Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

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Sophia1884
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Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Sophia1884 »

There have been several questions about new computers on here recently and I found this great deal today. Not sure if its just for the day but the savings is decent for a computer that is supposed to last a while (I hope!...it'll be my first Mac :)

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-macb ... Id=5465502

*If you are military, call the Exchange number and ask for a Price Challenge, going through the Exchange will save you the taxes.
lazydavid
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by lazydavid »

Be aware that Apple has all but abandoned the MacBook Air. The current model is essentially 4-year-old components inside an 8-year-old chassis. Massive bezel surrounding a low-res, non-IPS display, 5th generation Core processors (8th gen are in most modern laptops today). Here's CNET's quick take:
The Good The MacBook Air remains the least expensive MacBook, and has finally received a minor spec upgrade. Battery life is excellent, and performance for everyday tasks remains smooth. It's the only MacBook left with standard USB ports or a MagSafe connection.

The Bad The design feels dated, with a thick bezel around a low-resolution screen. Windows laptops in the same price range offer newer components, higher-res screens and lighter, slimmer bodies.

The Bottom Line The MacBook Air lives to fight another day, thanks to its mainstream price and long battery life, but this classic laptop is definitely in its twilight.
https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-mac ... 17/review/
inbox788
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by inbox788 »

It's a fair deal, but I'd recommend saving up those pennies for a MacBook Pro $1099 refurbished at the Apple Store. Yes, it's $400 more, but the display is much improved. Here is a nice comparison, and it should provide longer usability period and maintain a higher resale value down the road.

https://www.macworld.co.uk/review/mac-l ... r-3481192/

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/FPXR ... lay-Silver

https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/resul ... ook-pro-13
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FlyAF
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by FlyAF »

Yeah, that's not a good deal at all. Yes it's marked down, but that laptop is about to be replaced and obsolete. I'd hold off until September when you can get an infinitely more powerful version for likely only 100-200 dollars more.
RobLIC
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by RobLIC »

It’s a very good deal, as it is when Best Buy puts the 256 storage model on sale for $850/$899. All true about the components having had very lame upgrades the last few years, but not everyone needs a better display or more horsepower. It’s a question of what you use the computer for. I’m a writer and I edit thousands of photos, some video. The Air is more than up to those challenges.

I recently sold my 2012 Air to Gazelle for $300 and picked up a new 2017 at Best Buy. I am very happy I did ... the keyboard alone is head and shoulders above any of the keyboards available on current MacBooks and Pros.

The rumor mill ranges from “Apple will discontinue the Air” to “Apple will revitalize it.” But as we all know, most tech is obsolete the moment we walk out with it. I’ve learned that it’s more economical for me to skip the latest and greatest, and track resale values on places like Gazelle and Swapper.
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TheTimeLord
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by TheTimeLord »

Reviews provided without considering the needs of the end user are in my opinion are all that helpful. For many beyond being able to run office reasonably well, weight is primary consideration not resolution, storage, memory or processor speed.
IMHO, Investing should be about living the life you want, not avoiding the life you fear. | Run, You Clever Boy! [9085]
onourway
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by onourway »

Not showing that price for me anymore.

At $699 this was a good deal though so I hope you enjoy it. The Air is not cutting edge in any way but it is a reliable workhorse of a machine. My wife is still using her 2011 model - the only laptop she's ever owned more than 2-3 years without a major issue.
TN_Boy
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by TN_Boy »

inbox788 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:30 am It's a fair deal, but I'd recommend saving up those pennies for a MacBook Pro $1099 refurbished at the Apple Store. Yes, it's $400 more, but the display is much improved. Here is a nice comparison, and it should provide longer usability period and maintain a higher resale value down the road.

https://www.macworld.co.uk/review/mac-l ... r-3481192/

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/FPXR ... lay-Silver

https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/resul ... ook-pro-13
I have a Macbook Air I bought last year. I will agree that the display is relatively dated. But. And this was big to me, I wanted a very portable laptop with plenty of ports and good battery life. I wanted NOT usb-C. I wanted an SD card slot, etc. I did not want to buy a bunch of accessories so I could connect things to my laptop. So I went with the cheaper Macbook Air. I do wish it had a better display, otherwise it serves me well. Very portable, good battery life, nice keyboard.
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JMacDonald
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by JMacDonald »

It is rumored that the MacBook Air will be updated: https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/30/ap ... 018-model/

