My new laptop has a shiny screen, and I was shocked to find that it doesn't bother me. CA tried to show me how annoying such screens are by making it catch glare in various ways, and it just wouldn't. So maybe mine is special and new and improved.
Shiny screens don't bother me, but I am currently looking for an ultralight, low-cost laptop, and you wouldn't believe how picky I am about keyboards. Ugh.
1: My experience as well (and I was very skeptical), I think they have improved over the last several years. Last laptop ordered in the family, over my misgivings, was a shiny (I think it was either cheaper or a better available size or something). It has subsequently been used outside and in a variety of light conditions and has done just fine.
ultralight, low-cost
It's mostly one or the other, isn't it?
re: 2
I have occasionally mused on getting an EEE. I'm not sure if the small screen res would be deal-breaker, though. Although the newly announced larger EEE might work.
I've been intrigued by the EEE, but I'm trying to get my hands on one so I can see what the keyboard is like. And the HP 2133 is going to be 9'' with a nearly full-size keyboard and it launches next week.
I have a laptop now, and it's okay, except that it's nearly eight pounds which doesn't sound like much but is a pain.
Yeah, the 9" EEE is more interesting to me than the 7. They do seem, from playing with one in a shop, to have quite small keyboards, but I'm not sure if that'd be a deal breaker for me.
The HP looks nice in pictures.
Obligatory MacBook Air sales pitch.
Don't have two grand lying around. A friend has one though, and damn.
I thought they were only one grand?
I thought wrong, in that case.
They are awesome, though.
I do strongly recommend test-driving the EEE before buying. An acquaintance got tasked with using one for a few days to review it for future use in his workplace and IIRC one reason he recommended against it was the keyboard. I just emailed him to get his random-ass opinion.
Yeah, the trouble is finding one to play with. Best Buy is supposed to have them this week, but they apparently operate according to the policy that if they actually tell people when products will be in store, they might purchase them.
... and then they wouldn't be in store anymore.
14: They are awesome, though.
Who wouldn't want one, they can fit inside manila envelopes!
When I first saw one in person, my excitement and amazement of being able to actually put it in a manila envelope was way greater than I had expected.
I mean, not $1800 greater, but damn. Those things are cool.
Plus, you can get a manila envelope sleeve for it.
That was indeed a smart demonstration by Apple, because that was my reaction, too. "Quick, let's get a manila envelope from the secretary! Let's put it in!"
Of course, Bluemchen, $1800 is too expensive, especially when one has research assistants to haul around one's desktop and clean beach sand from its ports.
That Timbuk2 sleeve is super obnoxious.
As an AAAS member, I get discounts at the Apple store (5-10%, $100 on an Air.) However, they never actually verify that I'm a member, so I think anyone can use it.
Depending on your state sales tax, you may be better off buying through Amazon, where the sales tax savings is more than the Apple store discount. Of course, you all did report your tax-free internet purchases and paid state sales tax when you filed yesterday, right?
22: It's tough though when Blume keeps sloshing her maitai onto the keyboard. Lucky for her she is rich and can just keep getting new ones.
I just bought a blackberry and a 500G external hard drive!! Yea for me!!
26: Seems like lugging around that big drive would obviate the portability of the Blackberry.
Lucky for her she is rich and can just keep getting new ones
And beautiful, so sometimes the clerks don't even make her pay for them.
Don't be ridiculous, KR. She doesn't descend to go to the store. She sends one of her RAs.
On the original topic: my recollection is that Apple resisted the glossy screens for a long time, and only switched a year or so ago.
29: So that's like, what? One noodly Jerry solo?
I mock because I love. Not your or the Dead, of course. My sister. Who became a big Deadhead (OK, not follow-the-band big) after I gave her tix for her birthday some 20 years ago - what a good kid brother am I.
29: I think Will is the pseud of one of my brothers -- so many shows, so many patchouli-scented hard drives.
31: I think Macs let you pick glossy or matte? On most of the laptops, anyway. The Air is glossy only.
I don't have a strong perference, but what is alleged to be the virtue of the glossy screens?
I'm pretty sure it's only the MBP that gives you the matte option. Maybe the black MB, too.
I prefer matte, too, but in practice all laptop screens suck so badly in bright situations that I don't think it matters too much.
I don't understand why this is the case, either -- I thought transflective screens were going to let us all compute from sunny seaside cabanas. This future sucks.
any informed guesses on when the next (updated, improved) version of mac air is going to come out from Apple??
35, 37: And blacker blacks, I think.
Under the right lighting, shiny screens kick ass on matte. But the right lighting - especially for a laptop - is pretty rare.
