MacBook Air or Pro

Hemps said:
Is it worth getting a Magic Mouse?
Click to expand...

Congrats, I agree with Cassady: you certainly won't need or want a mouse after working on the Mac touchpad (far more feature rich; multi finger swipes, ...)

The only exception is 1st person shooter gaming; a mouse typically provides better in-gaming control.
 
Hemps said:
Is it worth getting a Magic Mouse?
Click to expand...

I have my MBA connected to an external monitor so I use an Apple wireless keyboard and the Apple Magic Trackpad - to me it is far far better than the magic mouse as you get all the greatness of the trackpad but bigger.
 
Macbook should arrive on Tuesday, It'll most likely have Mountain Lion on it I assume?

I have the Mavericks App, best way to get Mavericks on?
Upgrade or create a flash install?
 
Hemps said:
Macbook should arrive on Tuesday, It'll most likely have Mountain Lion on it I assume?

I have the Mavericks App, best way to get Mavericks on?
Upgrade or create a flash install?
Click to expand...

It would really depend on current install. Yet for a 1st time Mac user I'd say it's always better to start from a clean install (create a USB install stick)
 
Creating installer now, think ill go with clean setup.

Software you guys use to backup, is Time Machine and external drive fine?
 
Hemps said:
Creating installer now, think ill go with clean setup.

Software you guys use to backup, is Time Machine and external drive fine?
Click to expand...

This is all I use. Have the external plugged in all the time and don't even know that the backup is taking place. When you need to take the macbook out for whatever reason, the next time you plug in your Time Machine Backup drive it will remember exactly what was last backed up so there no extra work on your side except for the initial setup. When you connect a drive it will ask if you'd like to use it for Backup - once you say yes, that is it.
 
Hemps said:
Creating installer now, think ill go with clean setup.

Software you guys use to backup, is Time Machine and external drive fine?
Click to expand...

Full drive cloning with SuperDuper - I restored via time machine once and it took far too long for my liking to get back up and running.
 
So after selling my 2012 air and Thunderbolt display (which was simply too large for my needs) ...

Pulled the trigger on Thursday last week and bought a new Macbook Pro Retina 13" (ME865 late 2013).

- Core i5
- Haswell
- 256gb SSD
- 8gb RAM

They only had 2 in stock at the new iStore in PE.

Can safely say it's the best *computer* I have used since ... ever.

This coming from a self confessed Windows/Intel CUD addict who had his first ICL Elf at the age of 6.

Runs windows apps in Parallels VM as if they were native.

Idles around 35 degrees.

Battery lasts close to 10 hours with Haswell and 75% screen brightness.

By controlling both hardware and software, Apple have created a truly stunning ultra portable.

Enjoy the new purchase Hemps.

What I can say is that - while the Macbook Air is super thin and light - it felt like a dinosaur compared to the Macbook Pro. Every task (lightroom editing, checking mail, safari browsing) took much longer. The delay was noticeable.

Then again, there is always a compromise.
 
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Hemps said:
Retina must awesome.

Waiting for the MD101, it's still in East London arrived there from Cape Town at 8am.
Really hope its the correct model, I paid R11470 for it where it retails at Incredible and many other for R14000+
Seller says it's new and still in box.
Click to expand...

Really excellent price. Let us know !
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
Haswell is the best thing to happen to laptops in a long time.
Click to expand...

+ 1 million

It can only get better ... if battery technology doesn't keep up it's great to see intel and other chip makers making inroads into efficiencies and low TDP's for normal computing tasks.
 
thewusman said:
+ 1 million

It can only get better ... if battery technology doesn't keep up it's great to see intel and other chip makers making inroads into efficiencies and low TDP's for normal computing tasks.
Click to expand...

I sometimes forget my charger at home, with the Haswell MBA it doesn't matter :)
 
thewusman said:
So after selling my 2012 air and Thunderbolt display (which was simply too large for my needs) ...

Pulled the trigger on Thursday last week and bought a new Macbook Pro Retina 13" (ME865 late 2013).

- Core i5
- Haswell
- 256gb SSD
- 8gb RAM

They only had 2 in stock at the new iStore in PE.

Can safely say it's the best *computer* I have used since ... ever.

This coming from a self confessed Windows/Intel CUD addict who had his first ICL Elf at the age of 6.

Runs windows apps in Parallels VM as if they were native.

Idles around 35 degrees.

Battery lasts close to 10 hours with Haswell and 75% screen brightness.

By controlling both hardware and software, Apple have created a truly stunning ultra portable.

Enjoy the new purchase Hemps.

What I can say is that - while the Macbook Air is super thin and light - it felt like a dinosaur compared to the Macbook Pro. Every task (lightroom editing, checking mail, safari browsing) took much longer. The delay was noticeable.

Then again, there is always a compromise.
Click to expand...

bought the same machine 2 weeks ago, it is very impressive. Price tag is quite serious too though.
 
phiber said:
bought the same machine 2 weeks ago, it is very impressive. Price tag is quite serious too though.
Click to expand...

With the Rand having gone on a free fall this year ... everything apple or imported is way too high.

I sold my thunderbolt display for nearly what I paid for it, with the new price going up nearly 30%.

Crazy times.

Our buying power has been seriously eroded.

Could have got the same model on Black Friday sale in the US for R15,000.
 
So I pay R470 for courier door to door, the seller sent the item via SpeedServices which I understand goes to your local post office?
 
thewusman said:
With the Rand having gone on a free fall this year ... everything apple or imported is way too high.

I sold my thunderbolt display for nearly what I paid for it, with the new price going up nearly 30%.

Crazy times.

Our buying power has been seriously eroded.

Could have got the same model on Black Friday sale in the US for R15,000.
Click to expand...

Yea, I bought mine in the US, not on sale and paid $1499, incl tax. I qualified for a bit of discount, which covered the tax. That works out to about 15500. Bought my previous MBA from Hong Kong 2 and a half years ago, sold it this year for 200 rand less than what I paid for it, due to the price increases here.

Regardless of US pricing or SA pricing, 15-20k is still quite steep for a 13" laptop, but considering you get the OS and the entire iWorks suite as well, its relatively similar to what you would pay for other systems with similar specs.
 
Hemps said:
So I pay R470 for courier door to door, the seller sent the item via SpeedServices which I understand goes to your local post office?
Click to expand...

The seller probably scored then, unless they included insurance which (I've used SS couriers before) is crazy expensive.

If not insured, then ask for refund because it costs around half that to send.
 
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