It's what I would buy if I didn't want the power of a G4. The Ti is nice but an iBook with a G4 would be perfect for me. As it stands now I get to keep saving until I can afford a Ti.
It sure feels good to pay less than $1600 for a 500mhz. If you don't need the better graphics card, this is the powerbook to own. I put a 550 next to my new 500 and it ran so much slower. The 550 was actually comparable to the rev. A running at the slower 300 mhz cpu speed. And you are getting similar performance to the 667 at half the price. So don't worry about saving up for something that isn't worth the money. Since there won't be an update for a while, there is no better time to buy one of the 500s new or refurbished.
The only thing that stops me from currently buying either a Powerbook or iBook are the graphics cards. Eight MB in teh iBook?!?!? Come on! Similarly performing and priced Windows-running counterparts have 32MB Cards in tehm, and all Apple can do is churn out 8MB and 16MB ATI Cards, and neither are updated versions of the card, such as the Radeon Mobility 7500 (or is it 7000...I forget)! Not only is it a more powerful card, it consumes less juice, so why not upgrade!?!?
I just don't get Apple...<sigh> I pray those who are predicting Power/iBook updates are right, and may they have better GFX Cards for the love of Pete!
I use both an iBook 500 and a combo 550 PowerBook on a regular basis. I think you may need to revisit your setup if you think the iBook can hang with the PowerBook in X and 9. I've got 640 MB in the iBook and 768 MB in the PowerBook. Since I'm exclusively in X, the PowerBook does much better than the iBook, especially when doing processor intensive tasks (like ripping a CD in iTunes, selecting pictures in iPhoto, and laying out a doc in InDesign). I think the difference will become even more observable when I drop the 48GB HDD in the PowerBook (something that I can't do for the iBook).
I don't mean to take anything away from the iBook. In many ways, a prefer the iBook's small size and footprint over the PowerBook's. I think the iBook will become an incredible machine as soon as Apple gets their sh*t together and drops the Fx and a Radeon into it.
EDIT: about the RAM. I only mentioned it for completeness. Both machines never page to the HDD, so RAM is not the factor in the performance difference.
<strong>The only thing that stops me from currently buying either a Powerbook or iBook are the graphics cards. Eight MB in teh iBook?!?!? Come on! Similarly performing and priced Windows-running counterparts have 32MB Cards in tehm,</strong><hr></blockquote>
I've got to say, most of the laptops that I've seen in the the iBook's category have "shared memory with intel intergradted 3d graphics"
The 14 inch iBook seems like it doesn't fit the product matrix very well. Does anyone buy these things? If you want a big screen get the TiBook. If you want a lower cost, compact book get the iBook. The 14 inch thing just doesn't fit.</strong><hr></blockquote>
nice to see that you have no shortage of cash.
a jump from 1499 to 2299 just to get a bigger screen is a little much
Looks good to me! Hope it's true, even if we have to wait five months to get it.</strong><hr></blockquote>
MOSR is right about 1536x1024 being odd but I did the math and if Apple doesn't want to change the form factor they must go with the 1536x1024 or have stretched pixels. (3:2 (<-powerbook) vs 16:10 (<-cinema display, 1600x1536)). On the other hand the 16:10 would give them more room for a battery...
You are right. 1536x1024 is the next logical resolution for the PowerBook. It is the same (3:2) ratio as the current screen, and it is vertically compatible with 1280x1024 for games and full screen applications.
But this 'information' is completely bogus.
Why? 'Apple is experimenting with several things though, such as anodizing the Titanium case black and using alternative metals, but these will probably never see the light of day'. The color red is not possible with titanium anodizing nor is black. Neither exists in the spectrum created by the oxide layer formed on the surface.
While the rest of the information is plausible, someone is laughing their ass off right now.
Actually, it is possible to make titanium black - but it's not called anodizing. You can finish titanium with titanium nitride (gold), titanium carbonitride (dark silver/black) or aluminum titanium nitride (black).
Not only are they "pretty", but these are medical/machine grade coatings. No scratching, no flaking, heat-resistant.
