The 17" is NOT too big!!! I have mine on my lap right now comfortably. I do not have a case yet so I carry it around in my hand, its so light I usually just hold it in one hand as I walk around. It is much wider then most laptops but when closed its very small. My friends Dell is much bulkier and LESS portable then my 17.
Do not complain about the size until you have seen it and held it in person. I was afraid of its size before purchasing but have no complaints now.
I have to agree with the size - at our company two of our developers just bought the 15.4" Dell 8500's, and although the screen is bigger on the PB, the Dell machines look like bricks.
I use it on the train, commuting, and it is exactly the right max size for a laptop, bigger than this and you couldn't sit next to anyone, smaller and it would be a compromise on screen real estate (which I love).
And on the resolution debate - I had a heated email discussion at work whether or not the Dell 1920x1400 actually was "better" than the 1400x900 PowerBook, but after showing up at the office I got no complaints.
Yes, the Dell has higher resolution, but the screen is also a LOT smaller, so unless you want to make your optician rich you'll never want higher res than the PB - it is BEAUTIFUL.
But I REALLY think the upcoming aluminum PowerBook stands to be the sweet model in a trio of cool laptops. Yes, the 12" is small and light and EXTREMELY portable. But it's lacking some cool features that the 17" model has and that irks me greatly.
However, I simply can't afford the 17" and, to be honest, I think it might be TOO big.
. [/B]
my best educated guess is that the net pb AI 15 will have all the stuff the Ti had and:
firewire 800,400
built in bluetooth
airport extreme
1ghz processor
but, no backlit display.
The light sensors are in the speaker grills, so i am not sure where they would put them. They may show up in a future model but for the next six months at least the backlit display will be exclusive to the top of the line model.
The ibooks all run OSX fine. but i would not buy one because i do not like the way they look. AS far as the 17 being to big that is hogwash. I do not know anybody who has used one who thinks so. now i am wirelessly typing this to you while laying on the couch with the computer propped up on my knee. My powermac is playing iTunes as it colects dust across the room.
if you want to save money you can get a good deal on a TI on ebay. everyone is trying to unload them before the new model comes out.
I could take the money I saved from not buying the 17", save some more, and maybe go nuts and buy a 23" ACD
this defeats the purpose of having a portable to me. If you are going to wait till you get home so that you can work on a good screen what is the point of carrying it around.
I'm in the same situation as pscates... Why can't Apple just release the damn ting, so we all can get over it.
I have waited for the 15 AIBook since january ... The TiBook is tempting, but buying it now could turn out to be stupid if they update it later this month.
my best educated guess is that the net pb AI 15 will have all the stuff the Ti had and:
firewire 800,400
built in bluetooth
airport extreme
1ghz processor
but, no backlit display.
Yeah, that seems to be the expected, agreed-upon thing around here.
Quote:
AS far as the 17 being to big that is hogwash. I do not know anybody who has used one who thinks so.
Well, that's a pretty subjective thing. I should clarify that I don't think "too big" is a bad thing, as in "ugh, that's too big...". Just in the sense of I'd prefer something a little more paper-sized and compact. That's all. It's definitely cool as can be...I just don't think it's for me. The 15"? Definitely. The 12" with DVI and a few other "missing" features? ABSOLUTELY!!!
Quote:
if you want to save money you can get a good deal on a TI on ebay. everyone is trying to unload them before the new model comes out.
Never! Take whatever feelings you have about the iBook...that's how I feel about the TiBook. I think it is ugly. Yeah, it's better-looking than any other company's laptops. But, IMO, it the least-attractive thing Apple produces. Sharp lines/edges, that white strip around the body, the plastic keys that clash with the metallic body, etc. Add to that the piss-poor AirPort reception, the easily-scratched surface, the stories of scorching heat coming from them and the inconvenient rear-located ports.
Man I HATE the TiBook! I don't think there's really anything about it that I DO like.
Never! Take whatever feelings you have about the iBook...that's how I feel about the TiBook. I think it is ugly. Yeah, it's better-looking than any other company's laptops. But, IMO, it the least-attractive thing Apple produces. Sharp lines/edges, that white strip around the body, the plastic keys that clash with the metallic body, etc. Add to that the piss-poor AirPort reception, the easily-scratched surface, the stories of scorching heat coming from them and the inconvenient rear-located ports.
