My new MacBook Air

UPDATE AGAIN!:

Yes, I do love Firefox, great browser! Oh, and I also like the program Picasa to store and organize my photos. The computer I use for that is a Sony VAIO laptop with a 250GB hard drive and a 17" screen. It also has a built in HDTV tuner and I will try to snap a picture of it soon! Perhaps I will have one of my cats near it.

UPDATE TODAY:

I wanted to let everyone know that I use many different kinds of computers. How about this HP touch screen computer in my stable? My stable manager Betsy uses it everyday, especially to check the weather maps to watch for anything that may affect the horses while they are out in the paddocks. (Doesn't Sharkey appear to be snoozing?)

UPDATE:

Many of you have commented that you think I should use Parallels for my new Mac to run Windows as well - I actually DID know about that!  I just like having the two computers side by side, as sometimes I need to have my email and schedule up on one, while browsing the Web on the other.   As you can imagine, I multi-task all the time. My assistants all seem to have different preferences (Mac. Vs. PC) and I like to give them both options when they need to do some work at my desk.  Thank you for your helpful suggestions!

I was so excited when my new MacBook Air arrived the other day.  When I opened the box and examined this laptop, I was amazed by how razor thin and how light it is – just .76 of an inch and only 3 pounds.  It has a full-size illuminated keyboard, which is terrific for working in a dimly lit car or on an airplane.  And I really love the trackpad, which works in much the same way as the Apple iPhone, giving you many more options by simply moving your fingers.  I also use an HP laptop on a regular basis because I like to be well versed on both platforms and be able to multi-task.  Both computers sit side by side on my desk in my kitchen and having them right there together is very convenient for me.  It’s a little difficult to photograph just how thin this MacBook Air is, but you can see for yourself by stopping at an Apple store or checking it out on line at www.apple.com.

The MacBook Air is truly a technological thing of beauty.  When it’s not traveling on the road with me, it looks great on my desk as you can see here.

And of course, Sharkey has to check it out too!

Comments

[Jennifer]

I like the looks of it but it's just not powerful enough for my needs. That and I don't think I could bring myself to use a Mac. I prefer the control a PC gives me...can't wait for those SSD's though! I have an HP very much like yours and adore every inch of it - what a beautiful machine!

[Sandi Calvert]

Hi Martha,
Congrats on the new MacBook Air.
One question- why do you keep the HP when the Air can run windows under the included program Bootcamp? One uber cool sleek laptop, both platforms.
Sandi

[trudy]

Martha, I'd love one of those new thin Mac's. Sometimes hauling all this heavy equipment drags a girl down. Love that your Sharkey loves to read and write. My dogs, Petey and Baby, prefer to dictate!!!

[Jacqueline]

That's cool that you have a Windows laptop and one running Mac OS. Do you also run Linux?

[Mark De Chene]

Hi, Martha,

Consider using Parallels or Fusion to run Windows and OSX together on the MB Air.
It is very slick, fast, and most efficient vs using two separate physical systems.

Mark

[Bob]

Martha,

Why two laptops? You can run Windows on your Air in one of two methods (or both). You can use Apple's free "Bootcamp" software to reboot your computer in Windows or as an earlier poster suggested VMWare (or Parallels) to run a "virtual Windows" at the very same time as the Mac OS. Good luck.

[guest]

why use HP laptop when you can windows ok mac book air

[R.Craig]

Even better than Boot Camp is Parallels Desktop, where you can run Windows right next to OS X without rebooting.

And using OS X's Spaces feature, you can run Parallels full-screen in its own workspace, and switch from Mac to Windows with just a keystroke!

[Danno Bonano]

Martha,

Bootcamp allows you to run Windows natively (or just like you run it on your HP).

Why not buy another MacBook Air and use Windows on that if you need to?

That way, you have TWO cool looking laptops running side by side and doing what you need each to do.

[Andrew Ritchie]

It's amazing how thin and light and sleek home technology has become.

