The funny part of this discussion is the camp that needs more power. I used to think that faster processor and more ram was the ticket. I do not believe this is the case any longer. Where I believe the new Air will shine is in the SSD. I believe if your going to do any audio editing or run a couple VMs, you will need ram for sure, but I suspect the 2.33Ghz processor will be sufficient for most tasks. Storage of course will be an issue if you have a lot of data, but remember these machines are notebooks and not desktops. True most people are using their notebooks as desktops and I am one of those; however, for what I do, my machine is more than capable. In fact I would say my machine is over capable. I have a MBP with a 2.8Ghz processor, 4Gb ram, and 500Gb storage. I can run without any problems, the Mac OS, VMWare Fusion running xp for some coursework, a Linux VM, and on the Mac OS I am using AUdiobook Builder to convert books to a format suitable to play on my iPhone, surf the web, reading e-mail, and streaming/playing local audio within iTUnes and my machine is really not working all that hard. Well AUdiobook Builder does seem to make it sweat a little, but I notice no lag at all. So, I would suspect the Air at 2.33 would likely do pretty well. The thing to remember is where all the choke points are. The data shuffling in/out of the processor and hard disk reads and writes. If you speed up all the choke-points, I think you would find all of this becomes less of an issue. Does this make sense? I am not familiar with the other brands of machines some have mentioned, but are you truly comparing like hardware? DO these other machines have an SSD and is the architecture the same? If your just comparing physical size, then you are not truly comparing like machines.
Scott On Oct 22, 2010, at 3:42 AM, Simon Fogarty wrote: > They are a great little machine, but although they can do everything, > Someone like me that wants power and portability they just aren't yet > suitable. > > I would prefer the new Toshiba R700 which has similar specs but better > processor, supports more ram,similar drive size if right model. > The only problem is it's not a mac. > -----Original Message----- > From: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com > [mailto:macvisionar...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Howard Dupuis > Sent: Friday, 22 October 2010 5:44 a.m. > To: MacVisionaries > Subject: Re: FW: Introducing the new MacBook Air. > > I have the previous generation MBA -- with an SS drive. It's got plenty of > power for what I do -- mostly reading and writing -- though it might not be > the ticket for someone who is looking for all sorts of ports, etc. Depends > what you will be doing. > It really is astonishingly light. When I first had the thing, I'd sometimes > check the bag when I was heading out just to be sure the Air was actually > inside -- it's that light. At home, it is usually on my lap, so its lack of > heft is a godsend there, too. It's no more delicate than a normal Macbook, > and I suspect the new model will be quite the same in that regard. > If you don't bring your laptop anywhere and if you generally use it on a > desk, there's probably no good reason for choosing an Air. And if you've got > the need for a Firewire port or something else that the MBA doesn't have, or > if