PC to PowerBook G4

francisfitz · October 29, 2002 10:39AM

Hi:

I'm new to the board and may be new to the Apple community. I'm thinking about replacing my Toshiba Portege laptop with a PowerBook. Like a lot of Wintel users, I'm a little nervous.

Couple of questions:

1. Can I run my kids' PC games (Reader Rabbit, Rescue Rangers, etc.) on the PowerBook. Years ago there was a program that emulated the Windows world (but didn't crash). If I get the beautiful screen on the PowerBook and my kids' find out that they can't use it, . . .

2. Will Apple be upgrading the USB ports to 2.0 soon? It seems rediculous to get a computer with 1.1 USB today.

3. Can the PowerBook support an infared port? I have several devices that communicate via the infared port on my current laptop.

Thank you very much.

Francis Fitz

matsu · October 29, 2002 10:51AM

The powerbook is long overdue for a serious upgrade, if your current laptop works don't bother changing. In fact, most of Apple's product line-up is very very stale. Even if minor bumps to the products are made, I would advise against buying just about any mac at this moment, unless your investment in the platform requires you to use/run macs. Some significant bumps are expected in the new year to be followed by major architectural improvements in the second half of 2003. Buying now will put you in the tail end of a very old generation of Apple solutions. Everyone's waiting for a G5 (or equivalent). Don't touch an Apple product untill these major changes are made.

I'm being a little hard on macs because: A) Apple deserves it for so grossly miscalculating their roadmap, and,

because you alluded to VPC (virtualPC). While virtualPC is certainly useable, it is SLOWWW, and expensive. Macs already cost more for less overall speed. Add the cost of an emulator and windows, and the extra slowdown of emulating, and you've just annihilated any semblance of decent price performance.

Take a trip with the family, buy your wife something nice for the house, invest in the kids college fund... don't buy a mac untill Apple sorts out the performance issues.

imud · October 29, 2002 11:05AM

Well I am waiting for my 17" imac to arrive, the anticipation is starting to hurt

You can use Virtual PC for your kids games, yea its kinda slow but its prolly fast enuff for kids games. Plus there are alot of kids titles listed in the apple store, under software click the learning tab.

As for the infrared stuff, I have no idea.

amorph · October 29, 2002 11:15AM

A lot of children's titles are available for the Mac, and Virtual PC should be adequate to the task of running the rest. The Mac's long legacy in education sees to that pretty well. However, don't take my word or anyone else's on this: Track down the vendors of the software and find out from them, so that if you get disappointed it'll happen before you've shelled out thousands of dollars.

The equivalent on the Mac for USB 2 is FireWire. There isn't a known timeline for Apple to adopt USB 2. That doesn't mean they won't, it means that I have no idea when they will and I don't know if anyone outside - or inside - Cupertino does. There might be a PCMCIA-based way to add support, though.

As to IRDA, Apple has dropped IRDA in favor of Bluetooth. IRDA support in the OS is minimal, and the TiBook doesn't have an IRDA port.

There are an increasing number of rumors of an imminent refresh of the portable line in early- to mid-November. I doubt it will involve motherboard changes (as adding USB 2.0 support would require), but at the very least it might allow you to pick up one of the current models at a clearance price if they're adequate to your needs.

Best of luck!

defiant · October 29, 2002 2:43PM

and to make your move easier: <a href="http://www.detto.com/move2mac/"; target="_blank">move2mac</a>

spart · October 29, 2002 7:47PM

[quote]Originally posted by Amorph:

<strong>There might be a PCMCIA-based way to add support, though.</strong><hr></blockquote>

<a href="http://www.orangemicro.com/OrangeUSBCardBus.html"; target="_blank">Boom</a>.

Even though there is a way, I wouldn't go for it anyway (unless you already own quite a few USB 2.0 devices. FireWire is faster...and there are plenty of available products that use it.

sushiism · October 31, 2002 3:48PM

gah dont talk bollocks i have an 800 powerbook and there ARE NO "PERFORMANCE ISSUES" the things f-ing orgasmic.

I have yet to see a usb 2.0 device so id hardly say its needed esp when i see plenty of firewire ones

serrano · October 31, 2002 8:24PM

[quote]Originally posted by Matsu:

<strong>The powerbook is long overdue for a serious upgrade, if your current laptop works don't bother changing. In fact, most of Apple's product line-up is very very stale. Even if minor bumps to the products are made, I would advise against buying just about any mac at this moment, unless your investment in the platform requires you to use/run macs. Some significant bumps are expected in the new year to be followed by major architectural improvements in the second half of 2003. Buying now will put you in the tail end of a very old generation of Apple solutions. Everyone's waiting for a G5 (or equivalent). Don't touch an Apple product untill these major changes are made.

I'm being a little hard on macs because: A) Apple deserves it for so grossly miscalculating their roadmap, and,

because you alluded to VPC (virtualPC). While virtualPC is certainly useable, it is SLOWWW, and expensive. Macs already cost more for less overall speed. Add the cost of an emulator and windows, and the extra slowdown of emulating, and you've just annihilated any semblance of decent price performance.

Take a trip with the family, buy your wife something nice for the house, invest in the kids college fund... don't buy a mac untill Apple sorts out the performance issues.</strong><hr></blockquote>

not that i don't agree, but jesus, all your posts just deserve a

.

PC to PowerBook G4

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