After some advice, I am new to Apple and looking to purchase either the MacBook Air 13inch with 256GB and 8GB mem or the MacBook Pro 13inch with retina 256Gb and 8GB mem. I am an assistant principal in a primary school and also studying my masters
After some advice, I am new to Apple and looking to purchase either the MacBook Air 13inch with 256GB and 8GB mem or the MacBook Pro 13inch with retina 256Gb and 8GB mem. I am an assistant principal in a primary school and also studying my masters at university. I don't play computer games and I don't watch movies. I do store photos and videos of my kids and music on iTunes. I also like browsing the net with numerous windows open, check email etc. I am really wanting long battery life as I do a lot of my work on the couch - not close to a PowerPoint. Would the air do the trick or will it soon be outdated as Apple move towards retina display? Both air and pro seem very thin - almost the same? And not much difference in weight either so both very portable which is also a necessary requirement. Just can't help dreaming about that 12 hour claimed battery life. Any helpful advice/opinions, very much appreciated. Thanks
It's not likely that you'll get 12 hours in reql life. Those benchmarks are set under very strict controlled conditions. Kind of like mileage per gallon claims on cars. If 16GB of ram is an option at all I'd highly recommend you get that. As far as storage 256GB isn't alot, consider storing some things on an external thunderbolt real
Similar Messages
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Would love some advice on a new purchase . . .
I want to buy a new laptop. I currently have a 2001 PowerPC G4. 500MHz with 640 RAM. I'd love some advice on a new purchase. Sorry if this gets long-winded.
These are my desires:
(1) A serious upgrade in speed, into the Giga world. I work for a law firm, and I do a lot of research. Lexis-nexis seems to put a serious strain on my G4. I see some of the new models are over 2 gigs. I've read that 2 gigs is not 4x faster than 500Mhz, in the linear sense. Will going from 500 to 2 gigs nevertheless be substantially noticeable.
(2) More memory. In the near future, my employer is going to give its attorneys outside access to our email system and hard drive files. It would seem to me that I'll need to clear as much memory to make room for that. It look like most of the new models have a max space of 2 Ghz. That's more than 3 times the space i currently have. I'd like to think more memory will make my OS run more smoothly. If that's true, I wouldn't mind spending more money to get the biggest memory chip.
(3) I do a lot of word processing. I grew up on Macs (California girl), but I gave up on AppleWorks a couple years ago. I hated it. I purchased Word:Mac and have been very happy with it. Nevertheless, Word:Mac slows me down. Again, that seems to be consistent with the whole need for more speed and memory.
(4) I want wireless connectivity. I assume new Macs come with this capability (Airport?), but I'm not sure if I'll need an upgrade during the buying process. And I really have no idea how buying the airport hardware/software impacts my need what I have to but from my ISP (my cable company).
(5) The 15 inch seems like a nicer upgrade; 17 would be nicer, but I don't need it.
(6) I really don't want to spend more than $2500.00. But I'll spend a little more if it makes sense.
(7) Protection. I've read that Tiger is substantially safer than other OS's. That said, if someone could infect/corrupt/whatever my files (or access client files), that would be a disaster. I've read that Norton slows your down and is unecessary with Tiger.
There's a lot of pretty cool things Mac offers that I DON'T use. Like making movies or the isight stuff. I'm mainly a girl who is either writing, researching, emailing, or reading stuff online.
I'd love some advice. Some of the stuff I've read online has left me with too many questions.
Thanks!
Lindsay(1) Comparing clock speeds isn't a good way to compare processors. That said, because of various architecture changes, the MBP is probably a solid 8-10 times faster than your G4 system.
(2) Definately max out the RAM. My advice is to get the stock, single 1GB stick from Apple, and then head over to Crucial and buy yourself another stick. It's fairly easy to install, and Apple gives you a step by step guide on the MBP manual. You could have Apple pop in another stick, but it'll cost you more than double what you'll pay by going with Crucial ($300 vs. $135)
(3) Office:Mac will work just fine on your MBP. It might be a little slow to open when you first boot up (6, 7, 8 bounces on the dock), but after that everything starts right up. It should make too much of a difference, but since Office is running through emulation the 2GB will help.
(4) The wirless in an MBP is the same as in every other computer: 802.11B/G compatible. It'll work with any router out there; no need to go out and buy an AirPort router from Apple if you already have one. Then again, at $200, I don't know that I'd ever buy an AirPort. A plain old Linksys for $50 should work just fine...assuming you even need a router.
(5) You said it. The 15" is nice, but the 17" is nicer. The 17" has a few other goodies (a few extra USB ports, a FireWire800 port, an extra FireWire400 port), but unless you have a ton of devices you're plugging in, or an external hard drive you're constantly reading from/writing to, they're a non-factor. If you wanna save some money, go with the 15"; if you wanna live a little, the 17".
