Macbook Pro or Air for business & personal use

I am interested in the 13 inch. I have only used Windows PCs so far. I primarily use Microsoft Outlook and Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel). I VPN into my corporate network and browse the Internet. I have Outlook open all the time along with an Office application and a couple of browsing sessions. I would also like Windows 8 installed, if possible, side by side. I rarely watch movies on my laptop and never play games.
I am confused (due to the deluge of information online) between Macbook Pro (not Retina) and Air. I am looking for recommendations alongwith a few answers. Is 4 GB sufficient for my multi-tasking needs? Is 128 GB enough (my disk usage is very very minimal, less than 25 MB) but I will be installing Microsoft Office and (optionally) Windows 8 (not mandatory)? I use a DVD drive very rarely - will an external drive be good enough if I go with the Air?
PS: Best Buy has a $200 discount on Air and a $100 discount on Pro which initiated my interest to buy a Macbook.

Why am I not surprised that you would say that. Please read the question, he asked for people's opinion on whether to get a MacBook Pro or Air.
https://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?resultTypes=&dateRange=all&peopleEnabl ed=true&q=In+all+honesty+Windows+PC&containerType=&container=&containerName=&use rname=Shootist007&rankBy=relevance&numResults=15

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Is it possible to have 2 mail programmes on my macbook pro? one for business related emails and one personal. I dont want all the emails in one mail programme!

Is it possible to have 2 mail programmes on my macbook pro? one for business related emails and one personal. I dont want all the emails in one mail programme. At the moment i have 2 personal email address being sent to my mail but because of receiving huge numbers of work emails it would be good to keep them seperate, what is the best way of doing this?

if i use the one mail programme can it separate the incoming mail from the different email accounts into 2 folders without me having to do it manually?
Yes, you can. Nearly all email software can do this. It involves creating two folders and a Rule for each folder.
Maybe call one folder Personal Mail, the other Work Mail (Apple Mail calls folders Mailboxes). One Rule would route all mail from your personal email account into the Personal Mail folder; the other Rule would route all mail from your work email account into the Work Mail folder. It's actually easy to do, all you have to do is click a few things and the rule is set up. Once the Rule is written you can also apply it to existing messages already downloaded to your Mac.
In Apple Mail, Rules are under Preferences > Rules. Follow the prompts to create a rule like this:
If = Any
Account = my Personal account (select the name of your personal email account)
Perform the following actions: Move Message to Mailbox = my Personal Mail (select the name of your Personal Mail folder (aka mailbox))
This rule says, "take any message that comes in from my Personal Account and move it to my Personal Mail mailbox (folder)"
Create a similar rule for your Work email.

Macbook Pro or air for a college engineering major

Hi. Im looking for a new laptop for college and was wondering which would be better for a mechanical engineering major: macbook pro or air? I will be running programs like solidworks and auto CAD and was wondering if i needed the extra processing power of the MBP.

You should also ask this in the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air forums. This is the forum for the 13” white and black plastic MacBooks that were discontinued in 2010. You should also post this question there to increase your chances of getting an answer.
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_air

Macbook Pro versus Air for university student (pharmacy)

Hey everyone,
So I love all my Apple products, and I plan to get some sort of Mac laptop for university in a few weeks. I'm going to be a pharmacy student at UBC, (so I'm not going into design or video graphics or anything) I basically want a fast, reliable computer that will last the extent of my Bachelor's degree, I really don't want to be replacing one every year or so. Battery life is somewhat important. I'm trying to decide between the MacBook Pro, (the $1200 one?) and the newer Macbook Air, (about $1200 as well?).
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.

I'd agree with Kappy, especially if buying for a long haul like a 3 or 4 year degree program. A MBP is the better choice.
And don't necessarily feel that pharmacy won't have its own computationally intensive aspects either. Large databases, especially chemical and drug structural databases and such, can be fairly tasking in terms of cpu use and RAM and harddrive space.
Don't forget your education discount options - http://www.apple.com/ca/buy/hied/ and ask at the UBC bookstore if they offer any machines with 3year AppleCare options (some educational institutions can do this for machines purchased through them - gives you 4 years of total warranty coverage).
P.S. I did my M.Sc. at U.Vic in the 1990's - I loved the west coast!

Macbook Pro or Air for Xcode Diploma

Can anyone tell me which would be better to use. I am curently doing a Diploma in iPhone Apps using Xcode of course. I have a iMac, but would like to purchase a laptop so i can continue my studies when i am away from home. I am not sure which laptop i should get. I dont really use my computers for movies and gaming but more for my new skills i am acquiring in programming and graphics. Thanks for your comments in advance.

Dat5i,
you could also choose to buy a used model MacBook Pro or MacBook Air for writing apps in Xcode. (I chose to buy a used MacBook Pro myself, and currently have Xcode installed.)

