Need help deciding between macbook air OR iPad

[Emulex]

for video skyfire plays flash no problem.

 

[Patt]

As someone else mentioned, a sweet laptop allows much more input functionality, whereas the iPad is ideal for consuming media. I currently use an iPad for a university level course I'm taking, but still take notes on paper, and just use the iPad for web research and viewing PDFs.

 

[mope54]

I use my iPad for consuming and my Macbook for creating.
Although I do have the apple BT keyboard if I want to travel and create...nothing beats the portability of the iPad even with an external keyboard.

The MBA just got refreshed, whereas the iPad won't be for a few more months. Although if you're interested in playing games the iPad has the better screen than the MBA. I'll say this, if you don't have an apple laptop already then the iPad experience will be less than stellar. Once you start to buy into the ecosystem, though, the whole thing comes together like silk.

 

[dmw16]

For your application I'd say the Air would be the way to go. I have an iPad and it's great for games, movies, and surfing the web. But it isn't really up to the task of anything approaching productive work.

 

[ZipSpeed]

I recently gave away a netbook to my sister-in-law and my XPS M1330 to my dad because he needed a replacement right away. So now I am without a laptop and solely relying on my iPad as my portable. As an Internet appliance, the iPad is awesome. Yeah, having no flash sometimes suck and Safari doesn't nearly render a webpage as fast as I'd like it to but it's tolerable. But I have found myself missing a keyboard. Just posting replies on the Anandtech Forums is somewhat of a chore on the iPad. I'm in the process of looking for a new laptop myself and I definitely like the form factor and size of the MBA 13". But I'm going to wait and see what Apple has in store for the next MBP. Apparently the new MBP will be forgoing the Superdrive and mechanical hard drive so some people are speculating that the chassis will be half the height of the current MBP.

 

[kaerflog]

I just bought a MBA 11.6"
Just 3 short months ago, I didn't like anything Apple.
Then I got an IP4 and been in love with it every since.
Now I will own my very first Mac computer.
I guess Apple just GOT me.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I just bought a MBA 11.6"
Just 3 short months ago, I didn't like anything Apple.
Then I got an IP4 and been in love with it every since.
Now I will own my very first Mac computer.
I guess Apple just GOT me.

What made you decide to switch?

 

[kaerflog]

What made you decide to switch?

Pretty much selfish reason.
I always get myself an iphone when I go back to Viet Nam because i[hones are hugely popular and a status symbol there.
My extensive usage of an iphone was the 3G so I was never impressed. I usually sell it off when I leave VN.
When I came back in Oct last year, I decided to get an IP4 this time around and been in love with the phone ever since.

My love for the IP4 has cause me to try a Mac for the first time.
The MBA 11.6" is probably the most gorgeous looking laptop out right now.
I'm heading back to VN soon anyhow.
If I don't like it, I can always sell it off for a profit.

 

[wantedSpidy]

I will say this much about Apple laptops, if you actually use the trackpad on them and not a mouse then you may just find yourself hating every other laptop, forever because their trackpads cannot come close.

omg this, seriously apple ruined my decision making skills. Every laptop I try, and all I can think of is "but the trackpad on my mbp was so much better, its worth the extra $400" lol

I'm doomed lol

 

[Traveller's]

It boils down to what you will be using it for? If you have just surf then I guess Ipad but if you use internet intensively like emails and word etc, then macbook. You may read more about them here and reviews here

 

[Emulex]

yeah apple has the trackpad down. but its the o/s because the trackpad sucks butt in windows 7 (bootcamp) or the magic trackpad on a windows box.

Probably on purpose. Wonder why synaptics can't write a good driver for win7?

 

[between]

...

 

[TheStu]

would one of the new 11" or 13" mac book airs be capable of running (in a reasonably snappy, responsive way) bootcamp + windows + Visual Studio and allowing you to get some work done? or would that be asking too much?

Bootcamp and Windows no problem. I have no idea how demanding Visual Studio is though.

The 13" absolutely no problems. The 11"... can the same software run acceptably on either a 2 year old laptop or a current netbook? If the answer is yes, then the answer is yes.