I finally broke down and used the MBA for a business trip. I had to go to Tucson, AZ and I did not want to lug the IBM T60 with me, especially since I was bringing everything I needed in one back pack carry-on. However, before I left, I needed to do some configuration. So I downloaded Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) beta 2.0 from Mactopia. This allowed me to RDC into either of the machines I had logged in at work. Second, since I might be connecting while not at an office site, I downloaded the VPN software for Mac from Apani (formerly Contivity). It is the Mac version of the Nortel Network client. I also had to get a ethernet dongle from the Apple store since I knew the AZ office would not have wireles.
Everything checked out at the home office as well as offsite when checking the VPN software. So off I went last Wednesday evening. Arriving in Tucson at 9:15pm, I checked into the hotel and luckily had free wireless. I was able to RDC into my laptop at work and check some email and make some calendar appointments.
The next day, I LAN'd into the network and everything was a breeze. When I checked email, I could use Outlook Web. If I needed a file or had to use the laptop at work, I just RDC'd into the laptop. Furthermore, I didn't have to carry a paper notebook as the MBA worked just fine as a notetaker. The only thing I dare not do is leave it out of my site. There is no way to lock this thing down.
Using the Air during the trip was a breeze. It was so light to carry and being connected was so nice. However, I really still want to use this just for fun!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The power of Apple
In this posting, I want to write about the power of Apple's innovative prowess. Moving left on the adoption curve, Apple has not only secured me as customer, the company has secured 90% of my mental wallet. Here's what I mean...
In the old days, every cell phone or laptop I would buy would ultimately be replaced with a newer gadget that had either more power or a new feature. This was especially true for cellphones. Every 6-9 months, I would look for the next great thing. Nokia, Motorola, Blackberry, Samsung were just some of the companies that I have used. Once the iPhone came out and I purchased it, my urges to look for something better or different have ceased...yes STOPPED!
So it goes with my recent adoption of Mac and the purchase of the Mac Book Air, a.k.a. on forums as MBA. I was...key word "WAS" a HP loyalist. Several of my previous laptops have all been HP. I have recommended HP to friends and family. However, since the MBA, I have not had the urge or desire to look at any HP emails.
What do I attribute to this phenomenon? I give a lot of credit to Apple for their innovativeness and ability to think of things that the customer doesn't have to. In the back of my mind, I am giving this about 6 months to 1 year to let it sink in. That part of me is to test out the newness factor and see how I feel in that time. However, I must say, I have not felt this jazzed about a laptop in a long time.
In the old days, every cell phone or laptop I would buy would ultimately be replaced with a newer gadget that had either more power or a new feature. This was especially true for cellphones. Every 6-9 months, I would look for the next great thing. Nokia, Motorola, Blackberry, Samsung were just some of the companies that I have used. Once the iPhone came out and I purchased it, my urges to look for something better or different have ceased...yes STOPPED!
So it goes with my recent adoption of Mac and the purchase of the Mac Book Air, a.k.a. on forums as MBA. I was...key word "WAS" a HP loyalist. Several of my previous laptops have all been HP. I have recommended HP to friends and family. However, since the MBA, I have not had the urge or desire to look at any HP emails.
What do I attribute to this phenomenon? I give a lot of credit to Apple for their innovativeness and ability to think of things that the customer doesn't have to. In the back of my mind, I am giving this about 6 months to 1 year to let it sink in. That part of me is to test out the newness factor and see how I feel in that time. However, I must say, I have not felt this jazzed about a laptop in a long time.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Using Air with RDC to connect to Windows machine
The latest venture was a request by fellow Mac enthusiast, Oren to somehow connect to a Windows based machine using a Mac. The easy answer was to use Parallels or Fusion. However, considering this a challenge, I researched this on the web. Turns out that the Mactopia site has RDC for Mac! http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/remote-desktop/default.mspx
So I downloaded the 2.0 Beta because the current version is for Power based Macs and I am running the Air, an Intel based Mac. Since my windows based machine in on the company network, I also had to download the Nortel VPN client. After installing both pieces, the only other configuration to figure out was the machine name. Given that I am using a personal machine to tap into the company network, I had to use the full machine address. Voila!
