macbook air

[cos]

I used to think the reason the Macbook Air was not the right computer for me was its lack of FireWire port. But I have an Air from work for work use, and right now I can't find the ethernet adaptor for it. The idea that I have a computer that makes it possible to lose its ethernet port somewhat horrifies me. Lack of FireWire now seems secondary.

Comments

[electron100.livejournal.com]

The price vs features point of the Air always seemed way in the wrong place for me (I'm not really a Mac user anyway, but I'll generally concede that Apple makes some nice laptop hardware). Sure it's thin and sleek and all that, but it's far too light on features. I don't think I could ever be happy with only one USB port (especially if that USB port had to double as an ethernet port via an adapter, as you note).

[cos]

The Air I have from work has two USB ports, one on each side. With ethernet rather than wireless, that means just one, but I consider that an annoyance similar to it not having a built in card reader (which my macbook does), not a deal-killer. One USB port might be a deal-killer - which Airs only have one?

[electron100.livejournal.com]

Ah, I guess newer models have two now. I haven't looked at the Air in a while, I suppose. Older models only had one. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macbook_air#Specifications for reference.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

Last generation and current MacBook Air 13" models have SD card slots.

But they all continue to need a USB to Ethernet adaptor. On the other hand, carrying your own Airport Express base station is more bulky, but less likely to be lost. (Hook that to ethernet, and then all your wireless devices have a trusted wireless connection to the ethernet.)

[minerva42]

Augh, yes. I plan not to ever get someone here an Air, because I do not keep the dongles in store, nor do I have any intention to, for something that specific. And they'll lose the ones that come with it, plus need three extra pairs for work, home, and on-the-go.

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

I've owned a MacBook Air for six months, and I don't even own an ethernet adapter for it. Obviously, the need for ethernet does not come up in my life.

[pir.livejournal.com]

I had similar concerns about firewire and having used my air extensively for quite a while now I almost never plug it into ethernet (I've got wireless, why would I need ethernet?) and it's a really nice form factor for travelling with. Lack of firewire? Just don't care any more, the encrypted 1Tb portable USB disk does quite nicely and the current gen of airs will go into target mode with thunderbolt.

[catness.livejournal.com]

Do you use bootable backups anymore?

[pir.livejournal.com]

Not directly, tt will still boot USB disk backups but the only larger encrypted disk I could find requires software unlocking. I have a USB stick with a fully installed OS on it for debugging and a smaller one with install media on it, so worst case I can boot from the install media and restore from encrypted time machine backups.

Since the air doesn't have any spinning rust I'm less worried about outright disk failures, more about theft/loss.

[catness.livejournal.com]

I don't have a macbook air, but I have a macbook pro. I have not ever plugged it, or its predecessor, or its predecessor, into an ethernet port. It honestly has just not come up in probably 5 years.

[gconnor.livejournal.com]

when I hear "macbook air" it makes me think "air, as in 'air guitar'"

[awfief.livejournal.com]

That is exactly why I have never wanted an air. I can deal with lack of firewire/thunderbolt, but less so with lack of ethernet.

[dr-memory.livejournal.com]

USB to ethernet adaptors are $7 each. Buy a fistful and stick one in every jacket, backpack and car you own.

[dr-memory.livejournal.com]

...or just grab a few from the TechStop in the Cambridge GOOG office. :)