MacBook Air
Feb 6, 2008 | 12:49 pm
#197
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 87
What are you doing with your drive all the time? Are you constantly installing software, listening to CDs or watching movies?
Why do a lot of people cling to legacy ideas?
Now, almost everything can be done over the network. Software installs are downloaded rather than mailed on CD or DVD. Files are shared with colleagues over email or posted on a portal / website. Movies can be downloaded to your hard drive, which also saves battery power compared to watching on a disc. The music CD is in decline.
A few years ago (way back in 2003), sub-notebooks without optical drives, like the Sony X505, were probably ahead of the times. The use of the internet was not as prevalent as it is now.
Why do a lot of people cling to legacy ideas?
Now, almost everything can be done over the network. Software installs are downloaded rather than mailed on CD or DVD. Files are shared with colleagues over email or posted on a portal / website. Movies can be downloaded to your hard drive, which also saves battery power compared to watching on a disc. The music CD is in decline.
A few years ago (way back in 2003), sub-notebooks without optical drives, like the Sony X505, were probably ahead of the times. The use of the internet was not as prevalent as it is now.
I only use my optical drive to install software - and usually that's immediately when I get a new computer or when a totally new OS or suite (Word, Adobe, etc.) comes out...all the other smaller programs (Notebook, EarthDesk, etc.) I download...
I'm neither pro-MBA or anti-MBA but in my mind, fewer moving pieces means fewer breakable pieces
Feb 6, 2008 | 4:10 pm
#198
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: United GS+
Posts: 1,889
In that case, I highly recommend users to run through some drills in system failure scenarios. With IT department's guidance if needed. Don't wait until crisis is upon you to pray for the data recovery procedure to work.
While optical drives are the de-facto ways to deliver software to computers, it is not the only way. There are many ways to skin a cat.
In the last couple of years, the industry is moving toward utility/recovery partitions on the system drive. For instance, if there is some kind of OS error on your ThinkPad, push the blue ThinkVantage button to boot from the utility partition. You can choose to restore to an earlier backup or factory state. No optical drive needed. Well, not unless the system drive fails or the utility partition gets erased.
While optical drives are the de-facto ways to deliver software to computers, it is not the only way. There are many ways to skin a cat.
In the last couple of years, the industry is moving toward utility/recovery partitions on the system drive. For instance, if there is some kind of OS error on your ThinkPad, push the blue ThinkVantage button to boot from the utility partition. You can choose to restore to an earlier backup or factory state. No optical drive needed. Well, not unless the system drive fails or the utility partition gets erased.
Feb 6, 2008 | 4:30 pm
#199
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ATL
Posts: 3,219
Re: Disaster Recovery without Discs
My IT department (me+myself) ordered a Time Capsule and will be using that to backup my drive when I'm home. It works with the Time Machine software to automagically backup your computer every couple minutes over wifi. In case you haven't heard of it, here is the link:
http://www.apple.com/timecapsule
I hope it will backup over the WAN out of my condo as well, but I doubt it will.
After Time Machine came out with Leopard, I no longer have to burn backup CDs/DVDs. I currently backup my computers to a USB hard drive weekly when I get home, but I'm lazy and will love the automatic backups over wifi.
My IT department (me+myself) ordered a Time Capsule and will be using that to backup my drive when I'm home. It works with the Time Machine software to automagically backup your computer every couple minutes over wifi. In case you haven't heard of it, here is the link:
http://www.apple.com/timecapsule
I hope it will backup over the WAN out of my condo as well, but I doubt it will.
After Time Machine came out with Leopard, I no longer have to burn backup CDs/DVDs. I currently backup my computers to a USB hard drive weekly when I get home, but I'm lazy and will love the automatic backups over wifi.
Feb 6, 2008 | 4:36 pm
#200
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 87
Re: Disaster Recovery without Discs
My IT department (me+myself) ordered a Time Capsule and will be using that to backup my drive when I'm home. It works with the Time Machine software to automagically backup your computer every couple minutes over wifi. In case you haven't heard of it, here is the link:
http://www.apple.com/timecapsule
I hope it will backup over the WAN out of my condo as well, but I doubt it will.
After Time Machine came out with Leopard, I no longer have to burn backup CDs/DVDs. I currently backup my computers to a USB hard drive weekly when I get home, but I'm lazy and will love the automatic backups over wifi.
My IT department (me+myself) ordered a Time Capsule and will be using that to backup my drive when I'm home. It works with the Time Machine software to automagically backup your computer every couple minutes over wifi. In case you haven't heard of it, here is the link:
http://www.apple.com/timecapsule
I hope it will backup over the WAN out of my condo as well, but I doubt it will.