MacBook Pro or Air for a College Student

Hi, I am a college student and want to switch over to Apple. I not sure which MacBook is correct for me. I had an iPad 2 but it really did not work out for me because I just like having an actual laptop with me, so I got rid of the iPad. I basically use my current HP laptop for surfing the web, typing papers, doing research and and for my large music collection. I am unsure if i should get the 13 inch MacBook Pro or the 13 inch MacBook Air. What the the pro and cons of each? Any fellow students out there that could help me out?

Actually for you the 15" anti-glare would be the better choice.
1: Larger screen, it's only slightly bigger than the 13", sits about 3 feet wayfrom eyes.
2: anti-glare option, lets you "see the goddarn screen" in nearly any enviroment, class, outside etc.
3: more powerful dedicated graphics card (less you get a 3D gaming itch, better video.web animation) 30-45 points on Cinebench
4: can survive more OS X upgrades with CPU + dedicated video card
5: flexibility, you have the performance if your needs change, need to run Windows in virtual machine
6: lasts longer if you take care of it because of the more horsepower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0wo6dIsMU
Also search for "glossy" "Mac screen" in Google images, you'll see pictures people have taken where the screen is unreadable.
13" drawbacks
1: Integrated only video,
2: hotter machine because of integrated video (Intel HD 3000)
3: glossy only option
4: overpriced, any $400-$800 Win 7 cheap laptop is basically the same thing and you get a larger screen
5: can't successfully weather as many OS X upgrades having only CPU and doing double duty for graphics
6: need to hunch closer to the screen, almost placing it on your chest
IMO if your going to be paying $1500+ with AppleCare for a Mac laptop, get something that will last a bit longer AND make you happy.
The AIr is for those who know they operate within it's limitations, since you don't exactly know that...
If later you do decide a Air is better, you can sell the 15" and there would be a lot of interest and buy the Air.
You buy the Air and decide you need the 15" then you won't have a lot of potential buyers for the Air as you would for the 15"

Macbook Pro or Air for minor photo editing?

I have been an andriod/windows user all my life, but getting my Iphone 5s i've found that I really love the way Apple sets up its OS and am wating try a Macbook try its OS. I do a lot of minor photoediting basic things like using the blur tool, changing the hue and satuiration, and maybe doing some selevtive color. I don't need an iMac because I still have a pretty beffy desktop but I would like a laptop to carry around when I am out getting pictures or editing at someones house. Would I be able to get away with a MBA, or will I have to at least have a MBP to run Lightroom/Apeture with a little PS/Gimp for the blur tools?
Edit: I guess I should just mention I would just be getting the base model of either seeing as this is my first Mac.

I've got a basic Macbook Air that I use for all my image editing and all my graphic design and I've had less issues with these computers then I do using a windows based machine. I find the software runs a lot smoother on here. The only issue you might come across is the screen being small. I like smaller machines, but it makes drawing/editing large pieces difficult sometimes.
Just make sure the editing programs will run properly on a mac and just chose the computer you like better.

MacBook Pro or Air for gaming? 13-inch

Know neither of these machines are designed for gaming but I'm getting one or the other.
Only mid-range games really like StarCraft, Warcraft etc.
I have also seen Diablo 3 play on these machines so that would be good.
Also, I may have to install Bootcamp to play some of these games.
It's for uni so it'll need to do all the uni things but I know both of these can.
Thanks in advance!

Hello Tinman!
It is a shame that Warcraft is no longer supported :(((
I own a maxed out 11" Air. I really love it! If you want to go Pro here is my advice:
Wait another 3-4 month. I have word from an Apple employee that the retina display is not yet perfected. As soon as there are 13" Pros with a retina display go and get one :)
The 13" Pros with a non retina display are tempting, but they do not have the fast SSDs that are included in the 15" Pro or the MacBook Air... That is "legacy tech" ;)
If you need a good MacBook now go for the 13" Air. If you can wait, wait for the next release of Retina Pro Macs.
Cheers

Macbook Pro or Air for years 11 and 12

Hello,
I am entering year 11 next year and may school has suggested that my year by an air or pro.
I will be typing my notes in class on the notebook every day.
My school day is around 7 hours and i may do my homework on my laptop in the library after school ( in terms of battery use)
I will mainly be using imovie for assignment, powerpoint and word.
I am deciding between whether i should buy the air, an external hardrive and an external disc drive and the accessory that lets you use the laptop for a few more hours ( extra plug in battery) OR
The pro with retina display ( the middle version in terms of storage) and buy the external disc drive OR
Buy the pro ( no retina) and just put up with the heaviness.
Thanks for your help

Unless you are into games, movie making, or heavy duty Photoshop, there is little reason to go Pro, other than the screen resolution. And games may not all be optimized for Notebook GPUs anyway. So research your software needs thoroughly before jumping in. Pro 15" does give you more screen real estate for windows, though some can't read at so high a resolution.

What is best blue tooth presenter for macbook pro and air

What is best Blue Tooth presenter for MacBook Pro and Air?

