Aqua-Soft ForumsHi all I hanv't posted for some time but I have deceided it is time to move up the an Apple computer, I would like a laptop but the G5 iMac is a very nice machine, unfortunately I am on a really small budget and there will be some time till I have the money to even afford an eMac, i would like to do minor Image editing and gaming on the computer along with all the every day use. I was wondering what your opinions were on what to get, I would like the Laptop (not needed tho) to carry around with me as a file dump for my camera when it fill up with photos and also to preview the shots wile away from home.
Looking For An Apple Computer
Save for the 15" PowerBook.
It's excellent, for apple kit, it's got the best balance of power/portability. Plus, if you go for the non-superdrive, non-backlit keyboard as I did, it's a damn site cheaper than the higher end one.
A question on this, If I do go with out the Superdrive can I use a external (firewire) casing for my LG DVD burner from my computer to use the DVD borner on the Power book?
Also what is the batter life like on the powerbook?
umm
one more thing, if ur into gaming u better get a PS2/xBox beside a Mac since Macs are not excatly gaming machines 
Not that they can`t play them, but u often have to wait for Mac versions to come out.
With the superdrive thing, I have no idea. I burn my DVDs on my brothers eMac. You could try asking at the horror that is Spymac (they're not really friendly but they do know their macs inside out). I seem to recall something about an unofficial patch which let you use 3rd party burners though.
Battery life:
Not great compared to other machines, but not crap either.
I get 2 hours when I'm using it full tilt. An I mean full tilt (either heavy itunes/airport/bluetooth/photoshop/bright screen usage or playing neverwinter nights - these are the things that will drink battery power most heavily.).
Using if frugally (reduced processor power, dim the screen, no bluetooth, no airport, only running MS Word) I can get up to 3 1/2 hours maximum. Not bad for this machine, but less than an iBook.
For real usage, expect to get somewhere between those two depending on what you are doing with it.
Does any one know what the batter life is like on a iBook, I was looking at these last night ad almost decided on a iBook 12" with Bluetooth module, 512mb ram, AirPort Express Base Station, and AirPort Extreme which is $2042 (A fair bit of time to save 
). A question with the Airport Extreme tho, can it be installed later? so I can buy it further down the track? and will the Base station work with the Normal Airport that iirc was built into the iBook (is this correct?).
Thanks in advance
dewy™
ummone more thing, if ur into gaming u better get a PS2/xBox beside a Mac since Macs are not excatly gaming machines
Not that they can`t play them, but u often have to wait for Mac versions to come out.
By games I mean games like Armagetron and mame etc, nothing fancy.
Battery life on my Ibook g4 12" 800mhz is advertised as some ridiculous 5 hours or so. Real world usage gets me about 3:30 to 4 hours, which is pretty damn good.
Yes you can install the airport extreme card, but not the airport card (g vs 
later. Thats how I did it. It is an easy install took about 3 minutes to get it in. Just pop the keyboard and insert the card, easy as pie.
the new ibooks can only accept the airport extreme card. Bluetooth cannot be added later, as a usb peripheral yes, as in internal part no.
Also check out the refurbished section at apple, I know they were recently offereing a 12" ibook 1ghz for $950
good luck
Im gonna get myself the G4 ibook if I can save up 950 by christmas 
I get about 3.5 to 5 hours of battery life on my ibook g4 1.07ghz while using airport. It drops while watching movies, playing games, doing other resource heavy things, and i have seen it up as high as 5.5 hours with most of the stuff off.
Battery life on my Ibook g4 12" 800mhz is advertised as some ridiculous 5 hours or so. Real world usage gets me about 3:30 to 4 hours, which is pretty damn good.Yes you can install the airport extreme card, but not the airport card (g vs
the new ibooks can only accept the airport extreme card. Bluetooth cannot be added later, as a usb peripheral yes, as in internal part no.