(6) On the laptop itself, that shouldn't be a problem. You can get yourself a nice 15" with AppleCare for right around what you're looking to spend. Of course, depending on what addons and software you get (MS Office, a bag, mouse, etc.), you're probably looking at closer to $3000.
(7) You hit it right on the head. There's really not much you need to do. Turn on the firewall built into OS X; make sure your router is secure (MAC address filtering, strong pass code, WPA2 encryption); and make sure you change your passwords every so often (every month or two should be more than sufficient). While it's not entirely necessary, based on your line of work it, it would probably be wise to get yourself an external hard drive (HDD) onto which you can backup your files. A MyBook from Western Digital wouldn't be a bad idea. If you go with the 17", get the Pro edition for higher speeds with FireWire 800. If you go with the 15", get the Premium. And, to save some money, buy through Amazon.com
Some suggestions on what you should get to compliment your MBP:
The first is a nice bag to carry it in. I personally like Marware's black italian leather CEO Milano. But if you're not into leather or don't want to spend that kind of money (why money would be a problem when buying a $3000 computer, I don't know...), then check out Brenthaven. They have some quality bags with plenty of storage for all your gadgets and whatnot.
The second thing you needs is AppleCare. While I personally find it ridiculous that a person who just bought a $3000 computer doesn't get at least a years worth of tech support, AppleCare is well worth the money. It extends your tech over the phone tech support from 90 days to 3 years and your warranty from 1 year to 3.
Apple's tech support is second to none (and they actually speak english ), and the extended warranty is a must. The best part of all is being able to take your computer to the Genius Bar in an Apple store. There's nothing quite like being able to walk into a store and have a living, breathing person help you. No crappy music while your put on hold, no having follow directions over a phone... you just give your Mac to a genius and let them do all the work.
If for whatever reason you're unsure about getting AppleCare, you don't have to buy it right now. So long as you buy it and register your MBP within the initial warranty period (1 year), you're all set. So, feel free to try out AppleCare under your current warranty before you drop $300 or so on the extended AppleCare.
The final thing that I recommend you buy, especially if you plan on having this baby on your lap, is a cooler. That is, a laptop tray with fans to provide some extra cooling capacity. Your MBP (or any other laptop/portable, for that matter) sits on top of, or attaches to, the cooler and provides power to the fans via USB cable. I don't know that you'll be getting any burns if you use this thing on your lap without a cooler (or any kind of tray, for that matter), but it certainly isn't comfortable.
As for particular brands/models, I can't really give you one. These things are put out by a lot of smaller companies, and come in so many different variations that it's hard to keep track of. For example, the website I bought mine from no longer exists and I've yet to see anything else that quite resembles what I have. That's not to say these things aren't quality, but don't go looking for something from a name brand company. All I can say to do is search on Google or Froogle for laptop cooler. On the bright side, you'll find plenty of coolers to choose from and you'll have something totally unique.
Well, that covers the three musts. There other various things that you may or may not like...maybe a Marware protection pack or a mouse...but it's really a matter of preference from here on out. Personally, the only other thing I'm getting is a mouse. I've never been a fan of trackpads. I much prefer using a mouse, especially if I'm at a desk writing a paper or doing research. But that's just me...
Anyway, I hope this helps. Good luck, and enjoy your MBP!
MBP: 17" Matte; 7200rpm 100GB HDD; 2gig RAM Mac OS X (10.4.7) -
After upgrading my Macbook Air to OS Yosemite it doesn't recognise the 3G USB modem which was working previously. Any ideas?
Hi ..
Reset the PRAM > About NVRAM and PRAM
Those instructions are for Mavericks but will work on Yosemite as well.
Then try the USB modem. -
Need some advice on a new build for CS5 Web Premium
I am looking for a powerful PC that I can use mostly for work and some light video work. I have been looking at several systems, but I can't decide if I should get the Core i7 875K, 950 or AMD 1090T for my needs. I typically have many Adobe CS5 applications open at once like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator and Flash, iTunes, Quickbooks, Microsoft Work and Excel. I would ideally like to buy a pre-built rig, but I can surely put together if better. Below are a few I have been looking at, but I am unsure about cooling on one of them and about the 875K processor on the other one. I figured a gaming PC would be fast and powerful as my needs are behond a standard base config. I would like some advice also on a good video card. Been looking at crossfire ATI HD 5770, single ATI HD 5870, Radeon 6870, and GeForce GTX 470 and SLI GTX 460. I am not a typical overclocker, but I can be if it will help performance running apps. I leave my PC on all day and night so cooling is a factor.
Thanks in advance everyone for the advice on this.
