I know this has been talked about before. But I'm considering going to a MAC Airbook. Anybody have any thoughts in regards to intergration with VIPS, the "green screen" etc at purple? Any trouble areas?

THX
AK

 

AG,
I went the MacBook Pro route last year and I'm not real impressed. It's still glitchy and I haven't been able to use windows parallel for a while now. I've given up on using the green screen until I get home and use the good old PC.

I know it has boot camp installed, but they advertised with parallels that it would work just fine. Not so...

 

I'm not at FDX so I have no idea about that stuff but I've got the MB Air and love it. It's my second Mac. FWIW.

 

I would bought the 13 inch MacBook Pro. I choose it over the Air because it seemed sturdier. The case is machined out of one block of aluminum and any other laptop feels cheap to me now. It is faster than the Air and only slightly bigger.

 

Gator,

I'm a long time Mac fan and I purchased a MacBook Air soon after they came out. I wish I'd waited ... for you non-Mac folks, the "Air" is the new light weight ultra thin (fits in an envelope) product from Apple.

- One of the ways they make it so thin and light is to not include a DVD drive. You have almost no choice but to purchase the Apple "Air" external DVD drive ($99 list price). Actually there are choices but ... (if you end up buying one, I have an extra, second, DVD drive I'll make you a good deal on).

- It also has no Ethernet (i.e. Internet cable in hotel rooms) port, I had to buy a USB/Ethernet cable (Apple list price ~$25). I was surprised it wasn't as easy as Apple's usual plug and play, I had to do some Internet searches to find a driver before I could use an Ethernet cable.

I'm using the Leopard operating system and all the p.f.c functions seem to work fine (disclaimer: I almost always do my expense reports while transiting a FDX facility and I'm not certain all the expense report links function properly). I also use VMWare Fusion w/Windows XP to access the old "green screen" functions, they work fine also.

One last thought ... I'm having trouble getting connected to the FDX wireless system with my MacBook Air (my old PowerBook still connects just fine). I know there was some sort of management communication saying they were taking the wireless access away but there are numerous guys (including Mac users) using it every night in the MEM AOC.

In retrospect, I wish I'd waited a few more months and purchased a 13" MacBook Pro (there wasn't a 13" MBP at the time. MacMall.com has them listed for $1114) and avoided some of the MBA issues.

Regards ... Mark

 

AG, here's my 2 cents on the Mac setup for use with the company computers.

As previously stated, the new MAC OS X version is not the same screen setups for configuring the wireless in AOC and some ramps. I have tried, but been unsuccessful.

Green Screen can be accessed two different ways: First, buy Parallels and a copy of Windows XP. This way you can load and run windows while the Mac is running. You can only access the Green Screen via a Windows platform. Second, you can use Boot Camp, comes with your Mac. I've always used Parallels and it works fine, and its FAST.

VIPS use is pretty smooth on the Mac, except for Expense reports and flight releases, not to say that it doesn't work, it just has some screen formatting issues. Flight Releases are not supported with Safari or Firefox. I use Firefox and it works fine, just have to scroll around a bit more.

BidX works great on the Mac, and the import calendar function works great with iCal on the Mac.

My Macbook Pro 13" is only a couple months old and I love it. I had a larger Macbook Pro before it and it worked fine as well. PLenty of processing power and it's a Mac, what else can I say.

Hope this helps, happy to answer any more q's if they come up.

supercub out.

 

In reference to MaydayMark's post, I'm guessing Apple added a driver for the USB/Ethernet port because I had the typical Apple plug/play experience with mine. I have a later version of the MBA. As mentioned, the optical drive could be an issue but it depends on the owner. I don't watch many movies and don't own any DVD's so I don't really need it. If I have a dead head, I'll just pay the $3.99 and rent a movie from iTunes (download). Also, if you have any other computer (even PC) in your household, you can use that optical drive and the Remote Disc program on the MBA. I store mine in my PNT bag in the flat front panel that most people keep the USA Today. The 13" MBP doesn't fit there, even though it's only slightly bigger.

 

Depends which side of the console you're sitting on.

 

Lifelong Mac user here and I see-sawed back and forth between an Air and a MacBook Pro. When the new 13" MacBook Pro's came out I waited for them to start appearing online in the Apple store refurbished section for about 15% off. That's where I've purchased all my Macs/iPods over the years.

The 13" Pro works great and saves me about 2 lbs from my previous 15" MacBook Pro that is now retired to home use only. I know a bunch of guys who have the old white/black MacBooks and they seem to satisfy their computing needs on the road. I would suggest looking at the brand new MacBook's with the unibody construction too.

I don't mess with the green screen, period. VIPS works great, BidX is the BOMB!, and I do my expense reports on Fred's time and dime using the computers in AOC/any ramp.

Been running Snow Leopard now for about a month and it's very fast, boots up in a click, and haven't had any issues with it. Haven't tried to connect in the AOC lately, had heard the same rumor that the entire wireless network was going to be taken down because of firewall/hacking issues.

 

As far s Mac v PC...I switched a to a MacAir when it first came out and have NO regrets at all. There definitely was a learning curve involved but still very happy I do not have the headaches of dealing with a PC.

The MacAir isn't for everyone but for all the traveling we do it is simply the best as far as portability. I have no problems with expense reports or flight plan releases with FireFox, very simply. I use to be able to access the Green Screen with a program call Flip-for-Mac but after the company changed the bit encryption I no longer can.

As far the USB port goes I've never had trouble connecting to the internet (with the pigtail of course) and bought a 4 port splitter ($9.95 eBay) and can connect to the internet, use my external HD, charge my phone and connect my camera all at the same time.

You can go on and on about pro's and con but for me personally I give my MacAir two big thumbs up.