I'd rather have higher resolution than lower ones with regards to a set screen size. The Retina Display alone have proven that even small text on smaller screen, when paired with high resolution , making the text readable.

The old adage of "high resolution on small screen = tiny words horrible for reading" only applies to standard TFT/LCD panels, not Retina Displays.

Whether Apple would deem it worthy of putting a Retina Display into a Macbook is another matter altogether.

What are you talking about? There are tools to do that.

Have you ever read on a Retina Display before? Legibility versus pixel density increases as the ratio goes, there is a reason why Apple opts for Retina Display on a smaller screen device like the iPhone, so that "fonts reads like a fine printed book" as Steve says it. Otherwise, your analogy of using the Sony Vaio P as an example ensues. I had the Vaio P at one point in my life, and because the resolution increases but the pixel density remains the same over a smaller screen size, the legibility suffers. Apple addresses that with the increase in pixel density on the Retina Display and the result speaks for itself.

Better example next time. I gave mine, and I have the Retina Display to prove it. The only question is whether Apple wants to incorporate it into the Macbook lineup or not.

I agree, I'm just addressing his issue of claiming legibility being attended to software-wise instead of hardware. If that is the case, then there wouldn't be any need to have Retina Displays in the world since some "software" can automagically makes reading on smaller screen devices possible.

Plus the target audience would balk at the pricepoint. Apple's pushing the affordability button these days, so Retina Display enabled Macbooks are not gonna happen, it's gonna get too pricy for the spendthrift mentality going on now.

I'm replying in response to this statement of yours:-

Now you're saying:-



Next time word your statement properly, because from your previous claim, you said I was wrong and it's the software part that makes it good to read, without acknowledging that software alone cannot help making legibility work, the hardware has to come hand in hand with it. Only later you backtracked and added "even hardware works great, you still need software than can support it" statement.

So again, which part am I wrong again?

Even so, the point stays. Having a low resolution on a smaller size screen would be make it legibly harder to read than a higher resolution screen on a smaller device. With high res/small device you can zoom on the fonts and still see it legibly written, but the lower res/small device, the result will be a blurry mess. I like my options open than just a "blurry mess".

My current MBA is 2.13GHz/2GB RAM/128GB SSD. I'm keeping this as custom building this spec on Apple.com priced it higher than the price I got for this. I'm only getting the smaller 11.6" brother.

The contention was with him referring to legibility issue being fixed SOLELY by software means, and not pairing it with hardware (eg. Retina Display). Other than that, his statement is in complete agreement with me.

Bottom line, better phrased statements, ie better English perhaps?

Just purchased my new MacBook Air 2010 from Apple Store Chadstone. They have them for demo at their show floor.

Here's the unboxing video of my new MacBook Air 2010, done in a hurried fashion.

Enjoy!



Specs is as follows:- 11.6"/2GB RAM/1.4GHz C2D, 128GB SSD and comes with iLife'11.

The unboxing was done in a hurry, I'm leaving the hotel for the airport in 30 minutes.

Those wanting the new MBA, MacStudio has all models in stock. The 4 non-CTO models only.

Custom-To-Order.

NON-CTO only.

I can vouch for the Moshi Keyboard protector. The Capdase protector is hard and touch, while the Moshi conforms to the shape of the keyboard and its key tiles.

Congrats on the new baby! Freaking fast isn't it? I wasn't even sure I can start using it when it loaded up after those lightning fast bootup, but the cursor was moving when I slide around the glass trackpad. Unbelievable!

I see the basic specs MBA you got there as a pretty serious enticement for those to upgrade from the highest end iPad Wifi +3G.

The price for iPod Touch 4G 64GB + top up less than RM200 = gets you a basic entry level iPad Wifi 16GB(US Price with tax)
The price for iPad WiFi 64GB(US Price with tax) + top up less than RM300 = gets you a basic entry level MacBook Air 11" 64GB

Clever tiered pricing, if I can say so myself. The moment the end user decides to get the highest end specced of a lower-tiered product, he would start considering upgrading to another tiered product at its basic entry level specs. Genius!

I've ordered the Waterfield SleeveCase and Suede Jacket Sleeve from sfbags.com to complement my own newly purchased MBA, it should be shipping end of this month. Good times!

I'm suggesting that Apple now has coherent lineup of portable hierarchy that makes the end user think about what they're gonna do with them.

As for how much storage left, ask Prazole. Mine still left within the 100GB after installing all my necessary apps. And I'm in LYP now buying 1TB WD USB-powered HDD for my iTunes library. Pair this setup with the new AppleTV just bought=watching shows/movies on widescreen hotel HDTVs, won't be bored during extended nightstops during work trips.

Yup shipping November 1st-3rd.

As for sleeve recommendations, only Waterfield at the moment since they cater to the specific sizes and I trust their workmanship.

