Everything Apple (the Mac heads thread)

Not sure if there's an 'app' for regular OS but I've just installed Zoho on my iPad and use the online software and find it pretty brilliant.

There is some additional functionality I'd like to see:

You can customise your estimate and invoice file numbering but only across the board (as far as I can tell). I'd like it customised per client so instead of:

INV-150311-001
INV-150311-002
INV-150311-002
I'd like
INV-150311-CLIENTA001
INV-150311-CLIENTB001
INV-150311-CLIENTA002

etc.

You also can't create items (products or services) from the app but need to do it in the browser version.

I haven't yet used the timesheet function but from exploring on the app it seems it doesn't have an inbuilt counter so you need to measure time spent per project separately.

There are some nice metrics available which display earnings and balances per client and owed over a period (e.g. 4000 owed since 5-10 days, 18000 owed since 11-20 days) etc.

There's also a nice expenses function with built in camera for scanning receipts.

Lastly there's a way of connecting various online payment tools like Stripe, Paypal etc.

First 5 customers are free, after that you need to subscribe (around 15 USD per month).

Chromebook >>>>>>

Thunderbolt is a concern. As is the ability to daisy-chain stuff.

Hoping/presuming MBP won't be hobbled this way.

I get that wireless is 'the future' but it ain't there yet and in the meantime some of us have got RAID gear that needs solution. Maybe 3rd party RAID to wireless 'dongle'?

You keep talking about the new Macbook in pro user terms. It's not made for pro users, so there's little point in judging it like a pro machine. And why wouldn't Apple get on the 'netbook' train now that they've started to sort iCloud out?

Just because it's newer, doesn't mean it's better.

Quite right, pro users aren't buying gold laptops, and if they are, they want to have a work with themselves

The one port thing is weird. Asus Zenbook X305 is thinner and has more ports ( 2 USB, 1 SD, Power, Headphone sockets) and is half the price for the same spec. Wonder if it would run a hackintosh if you really need OSX ?

Prob a width thing? It doesn't have edge to edge keyboard

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/03/10/usb-c-12-inch-macbook/ interesting piece about the new usb c port and its potential in the future

Saw this one too and thought the same. At least bang some osx like linux on there like elementary or pear while the hackintosh community catches up.

From what I read, a lot of folk think it is a kludge because Intel have been late on the new Thunderbolt mini connector/port. Expect it to be swapped in on subsequent models apparently.

Slightly gutted they are dropping Magsafe.

In a household full of kids it's saved both our laptops countless times.

@photoben Google Pixel 2 is £800 and faster than the new MacBook (Core i5, 8Gb of RAM), has a better screen than the MacBook (touchscreen, 239 ppi v 227ppi), better battery life than the MacBook (Google says 12 hours but reviewers have got 14, MacBook 9 hours), most reviews say it is subjectively better built and here's the corker: it has TWO USB-C ports on either side, plus two USB 2.0 ports, despite being a machine that is truly designed for the cloud.

Of course it only runs Chrome, so you can undoubtedly do more with the MacBook, but you can do a lot more now with Chrome than you could, including things which solve obvious previous criticisms (Skype, working offline etc). And it weighs a bit more than the MacBook.

Personally I want a nicely built, nicely designed laptop with a good screen, a good keyboard and good battery life for web browsing, emails, that sort of thing. As @kboy says I'm not a pro user. I have a (powerful) desktop Mac for anything like that anyway, it won't be my main machine. So for £250 less than the new MacBook I'm seriously considering the Pixel 2.

@Kirth You can hack the previous model of Pixel to run Linux or Windows 8. I'm now wondering if it would be possible to put OSX on it. Touchscreen Yosemite would be amazing :)

Oh it's been done already on a Lenovo, there you go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kws-AhEgcbw

When I have to replace my air, which is now only used for internet and editing on the fly, I'm tempted too. I imagine by the time that happens Lightroom will run on Chrome OS (adobe are already running a beta), then it'll be very tempting.

They're also selling the Pixel 2 LS which is i7 and 16GB of RAM.

Not sure how many will go on sale, the original Pixel had 85% of production distributed internally it seems.

Right. So do I buy a MacBook, MacBook Air or pixel?

^My version of this, do I push my IT department for the new 12" Retina Macbook or the 11.6" MBA?

It'll be shoved in a bag and taken to meetings, where it will be used to either give a presentation or access our systems in Colorado via VPN.

Cancel that question- MBA is £300 cheaper than the MB. Easy choice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHZ8ek-6ccc

My iPad needs updating to the latest software release but does not have sufficient storage space - I seem to recall someone else having this issue and being given a simple answer with regards to how to reduce the amount of stuff quickly and efficiently, but can't find it - can anyone advise?

Settings->general->usage->storage will show you what's using it up so you can decide what to drop. Installing it from iTunes over usb helps too

Running the update through iTunes instead of wirelessly on the device halves the amount of free space requires to update.

I fired the money gun at it - £2.99/month for 200 Gb of storage, it now seems happy.

Bargain

Ok - So having looked into it, I'm not going for the Macbook.

So base model 13 inch MBP with Retina display and mid-level processor upgrade

or top spec 13 inch Macbook Air with upgrade to i7 and 8gb of ram

For general browsing/work - using in coffee shops etc