I think you're totally on the right track. I switched from PC to Mac about 8 years ago because I got tired of the constant battle vs malware, viruses, etc. plus s/w updates, driver updates, HD defragging & compressing, etc. All of this went away when I moved to Mac. As they say: It just works.

I most recently had a Macbook Pro which I loved, but finally moved to 13" Macbook Air. Now the Pro feels like a big, heavy brick! I love the MBA since I'm out & about a lot, carrying it with me, it's effortless. My Thai wife got my old Macbook Pro, and she made the switch easily. If you can break the mentality of managing folders & files, you'll be fine. Mac kinda hides that file structure from you; you simply manage apps, not folders.

One thought... you might find the 11" MBA a bit confining. My 13" feels full-size to me; I wouldn't want to go smaller. Try it hands-on in store before deciding, especially touch-typing, if that's your thing.

No need to install Windows for most people. The included Mac s/w is pretty good (similar to MS office) but there are some minor compatibility problems. You will be able to open all your existing Word, PPT & Excel files with no problem. The Mac spreadsheet software (Numbers) takes some serious getting used to, but now I'm ok with it. If you like, you can find version of MS Office for Mac (meaning, you don't need to install Windows to run them; they run in Mac OS but are genuine Microsoft products). For the utmost in PC compatibility, you might want to do that.

Keep in mind that IF you install Windows on your beautiful, shiny new Mac, then you are susceptible to all the old Windows problems like Malware when running in Windows mode. When in Mac mode, you really have nothing to fear about viruses, etc.

I'm also thinking of switching to MAC, though the 13". Everyone who uses, or has switched to, one endorses them. Only issue seems to be getting used to the differences?

But you missed an opportunity, just a couple of weeks ago, when the MAC prices were slashed in all shops, by, depending on model, between 3,000 and 4,000 THB. Now back to normal.

I'm also thinking of switching to MAC, though the 13". Everyone who uses, or has switched to, one endorses them. Only issue seems to be getting used to the differences?

But you missed an opportunity, just a couple of weeks ago, when the MAC prices were slashed in all shops, by, depending on model, between 3,000 and 4,000 THB. Now back to normal.

The price cut was most likely due to introduction of new Mac products. They refreshed the Macbook & Macbook Pro line, so cut prices on existing inventory. Compare all their product lines: Macbook Air used to be their cutting-edge product, but now their other Macs have surpassed the Air technology.

There are millions more PC's/Windows machines than Apple not because they're better, but because Apple is one company competing against many and because Apple target the higher end of the market.

I wish I'd switched years before. I didn't because of cost, but once I did I realised it had been a false saving. You get what you pay for and Apple products deserve the extra money. They're built well, look good and are easy to use. The argument from techies that Apple restrict their need to muck about behind the scenes or swap out hardware is fair enough, but most end users don't need or want to do that. Apple products in their standard configuration are more than up to the job for most of us.

If Apple dropped their prices they wouldn't be able to build machines quick enough to meet the demand.

Thanks for replies. MAC is tempting, little worried about devil in details of switching to Apple OS. Old Window files etc. I detest typing on Pads, I need the haptic feel.

MacAir has 2 Pounds, Retina Eye?? Is it really pleasing, not tiring on my own eyes?

Kind of like coming to live in Thailand. There is a bit of a learning curve but once here....well, you can never go totally home again. From my experience, well worth the unlearning of the Windows environment.

Thanks for replies. MAC is tempting, little worried about devil in details of switching to Apple OS. Old Window files etc. I detest typing on Pads, I need the haptic feel.

MacAir has 2 Pounds, Retina Eye?? Is it really pleasing, not tiring on my own eyes?

Kind of like coming to live in Thailand. There is a bit of a learning curve but once here....well, you can never go totally home again. From my experience, well worth the unlearning of the Windows environment.

Haha, well said and correct..

Apple products are like Prada shoes. The name costs a lot. If you care about the price, you can get a similar machine for about 60% of the price of a Mac (ASUS ZenBook UX305, for example), or for the price of a Mac you can get a much better machine. Check our Lenovo especially, or Samsung. You won't be one of the cool kids, but you'll have a lot more money in your jeans than they do.

Wrong. In the long run you will have bought several more of those cheapies while your Mac will still be going strong.

