For Public Use: Reg Macbook or Air?

Im ordering a bunch of netbooks/laptops for public use in my retail business and we want to make Apple users happy too.

We're ordering Samsung 10.4" netbooks for the PC side.

So the Air is the better companion to those netbooks visually/style-wise. But is the Air durable enough for that public use? Or should I go the regular Macbook route and trade more clunkiness for (presumptive) durability?

Are there factors Im not considering?

Thanks for any/all assistance...

 

I seriously doubt the standard macbook is any more durable than an Air... probably even less so... but its much cheaper to replace when someone breaks it.

 

The MacBook Air (along with standard MacBook or MacBook Pro) is going to also be much more powerful than those Samsung 10" netbooks. You are looking at dinky Intel Atom processors and comparing them to ones that give you desktop-like performance. Its like comparing a bicycle to Ford Mustang.

The MacBook Air is going to be more portable when compared to the standard MacBook and likely more durable. The MBA is made of aluminum while the standard MB is plastic. Whether that is going to be an issue or not depends on how they will be used. You are ordering plastic netbooks so that shouldn't be much of an issue.

You should go with the MBA if you/they want something that is extremely portable yet more powerful than a netbook. The standard MB would be better if you are on a budget and require a built-in optical drive. You can also upgrade the RAM and hard drives in a standard MB while you have to configure the MBA on Apple's website as you cannot upgrade the RAM or SSD aftermarket.

 

That's certainly true. If Apple had a netbook equivalent, that's what we'd get.

otherwise, thank you both for the input. We prefer the look of the Air and if there is no significant durability issue vs standard macbook (as you both indicate)...then that's what we'll go with.

 

If anything, the Air is going to be more durable simply because it is unibody aluminum. Essentially Apple takes a piece of aluminum and carves it out so that it takes the shape of the MBA casing. You are looking at three pieces for the casing: the bottom, the keyboard/top, and the display lid. I think the standard MB is similar just with plastic but aluminum is more durable anyway.

 

Out of curiosity are they to be placed on a table and locked in place with a tether or laptops that will move with people? It they are to be placed on a tether then go with a Macbook, if people will be carrying them around then go with an Air.

 

Locked in place or locked by wire. This mitigates some of the usual advantages of Air, but since durability vs a reg macbook is an apparent non-issue...the choice of Air is more about what fits in best with netbooks & looks sleekest.

 

How about something novel like Ipad instead?

If after all your "customers" just want to surf web why put money into a laptop?

Business thought would be don't give them any computer to make them comfortable. Give them something to get them curious enough to want to go home or back to office to do serious followup. After all typing on the touch screen would have its limitations to get them to go.

Also attach an industrial chain on them because if they are not tethered down they will fly.

Reality is that if you are giving away free wifi people will bring their own and just soak you for the freebie.

 

Do you have any recommendations? I found this one, but it looks very clunky. Style matters to us (unfortunately!).

RE: Ipad. We thought about Ipad vs. laptop as there are some very slick commercial-grade stainless angled picture frame holders that some of our partners are developing (lining them up 3-4 in a row would look great); but ultimately our customers will want to use a hard keyboard and maybe a UBS stick and do some other things other than surf...thus a netbook/laptop offers the best solution.

 

I really think that keeping a MBA locked in place defeats the entire purpose behind it. You could buy a Mac Mini and a non-Apple monitor (about 23" in size) for the same price as an entry level 11.6" MBA. The entire point behind the MBA is to offer the Mac OS X experience in a device that is insanely portable while giving you desktop-like performance. Take the portability option out and you essentially have a desktop.

Might as well go with something else if the units aren't going to be taken out and are just going to sit there chained to a desk. The MBA doesn't even offer a built-in lock option so you would have to modify the unit also negating any sleek design aspects. Might as well just go with a Mac Mini and a 3rd party monitor if you really want Mac OS X or just save the money and buy a standard MacBook. Not taking a MBA out and physically attaching some type of wire to it defeats the entire purpose behind the MBA line and even gets rid of the whole looking sleek option.

 

Considering the price is the same the MBA 11" w/SSD seems like the way to go. Plus the SSD is more durable in terms of movement and impact.

I would get better PC's than netbooks unless your just going for the cheapest option. You can still get decent PC notebooks for relatively cheap.

 

23" is too big. I suppose we could find a smaller 3rd party LCD; but at that point we'll need a fully wired keyboard, etc..

How difficult is it to lock up a Macbook Air? Would something like this work?

 

I would go with something refurbished, whatever they have in stock.
Better value for money that way.

And ye, but macbook — cheaper this way and seeing that you want nail it to the desk bigger screen will be better AND you dont need extra mobility from air. Standard macbook looks ok as well.

 

It doesn't matter if it is too big, it was just an example. You could still buy a wired keyboard, wired mouse, Mac Mini, and LCD monitor all combined for a less expensive price than the MBA. As I said, the whole point of the MBA is portability. Taking that out of the equation eliminates any need for such an ultra portable product. Its like buying a 2011 Chevy Comaro V8 and only driving it up to 15 MPH. What's the point?

That would not work as-is since the MBA does not have a Kensington lock slot (the MB and MBP do). You would need to first buy something like this which is a lock that you physically glue to the MBA. Then you would buy the Kensington lock. Again, having to glue something to the external surface of the MBA eliminates that sleek factor.

Your best option (in terms of price, performance, and lack of portability) would be to go with a Mac Mini or standard MacBook. There is absolutely no need to buy a MBA if it is just going to be sitting there as it negates the very existence of the product.

 

I'm going to lean towards MB on this one. Sure the air is nice and light and everything that is rainbows, but at the end of the day, if it's not going to be moving anywhere, polycarbonate will hold up just as well. Also, if it's sitting on a desk, a little "heft" sort of give the illusion of quality. I'd hate to see someone drop either machine, but im guessing you'd suffer less in the pocketbook with a MB shell replacement vs an Aluminum MBA replacement.