What problems do you have with G4 ibook?

monstroseanmonstrosean
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I have recently bought my first Mac (a 14" G4 ibook). A friend (a PC guy)of mine says that he has herd of people having lots of trouble with the ibooks. Stuff like the battery going bad, keyboard scratching the screen, crashing, etc. Is there any truth to that? I didn't think the $250 apple care was needed at first, but now I wonder.



Thanks,

Sean

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    interactinteract Posts: 47member
    All batteries die - Apple or otherwise. Rechargeable batteries (cellphones/iPods/laptops) all have a set number of charges and discharges. It all depends on how you use them. Check out:



    http://www.apple.com/batteries/notebooks.html



    There is some issue with the keyboards scratching or "hand grease" affecting the screen. Really easy solution - don't let the screen and keyboard touch. Google ibook screen protector and there are dozens of companies that offer pads/plastics, etc.



    As for "crashing", I'm a little lost - the vast majority of Mac users would say that stability of the Mac platform is a defining feature. That said, OS X can be fussy about RAM (randomly hates a stick) and that can crash the system, but most RAM has a lifetime guarantee (just exchange it for another stick and issue instantly goes away.) There was an issue with older iBooks having bad logic board issues, but Apple has a replacement program (http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/) and 1 year of Applecare with any new purchase. (btw ... the vast majority of computer issues would "rear it's ugly head" before your first year.



    Applecare is very specific in what it covers - I've heard batteries are difficult to get replaced because their "Life" is so much dependent on the user.) IMHO - it's worth getting Applecare if you're going to keep the computer for three years (or more.)



    Your PC friend probably hasn't ever used an Apple for more than a month (and probably not a newer model with Panther (10.3). Your new iBook is awesome and will serve you well for a long time. Your friend raised some valid concerns and it's always good to find out.
  • Reply 2 of 3
    albertoalberto Posts: 71member
    I have a 800 Mhz G4 with no problems to report and my sister recently bought a 12' 1.2 G4 iBook, no problem so far, great battery life
  • Reply 3 of 3
    toweltowel Posts: 1,479member
    The iBooks are fabulous computers, rugged and long-lived. And, as I'm sure you're finding out, OSX is a fabulous OS. Older models of iBooks had a logic board issue, but to their credit, Apple (eventually) addressed it directly, and design changes mean it's no longer an issue for new iBooks. Battery life and screen damage are generic issues that affect any laptop, from any manufacturer.



    Lion batteries last a variable amount of time before losing capacity. Apple guarantees them for a year, and depending on your luck (IMO it really is luck, more than behavior) they could last several years. New batteries = higher capacity, though, so if you use your battery heavily, you might want to get a new one every couple of years. I went from 4hrs to 5hrs when I replaced my battery a year ago. Nice. If you don't use the battery...well, who cares how long it lasts?



    Screens can develop "stains" from picking up the oils from your fingers. The solutions are: 1. try not to touch the screen with your fingers, 2. periodically clean the screen with an LCD-safe agent (e.g. iClear), and 3. keep and use the thin piece of foam that came with your iBook to protect the screen from the keyboard when the laptop is closed. I cut mine into strips just big enough to cover the keyboard, so I have three strips in case I lose one. You can also buy screen protectors for about $20, but why spend $20 when Apple gave you the solution for free?
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