Shipley On The MacBook Air

Will Shipley, head developer of Delicious Monster’s drawcard (well, only) application Delicious Library has received his new MacBook Air. Replacing his now old (and sold) 2.33Ghz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro as his main coding system.

Really? Apple’s ’slowest’ computer is the new main coding machine for one of the most well known Mac shareware developers. Shipley shed a little light on the subjective move.

The criticism all basically goes like this: “It’s not like a MacBook Pro!”

No, really? Seriously? I mean, they introduced this new product, and it doesn’t have the same specs as the MacBook Pro? God, that is bizarre. I wonder why they gave it a new name, and continue to sell the MacBook Pro, then, if it’s not going to be exactly the same. I mean, that hardly makes sense, does it?

Apple have three different break-offs in its notebook line. The MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and the MacBook. Each machine is suited for different people, not everyone will be happy with a certain machine, hence the reason there’s three options.

There’s no ruling out the MacBook Air can’t be used as a main (and only) machine. It all comes down to what you do. Most people working with video for instance will not be looking at the MacBook Air, due to its limited storage capacity, processor speed, and lack of connectivity options. However writers who don’t need blazing fast processors, tons of storage, and lots of ports will welcome the machine with open arms. Needs will vary. Something that’s perfect for you might not be for the next person, and vice versa.

Some journalists get so close to the truth it hurts, yet miss the large print. “OMG! The unit is all sealed and self-contained like the iPod!”

I feel this point is possibly the most talked about aspect of the MacBook Air. Whether good or bad, the Air doesn’t have a user-replaceable battery or easy access to replace a hard drive. Then again, devices like the iPhone and iPod don’t have user replaceable batteries like many other devices in the same category, it hasn’t hurt Apple at all.

It’s a fact that if you want a new battery, you’ll have to pay Apple to install a new one. How many batteries do most Apple laptop owners carry around anyway? I only have the one which is permanently residing under my MacBook Pro. I suspect most other buyers of Apple laptops are in the same boat as me.

I don’t buy a laptop because I want to replace its drive in a year. I buy it because it seems great and meets my needs today. If my needs magically morph over the coming year, I guess I’ll sell it on eBay.

This is a perfect example in my eyes of the way I’d like people to think. Buy a computer based on today’s needs. If your needs change down the line, adapt to that with a different tool set; it’s how I’ve personally begun to look at things.

Comments

  1. #1

    Chris McElligott → theflanneleffect.com

    I don’t see the battery as an issue, I’ve never taken the one in my MBP out. Since I use my computer at home 100% and game on my Xbox of the time a MBA would actually suit me down to the ground.

  2. #2

    EDIT-XTREEM → iappblog.com

    Great article. But what does shipley think about the speed?

  3. #3

    Sheridan Haskell → youcomprehend.wordpress.com

    I’m not one of the “haters” of the Air it’s just I don’t see the point. Is it really worth the extra money to get something thinner than a regural MacBook? Is the thinness worth it? I really don’t see the point in getting a thinner laptop for more money when the regular MacBooks exist for less money. I’ve never owned a laptop before so maybe if I used MacBook for a while I would start drooling at the Air just like everyone else is but for now it looks like the Cube reincarnated to me and its kind won’t succeed until a mac mini equivalent of macbooks comes out that is just as thin or thinner as the Air at a cheaper price.

  4. #4

    Jack Archer → www.jack-archer.com

    The MBA is well worth it if you it fits your needs. People like my sister and other girl friends of mine think the Air is the greatest thing since sliced bread — because it meets their needs (iChat, iTunes (w/~1,000 songs), iPhoto, Safari, Microsoft Office, nothing more, nothing less and it is sleek and beautiful. Everything I have read on blog and internet articles on the Air is coming straight from a tech-enthusiast Apple fan, not exactally the core consumer market that Apple relies on. Certain people are going to put style over substance and pay the premium, it is going to be a hit.

    - Jack

  5. #5

    Michael

    srry, two typos up there, Speeds should be speedy* and think should be thing*

  6. #6

    Daniel Hollister

    Whenever someone tells me you can’t do something (like video) on the MacBook Air, I point them towards my old 933MHz Quicksilver G4 and remind them that tons of projects — many of them for major studios, and many of them very complex — were done on that machine. Anyone who thinks you can’t edit DV on something like an Air is absolutely out of their mind.

    The truth is that most people are just too spoiled and lazy to consider using something that isn’t the absolute fastest. The specs war is still around for those folks, but for the rest of us who actually do work for a living, I think it’s long been over.

  7. #7

    Calvin Chu → www.calvinchu.net

    I don’t hate the MacBook Air either and take it for what it is: a second machine. I don’t like the fairly thick bezel around its screen though. I think the MBA would’ve benefited from having a smaller footprint. Then again, I’m no Apple Engineer so I have no idea how it works inside. You make a good point about the lack of a removable battery. Switching batteries is only a thing for me when I’m on lengthy trips, but otherwise it’s just the one.

