Rating: 
Summary: A Truly Refined Laptop
Review: An excellent piece of engineering combined with a truly elegant operating system and applications. I have owned laptops from HP, IBM and Toshiba and this unit takes the cake. Very fast, silent and well built. The airport extreme 802.11g is very fast and the bluetooth works well with the Apple wireless mouse. The screen is beautiful and the backlit keyboard is nice when you are sitting on the couch typing in the evening. I expect to keep this system for at least five years. Well worth the investment.Purchasing advice: Spring for the 128MB of video RAM and upgrade the main RAM to 1GB. This will cost an extra ~$180 or so but it is an inexpensive way to maximize performance.
Rating:
Summary: A great computer for anyone in your home.
Review: Being a technician on many products, I've come to learn that computers are tools. I came to work on Apple products through the years but recently my job functions required more hands on use of the G4. Mac Office 2004, which you have to buy on the side doesn't have a good ODBC plugin that makes it hard for people in finance to do their job. That is unless you buy a third party plugin for Office. Some of the features loaded on OS X are not fully developed and seem to be added just so they can add it to the ever-growing list of features. I'd say the top programs I use are Terminal, iTunes, iPhoto, Adium, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Quicksilver.
I'm sure I can get a lot of Mac enthusiasts to argue against me and flame me in every way possible. That's the beauty of this system; you actually have a fan base that most other systems don't. It's fairly easy to adapt to this operating system and hardware if you have patience. I think the nicest thing about this laptop is the DVD-RW that comes with it, Apple calls it a "Superdrive." Although you'd probably be recommended to buy Roxio's Toast program to burn cds. All in all you have to be ready to fork out some money when you switch.
Personally I love the G4, I have distanced myself enough to be very critical on some items but this is one product that doesn't have much criticism. Of course that is compared to almost every other system out there. They've embedded FreeBSD into the OS perfectly and makes it sound for developers to use and compile software. I do hope that in the future Apple fixes a lot of the minor glitches and becomes mainstream because this product is a very valuable tool.
Rating: 
Summary: concerning double-memory promotion
Review: Hi, If you are considering to purchase this PB because of Amazon.com's recent (as of 6/29/04) free double-memory promotion. Be aware! This configuration of PB comes with two DIMM slots already filled with two 256MB modules, and there is no open slot left. So, even if you get another 512MB memory module for free, in order for you to add it, you will need to remove one of those pre-installed 256 MB modules. So, that means instead of having 1 GB memory that you are dreaming about, you will only be able to upgrade it to 768 MB, which is not bad. In fact, that is how much I have for my iMac at home running OS X 10.3 Panther. In the end, you will have an extra 256 MB module. Anyway, I just wanted to bring this to your attention.
Rating:
Summary: A good machine but don't believe the hype.
Review: I bought a G4 Powerbook a few months ago now and it is a fine laptop; very useable, very attractive, superbly designed and very expensive! BUT:
I had my first Powerbook replaced within a month due to a faulty screen and now the one I have has developed a dark area on the monitor and the hinge is sticking. Research on the web indicates I am not alone, not by a long stretch. Unfortunately Apple is not the benevolent customer-lover it would like us to believe and charges £35 for each and every customer service matter within the first twelve months. I hope the replacement I get is sound but I must admit that I wish I'd paid half as much for a high spec PC. Don't get sucked in by the Apple charm, take a step back and consider.
Rating: 
Summary: BUYER BEWARE
Review: I bought my apple directly from apple on line. I had problems with the base port station from the start. I spent 2 hours on the phone with tech support in an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the problem. I also had problems transferring my files from my old pc--they weren't supported on a mac operating system. I can handle the latter problem and assume there must be a way (although time consuming) to resolve. However, at this point I had enough, and decided to return the mac and stick with a pc. Guess what?!! apple wouldn't accept the return because I had the memory upgraded from 60 to 80 Gb. They said that I had it "specially configured" and this was covered in their "no returns" policy. Absolutely INSANE!!! Their website was completely misleading because the ordering process directs you to choose between hardware and software components. The minute you choose one option over another, your computer has magically become "specially configured" and therefore is now NON-returnable. Now I'm stuck with a $2.5K computer I hate. I will NEVER buy another mac product!
