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iPad vs MacBook Air vs iPod Touch ?

post #1 of 7
4/7/11 at 4:06pm
Thread Starter 
Hi there ~

I'll be traveling in Europe in a couple of weeks doing music, and various other places this year. Too much to lug my 15" macbook pro.

Im really on the fence about what to purchase. Of course i want it all!

Drooling over the iPad!!! But once I rack up a 32G WiFi 3G, I wonder why not just get a MacBook Air???

Then of course the iPod touch has the handy camera and easy street use Maps, and easy at the gym. All things I wantl!! But, no word processing or Garage Band.

Which of these will I be most glad I bought a year from now?

I suppose I could get:

a) Just macbook air
b) iPad 2, and maybe a small shuffle iPod (pricey!!)
c) Just iPod touch and deal with the size and no word or music apps

I have no iPod right now, so I definitely need music. Wish the iPad 2 could take cd's as well, since I like to practice my Rosetta Stone on the road... But I suppose what it does do is still awesome?!!

Thanks so much in advance!!

TangDress
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post #2 of 7
4/9/11 at 8:10am
You have a mobil phone, right? If you don't, then why don't you get an iPhone? It's does everything an iPod Touch does and get this-- it makes phone calls! If you already have a phone, do you love it so much that you wouldn't consider replacing it? Given the amount of money that you are willing to spend and given the functionality that you are looking for the iPhone seems to be a no-brainer. The iPod Touch makes no sense to me.

As far as the iPad is concerned... I just got an iPad (64 gig AT&T) and I absolutely love the thing. I would never try to dissuade someone for getting one, but I would definitely advise a potential buyer to know exactly what he or she is getting into: as good a media consumption device as there is. It is NOT (despite the existence of such apps as Pages) a substitute for a laptop.

One other thing: Leave your Rosetta Stone CDs at home when you're on your trip. There is little more that you're going to learn from them there than what you learned from them prior to the trip. And they would more likely just distract you from what you should be doing: soaking in your environment and learning everything you can from that experience.
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post #3 of 7
4/9/11 at 4:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jashue View Post

You have a mobil phone, right? If you don't, then why don't you get an iPhone? It's does everything an iPod Touch does and get this-- it makes phone calls! If you already have a phone, do you love it so much that you wouldn't consider replacing it? Given the amount of money that you are willing to spend and given the functionality that you are looking for the iPhone seems to be a no-brainer. The iPod Touch makes no sense to me.

As far as the iPad is concerned... I just got an iPad (64 gig AT&T) and I absolutely love the thing. I would never try to dissuade someone for getting one, but I would definitely advise a potential buyer to know exactly what he or she is getting into: as good a media consumption device as there is. It is NOT (despite the existence of such apps as Pages) a substitute for a laptop.

One other thing: Leave your Rosetta Stone CDs at home when you're on your trip. There is little more that you're going to learn from them there than what you learned from them prior to the trip. And they would more likely just distract you from what you should be doing: soaking in your environment and learning everything you can from that experience.

Absolutely ridiculous. I'm sure we can assume he has a phone. Which means the iPhone would make no sense whatsoever instead of an iPod Touch, with double the capacity, thinner and lighter, for half the price.

But to answer his original question, I'd go for the 11" MacBook Air in a heartbeat.
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post #4 of 7
4/10/11 at 2:28am
I think that the OP should more clearly specify what exactly his needs are.
If you are looking for a very mobile device for listening to music, then the iPod touch is better suited. You cannot compare the MacBook Air to an iPod Touch! Comparing it to an iPad makes more sense, but still...
The MacBook Air is a computer. If you need mobility and do a lot of computing when on the road, then the MacBook Air is your best option. If you just need a device where you will mostly listen to music, check emails and use it for Internet surfing, then the iPad would be the best bet. You mentioned Word Processing. I guess you understand that word processing on an iPod touch is a joke. On the iPad it can be done but with a lot of limitations. These limitations do not exist on the MacBook Air.
All three devices are great in what they are designed to do. The thing is, what do you really want?
Mac Mini Server, 16GB RAM,iPad 3 64GB white Wifi,iPhone 4S 32GB White
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Mac Mini Server, 16GB RAM,iPad 3 64GB white Wifi,iPhone 4S 32GB White
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post #5 of 7
4/10/11 at 7:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tonton View Post

Absolutely ridiculous. I'm sure we can assume he has a phone. Which means the iPhone would make no sense whatsoever instead of an iPod Touch, with double the capacity, thinner and lighter, for half the price.

But to answer his original question, I'd go for the 11" MacBook Air in a heartbeat.

Ridiculous how? I was suggesting that having an iPod touch in addition to a mobile phone was superflurous. I mean-- why carry around two devices when one could suffice for both needs. Thinner? Lighter? Okay, I'll give you that, but really, is it that much thinner and lighter? Enough to make a difference? Double the capacity? My iTunes music library weighs in at just shy of 55 gigs, so I need to make concessions on my 32 gig iPhone. But with over 2000 songs on my phone, I think I'm doing okay. Sure the principle of having my whole music library is a nice one... But SERIOULSY... How much music do I need on the thing?

Ridiculous? I actually think my post was pretty reasonable.
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post #6 of 7
4/10/11 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tangerindress View Post

Drooling over the iPad!!! But once I rack up a 32G WiFi 3G, I wonder why not just get a MacBook Air???

Because an MBA is almost twice the weight and twice the price of an iPad2? With only a marginally larger screen, and a marginally faster CPU?
Of course an MBA is a 'real' general purpose computer (albeit an underpowered one), on which you can run all software (including Flash!), slowly, while an iPad is of course not a 'real' computer, and consequently very limited in the general purpose software it can run (e.g. Flash!).
You already have a solid general purpose laptop, your MBP 15". So if you would get an MBA it would make either itself or the MBP redundant when you get back from your trip. An iPad(2) will still be very useful after you get back. In combination with your MBP.

But if you do get an iPad2, get the 64GB SSD.
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post #7 of 7
4/14/11 at 4:29pm
Personally, I would vote for the iPad 2 any day! You could get a small shuffle for I think it's only $40-50. I absolutely love my iPad. I first bought a netbook hoping it would take the place of the iPad, but alas, I was wrong and find I use the iPad much more than I previously used my netbook.
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