 3 and 4 white MacBooks ~2008 (Apple refurbs) and they are still in use today - Thing 3 is turning 17 and Thing 4 is 11. Only things I've had to do to them is upgrade the RAM, HDD and OS.

Thing 2 specifically asked me not to buy him a Mac at the same time and again when he graduated from HS in 2010. Since 2010 he is on his 4th Windows laptop and has easily spent what it would have cost to buy a MBP. In his search to un suck his Windows laptops before buying a new one has has reinstalled the OS multiple times on each box.

I love my MBA and I would not hesitate to buy one for Thing 4 (or give him mine so I can upgrade), but it depends on how your son treats his toys. I would make it clear that this is a spendy item and if it breaks - it stays broken. Perhaps have him pay for (or pay you back for) a warranty to covers everything including accidental damage/water damage/loss/etc.

 

[GeekGuys]

LlamaLarry has made some valid points. I think the arguments about too expensive, too robust (???) too flash, too posh etc etc, are all too vague and don't make any valid points.

Questions you should be looking for an answer to are:

1. Is money of concern (ie, what value are you willing to spend on your 13 yr old child)?

2. Is the child responsible enough to look after it and respect it?

3. What is the purpose of the laptop now, and in the future?

4. How long do you plan to have this laptop working for your child/children?

My Things 2 & 3 have been 'given' iPads at school as a lot of material and notes are now distributed by PDF. They are 12 & 8 respectively.
All mine have had access to a iMac for about 5 years now so in theory, Thing 4 (I like your analogy LlamaLarry) would have been only 2 when they first had access to a computer.

HOWEVER ----- I use Apple Parental Control on everything. I lock down internet access to whitelist sites for all users except myself and my wife. No PC use outside of common areas. No Facebook/twitter/youtube for anyone (even now with older kids)... I have managed to convince all my kids that Facebook is evil and corrupt

I don't use it on Apple but K9 Web Protection is very good on a Windows PC and is now available on mac an IOS as well.

Yes, I would recommend a MBA (or any other Mac laptop) for your 13 year old. New or 2nd hand is a financial consideration only you can answer. I tend to go for 2nd hand for the kids (ie, my old hand-me-downs) but that is the benefit of Apple laptops. We are still rocking a 2006 iMac and it is running Lion and works really well for Web, email and small word/XL stuff for the kids. They do last a long time if looked after!

 

[CyrusKafaiWu]

I bought my macbook air when I was 16 and I worked a job for it, I didn't get any money from my parents for it.

 

[oneMadRssn]

"All kids should grow up today like I did when I was a kid!" - Said everyone ever

Following the above logic, my kids will be forced to grow up on a 386 running DOS and several shareware games. Later, I will upgrade them to Windows 3.11.

Basically throughout adolescence, on various computers, they will have to reinstall Windows 95 78 times, Windows 98 174 times, Windows NT 4.0 14 times, Windows 2000 52 times, and Windows XP 739 times. This will be their chore, along with mowing the grass and whatnot.

It won't be until they are legal adults at 18 years old that they will be allowed to touch anything recembling a modern computer.

All sarcasm aside, I think a good exercise would be to ask a kid to, to the best of their ability, to present a compelling written arguement for why they *want* that particular computer. It could be a powerpoint explaining it's uses compared to other computers, it could be an excel showing the cost/benefit, it could be a song. Grade them on it taking into account their age. The exercise would force them to really think it though, I would hope. It would also prevent acting on impulse, and it would teach critical thinking. At the end of the day, no computer will ruin a good kid.

 

[HarryWarden]

Is the reason having the computer in a common location as opposed to the kid's bedroom mentioned repeatedly in this thread because of the fear of pornography and other such things?

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

Is the reason having the computer in a common location as opposed to the kid's bedroom mentioned repeatedly in this thread because of the fear of pornography and other such things?

Yes, not just porn (not really an issue for girls), but just general monitoring of overusage, excessive time on social media, that sort of thing. I think most parents want their children's computers to be productivity tools, not just another avenue for playing games, chatting pointlessly with their friends or searching for pictures of naked women. How each family approaches that varies of course.

Quick update - I think my son is sticking to his guns wrt the Macbook Air. We have agreed to see what will be announced at the WWDC. He's a straight A student with a very inquiring mind and has some interest in programming. As his father I know that whatever I get him, it won't sit idle. He's heading into 8th Grade and I hope it will last him through High School, and we'll get him a new computer for college.

 

[djsailor]

Teach your child....

Interesting thread with lots of good comments. I have a 13 year old and I'm thinking of getting her a MB; either an Air or Pro, new or used. She already has an iPad and an old white plastic MBP.

Yes, she uses them in her bedroom at night to read 'books' and view BBC's Dr. Who and such. My wife and I have taught her what to avoid and she has no desire to do more than post pictures of her favorite characters on any of her 'social' network (though she does not have a Facebook page). She also points out to us some of the inappropriate pictures of her classmates such as them in silly (i.e. skimpy) clothes. She knows right from wrong and we have to trust her.

She is a straight A student and uses her MacBook and iPad at the same time to do her homework. Her MBP is about had it. Keyboard failing. Not enough memory, speed, storage. Time to get her a new one.