Man I HATE the TiBook! I don't think there's really anything about it that I DO like.
Ouch!
I had a Ti and they were not as bad as all that. then again, i never scratched mine.
I must say that i did like the 15 inch screen and if i were not a graphic guy who runs programs like photoshop, painter or after effects I would never need or want a screen bigger than 15inches on a portable. I know that if when they release it if it has a hardrive bigger than 60 gig or a processor faster than 1 gig i will be ircked a bit\ I actually think that they will lower the price of the 17 when they release the 15. it seems that all of apples prices are comming down.
this defeats the purpose of having a portable to me. If you are going to wait till you get home so that you can work on a good screen what is the point of carrying it around.
Point well taken... but, I travel a lot, and when I'm traveling I don't usually need a huge screen with me, just something that's good enough to do some light photoshop work, import photos from my digital camera, word processing, surfing the web, iTunes etc. Plus, I think tha 15" screen is descent enough in case you really need to do some serious design work, and you can't access a bigger screen.
When I do heavy design, though, I like to really sit down for several hours, and since the PB is, in fact, a desktop replacement, then why not add the nice screen??? I mean who woldn't like to carry all that power around all the time, know that they can come home to a huge screen when you need to, AND save a few bucks?
Besides, it's only a thought, I haven't really decided yet. And I'm in no hurry...
Point well taken... but, I travel a lot, and when I'm traveling I don't usually need a huge screen with me, just something that's good enough to do some light photoshop work, import photos from my digital camera, word processing, surfing the web, iTunes etc.)
yes, this is what you have gotten used to and it aint bad at all. in fact it is good. But if you really look at it what you need to do when your traveling is what you you need to do,
I'm in the same situation as pscates... Why can't Apple just release the damn ting, so we all can get over it.
I have waited for the 15 AIBook since january ... The TiBook is tempting, but buying it now could turn out to be stupid if they update it later this month.
I have been waiting for the 17inch since January in the UK - I called today and still no stock - They now report another 6 weeks wait which will take it into July - So that is a 7 month delay since the product was annouced!!!!...
I have been waiting for the 17inch since January in the UK - I called today and still no stock - They now report another 6 weeks wait which will take it into July - So that is a 7 month delay since the product was annouced!!!!...
pfff...thats unbelievable...i can feel your anger
u should demand a statement from a high executive
but there should be other stores in the uk who have it already...hm?
...i need a 15incher now........................apple? \
People are thinking of the 12 and 17 as new products, and to an extent they are, but they're really evolutions of the original Ti. Lessons learned making the Ti, have made it possible to build the 12 and 17 much better than a "1st generation" product. My PB12 has been faultless, largely because it's built from know quantities -- Apple has been making G4 based mobo's forever now, and has already built 3-4 revisions of G4 based mobile mobo, the 12 and 17 fall in that sequence, I wouldn't really think of them as a typical new product. It's really a great machine. Everything you ask it to do, it does, and still has only 256MB of RAM in it. Loaded with 640 or 1152 (one GB so-dimms are out there! but insanely expensive ) Waiting on cheap prices for Canadian RAM, darnnit! Probably will pick some up when I get a digital camera. It appears also, that if you have a flat panel with VGA in (like the Sony 23, you can use the PB12 to drive the full 1920x1200, even though Apple mentions only 1600x1200 suppport)
People are thinking of the 12 and 17 as new products, and to an extent they are, but they're really evolutions of the original Ti. Lessons learned making the Ti, have made it possible to build the 12 and 17 much better than a "1st generation" product. My PB12 has been faultless, largely because it's built from know quantities -- Apple has been making G4 based mobo's forever now, and has already built 3-4 revisions of G4 based mobile mobo, the 12 and 17 fall in that sequence, I wouldn't really think of them as a typical new product. It's really a great machine. Everything you ask it to do, it does, and still has only 256MB of RAM in it. Loaded with 640 or 1152 (one GB so-dimms are out there! but insanely expensive ) Waiting on cheap prices for Canadian RAM, darnnit! Probably will pick some up when I get a digital camera. It appears also, that if you have a flat panel with VGA in (like the Sony 23, you can use the PB12 to drive the full 1920x1200, even though Apple mentions only 1600x1200 suppport)
I have been waiting for the 17inch since January in the UK - I called today and still no stock - They now report another 6 weeks wait which will take it into July - So that is a 7 month delay since the product was annouced!!!!...
uuuhhhh.... how many PowerBooks have you bought in the last 6 months???
