PB Upgrade to Combo Drive

[imacFP]

I thought this was important enough to repost. According to MacCentral

"If you purchased a 550MHz or 667MHz PowerBook after they were last revised on October 16, there will be a way to upgrade your computer, an Apple representative told MacCentral. Although full details are not available, qualifying users will be able to upgrade their CD-RW or DVD-ROM Titanium to a combo drive for US$299 in mid-January. More details on where the service can be done will be posted to Apple's Web site when it becomes available."

[murbot]

Hmm, I don't know whether to say "That's not a bad price" or "**** this, I just bought this thing! Do it for $100!".

OK, I'm just mad because my buyer flaked on me and I'm stuck with my DVD PowerBook.... who's resale value just took a huge nosedive. :mad:

[EmAn]

[quote]Originally posted by murbot:
<strong>OK, I'm just mad because my buyer flaked on me and I'm stuck with my DVD PowerBook.... who's resale value just took a huge nosedive. :mad: </strong><hr></blockquote>

Ahh, that's what happened. I was wondering why you still had the PowerBook.

[Xool]

[quote]Originally posted by murbot:
<strong>OK, I'm just mad because ... I'm stuck with my DVD PowerBook.... who's resale value just took a huge nosedive. :mad: </strong><hr></blockquote>

I got my Ti 500 back in February for a great deal:
500/512/30/DVD/AirPort -- $3,100 total (which includes all taxes, etc...)

How much is it now? That's a good question... (Checking ebay :rolleyes: )

Prices:
* New Ti 400/512/20/DVD (1 yr. wrty.) - $ 1,775 (27 bids, 1.5 hr left) <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1308859460" target="_blank">link</a>
* 400/128/10/DVD (? wrty) - $1,400 (16 bids, 13 hr. left) <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1309774080" target="_blank">link</a>
* 500/256/20/DVD (9 mo. wrty) - $1,610 (6 bids, 15 hr. left) <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1310518716" target="_blank">link</a>
* 500/768/20/DVD/AirPort (? wrty) - $ 1,775 (5 bids, 22 hr. left) <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1309963278" target="_blank">link</a>

So what's mine worth? Well we'll work on that after I have dinner!

[Xool]

To continue...

* New 550/512/30/Combo/AirPort -- $2,600
* New 667/512/30/Combo/AirPort -- $3,000

So what's my 500/512/30/DVD/AirPort worth?

I'd say about $2,000. If there was an extended warranty, maybe $2,300. And with enough extras a bet someone might buy it for $2500.

Opinions?

[FormerLurker]

[quote]Originally posted by Xool:
<strong>To continue...

* New 550/512/30/Combo/AirPort -- $2,600
* New 667/512/30/Combo/AirPort -- $3,000

So what's my 500/512/30/DVD/AirPort worth?

I'd say about $2,000. If there was an extended warranty, maybe $2,300. And with enough extras a bet someone might buy it for $2500.

Opinions?</strong><hr></blockquote>

I'm looking to sell my month-old
:eek: 550/30/512/Airport/DVD for $2300. I'm telling myself that I really wanted the $3000 667 MHz model anyway.....

You are probably looking at $2100 or $2200.

[Xool]

New 667/512/48/Combo/AirPort -- $2,719.00 for developers... and that's with a free memory slot.

With 2 256s it would be $2,639.

[ 12-18-2001: Message edited by: Xool ]</p>

[Ender]

Upgrading a DVD to a DVD/CD-RW for $300!? Are those people nuts?

Get an external FireWire burner... it will cost less, and will burn at a faster speed. The combo drives are only 8x, most new drives are double that.

Besides, you really need two drives to, erm, correctly perform the backup procedure... yeah, that's it. :D ;)

-Ender

[imacFP]

Well the $299 must include the drive and also labor. And all the CD-RW's I see are close to that price or even more. It seems a good deal to me.

Chris

[EmAn]

I don't see why people think the price is that bad. The drive does cost money you know.

[ 12-18-2001: Message edited by: EmAn ]</p>

[Ender]

Yes, I'm not saying that having a combo drive is BAD... just saying that upgrading from a perfectly good DVD drive for $300 is rather insane.

<a href="http://www.lacie.com/products/product.cfm?id=4A8679BF-54C8-11D5-97C60090278D3ED0" target="_blank">http://www.lacie.com/products/product.cfm?id=4A8679BF-54C8-11D5-97C60090278D3ED0</a>

16x10x40x FireWire/USB burner: $200
24x10x40x FireWire/USB burner: $240

Now, I know that these aren't going to be the desired drives for taking on the road with you, but I've NEVER felt the desire to burn a quick CD on my Ti PB 500 or 667 while on the road. I do it at home, and watch DVDs on the road.

