Apple iBook Notebook 14" M9627LL/A (1.33 GHz PowerPC G4, 256MB RAM, 60GB Hard Drive, Combo Drive, Built-in AirPort Extreme)

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Summary: Apple ibook
Review: I have only had the ibook for 2 hours AND I LOVE IT. I CAN'T WAIT TO CONNECT IT TO MY WIRELESS ROUTER. PLAN TO UPGRADE THE RAM FOR WEB DESIGN APPLICATIONS. OVERALL I GIVE IT A- . I AM SO GLAD I got the APPLE INSTEAD OF THE TOSHIBA. GREAT FOR THE COFFEE SHOPS AND DOWNLOADING MUSIC. Happy so far!!!
I CAN HAVE MANY APPLICATIONS OPEN AT ONE TIME, APPLE IS THE BEST. IF YOU WANT TO USE IT FOR WEB PAGES, MAKING MOVIES OR BURNING CDS THIS IS THE BEST MACHINE.

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Summary: My first Apple!
Review: I just got my first Apple computer, this iBook, and I have to say, I've been converted. Not only is this computer fast, fun, and beautiful to look at, its so sleek yet powerful. I highly recommend it! I don't think I've ever had a computer I love this much. Haven't had any problems at all! The switch from Windows to Apple was not as big a change as I thought it would be. And it helps that Apples just look so good! I am very very happy!

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Summary: Some follow-ups on Czarina's review
Review: I just thought I'd add a few additions/corrections to Czarina's review, to help fence-sitters decide.

1. The video chipset is actually pretty good compared to what some (though not all) value laptops on the Windows side have. Having a Windows laptop doesn't mean much if you're using "Intel Extreme Graphics" (which pretty much rules out any 3D gaming).

2. To solve the USB printer situation, you can always get an Airport Express or Airport Extreme base station. Both have a USB port on them to let you free up a USB port on the Mac itself.

3. There are P2P programs for the Mac, including ones that connect to the Kazaa network. Acquisition is a notable example. Keep in mind, of course, that grabbing copyrighted stuff from P2P isn't nice! It's faster and easier to buy through iTunes, anyways.

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Summary: Mac is the Lexus of computers
Review: I recently purchased an iBook G4 14" 1.33 GHZ 256MB RAM 60GB HD with Super Drive and Airport Card. All I have to say about this Mac and the other one I own in one word is awesome! I'm a senior at a private Online college and have owned/worked with many computers (Windows and Mac). In comparison to my Compaq Presario running XP Pro, the Mac is better in just about every aspect. Sure people want to say they love their Windows computers (I like mine and it works well), but when you've worked on a math assignment for two hours using the equation editor in Word and it crashes (forget about loving Windows XP) you want to smash your notebook and throw it out the window because now you must start from scratch. I've never experienced this with either of my Macs. Starting out as a college student I initially went with a Windows computer, It worked well but I think I would have been better off buying a Mac from the start. Ok enough about Windows.

Apple has done an outstanding job putting together this notebook. Talk about features and ease of use. On the desktop using Expose I can open multiple windows (Word, Excel, Power Point, Entourage, IE, AOL) and press one button to put all applications into a single view on the desktop "live" that means everything works in the background applications. I've never seen anything like this on a Windows machine, though it may be possible, the Mac works that way right out of the box.

Ever run out of things to do on your computer? My iBook works so well I finish my tasks quickly and efficiently and I find myself with more time than I had with my Windows Computer-because the Mac simply works. If you've ever done research on the Internet and wrote a paper at the same time, the Mac switches between Internet Applications, iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie and iDVD flawlessly. It's hard to crash a Mac-though it can be done most users will never do this because it requires multiple requests through the bus and kernel. The Mac of course has a Unix based OS (what many Internet Servers run). This means the Mac can support many user profiles and their data (family members/friends). The iBook G4 has so many features it's unparalleled; you must go Online and check it out for yourself.

My comments where not to down play Windows XP Pro because Windows XP Pro does work and is an outstanding operation system I paid some $399 odd dollars for it. Mac OS X is not only a good operating system it is a superior one and is underrated for some reason. Let me make it simple if you're considering buying a new notebook. I enjoy using my Mac and I won't need to buy another computer in two, three or even four years. If I choose to, I can upgrade and I'll be just fine for years to come-great ROI (return on investment).

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Summary: Apple iBook = Excellent Value
Review: If you already have a desktop computer and are looking for a notebook for wireless Internet access, e-mail, word processing, and other portable applications, the iBook is ideal. The higher priced PowerBook is a great machine, but the iBook offers a much better value, even when compared with competing Microsoft Windows PCs. Even "PC Magazine" ranked the iBook as #1 in its price range.

