Some people prefer a tablet or a smartphone as their go-to device. Others stick with a traditional screen and keyboard computer for daily needs.
But if you’re looking for the best of both worlds, check out the latest 13-inch Apple MacBook Air, released last year.
It has stunning high-resolution display. Even small images are razor-sharp. And its True Tone technology further enhances your visual experience by making the screen seem more natural and easier on the eyes. It automatically adjusts the white balance to match the ambient colour temperature of the room.
This model is eco-friendly, with the chassis composed of a strong 100 per cent recycled aluminum, a first for Apple. They’ve made the wedged-shaped MacBook sleeker with thinner borders and by extending the display right to the edge of the glass. This model measures 30.41 cm (11.97 inches) wide, 21.24 cm (8.36 inches) deep, 0.41 to 1.56 cm (0.16 to 0.61 of an inch) high and weighs only 1.25 kg (2.75 pounds). The previous generation is almost 1.2 inches wider and half an inch deeper, and a quarter pound heavier.
It still has a full-sized keyboard with 12 function and four arrow keys, featuring LED-backlit butterfly keys. This gives you a more precise and stable touch. The ambient light sensor makes it easier to type in low-light conditions.
The new track pad is 20 per cent larger, giving you more room to manoeuvre. It’s pressure sensitive and gives you a uniform response, making navigating easy enough that you may never want to use a mouse again.
Gone are all the connectors, which are replaced with two USB-C ports. You can use both to charge your computer or connect other devices like hard drives or a second monitor.
There are also three microphones for better voice reproduction and clarity.
There’s also a standard headphone jack. And the laptop has two built-in stereo speakers that deliver more bass, 25 per cent more volume and better clarity.
Like many smartphones and tablets, MacBook Air also now features a finger-tip-touch ID sensor button. And the computer’s security chip will keep your data safe, secure and encrypted.
It has the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for your wireless connectivity and a FaceTime HD camera for video chats. But be warned if you use ZOOM a lot, the camera is only 720p and fine in good lighting but lacklustre in low lighting conditions.
MacBook Air comes with Apple Mac operating system Catalina 10.15 and partners well with your iPhone. You can send and receive text messages that appear both on your Mac and \iPhone. You can start a text, note, document or email on one Apple device and finish it on another.
MacBook Air also offers a number of accessibility features, including voice control, voice over, text zoom and text to speech. And automation assistant Siri is still there to help you be more productive on your Mac.
The MacBook Air is the ultimate portable for serious work or just plain fun regardless of where you are.
Battery life is rated at up to 13 hours, so you’re good for the day or a very long flight. It comes with a USB-C power adapter and charging cable, as well as a suite of powerful creativity and productivity apps.
Prices start at $1,449 for the 1.6-GHz entry-level model, which comes with a 1.6G-Hz dual-core eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6G-Hz, eight GB of ram and 128 GB of SSD storage.
You can get the MacBook Air in gold, grey and silver at Best Buy, Staples or your local Apple Store.
UPDATE: March 18, 2020.
Apple has just announced 2020 MacBook Air models starting with new lower prices in Canada starting at $1,299. Entry level models start with 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3, Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz, with 4MB L3 cache with 256 SSD and configurable up to 1.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, with 8MB L3 cache up to 2TB SSD storage.
Troy Media columnist Greg Gazin, also known as the Gadget Guy and Gadget Greg, is a syndicated veteran tech columnist, communication, leadership and technology speaker, facilitator, blogger, podcaster and author. Reach him @gadgetgreg or at GadgetGuy.ca.
Syndicated version of article can be found at Troy Media.
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