Man, I wish I could afford buying every revision that comes out! I thought you already had the latest and greates before the Al's. I think you should just chill... (IMO)
I have owned many macs in my day and the AI 17 is the most reliable and stable machine i have ever used. It is the only machine i can honestly say has never crashed. so have no worries mate
I have owned many macs in my day and the AI 17 is the most reliable and stable machine i have ever used. It is the only machine i can honestly say has never crashed. so have no worries mate
I would say all the PowerBooks get bumped at once. The 12" model can reach 1 Ghz, and the 15" and 17" models bumped to 1.2. This is when the 15" model matches the 17".
I too am looking forward to the 15" revision. I don't want to replace my current Ti with another. Its a great laptop, but I'm ready for something new.
My mum has a 17" PowerBook, and while it's fine for carrying around the house I consider it to be just a little too *BIG* to carry around with you when you're out-and-about. If you value true portability without the awkwardness then get the 12" or 15", otherwise if you really need the extra screen real estate for palettes or whatever then get the 17".
Personally, I consider the best solution is a 15" with a 20" or larger external display to connect to when you're at home/office. The 15", unlike the 12", isn't crippled by the lack of L3 cache, and is much more portable than the 17".
15" PowerBook + external display = best of both worlds.
That's EXACTLY how I feel, and pretty much say the above - word for word - in my "What can I expect..." thread in General Discussion.
The 15" PowerBook is, to me, the "sweet spot": small enough to travel, feel portable, look compact, etc. But large enough, screenwise (and with high enough resolution), that you can get stuff done comfortably and with room to spare.
And while at home, I'd be very much interested in connecting it to a gorgeous LCD display, for even more "wiggle room".
They're all great laptops (the entire PowerBook line). I just think the 15" rides that awesome center lane of size, weight, portability and features, power, usability. No compromises on this model.
Hell, it's not even here yet and I'm praising it up and down!
But I do so, feeling confident that it will CERTAINLY match - when not outright trumping - the various specs and features of the current 15" PowerBook. Apple isn't going to go backwards with it, right? No L3 cache, a slower bus, a 20GB hard drive, regular ol' AirPort, no Bluetooth, etc.
I'm guessing it's going to pretty much be the 17" model in every way, except size. And that's going to absolutely ROCK!
I saw it today for the first time and it really is quite portable. Although I would probably wait for a 15" myself more so because of budget.
The good thing about having to wait a few more months before a new AL15, is that by then we'll hopefully see how well the new silver paint finish (keyboard and palmrest) holds up on the AL17" PowerBook.
Comments
Do not complain about the size until you have seen it and held it in person. I was afraid of its size before purchasing but have no complaints now.
I use it on the train, commuting, and it is exactly the right max size for a laptop, bigger than this and you couldn't sit next to anyone, smaller and it would be a compromise on screen real estate (which I love).
And on the resolution debate - I had a heated email discussion at work whether or not the Dell 1920x1400 actually was "better" than the 1400x900 PowerBook, but after showing up at the office I got no complaints.
Yes, the Dell has higher resolution, but the screen is also a LOT smaller, so unless you want to make your optician rich you'll never want higher res than the PB - it is BEAUTIFUL.
[i]
But I REALLY think the upcoming aluminum PowerBook stands to be the sweet model in a trio of cool laptops. Yes, the 12" is small and light and EXTREMELY portable. But it's lacking some cool features that the 17" model has and that irks me greatly.
However, I simply can't afford the 17" and, to be honest, I think it might be TOO big.
. [/B]
my best educated guess is that the net pb AI 15 will have all the stuff the Ti had and:
firewire 800,400
built in bluetooth
airport extreme
1ghz processor
but, no backlit display.
