[daringfireball.net]

He argues that b/c of the thinness/lightness of the Air, deciding on an iPad mini over a regular size iPad is not such an easy decision anymore.

"There are so many millions of iPad users that no simple explanation can cover all use cases. But my take, since last year, has been that the full-size iPad is best seen as an alternative to a laptop, and the iPad Mini as a supplement to a laptop.

But the tremendous weight reduction in the iPad Air complicates this equation. A year ago, a new iPad 4 weighed 1.4 pounds (650 grams); an 11-inch MacBook Air weighs 2.38 pounds (1,080 grams). There’s something about the fact that last year’s iPad 4 was quite a bit more than half the weight of a MacBook Air, and this year’s iPad Air (1.0 pound / 469 grams) is quite a bit less than half the weight of a MacBook Air. For one thing, it makes the iPad Air seem more reasonable as a supplement to a MacBook (filling the role I had previously thought best served by the iPad Mini). And on the flip side, for those who really care about traveling light, it makes the iPad Air far more compelling as a replacement for traveling with a MacBook at all. For those whose software needs are such that they can truly go iOS-only, the new iPad Air is a compelling option as an alternative to a Mac or PC laptop. Even if you pack along a hardware keyboard peripheral, you can easily stay under 2 pounds total weight with an iPad Air as a travel computer. The iPad Air makes an iPad 3/4 feel heavy; it makes an 11-inch MacBook Air feel like an anchor.

So I’m envisioning two types of people:

Those who still need or merely want to carry a MacBook with them when they travel, but who also want to carry an iPad.

Those whose portable computing needs can — all, or even just most, of the time — be met by an iPad.

I think it’s worth considering the iPad Air from both perspectives."

---

My music blog: [www.auditorymusings.net]


The Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado

If the iPad mini was 7" or 7.7", wouldn't the choice be easier?

I still say the ipad mini retina might be the better buy. Same screen, same internal specs, $100 cheaper, a little lighter and smaller for mobile use. Flipping Gruber's argument, is there a clear benefit to the 10" iPad Air?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2013 11:41AM by silvarios.

Take a MacBook Air and turn it into a hybrid laptop/tablet ('cept with a bigger screen). This is what I want. Multiply me by millions. Like a Surface except Apple. Everything Gruber is mentioning is just stair steps to what I want. But by then I'll be too old for it to be functional for working. It'll be for locating my senior discounts. It's clearly where the Mac OS is headed.

i went to work late today because I wanted to check out the new Air.
Definitely made an impression on me. ( I was in the market to get either an iPad or iPadmini )

I left the store with a new iPadAir.
My daughter will be giddy this entire weekend
as i plan to load all her apps and videos to it.

Quote
edgarbc1
i went to work late today because I wanted to check out the new Air.
Definitely made an impression on me. ( I was in the market to get either an iPad or iPadmini )

I left the store with a new iPadAir.

I'm curious as to what swayed you one way or the other.

The Mini's size is very appealing, but I've decided my aging eyes will better appreciate the larger screen of the Air.

1) availability
> the new mini is not out yet.
> there was plenty of stock of all memory sizes
i got a 64GB wifi,
and was told 128s and 64s are the ones moving the most.
> rumor state even when mini comes out, will be restricted supply

2) attempted as best as i could with a side by side look/comparison
at the iPmini vs the iPair
> size difference not that different
> since the guts of iPair will be the same as new iPmini, I decided to take the plunge

3) this is my first tablet to own, but not to use
Ive had a chance to use over limited time periods a company iPad.
I have been holding out on purpose for a revision which seemed to
provide no compromises. I think the new Air and new Mini
provide that no compromise experience, considering use and
in general tech specs. My intention for this is to be a educational tool for my daughter with math and letters, but also be fun for games and videos for her. My intention is that this will last her a long time.

E

I'm still kind of on the fence between the Mini and the Air. They are very evenly matched. I think if the full-sized iPad was still as big as it once was, I'd be all over the Mini. I think the much lighter weight and more ready availability of the Air will push me over to buying one of those now.