It's cool that Apple is putting combo drives in the new powerbooks, but for those of us that are without them, $300 seems a little much to spend for an internal solution.

-Ender

[stepson]

Does anyone know who makes that drive? Maybe a kind soul could tell us on the boards once they get theirs (I'm sure SOMEONE is gonna get one :) ). I'm thinking that drive would be pretty kickass in my cube ... faster cd writing and DVD to boot ... I wonder if its an ide interface, or a laptop IDE interface, or something else ... anyone pulled apart their TiBook yet?

[EmAn]

[quote]Originally posted by stepson:
<strong> I'm thinking that drive would be pretty kickass in my cube ... faster cd writing and DVD to boot</strong><hr></blockquote>

Do you have a DVD or CD-RW Cube? If you have the CD-RW then it won't be faster CD writing because they're both 8x.

[stepson]

[quote] Do you have a DVD or CD-RW Cube? If you have the CD-RW then it won't be faster CD writing because they're both 8x. <hr></blockquote>

CDRW ... Its 8x? No kidding ... hm, guess it wouldn't be as cool an upgrade as I thought ... well, still, i've always wanted to play around with DVDs too ... Well, maybe my next Mac will already come with it ;)

P.S. I'm wondering if this drive would find itself in the new iMac? Possibly the high-end?

[applenut]

[quote]Originally posted by Ender:
<strong>Upgrading a DVD to a DVD/CD-RW for $300!? Are those people nuts?

Get an external FireWire burner... it will cost less, and will burn at a faster speed. The combo drives are only 8x, most new drives are double that.

Besides, you really need two drives to, erm, correctly perform the backup procedure... yeah, that's it. :D ;)

-Ender</strong><hr></blockquote>

uh... guess you missed the fact that the Powerbook is a PORTABLE. The last thing I want to do is carry around an external drive when it could be built-in.

[Ender]

And that, of course, is your personal preference. And if it's worth $300 to you, then go for it.

As for me, however, I think that while a combo drive would be nice, I still have much more beneficial uses for $300.

It really comes down to what you value in your laptop. I'd rather have an iPod or get one of those 60 GB IBM drives when they are available.

-Ender

[applenut]

[quote]Originally posted by Ender:
<strong>And that, of course, is your personal preference. And if it's worth $300 to you, then go for it.

As for me, however, I think that while a combo drive would be nice, I still have much more beneficial uses for $300.

It really comes down to what you value in your laptop. I'd rather have an iPod or get one of those 60 GB IBM drives when they are available.

-Ender</strong><hr></blockquote>

so would I
:D

BUT. I'm getting the combo drive for "free". Amex Blue has price protection within 90 days of purchase. prices dropped on old models 300 dollars. 300 dollars= combo drive :D

[Ender]

hehe, good deal.

As for me, I got a free upgrade from the 500 to the 667 along with some other niceties when the repair of my 500 took Apple a month.

I'm not complaining to them about not having a combo drive... at least, not until this machine "breaks" too. :D

I don't care what anybody else thinks about Apple's tech support. I think they're tops!

-Ender

[SDW2001]

[quote]Originally posted by FormerLurker:
<strong>

I'm looking to sell my month-old
:eek: 550/30/512/Airport/DVD for $2300. I'm telling myself that I really wanted the $3000 667 MHz model anyway.....

You are probably looking at $2100 or $2200.</strong><hr></blockquote>

BWHAHAHAHA. WTF? For 2299 I can get the one WITH the combo drive, minus the AirPort and the RAM (that's retail...I can get an ed discount) And that is factory sealed. Let's see:

AirPort Card: $99
RAM: $100? (probably way over estimated...but I know it is low profile)

That brings us to 2499 retail for the one WITH th combo drive. And someone is going to pay you $2300 for the one w/o it? Not.

MAYBE you'll get $2000....maybe.

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: SDW2001 ]</p>

[applenut]

he also has the 30 GB HD justifying his price

[FormerLurker]

Laugh all ya want, SDW, but it's a done deal !
:D

Sold it to a client along with free setup, delivery, data transfer, customization, etc. - he's thrilled!

I got $2300 for this one I'm typing on now (of course buyer had to prepay so I could order the replacement) which is about $140 less than it cost me 30 days ago.

Now on order:

667/30/256/AirPort/Combo Drive

The 550 goes to the client the day after the 667 arrives.

[ 12-24-2001: Message edited by: FormerLurker ]</p>