Rating:
Summary: LUV MY POWERBOOK!!!
Review: i have a powerbook g4 will all the add ons. i use this laptop for school since i am in the laptop program. i have one of the fastest laptops in the school. there are so many useful apps. Safari is probally the best internet browser i have ever used in my whole life. Ichat is another cool application. i chat with my friends on it. the built in microphone makes it so easy to talk to your friends while you are typing up a essay or w/e ur doing. Itunes is another good app. I hav over 5000 songs. I recently bought a 4th generation 40 gb ipod. all u do is plug ur ipod in and it syncs. it takes a matter of seconds to send the songs to ur ipod. You can also purchase songs for .99 cents on itunes if u wish. i have office 2004 also. it costed me quite alot for it. it is 10 times easier to use then the regular office on windows. Iphoto is another good app. if you need to run windows apps u can purchase virtual pc. with this program u can run any amount of pcs on ur mac. isn't that kewl?!?! a mac and a pc on one system. the buit in wireless helps alot. whenever i visit somewhere that has a router my pb picks the signal up. overall this expensive but use ful laptop is WORTH IT!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Apple is closer than ever to the perfect computer
Review: I have been your stereotypical gamer/geek/pc user since i was in 8th grade, and all the time have been deftly opposed to anything with an apple logo on it. I had always accepted Macintosh as a sort of "stupid person's computer," since we had used them in grade school to a)type things, b)play oregon trail on game tuesdays, and c)learn to type. Also, while growing up my friend's dad had a Performa PPC that he used to a)surf the internet (what little internet there was back then), b)taxes on quicken, and c)check his stocks.
Now fast-forward. I had just finished my first semsester of college, and i needed a laptop. At first i run to the nearest box store and pick up a thin and light HP notebook, which had respectable specs for what i needed. 60GB hard drive, 512MB DDR Ram, 1.5Ghz Centrino, and an (advertised) over 5 hours battery life. Wow! for only $1399, i grabbed it in an instant. I had it for 5 days. Right out of the box i booted it up and it ran as slow as my roommates 466 Mhz Celeron that we pulled out of a dumpster b/c he is a cheapskate. 10 seconds to boot up Office? C'mon! I had just spent $1400 on a cool-looking piece of plastic that get beat out by 5 year old celerons. Then that amazing battery life was actually around 2-2.5 hours. Wow again. All that low voltage technology and it can't even get past 3 hours? My god i needed something else. So i returned it promptly and started shopping again.
The School Bookstore has always had a plethora of apple products on display because they are one of only two apple dealers in the city (what, Bozeman MT is a small town!). They definitely looked infinitely more sexy than the Performa that my friend and I had grown up with (playing Gridz-- Yeeehaw!) I spent about a week researching this 1.5 Ghz Powerbook. about 19 of the 20 Amazon review gave it 5 stars or (if they could) higher. So i decided to spring for one, because of the Bookstore's return policy and the fact that i needed something before the next semester.
Even at purchase i was still skeptical of buying a mac, and at $2500, i thought, it better be a DAMN perfect computer.
I have had this powerbook for a week now, and i must say: PC users who hate everything apple: you just need to experience it. I thought i would regret the incompatibilities between XP and OS X, but instead, i spend all my time thinking to myself "Why the hell didn't MICROSOFT think of this!!!" This is hands down the tightest software i have ever had the pleasure to use. OS X is not simple, it is logical. Unlike XP, there are never unavailable options because of your incompatible hardware, and best of all: no baloon info! When was the last time a PC user actually needed to be reminded that they had just removed their Usb Key??? Or, in case of a re-install of XP which i did more often than not, Usually an hour or so is spent making sure the OS worked with the computer as best as possible. OS-X works. period. No tweaking, no secret options to increase performance. OS-X is a PC user's dream! Imagine an OS, out of the box, that is already a finely tuned and stripped of its useless features and software, that doesn't crash, doesn't need drivers, doesn't need setting up, and best of all: WORKS!!! If apple can find an easier way to communicate this with the PC population, i'm sure they will have majority market share in a matter of years.
