If I had not had my Powerbook in college, there are academic things I WOULD NOT have been able to do otherwise. I can't tell you how many group projects I had where we would check out a conference room in the library, and then I would type out our paper or create our PowerPoint (Keynote wasn't around then) on the spot. Not only that, but we could easily practice our presentations in a central location (instead of crowding into someone's dorm room on the OTHER side of campus) and not have to worry about the department's computer not being able to support the transitions/images/movie files that we integrated into our PPT. We made it, practiced it, and presented it all from the same machine.
Typing notes in class is another good capability...but one that I never exercised.
Hey, here's a list of all the things I did with my Powerbook that I couldn't have done otherwise:
As mentioned before, group project preparation. PowerPoints made on, practiced from, and presented from the same computer.
Bibliographic information acquisition: Why write out all the information on paper when it can be typed directly INTO the paper while you're sitting in the library.
Easy access to my files and documents from elsewhere, including my parents' house on the weekends.
Music playback: Before the iPod, my Powerbook was a great jukebox to listen to with earphones while studying in the library or union.
Space-savings: This cannot be discounted. Which is larger in a dorm room or small bedroom: a 17" monitor with CPU attached, or a laptop computer?
There are other advantages outside of academia to having a Powerbook, but those are the legit reasons for getting one.
If you do buy a laptop of ANY kind, keep it secure! I'm talking about being at "Code Orange" alert level when that sucker isn't directly underneath your fingers while you're typing. Buy a laptop lock and USE IT all the time. Buy a case that can have the zippers locked together with a suitcase lock. Don't buy a case that screams "I'm a laptop case!" Don't leave your laptop with ANYONE that you wouldn't trust with your own life. And lastly, don't talk about it. The more people that know you have a laptop computer, the more people who'll be watching you.
I know this may sound silly, but like Homeland Security, your laptop computer will remain safe if you remain vigilant and even a little paranoid. Having an iBook or Powerbook in college is a dream come true for the on-the-go student, but you just have to be careful at the same time.
pfresh dude get the powerbook, if you just wanna have the portability get the 12 with super and spend the rest on an ipod or just get the 15 super... regardless of platform I'm NOTEBOOK all the way. I personally use my powerbook for meetings and everything inbetween it makes a big difference. I wish I had one in college. Even the ibooks will more than fast enough for GarageBand too. Seriously Powerbook all the way.
There's plenty of wireless around UT too by the way... Spider House cafe bro I'm there all the time.
I thought of something else regarding the issue of security while on the drive home from work:
Also set passwords on your computer. Go into security and turn on the passoword for wake from sleep/screen saver AND when you are away from your machine for a while, log out.
As far as WHICH laptop for you to get, I'd say go for the 12" Powerbook w/ Superdrive. It's small, very college-friendly, and still fairly full-featured. Buy that and spend the rest of your budget on a printer, good case/laptop-friendly backpack, security cable, mouse, and blank CD/DVD media.
I will admit, though, that the wide screen on my 15" is great for video editing and just having more screen real estate.
Any reason you say get an iSight? I don't see the need in having a camera like that. I had a webcam for a year or so (back in the early days of USB cameras), and I just never really saw the need for it. Just my opinion though.
Yea, I considered buying an Airport Base Station for my house. Mainly because it would be nice to be able to do some computer work in a room other than my own. I don't know if I would necessarily want it for college (unless I can have some kind of security password set up to keep people off of it).
...In fact, if I won a G5 in a contest, I'd sell it in a heartbeat and not think twice. I have no desire whatsover to be chained to a desk ever again, I don't give a damn how righteous the G5 may be. I'd sell it and use the money to get my PowerBook to 2GB RAM, or a trip somewhere or a whole bunch of songs from the iTMS. Or maybe a 20" Cinema Display.
I know what you mean pscates. I love the fact that I have the same computer that I would buy if I was a millionaire (15"PB, minus a few GB of RAM \ )
Quote:
Originally posted by torifile
Oh and get the powerbook. With the ed discount, it's the best deal in the Apple lineup. (IMHO)
Oh yeah... £300 ($550) off with HE Contract discount!
I think this is my plan now: I'm going to wait until the Powerbooks get their next upgrade (hopefully in the next couple of weeks before my birthday). At that time, I will buy a 15" with Superdrive and an Airport Extreme Base Station. I will probably keep my PC running, just as a back up/server thing. That sounds good to me. Thanks for the advice everyone.
Well, bear in mind one thing: these PowerBook updates might be a LONG way off. Do yourself a favor and completely ignore the various chuckleheads here at AI talking crap about "G5 PowerBooks in March!" or whatnot.
