MacBook Air 11.6" or iPad 64Gb 3G?

MacBook Air 11" or iPad 64Gb 3G?


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canoniser

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Jul 12, 2010
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Their prices are quite close, which one would you get? Both are light and instant "on". I think I'll pick the iPad because it got 3G.
 

iPad. Superb battery life, 3G connection 365x24x7, small, light, portable, and i don't need to sit down in order to use my iPad.
 

Well it all depends on what you want to use it for...If you need to type a lot or do serious work, then the Macbook Air (or a more powerful netbook for a cheaper price). Otherwise iPad.
 

I will go for Macbook Air!!! You can do so much with it!!!! ;p
 

If ya mainly want to surf web or reading, then I think iPad would be good and portable. Just take it out and you are good to go. While the MBA, u need to flip open the screen, which can be a bit cumbersome when outside.

However, if you also intend to use it at home for other purposes, such as photo editing, office suite, then the MBA might be more useful. Of cos, if you need to access flash or java enabled websites, MBA is only solution. I come across a lot of company websites using flash completely, and when I want to check the company address etc, no flash, I'm stuck.

If you travel, then the unless you are willing to pay for the data roaming, then the 3G might not be as useful. In that case, a wifi model + external mifi might be a little better, so it can serve both of iPad, hp, etc.

The new MBA sure looks cool... but I'm just not ready to take the step to Mac OS for my day to day stuff yet...though I've both an iPad + iPhone :)
 

With just only 1.4Ghz CPU and 2Gb RAM, you can't really run PS smoothly and FCP is totally out of the ball park, too laggy to be usable. Maybe only for low volume simple PS work. For intense photo editing and video-rendering tasks you still need MacBook or MBP. Having said that, MBA is not a netbook (it has C2D processors) either, so you can do sure more stuffs in MBA than in a netbook (uses Atom CPU or lower). Was thinking of getting a 3G USB dongle to go with the MBA, wonder if it is a better choice than getting iPad 3G.
 

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Read the new MBA memory are soldered on...so I guess u might want to consider upgrade to 4GB when u buy ya MBA, else I'm not sure if after that it is upgradeable or not.

The MBA cannot do what a MBP can do in terms of heavy duty stuff, but for most tasks, it is good enuff, and when u outside and need to get something done, it might be slow, but still an option, but that might not be an option for the iPad.

There's compromise between price, portability and performance. I guess when we compare the iPad and MBA, portability is probably high on the list, so compromise will be on performance.

If you get a 3G usb dongle, ya 3G is limited to use on your MBA, and have to make sure it got MacOS drivers. If you have a mifi, I think it is a little more flexible, no drivers installation, and u can share with multiple devices, of cos you have to pay more for the mifi device.
 

Read the new MBA memory are soldered on...so I guess u might want to consider upgrade to 4GB when u buy ya MBA, else I'm not sure if after that it is upgradeable or not.

The MBA cannot do what a MBP can do in terms of heavy duty stuff, but for most tasks, it is good enuff, and when u outside and need to get something done, it might be slow, but still an option, but that might not be an option for the iPad.

There's compromise between price, portability and performance. I guess when we compare the iPad and MBA, portability is probably high on the list, so compromise will be on performance.

If you get a 3G usb dongle, ya 3G is limited to use on your MBA, and have to make sure it got MacOS drivers. If you have a mifi, I think it is a little more flexible, no drivers installation, and u can share with multiple devices, of cos you have to pay more for the mifi device.

i think iFixit already tore down the device already and the verdict is that it is the most un-upgradable MB ever. so, it's either you max out the specs at the start, or suck thumb later when u want to upgrade.

i have the Pad.. and as much as i love the lightness of the Air, i can't see myself blowing $1.4K-ish for the 11" MBA. there are more powerful, cheaper but heavier and uglier laptops out there which are similar in size to the MBA. haiz.... :(
 

For me I am holding back my purchase although my daughter bought the iPad, I am holding back my purchase... I think both are missing important features. iPad missing the camera for Facetime (heard newer version coming out soon) as for MBA nice for indoors when there is WiFi but useless outdoors? no 3G.

I thought Apple said, we put everything we've learnt in iPAD into MBA (hmm.. seems like they missed part on 3G) and we put everything we've learnt in iPhone into iPAD (but missing Facetime).

These are features I believe can easily be incorporated into existing models, so for now I am holding back my purchase. For those already ordered MBA and need to surf outdoors a MiFi might be handy, have the Huawei E585.. quite fast 7.2Mbps and it is goo. I believe there is now there is a newer model, no need to pay for new separate Data Plan, get a second Micro SIM from your existing iPhone plan.