I own a dual-processor 1.25mHz G4 desktop and was expecting the iBook to feel sluggish by comparison. But it is surprisingly fast. Just be sure to have at least 512mb of RAM. 256mb is the bare minimum, in my experience. A second RAM chip is easy to add on your own.

As with Apple's other products, the iBook's build quality is top notch. There's very fine attention to detail. The battery life of five hours is impressive. The LCD screen is bright and crisp. It's a solid machine all around.

Then, there's OS X, the UNIX-based operating system. That alone is worth the price of admission. It is such an elegant, powerful, intuitive and robust OS. If you're currently using Microsoft Windows and have had problems with security and other issues ... boy, are you in for a pleasant computing experience!

The bundled software is a good start for home users. AppleWorks has word processing, spreadsheet, database and drawing modules. This program will open and save Microsoft Word documents, too. Then, there's iLife, a suite of great easy-to-use multimedia programs for editing video, making DVDs, creating music, and managing your digital photo library. (If your iBook comes with iLife '04 installed, you can send in a coupon to Apple to upgrade to the new iLife '05 package.)

The iBook has wireless capability (Airport Extreme) as a standard feature. I've been able to access the Internet with my iBook at coffee shops and the local mall. If you buy an Airport Extreme transceiver, too, you can have a wireless network within your home.

The iBook ... right out of the carton, everything works just as you'd like!

Rating:
Summary: 98.9% satisfied
Review: This is my very first Mac. I got tired of PCs when my 1-year-old Vaio notebook kept overheating and shutting down on me, so I researched on notebooks known for quality rather than quantity of memory, speed, etc. When I bought this iBook, I upgraded the RAM to 512MB because all the reviews for the last iBook G4 recommended it. I also opted for the 80GB hard drive, leaving me about 68GB of free space before installing other programs myself. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied.

What's GOOD:
- The speed of this notebook surprised me. PC users, don't let the 1.33GHz fool you. Compared to my 2.4GHz, 512MB Vaio, this iBook's performance is the same, if not better. It runs very quietly as well.
- The software bundle is awesome. iLife '04 is very user-friendly, so you won't need to touch an instruction manual to get the hang of things. Lately, I've been addicted with GarageBand--creating hip-hop beats have never been so easy.
- I thought the 1-button mouse thing was gonna be annoying, but after I plugged in my USB, 2-button mouse to the iBook, the right-click button actually worked! The little scroll wheel on the mouse works, too. The little menu that pops up have less options than Windows, but I think it's a decent enough transition for a former PC user like me.
- iTunes is the most convenient music store I've ever encountered. I'm tired of Kazaa bombarding my computer with spam and damaged songs, so I thought buying music legally was worth a try. If you want to stick with free, p2p file sharing, then at least you'll enjoy iTunes as a great media player. Wait till you see its visualizer...
- This iBook came with a built-in Airport Extreme. It's WiFi certified 802.11g, so it should work with any standard wireless router. I connected seamlessly with my Netgear wireless router and a friend's Linksys one.
- Running large programs like GarageBand and Adobe Photoshop CS showed no glitches whatsoever. Also, I often have Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop and Illustrator running simultaneously, and I never experience any technical problems.
- This thing fits perfectly in my backpack, and it has a light, yet very solid feel to it. Nothing rattles, sticks out or snaps off, making it very convenient as a portable device.
- Last and most important of all, this notebook has NOT slowed down, crashed, overheated, or blown up on me.

What's NOT SO GOOD:
- Choices on Mac games are very, VERY limited. I bought this iBook realizing that I can't install any of my current PC games in it (only Warcraft III was compatible). The video card is pretty low, too, especially for the latest games (Radeon 9200, 32MB). I really wish I didn't have to sacrifice games for this Mac.
- The iBook does get warm whenever I'm installing a program or running large programs simultaneously. Fortunately, it's not nearly as hot as my crappy Vaio.
- There are only 2 USB ports, so I have to do some plugging/unplugging between my printer, scanner, and mouse. This may be a bother to some people.
- The built-in speakers are somewhat lacking, which is a common issue with laptops. If you're heavy into music like me, getting some decent speakers with a subwoofer is a must. I use the old ones I bought for my Vaio.
- Again, more conflicts with PC software. Having a Mac is the reason why I have to buy Adobe software (personally, I needed to upgrade my version anyway). This means that if you're a recent Mac convert like me, you may have to spend some extra cash on new software, i.e. Microsoft Office, etc. (unless you use Kazaa again, of course... heh, good luck on finding Mac programs on that).

Despite a few compromises, I'm really glad with my purchase. Macs really shine when it comes to quality--once you see this notebook's overall design, you'll realize that those people from Apple really think of everything. Even the AC adaptor's folding prongs, cord hooks and light indicator made it 10 times more convenient than a plain one. With its imperfections, the iBook still clearly deserves 5 stars.