Just ordered a new mac!!!!!

tacojohntacojohn
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hey guys! I just ordered my 2nd mac! Its to replace my old iBook 500 (which is having those damn logic board problems).



Here are the specs:



PowerBook

G4 1.25GHz

512MB

80GB

SuperDrive

AP Extreme Card

GigE

Aluminum

15"TFT

Refurbished



Any tips on keep the powerbook new as possible? What about battery life? How can I maximize that? How is gaming performance? Will I be able to game at all?



It should be here on Monday or Tuesday!



peace!
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    (This bodes well for new Macs coming out)
  • Reply 2 of 30
    worldircworldirc Posts: 39member
    Congrats... that's quite the upgrade!
  • Reply 3 of 30
    tacojohntacojohn Posts: 980member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by johnq

    (This bodes well for new Macs coming out)



    Yeah- know new powerbooks are supposed to be right around the corner, but I need a working computer- the iBook hasn't been working great in the last few days.



    Plus I couldn't beat the price $1999.
  • Reply 4 of 30
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tacojohn

    Yeah- know new powerbooks are supposed to be right around the corner, but I need a working computer- the iBook hasn't been working great in the last few days.



    Plus I couldn't beat the price $1999.



    Great deal. BTW I'm quite jealous, being on a G3 iBook 700 14"....
  • Reply 5 of 30
    tacojohntacojohn Posts: 980member
    Hey- I have a digital rebel and I want to get a PC Card CF reader. Any reconditions...
  • Reply 6 of 30
    tacojohntacojohn Posts: 980member
    Hot damn- the powerbook shipped already- it should be here tomorrow by 3pm!



    WAAAAHOOOO!
  • Reply 7 of 30
    boemaneboemane Posts: 311member
    That's the excact machine I have. Its great! It works fine for gaming! I can play Unreal Tournament 2004, in 800 by 600 resolution, with decent settings (most are maxed out, some are set to 'normal'). This gives me OK framerates (not sure of the exact number, since I cannot get the console up), but its definately playable!



    I'm happy with it!



    .:BoeManE:.
  • Reply 8 of 30
    mike peelmike peel Posts: 185member
    I've been playing about with the settings on my TiBook (i.e. PB before yours), and have found one interesting thing: if you're just wanting to do typing on it, try reducing the backlight and inverting the colours (control-alt-command-8) - reducing the backlight adds a fair bit to the time the battery'll last before recharging, and inverting will make the text much clearer at the lower backlight levels as well as looking quite interesting...



    As for when you get it new; I think people reccomend charging it, then running it right down to 0% battery life before charging again. That's supposed to keep the battery life up, or something.
  • Reply 9 of 30
    performa636cdperforma636cd Posts: 187member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mike Peel



    As for when you get it new; I think people reccomend charging it, then running it right down to 0% battery life before charging again. That's supposed to keep the battery life up, or something.



    what's the reasoning behind that? these have lithium batteries which have a useful life dictated by cycles, right? these aren't nicad batteries where cycling is used to get rid of the memory effect. what am i missing? how are these PB batteries different?
  • Reply 10 of 30
    pbg4 dudepbg4 dude Posts: 1,611member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Performa636CD

    what's the reasoning behind that? these have lithium batteries which have a useful life dictated by cycles, right? these aren't nicad batteries where cycling is used to get rid of the memory effect. what am i missing? how are these PB batteries different?



    Well, since Apple prints battery conditioning instructions right in the "Getting Started With Your PowerBook G4 . . ." there must be some use to them.
  • Reply 11 of 30
    tacojohntacojohn Posts: 980member
    well- its here and I'm now posting from it.



    I must say its much faster than my iBook. HAHAHAHA!



    I'm transferring all my files with firewire over IP. Its working well- I've transferred about 8 gigs so far (in the few minutes I've had it).



    For being a refurb I can't even tell- eventhing looks brand-new. The screen is perfect (no white spots or dead pixels).



    How can I transfer all my books marks and stuff over to safari? No I don't have .mac. Also- my address book contacts and iCals?



    Thanks- I'm really enjoying this and unless a G5 powerbook gets released in the next 2 weeks this baby isn't going back.
  • Reply 12 of 30
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by tacojohn

    well- its here and I'm now posting from it.



