What happened to PB expansion bays?
Currently, I am a bit disappointed in Apples flexability in their design of Powerbooks(G4). Im not saying their ?bad,? Im saying they could be even better if Apple made them as flexable as the PB G3.
Therefore, I think future Powerbooks should incorperate the design of the Powerbook G3. Why?
1)The PB G3 had two expansion bay options, one which could hold a battery, and the other which could hold an optical/storage drive.
2)Current models are expandable due to their high speed ports(newer firewire, USB 2.0), but I dislike the fact that you have to use external drives to expand the functionality. (Zip drive, floppy drive, extra battery)?because some people still use floppies and zip drives.
3)Having anything ?built in? to a laptop is a total advantage, and having it removable is even better. This was the PB G3?s advantage, you could swap a CD-ROM or DVD drive and pop in another battery. Therefore achieving double battery life.
4)I dislike the fact that current models have drives which are not removable. (I realize they can be removed, but this requires opening the unit and tediously removing the component.) If Apple were to incorporate removable drives in their upcoming Powerbook line, I think this would be a big advantage.
5)Slot loading drives?no. Maybe some of you will disagree with me on this one, but I shudder at the fact that Apple has slot loading drives in all their new units. My friend A.J owns a PB G4, and his CD got stuck inside the drive. (I don?t think this is a large problem?but it is a concern.)
I am not putting down Powerbooks, or saying their bad units, I am simply saying that these units would be even better if they had these features.(In my opinion). I mean, why wouldn?t someone want the option of having two batteries at once? Or the ease to pop in another drive(hard drive for example)?without the use of dangling an external drive from the USB port? If anyone disagrees with my posting, Im sorry. Im just wondering if anyone out there also misses the convenient drive bays? And If there is anyone out there who would like to see them incorporated in newer PB models?
Therefore, I think future Powerbooks should incorperate the design of the Powerbook G3. Why?
1)The PB G3 had two expansion bay options, one which could hold a battery, and the other which could hold an optical/storage drive.
2)Current models are expandable due to their high speed ports(newer firewire, USB 2.0), but I dislike the fact that you have to use external drives to expand the functionality. (Zip drive, floppy drive, extra battery)?because some people still use floppies and zip drives.
3)Having anything ?built in? to a laptop is a total advantage, and having it removable is even better. This was the PB G3?s advantage, you could swap a CD-ROM or DVD drive and pop in another battery. Therefore achieving double battery life.
4)I dislike the fact that current models have drives which are not removable. (I realize they can be removed, but this requires opening the unit and tediously removing the component.) If Apple were to incorporate removable drives in their upcoming Powerbook line, I think this would be a big advantage.
5)Slot loading drives?no. Maybe some of you will disagree with me on this one, but I shudder at the fact that Apple has slot loading drives in all their new units. My friend A.J owns a PB G4, and his CD got stuck inside the drive. (I don?t think this is a large problem?but it is a concern.)
I am not putting down Powerbooks, or saying their bad units, I am simply saying that these units would be even better if they had these features.(In my opinion). I mean, why wouldn?t someone want the option of having two batteries at once? Or the ease to pop in another drive(hard drive for example)?without the use of dangling an external drive from the USB port? If anyone disagrees with my posting, Im sorry. Im just wondering if anyone out there also misses the convenient drive bays? And If there is anyone out there who would like to see them incorporated in newer PB models?
Comments
1 Big fat heavy bastard thing! Though it would be nice to be able to get one of those flat battery packs you used to be able to get from third parties.
2 Externally expandable is more flexible. What's the point in having floppy/zip sized bays when both formats are redundant and nothing of similar size is available - just buy an external USB drive, which will be cheap because it's not specially tailored to Apple.
3 It's a disadvantage - flexibility adds weight. Batteries are much better now, so you get decent run times.
4 All you have are a hard drive and a CD/DVD drive, what are you going to want to swap out? Chasis can be lighter and stronger without removable drives.
5 Who cares?
6 Just buy yourself a G3 PowerBook, and then you won't be happy.
I run my life and my business on my AlBook 24/7 and the last thing I want is its perfect design ruined by a clunky drive bay for an extra battery I don't even need.
