Apple: A New Era in Tech

So maybe you didn't catch Apple's latest release: the NEW MacBook Air. Now some of you may remember the "old" MacBook Air from the '08 original release (the first Mac to feature the "unibody" aluminum enclosure that's Mac-standard now). 

So what's the big deal? You may be wondering. The big deal is that this Air is even lighter and more functional than it's predecessor. Oh, and it's about $400 cheaper. Apple addressed a few of the bigger issues with the previous Air (only 1 USB slot, so-so battery-life, poor graphics processor, price) and then released this new one with the following slogan: "the future of the notebook." 

One of their biggest moves with the Air is eliminating a physical Solid-State Hard-Drive and instead simply putting the sticks of "Solid-State" onto the logic board (like they do with the iPod, iPhone, & iPad). Although this now creates a problem if you ever wanted to "upgrade" you hard-drive capacity, it makes it possible for the Air to be even lighter, even more efficient and even smaller (all things Apple, and I'd say the "general public", want).

One detail that was brought to my attention was the simple fact that the white MacBook is $999 (2.4GHz core2duo, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, 320M NVIDIA integrated video, 13" screen) and 4.7lbs. Where as $999 with the Air gets you (1.4GHz core2duo, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, 230M NVIDIA integrated graphics 11" screen) and 2.3lbs. and for a mere $200 more you get 128GB of hard drive space, same weight. 

So for $1199 you can get pretty much the same thing, with a 50% weight reduction. 

My BIGGEST warning to those who are looking into buying an Air is this: do NOT buy it if you're planning on it being your only computer. If you're the proud owner of an iMac, MacMini or the mighty MacPro, why wouldn't this be your next notebook computer?? But if you're like the majority of people out there, your notebook is your ONLY computer.      

Apple's boldest move is what they're REALLY trying to do. They're telling us, "if you buy ALL of our products (iMac, iPhone, iPod Nano, MacBook Air, iPad, AppleTV, TimeCapaule, MobileMe) you'll be set." This is a bold statement, but I honestly believe that they're right. But only if you're willing to make the investment (and meet the criteria for the use of all of it).

All of Apple's products work beautifully and harmoniously with each other. No other brand's products work as well together as Apple's. This is the biggest appeal of their hidden claim that "you should buy all of their products and your life will just be better, easier, simpler, more connected, more in sync." 

The most difficult obstacle is "changing your lifestyle" (at least digitally). It means having a Mac desktop at home, it means having & utilizing MobileMe to it's fullest capacity (calendars, contacts, 10GB of data all in a virtual "cloud" accessible anywhere on all of your devices), it means an iPhone, it means a TimeCapsule. Set that all up and you then have a final decision to make. MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iPad. For the average mobile computer user, I would suggest you go Air, simply because of the weight and ease of functionality once you have everything else I mentioned setup. For a more robust user I'd say keep buying those MacBook Pros. You need powerful computing on-the-go. Then there's me, lover of "new" gadgets, willing to take a chance, love that "cool" factor. Went with the iPad (no notebook of any kind).

The iPad for me is what I've been waiting for with mobile technology. It's almost like an extension of my arm (much like my iPhone is an extension of my hand). It does just enough for what I use mobile computing for, and allows for just the right "work-arounds" for those moments when you may just need the capabilities of a desktop (iWork for iPad, LogMeIn Ignition, etc.).

I also have an idea that the iPad isn't for people older than 30, or at least for people that haven't grown up in the age of "iPod" & touch interface. Those of us that have probably love everything Apple does, and appreciate their products, flaws and all. Well, at least I know I do.  

So what am I really trying to say here? "I love the iPad?" "Buy a MacBook Air?" I guess I'm really trying to say, "know who you are and your computing needs/style and then mount up and buy it."   

Convicted; Not Condemned

 We live in a world created by God.

Most days I find myself wondering why He created beings with the ability to do wrong against Himself. From an earthly perspective all I think is, "but how do you control the situation if it gets out of hand?" "What if these beings you've created just go nuts and rebel and never return to you?"

The more anyone thinks about this concept of creating anything in your own image, as well as love and admiration and praise and what it all really means when it's done out of forced will or choice we begin to get a glimpse into "why".

What is fascinating is that God is always greater than us. God is always going to be able to control the situation because nothing is, was or will ever be greater than Him.

What got me thinking about all of this is the current passage in Jeremiah I'm reading: chapter 5.

In it, God talks about our fallenness.

"How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me and have sworn by those who are no gods. When I fed them to the full, they committed adultery and trooped to the houses of whores. They were well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor's wife. Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?" ~Jeremiah 5:7-9

What gets me is the end: "Shall I not punish them for these things? ... and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?" Reading that I try to put myself in God's shoes. Say you have a friend that you love and care for, and they are completely unthankful. Completely ignore your love and selflessness and take all you give and then move on to the next thing that will give them what they desire. Leaving you completely alone and unappreciated.

All I am left with is, "heck yea God! You are totally just in Your punishment and You deserve to avenge Yourself."

Then I stop dead in my words. I'm the child that has forsaken God. Maybe not every second of every day; but at times, moments, days in my life I have said, "sorry God, but You're not enough."

Even if you're not a Christian, not a believer in God (or anything spiritual or supernatural). You've said "no" to God. You've turned your back on what millions of people believe to be your Creator.

We are so blessed to have Jesus! A blessing sent from God to reunite us with Him. To take away all of the wrongs that we have done. A sacrifice to end all sacrifices. A love greater than we will ever know in this life on earth.

God sending His one and only son to earth to be murdered and sacrificed so that God's punishment can be wiped away. So that God can still be a just God. So that Jesus could take our place in His death on a cross. We are loved.

Awhile back I purchased a t-shirt from a company called "Not of This World". It says "CONVICTED" on the front, with a pattern of handcuffs. On the back it says "NOT CONDEMNED". I believe this explains our condition. Convicted, and rightfully so. Not wrongfully accused or convicted but RIGHTFULLY so. But our sentence was carried out by someone else. Someone that was able to take on our sentence (as well as the sentences of everyone else in the world) and come out the other side.

We have been convicted, but we are not condemned.