I have a 13 inch Mid 2013 MacBook Air. I find for my need this works great for me, and it still going strong.
Best Wishes, | Joe
WhiteMaxima
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by WhiteMaxima »

Don't forget the $50 education discount. Final price $650. It is the lowest price Apple laptop based on intel i5 processor. It is not top performer but more than enough for daily use. Ideal for student. Solid build. Highly recommend it. I would save $400 and buy 2 share of AAPL. I will replace computer every 5 years and still get the bottom line of the Apple product. Hopeful that 2 share of AAPL would appreciate to $1000.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Dottie57 »

Sophia1884 wrote: Thu Jun 14, 2018 10:36 pm There have been several questions about new computers on here recently and I found this great deal today. Not sure if its just for the day but the savings is decent for a computer that is supposed to last a while (I hope!...it'll be my first Mac :)

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-macb ... Id=5465502

*If you are military, call the Exchange number and ask for a Price Challenge, going through the Exchange will save you the taxes.
I bought a Macbook Air about 2 years ago. It has worked well for me and think you will like it.
WhiteMaxima
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by WhiteMaxima »

The sale is over. Price back to $999.
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Alexa9
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Alexa9 »

Embarrassing that Apple still even sells that model as a current model and even more embarrassing that people still buy it. Same with their Mac Mini/Pro.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by dumbbunny »

Alexa9 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:19 am Embarrassing that Apple still even sells that model as a current model and even more embarrassing that people still buy it. Same with their Mac Mini/Pro.
I jumped off the Apple wagon and jumped on the Chromebook wagon. Doing the same might not work for everyone but it certainly did work for me.
“It’s the curse of old men to realize that in the end we control nothing." "Homeland" episode, "Gerontion"
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Alexa9
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Alexa9 »

dumbbunny wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:35 am I jumped off the Apple wagon and jumped on the Chromebook wagon. Doing the same might not work for everyone but it certainly did work for me.
I like Chromebooks. I am not sure how nefarious Google is though and they're a little limited in what they can do.
Linux Mint is great too on desktops or Dell Laptops. Safe, secure, doesn't nag me about updates or spy on me as far as I know, and does everything I need it to.
WhiteMaxima
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by WhiteMaxima »

the only laptops I would own is Apple or Lenovo (IBM) Thinkpad.
blueman457
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by blueman457 »

JMacDonald wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:44 am It is rumored that the MacBook Air will be updated: https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/30/ap ... 018-model/

I have a 13 inch Mid 2013 MacBook Air. I find for my need this works great for me, and it still going strong.
+1 I have a 2013 that I still use regularly (got a new one from work that I use a bit more now).

Yes, component wise doesn't always offer the fastest/best out there - which I do wish they would refresh more frequently. However, in my experience (and IBM's experience: http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/10/ ... f-pc-users) there is less issues on a daily basis, which is worth the apple tax for me.

Blue Man
onourway
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by onourway »

Alexa9 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:19 am Embarrassing that Apple still even sells that model as a current model and even more embarrassing that people still buy it. Same with their Mac Mini/Pro.
While the problems with the Mac Pro lineup are real, the Macbook Air is simply how Apple does business. They don't sell many 'low-end' products - they simply let what was once top of the line roll over and become progressively cheaper over time until it eventually occupies the bottom of the market. It's a fabulous way of taking full advantage of all the sunk R&D and tooling costs to maximize profits. It's also a recognition that the reality of the marketplace is that there is a large market who just wants a well designed, reliable device that simply works. It does not need to be anything like cutting-edge - in fact cutting edge is often a negative - high resolution screens in the Windows world are still a negative for many people, new devices require far more software updates before they are full stable. The new Macbooks and MBP's have new low-travel keyboards that are less comfortable and less durable, and the only ports they have are USB-C. For me, as a tech geek who loves new stuff that's all a positive. For most people though everything I just listed is a negative and they'd likely prefer the Macbook Air - especially at 1/2-1/3 the price as it was on sale.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Alexa9 »

onourway wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:12 pm ...
4 year old technology with no price drop is for suckers, but many Apple customers are clueless and just want to be hip. Apple used to update practically everything annually. Now it's the same old crap for the same price and quality control has gone downhill on their newer stuff. Obviously, I'm not drinking the Kool Aid anymore.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by onourway »