I barely use our original iPad because it's so heavy and so sluggish nowadays. Looking forward to running up-to-date iOS and apps again!

Quote
vision63
Take a MacBook Air and turn it into a hybrid laptop/tablet ('cept with a bigger screen).

Here's your hybrid laptop/tablet, vision63—take a look at the well integrated iPad keyboard covers from Zagg, Logitech, and others.







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2013 12:37PM by Article Accelerator.

My son went from an iPad mini to the iPad Air. With a much smaller weight difference, the larger screen was worthwhile to him.

Quote
Article Accelerator

Quote
vision63
Take a MacBook Air and turn it into a hybrid laptop/tablet ('cept with a bigger screen).

Here's your hybrid laptop/tablet, vision63—take a look at the well integrated iPad keyboard covers from Zagg, Logitech, and others.

I just got a refurb of the logitech keyboard cover (top picture) for $30 (regularly $99). Looks great! But I haven't been able to get it to sync with my iPad. I am going to let it charge overnight and try again, otherwise I'll be returning it.

Logitech has on manual available online. There's a small sync button on the keyboard.

Quote
Article Accelerator

Quote
vision63
Take a MacBook Air and turn it into a hybrid laptop/tablet ('cept with a bigger screen).

Here's your hybrid laptop/tablet, vision63—take a look at the well integrated iPad keyboard covers from Zagg, Logitech, and others.

How do you make it run Dreamweaver? I "work" for a living. I use toys for fun.

Then you don't want a tablet... you want a laptop.
A tablet is not a laptop.
A laptop is not a tablet.

Quote
vision63

Quote
Article Accelerator

Quote
vision63
Take a MacBook Air and turn it into a hybrid laptop/tablet ('cept with a bigger screen).

Here's your hybrid laptop/tablet, vision63—take a look at the well integrated iPad keyboard covers from Zagg, Logitech, and others.

How do you make it run Dreamweaver? I "work" for a living. I use toys for fun.

---

Paul F.
-----
A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--

--

--
Eureka, CA

Quote
Paul F.
Then you don't want a tablet... you want a laptop.
A tablet is not a laptop.
A laptop is not a tablet.

Quote
vision63

Quote
Article Accelerator

Quote
vision63
Take a MacBook Air and turn it into a hybrid laptop/tablet ('cept with a bigger screen).

Here's your hybrid laptop/tablet, vision63—take a look at the well integrated iPad keyboard covers from Zagg, Logitech, and others.

How do you make it run Dreamweaver? I "work" for a living. I use toys for fun.

I want a laptop that is virtually the size and weight of a tablet. I'd like the iPad to be able to use Mac OS. Clearly, the Mac OS and iOS are homogenizing and kinda merging in functionality. So perhaps this is what will become of it. Now I'm hauling around a tablet and a MBP.

Quote
vision63

Quote
Paul F.
Then you don't want a tablet... you want a laptop.
A tablet is not a laptop.
A laptop is not a tablet.

Quote
vision63

Quote
Article Accelerator

Quote
vision63
Take a MacBook Air and turn it into a hybrid laptop/tablet ('cept with a bigger screen).

Here's your hybrid laptop/tablet, vision63—take a look at the well integrated iPad keyboard covers from Zagg, Logitech, and others.

How do you make it run Dreamweaver? I "work" for a living. I use toys for fun.

I want a laptop that is virtually the size and weight of a tablet. I'd like the iPad to be able to use Mac OS. Clearly, the Mac OS and iOS are homogenizing and kinda merging in functionality. So perhaps this is what will become of it. Now I'm hauling around a tablet and a MBP.

Which part of the 11" MBAir doesn't work as your dream machine? I assume it's just the weight and if so, what compromise on it's power are you willing to make to reduce the weight? Battery life & processor power, I assume? Maybe screen size?

Quote
vision63
I want a laptop that is virtually the size and weight of a tablet.

The Macbook Air is really that far off from this? Really? There's that much of a difference?

Quote
(vikm)

Quote
vision63
I want a laptop that is virtually the size and weight of a tablet.

The Macbook Air is really that far off from this? Really? There's that much of a difference?

