Getting an Apple iBook

[thraxes]

I am going to be getting an IBook later this month and wanted to get some opinions on the new models. Specifically I am looking at the 12" 1GHz G4 with 512MB RAM, 60GB HDD, Airport Ex. and Bluetooth.

I want to go with an Apple because I used to own an older mac and am interested in what Panther can do - also I am running into a few apps at work that only run on mac. That and the fact that I need a small and efficient Laptop is what is leading me to consider the iBook.

How is the battery life? I know the older ones ran for up to 5 hours, how are the new ones? Anybody know a good website with more info? Please no Mac evangelist sites... there are enough of those in my google searches.

Mac bashers need not post: I would have chosen an IBM R40 or a Toshiba Protege if I didn't need it for work and if they weren't as expensive as they are.

 

[Frightcrawler]

Congrats on your selection. Power to the Mac owners!
Note: I don't own one, I just don't like seeing you guys getting bashed by "OMGPCRoX" types.

 

[Childs]

I ordered the 15" Powerbook with 128MB 9700. It should arrive Tues! I had the 12" iBook G4800 earlier in the year, but sold it. I didnt like the screen resolution, and the fact that it could only do video mirroring. It also seemed sluggish compared to older Macs and Powerbooks, but I hear they increased the L2 Cache, so it should be comparable to the old 1Ghz Ti models, which run nice.

 

[littlezipp]

I had the 12" G4 powerbook, which is what this machine is basically (now). One recommendation for you though, add at least a 512mb chip.
As far as one of these new ones, I do not have one.
My new 1.33ghz G4 80gb 5400rpm should be here on Thursday though... Why do these things have to ship from Taiwan?!?

 

[jimmyl930]

It may be cheaper to just go with the 256mb ram version and add your own later (Crucial).

Prices from Crucial
Apple iBook memory

256mb - 69.99
512mb - 122.99


According to this article, the 1GHz G4 iBook gets about 4.5 hours battery life.

 

[crsgardner]

I purchased my first Mac, a new iBook 14", about 2 weeks ago (2 days off from price protection -- sigh). On the whole, I'm very impressed. Like you, I bought it for specific purposes (in my case, UNIX compiling and a light laptop to take to bed for some quick nighttime browsing) and its performed solidly. Battery averages about 4.5 hours.

One suggestion: I'd take a long, hard look at the 12", in real life (at an Apple store or CompUSA) before buying one. I bought one and found the tiny screen to be too tiny. True, the 14" has the same resolution, but it just feels better. I ended up returning mine for the 14" and have been quite happy.

By the way, I'm not a Mac fan by any stretch of the imagination. I've dabbled in more OSs I can count. Mac does its thing well, just like Windows does its, *NIX does theirs, etc. In the case of Panther, they've moved from "simple computer for publishing" to "fairly powerful, nicely-designed UNIX workstation". For the price, it's pretty darn good.

 

[mrweirdo]

I am also looking at apple particular the ibook G4 1GHZ 256MB ram, combo drive, 30GB, airport, svideo/composite adapter. This I am planing on buying but unfortionently I wont have the money for now to upgrade the ram but can do so latter (will probably be geting a job over summer ) so i will have to suffer for awhile. hell i still have 256mb ram in this windows xp box lol. The reasons that have me most sold on apple is its smaller size and light weight(easy to fit in a pack to take to college), good battery life, and nix os.

If i wasnt geting this I would probably get a pc that is known to support linux with all hardware modem, wi-fi card, etc that was a bit cheaper then the apple ibook. And that is hard to acomplish unless i go back to like the P3 Thinkpad T23 or so erra were battery life then sucks.

 

[thraxes]

OK I will be ordering this on Friday:

12"
G4 1GHz
256 MB RAM
60GB HDD
Airport Ex.
Bluetooth
TV-Out adapter

I will be getting an additional 512MBs Buffalo DDR266 RAM locally at a very good price (thanks for the tip jimmy|930) and a Microsoft Notebook mouse.

 

[jimmyl930]

Originally posted by: thraxes
OK I will be ordering this on Friday:

12"
G4 1GHz
256 MB RAM
60GB HDD
Airport Ex.
Bluetooth
TV-Out adapter

I will be getting an additional 512MBs Buffalo DDR266 RAM locally at a very good price (thanks for the tip jimmy|930) and a Microsoft Notebook mouse.

You're welcome.

How much did the TV-out adapter cost? Is it a separate item that you attach to the laptop?

Thanks.

 

[Wuzup101]

Glad to see you are going for a mac. Not that I'm a fan, but after the recent price drop + power bump even PC companies would be hard pressed to compete wi the 12" model for a portable notebook that you can take anywhere. I personally have been waiting for the T42 to come out. I'm still torn between getting that or a 12" Powerbook w/ superdrive. I really wish the 12" PBs had ATI 9700s (or 9600s) like their bigger brothers. I'll never understand why they decided to go w/ the 5200 go...

Hope you enjoy your new mac

2 thoughts:

1) definitely upgrade the ram!

2) consider getting the base hdd and then switching it for a 7200rpm model... or go for that later in life

www.macnn.com for all your mac forum needs!

 

[mrweirdo]

Originally posted by: jimmyl930

Originally posted by: thraxes
OK I will be ordering this on Friday:

12"
G4 1GHz
256 MB RAM
60GB HDD
Airport Ex.
Bluetooth
TV-Out adapter

I will be getting an additional 512MBs Buffalo DDR266 RAM locally at a very good price (thanks for the tip jimmy|930) and a Microsoft Notebook mouse.