And blacker blacks, I think.
I wouldn't know, as I don't see race.
what is alleged to be the virtue of the glossy screens?
Higher contrast, crisper colors. And that's true, in my experience. I don't use mine outside, so I have no complaints, but the few times there's been a lot of light about, I could see that it might be a problem.
38: Are there any glaring shortcomings? Those might be fixed this summer. Otherwise, expect it to come after a full year.
This is based only on observing Apple product release tendencies, but they're pretty consistent.
Ah, okay. I'd noticed that my glossy-screen laptop has a crisper display, but I was comparing it to matte screens that were 5+ years old, so I couldn't tell whether it was the gloss or the newness.
38, 42: Checking the macrumors.com Buyer's Guide, I see that they won't predict updates for the Air ("No Historical Data"), but the update cycle for the MacBooks and MacBook Pros (MacBooks Pro?) is about 190 days (those are usually small updates, however).
41: Less accurate colors, too. Or so the nerds on Slashdot claim. Speaking of which, much more here.
43: That may have a lot to do with the backlight. CCFLs get significantly dimmer over the years. Hopefully this will be less of a problem now that everybody's switching to LED backlighting.
Speaking of which, much more here.
Thanks, never would have found that otherwise.
Oh /. It only takes 4 comments to get to the misogyny.
Ah, fuck. I swear I previewed, did a "view source" and searched for "slashdot". And yet, still an idiot.
Hey, at least you didn't say "you're welcome."
48: Actually 6. I hate nested comments.
48: Oh, I get it "slashdot", at first I thought you were referring to your #4 here: "crampy keyboards" indeed.
re: 45
I'd want to see more evidence for that than 'some bloke thinks so'.
Part of my day job involves colour accuracy in digital imaging workflows, and there's a bit more to assessing/calibrating monitor colour accuracy than 'it looks wrong to me'.
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Did anyone see this article in the Hill about Lieberman? So annoying. Allegedly, Reid has promised Joe that he will get to keep his Seniority even if there are more Democratic Senators. Even if Lieberman speaks at the Republican Convention. I loathe him.
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Shit, I hit post and realized that I'd invaded Becks's post. Sorry, Becks. Still, maybe we could get Clinton to be majority leader and dump Reid.
I'm going to cross post that comment in the conservative blogosphere post. Please ignore it here.
53: some other folks in that thread who make the claim sound a bit more authoritative, and at least allude to the calibration process. But if you're doing that kind of work you're probably making your purchase on the basis of criteria more important than glossy/matte.
Handy tip: if you have an older MacBook, you can upgrade RAM really cheaply (I'm guessing partly because buyers of new ones are upgrading with third-party RAM, so there's a lot of factory-installed chips on the market). I just picked up 2G for 20 bucks.
SP reminds me to remind Cala that she should get the 10% educational discount if she buys a computer from Apple. Which still leaves it pretty expensive, but if she waits for a sales tax holiday and knocks over a bank on the way to the store...
re: 57
To be honest, when we made our purchases, we just went with what a couple of different specialist suppliers recommended as 'colour accurate' monitors. We do go in for regular and extensive calibration and profiling, though.
59 is true. But it is sometimes worth it to check Amazon, too, where one won't pay tax and can usually pick up a $100 rebate.
maybe we could get Clinton to be majority leader and dump Reid.
I've been all in favor of this plan, but the CW now is that so many Senators have endorsed Obama that they would fear HRC being Majority Leader over them ("So, Teddy, how about Chairman of the Senate Toilet Cleaning Committee?"). I don't know how real that is, but it sure makes some sense.
But I swear, I won't say anything else on the subject.
I'm going to cross post that comment in the conservative blogosphere post.
Hey! That's my thread!
59, 61: Obligatory refurb sales pitch.
59- I forgot that I'm an academic now too. Which discount is better depends on the product- Air is $8 less with AAAS, Macbook is $34 less with academic.
We've got a 7" EEE - it *is* small, but C uses it for working at home and doesn't seem to have a problem. The kids like it a lot too, to the extent that we're considering not putting in the expenses claim (C supposedly got it for work) and keeping it for them. (Not that we really need it.)
And on a completely unrelated note - I heard today that apparently one's clitoris can either be an innie or an outie. How, I don't know.
Huh. Maybe it's outie and really outie? Apparently some women have enlarged clitorises (what's the plural? is this an i-stem? clitorides?) that, you know, extend. I think testosterone can do this?