Alexa9 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:30 pm
onourway wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:12 pm ...
4 year old technology with no price drop is for suckers, but many Apple customers are clueless and just want to be hip. Apple used to update practically everything annually. Now it's the same old crap for the same price and quality control has gone downhill on their newer stuff. Obviously, I'm not drinking the Kool Aid anymore.
Comments like that are juvenile - clearly you missed the point of my post. People want computers that just work. The Macbook Air serves that purpose maybe better than any other laptop ever produced. 4 years old tech that works flawlessly is better than the barrage of new low-to-mid-tier models that are not meaningfully improved every year by Dell/Lenovo/HP, etc. I would far rather have them trickle down their high-end computers to lower-end prices than buy one of their mid-tier pieces of junk that fill the shelves of Best Buy and Walmart.
WhiteMaxima
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by WhiteMaxima »

Wintel PC and MAC hardware tech already reached peak 4 years ago. PC sales growth is negative for years . New tech is Cloud, AI plus Mobile. Apple just released OS12. So the 4 years old MacBook may have new life with new OS.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by inbox788 »

dumbbunny wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:35 am
Alexa9 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:19 am Embarrassing that Apple still even sells that model as a current model and even more embarrassing that people still buy it. Same with their Mac Mini/Pro.
I jumped off the Apple wagon and jumped on the Chromebook wagon. Doing the same might not work for everyone but it certainly did work for me.
I was looking to upgrade my older slow Chromebook, but didn't want to spend $300-400 on the ASUS/Samsung Flip. Didn't care for touch screen and I'm not sold on the benefits of the android store on a chromebook. I mainly use it for web surfing and google docs. Wound up getting a used (5 year old) Macbook Air 11 (2.3 lbs) for around $300 and it's my Apple Chromebook for occasional use on the road.

Agree, it all depends on what the user wants, and the $700 Air 13 fits some folks well (Air 13 weighs about the same as current MBP), but having gotten used to higher resolution displays, it's very hard to go back. The 128 dpi hurts my eyes, while 135 dpi hurts a little less, but I wasn't ready to fork over nearly $1000 for a Macbook 12 retina or a Pixelbook (if I used it a lot, I certainly would).

http://dpi.lv

BTW, I still use Safari much of the time for web surfing. Supposedly it's a tiny bit slower (I don't notice), but the battery lasts a lot longer. https://www.cultofmac.com/384078/why-yo ... r-macbook/
Also, it solves one of my big annoyances with autoplay videos. https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/ ... c6ecf8/mac Have not found a satisfactory solution with Chrome despite trying a bunch of add blockers and other addons.
Last edited by inbox788 on Fri Jun 15, 2018 1:00 pm, edited 3 times in total.
lazydavid
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by lazydavid »

onourway wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:12 pm It does not need to be anything like cutting-edge - in fact cutting edge is often a negative - high resolution screens in the Windows world are still a negative for many people
No one's saying that everyone needs a 3200x1800 touchscreen like is on my 13" work laptop (which works fantastically, btw). Or even a non-touch 2560x1600 like in the current MacBook Pro. But there's no excuse for a 1440x900 screen in this day and age, especially when it's an ancient panel design that has poor visual quality and terrible off-axis viewing. There are plenty of great 1080p (1920x1080) IPS panels out there, even in very low-end devices.

Any laptop that lists for $1,000 should have a display that was designed less than a decade ago--the 13" Air's screen was already old when it was introduced in 2010--even if it occasionally goes on sale for $700. There's nothing "cutting edge" about that requirement.
onourway
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by onourway »

lazydavid wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:55 pm
No one's saying that everyone needs a 3200x1800 touchscreen like is on my 13" work laptop. Or even a non-touch 2560x1600 like in the current MacBook Pro. But there's no excuse for a 1440x900 screen in this day and age, especially when it's an ancient panel design that has poor visual quality and terrible off-axis viewing. There are plenty of great 1080p (1920x1080) IPS panels out there, even in very low-end devices.

Any laptop that lists for $1,000 should have a display that was designed less than a decade ago (the 13" Air's screen was already old when it was introduced in 2010), even if it occasionally goes on sale for $700. There's nothing "cutting edge" about that requirement.
I'm a screen snob myself so I know exactly what kind of screen the Air uses. See my above comments - it fits into Apple's business model. From Apple's point of view they do offer a better screen - in the $1300 Macbook.