^^^ completely agree, I paid around 30% more for my last Laptop (Alienware M14) which lasted less than 2 years & roughly the same as the MAC pro for the one before that (HP DV8) which lasted less than 18 months.

Anybody managed to solve the "CTRL-Enter" new line in an Excel cell on a MAC running Windows/Office 2010?

Thanks

JB

On a side note, my (kids) nearly new Samsung quad core touch screen was sold at a 40% loss after a few months.

My MacBook Air 11 was sold at a 50% loss....after 5 years...

The macs tend to keep their value incredibly well (to be a computer). The purchase price is only half the equation...

Apple products are like Prada shoes. The name costs a lot. If you care about the price, you can get a similar machine for about 60% of the price of a Mac (ASUS ZenBook UX305, for example), or for the price of a Mac you can get a much better machine. Check our Lenovo especially, or Samsung. You won't be one of the cool kids, but you'll have a lot more money in your jeans than they do.

Bought a Lenovo Thinkpad which had a reassuringly sturdy build but gave up on its constant freezing about two years later. You can probably find it sitting next to the other second-hand Lenovos for sale at TukCom. Traded it in for an Asus, which works but stutters. I think the Sony Vaio does/used to have the reputation of being the quality brand for windows laptops but almost as expensive as Apple? So I'm not impressed re Windows laptops but more than happy over the years with standard windows Tower PCs. Hey I haven't used an Apple since using an Apple IIe oh about a century ago, but with the small stuff, phones, tablets am thinking about crossing the street. Its just those smug Apple users....horrible bunch.

...am thinking about crossing the street. Its just those smug Apple users....horrible bunch.

Reassuringly expensive.

...am thinking about crossing the street. Its just those smug Apple users....horrible bunch.

Reassuringly expensive.

Yup, you can be reassured that most things made by Apple are EXPENSIVE. I sometimes think that it is like womens' cosmetics, charge a high price and people will think it is good

^^^ completely agree, I paid around 30% more for my last Laptop (Alienware M14) which lasted less than 2 years & roughly the same as the MAC pro for the one before that (HP DV8) which lasted less than 18 months.

Anybody managed to solve the "CTRL-Enter" new line in an Excel cell on a MAC running Windows/Office 2010?

Thanks

JB

shift+fn+enter?

...am thinking about crossing the street. Its just those smug Apple users....horrible bunch.

Reassuringly expensive.

Yup, you can be reassured that most things made by Apple are EXPENSIVE. I sometimes think that it is like womens' cosmetics, charge a high price and people will think it is good

Apple does try to get the upper end market.....and had that "Yuppy" image. "I am Special...sit in starbucks and have a cute, ultra thin...just like that girl at the next table:"

Great gifts for Farang wives here. They are symbols...more than anytthing else. I admit, you look upwardly mobile if you have one. Just dress the part.

Most people can do everything they want to do in a web browser.

I expect most Apple users believe this to be true.

Most people can do everything they want to do in a web browser.

I expect most Apple users believe this to be true.

It is. I expect most people over 40 would be surprised by the fact, though.

Most people can do everything they want to do in a web browser.

I expect most Apple users believe this to be true.

I started using Windows before it required a hard disk, you arrogant pup.

^^^ completely agree, I paid around 30% more for my last Laptop (Alienware M14) which lasted less than 2 years & roughly the same as the MAC pro for the one before that (HP DV8) which lasted less than 18 months.

Anybody managed to solve the "CTRL-Enter" new line in an Excel cell on a MAC running Windows/Office 2010?

Thanks

JB

shift+fn+enter?

Doesn't work for me [emoji17]

Ctrl-i

I THE ORIGINAL POSTER did not see this coming, the need for

GENEVA PEACE TALKS

MS versus Apple Users

In the meantime I found a laptop equally estecially appealing like Mac Air , qualitiwise not much worse, I guess

http://tinyurl.com/kmlmoo9

What do you think? Specifications ok?

Ctrl-i

That turns on Italics...

Have tried all of the combo keys & don't know whether I've switched something on/off but Option(Alt) + Enter is working so I'm happy [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

Compare the tech build of the mac compared to any windows PC. Find a comparable match and the windows machine will cost as much if not more.