They're on drugs.
The PowerBooks were updated in September (I think that's the right month...it was at the Paris Expo, whenever that was). Anyway, before that the PowerBooks had gone A LONG TIME: nearly a year for the 15" and since January 2003 for the 12" and 17".
Not saying it can't change, but you could possibly be looking at another 5+ months of waiting, worst case scenario.
For what it's worth, I'll wager my left lung and both kidneys that any upcoming PowerBook update will be a modest processor and hard drive bump. AND IT'LL STILL BE A G4. So buying one now most likely will not result in any sort of wrist-slashing urges because they came out with a 15" G5 PowerBook in April that costs $1699...
For what it's worth, I'll wager my left lung and both kidneys that any upcoming PowerBook update will be a modest processor and hard drive bump. AND IT'LL STILL BE A G4.
I'll donate my left pinkie toe to the cause. The only thing you should wait for, if anything, is a speed bump. If you need a laptop now, go ahead and buy it.
I don't need it now. My PC can still chug along for a while. I would just prefer to get it sooner rather than later. So yea, waiting for speed bumps is ok.
I remember when everybody was waiting for the first G4 powerbooks, and often people would say "I can wait a few more weeks, I'm sure it won't be long until they put a G4 in the Powerbooks." This went on for well over a year, with constant rumors every MacWorld (and in between) that the G4 Powerbook release was just around the corner.
I suspect we're in a similar situation now with the Powerbook G5. I'm in the market for a new Powerbook myself (I'd like a bigger display than my 12" iBook, which otherwise works fine for me) but I refuse to play this "waiting for the Powerbook G5" game, since it could literally be another year away. I'm just going to buy the 15" model with the illuminated keyboard, and if that model has a speed bump or a hard drive bump (or a price cut) by the time I have the money lined up, great.
This "just waiting for the next revision" game has no end. There's NEVER an ideal time to buy, if you're always afraid of a revision coming out tomorrow. Even waiting for the day that the revision actually occurs can be a problem, since new hardware platforms in their "Rev. A" version can have a lot of problems.
I remember when everybody was waiting for the first G4 powerbooks, and often people would say "I can wait a few more weeks, I'm sure it won't be long until they put a G4 in the Powerbooks." This went on for well over a year, with constant rumors every MacWorld (and in between) that the G4 Powerbook release was just around the corner.
I suspect we're in a similar situation now with the Powerbook G5. I'm in the market for a new Powerbook myself (I'd like a bigger display than my 12" iBook, which otherwise works fine for me) but I refuse to play this "waiting for the Powerbook G5" game, since it could literally be another year away. I'm just going to buy the 15" model with the illuminated keyboard, and if that model has a speed bump or a hard drive bump (or a price cut) by the time I have the money lined up, great.
This "just waiting for the next revision" game has no end. There's NEVER an ideal time to buy, if you're always afraid of a revision coming out tomorrow. Even waiting for the day that the revision actually occurs can be a problem, since new hardware platforms in their "Rev. A" version can have a lot of problems.
Good for you. Waiting for the next big thing is for people with lots of time money and a good Mac to get them by in the meantime. If you're not one of those people, buy when you need a machine.
Well I'm not waiting necessarily for a G5 to be in the Powerbook. With the rumors coming out that G4 Powerbooks might be bumped one last time, I was just going to wait to buy until after the final bump. If it turns out false, oh well. I didn't get to play with a new Powerbook for a couple weeks. My current system will handle what I need for the time being. I'm not in dire need of a computer.
Comments
Typing notes in class is another good capability...but one that I never exercised.
Hey, here's a list of all the things I did with my Powerbook that I couldn't have done otherwise:
- As mentioned before, group project preparation. PowerPoints made on, practiced from, and presented from the same computer.
- Bibliographic information acquisition: Why write out all the information on paper when it can be typed directly INTO the paper while you're sitting in the library.
- Easy access to my files and documents from elsewhere, including my parents' house on the weekends.
- Music playback: Before the iPod, my Powerbook was a great jukebox to listen to with earphones while studying in the library or union.
- Space-savings: This cannot be discounted. Which is larger in a dorm room or small bedroom: a 17" monitor with CPU attached, or a laptop computer?
There are other advantages outside of academia to having a Powerbook, but those are the legit reasons for getting one.If you do buy a laptop of ANY kind, keep it secure! I'm talking about being at "Code Orange" alert level when that sucker isn't directly underneath your fingers while you're typing. Buy a laptop lock and USE IT all the time. Buy a case that can have the zippers locked together with a suitcase lock. Don't buy a case that screams "I'm a laptop case!" Don't leave your laptop with ANYONE that you wouldn't trust with your own life. And lastly, don't talk about it. The more people that know you have a laptop computer, the more people who'll be watching you.