Also check out the refurbished section at apple, I know they were recently offereing a 12" ibook 1ghz for $950
good luck
I was aware about the Bluetooth, is this the case with all Macs (maily worried about iMac and iBook now)
as for refurbished, I am in australia and as far as I can see there isn't a refurbished section, I will contine looking tho, could there be much change of my local AppleStore (not sure if it is still there but it is it it's about 45mins away) have any refurbished hardware?
I cant play Grand Theft auto 1 on my 486 laptop for almost 3 houres
Make me a reasonable offer and I'll sell you my iBook. It has Office and Virtual PC installed. Oh....it also has a paid version of Konfabulator installed.
skinnylegs']Make me a reasonable offer and I'll sell you my iBook. It has Office and Virtual PC installed. Oh....it also has a paid version of Konfabulator installed.
Can you give me some specs? also what is your reason for selling, will you psot to aussie land?
i have the 12" PowerBook. i have no use for such large screens at home because i have it hooked up to my 19" crt. when traveling, i like it smaller because the tables are pretty small, and i use a tinier mini-bluetooth mouse so i need space for it. the downside of it is, i have to scroll. but it's not so hard for me because i love m kensington mouse 
. definitely get a powerbook if you are going to do anything besides ms word.
I have an older 12" G3 iBook and I still get about 3 to 5 hours of battery.
Depends on if I'm watching a movie or not.
And that's with the original battery. Still going strong.
Wait for the just announced new lower priced ibooks. 12 inch for only $999US is awesome. Probably even less if you're buying it at education prices.
wait for the new ibook revisions. they will be just as powerful as the old powerbooks at 1.33 ghz. i like 12 inch notebooks. so compact! you know, i found out that the smaller the computer at the same speed, the more expensive (jvc for example) but not for powerbooks and ibooks. that is why they are more worth it. i have a pc already that can play any games so i don't need to worry about games and stuff. i want a notebook for stabality, organization, and basic buisness/ school stuff.
all in all, for me 2 computers are better than one especially when they are very diffrnet like one mac for homework and portability and one pc to play games.
The new iBooks have been announced today, and ARE ready today to be sold. The cheapest entry-level is $999, 12" with 30 GB, 256 RAM and Airport Extreme built in.
I've also read that the PowerBooks will see a revision soon; probably this christmas (ok, its not that soon...), but in any case, it must be a revision that will add something big to it, because the iBooks have come so close to them, that nothing, absolutely nothing in the PowerBook justifies the $500 or more difference.
PowerBooks might get a revision around Tiger time...
The new iBooks have been announced today, and ARE ready today to be sold. The cheapest entry-level is $999, 12" with 30 GB, 256 RAM and Airport Extreme built in.I've also read that the PowerBooks will see a revision soon; probably this christmas (ok, its not that soon...), but in any case, it must be a revision that will add something big to it, because the iBooks have come so close to them, that nothing, absolutely nothing in the PowerBook justifies the $500 or more difference.
i might be the only one who thinks this feature is the best thing in the world, but im paying the extra 500 for the blacklit keyboard
ouch.........such a long time. my mouth is totally drained from drooling for months for a better computer.................i really can't wait much longer.
yea, ibooks are good deals. around the same or just a bit above emacs in terms of speed/persformance. it's the mobile emac that's faster than an emac.
Yes Well I live in Australia and I am a 13 yo School student at a non Apple Authorices Education Facility (My dad is enrolled in a TAFE course and the TAFE is Apple authorized tho) but the 12" Apple iBook is A$1,695. I have been offered a well looked after second hand 12" 1Ghz 640MB ram, Airport Express, 40gb hdd (iirc), Bluetooth and a heap of bonus software for A$1200. Which would you people suggest? I am tihnking about seeling my current desktop to try to fund the purchase and I want something that will last a long time. I would like to do a little bit of Photoshop work or if I find an alternative to cropping and level adjustments I will take that.
Thanks, dewy™