What to Do With All This Hardware

[bdill12]

I feel as though I have a lot of resources, but I am just not applying them well. I thought maybe if I listed it out and told everyone my basic goals, that there might be some good suggestions here.

What I do: I'm primarily a writer, but I also deal with a lot of images and occasionally video. I only expect graphic design and video editing to become larger parts of my job in the future.
I would classify myself as a heavy Internet user, especially when on assignment - can run up to 14, 15 hours a day.
I am also into automation, so Hazel, Alfred, that Keyboard Maestro, . . They all work for me, and I keep them busy by downloading probably too many apps. . .

The hardware:
I primarily use an 11 inch macbook air. Mid 2013, 8GB, 1.7 GHz Intel Core i7. It's got 200 GB of it's flash storage free. (No itunes on here.)
I also have a Mid 2010 Macbook Pro 4GB, 2.66.... I'm trying to move some stuff off of it because it has gotten so slow. You know that feeling a few miles before your car breaks down where you thought you hit something, but.... Yeah. That's where I am with Mr. Professional.

There's also an iPad Mini, and an iPhone... And two Seagate hard drives. One has about 150 GB, and the other is brand new 2 TB.

Other concerns: I need to set up my own Wifi network soon. I have an Airport Express that still works, but I am wondering if it might be worth it to buy something like the Time Capsule and take all the iTunes off the Pro.

Okay. That's it. Go nuts. By all means, teach me something. I just recently got serious about this as more than just a "Oh. I have a laptop" kind of thing. And since I now work from home... Gotta find some best practices.

 

[pigoo3]

I'm not sure what you are asking for. You have a:

- MacBook Air
- MacBook Pro (that you don't seem to want to use)
- iPad mini
- iPhone
- two external hard drives

This really isn't a special or uncommon arrangement of hardware (not really that much hardware). Each piece of hardware has it's own purpose.

- MacBook Air for general computing.
- iPad mini for more casual stuff/more mobile stuff
- iPhone for communications
- external HD's for extra storage

From reading your post…the only things I can suggest is:

1. Sell the MacBook Pro if you aren't going to use it.
2. Make sure you have a backup strategy (use one of the external hard drives for this).

That's pretty much it.

- Nick

 

[bdill12]

Yeah. Definitely backing up. Thanks. I think a more concrete question from me would be: What should I put the money from the Pro toward? A Mac mini? A display? I've looked at a lot of possibilities, but I figured I would be like the Romans and come to the forum to discuss it.

 

[pigoo3]

What should I put the money from the Pro toward?

How about the bank? Or a couple shares of Apple stock?

What would you use a Mac-Mini for? Do you need extra screen real estate...if so...an external display would be a great idea.

- Nick

 

[johnodd4]

Can i ask you a simple question...

Why???

Why???

Why???

this makes no sense you have a macbook pro and you don't want to do it really i would use the mac book pro

 

[pigoo3]

this makes no sense you have a macbook pro and you don't want to do it really i would use the mac book pro

OP's MacBook Air is a 2013 model...OP's MacBook Pro is from 2010. The MBA has 8gig of ram & flash storage (maybe better performance overall than the MBP).

Other than the small 11" display of the MacBook Air...the MacBook Air is probably the better computer.

- Nick

 

[chas_m]

My suggestion would be (as another writer who works with images a lot, spends 14-15 hours a day some days on the machine and does some video editing as well) to find out what is wrong with the MBP and fix it. Then, if you're not going to use it, sell it. No idea why you have an iPad mini, nothing you mentioned requires it. The MacBook Air is wonderfully light and fast, but if you believe that the heavy-lifting stuff is going to become an increasingly important part of the job, you'd be buying another MBP in a few years ...