Tablets and Functionality

[brabus]

I have used VMware Fusion for the windows stuff on my Macbook Air (just google it); definitely recommend it as I've had zero issues for a couple years and it's very easy to use. It's very similar to Parallels from what I've seen on a friend's computer...you probably can't go wrong with either. I just use Win 7 on that when I need to use all the AF secure websites with CAC and Internet Explorer or Lotus.

Edited September 16, 2014 by brabus

[17D_guy]

I have used VMware Fusion for the windows stuff on my Macbook Air (just google it); definitely recommend it as I've had zero issues for a couple years and it's very easy to use. It's very similar to Parallels from what I've seen on a friend's computer...you probably can't go wrong with either. I just use Win 7 on that when I need to use all the AF secure websites with CAC and Internet Explorer or Lotus.

This was also my preferred method. Parallels just didn't work well for me when trying to do AF/Windows stuff.

You can attempt to do it free with WINE (http://wiki.winehq.org/MacOSX) if you feel like spending more time trying to get it to work.

Note - I couldn't.

[JS]

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_air/11

11 inch MacBook air entry level refurb starting at $750. That is only overpriced compared to an 11" Asus at WalMart.

So I am getting a little more serious about taking the Macbook Air plunge. I stopped by the BX today, and they have the 4GB RAM/256 GB SSD version for $1189, which is only $150 more than the refurbished one on this link. That probably makes it close to a wash after taxes. The downside about the BX is that they apparently don't have the option to get the 8GB RAM or the 512 GB SSD hard drive. Just to clarify, it is not possible to add/remove RAM or hard drives from the Macbook Air due to everything being soldered to the motherboard, right? I am just trying to figure out if I need the extra RAM and SSD or not.

Also, do most people really have the protection plan thing? I am a strong believer that virtually all insurance/warranty/protection plans - especially on electronics - are major scams. Especially after you do the math. At a glance, it looks like Apple wants to get about 1/4 of the total price of the laptop in exchange for a 3 year warranty thing. The math seems pretty stiff to me - is there really greater than a 1 in 4 chance that this thing will shit the bed on me in three years? Something tells me that Apple, like the cell phone companies, have already crunched the numbers on this and know for a fact that the failure/replacement rates for these things is much, much lower than that, thus they are pocketing most of the premiums that they take in.

[Mark1]

So I am getting a little more serious about taking the Macbook Air plunge. I stopped by the BX today, and they have the 4GB RAM/256 GB SSD version for $1189, which is only $150 more than the refurbished one on this link. That probably makes it close to a wash after taxes. The downside about the BX is that they apparently don't have the option to get the 8GB RAM or the 512 GB SSD hard drive. Just to clarify, it is not possible to add/remove RAM or hard drives from the Macbook Air due to everything being soldered to the motherboard, right? I am just trying to figure out if I need the extra RAM and SSD or not.

Also, do most people really have the protection plan thing? I am a strong believer that virtually all insurance/warranty/protection plans - especially on electronics - are major scams. Especially after you do the math. At a glance, it looks like Apple wants to get about 1/4 of the total price of the laptop in exchange for a 3 year warranty thing. The math seems pretty stiff to me - is there really greater than a 1 in 4 chance that this thing will shit the bed on me in three years? Something tells me that Apple, like the cell phone companies, have already crunched the numbers on this and know for a fact that the failure/replacement rates for these things is much, much lower than that, thus they are pocketing most of the premiums that they take in.

All insurance is a bad deal for the consumer. It wouldn't exist if that weren't the case. You should only insure something that would be financially catastrophic to have to absorb the loss of yourself. Very few things fall into that category. This isn't one of them.

The only other cases where insurance would be a good option is if the insurance provider had done a shitty risk assessment in favor of the consumer and you somehow knew better, or if you knew that you had a higher risk of failure than their average customer because of how you planned on using the thing (terms of service probably protect the company from having to pay under that circumstance) .

In this case, they have all the data, you have none, and I guarantee there's a huge margin for them on top of their break-even assessment. It's a sucker bet.

[Champ Kind]

If you have USAA, look into their electronics coverage in their valuable property protection. Inexpensive and great coverage, especially for multiple items.

[Dukeorions]

I'm deployed right now and received a Kindle Fire in a care package. After getting it all set up the AF WiFi and linking my amazon prime account I go to pull up a streaming movie and it plays for about a second before a pop up comes on screen saying the selection cannot be played due to geographic restrictions. So, Amazon, a deployed member of the military cannot stream Dexter in Afghanistan because why?

[ThreeHoler]

Recommend you ask Google about "Kindle Fire VPN."

[JS]

All insurance is a bad deal for the consumer. It wouldn't exist if that weren't the case. You should only insure something that would be financially catastrophic to have to absorb the loss of yourself. Very few things fall into that category. This isn't one of them.