Yup 11.6"/1.4GHz C2D/2GB RAM/128GB SSD. I had lived comfortably with 2GB RAM on my previous 2.13GHz C2D model do I don't foresee any problems with the processor or RAM allocations.

There are reports from Macrumors forum members residing in San Francisco and New York stating that they've got what-is-supposed-to-be-custom-to-order 4GB RAM MBAs purchased in physical Apple Stores.

Times like these, I miss having Apple Stores nearby.

Here's the link:-http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1037003&page=2

Read:Physical Apple Store. As in stores operated and owned by Apple themselves. I think it's a given that wouldn't happen here since Apple don't have a physical retail presence here other than APRs.

I've been living the MBA/Ext.HDD life since the first-gen MBA already. Since then my portable USB HDD have burgeoned up from 320GB-500GB-1TB now. Since my own media library had past the 4TB margin, I've since then adopted the "selective picking" of what should go where when it cones to my Macs/iPhone/iPad. It's even more critical on non-expandable storage devices like iPad and iPhone.

End result? Music and games/apps on iPhone, HD versions of the apps and latest episodes of TV shows and latest movies(HD or otherwise) and on the MBA, since Im not saddled with storage restriction(1TB USB HDD) I can go crazy with whatever I want to put in it.

Even better now that I've purchased the new AppleTV, that I can not only stream content to it, I can stream my media stored in my iTunes library on the 1TB USB HDD plugged to the MBA, to hotel HDTVs where I travel. All the while remaining extremely portable! (11.6" MBA, 1TB HDD powered by USB the size of a passport, AppleTV the size of a hockey puck, cables etc.) All fits inside the cabin luggage, for that matter!

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Oct 26 2010, 10:22 PM

It's basically the lighter, more simplified version of my VOD system I've set up at home. Ingredients?

1 x 2010 MacBook Air 11.6"/1.4Ghz/2GB RAM/128GB SSD
1 x Airport Express
1 x 2010 Apple TV
1 x USB powered Western Digital 1 Terabyte HDD
1 x HDMI cable
1 x HDMI-equipped HDTV

First, setup the MBA with iTunes library residing in the 1TB HDD. Plenty of space there, and with the new MBA's 2 USB ports, you still have another port free for other purposes. Once that is set up, you need to set up Home Sharing on the iTunes on the MBA. With the new 2010 Apple TV, it will only stream content residing as part of the library in Home Sharing.

Once that is set up, turn on your Airport Express, log your MBA into the wireless network already set up on your Airport Express, and turn on your 2010 Apple TV and log your Apple TV into the same wireless network provided by the Airport Express. Once that is set up. your Home Shared iTunes library on your 2010 MacBook Air will appear under the column "Computers" on the new 2010 Apple TV. If you have selected to share ALL your content on iTunes in the Home Sharing/Sharing tab in the "Preference" setting, all of them will appear selectable and viewable on the Apple TV, connected to an HDTV.

Sit back, relax and enjoy your 2010 MBA iTunes library/content on a large big screen HDTV, with videos up to 720p and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.

It is advisable to set your iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad with Remote app to control your 2010 Apple TV, as it will make it easier to navigate and enter/type login details and password on the Remote app keypad than navigating it with the aluminum Apple TV remote provided with the Apple TV.

Also for those folks wishing to go with the HDMI-to-DVI route, reports from Macrumors forum states washed out video, "waterfall"/wavylike" distortion on display when viewing on DVI-equipped HDTVs. With the HDMI-to-HDMI connection, your audio and video data flow remain purely digital and pristine, avoiding these problems.

Watching and catching up with episodes of Nikita and Stargate Universe on my 2010 AppleTV + 2010 MBA + Airport Express + hotel room HDTV now, while lying back on the bed. Life is good.

What's even better is the fact that the combination of these devices/equipment fits into a 13" laptop bag without much hassle or taking up much space! The 11" MBA goes into the sleeve slipped into the main laptop compartment slot in the laptop bag, the 2010 AppleTV is smaller than my palm, and the Airport Express is the size of my travel passport, only thicker. Add the necessary cables and it still looks remarkably small and light with little encumbrance! And I can still slip in my iPad with its sleeve in the bag and them tote these items around without getting the "heavy burden" feel.

I cannot wait for 4.2 update on the iPad/iPhone 4 this November, once that happens and AirPlay feature is made available on the iPad, I can further add Hulu-Plus-streaming-to-2010-Apple-TV-to-HDTV as one of the possible entertainment option I can have while on the go!

Oh joyous day! My Waterfield SleeveCase and SuedeJacket has just shipped from San Francisco from www.sfbags.com! Thanks Gary!

Now, should I get another 13.3" versions of these two sleeves since the 13.3" maxed out MBA I've ordered from Apple online is now "Prepared for Shipment" ?

My CTO MBA just shipped from Shanghai today. If I manage to get it before I go to work to Melbourne next Monday, comparison pics will come.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Oct 29 2010, 06:43 PM