Macbook Air 13 4Gb and battery life

I wasn't able to do full testing, but I can confirm that watching streaming video (Netflix and watching "Enterprise" -- the pilot episode. And you're right, it's very good, much better than I remembered it being, so much so that I think I'll start watching the series from the beginning. Thanks) I was averaging about a minute per percent of battery power (I only had time to watch about 20 minutes, and the battery went down about 20 percent). So that's in line what what you are experiencing, and thus I would not expect any replacement to get any better battery life.

But, honestly, that's to be expected. Sorry, son, but this isn't sold as a media player, it's sold as a computer. That's by far what people use laptops for, and that's how ALL makers report battery usage (in other words, they report what most people are going to do with them, and of course they report best scenerio, just like the auto makers used to do with MPG before the feds stepped in, although even then I've never gotten the MPG listed on any car I bought).

Any computer will use more power processing video -- that's why they heat up doing that and not nearly as much doing lesser processing. I do think Apple is honest in reporting 6+ hours and that's what I get doing most computer work.

If playing video is this important to you, get a heavier machine (after all, there are tradeoffs in everything in life -- as programmers we used to say "Good, Fast, Cheap -- now pick any two) and may I suggest a Windows one? They are FAR cheaper, and while not nearly as sleek and light as the MBA they can last up to two or three times as long on batteries. Quite honestly, although I like my MBA so far (it's certainly the best portable computer I've owned, but I haven't bought a laptop for years now) I don't see OSX as being much better than Windows, just different (I've found good and bad about switching).

It has nothing to do with batteries, processors, usage or whatever reason. The sole reason is Lion.

I have 2011 MBA and with SL the battery life is great and as advertised. But with Lion the battery plummets. Fresh installation, nothing installed etc. I've reinstalled Lion/SL at least 6 times just to see the difference. And you can notice the difference all right.

For example, when you scroll the page up and down with Lion you will see that the expected battery life drops like rock. But on SL doesn't happen. It drops a little, but not like with Lion. Of course, when you fire up Youtube on Lion the situation only gets worse, but on SL it does take a hit, but nowhere near as with SL. Same thing with anything which is processor related (which is obvious enough), you can even hear the fan ramping up with Lion.

So the problem is definitely with the OS itself. I repeat that I did all this tests with completely fresh installation, only latest updates installed (did even without updates, same thing).

Until they release an update which specifically solves this problem, I won't be installing Lion on my MBA.

ProsperousPoverty wrote:

Until they release an update which specifically solves this problem, I won't be installing Lion on my MBA.

They're unlikely to do that because they released the update which specifically solved problems they had with you continuing to use Leapord.

If you continue to view the disadvantages you have with Lion, as a "problem" you expect will be fixed; you'll be - expecting - for the rest of your life. Mac engineers are pretty smart, arguably geniuses. They keep a pretty tight control on everything and there are changes in Lion that are changes in Windows 8 - and I think there were comparable pressures to rush both OS's through. Windows 7 SP1 was RTM and suddenly they're already in pre-beta mode on Win8. They might have more time to work with, than their competitors - Windows 7 systems were all surreptutiously forced to be Server-Client. Leapord wasn't. Lion has been forced Server-Client for all users. I'm pretty sure every Mac OS has been "server-compatible", so you could install the advanced upgraded functionality and increased risks / exploits that come with making your single notebook a Server - if you wanted to.

Now every OS is shipped as Server-Client. "server-compatible", wasn't acceptable. Too much accidental protection, from functionality you'll never use and exploitabilities you would then be insane not to care about because if you don't use the functionality - you're accepting the imposition of liabilities without any positives, for you. That's why they needed to force the update, your system has now been upgraded. I couldn't possibly know if it was upgraded for you, but then if you think your interests and Apple's interests are the same....lol. They're not even divergent. They're cross-directional. Apple would give you a lot more information, otherwise.

If you hold to that assertion I quoted above, you'll never install Lion. They're not going to upgrade a regression. It sure seems like you wouldn't be missing out on much, but then I bet they weren't happy about the disparity in features between Leapord and Lion either. They probably just want to make profit making the best OS they can, for the globe. But you can't do that, without understanding the largest company on the planet doesn't make the rules. I'm not sure why, but then I know literally nothing apart from "Apple tells users literally nothing important,and they tell me literally nothing at all which isn't incorrect" so what would I know? I'm a moron, as well; in disclosure. But then I might be the smartest moron using a Mac; it doesn't really matter of course, when people brighter than you are believe they have a motive to lie to you, you're not to 'beat' them. It keeps me awake at night wondering what they Win. I wonder if they know what they Win....

I gave you one specific example, already. But if you're interested in distinguishing Lion from Leapord, you should look at preferences and options and default settings. Many have been moved - quite clearly not - in your favour. Your options have been taken away, in spots which have nothing to do with "option to upgrade your system to Server with a downloadable app" being removed due to unacceptable choice considerations. You had choice. That was unacceptable. Now you don't. Ask them why, if you're interested. They will not be drawn into a discussion on it. Then explain to me why I shouldn't be interested.