As of today, it doesn't have a dvd burner, which my old MBP has (I burn and sell them after photo shoots), also, I'm hoping that tablet sizes get bigger. I'm happy with tablets now, but there's no doing much Mac work on them. They're fun for reading on the train and stuff. Books, Facebook, Twitter and some photo stuff. I'll always need MS Office, because that's what my design side clients give me all the time and we do tracking. I'd love an iPad that had the same functionality as the Surface Pro (but with a bigger screen) and be a Mac.

Gruber makes a good argument, but for me it comes down to size.

I want the mini because it *is* smaller, even though it's not that much smaller now, compared to the iPA.

And, I may have a jacket or two, and the odd pair of cargo pants that will hold the iPm.

Ordinarily, I'd get the Air to replace my 'Pad 3, but I may try to hold out for an Air with Touch ID. It may not be all that convenient compared to one-handing it on the 'Phone.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

Quote
vision63
I'd love an iPad that had the same functionality as the Surface Pro (but with a bigger screen) and be a Mac.

Ah, so you want an Macbook Air 13" with a DVD burner that weighs 1 lb. Got it.

Seriously though this Acer hybrid running 8.1 does tempt me, though I wish it had an HD screen and a Haswell chip.

[www.amazon.com]

Quote
bhaveshp

Quote
vision63
I'd love an iPad that had the same functionality as the Surface Pro (but with a bigger screen) and be a Mac.

Ah, so you want an Macbook Air 13" with a DVD burner that weighs 1 lb. Got it.

Seriously though this Acer hybrid running 8.1 does tempt me, though I wish it had an HD screen and a Haswell chip.

[www.amazon.com]

I recognize that it probably won't have the burner. But yeah, something like that. If thumb drives were cheap enough in bulk, I could dump dvd's.

Quote
vision63

As of today, it doesn't have a dvd burner, which my old MBP has (I burn and sell them after photo shoots), also, I'm hoping that tablet sizes get bigger. I'm happy with tablets now, but there's no doing much Mac work on them. They're fun for reading on the train and stuff. Books, Facebook, Twitter and some photo stuff. I'll always need MS Office, because that's what my design side clients give me all the time and we do tracking. I'd love an iPad that had the same functionality as the Surface Pro (but with a bigger screen) and be a Mac.

I suppose that's fair. I for one have no desire for tablets to get any bigger (same as my desire to keep the iPhone no wider than it currently is). Unless a Macbook or iPad is going to be the size of my 27" iMac (or at least the 21"), I have no desire to do my photo editing on either. Far too much intricate detailing involved.

As mentioned, it does sound like an Air and connected dvd drive is your best bet.

Quote
(vikm)

Quote
vision63

As of today, it doesn't have a dvd burner, which my old MBP has (I burn and sell them after photo shoots), also, I'm hoping that tablet sizes get bigger. I'm happy with tablets now, but there's no doing much Mac work on them. They're fun for reading on the train and stuff. Books, Facebook, Twitter and some photo stuff. I'll always need MS Office, because that's what my design side clients give me all the time and we do tracking. I'd love an iPad that had the same functionality as the Surface Pro (but with a bigger screen) and be a Mac.

I suppose that's fair. I for one have no desire for tablets to get any bigger (same as my desire to keep the iPhone no wider than it currently is). Unless a Macbook or iPad is going to be the size of my 27" iMac (or at least the 21"), I have no desire to do my photo editing on either. Far too much intricate detailing involved.

As mentioned, it does sound like an Air and connected dvd drive is your best bet.

The 15" screen of the MBP is a good size for showing off photos at a shoot. Sometimes I'll lug an iMac to an event because people really love that. The EyeFi works really well during an event when you have a Mac connected to it, plus nobody is going to run off with the iMac if my back is turned at the more dicey shoots. Plus I'm doing all of this kinda on a budget. I'm glad that there appears to be an iOS and MacOs convergence in the works. I know it's going to generate a new class of products. Hopefully pro level ones.

Quote
Ammo
The Mini's size is very appealing, but I've decided my aging eyes will better appreciate the larger screen of the Air.

This (grudgingly admitted).

---

It is what it is.