It's not like Apple is remotely alone in selling sub-par panels in expensive laptops. The big business PC makers - Dell/HP and Lenovo have been doing that for years. There are millions of high end Thinkpads, Latitudes, and EliteBooks sold every year with screens that are substantially worse than the TN panel in the Air. My wife's work laptop is one of them - it's a very nice brand new Latitude - not more than a couple of months old. Nice form factor, nice build quality, good keyboard. Probably ran her company $2000 or so. It has, bar none, the worst panel I've ever seen on a laptop over $300. At 20 degrees off-angle the screen is barely visible.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by WhiteMaxima »

I use Macbook 13" for streaming music, I use USB DAC for better sound. The MAC build in DAC is already very good. If I would like Apple to include a top 32bit DAC, the Macbook price could be tripled. The purpose of Laptop is mobility. A solid chassis and virus proof Mac suit my needs very well.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Alexa9 »

onourway wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:41 pm
Comments like that are juvenile - clearly you missed the point of my post. People want computers that just work. The Macbook Air serves that purpose maybe better than any other laptop ever produced. 4 years old tech that works flawlessly is better than the barrage of new low-to-mid-tier models that are not meaningfully improved every year by Dell/Lenovo/HP, etc. I would far rather have them trickle down their high-end computers to lower-end prices than buy one of their mid-tier pieces of junk that fill the shelves of Best Buy and Walmart.
Apple computers are no longer well made. Look at all the keyboard issues and only USB-C. Several major security flaws recently too. I'm afraid they have an accountant running things now rather than an innovator and it shows. There's nothing special about MacOS or the hardware anymore. They're almost completely focused on iOS.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by onourway »

Alexa9 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 1:27 pm Apple computers are no longer well made. Look at all the keyboard issues and only USB-C. Several major security flaws recently too. I'm afraid they have an accountant running things now rather than an innovator and it shows. There's nothing special about MacOS or the hardware anymore. They're almost completely focused on iOS.
Again, not accurate. Your personal opinion of Apple is heavily biasing your view.

Overall Apple's laptops are still among the best built you can buy. I've owned a 12" Macbook as my personal device for 3 years. No issues and it's been a great device. The fact they have some issues from time to time does not negate that. USB-C is not a 'quality' issue. I have a Thinkpad X1 Carbon as my work device and it is fantastic as well - but even this - pretty much the best PC laptop you can buy - still has a number of issues (and some advantages) compared to a Macbook.
inbox788
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by inbox788 »

onourway wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 1:01 pmIt's not like Apple is remotely alone in selling sub-par panels in expensive laptops. The big business PC makers - Dell/HP and Lenovo have been doing that for years. There are millions of high end Thinkpads, Latitudes, and EliteBooks sold every year with screens that are substantially worse than the TN panel in the Air. My wife's work laptop is one of them - it's a very nice brand new Latitude - not more than a couple of months old. Nice form factor, nice build quality, good keyboard. Probably ran her company $2000 or so. It has, bar none, the worst panel I've ever seen on a laptop over $300. At 20 degrees off-angle the screen is barely visible.
For work computers, this is actually a security/privacy "feature", or else you have to add the privacy screen to put over the screen.

For ultra-lightweight laptops, there's really little comparison to the Macbook 12 retina, which is really the Hybrid Macbook Air 11/13, and they probably should have retired the Air 13, but it hits a price point and profit level that works for Apple without cannibalizing sales at higher price points.

https://www.cnet.com/topics/laptops/pro ... s-or-less/
https://www.laptopmag.com/benchmarks/weight

When Macs have been more unique, some folks were using them to run Windows (and other OS), and the Macbook 12 Retina may be in that category for the current time.

http://www.alexvking.com/12_inch_macboo ... indows_10/
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04 ... indows-pc/
https://jhanschoo.github.io/linux/2017/ ... ok-12.html

If price were no object, and portability was the key factor, then for me there's little to think about.
But we all have to LBYM (below or beyond? :D). Today, the Air 13 at $700 is full of tradeoffs that might fit some users, but IMO, many should consider other choices that may work out better for their needs.