You're welcome.

How much did the TV-out adapter cost? Is it a separate item that you attach to the laptop?

Thanks.

yup the TV adapter is a separe item that you attach to the laptop. It costs $19 link

 

[hytek369]

getting a 15" powerbook once i get a job

 

[addragyn]

1GHz G4 IBook Mini Review

Use SuperCal to get the screen looking best.
MacStumbler is the easy OS X stumbling app.

Poke around System Preferences.
Accounts > Login Options > Enable Fast User Switching
Keyboard & Mouse > Trackpad > Use Trackpad for: Clicking (useful for laid back web browsing)
Keyboard & Mouse > Keyboard Shortcuts > Turn on Full Keyboard Access (work smarter)
Network> Show: AirPort> By default, join: Automatic (will always log you into available wireless network)
Date & Time> Set Date & Time Automatically (appl's ntp servers will keep you current, just set your time zone)

For uber long battery life dim your screen a bit, turn proc oerformance to reduced in engery saver and kill wireless if you're not using it.

 

[addragyn]

Forgot...

Poisoned if you do P2P. It's an awesome client.I'd give them money if they accepted it.

 

[thraxes]

Ordered it just a few minutes ago, I'm psyched

Thanks for the links everyone! I am a little out of the loop. Last Mac I had ran on System 9.1 (and not very well I might add ). As I said I really want to experience Panther.

 

[frazzled]

Congrats thraxes!

You're going to enjoy your new machine. Using one of my colleagues' ibooks is what set me on my switcher's path.

Panther is a joy to use.

Enjoy,

fraz

P.S. Going to order my 15" Powerbook nest week!

Edit: Scratch that, went with a maxed-out 17" Powerbook instead

 

[DaWhim]

damn.......i want a mac now!

 

[jcovercash]

Originally posted by: DaWhim
damn.......i want a mac now!

I might would be interested in your IBM X-30 if you want a mac .

 

[bastula]

Originally posted by: thraxes
OK I will be ordering this on Friday:

12"
G4 1GHz
256 MB RAM
60GB HDD
Airport Ex.
Bluetooth
TV-Out adapter

I will be getting an additional 512MBs Buffalo DDR266 RAM locally at a very good price (thanks for the tip jimmy|930) and a Microsoft Notebook mouse.

Glad to hear that you ordered. I have a word of caution though. My 15" PowerBook (bought in Feb '04) was very very finicky about RAM. I originally got a stick from Newegg -> would cause system instability (especially on battery it would just crash). I returned that and I got a stick from Crucial -> also same symptoms but without the battery problems. I ended up returning the Crucial stick as well. Finally I just ordered a generic stick "guaranteed to work on the 15" AlBooks" from Other World Computing It was almost the same price as the other sticks and worked like a charm from the first boot. I haven't had any stability issues whatsoever since then.

You might not have this problem since you have ordered an iBook and it uses DDR266 - my machine uses DDR333. For example, my girlfriend has the 12" PowerBook (Jan '04) which uses DDR266 and she ordered a Kingston 512 stick from Newegg and hers had no problems whatsoever. I almost thought I got a bad system. It just might be that some models are more finicky about RAM than others.

Have fun with your new machine - hope you like it.

 

[DaWhim]

Originally posted by: AMDman12GHz

Originally posted by: DaWhim
damn.......i want a mac now!

I might would be interested in your IBM X-30 if you want a mac .

I want to keep both! having the best of both world is the best!
I will definitely getting a mac if they have iPoint. I love the trackpoint enough that 95% I don't use a mouse with it. the other 5% is when I play game.

 

[thraxes]

Originally posted by: bastula

Originally posted by: thraxes
OK I will be ordering this on Friday:

12"
G4 1GHz
256 MB RAM
60GB HDD
Airport Ex.
Bluetooth
TV-Out adapter

I will be getting an additional 512MBs Buffalo DDR266 RAM locally at a very good price (thanks for the tip jimmy|930) and a Microsoft Notebook mouse.

Glad to hear that you ordered. I have a word of caution though. My 15" PowerBook (bought in Feb '04) was very very finicky about RAM. I originally got a stick from Newegg -> would cause system instability (especially on battery it would just crash). I returned that and I got a stick from Crucial -> also same symptoms but without the battery problems. I ended up returning the Crucial stick as well. Finally I just ordered a generic stick "guaranteed to work on the 15" AlBooks" from Other World Computing It was almost the same price as the other sticks and worked like a charm from the first boot. I haven't had any stability issues whatsoever since then.

You might not have this problem since you have ordered an iBook and it uses DDR266 - my machine uses DDR333. For example, my girlfriend has the 12" PowerBook (Jan '04) which uses DDR266 and she ordered a Kingston 512 stick from Newegg and hers had no problems whatsoever. I almost thought I got a bad system. It just might be that some models are more finicky about RAM than others.

Have fun with your new machine - hope you like it.

Yes, i know macs are generally finicky about RAM. Usually the timings Apple presets into the firmware are very conservative and it is usually best to try the lowest specced RAM you can find. I just hope my choice of RAM is good... if not I will just have to return it, eh? Not a problem if new eggs german equivalent is based only a few miles away from home