 

[fabian9]

[…] Apple controls the education market in the US.

[…] buy a Windows based machine seeing as that's what they will more than likely be using for work.

I wonder what make computer tomorrow's leaders are going to establish in work places, seeing as though they are growing up using Apple...

 

[mdapple]

i think you should buy him the air because he will not stop complaining until he gets it…and you will be spending more money in the long run

that being said, I would have him work for at least half the cost of the MBA so he doesn't just end up throwing it around and taking it for granted. Giving a reasonable allowance for doing chores well and on-time over several months will teach him that expensive things don't just fall out of the sky...

 

[Steve121178]

I wonder what make computer tomorrow's leaders are going to establish in work places, seeing as though they are growing up using Apple...

When they start work they will start at the bottom in a company that is highly likely to have a Windows environment.

I am not sure I need to say why Windows is far more suitable for business as it's obvious. I'd wager any young snotty upstart wanting to rip out a Windows environment and replace with an Apple environment won't get very far.

 

[DisplacedMic]

When they start work they will start at the bottom in a company that is highly likely to have a Windows environment.

I am not sure I need to say why Windows is far more suitable for business as it's obvious. I'd wager any young snotty upstart wanting to rip out a Windows environment and replace with an Apple environment won't get very far.

yes...much like how they won't have an Eames desk chair either.
I wonder how much luck that same "snotty" upstart would have ripping out a Mac environment and switching to Windows...

this stance on this issue becomes less relevant every year... Apple won't replace Windows, or at least I hope it doens't. Why? competition drives quality up and price down for everyone. And as Apple's control of the various sectors continues to grow, both companies will be forced to produce products that play nicely with one another.

Even now I am running Windows on my Mac, both of which play perfectly with my Android phone, my wife's iPad, my tablet, my PS3 and my home linux media server.

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

When they start work they will start at the bottom in a company that is highly likely to have a Windows environment.

I am not sure I need to say why Windows is far more suitable for business as it's obvious. I'd wager any young snotty upstart wanting to rip out a Windows environment and replace with an Apple environment won't get very far.

Funnily enough I was involved in a consulting engagement at a Japanese bank in Tokyo about 7 years ago, and the new senior management was trying to do exactly that. They spent a fortune and had many, many teething problems. I wasn't there long enough to see the end result but I do know we all scratched our heads at the cost.

 

[ritmomundo]

currently, both of my kids - 16 and 7, have their own iMac and macbook (2009 ish) which are located in a central location. they are not allowed to take the laptop to the bedroom or any other private area. i also bought my son a windows laptop that he keeps at his mom's house. i'm not positive what the rules are there. when my daughter reaches the 4th grade, she will be required to carry her own laptop to school. at that point, i will probably give her my current 11" air (2012) and i will buy myself a new one. currently she has her own ipad mini which is required by the school.

A 4th grader needs to bring his/her own laptop to school? I understand that homework assignments can be online and all, and I'm all for kids having computers in the classroom (desktops provided by the school), but elementary school kids should not be told to bring their own laptops to school. That's just laziness on part of your school district.

Also, as a side note, I just want to point out that there is a very fine line where "computers benefiting children" (as an adjunct to the teacher's teaching) can quickly become "computers teaching children" (while the teacher does next to nothing). Seeing how quickly elementary schools have adapted to the digital age, with online teaching materials and lesson plans, I wouldn't be surprised if you find a lot of the latter happening.

 

[Mr Kram]

Thanks for your opinion. LOL. Remember this is private school and the elementary and middle schools are following suit with the high schools that have already had this system I'm place for many years.

 

[ritmomundo]

Thanks for your opinion. LOL. Remember this is private school and the elementary and middle schools are following suit with the high schools that have already had this system I'm place for many years.

Even worse. Private schools (IF they're well-funded, which yours doesnt seem to be) should provide individual computer access to all students during class if its required, not ask them to tote their own laptops from home (those near me even provide iPads to all students, where many of my friends send their kids).

ps. glad you found my post funny.

 

[Mr Kram]

This particular school has computer access to all students. This is irrelevant to what is required for personal use. Glad you think you know everything.

 

[ritmomundo]

This particular school has computer access to all students. This is irrelevant to what is required for personal use. Glad you think you know everything.

I'm glad you think so too.

 

[PraisiX-windows]

I got my 14 year old son a second hand (1 yr old) MBA 13" with nice specs. He is very happy with it as he is a serious student and he wants his laptop to just function, which it does, and doesn't care that much about games etc. He cannot install new applications and I have switched on the log of visited internet sites. This log is not very helpful as the first thing 14 yr old boys learn is what a proxy-server is...
The only real worry I have is theft.

So my personal conclusion: yeah get your son a MBA. He will love it and you can have as much control over it as you want.

One would almost think you were his bigbrother and not his father, wow.
Where are you from, is that sort of "control" over your children normal in your country?

 

[bentherubyman]

Hello, I'm 12 years old I have independence have my own computer in my room and no parental controls or things like that. I use adobe cc for graphics since I make apps for iOS and android do I did get a 2014 £1500 macbook pro so those who say I'm spoiled read on I make money from a online graphics business, fiverr work and app development