The only other cases where insurance would be a good option is if the insurance provider had done a shitty risk assessment in favor of the consumer and you somehow knew better, or if you knew that you had a higher risk of failure than their average customer because of how you planned on using the thing (terms of service probably protect the company from having to pay under that circumstance) .

In this case, they have all the data, you have none, and I guarantee there's a huge margin for them on top of their break-even assessment. It's a sucker bet.

Wow, you summed up my exact thoughts very succinctly. Not to totally derail this thread, but I have had many a deep conversation, over many a bourbon or beer, about how dumb all of these petty insurance things are. I always say, if it is not preceded by life, house, or car (if your car is worth more than you can afford to replace it), then you are throwing away your money. By definition, you have enough money to self-insure all these things without having to pad someone else's pockets. I am always astounded at how some of my smartest friends who clearly understand math, one with a Master's in operations research, argue vehemently about how cell phone insurance is somehow good. He, and many other smart people, always seem to come back to the argument that they (or their wives, more often) are an above average risk to losing their phones, and somehow they are going to come out ahead with the insurance scam. Ha ha.

During said arguments, I would always throw out rough numbers like "they probably price these scams so that for every dollar they bring in, they probably pay out $.50 to ensure they have a hefty profit margin." Well, a few months back, Clark Howard said he had read some research that the average payout that the cell phone companies and Best Buy makes on these warranty/insurance scams is something like 9 cents for every dollar they rape the public out of with these gimmick coverages. UFB! That is the business to be in.

[17D_guy]

Wow, you summed up my exact thoughts very succinctly. Not to totally derail this thread, but I have had many a deep conversation, over many a bourbon or beer, about how dumb all of these petty insurance things are. I always say, if it is not preceded by life, house, or car (if your car is worth more than you can afford to replace it), then you are throwing away your money. By definition, you have enough money to self-insure all these things without having to pad someone else's pockets. I am always astounded at how some of my smartest friends who clearly understand math, one with a Master's in operations research, argue vehemently about how cell phone insurance is somehow good. He, and many other smart people, always seem to come back to the argument that they (or their wives, more often) are an above average risk to losing their phones, and somehow they are going to come out ahead with the insurance scam. Ha ha.

During said arguments, I would always throw out rough numbers like "they probably price these scams so that for every dollar they bring in, they probably pay out $.50 to ensure they have a hefty profit margin." Well, a few months back, Clark Howard said he had read some research that the average payout that the cell phone companies and Best Buy makes on these warranty/insurance scams is something like 9 cents for every dollar they rape the public out of with these gimmick coverages. UFB! That is the business to be in.

So first.. I need to cancel my cell phone insurance. Stupid me. I got it when phones cost more and I was in the middle of a divorce and couldn't afford to drop the $ on another smart phone. Hell.. probably shouldn't have gotten it in the first place.

Second, I did get AppleCare. Cost... $300+. I've had work done costing over a $1k. I walk into an apple store, say what's wrong, they look up to see if it's under warranty and take it away to fix it. I might have signed one form. Comes back working and clean.

I drop my laptops. However, it was the wireless card that died with another issues I can't remember. Perhaps related to the dropping. So, it is the one gadget insurance purchase I do and encourage others to do. As always YMMV. I will be getting it again if I get another MacBook. If I get something else, probably not since it won't be as expensive/expected to last as long.

My wife also kills her laptops. I don't know how, they just stop working at some point. I'm comm and she's the worst customer I have...

[HossHarris]

I was in the middle of a divorce .... My wife also ...

Didn't learn your lesson the first time around, eh?

[stract]

if you buy a MBA or rMBP 2013, you absolutely need to max out the RAM, as you won't be able to do that later. The reason the Macs are more expensive is that they last longer! Doing the math, you would ultimately spend the same amount on Windows machines over the longer period of time that your Mac remains in good working order. Maxing out the RAM "future-proofs" your laptop. I have a mid 2013 rMBP (13") with 16 GB RAM and the 512 GB SSD. May sound like overkill right now, but I plan to hold onto this laptop for a loooong time.

Apple also offers a govt discount, and that's how I bought my laptop.

[JS]

Is the discount on top of the already pretty good prices at the BX or at AAFFES.com?

[17D_guy]

Didn't learn your lesson the first time around, eh?

Sucker for hot blondes, what can I say. Plus, this one's nice to me.

[stract]

Is the discount on top of the already pretty good prices at the BX or at AAFFES.com?

Have you compared AFFES prices to the Apple . com govt store?

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Edited September 27, 2014 by stract

[HossHarris]

Sucker for hot blondes, what can I say. Plus, this one's nice to me.

For now

[matmacwc]

Have you compared AFFES prices to the Apple . com govt store?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It all seems the same in the end.