The light sensors are in the speaker grills, so i am not sure where they would put them. They may show up in a future model but for the next six months at least the backlit display will be exclusive to the top of the line model.
The ibooks all run OSX fine. but i would not buy one because i do not like the way they look. AS far as the 17 being to big that is hogwash. I do not know anybody who has used one who thinks so. now i am wirelessly typing this to you while laying on the couch with the computer propped up on my knee. My powermac is playing iTunes as it colects dust across the room.
if you want to save money you can get a good deal on a TI on ebay. everyone is trying to unload them before the new model comes out.
good luck with which ever mac you buy
Originally posted by RANSOMED
I could take the money I saved from not buying the 17", save some more, and maybe go nuts and buy a 23" ACD
this defeats the purpose of having a portable to me. If you are going to wait till you get home so that you can work on a good screen what is the point of carrying it around.
I have waited for the 15 AIBook since january ... The TiBook is tempting, but buying it now could turn out to be stupid if they update it later this month.
Originally posted by JC
my best educated guess is that the net pb AI 15 will have all the stuff the Ti had and:
firewire 800,400
built in bluetooth
airport extreme
1ghz processor
but, no backlit display.
Yeah, that seems to be the expected, agreed-upon thing around here.
AS far as the 17 being to big that is hogwash. I do not know anybody who has used one who thinks so.
Well, that's a pretty subjective thing. I should clarify that I don't think "too big" is a bad thing, as in "ugh, that's too big...". Just in the sense of I'd prefer something a little more paper-sized and compact. That's all. It's definitely cool as can be...I just don't think it's for me. The 15"? Definitely. The 12" with DVI and a few other "missing" features? ABSOLUTELY!!!
if you want to save money you can get a good deal on a TI on ebay. everyone is trying to unload them before the new model comes out.
Never! Take whatever feelings you have about the iBook...that's how I feel about the TiBook. I think it is ugly. Yeah, it's better-looking than any other company's laptops. But, IMO, it the least-attractive thing Apple produces. Sharp lines/edges, that white strip around the body, the plastic keys that clash with the metallic body, etc. Add to that the piss-poor AirPort reception, the easily-scratched surface, the stories of scorching heat coming from them and the inconvenient rear-located ports.
Man I HATE the TiBook! I don't think there's really anything about it that I DO like.
Originally posted by pscates
Never! Take whatever feelings you have about the iBook...that's how I feel about the TiBook. I think it is ugly. Yeah, it's better-looking than any other company's laptops. But, IMO, it the least-attractive thing Apple produces. Sharp lines/edges, that white strip around the body, the plastic keys that clash with the metallic body, etc. Add to that the piss-poor AirPort reception, the easily-scratched surface, the stories of scorching heat coming from them and the inconvenient rear-located ports.
Man I HATE the TiBook! I don't think there's really anything about it that I DO like.
Ouch!
I had a Ti and they were not as bad as all that. then again, i never scratched mine.
I must say that i did like the 15 inch screen and if i were not a graphic guy who runs programs like photoshop, painter or after effects I would never need or want a screen bigger than 15inches on a portable. I know that if when they release it if it has a hardrive bigger than 60 gig or a processor faster than 1 gig i will be ircked a bit
do you know when is the keynote going to be?
Originally posted by JC
this defeats the purpose of having a portable to me. If you are going to wait till you get home so that you can work on a good screen what is the point of carrying it around.
Point well taken... but, I travel a lot, and when I'm traveling I don't usually need a huge screen with me, just something that's good enough to do some light photoshop work, import photos from my digital camera, word processing, surfing the web, iTunes etc. Plus, I think tha 15" screen is descent enough in case you really need to do some serious design work, and you can't access a bigger screen.
When I do heavy design, though, I like to really sit down for several hours, and since the PB is, in fact, a desktop replacement, then why not add the nice screen??? I mean who woldn't like to carry all that power around all the time, know that they can come home to a huge screen when you need to, AND save a few bucks?
Besides, it's only a thought, I haven't really decided yet. And I'm in no hurry...