My data usage cannot even reach 1G monthly from a 12G plan.. decided to make full use of it and got the second Micro SIM and inserted it into my MiFi, it is fast enough and connects mostly on HSPDA.
 

For me I am holding back my purchase although my daughter bought the iPad, I am holding back my purchase... I think both are missing important features. iPad missing the camera for Facetime (heard newer version coming out soon) as for MBA nice for indoors when there is WiFi but useless outdoors? no 3G.

I thought Apple said, we put everything we've learnt in iPAD into MBA (hmm.. seems like they missed part on 3G) and we put everything we've learnt in iPhone into iPAD (but missing Facetime).

These are features I believe can easily be incorporated into existing models, so for now I am holding back my purchase. For those already ordered MBA and need to surf outdoors a MiFi might be handy, have the Huawei E585.. quite fast 7.2Mbps and it is goo. I believe there is now there is a newer model, no need to pay for new separate Data Plan, get a second Micro SIM from your existing iPhone plan.

My data usage cannot even reach 1G monthly from a 12G plan.. decided to make full use of it and got the second Micro SIM and inserted it into my MiFi, it is fast enough and connects mostly on HSPDA.
For me I'd rather jailbreak to use wireless tethering
 

For me I'd rather jailbreak to use wireless tethering
Tethering slower speed connection and only one device. This MiFi is actually a 3G on the Mobile Network side but Wireless LAN connect to your device and upto 5 devices.
 

Tethering slower speed connection and only one device. This MiFi is actually a 3G on the Mobile Network side but Wireless LAN connect to your device and upto 5 devices.

me too! dats how i am using my iPad too. i'm using it more for bedtime reading and viewing short movie clips... plus my kids who grab it for their games every saturday morning.... :p

i'm getting a dell M101z and zhnging it with a bigger SSD, which ends up still cheaper than the 13" MBA. let's see how it goes. ;p
 

me too! dats how i am using my iPad too. i'm using it more for bedtime reading and viewing short movie clips... plus my kids who grab it for their games every saturday morning.... :p

i'm getting a dell M101z and zhnging it with a bigger SSD, which ends up still cheaper than the 13" MBA. let's see how it goes. ;p
Sam, you got the iPAD with or without 3G version?

If you got without the 3G version check out the MiFi it even has a storage slot for Micro SD, might be useful to expand storage on either iPAD or MBA.
 

Sam, you got the iPAD with or without 3G version?

If you got without the 3G version check out the MiFi it even has a storage slot for Micro SD, might be useful to expand storage on either iPAD or MBA.

mine's the wifi version. one of the very first that were launched in US. my sis-in-law happened to be in Atlanta during the launch week. so i asked her to grab one for me. and yup. my mifi router has a microSD reader. but i dun use it for extra storage lah.
 

mine's the wifi version. one of the very first that were launched in US. my sis-in-law happened to be in Atlanta during the launch week. so i asked her to grab one for me. and yup. my mifi router has a microSD reader. but i dun use it for extra storage lah.
I want to get the iPAD as it is mostly for surfing only, but still holding back.. although I bought the case and the USB/SD adapter already. :)
 

I want to get the iPAD as it is mostly for surfing only, but still holding back.. although I bought the case and the USB/SD adapter already. :)

haha... nice! i haven't got round getting the USB/SD adapter yet tho...

anyway, from the looks of it, there might be an update for ipad soon, now dat Facetime is hitting the MBA... or like wat Jobs call the "virtuous cycle" in his keynote speech. ;p
 

Well, I think the next iPad could be like 3 months away at least (unless there is any announcement scheduled for next 2 - 3 weeks)... at first rumoured to be releasing a new one end of this year, but it seems like not going to happen, and the latest statement from Steve Jobs killed the rumour of a 7" iPad too. The only reason for Apple to release a new iPad now is mainly for bragging rights against the Windows tablet camp, showing off they are releasing a 2nd generation iPad while they have not released anything substantial. Else with iPad demand still high, I guess they probably wait till the Windows tablets starts showing up.

Not surprise there will be a camera on the next iPad....but I wonder where the camera will be located, cos based on the iPhone/Touch design, the camera is always away from the home button, but that would seems a bit wierd on the iPad maybe.

Anyway, the 3G not only provides 3G data for the iPad, it also comes with GPS. The Wifi model only comes with compass. So if GPS on a 9.7" is something important, that's another plus point.

Of cos, if you plan to use the iPad/MBA to preview photos from ya DSLR using eye-fi, I think the iPad is a more simpler solution (with some limitations).
 

I love my iPad but I am a bit on the fence about the MBA, storage wise that is.