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PB Upgrade to Combo Drive

post #1 of 21
12/17/01 at 12:07pm
Thread Starter 
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."
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post #2 of 21
12/17/01 at 1:53pm
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.
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post #3 of 21
12/17/01 at 2:09pm
[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. </strong><hr></blockquote>

Ahh, that's what happened. I was wondering why you still had the PowerBook.
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post #4 of 21
12/17/01 at 6:51pm
[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. </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 )

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!
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post #5 of 21
12/17/01 at 7:54pm
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?
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post #6 of 21
12/17/01 at 10:44pm
[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.
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post #7 of 21
12/17/01 at 11:18pm
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>
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post #8 of 21
12/18/01 at 1:11pm
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.

-Ender
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post #9 of 21
12/18/01 at 3:30pm
Thread Starter 
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
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post #10 of 21
12/18/01 at 4:23pm
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>
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post #11 of 21
12/20/01 at 12:48pm
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
If you find yourself sided with the majority, it is time to change your thinking.

-Mark Twain
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If you find yourself sided with the majority, it is time to change your thinking.

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post #12 of 21
12/20/01 at 1:24pm
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?
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post #13 of 21
12/20/01 at 1:34pm
[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.
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post #14 of 21
12/21/01 at 9:34am
[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?
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post #15 of 21
12/21/01 at 11:03am
[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.

-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.
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post #16 of 21
12/21/01 at 2:35pm
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
If you find yourself sided with the majority, it is time to change your thinking.

-Mark Twain
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If you find yourself sided with the majority, it is time to change your thinking.

-Mark Twain
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post #17 of 21
12/21/01 at 4:42pm
[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


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
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post #18 of 21
12/21/01 at 8:56pm
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.

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

-Ender
If you find yourself sided with the majority, it is time to change your thinking.

-Mark Twain
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If you find yourself sided with the majority, it is time to change your thinking.

-Mark Twain
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post #19 of 21
12/24/01 at 7:18am
[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>
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post #20 of 21
12/24/01 at 11:31am
he also has the 30 GB HD justifying his price
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post #21 of 21
12/24/01 at 11:55am
Laugh all ya want, SDW, but it's a done deal !


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>
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