Just bought an 11" macbook air for my daughter's 17th b-day.

[Bonobo]

It is gorgeous and SOOO light. Wow, I am jealous now.

Fortunately, my 4-5 year old macbook is practically on its last legs. Keys are falling off and the space bar just cracked the other day.

So what should I get to replace it? Suggestions?

[cliffordu]

1. Swap it out for your kid's.

children have it too easy these days......

[Bonobo]

2. Believe me, I thought about it!

But here is how "easy" my daughter has it.

We moved to a small island in Japan 2 years ago.

She commutes to a public school on the mainland every day. It takes 2 hours each way by boat, bus and train. She wakes at 5 in the morning to take the 6:08 AM boat - a 35 minutes boat ride. Then she takes a 25 minute bus ride from the port and then a train ride to her school followed by a decent walk.

It is one of the best public high schools in the city of Himeji and my daughter who grew up in America for 15 years has become the top student. She even beats the Japanese kids in "Ancient Japanese", "Science", "Math" "Japanese History", etc.

She studies her ass off and deserves the very best. If I had more money, I would have gotten her a top of the line Macbook Pro.

[TBF]

3. Your daughter sounds awesome!

I have to admit I probably would've bought the new one for myself and given my daughter the hand-me-down. But she's 8 and her only claim to fame is participating in the all-school spelling bee (hey, at least she won her own classroom!). Your daughter will likely appreciate it - especially on her commute.

My Dell laptop is a year and a half old now and so much better than the Sony I replaced. It's a little clunkier than I'd like but I'd be afraid to give it up. I'll use it til it crashes (sort of how I operate though - still have the car I bought new 10 years ago ... it may not be purdy anymore but it runs just fine).

[Stinky The Clown]

4. What do you use the computer for?

[Bonobo]

15. I use it for work.

I am a translator and I also am the family's archiver of all photos, music and video and movies.

[SpiralHawk]

6. My wheezy old G4 powerbook (2004 vintage) needs to be retired, too

I mainly use it at my desk with a monitor and keyboard plugged in -- can you do that sort of accessorizing with an airbook if you use it at your desk most of the time, but like to take it to meeting and on trips as well?

What about not having a DVD-CD disk drive? How can I watch netflix films (Inet connection too feeble for reliable streaming?)

Is airbook the answer, or do I need some sort of powerbook?

[StandingInLeftField]

7. For your uses, I think a Macbook Pro would be better.

Especially if used with an external monitor and keyboard. You'll get a built-in dvd-cd, plus monitor out and enough usb/thunderbolt in-outs. The base Macbook Pro is only about $300 more than the base Air. I'd say "Go Pro".

Posted from my 2000 Mac Powerbook "Pismo"

[SpiralHawk]

8. Thanks Lefty

I appreciate you input

[StandingInLeftField]

9. YW. Although I did just look at the Apple site and see that the Air has an external monitor out.

However, it's intended use seems to be as a very lightweight mobile computer. If you never use your laptop as a traveling companion, you might want to look at the Mac Mini at just $599, especially if you have your own keyboard and monitor. It has plenty of in/outs and a built in dvd/cd drive, and it has a very small footprint.

[Bonobo]

10. I own a mac mini now and it was my last one too.

I love them.

The new one is small and skinny and silent.

BUT it no longer has a dvd/cd drive built in so I bought the tiny external super drive -no problem.

[StandingInLeftField]

11. Wow! Didn't know the latest mini deep-sixed the dvd drive!

I feel like a dinosaur (as I post from my 2000 Mac Powerbook Pismo...)

[CreekDog]

13. which Mac Mini do you have? which processor? sounds like the newest Mac Mini?

how well does it run and do you have 2GB RAM or more?

i'm looking into one for myself.

[Bonobo]

14. Yes.

Processor: 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory: 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

It runs VERY well and it is silent. Really silent.

Speaking as someone who once owned a G4 Dual Mirrored Door that sounded like a 747 landing in the room next door.

[CreekDog]

12. MacBook Air 13" or MacBook Pro 13"

Consider buying "refurbished" from the Apple store, it will save you a couple hundred dollars and you still end up with a product that looks new (they pretty much "new-ify" them for you) and you get the full warranty too.

What I like about the MacBook Air is that it's Solid State Drive is essentially like running the operating system off flash memory, so it's almost instant on and off, and almost any program loads more quickly because loading from the drive doesn't require physical writing or spinning of a hard drive.

That said, the 11" is difficult to work with --it's too small. The 13" is easier, pretty much just as light and has a memory card slot too.

[Bonobo]

16. I think I might wait for the 15" Air as well.

I agree about its flash drive. It is fast and smooth and as long as I don't plan on connecting it to a larger monitor, why bother with the heavier MacBook pro?

[CreekDog]

17. I think the 15" air will have a thunderbolt connector

So maybe cake and eat it too?

[NYC_SKP]

18. You can take your MacBook to the Genius Bar for a new, free, keyboard...

My 2006 or 2007 black MacBook was long out of warranty when a student told me to bring it in.

I did, they replaced the entire top AND threw in a replacement battery, all for free.

Do this even if you get a new notebook.

I have both the latest MacBook Pro 15 and the 11 inch Air, both with SSD and Thunderbolt.

I hardly ever use the Pro.

I say get the Air. 11 or 13, both have lit keyboards now, the 13 has a card reader.

[Bonobo]

19. I don't live in the US but thanks for the suggestion. nt