Chickentooth, setting the AI record for pointless threads.
Originally posted by Ensign Pulver
Chickentooth, setting the AI record for pointless threads.
ain't that the truth
predicting the future, true to the forum
Originally posted by Ensign Pulver
[snip]... I run my life and my business on my AlBook 24/7 and the last thing I want is its perfect design ruined by a clunky drive bay for an extra battery I don't even need.
Chickentooth, setting the AI record for pointless threads.
all so true
The whole reason we can't get a mobile G5? Too hot for the little .8" enclosures. If Apple offered at least one "big clunky" Apple could be selling a 1.4Ghz G5 PowerBook already.
And, imagine if you took all the engineering they learned cramming all that stuff into a .8" and stuck it in something twice the thickness (for 1.8" total instead of 1"). Wouldn't it be cool for mobile media professionals to have the ability to run a couple 7200rpm HDs in a RAID 0 config. That extra thinkness could get you a much larger battery. and the extra space on the back might get you room for a S/PDIF in and out. Add all that in with a G5 and you'd have serious drool factor for the geeks and pros.
Originally posted by mooseman
The whole reason we can't get a mobile G5? Too hot for the little .8" enclosures. If Apple offered at least one "big clunky" Apple could be selling a 1.4Ghz G5 PowerBook already.
I think, on the whole, the market wants "small and light" (the 17" kind of goes against that, but...), doubling the volume, and by implication, the weight, seems to have minority appeal.
If you really wanted a RAID I'm sure there must be ways of doing it with FireWire externals.
Originally posted by Clive
I think, on the whole, the market wants "small and light" (the 17" kind of goes against that, but...), doubling the volume, and by implication, the weight, seems to have minority appeal.
If you really wanted a RAID I'm sure there must be ways of doing it with FireWire externals.
...sure, lighter is always better. But engineering requires trade offs. G5s can't be shoehorned into the PBs because the small enclosures won't properly vent the heat. So, do you take the 6-12 months that you could be selling big nasty G5 PowerBooks until the .09 process 970s arrives by building a bigger, slightly heavier 15" higher res thicker MediaBook with a G5? This way you are guaranteed to recoup your investment on the new chassis. The only way speed geeks would get a mobile G5 is to get the MediaBook until the .09 process arrived.
The 17" already weighs almost 7 lbs. You could probably make a 15" MediaBook in that range considering the current 15" weighs only 5 1/2.
Companies like AlienWare already make "desktop replacement" type notebooks with 3.2GHz P4s. So, if they can solve heat issues for something that hot (almost 100w from what I understand), then I'm sure Apple could work in a single 1.5G5 and maintain some semblance of style and battery longevity.
And, the point of the 2 HD is to have RAID on board so you aren't carrying a bunch of extra suff with ya all the time.
Just fanciful thinking, really. I don't actually expect Apple would create something like it.
Privileges Revoked
I don't think its worth thickening the Powerbook to hold two batteries when it takes about 10 seconds to swap out your battery with a fresh one anyway.
Does this work if you're not plugged into the mains? If you're sitting on a plane and your battery craps out, can you just put your PB to sleep and swap out the battery? I've only got the one battery that came with my PB so I've never been in a position to try it.
This thread is dead, so might as well get some use out of it.
Originally posted by Gamblor
Does this work if you're not plugged into the mains? If you're sitting on a plane and your battery craps out, can you just put your PB to sleep and swap out the battery? I've only got the one battery that came with my PB so I've never been in a position to try it.
This thread is dead, so might as well get some use out of it.
I've never tried it. I only have one battery as well, but I think you need to be plugged into a wall to swap batteries while on sleep mode. Otherwise, what will power the white sleep LED?
Anyone correct me if I'm wrong.
Originally posted by monkeyastronaut
I've never tried it. I only have one battery as well, but I think you need to be plugged into a wall to swap batteries while on sleep mode. Otherwise, what will power the white sleep LED?
Anyone correct me if I'm wrong.
it works. have to do it in under 25 seconds or something tho.
I just took my battery out while in sleep and put it back in. everything stayed the same