So I downloaded the 2.0 Beta because the current version is for Power based Macs and I am running the Air, an Intel based Mac. Since my windows based machine in on the company network, I also had to download the Nortel VPN client. After installing both pieces, the only other configuration to figure out was the machine name. Given that I am using a personal machine to tap into the company network, I had to use the full machine address. Voila!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
My first short stack (not pancakes)
I now explore the Apple site daily looking for new things to learn. Today, I learned how to make a short stack with my favorite applications. The dock can become overly populated which defeats the purpose to some extent. Therefore, when I came across this quick tip of the week, I felt it would be useful to learn. I am still trying to find out whether I can move my short stack to different locations on the dock. Currently, it only allows me to be on the right side. However, I have removed about 5 applications and condensed them into 1 short stack. Here is where I learned this trick: http://www.apple.com/business/theater/#shortstack
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Inching up the learning curve
One of the things I didn't like about Safari was the lack of a "home" button. I thought, how lame for Apple not to have a home button when all the other browsers have one. Resorting to comfortable ways, I loaded Firefox onto the Air. It wasn't until today when my fellow Mac enthusiast, Andy, asked me what I didn't like about the Air. My feedback was on Safari, which was really an OS issue, not an Air issue. Well, I didn't quite remember what my gripe was about and later it got me to thinking about trying Safari again. Well, the issue surfaced when I tried to look for that "home" icon again. By chance, I two finger tapped near the toolbar which brought up the option to customize my toolbar. Upon selection, up came a board of icons to choose from, one of which was the "home" icon!
So reflecting back, part of me feels lame that I didn't inherently know to customize my toolbar, but part of me felt that Apple should have expected this and made the "home" icon a default. What I did like however, was the ability to just drag the icon onto the toolbar...nice and easy, once I figured it out.
That seems to be a theme, "nice and easy, once I figure it out."
So reflecting back, part of me feels lame that I didn't inherently know to customize my toolbar, but part of me felt that Apple should have expected this and made the "home" icon a default. What I did like however, was the ability to just drag the icon onto the toolbar...nice and easy, once I figured it out.
That seems to be a theme, "nice and easy, once I figure it out."
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Latest Achievement
I love plug-n-play. I recently returned from a golf trip and had some photos on my Canon SD500. Not wanting to take the SD card out, I connected the camera to the Air. Turned on the camera and no configuring needed. The Air brought up iPhoto and showed me everything that was on the camera. I transferred what I needed right to my Air. Now this is more of a Leopard thing than an Air thing. However, another simple function that I did not have to think about!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Mac Air Sleeve
I thought it would be cool to come up with my on Air sleeve. I figured, let's design it like a manila interoffice envelope. 
Leave it to Timbuk2, one of my favorite backpack manufacturers to come up with the Steve Sleeve! I am waiting for it to come out...let's see how much they'll jack me for this one. Other than Timbuk2, inCase is the only other maker out there who has Mac carry accessories.
Leave it to Timbuk2, one of my favorite backpack manufacturers to come up with the Steve Sleeve! I am waiting for it to come out...let's see how much they'll jack me for this one. Other than Timbuk2, inCase is the only other maker out there who has Mac carry accessories.
The Air goes in the air
As much as I baby my Mac Air, I decided to take it with me to Pinehurst, North Carolina. During the ride from the shuttle lot to the airport, I busted it out to show my friend who has only seen the Air from my blog. Not only did it get his attention, but two other shuttle riders instantly started up conversation. One lady said that it was a great thing Apple created. My response, "sex sells."
Since I was flying first class, I decided to buy the airplane adapter, $49! Just like HP, they kill you on the accessories. However, it served its purpose as I watched The Kingdom, worked on some excel files, and a word document. I decided to plug it in and it was a breeze since the plane used empower. It also comes with an adapter that looks like I could plug it in to a cig lighter. The adapter fits right over the empower part. Worked like a charm! The flight was about 5 hours so there was no way that I was going to last beyond the battery life.