I'm mostly interested in removing junk from my MBA. Because it's brand new and not working very well at all. So I took a look at the OS to see what I could eliminate and hopefully be left with an obvious answer. But I'm a moron, because I don't have the time to go through 260,000 OS installed - default - files. That's inconvenient, for everyone, I thought. I wonder why Apple believed it's convenient for them - and it's the reason why this thread exists, of course (all this inconvenience). So I tried to remove packages I didn't need from the 4GB disk image - but not just because of my problems. Maybe Steve Jobs had 4GB/sec download speeds, but I don't. These packages make my OS X a 3 hour download when it could be a lean and mean 15 min - all I'd have to do is figure out a way to remove the languages apps I don't even speak. Apple didn't realise any of this, of course, when they removed the option to exclude their installation when you're installing. And forgot to add the option to remove from the downloadable OS X 4GB install file. They seemed only interested in remove the choice for users to easily convert OS X client into a server. And they forgot that their hardware was going to struggle with the increased operational load. They pretty much forgot everything, like adding impressive features. So I just deleted - ONLY - the language apps for languages I didn't speak from the 4GB image once I managed to download it without my net cutting off and setting me back to zero - which took 5 weeks to do sucessfully.

And once I'd deleted these language apps for languages I didn't speak, when I tried to install the otherwise-untouched OS install app, everything worked perfectly. Until it to go the language page and only English was listed. I only speak English. Lion spoke to me, though. It said "No. You're missing required files." and then it refused to select English, which was highlighted and selected by itself, because I only have need for an OS installed in English. Lion will not do that - you can verify this. But then I'm - quite nobly - refusing to be a Nazi when I break unlawful terms - so but then I don't even know what the terms are all about, when at the bottom of the terms is a term that seems to cover everything just fine.

Apple Terms and Conditions for contributing to this forum:
<all unnecessary and superfluous content redacted by me>

Apple reserves the right to remove any content, or take action against any account, at any time, for any reason.

I just read Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs. It's fascinating, that reality distortion field. Isaacson is one of the finest writers alive, but he put his name on a book when Steve Jobs wasn't remotely interested in optimality - or in creating amazing products. It's amazing that anyone could think otherwise. Because a man who would run his white glove over white factory machinery looking for dust never thought to remove the junk in his software. Mac OS X Lion install app installs 260,000 files, and this is a guess but maybe 210,000 of those are in Hungarian, Simplified Chinese etc etc. It takes 5 weeks (for me) to download instead of 15 min. I have no motive to possibly care about the 'feelings' of the death or the emotions of the people Jobs didn't care to 'protect' when he was alive. So if you can make the argument for why this is incorrect, correct me.

Because I've just proved children were smarter than him. Or he was complicit in being brilliant in ways you don't want brilliant people to treat you. You'll be screwed. You've lost before the battle has been fought. I'd be fascinated to know what the prize we were fighting over was, because I had no motive to be in one. Still don't. I'm just too moronic, I guess, to imagine I could even have a pretext to fight. or to realise I didn't need one. I guess. They imagine they have motive, to lie to everyone. Hard to know if they do or not, that's the irony of "no comment". You don't know if you're sane. You just do what you're told. Which is insane.

These are the individual apps in the Lion install app downloadable from the Mac App store and the USB stick. And if you delete the TraditionalChinese.app from the image, Lion will install perfectly until it remembers your computer needs 30,000 advanced Chinese files, and it will refuse to proceed. You can verify this.

Maybe you think I'm lying but I cannot even speak Simplified Chinese, I promise. I literally don't know a single word. I don't know how to verify that I can't speak all these languages - guess you'll just have to have 'faith', in my knowing I don't want functionality I will - never - need. So when it's forced onto me? You should get interested. Maybe it's being forced onto you, without you realising it's an upgrade. And your OS will never be improved again, with your attitude! My attitude? I hope they don't reformat it. Or if they do, I hope they do it quickly. Pain isn't in anyone's interests, but I am especially sensitive to mine.

For the censors who might believe this isn't - contributing - but wouldn't be able to make the case for why they believe that, you might also want to censor this thread as well:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3532849?start=0&tstart=0

That whole thread is full unnecessary CoreServices, Launch Demons, Launch Agents, Applications, Private Frameworks, and kernel extensions. Can't believe Steve Jobs forgot to sand the front of the desk. His father would be so ashamed of him, well...it was tragic the first time. His father taught him how important it was. The entire book discussed the perfection non-stop. I have an MBA that stopped working after one day and I found the problem myself, I had to. I read the book to find out what kind of a sloppy loose Joe this guy was. And I laughed for an entire book of idiocy because everyone believed he was a perfectionist. OCD, even. No.

I had his hardware and his software. The former stopped working after 1 day with "hardware failure", according to AppleCare. The latter is not the work of perfectionism. It's the work of insanity, but I'm sorry if you're offended - I don't like to help emotionally insane people, by calling them unable to act in their own best interests. They take it wrong way. They get offended at help. Don't even whisper truth. They'd lose their mind, if they had one to lose. Unfortunately they don't lose their insanity, and become sane. I've tried. They just censor themselves, it's tragic - really.