I miss the days when Steve was around and there was only one iPad or the only choice you had to make was what color you wanted your iMac. IMO, too much choices isn't a good thing (I suffer from paralysis by analysis).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkVs4ZqWgN8
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by onourway »

inbox788 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:28 pm
For work computers, this is actually a security/privacy "feature", or else you have to add the privacy screen to put over the screen.
I suppose a good sales person could try to sell it as a feature, but this is clearly just a sub-par screen. Worst of all hers is bad in the vertical orientation so you have to have the angle just right in order to not have the screen color shift dramatically.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by inbox788 »

onourway wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:45 pm
inbox788 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:28 pm
For work computers, this is actually a security/privacy "feature", or else you have to add the privacy screen to put over the screen.
I suppose a good sales person could try to sell it as a feature, but this is clearly just a sub-par screen. Worst of all hers is bad in the vertical orientation so you have to have the angle just right in order to not have the screen color shift dramatically.
Hence the "" around feature. Like a joke, a bit of truth and a lot of salesmanship. In any case, I doubt corporate policy would change based on the screen and thus if the company required that employees use privacy screens in public places, they'd probably force it on those those low quality screens and make them even more unreadable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BnLbv6QYcA
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by onourway »

inbox788 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Hence the "" around feature. Like a joke, a bit of truth and a lot of salesmanship. In any case, I doubt corporate policy would change based on the screen and thus if the company required that employees use privacy screens in public places, they'd probably force it on those those low quality screens and make them even more unreadable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BnLbv6QYcA


Sorry to miss the intended sarcasm! :sharebeer
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by mlebuf »

We have 4 Macs. One of them is a 2011 Macbook Air that works fine and never given me a bit of trouble. In January of this year I bought a new Macmini. Big mistake. Takes 3 minutes to boot and forever for apps to load. Apple is giving me full credit toward exchanging it for an iMac.

Apple's telephone and in-store customer service is horrible. Took me over two hours trying to get what I wanted from them on the phone. I finally gave up and went to the Apple Store. Told them I wanted an iMac with built-in VESA mount adaptor instead of the stand. Neither the person on the phone nor the sales person at the store had ever heard of it. The model I wanted is "hiding" in plain sight on their webite.
https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/imac ... tep=config#

Been a Mac user since the mid-'80's. The service isn't what it used to be.
Best wishes, | Michael | | Invest your time actively and your money passively.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by inbox788 »

mlebuf wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:55 pmBeen a Mac user since the mid-'80's. The service isn't what it used to be.
You must have missed this 2007 memo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3sg8b5 ... tu.be&t=34
They really could have renamed again to iPhone Inc. in 2010.

I can't repeat this enough. Best 2017 browser feature: "Never Auto-Play"!
https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-s ... c-3661342/

If only this worked in Chrome and if only they could do something about animated gifs and distracting flipping/flashy/moving ads. [Reader mode is great when available]
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by TN_Boy »

Alexa9 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:19 am Embarrassing that Apple still even sells that model as a current model and even more embarrassing that people still buy it. Same with their Mac Mini/Pro.
As noted above, I have a MacBook Air bought last year and I'm not in the least embarrassed. And my background is technical/engineering so I was up to the task of evaluating options and getting what worked for me.

The MacBook Air has excellent battery life, is very portable, and has the right selection of ports for my needs. Good keyboard also. Add the fact I wanted to stay in the Apple ecosystem and it was a good choice for me. And I suspect a number of other people. Would I rather it had a better display? Sure, and I would have paid for that better display.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by inbox788 »

FYI,
  • iPhone Inc.
Image
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ip ... ?r=UK&IR=T

And the step-children:

Mac revenue exceeds iPad revenue for the first time since 2011 [27 Apr 2015]
https://www.imore.com/mac-revenue-excee ... -time-2011

Apple's services business alone now the size of a Fortune 100 company, beats out Facebook [August 01, 2017]
https://appleinsider.com/articles/17/08 ... t-facebook
WhiteMaxima
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by WhiteMaxima »

TN_Boy wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 3:51 pm
Alexa9 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:19 am Embarrassing that Apple still even sells that model as a current model and even more embarrassing that people still buy it. Same with their Mac Mini/Pro.
As noted above, I have a MacBook Air bought last year and I'm not in the least embarrassed. And my background is technical/engineering so I was up to the task of evaluating options and getting what worked for me.

The MacBook Air has excellent battery life, is very portable, and has the right selection of ports for my needs. Good keyboard also. Add the fact I wanted to stay in the Apple ecosystem and it was a good choice for me. And I suspect a number of other people. Would I rather it had a better display? Sure, and I would have paid for that better display.
Don'y know if the Macbook support external monitor so I can just add an external 2k or even 4k OLED monitor.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by wibadger »

To evaluate any technology, I would recommend focusing on what you plan to do with it. If you surf the web, social media, send emails and listen to music, then almost any computer for sale today can handle your needs (unless you plan to have 45 tabs open in chrome :happy).

