Members liliththekitten Posted August 11, 2011 Members Share Posted August 11, 2011 Live would run on it. An 11" screen might be an issue - I used Live on a netbook for fun - fine for basic stuff - but ultimately not that fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members carbon111 Posted August 11, 2011 Members Share Posted August 11, 2011 I see the two products as different devices. I'm still interested in an iPad for watching Netflix movies, running certain apps like Bjork's new interactive album, etc. but not as a laptop alternative. Interesting. I never expected the iPad to be a replacement for a full-fledged computer but since I got the iPad, my laptop has just been gathering dust. (not that I used it all that much anyway. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted August 11, 2011 Members Share Posted August 11, 2011 Live would run on it. An 11" screen might be an issue - I used Live on a netbook for fun - fine for basic stuff - but ultimately not that fun What processor did the netbook have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted August 11, 2011 Members Share Posted August 11, 2011 Interesting. I never expected the iPad to be a replacement for a full-fledged computer but since I got the iPad, my laptop has just been gathering dust. (not that I used it all that much anyway. ) Don't you record to a desktop machine anyway? If I had your hardsynth collection, I might not be using my laptop much either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted August 11, 2011 Members Share Posted August 11, 2011 C'mon guys seriously? Just read the recommended requirements for your DAW of choice. Only now has the AIR gotten close enough to even handle today's DAWS. I reviewed the thread, and nobody seriously talked about running a pro level DAW on an Air until you brought it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members liliththekitten Posted August 11, 2011 Members Share Posted August 11, 2011 What processor did the netbook have? Atom 1.8ghz, it was kinda standard but a newer one one at the time. I forget about RAM, might have been 1GB, might have been 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members carbon111 Posted August 11, 2011 Members Share Posted August 11, 2011 Don't you record to a desktop machine anyway? If I had your hardsynth collection, I might not be using my laptop much either. I was originally going to use the laptop as a field recorder...but I just ended up getting a field recorder instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members liliththekitten Posted August 11, 2011 Members Share Posted August 11, 2011 Also, I'll say that it was fine for audio and even a bunch of softsynths - within reason... CPU was the main problem but not so bad since you can freeze tracks. (polyphonic Massive patches were an issue.) I did whole tunes on it and it was fun on planes. A MacAir is a lot better spec'd that that though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members keybdwizrd Posted August 12, 2011 Author Members Share Posted August 12, 2011 A MacAir is a lot better spec'd that that though. Yes, you can currently get one with a 1.8 ghz dual core I7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted August 12, 2011 Members Share Posted August 12, 2011 I reviewed the thread, and nobody seriously talked about running a pro level DAW on an Air until you brought it up. I think I saw one post speaking about Logic. Besides that is the usual goal of owning a computer in this thread, making music right? Anyway it's all good. I realize I may have spun off in my own direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted August 12, 2011 Members Share Posted August 12, 2011 I think I saw one post speaking about Logic. Besides that is the usual goal of owning a computer in this thread, making music right? Anyway it's all good. I realize I may have spun off in my own direction. That was Audacity Works who mentioned Logic, but didn't elaborate much. The thread has "OT" in the title - which means it might not always be on topic in this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted August 12, 2011 Members Share Posted August 12, 2011 Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meatball Fulton Posted August 12, 2011 Members Share Posted August 12, 2011 Be aware the MAC AIR may not have the specs to handle DAW's The lack of a DVD drive is an obstacle for sure If you stick to CPU friendly programs like Reason, Live or Reaper you should be OK. The new Air outperforms my '09 MackBook Pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted August 13, 2011 Members Share Posted August 13, 2011 Yes! The new Air is looking beefy though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnotherScott Posted August 13, 2011 Members Share Posted August 13, 2011 The lack of a DVD drive is an obstacle for sure. DVD drive (external) is a $79 option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members keybdwizrd Posted August 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted August 13, 2011 DVD drive (external) is a $79 option. I've been looking into these, and this Samsung for $39 seems to have better reviews. Also, I haven't tried this (but need to), but for loading software on to the Air it is possible to use another machine's drive as per this article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members keybdwizrd Posted August 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted August 13, 2011 Also, I haven't tried this (but need to), but for loading software on to the Air it is possible to use another machine's drive as per this article. Well, I just tried it, and it works like a charm. I just installed MOTU's Ethno 2 software instrument on my AIR using the drive in my iMac. The process appeared to virtually monopolize my WiFi network while this was being done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dr.Wu Posted August 13, 2011 Members Share Posted August 13, 2011 using external dvd drives over the network works great except for ripping CDs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VanZea Posted August 13, 2011 Members Share Posted August 13, 2011 I have the new Air, and Logic Pro. I have a project with about 40 tracks, runs fine on my Air, less then 40% CPU... