First things first, I completely agree with Mike Curtis, that the MacBook Air isn’t for us. Except that….
Excuse me while I hit the way-back machine and meander down memory lane to the days of yore, when if you wanted a great NLE machine, it made sense to make that machine, your only machine. If you planned to do any business, script writing, Quickbooks, spreadsheets, well then you must have another machine my friend, as the NLE will likely crash if things aren’t just so. Perhaps you remember those days? Or perhaps you’re lucky enough to only live using a new MacBook Pro (or insert top of the line PC here), with the latest Office, Logic Pro, FCP Studio, After Effects, Photoshop, InDesign, etc. I could go on and on, but you get the point. Today’s top end PC or Mac could run a small country, and at the same time, slice bread, produce the next Grammy-winning album, er CD, er, MP3, oh – and concurrently output the next top grossing feature film. Perhaps I want my ultra-portable computer to write scripts, handle my day to day email on the road and not have to worry about lugging around my editing machine, when maybe my next trip is finding the right client, not editing on the airplane.
Bear with me here….
I’m on a roll….
I have an iPhone and an iPod. Why? I think because I like the ability to have all of my music with me all the time. Perhaps just in case I become stranded on a deserted island and never have to make that choice, you know – “which song would I want to listen to over and over on a deserted island?”. But I use my iPhone as a phone, an email device, a browser, and more. Oh Yeah it plays music videos too. I often use that ability to keep the kids happy when they’re bored and we’re in the car. I feel the same way sometimes about my computers.
So, what does all of this have to do with professional video? The intent of the MacBook Air is not to edit video. The intent of the Air, as I understand it, is for the business person. The traveler. The person who needs something light, portable, and let’s say it, cool. Lest ye think I am a Mac fanboy, I am, but I own more PC’s than Macs, and often edit on my Lenovo T61p (4 gigs ram, etc) using Premiere Pro. However, I like the Air. I travel way too much. I like having a Mac when I travel. Will I edit on the Mac? No. I’ll write stories, scripts, update websites, and handle the business aspects of life and, um, business. Do I wish the Air had the guts to handle video? No! The screen’s too small for that. Gimme the 17″ or heck I’ll wait until I get home and edit on my Mac Pro.
So I bought the Air. “Hello my name is Scott and I’m an early adopter”. Perhaps the above is my way of justifying it to myself and my coworkers. Don’t laugh guys! Perhaps it’s because I’m a gadget guy? Perhaps it’s because I’ve sold my 17″ MBP, and 13″ MB and now all I’m doing is waiting for the new MBP (can you say end of February?). In the meantime, I am enjoying this new – business machine – for handling the writing, the quickbooks, and the web work. I’m really, really enjoying the Lenovo to edit with. Who knew Lenovo made such a nice machine and great keyboard? I’m also waiting, checkbook in hand for the new MacBook Pros. Then we can talk about video editing. Now I need to remember this is a business, and despite how much fun it is to edit and be creative, I need to earn a living as well. If only to pay for my toys.