you are constantly using some application that requires blazing fast > processor speed, the Air might not be the most logical computer for you. > But this thing definitely has its place. For me, that place is right here on > my lap. > -- Howard > > Robert Hooper wrote: >> It's Apple, thought I'd pass it along. Does anyone on the list have one of > these? If so, then what would be the compulsion for purchasing such other > than novelty and portability? Personally, I would be worried about it > breaking, etc. >> >> From: Apple [mailto:n...@insideapple.apple.com] >> Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 5:23 PM >> To: Robert Hooper >> Subject: Introducing the new MacBook Air. >> >> Shop > Online<http://insideapple.apple.com/redir/cbx-cgi.do?v=2&la=en&lc=&a=BYZal7B > xMMHoP6jIXX7r%2FftPynffHhUDmBMLrf1bvyh90C9P%2FKJvifG5CmtmeblVDvSN8jYRHPgvSNs > JBEAx9FpBnOOyN76fSGDLwosKyvzAQLHl8qcRdQgH0JwhA53zB4maLm6R5YJYTZ7FgFAT2Gzg14W > inFcnJZiiMacjOLg%3D> | Find a > Store<http://insideapple.apple.com/redir/cbx-cgi.do?v=2&la=en&lc=&a=BYZal7Bx > MMHoP6jIXX7r%2FU64JVOGZG81%2F8HQRuaLKAlhkRyBf4cl0gvzuTokLRD%2FDvSN8jYRHPgvSN > sJBEAx9FpBnOOyN76fSGDLwosKyvzAQLHl8qcRdQgH0JwhA53zB4maLm6R5YJYTZ7FgFAT2Gzg14 > WinFcnJZiiMacjOLg%3D> | 1-800-MY-APPLE >> >> >> [http://images.apple.com/dm/us/10/0789/t.gif][The new MacBook Air. The >> next generation of MacBooks.][Buy >> now]<http://insideapple.apple.com/redir/cbx-cgi.do?v=2&la=en&lc=&a=BYZ >> al7BxMMHoP6jIXX7r%2FdupyNnB0m%2FK5O9cc4QxcHMbjYj6gNmtyk0vBVLinxVbEBhte >> btEp6zWq3BNsykMcyHmnz7LrLJv2vfu%2F7trYnOV8DWfAw63yDy66IPd4teKzqdty7cKS >> d9tmOtib2VA0g%3D%3D>[MacBook >> Air]<http://insideapple.apple.com/redir/cbx-cgi.do?v=2&la=en&lc=&a=BYZ >> al7BxMMHoP6jIXX7r%2FfI6Wn%2BXAvH9DlUZGno3XGfdiuorXHFda0nd0x5kWbcoKJOUx >> 1%2Bfw1FTY8lKXz%2Bo1bqb8nqnhPTYtIaNzKj5%2FS%2Bxrx9M4RJ5V7dUOEuHBX8pblI >> PaI%2BrFgx17RF%2FOKzTQw%3D%3D> >> >> >> Available in 11- and 13-inch models. >> Starting at just $949 with Apple education pricing. Learn >> more[http://images.apple.com/dm/us/10/0789/a.gif]<http://insideapple.a >> pple.com/redir/cbx-cgi.do?v=2&la=en&lc=&a=BYZal7BxMMHoP6jIXX7r%2FZYXzZ >> BR%2FZpQN49HX595Teo4jFRXxy4AHIS%2FaWRhawwjDvSN8jYRHPgvSNsJBEAx9FpBnOOy >> N76fSGDLwosKyvzAQLHl8qcRdQgH0JwhA53zB4maLm6R5YJYTZ7FgFAT2Gzg14WinFcnJZ >> iiMacjOLg%3D> >> >> [http://images.apple.com/dm/us/10/0789/m_b.jpg] >> >> [http://images.apple.com/dm/us/10/0789/b.gif] >> >> >> Prices are U.S. Apple Online Store for Education prices as of October 20, > 2010, do not include taxes or shipping, are subject to change, and are > listed in U.S. dollars. >> >> TM and copyright C 2010 Apple Inc. 1 Infinite Loop, MS 96-DM, Cupertino, > CA 95014. >> All Rights Reserved<http://www.apple.com/legal/default.html> / Keep >> Informed<http://www.apple.com/enews/subscribe/> / Privacy >> Policy<http://www.apple.com/privacy/> / My Apple >> ID<https://appleid.apple.com> >> >> If you prefer not to receive commercial email from Apple, or if you've > changed your email address, please click > here<http://mynews.apple.com/subscriptions?v=2&la=en_us&a=QqQP%2FgCF2wERLPli > OUAnw9ZNyY6akSzsP%2BV0dKealZqorStSM4wQ%2FMLfD0kta%2FeHkKTFGMtwg5rvQeWa4bIFuG > ZSYstT80IOkBzh0C3DTkcHiZoubpHlglhNnsWAUBPYbODXhaKcVyclmKIxpyM4uA%3D%3D>. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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