Electronics

[Toot1920]

@Mom2Dogs, I use my iPads way more than my MacBook Air. I do everything on my iPads. Pay bills, deposit checks, and so much more. It's easier to just pick and get online. I don't work outside the home, so I don't know what at your needs are. If I had to pick between an iPad and MacBook, I would pick an iPad. As far as I can tell, I can do anything on my iPad that I can do on my MacBook. Good luck on your decision. 

[haddon9]

@Mom2Dogs  I think it's because the Mac Air has a regular full sized keyboard and I find it just easier to use.  I'm on it now. 

I only purchased an iPad because I was going to Fl to sell my mother's condo and I wasn't sure about the WiFi in her condo. I didn't want to bring the MacBook Air because it's a bit larger & heavier and it would just weigh my bags down more.

For portability the iPad is the winner.  I can take it with me in my purse if I'm going somewhere where I'll have to wait, etc.

However the laptop is a regular computer and you don't need an app like you do with a few sites while on a tablet.  I'm not a big fan of apps depending on the circumstances.  Plus my MacBook Air is 11".  It's a large screen but small and light enough to easily carry around the house.

For one thing, coming here to the Q board, I find it much easier to navigate on the MacAir laptop vs. the iPad.  

There are times when I'm checking something out on either my phone or iPad but I can't wait to see the same thing on my laptop which is just easier to navigate in general...just my opinion.

ETA:  I just read the response above me.  Everyone has different preferences and it's interesting to see the different likes.  For me it's the Macbook air.  I think it's also faster than my iPad.  Both are about the same age (2 years) but I can't give you the technical info on them.

[Boehm Collector]

@Mom2Dogs .....I always buy from the Apple Website.  I think I only purchased from a store twice and that was many years ago.  

[Etoile308]

If you have concerns about WiFi, both signal strength and security, one thing nice about Apple tablets is that you can buy models that also include cellular service. 

Of course that requires signing up for that cell service, but I've found there can be very affordable plans.

[Mom2Dogs]

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions.  

For now when I am ready to purchase I will buy another MacBook Air - I use it for work as well as pleasure and I don't want to learn to use a new electronic...maybe when we close our business I will give another thought to an IPad.

thanks!

[Mom2Dogs]

Your mac book should still be suported by apple until at least 2024 and relevant until 2027. 

Can someone tell me what being relevant until 2027 means when it comes to my MacBook Air.  

I found a computer store that can put a new battery in my laptop...I gave him the necessary information about the laptop so when the time came he could order a new battery...the above was his response to me.

Thanks

[gardenman]

"Relevant" likely refers to how long he thinks the current hardware will be able to handle new software. Hardware is constantly evolving and software writers tend to write software for the newer hardware. If you're happy with the software you already have and don't ever plan to add anything new, it's largely immaterial to you. I had an old Windows 95 computer that was still working fine when I finally recycled it a few years ago. I couldn't really add anything new to it, but the old software worked great on it.

Apple is moving everything to their own M series chips. Apple software developers will soon be optimizing software to run on that family of chips. As users abandon older hardware, software developers tend to abandon support for it also. Your old computer, tablet, or phone, can work fine with the stuff already on it, but you can't add newer stuff as the newer software looks for things that your older device doesn't have.

[Mom2Dogs]

@gardenman ...great explanation, thanks.

[Mom2Dogs]

@gardenman     ...what are your thoughts on leaving the laptop plugged in all the time?  

I only leave mine plugged in until fully charged and then unplug.

I plug it back in when I see the battery is about out.  

I have gotten mixed messages from Apple...thanks.

[gardenman]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

@gardenman     ...what are your thoughts on leaving the laptop plugged in all the time?  

I only leave mine plugged in until fully charged and then unplug.

I plug it back in when I see the battery is about out.  

I have gotten mixed messages from Apple...thanks.

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In general, I would do whatever the manufacturer recommends. I have a cheap, older Chromebook that I keep plugged in all the time and it's fine. It may not be ideal for the battery, but it's always ready when I need it.