Who’s getting an M1 for Christmas?

[Quackington]

My office would probably put the pure fear into you then 🤣 I started with a Pong TV game in 1978, so I've been around the gaming scene a while, never lost interest in it, which is why I have so many systems, well, that and crazy parents

I missed out on the Pocket pre-orders, which seriously annoyed me - it does look awesome. But I'll be jumping on it as soon as they become available again early in the new year.

Oh, I forgot to mention, for the articles I’ll be writing, keep an eye on GrownGaming my latest was a review of an awesome multi-cart for the NeoGeo

I did start my series of retro articles almost 2 years ago, with Pong but then a chain of particularly nasty health problems, which I won’t bore anyone with, essentially put me on an extended sabbatical. So I hadn’t really written anything until the review I mentioned. It’s also why I wasn’t around here much for a good while.

But I’m about back to, well, as close to normal as I get So once the festive season is over, I can start up the retro series again (I’ve only got 80 odd systems to write about), among many other things I have in mind. And at least now that I have the MBA, I can work in bed if I really need to.

Hah. I think if I had a separate office space, I'd be less concerned about having everything out. Looks like ou're a bit of a hoarder like I am. I don't know why, but I've ended up with multiples of some systems. Some of my friends think I've lost the plot ;-)

It's a shame you didn't get to pre-order the Pocket, fingers crossed for the next pre-order round. It sold out fast, I think within about 7 minutes of being available. I'm just gutted about not having an option to pre-pay the customs fee like some retailers provide. So that means when it gets here, I'll be charged a customs fee and whatever the courier deems is an 'admin' fee for letting me know that I need to pay a customs charge. Anyway, enough about that. I'm assuming you're well aware of the PlayDate? I've been keeping an eye on it since it was announced and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's by the Panic that makes the FTP software I had on my old PowerBook in the noughties!

Thanks for the links to Grown Gaming, I'll be sure to have a read - I enjoy reading retro pieces. Sorry to hear of your health woes but good to know things are better. And yes, the MBA will probably make things a lot easier given how light and portable it is. Nearly as awesome as the 11" MBA! How I wish Apple would make a notebook in this size or 12" again.

 

[TrueBlou]

Hah. I think if I had a separate office space, I'd be less concerned about having everything out. Looks like ou're a bit of a hoarder like I am. I don't know why, but I've ended up with multiples of some systems. Some of my friends think I've lost the plot ;-)

It's a shame you didn't get to pre-order the Pocket, fingers crossed for the next pre-order round. It sold out fast, I think within about 7 minutes of being available. I'm just gutted about not having an option to pre-pay the customs fee like some retailers provide. So that means when it gets here, I'll be charged a customs fee and whatever the courier deems is an 'admin' fee for letting me know that I need to pay a customs charge. Anyway, enough about that. I'm assuming you're well aware of the PlayDate? I've been keeping an eye on it since it was announced and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's by the Panic that makes the FTP software I had on my old PowerBook in the noughties!

Thanks for the links to Grown Gaming, I'll be sure to have a read - I enjoy reading retro pieces. Sorry to hear of your health woes but good to know things are better. And yes, the MBA will probably make things a lot easier given how light and portable it is. Nearly as awesome as the 11" MBA! How I wish Apple would make a notebook in this size or 12" again.

Aye, I’ve been keeping an eye on the PlayDate, it’s an interesting wee device, with some good possibilities and the screen on it looks stunning. I don’t care that it’s mono, the resolution and refresh rate should make it a joy to behold.

Don’t get me started on customs, some I’ve had from various places are very reasonable, or no customs at all - when they don’t declare the value accurately But every single thing I’ve had delivered by DHL has had ridiculous customs and ‘processing’ fees. They’re the worst of the bunch.

I’m definitely a hoarder and like you I’ve managed to end up with multiples of things like BBC Micro, Ti-99, Philips CD-I, MSX, MegaDrive.... the list goes on, and on. Still, it’s handy to have spares I suppose.

I’m happy with the size and weight of the MBA, I don’t know if I’d cope particularly well with a smaller screen. I generally use scaling up to the More Space setting, which I find easily readable and gives me that bit more room.

But when I think back to my iPads, I was never real productive on those until the 12.9” came along. But then, I’ve never tried the 12” MacBook, although I loved the look of it, it just never had the guts to convince me. Maybe now though 🤔

 

[Quackington]

Aye, I’ve been keeping an eye on the PlayDate, it’s an interesting wee device, with some good possibilities and the screen on it looks stunning. I don’t care that it’s mono, the resolution and refresh rate should make it a joy to behold.

Don’t get me started on customs, some I’ve had from various places are very reasonable, or no customs at all - when they don’t declare the value accurately But every single thing I’ve had delivered by DHL has had ridiculous customs and ‘processing’ fees. They’re the worst of the bunch.