Comments
I just don't get Apple...<sigh> I pray those who are predicting Power/iBook updates are right, and may they have better GFX Cards for the love of Pete!
Ok, I'm done ranting...sorry...
--Alexis
I don't mean to take anything away from the iBook. In many ways, a prefer the iBook's small size and footprint over the PowerBook's. I think the iBook will become an incredible machine as soon as Apple gets their sh*t together and drops the Fx and a Radeon into it.
EDIT: about the RAM. I only mentioned it for completeness. Both machines never page to the HDD, so RAM is not the factor in the performance difference.
[ 02-13-2002: Message edited by: mslee ]</p>
MWNY Powerbook G4:
733, 867 MHz
133 bus on both
1536 x 1024 resolution on both
6 hour battery life on both
30, 48 gig drives (60 gig BTO)
ATI Radeon 7500 mobility with 32 MB DDR on both
Looks good to me! Hope it's true, even if we have to wait five months to get it.
<strong>The only thing that stops me from currently buying either a Powerbook or iBook are the graphics cards. Eight MB in teh iBook?!?!? Come on! Similarly performing and priced Windows-running counterparts have 32MB Cards in tehm,</strong><hr></blockquote>
I've got to say, most of the laptops that I've seen in the the iBook's category have "shared memory with intel intergradted 3d graphics"
<strong>
The 14 inch iBook seems like it doesn't fit the product matrix very well. Does anyone buy these things? If you want a big screen get the TiBook. If you want a lower cost, compact book get the iBook. The 14 inch thing just doesn't fit.</strong><hr></blockquote>
nice to see that you have no shortage of cash.
a jump from 1499 to 2299 just to get a bigger screen is a little much
<strong>This is on MOSR today:
MWNY Powerbook G4:
733, 867 MHz
133 bus on both
1536 x 1024 resolution on both
6 hour battery life on both
30, 48 gig drives (60 gig BTO)
ATI Radeon 7500 mobility with 32 MB DDR on both
Looks good to me! Hope it's true, even if we have to wait five months to get it.</strong><hr></blockquote>
MOSR is right about 1536x1024 being odd but I did the math and if Apple doesn't want to change the form factor they must go with the 1536x1024 or have stretched pixels. (3:2 (<-powerbook) vs 16:10 (<-cinema display, 1600x1536)). On the other hand the 16:10 would give them more room for a battery...
[ 02-13-2002: Message edited by: Spart ]</p>
<strong>
(3:2 (<-powerbook) vs 16:10 (<-cinema display, 1600x1536)).
</strong><hr></blockquote>
The Cinema Display's vertical resolution is only 1024 lines.
[quote]<strong>
On the other hand the 16:10 would give them more room for a battery...
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Well, the TiBook is pretty wide already, don't think they'd want to make it even wider...
Bye,
RazzFazz
Seems good to me.
But this 'information' is completely bogus.
Why? 'Apple is experimenting with several things though, such as anodizing the Titanium case black and using alternative metals, but these will probably never see the light of day'. The color red is not possible with titanium anodizing nor is black. Neither exists in the spectrum created by the oxide layer formed on the surface.
While the rest of the information is plausible, someone is laughing their ass off right now.
Barto
Not only are they "pretty", but these are medical/machine grade coatings. No scratching, no flaking, heat-resistant.
Here's a link:
<a href="http://www.endmill.com/pages/coatings.htm"; target="_blank">machine tool coatings</a>
- Pook
<strong>
nice to see that you have no shortage of cash.
a jump from 1499 to 2299 just to get a bigger screen is a little much</strong><hr></blockquote>
Point well taken.
Good news for the TiBook - bad news for my credibility.
<strong>Well, today's MOSR agrees with my last post.
Good news for the TiBook - bad news for my credibility.
Yeah, somehow I think whoever is feeding MOSR is a reader of this board and then decided to "fix" the mistakes pointed out in this thread.
<strong>Isn't the PowerBook G4 painted anyway?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes
most...worthless...post...ever.