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Is MacBook Air Good For Programming / Blogging ?

I'm a passionate java developer who just migrated from a Windows PC netbook ( Dell mini ) to a 13 inch MacBook Air. Before the netbook I owned a Dell inspirion 1501. I'm quite a bit of an avid blogger as well. I purchased Dell mini just as it was launched hoping that it's compact and mobile architecture would solve all of my need as a programmer and a writer. Unfortunately it turned out that it was a worthless device.The rest of the story goes...



Do Not Compare a Netbook With MacBook Air

MacBook's astonishing features far exceeds anything that of a normal Netbook.

Before


Buying a netbook for programming and blogging was one of the biggest blunders I ever made on choosing a machine. The screen was 11 inch and clumsy icons of the Windows were a disgrace all the time.The tightly arranged keys in the keyboard made typing a pain. It's slow Intel Atom Processor is too sluggish to run even VLC player.


After 

The Mac's backlit spacious keyboard layout, 1440x900 resolution display and i5 process combines with the all awesome Mac OS X to give the best possible computing experience to the user. Applications work blazing fast and there are hundreds of easy keyboard shortcuts to make it even faster.


Why MacBook Air is Great For Programming ?

Is'nt it too small to code ?

I really couldn't do much java development in Dell mini. From my previous catastrophic experience with a netbook having small screen. I was hesitant to buy another one with just slightly larger screen. My major doubt was - "Is Macbook Air 13 in good for Java Programming ?". Once I got it in hand and installed Eclipse to code I felt I had more space than my 15.6 inch HP ( at workplace) ProBook and 15.6 inch HP Sleekbook (dad's) I frequently used for coding.  If you have the same question, 'Yes!' It's great for java programming. Go ahead. I've been running git, maven, java and what not everything for a long time. 

Reasons:

In Mac there is a 'Full Screen View' option for every application. This hides all other windows and fills the entire screen with the single window of that application. This combined with the 1440 x 900 resolution give plenty of screen to work on.
The intuitive trackpad helps to navigate quickly between applications and menus. They recognise a bunch of gestures that make the need for a mouse totally irrelevant. The three finger slide has helped me a lot to slide from one screen to read the documentation to the other screen for programming. 


Why MacBook Air is Great For Blogging ?

It's an awe inspiring machine that elites your creativity just by the look and feel of it.

  • Long battery backup : You could carry around your Macbook the whole day and write without the distraction of searching for a power source. It got 8 - 10 hours of battery life in one charge. No other laptop comes as close as this yet.
  • The Full Screen View option work so perfectly well that it prevents any other application from bothering us.
  • Back-lit keyboard and SSD hardisk helps you write in the dark : Many time's I get new ideas and creative mood just before I go to sleep . I've always found it difficult to find the keys in other laptops to type in something. It's even more difficult when you are trying to blog.The keyboard automatically light's up if it detects low external light. This was a blessing for me. In other laptops I find it difficult to use laptop in bed as keeping it for a prolonged period in the couch or bed could cover the fan exhaust and overheat the laptop. The SSD used as harddisk eliminates all kinds of noisy fans and grills beneath the Macbook. It's just a single body just like a tablet or mobile phone. You can keep it in any kind of surface and use it. 
  • You will never need a mouse again : smart gesture recognition of the trackpad you can completely avoid mouse and eliminate an extra hardware that never contributed to your writing.


Synergy - an added benefit of premium quality.

There is a magic that the ssd + slim design + long battery life makes happen!

The solid-state hard-disk of the mac enable very quick read and write functionality. You can wake from hibernate in a blink of an eye. It just feel like switching on the screen of your mobile. Yes! it just works like a mobile. Combining this power of long battery backup, this gives it a magic effect, a mobile-phone like utility value. Gone are the day's you've to wait to resume back from a hibernate sessions or even restart your mac. Say, you get a 2 minute time gap while waiting for coffee, open your mac in a snap and add few lines to your next blog article. The point is : it totally eliminates the reluctance you have to take out your heavy laptop and sluggishly resume from the last hibernate session. 


If You Are Looking For a good Ultrabook go for MacBook Air

Ultrabooks are nothing but just an attempt to reinvent MacBook Air by other brands.


Ultrabook was a concept put forward ( and trademarked ) by Intel inspiring computer manufacturers to make high quality machines with newest Intel processors. Intel was actually inspired by Apple's MacBook Air and the way it revolutionised computing. The ultimate marketing point is to make stylish high-end ultrabooks and sell it for premium price like Apple does. But I'd say if you've got the money to buy the high-priced Ultrabooks you could just add up a few bucks and get yourself a Macbook . I say this because none of the OS could achieve the perfection and user experience that Apple has given. They're leading by tailoring the operating system to work most efficiently with the hardware. 



Used by Veterans in  Worldwide 

JK Rowling is one of the most popular authors in the world. She has written all time bestselling books like Harry Potter and Casual Vacancy. Recently she announced to the public that MacBook Air has changed her life and that she has written from almost everywhere including some very strange places.


Let's hear it from another expert . MacBook is used by the most awesome people in the world. Here is something that testifies this. A statement posted by Sergey Brin on hearing the death news of Steve. 
"From the earliest days of Google, whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership, we needed to look no farther than Cupertino. Steve, your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product (including the macbook I am writing this on right now). And I have witnessed it in person the few times we have met.
On behalf of all of us at Google and more broadly in technology, you will be missed very much. My condolences to family, friends, and colleagues at Apple."


Need more clarifications on Macbook Air?

I was pretty frantic until I got it in hand, I'd be screwed if the device is not up to my expectation. I wanted to reassure any other person frantic like me is making the right decision.  If you've more questions or doubts about what Macbook Air can do ask me in the comments section, I'm happy to help you personally. If you're impressed you can purchase a brand new Macbook Air for the best price from amazon



Update on 24th Nov 2013, after 8 months of use-experience: 
This is awesome, I can code and blog from almost anywhere and even if I get as little as 10 minutes while waiting for coffee, I can bring back my mac from sleep in few seconds and finish a chunk of my work in that gap (basically I code, read or blog). I can imagine it's pretty overwhelming to hear this, but trust me this thing have changed my world upside down. It's like saying, "I am batman" then disappearing to the darkness to mac and coming back as normal as you were. "So this is what it feels like". 


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