67--The trans guy who was on Oprah, because he's having a baby said that one's clitoris grows a lot after testosterone treatment. He said that he uses his for intercourse with his wife.
w-lfs-n, 66-67 is your cue to plug the e-mail address again.
We've got a 7" EEE - it *is* small, but C uses it for working at home and doesn't seem to have a problem.
If you're reading the thread backwards at this point, this sentence is an eyebrow-raiser.
I heard today that apparently one's clitoris can either be an innie or an outie.
There have got to be some readers who have seen enough of them to know. Mineshaft?
The last taboo subject: even the reliably-scurrilous Unfogged commenters wouldn't touch it. Tomorrow on Fox News!
I want "outie" defined. Or "innie." The wikipedia page -- oh yes, and I was right about clitorides and oh yes, there are photos -- uses the word "button" and that seems more or less apt. So is this "innie-outie" distinction saying that some women have no external "button" or that some women's clitorides descend past the labia?
Has ogged taught you all nothing about the English language?
There have got to be some readers who have seen enough of them to know.
I think it is safe to say that just because you've seen one does not mean that you've seen them all.
Also, on topic, female spider monkeys are distinct outies.
Moreover, as oudemia's brother, I can disclose which one oudemia is if you pay my $10.00.
Moreover, as oudemia's brother, I can disclose which one oudemia is if you pay my $10.00.
You looked at your sister naked? Up close? Ewwww! You're a freak! Will likes looking at his naked sister, Will likes looking at his naked sister!
[pause]
How about $5.00 and you can have my comic books?
How about $5.00 and you can have my comic books?
Either you have cash flow problems or you have some really sucky comic books.
73: I'm going to guess it refers to whether the clitoris is fully within the clitoral hood or not. Some women's clitorises do extend a couple inches or more past the labia, but this occurs mostly (I think) in hermaphrodites or women who one suspects may have artificially elevated levels of testosterone (cf. Chyna, late of the WWF).
79: or Kornelia Ender to reference a sport that Ogged can relate to.
81: did she make a sex tape, too?
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.*
*Does not apply if you subsequently windsurf or become a metrosexual or other kind of liberal.
1. 80->76.
2. Are oudemia and Will actually siblings, or did I just miss the joke?
3. Heh. As I neared the end of 79 I thought, "Like Chyna!" Thenn, there it was, right at the end of the comment.
Apo made me laugh.
So, Apo, if will and I were really siblings who checked out each other's packages, don't you think you would have heard about it already?
are you saying that I am not good enough to be your brother?!??!
I like stinky cheese!
I like stinky cheese!
Someone needs to step in here and defend the honor of oudemia's cooch.
oudemia is kind of pissed off.
will is referring to a picture on my flickr page, but of course in this context . . .
defend the honor of oudemia's cooch.
And Oudemia's cooch shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us within Oudemia's cooch.
Better'n being pissed on.
That might depend on who's pissing.
Roland Matthes (the East German "Mark Spitz" of backstroke) who is now a self-righteous asshole big critic of doping and the crass commercialism of swimming, on his marriage (now divorced) to Kornelia Ender
When asked how he could not know, seeing how he married East German star, and doping victim, Kornelia Ender he responded, "It might sound stupid now, but when you spend that much time in the company of girls who look like that, you find it normal. I saw many examples of masculine women, and when you spend enough time cordoned off with a small group of people, training morning, noon and night, well ... after a while, you're bound to find one of them attractive".
66: Thanks for the eee information, asilon. There's a lot about it on the internet, but sometimes trying to glean information about computers from forums of geeks is....
like....
oh, so many ways to finish this.
very hard because you suspect at all times they're blinded by partisanship.
There's a lot about it on the internet, but sometimes trying to glean information about computers from forums of geeks is [ see above ]
I thought the point of the shiny screens is that somehow they save energy or something.
Also, the clitoris is not a button. It extends back into the body; only the tip protrudes. It's more like a little breadstick or something.
KobeMy acquaintance reports, correcting a memory error of mine: "I wouldn't want one as my primary laptop but for something to do email and surf and stuff on the go (it even comes with skype) you can't go wrong." He also says, "the only issue I've had was that at first the keyboard took a bit of getting used to because it's a bit small for my fingers. I also switched their 'easy' desktop to a real KDE desktop. For most people the 'easy' one is probably fine. The wifi on it works better than the airport extreme card in my powerbook. It's also got ethernet, 3 USB ports and an SD card slot. For $350, what's not to love?" His only real warning is "physically check one out first," on account of tiny keys.
He said that of the EEE, of course, not the clit.
took a bit of getting used to because it's a bit small for my fingers.
Also true of the clit.