I think MSL should put out another special issue about "Living with Technology." In fact, I think it should be an annual publication, since it changes so rapidly. Not just profiles on what's what, but how certain software can benefit the homemaker and anyone in the family: email and cellphone etiquette, the most helpful websites AND a preview of the new Marthapedia! Aren't those good ideas? Yes, they are!

Congrats on episode 500! Great show! Clinton does great work.

-Andrew

[Helen]

Dear Martha,

Congratulations on your new Macbook Air!

If you were going to recreate it as a desert, how might you do that? Crepes? Shortbread? The visual pun of an Apple tart? Perhaps you might conjure this up on a future show!

[Trish]

We have an old laptop and my son has 2 but I bet he'd love a third one just like yours. It's a beaut! Please thank Sharkey for the smile she just gave me. God, I love dogs! I also enjoyed the pictures you posted of your gardens yesterday. I hope you will show us a picture of your tulips when they come up. Mine in a planter have sprouted but not the ones in the ground. Trish

[ian]

The best part about running VMWare or Parallels, though, is with Leopard's "Spaces" virtual desktops, I can have Windows running, full-screen, and with a click or keystroke, be back to my Mac apps, and then *whoosh* back to Windows and *whoosh* back to sanity :-p

[John]

Hi Martha,

Using an open source program called Synergy you can use a single keyboard and trackpad to control both computers – so you don't have to keep switching your hands back and forth!

Controlling the other computer is as simple as moving your mouse to the edge of the screen – and presto, it appears on the other desktop.

The best part is that your clipboard is shared too, so cutting and pasting text between machines is effortless!

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

PS Love your cookies.

[Ben Chinn]

If you're using two computers you may want to check out Synergy (http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/). It's a neat little application that allows you to control two or more computers with a single mouse and keyboard. I use it myself to run a Mac and PC side by side.

[Lynne]

"Many of you *have written*...", not "have wrote". God, how unbecoming. Please get some help: this is basic English grammar. Style mavens cannot appear illiterate!

[mike3k]

I find that Windows XP runs a lot faster with Parallels on my MacBook Pro than it does on my old Dell laptop. The coherence mode in Parallels is beautiful. It makes Mac & Windows work together seamlessly.

[Desiree']

Hi Martha,
Congratulations on the 500th show! Your blog is always so interesting and I was thrilled to see you mention your new laptop. I will be considering it since I need a new one! You are so wonderful and I truly thank you for continuing to inspire me to live an organized, beautiful life!
Happy Easter!

[Michel Valdrighi]

Perhaps you should try hooking an external screen to your Macbook Air, if you want to multitask and have everything available to your sight at the same time.
I do that at home (when I carry my Macbook away, the 24" screen sobs alone) and it really turned out to be the best of both worlds: portability, and a comfortable screen when I'm not on the move!

[danembraceddc]

I think you might've missed the point. With Parallels or Fusion you CAN have your email & calendar up and browse the web at the same time, unless your saying you'd rather have them both be full screen, at which point it'd be alot more affordable to just have a 2nd monitor plugged in. Why use two chickens to hatch one egg, you know?

[coyote]

If you use VMware Fusion, you can have Windows 'windows' open alongside Mac windows.

[theresa]

Well hello Martha! I am glad to see you are soo technological! I am not and would like to know if you could dedicate a little techno corner time in your show to help us older ones out. do you know I have never even used a digital camera or even shared a picture. I wish I knew how to do diffent things other than use a word processing program or open an email. I went to the Best Price and I got soo confused I didn't know where to start so I didn't buy a thing. Do I have any hope? Do you have a simple book for simple people in advanced times?

[robin ball]

Paw Paw, we think the Sharkey is trying to find a chow coat on line to order to wear in the snow, you must teach your human to carry them in the snow as ours does. They do not have the heart full of fire as you do. They become ice cubes. We continue to guard the Montana front. Your faithfull daschunds, Baron and Contessa Von Ball.

[Pecos Bill]

Just watch out with the Air..... It so thin and light that you might bury it with papers and toss the whole pile in the trash. That's what a NY writer thinks he did with his.

[Emily A]

Awww, Sharkey is the cutest. I love seeing him in the blog, especially when he pops up in an unexpected place!