I’m definitely a hoarder and like you I’ve managed to end up with multiples of things like BBC Micro, Ti-99, Philips CD-I, MSX, MegaDrive.... the list goes on, and on. Still, it’s handy to have spares I suppose.

I’m happy with the size and weight of the MBA, I don’t know if I’d cope particularly well with a smaller screen. I generally use scaling up to the More Space setting, which I find easily readable and gives me that bit more room.

But when I think back to my iPads, I was never real productive on those until the 12.9” came along. But then, I’ve never tried the 12” MacBook, although I loved the look of it, it just never had the guts to convince me. Maybe now though 🤔

DHL is definitely the worst of the lot! They’re the courier that I got the Super NT via. Every time I’ve had something from them, it’s come with a charge. That’s why I’m expecting the Pocket to have a hefty charge. I did a survey for the PlayDate a month or two ago, in which they asked if buyers would prefer to be able to pay the customs charge up front, so I’m hoping they allow an option for this. I’ve had quite a few things sent to me from the US via USPS. I think they all made it through without a charge except one package.

Agreed that it’s nice to have spares...but you know things are overboard when you have 5 or more of the same item ;-)

I think if the screen is too small, it’s not great. The 11” MBA for my use case is great, and I could always connect it to a larger monitor. Although I have the 11” iPad Pro, I find it a bit too small - I think the lack of a built in keyboard with these is the reason. I have a magic keyboard, but I find it hard work given how small it is and it doesn’t sit very well on the lap as it’s quite too heavy unless it’s on a flat surface. I think it’s really that it’s an iPad and I’ve just been used to laptops/desktops for so long. I don’t have much need for it. I considered getting the 12” MacBook when it was available but decided against it. I just couldn’t get past the keyboard, I’d tried it in store a few times. It just didn’t feel right. Whilst the current magic KB is better in the 2020 models, if I’m honest I prefer the key travel in my MBA, pre-butterfly.

 

[buckwheet]

Damn dude. You sound like other computer manufacturers making Wintel machines don't overhype their products. Every company does, and be real about it, you would do the same thing if you owned a tech company.

Yeah, totally agree—and not intending to be overly hard on Apple's previous announcements. Of course all manufacturers overhype their new releases. I just think it's kinda funny that their previous marketing has made it kind of impossible to really communicate the significance of this leap. Obviously a good problem to have!

 

[buckwheet]

Yup, for a long, long time it’s all been a bit ho hum in a way. Of course they’ll always say this is the most powerful Mac/iPhone/iPad/Watch/Loo roll dispenser/kitchen sink we have ever made. That exact line is trotted out every single year.

But you’re dead right, this is the first time it’s really meant something in an awfully long time. It’s been so long since we’ve seen that kind of generational jump from an Apple computer, long overdue. I’ve not been this excited about a Mac since the Intel transition, and that was a long time ago.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what they do with the iMac and of course the Mac Pro. Can you imagine that beast?

But having said that, the way this wee critter is performing, I might actually just stay with laptops again now. So long as there’s always a way to avoid the TouchBar.

Yeah, I'm curious about this rumour of a smaller Mac Pro alternative... but mostly I'm in a similar boat of sticking with the laptop format—it just fits my working life so nicely.

I will say, though, that the most impressive bump I've ever seen from Apple was from the PPC 600 series to G3 (yes, I'm dating myself). It was insane. I remember I'd just bought a G3 266 minitower and I was in the university computer music lab, which had only previous generation PPC Macs, and I was gloating shamelessly over how thoroughly my machine slaughtered the lab machines compiling/running Csound code! Haha....

 

[Hlanz1]

I got a m1. Awesome computer just upset with the ubc situation it is not compatible with a lot of recording outputs I use

 

[menryhiller]

Got my air on m1. But after macbook 12 (2015) it seems very bulky. Damn! Use my laptop usually as a typewriter. I put off my new air because of size. Yes, air is snappier, ofc it has the better keyboard, but size... Damn, I dunno. At first thought bout selling macbook 12, now thinking bout keeping both. And by the way fonts in the osx on mb12 look crispier.

 

[Quackington]

Got my air on m1. But after macbook 12 (2015) it seems very bulky. Damn! Use my laptop usually as a typewriter. I put off my new air because of size. Yes, air is snappier, ofc it has the better keyboard, but size... Damn, I dunno. At first thought bout selling macbook 12, now thinking bout keeping both. And by the way fonts in the osx on mb12 look crispier.

I went from MBA 11" to MBP 13". The 13" felt huge compared to the 11" MBP, not just due to the bigger screen size, but also switching from the form factor of the Air to the Pro. I'm becoming used to it though, and I'm not getting rid of the MBA, but I think at some point I'm going to stop using the Air altogether (it's getting very little use at the moment).