    I must say its much faster than my iBook. HAHAHAHA!



    I'm transferring all my files with firewire over IP. Its working well- I've transferred about 8 gigs so far (in the few minutes I've had it).



    For being a refurb I can't even tell- eventhing looks brand-new. The screen is perfect (no white spots or dead pixels).



    How can I transfer all my books marks and stuff over to safari? No I don't have .mac. Also- my address book contacts and iCals?



    Thanks- I'm really enjoying this and unless a G5 powerbook gets released in the next 2 weeks this baby isn't going back.



    Congrats!



    Safari bookmarks are probably in your home folder/Library/Safari/bookmarks.plist



    Address book cntacts I think is the folder located at home folder/Library/Application Support/Address Book



    iCal calendars are in home folder/Library/Calendars/
  • Reply 13 of 30
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    Congratulations man! I can't believe how quickly you got that thing. Right on.



    You can just copy over your entire Safari folder and replace the one on the PowerBook.



    I'm glad you got such a nice deal, it'll ease the sting when new ones are released, enough so that you probably won't care much at all. I have a feeling the next revision will only be a minor speedbump anyhow.



    Enjoy that machine bro, and get some pics posted in the setup thread.
  • Reply 14 of 30
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Congrats!



    Time to celebrate!
  • Reply 15 of 30
    piwozniakpiwozniak Posts: 815member
    Better yet:



    If both computers are running Panther, download Carbon Copy Cloner to your iBook. Connect your PowerBook by firewire, and restart it holding "T"

    It will boot up in target drive mode. It will dosplay FW icon on it's LCD, and mount on iBook's desktop as regular FW drive.



    On iBook open up disk utility and format PB's drive. Then use Carbon Copy Cloner and just clone entire HD from your iBook onto your new PB.



    this way all your passwords, settings, EVERYTHING is there. Super easy.



    PLEASE NOTE:



    you will loose iDVD, but that can be installed using restore CDs which you have received with PB.



    Also entire HD in your powerbook will be erased so if you have any data on it which should be kept, transfer them to your iBook first.



    Again, if you have Panther on that Pb and Jag on iBook, don't do it, as you would loose Panther install.





    It may seem complicated, but actually it's super easy and saves lots of time.
  • Reply 16 of 30
    performa636cdperforma636cd Posts: 187member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PBG4 Dude

    Well, since Apple prints battery conditioning instructions right in the "Getting Started With Your PowerBook G4 . . ." there must be some use to them.



    from my experience in buying electronics that don't use alkaline batteries, always be wary of what the company/sellers say.
  • Reply 17 of 30
    pbg4 dudepbg4 dude Posts: 1,611member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Performa636CD

    from my experience in buying electronics that don't use alkaline batteries, always be wary of what the company/sellers say.





    Yea, cuz Apple being the crazy engineers that they are, putting together these awesome laptops and pushing battery technologies (Lithium Prismatic batteries anyone) couldn't possibly know the proper way to condition a brand new battery.
  • Reply 18 of 30
    tacojohntacojohn Posts: 980member
    well- I got most of my settings transferred over and all my files are over here.



    Next up is installing software...



    The speakers are waaaaay better than the iBooks- you can actually use them for quiet listening!



    I actually felt bad turning off the iBook for the last time. Its been with me for so long!



    I took pics and I'll post them in the near future- after I install my software. Oh yeah- it came with iLife '04 disks too- as well as a DVD restore disk.



    All I have to say is besides not having iLife '04 pre-installed I can't even tell this thing is a refurb!



    Peace out!
  • Reply 19 of 30
    performa636cdperforma636cd Posts: 187member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PBG4 Dude

    Yea, cuz Apple being the crazy engineers that they are, putting together these awesome laptops and pushing battery technologies (Lithium Prismatic batteries anyone) couldn't possibly know the proper way to condition a brand new battery.



    are you saying apple engineers make no mistakes?



    lithium prismatic? couldn't you just have said lithium rectangular shaped?



    but you're right, lithium-ion batteries should be cycled the first time to properly calibrate the battery and computer.



    sorry to "hijack" this thread
  • Reply 20 of 30
    tacojohntacojohn Posts: 980member




    Powerbook Gallery



    First Startup Video
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