==========================================
Approximate Purchase Date: (the closer the better)
Budget Range: ($1000-$1500)
System Usage from Most to Least Important: (Web Development, Graphic Design, Internet, Movies))
Parts Not Required: (keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers)
Preferred Website(s) for Parts: (newegg.com)
Country of Origin: (USA)
Parts Preferences: by brand or type (I would like to use an Intel Core i7 or AMD X6 CPU to power dual Big 27" Samsung LCDs via DVI and full or mid tower case)
Overclocking: Maybe
SLI or Crossfire: Maybe
Monitor Resolution: (1920x1080 each monitor)
=========================================
Here is my latest config. How does this one look?
Qty.
Product Description
Savings
Total Price
1
COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case Item #: N82E16811119160Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
$159.98$129.98
1
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive Item #: N82E16822136533Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$89.99
1
EVGA 012-P3-1470-AR GeForce GTX 470 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card Item #: N82E16814130550Return Policy: VGA Replacement Only Return Policy
$259.99
1
Nvidia Free Mafia 2 Game Coupon Item #: N82E16800999247Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$59.99 Saving
$59.99$0.00
1
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply Item #: N82E16817139011Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card17-139-011
$189.99$159.99
1
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9T-12GBRL Item #: N82E16820231358Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$269.99
1
LG Black 10X Blu-ray Burner - Bulk SATA WH10LS30 LightScribe Support - OEM Item #: N82E16827136181Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$109.99
1
Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601950 Item #: N82E16819115211Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
ASUS Sabertooth X58 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard Item #: N82E16813131665Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$5.00 Instant
-$14.99 Combo
$499.98$479.99
1
Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" 128GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) Item #: N82E16820148348Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM Item #: N82E16832116758Return Policy: Software Standard Return Policy
-$10.00 Instant
-$30.00 Combo
$419.98$379.98
Subtotal:
$1,879.90
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$1,895.87Here is the final config I am looking to get. I am just debating the hard drive config and video cards. I want to be sure my video card will use teh GPU Accelleration and Advance features of Photoshop CS5. Do you know if the NVIDIA GTX 460 is compatable or should I spend more for the 470? I will not be gaming much and this pc is used mostly for work on CS5 Web Premium. How does this all look? All prices from NewEgg. I have another machine I will backup sata to each evening, so I really want a fast drive for program load and operation and another drive for data. What is best way to config drives? Should I get 2 of them and an SSD?
Qty.
Product Description
Savings
Total Price
1
EVGA GeForce GTX 470 (Fermi) 012-P3-1470-AR Video Card
Item #:N82E16814130550
Return Policy: VGA Replacement Only Return Policy
$259.99
1
Nvidia Free Mafia 2 Game Coupon
Item #:N82E16800999247
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$59.99
1
COOLER MASTER HAF 932 RC-932-KKN1-GP Black Computer Case With Side Panel Window
Item #:N82E16811119160
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
$159.98
$129.98
1
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
Item #:N82E16820231358
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$269.99
1
LG Black 10X Blu-ray Burner - Bulk SATA WH10LS30 LightScribe Support
Item #:N82E16827136181
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$109.99
1
CORSAIR HX Series CMPSU-850HX 850W Power Supply
Item #:N82E16817139011
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$30.00 Instant
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$189.99
$159.99
1
Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Item #:N82E16822136533
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
$89.99
1
ASUS Sabertooth X58 ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813131665
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Intel Core i7-950 3.06GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor
Item #: N82E16819115211
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
-$5.00 Instant
-$14.99 Combo
$499.98
$479.99
1
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders
Item #: N82E16832116758
Return Policy: Software Standard Return Policy
Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Item #: N82E16820148348
Return Policy: Limited Replacement Only Return Policy
-$10.00 Instant
-$30.00 Combo
$419.98
$379.98
Grand Total:
$1,879.90 -
when i download any file it works frequently and downloading start in a second but when i pause the downloading file & after some time when i open it,The downloading not start proper and after some time a message flash 'download error' source file could not be read please try again later or contact the server administrator.
I downloaded the Microsoft Autoruns package and ran it. There are no programs in the LSA Providers tab, and Apple's Bonjour is the only program in the Winsock Providers tab. I also did the "netsh winsock reset" and rebooted. It didn't fix the problem. Any more ideas?
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My brand new macbook air is just over 1 month old, and I am already having a problem. While working on a pages doc I stepped away for a couple of minutes to find that my notebook went to sleep. battery life was 71%. So I tryed to wake it by keying a few buttons, but the screen would not wake and the keyboard was lit up. Also, I could not power it down. I was only able to power it down after i plugged it in to the wall outlet. After I restarted the computer my document was lost. I changed the settings so that the computer was fall asleep after 1 hour of no activity, because I'm afraid this will happen again and I will lose my work. What can I do to fix the problem?
Regards,
TiffanyWell, since upgrading to Mavericks, I started watching a movie. Suddenly the screen dims and then goes black. Trying to waken my MBA means I need to restart. I have turned off all the sleep fuctions for the monitor and the hard drive. Still is happening??