Originally posted by RANSOMED
Point well taken... but, I travel a lot, and when I'm traveling I don't usually need a huge screen with me, just something that's good enough to do some light photoshop work, import photos from my digital camera, word processing, surfing the web, iTunes etc.)
yes, this is what you have gotten used to and it aint bad at all. in fact it is good. But if you really look at it what you need to do when your traveling is what you you need to do,
Originally posted by hengx
I'm in the same situation as pscates... Why can't Apple just release the damn ting, so we all can get over it.
I have waited for the 15 AIBook since january ... The TiBook is tempting, but buying it now could turn out to be stupid if they update it later this month.
I have been waiting for the 17inch since January in the UK - I called today and still no stock - They now report another 6 weeks wait which will take it into July - So that is a 7 month delay since the product was annouced!!!!...
Originally posted by kittylitterdesign
I have been waiting for the 17inch since January in the UK - I called today and still no stock - They now report another 6 weeks wait which will take it into July - So that is a 7 month delay since the product was annouced!!!!...
pfff...thats unbelievable...i can feel your anger
u should demand a statement from a high executive
but there should be other stores in the uk who have it already...hm?
...i need a 15incher now........................apple?
Originally posted by Matsu
People are thinking of the 12 and 17 as new products, and to an extent they are, but they're really evolutions of the original Ti. Lessons learned making the Ti, have made it possible to build the 12 and 17 much better than a "1st generation" product. My PB12 has been faultless, largely because it's built from know quantities -- Apple has been making G4 based mobo's forever now, and has already built 3-4 revisions of G4 based mobile mobo, the 12 and 17 fall in that sequence, I wouldn't really think of them as a typical new product. It's really a great machine. Everything you ask it to do, it does, and still has only 256MB of RAM in it. Loaded with 640 or 1152 (one GB so-dimms are out there! but insanely expensive
wow..that helps a lot
makes me really calm
Originally posted by kittylitterdesign
I have been waiting for the 17inch since January in the UK - I called today and still no stock - They now report another 6 weeks wait which will take it into July - So that is a 7 month delay since the product was annouced!!!!...
uuuhhhh.... how many PowerBooks have you bought in the last 6 months???
Man, I wish I could afford buying every revision that comes out! I thought you already had the latest and greates before the Al's. I think you should just chill... (IMO)
Originally posted by cycle
wow..that helps a lot
makes me really calm
be calm
I have owned many macs in my day and the AI 17 is the most reliable and stable machine i have ever used. It is the only machine i can honestly say has never crashed. so have no worries mate
Originally posted by JC
be calm
I have owned many macs in my day and the AI 17 is the most reliable and stable machine i have ever used. It is the only machine i can honestly say has never crashed. so have no worries mate
its too big...i want a 15" albook
I too am looking forward to the 15" revision. I don't want to replace my current Ti with another. Its a great laptop, but I'm ready for something new.
Personally, I consider the best solution is a 15" with a 20" or larger external display to connect to when you're at home/office. The 15", unlike the 12", isn't crippled by the lack of L3 cache, and is much more portable than the 17".
15" PowerBook + external display = best of both worlds.
The 15" PowerBook is, to me, the "sweet spot": small enough to travel, feel portable, look compact, etc. But large enough, screenwise (and with high enough resolution), that you can get stuff done comfortably and with room to spare.
And while at home, I'd be very much interested in connecting it to a gorgeous LCD display, for even more "wiggle room".
They're all great laptops (the entire PowerBook line). I just think the 15" rides that awesome center lane of size, weight, portability and features, power, usability. No compromises on this model.
Hell, it's not even here yet and I'm praising it up and down!
But I do so, feeling confident that it will CERTAINLY match - when not outright trumping - the various specs and features of the current 15" PowerBook. Apple isn't going to go backwards with it, right? No L3 cache, a slower bus, a 20GB hard drive, regular ol' AirPort, no Bluetooth, etc.
I'm guessing it's going to pretty much be the 17" model in every way, except size. And that's going to absolutely ROCK!
Originally posted by cycle
its too big...i want a 15" albook
I hope you've actually seen the 17" in person...
I saw it today for the first time and it really is quite portable. Although I would probably wait for a 15" myself more so because of budget.
The good thing about having to wait a few more months before a new AL15, is that by then we'll hopefully see how well the new silver paint finish (keyboard and palmrest) holds up on the AL17" PowerBook.