Good point re the RAM.  I also refuse to go back to anything other than an SSD.

lol hard drives

I wish my work iMac and MBP had SSD.

I also refuse to go back to anything other than an SSD.

 

This!

The refurb'd 15" MacBook Pro I ordered was on the truck for delivery at 7:30AM this morning and it arrived at ...4:58PM this evening.  FedEx doesn't deliver past 5PM in these parts, so I'm pleased it arrived.  However...

 

I let it sit for half an hour and warm up a bit.  When I powered it on, there were two nasty red vertical lines running the length of the screen during the boot up screen.  Once the machine had fully booted, I saw there was a third, blue one.  I spent 45 minutes on the phone with AppleCare and I'll be receiving some shipping labels via email.  According to the rep on the phone, I'll be getting a replacement, not a repair.  Since I ordered a refurbished late 2011 15" MBP with an anti-glare screen, I really wonder what I'll be getting as a replacement.  Also, the defective machine I purchased only had 4GB of RAM.  It was my plan to upgrade myself at a later date.  Newer Macintops have RAM soldered to the motherboard.  I know the current MBAs and rMBPs do.  Do the non-retina MBP models still have conventional DIMM slots?  

 

This has all given me quite the headache.    I think I'm raiding the Scotch cabinet early tonight.  

Yeezh, dude.

Do the non-retina MBP models still have conventional DIMM slots?  

 

Yes.

 

And looking at Apple's refurb store section, they've got 3 different anti-glare screen models (including what I believe you ordered) in stock so they're probably just sending you the same model.

Edited December 4, 201213 yr by Salt Peanuts

Interesting way of looking at historical "computing" trends.

 

 

 

 

Today Apple sent me a printable return shipping label ...for a MacBook Air with an order number that (strangely) doesn't match mine.

Mother's old dell laptop died. I want to buy her a macbook air 11" for travel. Guys who know me, please picture someone less computer savvy than I, easily frustrated with technologies, and with no one around her that can really help. Is this a stupid choice?

No, the Air is great. 

 

Edit:  Maybe you meant whether you should get her any kind of computer at all, or maybe an ipad.  Not sure the question but my mom doesn't know much about computers and has an ok time on my old Macbook Pro.  She basically doesn't use much besides a web browser though.  I recently taught her how to put pictures on it.  Hopefully she hasn't forgotten. 

Edited December 8, 201213 yr by shellylh

no, it's a great choice.

I think the air is a great choice. I have had mine for over two years with no issues. Never had another computer of any kind that I could say that about. It just works.

Okay, this is how stupid I am: From what I understand, there is no cd/dvd thingy in those. How do get stuff (office suite, etc.) in there? And yes, my mother is more inept than I.

App Store / online

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834100125&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL120712&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL120712-_-EMC-120712-Index-_-LaptopsNotebooks-_-34100125-L07A'>or

Or external drive

Vicki, is she used to a Windows machine?  I ask because I have found that parents have a surprisingly difficult time making the transition.

Besides ripping CDs on my Macbook Pro, I pretty much* never use a CD/DVD drive.  The App store is very convenient for people like your mom.

 

*Except possibly making a bootable Linux disk which I am sure your mom will not do. 

Boo, as you know, some people don't want to deal with learning something new as they get older.  So, if your mom is coming from a PC, she may not like the transition and new learning curve for Mac OS.  But, if you are installing MS Office and she can use that, then it sounds like she is more savvy than my mom-in-law.  What will she use it for?

 

We gave my wife's mom a Mac a few years back, and she couldn't remember how to use it.  She was only going to use it as a digital answering machine and to surf the web or do email with AOL dialup.  We taught her those two things, plus how to print, and it sat un-used forever.  Then we got a mail-staion just for email, nope.  Then we got her an MSN TV, didn't touch it.  We gave up for several years.

 

Last year we gave her a 1st gen cellular iPad, and that one she uses.  She reads books on our nook account, checks sports scores, gets email with family photos attached, uses it as a digital picture frame, and surfs the web if needed.  Every 1-2 months I update the apps for her on my wi-fi (to save the 3G data).  At that time I may add new books for her to read in the "nook kids" app (using parental controls so she doesn't open books that we aren't done with and accidentally move our bookmarks.)

 

BTW, I picked up a Samsung portable external DVD write on Amazon for $25, but you can add apps via App store pretty easily.

What Dinny said. If she is more comfortable with a pc, there are some ultra books that cost around the same and would let her stay in the windows environment.

She's only had pcs, but she keeps asking me about macs, since she's had continual virus problems, even with software, and has to take it in every few months to get cleaned up. She also has friends who like them, though don't live close enough to sit down with her, which is my concern.<br /><br />I'm going to get her an air today, and do my best to set it up for her. Hopefully, she'll come here in a few weeks and I can get her set up better and teach her what little I know.<br /><br />There is a apple store about 45 minutes from her house. Maybe she can set up a couple classes or genius appointments.

My mom used to use my dad's pc and has been very happy with a Mac.  It wasn't very a very difficult transition. 

For what it's worth, we've 'moved' my mother and Mel's to iPads and they both seem in love. Doubt any laptop could have worked so well. Course all depends on uses.

With Mountain Lion the air is much more iPad-like and is likely to become more so with future app and OS upgrades. My air replacement will be another maxed 11" air since I just can't see anything with a much bigger footprint working for me.

Edited December 8, 201213 yr by morphsci