After Time Machine came out with Leopard, I no longer have to burn backup CDs/DVDs. I currently backup my computers to a USB hard drive weekly when I get home, but I'm lazy and will love the automatic backups over wifi.
Feb 6, 2008 | 5:13 pm
#201
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: BA, AA, DL, KLM, UA
Posts: 37,489
Bunch of liars at Apple...
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardw...d-review.ars/2
Steve Jobs said "five hours", Apple.com says "five hours".
It's the iPod all over again.
Speaking to others about the battery life of the Air, my averages turned out to be, well, pretty average. Based on actual use, users I spoke to were getting between 2:00 and 2:45 depending on screen brightness and levels of disk activity. Taking that into consideration, we are (or were—keep reading) confident that the HDD model's battery life is indeed the real deal.
Steve Jobs said "five hours", Apple.com says "five hours".
It's the iPod all over again.
Feb 6, 2008 | 6:39 pm
#202
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: BR Gold, MPC Silver
Posts: 322
Bunch of liars at Apple...
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardw...d-review.ars/2
Steve Jobs said "five hours", Apple.com says "five hours".
It's the iPod all over again.
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardw...d-review.ars/2
Steve Jobs said "five hours", Apple.com says "five hours".
It's the iPod all over again.
Feb 6, 2008 | 9:19 pm
#203
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 87
Bunch of liars at Apple...
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardw...d-review.ars/2
Steve Jobs said "five hours", Apple.com says "five hours".
It's the iPod all over again.
http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardw...d-review.ars/2
Steve Jobs said "five hours", Apple.com says "five hours".
It's the iPod all over again.
Feb 6, 2008 | 9:39 pm
#204
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,788
It is also nice to be able to help fellow travelers who misjudged their memory requirements by spinning their images off to CD or DVD.
I was impressed by the MBA for a few seconds while it was being slid from its envelope, but it is not really a grown-up business machine quite yet.
The gamble the early adopters are taking is that the machine will sell enough copies to make it worthwhile for Apple to offer a successor.
If not, they will be left to dry with the Lisa, the Newton, the Apple //gs, and the NeXT.
You pays your money and you takes your chances.
Feb 21, 2008 | 1:07 am
#205
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sydney - Australia
Programs: BD, QF, QR/EY/GF & HH Gold/SPG, Hertz#1G
Posts: 11,079
MacBook has landed in Australia!
Just typing on one at Hornsby, northern Sydney.
Unfortunately it is locked down so I can't try it for weight (or steal it for that matter...) So far it's better than expected. Just waiting for the Apple shop to open here!
Unfor
Just typing on one at Hornsby, northern Sydney.
Unfortunately it is locked down so I can't try it for weight (or steal it for that matter...
) So far it's better than expected. Just waiting for the Apple shop to open here!Unfor
Feb 21, 2008 | 4:10 am
#207
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: United GS+
Posts: 1,889
The gamble the early adopters are taking is that the machine will sell enough copies to make it worthwhile for Apple to offer a successor.
If not, they will be left to dry with the Lisa, the Newton, the Apple //gs, and the NeXT.
You pays your money and you takes your chances.
If not, they will be left to dry with the Lisa, the Newton, the Apple //gs, and the NeXT.
You pays your money and you takes your chances.
Feb 21, 2008 | 4:31 am
#208
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,337
WSJ article X300 and Mac Air
Today's Euro WSJ has a Personal Technology article by Walter Mossberg on the X300 and he does a lot of comparisons to the Mac Air. Most of them have been discussed before here, but he is pretty thorough on the X300 options which of course are much more plentiful than the Mac Air. He generally prefers the X300, but also prefers the Mac OS over Windows.
One concern on the X300 for frequent flyers in economy is that the screen goes up higher than the Mac Air. Fortunately most of us either purchase or upgrade to business class, right?
He says at the end that if you are happy with Windows and can afford the X300, then go for it. It's a notable engineering accomplishment.
Supposedly the X300 goes on sale next week. I'll be waiting in line.
One concern on the X300 for frequent flyers in economy is that the screen goes up higher than the Mac Air. Fortunately most of us either purchase or upgrade to business class, right?
He says at the end that if you are happy with Windows and can afford the X300, then go for it. It's a notable engineering accomplishment.
Supposedly the X300 goes on sale next week. I'll be waiting in line.
Feb 21, 2008 | 5:35 am
#209
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ATL
Posts: 3,219
Feb 21, 2008 | 5:46 am
#210
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ATL
Posts: 3,219
One other thing, watching the video, the computer looks the same as the ThinkPads they made 10 years ago.