...am thinking about crossing the street. Its just those smug Apple users....horrible bunch.

Reassuringly expensive.

Yup, you can be reassured that most things made by Apple are EXPENSIVE. I sometimes think that it is like womens' cosmetics, charge a high price and people will think it is good

Match the tech build of a PC, the PC will cost just as much.

...am thinking about crossing the street. Its just those smug Apple users....horrible bunch.

Reassuringly expensive.

Yup, you can be reassured that most things made by Apple are EXPENSIVE. I sometimes think that it is like womens' cosmetics, charge a high price and people will think it is good

Apple does try to get the upper end market.....and had that "Yuppy" image. "I am Special...sit in starbucks and have a cute, ultra thin...just like that girl at the next table:"

Great gifts for Farang wives here. They are symbols...more than anytthing else. I admit, you look upwardly mobile if you have one. Just dress the part.

Match the tech build of a PC, the PC will cost just as much.

Yup, you can be reassured that most things made by Apple are EXPENSIVE. I sometimes think that it is like womens' cosmetics, charge a high price and people will think it is good

Apple does try to get the upper end market.....and had that "Yuppy" image. "I am Special...sit in starbucks and have a cute, ultra thin...just like that girl at the next table:"

Great gifts for Farang wives here. They are symbols...more than anytthing else. I admit, you look upwardly mobile if you have one. Just dress the part.

For example??

Match the tech build of a PC, the PC will cost just as much.

Yup, you can be reassured that most things made by Apple are EXPENSIVE. I sometimes think that it is like womens' cosmetics, charge a high price and people will think it is good

Apple does try to get the upper end market.....and had that "Yuppy" image. "I am Special...sit in starbucks and have a cute, ultra thin...just like that girl at the next table:"

Great gifts for Farang wives here. They are symbols...more than anytthing else. I admit, you look upwardly mobile if you have one. Just dress the part.

For example??

Right - since Sony stopped making VAIO Z's, there is no other notebook comparable in quality to a Macbook

OP - the asus UX305 seems to be fine and similarity specked to a MacBook Air. If you know your way around windows (8.1) and are happy with it, that's your choice. Now good luck finding a keyboard that suits you, though.

Again a tip - if you can't get the KB version you want new, asus told me (many years ago) they'd accept to change keyboard config once for a new laptop. After purchasing my asus laptop with an undesired keyboard, I called their service center who ordered the right country keyboard and changed it, for a nominal fee (corresponding to around 1500฿). I had to bring it there, they did the transplant as I waited (they were happy to keep the other keyboard as a spare part). And no, it was not in LOS....

Finally, maybe I'm beating a dead chicken, but one poster wrongly stated that the MacBooks don't have any audio input. Wrong wrong wrong...

Any newer MacBook can easily use an standard iPhone compatible headset for recording, using that headsets microphone.

However, there is also a feature that lets you swap audio direction and use the output for input;

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/record-through-your-macbooks-headphone-jack/

However, any serious recording will be done over an USB port...

Most people can do everything they want to do in a web browser.

I expect most Apple users believe this to be true.

I started using Windows before it required a hard disk, you arrogant pup.

Just a young kid on the block then? I did my dissertation using punched cards.

I seriously doubt half the software I use for work on my laptop workstation some of which only sell on a windows platform and share data with others in my workplace, have any need for a web browser of Apple o/s.

Most people can do everything they want to do in a web browser.

I expect most Apple users believe this to be true.

I started using Windows before it required a hard disk, you arrogant pup.

Just a young kid on the block then? I did my dissertation using punched cards.

I seriously doubt half the software I use for work on my laptop workstation some of which only sell on a windows platform and share data with others in my workplace, have any need for a web browser of Apple o/s.

Clearly you're not 'most people', then.

Most people can do everything they want to do in a web browser.

I expect most Apple users believe this to be true.

I started using Windows before it required a hard disk, you arrogant pup.

Just a young kid on the block then? I did my dissertation using punched cards.

I seriously doubt half the software I use for work on my laptop workstation some of which only sell on a windows platform and share data with others in my workplace, have any need for a web browser of Apple o/s.

You used punch cards with windows?.

I was referring to all browsers, not just Apple.

Of course, businesses need specialized software. Get real!