So, if the above describes your usage (which covers most people), then get the computer you want that fits your budget. If you like Apple - great, Windows - great, or Linux - great. Also, you may find other form factors more enjoyable - e.g., tablets can also cover the above needs.

Someone above had posted a link to MacRumors - this is a good site to understand the life cycle of a particular Apple product (https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Mac), which means you can get the older generation more cheaply and there will be discounts as they end their life cycle.

Also, if you want an Apple product, you may want to take a look at their certified refurbished computers: https://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

Finally, in addition to Best Buy and Apple direct, I have had good luck getting Apple products from this company (also watch here for deals): https://www.bhphotovideo.com
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by LadyGeek »

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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Alexa9 »

Popular Mac Developer Slams Apple for 'Sad State of Macintosh Hardware
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/06/15/de ... c-updates/
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Alexa9 »

Popular Mac Developer Slams Apple for 'Sad State of Macintosh Hardware
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/06/15/de ... c-updates/

The Mac Pro has not seen a hardware update since December of 2013, more than 1600 days ago. Apple has promised its professional users that a high-end high-throughput modular Mac Pro system is in the works, but we thus far have no details on when it might see a release.

The Mac mini, Apple's most affordable desktop Mac, has gone 1338 days without an update, with the last refresh introduced in October of 2014.

It's been 375 days, for example, since the iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air machines were last updated

According to Carnicelli, the state of the Mac lineup is "deeply worrisome" to him as a person who works for a Mac-based software company. Customers are, he says, forced to choose between "purchasing new computers that are actually years old" or "holding out in the faint hope that hardware updates are still to come."
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by inbox788 »

Alexa9 wrote: Sat Jun 16, 2018 12:15 pm Popular Mac Developer Slams Apple for 'Sad State of Macintosh Hardware
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/06/15/de ... c-updates/

The Mac Pro has not seen a hardware update since December of 2013, more than 1600 days ago. Apple has promised its professional users that a high-end high-throughput modular Mac Pro system is in the works, but we thus far have no details on when it might see a release.

The Mac mini, Apple's most affordable desktop Mac, has gone 1338 days without an update, with the last refresh introduced in October of 2014.

It's been 375 days, for example, since the iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air machines were last updated

According to Carnicelli, the state of the Mac lineup is "deeply worrisome" to him as a person who works for a Mac-based software company. Customers are, he says, forced to choose between "purchasing new computers that are actually years old" or "holding out in the faint hope that hardware updates are still to come."
To me, this is a sign that they're getting set to abandon Intel chips in a large way. ARM chips are getting powerful enough to use in many laptop applications and they're more energy efficient, so on servers, they can use more chips/cores even if they're not quite as powerful as Xeon.

I hope they take this as an opportunity to simplify their offerings instead of trying to cover their bases, but unfortunately, the trend has been the opposite, so I wouldn't be surprised if the strategy is to keep 2/3 of the current offerings in some way, 1/3 old and 1/3 updated, while putting ARM chips in 2/3 of their new line and thus expanding out even further the number of products and product lines.

I'd kill the Air and sell the Retina 12 starting at $999 or even $799. Or better yet, if the A12 is ready, use that in the 12 Retina to hit the lower price points.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Sasquatch »

I just bought a used 2015 MacBook Pro 13” for $600 shipped. I like it a lot so far. Retina screen and non-butterfly keyboard. i5 and SSD plenty fast for my needs.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by 2015 »

onourway wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 1:33 pm
Alexa9 wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 1:27 pm Apple computers are no longer well made. Look at all the keyboard issues and only USB-C. Several major security flaws recently too. I'm afraid they have an accountant running things now rather than an innovator and it shows. There's nothing special about MacOS or the hardware anymore. They're almost completely focused on iOS.
Again, not accurate. Your personal opinion of Apple is heavily biasing your view.

Overall Apple's laptops are still among the best built you can buy. I've owned a 12" Macbook as my personal device for 3 years. No issues and it's been a great device. The fact they have some issues from time to time does not negate that. USB-C is not a 'quality' issue. I have a Thinkpad X1 Carbon as my work device and it is fantastic as well - but even this - pretty much the best PC laptop you can buy - still has a number of issues (and some advantages) compared to a Macbook.
Not necessarily a "personal opinion", given the continued embarrassments for Apple:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker ... its-issues
Apple has officially acknowledged that there are problems with its “butterfly” mechanism built into the keyboards of the recent MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops. The company is now offering an extended keyboard service program for computers affected by the issue, via iMore.

