I wanted to buy a laptop, mainly because I am not happy sitting at my desk all the time whilst typing. An iPad is fine for armchair computer use but not for typing.
A Windows laptop is the obvious choice but I am not enthusiastic about Windows software at the moment. In particular a practical alternative to MS-Word for word processing would be welcome. Previously I borrowed Harry's ancient MacBook Pro and found it quite usable despite being unfamiliar and 10 years old. In addition macOs is linux-based and I see lots of Macs used in linux-related tutorials these days. Although miscellaneous software is more likely to run on Windows, I don't expect the laptop to be used for everything and it doesn't need to replace Windows.
The new Apple MacBook Air M1 is based on an ARM chip which is faster than and uses less power than previous Intel-based processors which gives it a very long battery life and means it requires no fan so makes no noise. It became available in the UK in November 2020 at John Lewis Partnership which is my preferred supplier as they combine competitive prices with excellent service. The entry level model costs £999 has 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD and 13.1" display. It looks excellent value compared with older MacBooks or the M1 with larger SSD. It is also apparently possible to use App Store iPhone/iPad apps, which haven't previously been available for MacBook users.
As you would hope and expect Apple set up is straightforward and it only takes a few minutes to be working on the Internet. I was particularly impressed with the user guide and newbie guides which are specific to this model. I shall perhaps blog later on getting used to MacOs.
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