I know this may sound silly, but like Homeland Security, your laptop computer will remain safe if you remain vigilant and even a little paranoid. Having an iBook or Powerbook in college is a dream come true for the on-the-go student, but you just have to be careful at the same time.
There's plenty of wireless around UT too by the way... Spider House cafe bro
Also set passwords on your computer. Go into security and turn on the passoword for wake from sleep/screen saver AND when you are away from your machine for a while, log out.
As far as WHICH laptop for you to get, I'd say go for the 12" Powerbook w/ Superdrive. It's small, very college-friendly, and still fairly full-featured. Buy that and spend the rest of your budget on a printer, good case/laptop-friendly backpack, security cable, mouse, and blank CD/DVD media.
I will admit, though, that the wide screen on my 15" is great for video editing and just having more screen real estate.
For me, it would fall about 38th on my list of stuff to buy.
Originally posted by pscates
...In fact, if I won a G5 in a contest, I'd sell it in a heartbeat and not think twice. I have no desire whatsover to be chained to a desk ever again, I don't give a damn how righteous the G5 may be. I'd sell it and use the money to get my PowerBook to 2GB RAM, or a trip somewhere or a whole bunch of songs from the iTMS. Or maybe a 20" Cinema Display.
I know what you mean pscates. I love the fact that I have the same computer that I would buy if I was a millionaire (15"PB, minus a few GB of RAM
Originally posted by torifile
Oh and get the powerbook. With the ed discount, it's the best deal in the Apple lineup. (IMHO)
Oh yeah... £300 ($550) off with HE Contract discount!
They're on drugs.
The PowerBooks were updated in September (I think that's the right month...it was at the Paris Expo, whenever that was). Anyway, before that the PowerBooks had gone A LONG TIME: nearly a year for the 15" and since January 2003 for the 12" and 17".
Not saying it can't change, but you could possibly be looking at another 5+ months of waiting, worst case scenario.
For what it's worth, I'll wager my left lung and both kidneys that any upcoming PowerBook update will be a modest processor and hard drive bump. AND IT'LL STILL BE A G4. So buying one now most likely will not result in any sort of wrist-slashing urges because they came out with a 15" G5 PowerBook in April that costs $1699...
Originally posted by pscates
For what it's worth, I'll wager my left lung and both kidneys that any upcoming PowerBook update will be a modest processor and hard drive bump. AND IT'LL STILL BE A G4.
I'll donate my left pinkie toe to the cause. The only thing you should wait for, if anything, is a speed bump. If you need a laptop now, go ahead and buy it.
I suspect we're in a similar situation now with the Powerbook G5. I'm in the market for a new Powerbook myself (I'd like a bigger display than my 12" iBook, which otherwise works fine for me) but I refuse to play this "waiting for the Powerbook G5" game, since it could literally be another year away. I'm just going to buy the 15" model with the illuminated keyboard, and if that model has a speed bump or a hard drive bump (or a price cut) by the time I have the money lined up, great.
This "just waiting for the next revision" game has no end. There's NEVER an ideal time to buy, if you're always afraid of a revision coming out tomorrow. Even waiting for the day that the revision actually occurs can be a problem, since new hardware platforms in their "Rev. A" version can have a lot of problems.
Originally posted by sizzle chest
I remember when everybody was waiting for the first G4 powerbooks, and often people would say "I can wait a few more weeks, I'm sure it won't be long until they put a G4 in the Powerbooks." This went on for well over a year, with constant rumors every MacWorld (and in between) that the G4 Powerbook release was just around the corner.
I suspect we're in a similar situation now with the Powerbook G5. I'm in the market for a new Powerbook myself (I'd like a bigger display than my 12" iBook, which otherwise works fine for me) but I refuse to play this "waiting for the Powerbook G5" game, since it could literally be another year away. I'm just going to buy the 15" model with the illuminated keyboard, and if that model has a speed bump or a hard drive bump (or a price cut) by the time I have the money lined up, great.
This "just waiting for the next revision" game has no end. There's NEVER an ideal time to buy, if you're always afraid of a revision coming out tomorrow. Even waiting for the day that the revision actually occurs can be a problem, since new hardware platforms in their "Rev. A" version can have a lot of problems.
Good for you. Waiting for the next big thing is for people with lots of time money and a good Mac to get them by in the meantime. If you're not one of those people, buy when you need a machine.