During my vacation, I didn't use the Air much. First the resort wanted you to pay for internet connection which I wasn't about to. Second, there was no wireless in the resort, only Ethernet and I didn't purchase a $29 Ethernet dongle.
On the trip home, I put the Air in the magazine pocket on the airplane. When the announcement came over the PA that laptops are not allowed there, I moved to rearrange the Air to fit concealed. Then it happened...it dropped through the pocket! After we were airborne, I turned it on and checked it out. Everything is fine! Tough little machine...luckily the drop wasn't more than about a foot.
Still lovin' the Air!
Since I was flying first class, I decided to buy the airplane adapter, $49! Just like HP, they kill you on the accessories. However, it served its purpose as I watched The Kingdom, worked on some excel files, and a word document. I decided to plug it in and it was a breeze since the plane used empower. It also comes with an adapter that looks like I could plug it in to a cig lighter. The adapter fits right over the empower part. Worked like a charm! The flight was about 5 hours so there was no way that I was going to last beyond the battery life.
During my vacation, I didn't use the Air much. First the resort wanted you to pay for internet connection which I wasn't about to. Second, there was no wireless in the resort, only Ethernet and I didn't purchase a $29 Ethernet dongle.
On the trip home, I put the Air in the magazine pocket on the airplane. When the announcement came over the PA that laptops are not allowed there, I moved to rearrange the Air to fit concealed. Then it happened...it dropped through the pocket! After we were airborne, I turned it on and checked it out. Everything is fine! Tough little machine...luckily the drop wasn't more than about a foot.
Still lovin' the Air!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Think about your computing habits first
Linked to an editorial in Orlando, the Apple start page points to a review that informs customers to think about their computing habits before jumping in and getting the Mac Air. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/technology/orl-horowitz0108mar01,0,5375225.column
Is the Mac Air for everyone? Probably not. It is a sexy portable laptop that is going to capture the hearts and minds of a niche market. If you want a secondary laptop to supplement the powerhouse desktop or laptop, then the Air could be for you. If you travel often and like the portability of something light that won't send you to the chiropractor, then the Air could be for you. If you enjoy the idea of sitting on the couch and surfing the internet, uploading photos, making movies...all while watching the latest episode of Lost on tv, then the Air could be for you. If you like the idea that you can take the Air anywhere and connect wirelessly without fuss, then the Air could be for you. If you enjoy the freedom of thinking up new ideas from beyond the confines of walls or the office, then the Air could be for you. If you like the idea of taking out one of the most sexiest pieces of technology today and having several people at Starbucks turn green with envy, then the Air could be for you!
Is the Mac Air for everyone? Probably not. It is a sexy portable laptop that is going to capture the hearts and minds of a niche market. If you want a secondary laptop to supplement the powerhouse desktop or laptop, then the Air could be for you. If you travel often and like the portability of something light that won't send you to the chiropractor, then the Air could be for you. If you enjoy the idea of sitting on the couch and surfing the internet, uploading photos, making movies...all while watching the latest episode of Lost on tv, then the Air could be for you. If you like the idea that you can take the Air anywhere and connect wirelessly without fuss, then the Air could be for you. If you enjoy the freedom of thinking up new ideas from beyond the confines of walls or the office, then the Air could be for you. If you like the idea of taking out one of the most sexiest pieces of technology today and having several people at Starbucks turn green with envy, then the Air could be for you!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Mac Air selling well
No one can say for sure how the Mac Air is selling as there has been no news releases by Apple. However, Fortune.com posted an article recently indicating the sales of Mac Air are doing well. The indicators are short supplies in large metros as well as top seller rankings on the Apple iStore. Here is the link Air outsells MacBook, iMac, Pro; sold out in Boston, NY, SF, says report
iPhoto and Google's Picasa
I finally learned how to use some more of the functionality of iPhoto. I enhanced a few photos that I took in Sausalito, CA. Since I don't have a .Mac account, I wanted to upload to my space on Google's Picasa web. I started uploading one by one, until I saw that Google has a Picasa add-in for Mac. While the directions were not easy to find (again), I was able to finally find and use the Picasa export function in the iPhoto export options.
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