Might be good for simple things (like organization and notes during rehearsal) but not graphic/memory-intensive programs, or that is the impression I get.
It's actually a more powerful system than you might initially think. The thing to remember when buying a Mac is the operating system is a lot 'lighter' than a Windows system - by which I mean it uses less memory and processor power, so you get a lot more power on a Mac OS based install than say Windows Vista. If you take a look at Adobe's system requirements for Photoshop CS3 Extended on the Mac (the latest version):
- PowerPC G4 or G5 or multicore Intel processor
- 64MB of video RAM
- 512MB of RAM
And take a look at the base model MacBook Air
- Intel Core 2 Duo processor (1.6GHz)
- 144MB of video RAM
- 2GB memory
Sure, the processor is a little on the slow side, and the screen isn't great, but the MacBook Air should be more than powerful enough for basic video and photo editing, and even advanced photo editing. I'm running on a 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo Mac Mini here, with 1.25GB of RAM, and I use Final Cut Express, Fireworks, iMovie, iPhoto e.t.c. with ease.
I worry that it would break if I dropped it
The laptop itself shouldn't break, if you're really worried about dropping it, plump the cash for the SSD (Solid State Drive) option. That's got a drive like the ones in the iPod Nano/Touch, and it's basically a big memory card, so they simply don't break.
or even bumped it
Yeah, scratches can be a problem on the aluminum. However, my top tip that I use on almost every electrical gizmo I own comes from a company called Invisible Shield (
http://www.invisibleshield.com/laptop/apple/macbook-air.php). They make these "invisible" screen protectors, made of a really thin hardware plastic (they claim it was used for Army helicopter blades
) It'd set you back $55.00, so it's a bit of money, but if the shield gets damaged, they ship a new one out to you for free (lifetime guarantee), and they really are nearly invisible.
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So in short, you should find it just as powerful as you need it to be, and, of course, amazingly slim. Remember not to buy the disk drive add-on though, if you've got a second computer, remote drive works just as well.