Getting a 12"BP today, maybe...

[G4scott]

Comp USA has 12 months no payment no interest on all laptops, and my parents want me to get a laptop for college now, even though new stuff might be released. They advertise the 12" PowerBook with the super drive, and my dad wanted to know if it's be okay with me. Personally, I'd wait, but for what I'm going to be doing, the 12" PB should be fine, and newer models introduced this summer (upgraded 15"?) will be more expensive, so I think this is the laptop for me.

Are there any reasons why I shouldn't get it? I know it gets hot, but I have a late 2001 iBook, and I like the size of it, and the whole G4 thing makes the PowerBook even more appealing. My iBook gets hot too, since it's always doing folding@home, and it doesn't bother me that much. If there are any objections, speak now, or forever hold your peace, or whatever they say...

[robotrenegade]

If you are going to an art school, a 12? screen will not do you justice. It's really hard to work with multiple programs (you spend more time moving windows out of the way then getting work done.) If it's just for iTunes, Word and entertainment for long trips, it's the way to go. I also recommend getting 512MB or 1GB of ram. It will boost the performance a lot.;)

[G4scott]

I'm going to be doing computer science at UT Austin...

[Kwyjibo]

you don't really need to spend much time moving around windows once your used to a smalelr screen you get used to all the shortcuts assocaited with moving things aorund and what. The only program i've had a problem with is when u need multiple windows in the same program all showing at the same time. If that becoming as issue you can always hookup the second monitor to increase your retail space. Either way i think youll love the 12" screen its extra portable. trust me within a month you won't think about the screen size at all.

[MacAztec]

I thought you were only like 16 years old...

Anyways, the 12" PB should be good. I have used it and its pretty cool. Slick and small.

What are you gonna do with your old iBook?

[janey]

Originally posted by Kwyjibo
trust me within a month you won't think about the screen size at all.
hopefully i'll think that way when i try to decide between which powerbook i should get and instead of the 12" i get the 17".
A lot of people are not thinking about that when they decide not to get either AluBooks because they either think it's too big or too small.
Thank goodness there's a 15" right inbetween :p

[G4scott]

Originally posted by MacAztec
I thought you were only like 16 years old...

Anyways, the 12" PB should be good. I have used it and its pretty cool. Slick and small.

What are you gonna do with your old iBook?

Well, I just got back from CompUSA, and I'm happy... I'm 17 years old, and I'm a high school senior. My little brother is going to get my old iBook, since his 300mhz blueberry iBook is pooping out on him. All is well. Anyways, I gotta go open up my new computer :D Maybe I'll post pics...

[robotrenegade]

So what did you end up getting?

[Kwyjibo]

since he said "speak now, or forever hold your peace, or whatever they say.." I would thin he neded up with the superdrive 12in powerbook. enjoy

[G4scott]

I ended up getting the 12" Powerbook with superdrive. It's so cool. I love it. I don't see any problems with it. The screen is fine, it's well built, and although it gets a bit warm, it doesn't bother me.

Now, to move all my stuff from my iBook to my PowerBook :D

[G4scott]

ok, I just found out something that will probably lead to some hacks in the future. The keyboard on the 12" PowerBook has the same, clear-letter keys as the 17" PowerBook. Just turn on caps lock, or number lock, and you will see that the letters on the keys light up, and you can kind of see it through the letters around it. Somebody's going to get a light-up keyboard working on a 12" PowerBook... Just not me, because I don't want to void my warranty.

I wonder why they didn't put the light-up keyboard in the 12" PowerBook...

[SoonToGetAMac]

Originally posted by G4scott
ok, I just found out something that will probably lead to some hacks in the future. The keyboard on the 12" PowerBook has the same, clear-letter keys as the 17" PowerBook. Just turn on caps lock, or number lock, and you will see that the letters on the keys light up, and you can kind of see it through the letters around it. Somebody's going to get a light-up keyboard working on a 12" PowerBook... Just not me, because I don't want to void my warranty.

I wonder why they didn't put the light-up keyboard in the 12" PowerBook...

I would assume just to differentiate between an entry-level pro machine and a pro pro-machine. Just like how the low-end Power Mac has one processor. Cool to see that you noticed that, as I haven't heard this comment before.

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by G4scott
ok, I just found out something that will probably lead to some hacks in the future. The keyboard on the 12" PowerBook has the same, clear-letter keys as the 17" PowerBook. Just turn on caps lock, or number lock, and you will see that the letters on the keys light up, and you can kind of see it through the letters around it. Somebody's going to get a light-up keyboard working on a 12" PowerBook... Just not me, because I don't want to void my warranty.

I wonder why they didn't put the light-up keyboard in the 12" PowerBook...

Congratulations! I hope you enjoy it. They seem so good. I do all of my programming on 1024x768, so I would think that it would be sufficient for you too.