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted August 13, 2011 Members Share Posted August 13, 2011 I have the new Air, and Logic Pro. I have a project with about 40 tracks, runs fine on my Air, less then 40% CPU... Actually that is great to hear! I think I am going to get another Air, especially now that it has a lighted keyboard and even more ROM and processing power than even last year's model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members girevik Posted August 16, 2011 Members Share Posted August 16, 2011 The lack of a DVD drive is an obstacle for sure If you stick to CPU friendly programs like Reason, Live or Reaper you should be OK. The new Air outperforms my '09 MackBook Pro. Aw goddamit. I was thinking I'd get an iPad2 as my super portable e-reader, iOS app machine (particularly for Dingsaller, Nanostudio, and Tabletop), and interactive album player (eg. Bjork's latest release). But for just a few quid more, I can get an Air more powerful than my Macbook Pro??? Something to think about for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted August 16, 2011 Members Share Posted August 16, 2011 Aw goddamit. I was thinking I'd get an iPad2 as my super portable e-reader, iOS app machine (particularly for Dingsaller, Nanostudio, and Tabletop), and interactive album player (eg. Bjork's latest release). But for just a few quid more, I can get an Air more powerful than my Macbook Pro??? Something to think about for me... I got frustrated about the same thing when the IPAD 1 and the new AIR came out last year. I bought both returned the IPAD and just sold the AIR 2 weeks ago. Both units are way better now and actually compliment each other in a cool way.I just got the IPAD 2 a few weeks back and love it this time. Will get the 13inch AIR instead this time as well. Heaven! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gribs Posted August 16, 2011 Members Share Posted August 16, 2011 I have been trying to convince my son, who is saving for a laptop, that he should look at Apple seriously, but he wants a Windows-based system. His reasoning is that a friend who owns an Apple notebook keeps saying that "such-and-such" game can't run on his laptop. Isn't there some sort of program for Apple OS's that allows running Windows programs? Doing research on laptops reliability is real sketchy. Some articles praise Apple as far ahead of others and others show data suggesting that they are about the same as several other brands like Asus, Toshiba, and Sony. The main thing would probably be service though, right? For Windows-based laptops the only company that appears to be on top of the service game is ADK. I would consider spending the upgrade dollars for an Air as a replacement for an iPad if it functioned as a tablet and if the iOS apps would run on it - basically if it was like a mash-up of the current iPad and Airs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJ RAZZ Posted August 16, 2011 Members Share Posted August 16, 2011 Well at the risk of sounding snobbish or contrived, owning Apple products is somewhat a life style. The Air is a full fledged super thin laptop with now a lot of power and missing just a few things that it's larger Mac and PC brothers still have. It is not a tablet and like many Apple products works in conjunction with other Apple products like a family, some redundancy of course. Yes their products are expensive and more expensive in general than PC type products. To me it is worth it for the things that Macs do well and better than PC's. It goes both ways though. Try Bootcamp for running windows products on MAC.Also you can install windows on Mac as an OS but it will really slow things down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnotherScott Posted August 16, 2011 Members Share Posted August 16, 2011 a friend who owns an Apple notebook keeps saying that "such-and-such" game can't run on his laptop. Isn't there some sort of program for Apple OS's that allows running Windows programs? Yes, multiple. "Boot Camp" comes free with the Mac (well kinda free... you have to supply your own copy of Windows 7, not included). Then you simply hold down a key at bootup, and decide whether you want to boot it up as a Mac or as a Windows PC. Some people feel that this is the best Windows laptop you can buy... well-designed, good performance, good service/support (though not for Windows-specific issues), and you can turn it into a Mac by rebooting it. "Parallels" and "VMWare Fusion" are two inexpensive applications you can run on a Mac that allow Windows to run concurrently with the Mac environment. Benefits are that you don't have to reboot to switch between Windows mode and Mac mode, and you can easily cut-and-paste and otherwise transfer data between the two environments. Downside is that Windows performance is slightly lower than when you boot into Boot Camp's "Windows Only" mode. And again, you have to supply your own copy of Windows. There's no reason you can't install Windows both ways, so you can use Parallels/Fusion most of the time, but choose to reboot into the Boot Camp installation when you need the highest Windows performance. My own suggestion in any of these configurations is, use the Windows world for as little or as much as you want except do NOT go online in the Windows environment. Do all of your online work (web surfing, email, other apps that access the net) strictly from the Mac side. That way you will have a Windows PC that is almost immune from all the viruses and such that routinely mess them up (and the Mac side is, for all intents and purposes, still not susceptible to those problems, for ten years and counting). The only downside compared to a Windows laptop is that it's more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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