But I have no motive to hurt them, or fight them. I understand. They'll want to get that whole thread, though. I contribute non-stop in that thread - I make non-stop contributions to this forum.

For anyone wanting to read the above wall of text, I strongly recommend to skip it because it is obviously written by a unpaid shill and flamebaiter. And it's offtopic for good measure.

ProsperousPoverty wrote:

For anyone wanting to read the above wall of text...it is obviously written by a unpaid shill and flamebaiter. And it's offtopic

Wall of text? I strongly recommend you learn to speed read. Let me put the 'OT' wall of text in dot points for you, and please answer the questions I have bolded for your 'ease' of reference:

* Leopard was a "server-compatible" OS. If you wanted to convert it to a server, you simply downloaded an app. Lion is automatically a server. I asked AppleCare and a dozen iService Apple 'techs' the reason for this, no one knew. Can you tell me why this change has been made? I don't have use for any of the Server functionality, or security headaches.

* Windows XP was not a server. If you wanted a server, you would buy Windows Server 2008. Windows 7 is automatically a server. I asked $600 Microsoft support techs the reason for this, no one knew.

* I am not suggesting Apple are being malicious, I am asserting (as fact) that everyone is silent when I ask the most innocuous questions. I cannot find the answers on Google. This suggests the questions are not innocuous, but they remain unanswered. Can you answer these questions about the change across the entire industry to make end users' OS automatic servers?

* A great deal of default settings and preferences have been changed from Leopard to Lion which are - not - in the end users' best interests. User options have been removed. The same phenomenon occurred from XP > Windows 7. I would like to list many examples but you're afraid of "walls of text". Can you explain why user options have been removed, to configure Lion during installation (for example)?

* It took me 5 weeks to download the 4GB Lion OS X Install app from the store. The USB stick I purchased will not install on late '11 Intel MBAs (confirmed by Apple, without explanation for why). Maybe you have amazing internet. It took me five weeks because I don't want or need language packs. Can you tell me why Lion will refuse to install without Hungarian language pack (for example)?

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/57213040

* Can you tell me why I am prevented from ticking boxes prior to downloading Lion apps I cannot possibly have use for?

* I read Isaacon's biography of the late Steve Jobs, fantastic writer, fascinating character. The entire book describes Jobs' obsession with perfection, and optimality. Can you explain why a 4GB OS install app is optimal, when I don't speak 95% of the languages and have no use for 95% of the 260,000 files installed by Lion onto my SSD?

* A shill sells. What am I selling? I'm asking questions, which are so logical and valid, the lack of answers is terrifying. Are you able to answer any of these questions about Lion?

If you can, thanks. If you cannot, you have some nerve suggesting my post is OT. Because you're complaining about Lion being the problem with battery life (which I think is very good), fan noise (which is out of control non-stop on my brand new MBA, and frankly ridiculous). I'm suggesting that your OS is a Server and full of junk files (over 200,000 junk files). I'm suggesting a logical answer for your 'problems' and complaints.

ProsperousPoverty wrote:

It has nothing to do with batteries, processors, usage or whatever reason. The sole reason is Lion.

I have 2011 MBA and with SL the battery life is great...with Lion the battery plummets.

Same thing with anything which is processor related (which is obvious enough), you can even hear the fan ramping up with Lion.

So the problem is definitely with the OS itself.

You have some nerve suggesting my post is OT. I proposed an answer which may or may not be correct, but it is 100% logical and could very well be the explanation for your whining above. In gratitude, you attack me with lies and slurs and abuse? This reaction is not in your best interests. Learn to read, please. Or understand why they need to don't burn books anymore.

I have been a long time PC User and got my first iPhone 4s late last year. I was so impressed with the Apple device I bought my first Macbook (Air) 2 weeks ago. So far I'm getting 8-10 hours of battery life with my usage. However, I'm in the same boat as Mike Kelley - I don't spend hours and hours ... and hours watching Youtube videos and I have a TV with Roku in my living room for movies, shows, what not. My usage usually involves reading on my Kindle app, browsing WSJ, Yahoo News, Slashdot, and googling how to care for my new Macbook Air. Some of my heavier usage is logmein.com and liveleak.com. When I do these, I see the battery go down to 4-6 hours on the counter. Still beats my Dell Latitude D830 - I lugged around 4 65whr batteries with that thing just to get 9 hours of battery life.

Now, I think you folks need to realize... From what I saw, only the i5 13' Macbook Air was reported to have 7 hours of battery life. Every other Macbook Air that I saw had 5, repeat, 5 hours of battery life.

And no, I don't work for Apple - funny how all you fanbois immediately assume that of anyone who shows any amount of intelligence. I am a .net programmer and have used Windows exclusively since I was 4 years old. I for one found the Apple "Genius" who "helped" me get the Macbook Air to be generally uninformed, hardly knowledgeable about the product, and ... yeah.