Rating: 
Summary: Great machine with it's limits
Review: Very nice screan is the first thing you'll notice here. The side to side angle of view is pretty wide, while the top to bottom isn't. You'll need to have the screan angled directly at you for optemimal viewing. The promised battery life is a joke of course. Without using the optical drive at all you might get 2.5 hours from it. I suspect the promised 4.5 hours happens only if the hard drive never moves and backlighting is off. It does seem to sleep for a good long time on battery though. As others have mentioned, the cooling system is a bit awkward. You have to keep the machine on a hard flat surface or it will overheat. The track pad is really awkward and I really dislike it. You cannot tap the pad instead of clicking the button the way i can on my addesso keyboard. That means mouse chores are two handed. The last down-side i can think of are the built in speakers. Don't expect much here, they're only basic speakers not loud enough or full frequency. You'll need to hook up something external to get a decent sound. On the up side; This a nice slim design and the machine seems very stable. I have not problem putting it to sleep and taking to and from my office. (Be prepared to pay extra dough for the 17 inch carry case. I payed $... for mine!!!) It comes loaded with OS 10.2 which is a solid dependable OS. Among other things i use it for Final Cut Pro and deffinately adding the extra 512 ram is a good idea. The 1ghz speed is nice, handles big jobs smoothly. The reason I got this one instead of the 15 inch was because i thought i'd like extra screan realestate. I do think it's worth the extra $... Finally I can goof off and watch a dvd on this thing in my office. That's pretty cool;) Bottom line is this an expensive machine with lots of plusses and several minuses. I'm glad i got it and would get it again. Just, don't expect too too much.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth the wait
Review: What a quality Powerbook, I have bought every generation of Powerbook and iBook range...since the Wallstreet, and this version is simply the best. My version was perfect and I did not have much of a wait. The machine is perfect with no dead pixels or faulty catches.
Like the advert for the two new models, I think you need to be in business or first class to put this beauty on your lap, without overhanging your neighbours coffee tray ! It will trun heads when the cabin lights are dimmed and the Powerbook keys light up. Don't hesitate, buy this version its a classic, and if history is anything to go by... most macs hold their residual value better than its competitors. Happy shopping.
Rating:
Summary: Worth the wait
Review: What a quality Powerbook, I have bought every generation of Powerbook and iBook range...since the Wallstreet, and this version is simply the best. My version was perfect and I did not have much of a wait. The machine is perfect with no dead pixels or faulty catches.
Like the advert for the two new models, I think you need to be in business or first class to put this beauty on your lap, without overhanging your neighbours coffee tray ! It will trun heads when the cabin lights are dimmed and the Powerbook keys light up. Don't hesitate, buy this version its a classic, and if history is anything to go by... most macs hold their residual value better than its competitors. Happy shopping.
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