You got lots of choices such as:
WD Studio
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=200
WD Studio 2
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=210
WD My Book
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=250
Lacie:
http://www.lacie.com/dk/products/range.htm?id=10007
http://www.lacie.com/dk/products/range.htm?id=10036
The are tons of external storage for mac out there but these are a few of them...
I personally like the WD Studio 2 and the LaCie 2big Network 2

Can someone connect in FaceTime if they are using a friends Macbook Pro, yet, doens't have an Apple ID?? For example, I have an IPAD and a Macbook Pro. Can I connect to FaceTime on my Macbook Pro and connect with a friend using my IPAD????

Can someone connect in FaceTime if they are using a friends Macbook Pro, yet, doens't have an Apple ID?? For example, I have an IPAD and a Macbook Pro. Can I connect to FaceTime on my Macbook Pro and connect with a friend using my IPAD????

I have also tried changing the contact emails(you can contact me by) in Facetime(diff email for IPAD and Macbook Pro). Facetime tried the call, I see the accept buttom appear and it goes away as the call never connects? Any ideas??

If I buy Microsoft office for MacBook pro will I be able to use diacritical marks for Welsh input? Welsh requires a circumflex sometimes on a,e,i,o,w and y, in addition to a diaeresis. An acute accents are not a problem as they occur in other languages.

If I buy Microsoft office for MacBook pro will I be able to use diacritical marks for Welsh input? Welsh requires a circumflex sometimes on a,e,i,o,w and y, in addition to a diaeresis. An acute accents are not a problem as they occur in other languages.

You can add in System Preferences, Language & Text, Input Sources, Welsh keyboard

Late 2011 MacBook Pro - how much hard drive space used for OS, iLife, system files?

Dear Community,
I've just taken delivery of a used MacBook Pro. It's pristine, hardly used.
It has a 750Gb hard drive with 500Gb free. Does this sound about right or could there be hidden files lurking unseen? The previous user had installed Microsoft Windows but I can't find any sign of a partition for that and the previous owner said he'd erased everything except Lion, iLife and system files, etc.
I looked in System Info which it isn't showing a large partition. I also looked in Disk Utiliy under Partition which seems to show un "current" a single drive with no partitions and around 200Gb used. It just seems a lot for the basic files.
I have another 100Gb to add to that when I migrate my PowerBook over in the next few days. That's okay while I have the current drive but I've purchased a 500Gb Crucial SSD drive to replace it so that will leave 200Gb free.
I know I can remove the super drive and put my 750Gb drive in its place but I need super drive for viewing DVDs.
I would grateful for any feedback.
K

Thanks everyone for your help with this.
After hours of trying to figure this out I located around 150Gb in total but found there was no way of removing references to the original owner whose "Home" file in Finder remained prominent.
So I elected to erase the drive and reinstall Lion using Disk Utility. It took two hours or so to download and I took the precaution of plugging directly into Ethernet rather than my Airport.
When the download was complete I was able to input fresh details so all trace of the original owner has been removed.
Once that was done I upgraded to Lion 10.7.5 and was able to download Garage Band, iMovie and iPhoto for free from the App Store.
Anybody contemplating doing the same should check that their machine is elligible before erasing as Apple does an auto check before downloading.
Here's the state of the hard drive now:
Thanks again and what a great resource the community forum's are:-)
K

Im completely new to Mac. Im swapping my windows laptop for macbook pro and looking for network storage solution which the Time Capsule seems to do. Is it possible to use this as NAS for my desktop Windows PC - windows 7

Im completely new to Mac. Im swapping my windows laptop for macbook pro and looking for network storage solution which the Time Capsule seems to do. Is it possible to use this as NAS for my desktop Windows PC - windows 7

Broadly speaking I want some sort of network storage( wireless or through my existing wifi router) that I can access files for both my windows PC and Macbook and also to access files to my iPad/ iPhone. Some sort of backup and sychronisation so that I can access certain files remotely.
Buy a real NAS.. synology or QNAP are the standard... although companies like Netgear and Western Digital and Seagate make them as well.
There is no problem sharing between Mac and PC now.. you do not even need a NAS to do that.. you simply share the hard disk directly. Mac talk SMB.. everything talks SMB nowadays.. so it is easy.
ipad and iphone are not designed to use NAS.. they are designed to backup only to the cloud or itunes.. but you can load an app like file browser if you want.
http://www.stratospherix.com/products/filebrowser/
Remote access to the Apple TC is somewhere between difficult, to impossible from a PC.. Apple use BTMM and iCloud but the service is not offered to PC.
A real NAS will offer HTTPS or SFTP or several other methods.. that both Mac and PC can use.
You simply plug it into the current wireless router.. it is a network device and assessable over the network. It is not necessary to buy another router.. in fact that is a waste.

If I have purchased an app on my iphone. can i download the app to use on my macbook pro without paying for it again

If I have purchased an app on my iphone. can i download the app to use on my macbook pro without paying for it again?

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
iOS apps are different than Mac apps, so you can't use a iOS app on a Mac. You have to purchase that app in the Mac App Store in order to use it with the Mac. They are different operating systems and require different apps

Macbook Pro or Air for business & personal use

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