  8. #8

    Aidan → www.jon4lakers.com

    Its true. You can use it as a main machine. Just compared to other machines it is not “ideal”. Although my friend uses an older iBook that is just about the same speed as the Air and it works great. I know the ibook has a disk drive and other components but it still works surprisingly well.

  9. #9

    sam

    Great post Glenn.

  10. #10

    SamC

    needed to be said.

  11. #11

    Charkley

    the way i see the battery situation is… if the macbook air did have a user swappable battery what is gained? yeah you can swap the battery, but only if you have it on you, which means you have been carrying it around with you. so why spend the extra money on the macbook air to get a small mobile machine only to nullify it bu carrying arounf backup batteries.

    Personally, i go to a private school and i have a macbook, i have never need nor wanted a backup battery, it is just another thing to carry; more weight on my already book laden self. six hours life gets me through the day if i charge at night anyway. I dont even take my charger to school and dont have to fight over power points. Yay!

  12. #12

    Charlie → www.takethestage.wordpress.com

    Interesting post Glenn. I too share the same view as Shipley and yourself. Pick a machine based on your current needs. I am tired of people commenting on certain Apple products and their inferiority because these products do not suit ‘their’ needs. They need to realise that there is someone out there who is going to purchase these products whether they like it or not. I guess some people are just blind to the world of business.

    I actually wrote a blog post that deals with the Macbook Air’s suitability for music creation, which I believed you kind of touched on in this post, except with video production as the context.

  13. #13

    Thomas

    ‘Buy a computer based on todays needs, if your needs change down the line, adapt to that with a different tool set.’

    But at the same time, not everyone can afford a new tool set. When I bought my Mac mini it was to be used as my main computer for 2 years and then become the rarely used family computer for when I go university. If money is no option then that is fine, but sometimes you have to look ahead.

  14. #14

    Aidan → www.jon4lakers.com

    Glenn, who do you use for web hosting? Or do you own a server.

  15. #15

    Glenn Wolsey → www.glennwolsey.com

    Hey there Aidan. I use Media Temple’s Grid Server. See the banner in my sidebar.

  16. #16

    Anon

    This article has grammatical mistakes a-plenty:

    “Will Shipley, head developer of Delicious Monster’s drawcard (well, only) application Delicious Library has received his new MacBook Air. Replacing his now old (and sold) 2.33Ghz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro as his main coding system.”

    Should read:

    “Wil Shipley, head developer of Delicious Monster’s application Delicious Library, has received his new MacBook Air, replacing his now old (and sold) 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro as his main coding system.”

    - - -

    “Apple have three different break-offs in its notebook line. The MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and the MacBook.”

    -> “Apple have three different break-offs in its notebook line: the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook.”

    - - -

    “However writers who don’t need blazing fast processors…”

    -> “However, writers who don’t need blazing fast processors…”

    - - -

    “Rightfully or wrongfully, the MacBook Air doesn’t have a user-replacable battery, or easy access to replace a hard-drive. “

    -> “Whether good or bad, the Air [you don't need to say it's a 'MacBook' since this was already established in the last paragraph] doesn’t have a user-replaceable battery or easy access to replace a hard drive.”

    - - -

    “It’s a fact, if you want a new battery, you’ll have to pay Apple to put a new one in.”

    -> “It’s a fact that if you want a new battery, you’ll have to pay Apple to install a new one.”

    - - -

    “Buy a computer based on todays needs, if your needs change down the line, adapt to that with a different tool set. It’s how I’ve personally begun to look at things.”

    -> “Buy a computer based on today’s needs. If your needs change down the line, adapt to that with a different tool set; it’s how I’ve personally begun to look at things.”

  17. #17

    Macintalk

    Anon: “a-plenty” should be “aplenty”, it’s written together. I don’t see why douchebags feel the need to rewrite posts in comments, but I’m sure Glenn has noted your corrections, especially seeing as you made a mistake in the first sentence. Congratulations.

  18. #18

    Anon

    Wrong. Both are correct.

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/a-plenty

  19. #19

    Ajiththan Vj → www.lockergnome.com/dualtech

    :) great post Glenn!

  20. #20

    THE DEBATE CONTINUES at Get off the Bandwagon Blog → www.getoffthebandwagon.com/blog/2008/02/10/the-debate-continues

    [...] you still aren’t fed up of the debate over Apple’s latest release, Glenn Wolsey further his views on the innovative [...]

  21. #21

    Pete

    This entry has shown up as updated in my rss reader a number of times now without seeming to have changed…

  22. #22

    Jonathan → www.jonathandavies.org.uk

    Hey Glenn,

    Like Pete I am finding that this blog post is showing up repeatedly on my RSS Reader (NetNewsWire) - any ideas why?

    Thanks

    Jonathan

  23. #23

    Pete

    This is still showing up as updated several times a day, as is one of the newer posts.

    Unsubscribed.

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