 [Larger view] | Apple iBook Notebook 14.1" M9165LL/A (1Ghz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive)
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Average user rating:  | |
 Mac is tops, as usual | |
| I've been using PCs and Macs since the "early days" (we all know what that means). I'm still buying PCs (Intel/AMD/etc and Windows based) and Macintosh. I bought my latest PC about a year and a half ago with XP on it. Not a bad OS, but still windows if you get my drift. My last Mac was a Lime 233 iMac and a Tangerine 300 iBook with Airport. I've used OS9 and OS X on both of the older Macs and while it's neat, it's just too slow. So this time around I decided I'd pick up a new notebook. Shopped around for some sort of windows based one. Then started reading about the iBook G4. Checked them out locally and was sold on the 12" iBook G4. It's a beautiful, tiny machine. There in lies my problem. Even thought the 12" is 1024x768 (i.e. same info on the screen as the 14.1"), the stuff on the display was just too small for me to read comfortably because of the age of my eyeballs. The 14.1" on the other hand was perfect. Machine is pretty light, display is very bright and overall it's easy and comfortable to use. OSX 3 Panther is included with the machine and let me tell you it rocks. They're really getting OSX slicked out. Networking with PCs and other Macs is a matter of turning on file sharing in System Preferences. The hardware is fast, very fast. The computer comes with most everything the average person would need. The suite of 'iApps' and AppleWorks. If you need MS Office, it's available for the Mac (and the Mac version of Office is actually better than the PC version). And to top it all Amazon was the cheapest place I could find on the net or locally to pick up the 1Gig 14.1" iBook! (...). I'm in heaven. Good machine, good OS, great price. Get one, you won't regret it. | |
| Apple is going to be BIG! | |
| I've been using and defending PCs for a long, long time! Ever since I got in front of a computer (about 20 years ago), all I've worked with were PCs. And I stubbornly kept defending PCs and disregarding Macs as thought they were inferior. As of late, however, I've been using UNIX quite a bit and knowing the strengths of all *IX OS's I knew I wanted a *IX compatible laptop. Well, alas! Apple came with Panther and I was sold! I bought this laptop through my university's Apple store and got it "souped-up" and I tell you with confidence that this is the *best* laptop I've ever owned! The weight is lower than most competitors' comparable laptops. The power of Panther is outstanding. I feel confident recommending this laptop to anyone without any reservations. Apple is giving consumers, for the first time, a TRUE alternative to MS Windows' hegemony. Some of you who have been around computers might read the title of this post and giggle for that is what people were saying back in the mid-80s and never became a reality (at least not for the consumer as evidenced by the market share apple holds). But I think with this laptop and Panther Apple has made a believer out of me. Very solid, good-lloking, powerful laptop. | |
 Great computer...until it broke | |
| I bought my iBook and for three days was happy as a clam. On the third day my hard drive completely failed. This was confirmed by the support team at the game development company where I work. The iBook was sent to a service center where they tried to charge me 50 dollars to look at it. I refused and the iBook sat unlooked at for three more days until finally under pressure from both me and the support team, the performed the five minute hard drive diagnosis and pronouced it dead. Then the ordered a new hard disk and told me it would be a week until it arrived. So far my iBook experience has been 1)defective product If you're thinking about getting a mac, get a powerbook. They're 2cnd generation and won't have nearly as many quality issues as the iBooks. Apple always tries to fix computers, never replace them. Dig around and you'll find a lot of people with iBooks and failed hard disks on forums. If I had a chance to do it again, I wouldn't have bought this computer. I'd have got the 12 inch powerbook instead |