I love my Powerbook! I'm sure if you're reading this, you've read other reviews that go through all the "duh" features and battery life, blah blah. Actually, unless you will use this on your lap for very long periods of time (99% of the time it will be on a library table or airplane tray) it get warm(not hot) but i guess it gets annoying unless its cold out. Also, if apple can create a computer like this, they can definitely make a longer battery. i don't think 5-real life hours is impossible with the additional use of lithium polymer batteries to fill up any extra space inside (like the iPod battery) Also, the screen, when closed, is a wee bit wobbly. I want to see AIRTIGHT seals on the lid, but, again, this really doesn't matter. the 12" version is rock solid in this aspect, with the lid closing perfectly tight. I guess it's just an ailment of having a big screen. But these are very minor gripes for a guy wishing apple to create the perfect laptop. Although not quite perfect [yet] This is still far superior to any PC notebook on the market today. One more thing: two buttons and a scroll function on the touchpad. Seriously apple, even that crappy HP had that!
But, my minor issues aside, all you need to know is this: I hated macs, am a very literate PC guy (CCNA, A+ certification) who never thought he'd buy a mac. I haven't "switched over", persay, but my mac is now "my computer," and the pc is kept for stuff that doesn't work on the powerbook. Incredible Job, Steve Jobs! An to think, a month ago i was telling friends that Apple should drop computers and just sell iPods! This is NOT the case. Apple should be on top of the market with products like this. 5 out of 5 stars! I love it!
Rating:
Summary: Very happy customer
Review: I have to say I am glad I waited for this generation of the G4 powerbook. It has been said in reviews that the most significant new feature of this laptop is it's lack of problem exhibited in many of the previous generations of the g4 powerbook. I must agree. The powerbook is very refined and the technology is perfectly combined with the operating system. It does everything with grace. BTW, I reccomend the Appld bluetooth mouse and keyboard. They are an flawless pair. I am very hard to please and don't write such positive things often.
Rating:
Summary: This is a GREAT laptop from Apple
Review: I have used both Macs and PCs over the years, and I will confess to an affinity for Apple's products. However, I am very careful about what I actually buy for home. I have a full range of computers at work, so I get to see a lot of different models and brands in action and see how they last over time.
This particular powerbook is top notch. I was impressed with the 1.25GHz model that came out before this version, and when Apple started shipping this model last April, I ordered mine. It is sturdy, fast, quiet, and ultra portable. I commute to work on a motorcyle, and this baby comes with me every day. It is a true work horse. I use it for communications, graphic design, web design, presentations, light music and video creation, and the occasional game. I make tons of stuff all the time, never have a problem with this machine, and Mac OS X is solid.
That said, Apple has had a few duds over the years. The LC 5200 comes to mine, as well as many of the Performa models of the 1990's. Some of the first iMacs were very problematic as well as some of the G4 towers. I have been careful to spend my hard earned money only on models that excel. Other than this Powerbook, that would include the G4 tower nicknamed "sawtooth" - a great model. Also the G3 laptop nicknamed "pismo" - one of the black ones with firewire built in. These are both commonly recognized as top notch models from Apple and I think this 15 inch Powerbook also fits into that category.
If you are in the market for a laptop, this is a good direction to go. Both the 12 and 17 inch models are for people with more specialized needs. The 17 inch is too big for real portability and the 12 inch is good if you need something ultra small that is powerful (like maybe a professional photographer out in the field). When Apple comes out with a G5 laptop, wait at least a year for them to work out the bugs before buying.
If you are deciding between mac and pc, ask yourself the following questions: Do you need to run specialize software that will only run on the PC? Are you prepared to deal with virus protection on a day by day basis? Do you want to replace the laptop in two to three years? If the answer is yes, go buy a decent PC from Dell or someone reputable. The Macs are definitely more expensive up front, but they tend to last a lot longer in my experience. They are on a much slower upgrade cycle than PCs and that has big monetary advantages.
Enjoy and good luck!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Notebook
Review: I may be baised towards Apple products ... but this is the best
|
