I have some great stories to support you on that one.
Given the many responses to the question, I have my own. It would appear that the rumours of a new product could be correct, according to gizmodo’s site:
http://gizmodo.com/report-apple-s-almost-certainly-got-new-macbook-airs-a-511606712
I’m going to venture some heresy and say that it’s not a good time to buy a Mac laptop.
The company’s focus is now on phones and tablets, not keyboard computers.
We haven’t seen much innovation there, or in the OS, in many cycles.
Apple still charges WAY too much for its hardware, when you can buy a decent
Laptop for Windows, Linux, or Chrome for 50 or 75% less.
I’ll admit, I’m no longer patient with Mac standards.
The endless need to update every app and system iteration,
The poor synchronization offered by iCloud,
The antique and rarely updated text engine,
Offer little support to writers or publishers.
I also don’t like Apple’s hogging of profits and evasion of tax laws.
My problem is that I only like upstarts who are fighting to improve.
Apple is the new Microsoft and I no longer feel at ease there.
For some very cool new machines, see
system76.com/laptops/model/gazp8
And imagine running Scrivener on one of them.
Druid,
As someone who spends way too much time with system design, I would suggest that the apple “cost” is actually lower than wintel (windows on intel). The difference is in the mandated support components for wintel. AV, OS, secondary apps. Even with today’s higher HW costs, Apple still comes in about $300 less for the “average” user than windows.
The use of “average” is key. You would not fall into that category as you need special facilities for writing. For IT/development, Apple is WAY cheaper when it comes to web app and native/ios binary. For the home user that only wants email, web, music, mobile integration, and some basic spreadsheet/document layout/presentation software… You can’t beat mac.
Relative to OS innovation, even the folks who love windows regularly dislike the “innovation” that they get. I’m not saying that apple should stagnate, but that a slow approach is better.
Just an alternative view…
espeecially as Microsoft seems to be getting it SO wrong these days.
Also, if someone can tell me what there is out there that is a credible Windows alternative to the MBAir now that Sony have discontinued the Z and X serieses. Seriei. Seri… lines.
Honestly, I’m seriously considering getting an MBAir for my next machine. I’ll still install Win7 on it so I can run Scrivener, of course.
Consider a MBP 13 w/ SSD. I know it isn’t quite as small, but the increase capacity and compatibility would make you much happier.
Isn’t that substantially heavier? I really do intend to carry it around all the time (like some do with their ipads). Also the specs don’t seem that much better.
Yes. but the air is limiting in my opinion. If you just want “more than an ipad” then go air.
No, i definitely want a powerful laptop. I want to use if for photo editing, music creation and writing.
The upspeced 13" air has:
i7 2.0Ghz processor (vs MBP’s 3.0)
8GB RAM (MBP 8GB)
512GB SSD (MBP can go higher, but that’s pricey and I"ll be using external hard drives as well)
same graphics card
There are rumours that the MBPs will be thinner anyway in the next release… might bridge the gap a little?
I think you have the right plan. I just like the full platform for heavy lifting. more IO options. I think you’ll be fine either way. Especially if thunderbolt lives up to the claims.
Actually, one thing I’d not considered…
Presumably the quoted weights are for the minimum specs on that model, and upping the RAM and SSD would increase the MBAir weight a bit - probably to the same level as the lowest 13" MBP?
I suppose in some ways the MBAir only ‘appears’ smaller because of the wedge shape, and the Pro - which is only marginally thicker at it’s widest point - simply puts that carved out wedge of atmosphere inside a squarer casing. Presumably that would have a better cooling / air circulation impact and reduce fan noise?
I’m confused again.
the airs are substantially lighter. The sdd and ram weight is so little that it would not be a factor. Heat and fan issues will be close as well.
Stick with the air. You’d be happier.
In March, I treated myself to a Late 2012 13" Retina MBP, spec’d with a 2.5GHz i5 processor, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. It is, quite simply, the best computer I have ever owned, and by a wide margin too. My 2009 15" 2.8 Core Duo MBP now feels like a brick and sees little use, though my wife has taken quite a liking to it, having finally retired her old 2004 PowerBook.
At last, I have a truly portable laptop, with excellent battery life and enough raw power to eat through everything I’m likely to throw at it. Couldn’t be happier!
I have — as you read below — a late 2010 13" MBA and a late 2011 17" MBP. The latter is my “portable desktop”, which these days gets used mostly for video editing, the graphics processing and SSHD space being essential. Photo editing is OK on the MBA, though the screen space on the MBP is an advantage; for music creation, I guess I’d go for the MBP, though I do use Amadeus Pro regularly on the MBA for doing sound editing and recording my lectures. For everything else, I use the MBA. And no, it’s not that much heavier than the 11" … a couple of ounces I believe … but it does need a 13" laptop case rather than a handbag size whatever.
I went for the 13" MBA over the 11" for the extra screen space. In spite of my age, my eyesight seems to be holding up and I am perfectly happy running it at it’s native 1440 x 900, so for things like Scrivener, I can have binder, two editors and the inspector open, particularly in full-screen; and for Nisus I can have my styles palette floating, with the drawer also open with the other palettes.
My wife has a 2012 non-retina 13" MBP; it’s screen is not so high resolution, more like the 11" screen, and I find the wedge shape of the MBA, more comfortable to work on.
But, de gustibus non est disputandum, each to his/her own preferences.
You can’t run Scrivener in OS-X on an MBA?
Mr X
I’d do that too - I do actually own a Scriv Mac licence (although not a Mac, go figure). I like the Windows version though. Especially in Sci Fi mode. When WinScriv hits 2.0 (whenever that is), I can’t imagine wanting to use the Mac one much. It’s only the extra compile settings on the Mac version that distinguish the two in terms of functions that I’d actually use now.
Hmm… Sony has released a new laptop… the ‘Pro’. Supposedly a Z replacement, ultra light and reasonably specced. The processor seems a bit light in the old speed stakes though, and reviews are the keyboard is a bit of a compromise.
So a bit of a non-release in the end.
The MBAir gets an update…
Which seems to consist entirely of switching out the old CPU for a Haswell one.
Impact? Extended battery life.
They’ve taken advantage of the slight increase in the speed of Haswell by putting in a slower clock. The i7 is now only 1.7 GHz instead of 2.0 GHz in the 2012 models.
P’ah.
was highly disappointed with the new release had hoped for more like retina screen, now I don’t really know what to do and the new ios is not out until later either 
Retina displays are expensive, it is unlikely you’ll see them on MBAs. One of the major selling points of MBAs is that they are much cheaper than MBPs. The high cost of Retina displays is also the reason why you won’t see them on big Apple displays. They’d make the damn thing way too expensive.
They are on ipads and that cost is not too bad