The extended warranty covers replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard, depending on the extent of users’ problems, and it covers eligible laptops up to four years after the computer was bought at retail. (Every MacBook and MacBook Pro model with the butterfly switches seems to be included.) That’s dramatically longer than the limited warranty the computers ship with or even Apple’s extended AppleCare Plus.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by Ztx »

I had been on MacBook Air 13" for 7 years until I switched to MacPro 15"). I think even with the outdated specs nothing comes close to what Air has to offer in terms of battery life, weight , thinness _and_ trackpad. In fact, before switching to MacPro 15" because I needed a bigger screen (I kept the old Air for traveling), I tried a multitude of other laptops (Dell, HP etc) and _none_ had trackpad comparable to the MacBook's one. I don't understand why none of other manufacturers can make trackpad that at least as good (as smooth and precise). I liked Dell XPS, for example, but the trackpad was the dealbreaker.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by onourway »

2015 wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 11:37 am
Not necessarily a "personal opinion", given the continued embarrassments for Apple:
Every hardware manufacturer has issues at times. None of them get raked through the coals like Apple even when they are going above and beyond.

I'm typing this on my early 2015 MacBook - the first generation with this style keyboard, and it has been fine. Most people will be happy with what they have. If they are not, Apple has just extended our warranty from one year to four. I've never had any other hardware manufacturer do any such thing.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by cutterinnj »

I am typing this on my July 2013 Macbook Air. It runs faster than the day I bought it. Other than a battery replacement last October, there's been no maintenance needed.

This thing just works like a high-end appliance. Open the shell, and use.

I buy these for all my doctors to use in my medical practice, as they just work.

Hopefully they will one day release a model with a higher definition screen, but it's not really a big deal the way it is.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by inbox788 »

cutterinnj wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 9:48 pm I am typing this on my July 2013 Macbook Air. It runs faster than the day I bought it. Other than a battery replacement last October, there's been no maintenance needed.

This thing just works like a high-end appliance. Open the shell, and use.

I buy these for all my doctors to use in my medical practice, as they just work.

Hopefully they will one day release a model with a higher definition screen, but it's not really a big deal the way it is.
FYI, both the current Macbook Pro and Macbook Retina are smaller than the Macbook Air. The Macbook Retina 12 is somewhat lighter (close to 2 pounds), while the Macbook Pro is only about 20 grams heavier. Putting an HD display model of the Air will only cannibalize sales of other models.

Macbook Pro
Height: 0.59 inch (1.49 cm)
Width: 11.97 inches (30.41 cm)
Depth: 8.36 inches (21.24 cm)
Weight: 3.02 pounds (1.37 kg)3

Macbook Air
Height: 0.11–0.68 inch (0.3–1.7 cm)
Width: 12.8 inches (32.5 cm)
Depth: 8.94 inches (22.7 cm)
Weight: 2.96 pounds (1.35 kg)3
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by PFInterest »

Sophia1884 wrote: Thu Jun 14, 2018 10:36 pm There have been several questions about new computers on here recently and I found this great deal today. Not sure if its just for the day but the savings is decent for a computer that is supposed to last a while (I hope!...it'll be my first Mac :)

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-macb ... Id=5465502

*If you are military, call the Exchange number and ask for a Price Challenge, going through the Exchange will save you the taxes.
Please pass on this deal. Not worth it.
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Re: Apple MacBook Air On Sale $699

Post by 2015 »

onourway wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 3:52 pm
2015 wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 11:37 am
Not necessarily a "personal opinion", given the continued embarrassments for Apple:
Every hardware manufacturer has issues at times. None of them get raked through the coals like Apple even when they are going above and beyond.
...
Don't get me wrong, I'm not Apple bashing at all. My next laptop will graduate to an Apple product because I've been over Microsoft for quite a while. No company deserves to be raked over the coals like Microsoft, IMO, and I haven't seen them go above and beyond in about a decade. If I get another laptop I'll have to go through all sorts of gyrations if I want to avoid getting Windoze 10 as the OS, and I'm not about to put with the issues others have had with it.

Apple's issues pale compared to the many issues associated with Microsoft products (Windoze 10 most recent update debacle is an example). I'll probably get a MacAir because it would suit my needs just fine.
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