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How do I get my Macbook Air to display on TV. I have the Apple TV
How do I get my Macbook Air to display on TV ( i have Appple TV divice)?
Hi Delt82,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
To learn more about using AirPlay with your Apple TV please take a look at the information in the article linked to below.
About AirPlay Mirroring in OS X - Apple Support
Take care,
Alex H. -
I'm looking for a new Macbook Air but I'm not quite sure about the mini displayport connection?
Hey everyone,
Does anyone know how can I connect the new macbook air to a projector?
Aparently there's no mini displayport.. and I need to use it for presentation..
Thanks.By treating the Thunderbolt port as if it's a Mini DisplayPort.
(59651) -
When I added 2 gmail accounts to my new macbook air. The email program download thousands of emails and now I am getting notifications non stop on the top right hand corner from years ago it is non stop notification for the emails from like 2007 really old emails. I am not sure why it is notifying me of old emails I know it is new just downloaded in the program but it should only notify me of recent emails shouldn't it?
If your email client (Mail) it set to never delete emails from the server, they stay there waiting. The server doesn't track what you've already downloaded, so a new setup of Mail just grabs whatever it finds on the server. You can change this in Settings, but for now, you have all your old emails to sort.
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My Macbook Air has black screen, I can hear the apple chime when power is pressed but is stuck on this black screen.
Also had beeps, 3 beeps was able to stop doing command/alt...
What is going on???3 Beeps on POST usually indicates a memory problem.
You will need to take it in for service, as you can't even so much as re-seat the memory on an Air. -
Its Time To Upgrade My Computer/ Need Some Advice, old or new 8 core
well my dual 2.0 had a nice run but its time to move on up.i use alot of software plugs, omnisphere , bfd2 etc and my machine can't handle it. my question is. do i get a older 8 core and save some money or get one of the new ones. and also which speed. i know there is 3 new 8 core.
if i feel its worth it i would spend the extra money and get the latest and greatest, but do i need too? someone was mentioning muliithreading and things i know nothing about. also did the older 8 cores drop in value yet? and where is a good place to shop for one
thanksI was recently in the market for a new Mac Pro. My Dual 2gig had seen it's last mix ; )
I was originally lurking on EBay but I wasn't impressed with the prices on used 8-cores so, on a whim, I actually called one of the local Apple stores just to see if they had any left. Sure enough they had one 2.8 8-core in stock. Their price was $2499 (fortunately I am a part-time audio production teacher as well) and I received the EDU discount and got it for $2299 (plus the icky Illinois/Cook County/Chicago tax).
I would definitely hunt for a Old(New) one.
Good Luck!
Curtis -
This happens with the new version of firefox. We have many computers with new fox on it and not the same problem. only certain ones.
Your above posted system details show outdated plugin(s) with known security and stability risks.
*Java Plug-in 1.6.0_10 for Netscape Navigator (DLL Helper)
Update the [[Java]] plugin to the latest version.
*http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp (Java Platform: Download JRE) -
Finger print marks on new macbook pro not goin inspite of cleaning with soft cloth? I can see some smudges, How to clean them ?
Good idea to ask!
Cleaning Apple products:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3226 -
Data on 4 of 5 calendars on ical covering dates from 1/1/2013 through 1/22/2014 simply disappeared. Apple support could not offer an explanation, after two hours on the phone, and over an hour at the Apple store (genius bar). I thought the data was backed up, but data for the same dates was also missing from my external hard drive.
All the information prior to 1/1/2013 and after 1/22/2014 still exists, along with dates into the future. The missing data apparently no longer exists anywhere, but I am curious as to what may have happened, and is there something I can do to prevent it from happening again. Backing up on an external hard drive is obviously not the answer.Have you tried resetting Calendars in iCloud ?
If not, open System Preferences > iCloud
Deselect the box next to Calendars then reselect it.
Give iCloud a few minutes to re sync the data if it can. -
New macbook air battery, yet still not charging is it the adaptor that's going as well?
I just got the battery in my mba replaced and I went to go and charge it again and I've tried to charge it. However, it still does not charge. I've tried different outlets and the two pronged vs the three pronged cables and it still won't work. Could it be the charger itself? I'm hoping it's nothing serious like the logic board or something. I'm going to try another adapter tomorrow, but it would be nice to know if it might be my adapter that's broken. When I plug it in no light turns on, but it is still running off of the adapter, it's just not charging.
A new Mac comes with 90 days of free tech support from AppleCare.
AppleCare: 1-800-275-2273
Call AppleCare or take it to the Apple store to have it checked out.
You can try resetting SMC.
Reset SMC. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
Choose the appropriate method.
"Resetting SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own".
Charge the battery fully before using the computer for the first time.
Best.
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