Advice for 12" PowerBook G4

[phong]

Hey guys,

Okay, so I will be going on a European trip this summer for a month. The reason being is that I need a vacation and I will be studying and reading my book for my AP European History course next year. I am buying the 12" PowerBook G4 just for that trip because I will hopefully be bringing my GL2 (I am going to need a big bag) and a digital camera to manage a website/blog with video and pictures. Now, with the price on the 12" PowerBook going down, I suspect an upgrade. The first generation of these PowerBooks aren't the best, and I have read many stories of everything from warped cases to $610 rubber feet. I guess I have no choice but to buy it. I need a laptop and my old Lombard is practically dead. I will buy this at Stanford (will be taking a FCP course there) for what I believe should be $1399 educational. Say after my trip I want to sell it, how is the price value? The problem is, I want the latest 12" PowerBook, so I want to wait for an upgrade, but time does not allow. Anyways, thanks for reading. Please give any advice especially you Mac users who have sold their computers before or faced my situation.

Take Care,

Phong

[chicagdan]

I own the 12" PB and it's a great computer. Yeah, a little hot on the left handrest and it wobbles slightly ... big deal. There's so much right about it that it's seems ridiculous to harp on the minor defects.

Resale value for all Macs on eBay is absolutely nuts. I don't know who these people are, but they pay 80-90% of retail value on lightly used machines.

[firestarter]

er.... why not buy the cheapest iBook?

Just over half the price, and it will do everything you need. Less cost = less devaluation and = less replacement cost if you break it.

The iBook polycarbonate case should be stronger in a backpack or suitcase, and you'll fee lmore confident throwing it around.

Just a thought...

[phong]

Hey firestarter,

Should have mentioned about the iBook. The reason I do not want to get the iBook is power. I will be using FCP 4 during the trip. I have FCP 3 right now, and planning to upgrade. The G3 processor does not allow much, render times are already long on a G4. I will also be using Photoshop 7 for the trip and probably Macromedia Studio MX during the trip to make some changes to my website.

Thanks for the replies!

[firestarter]

OK Phong - here's the advice.

Ditch the electronics, travel light. Take some books instead. Read some Proust. Go to Amsterdam and smoke some herbs. Call in to Germany and get some beer down you. Read Hemingway and take some Absynths in Paris. Sample Madrid's stunning nightlife and tapas culture (read some Arturo Perez Reverte). Come see Corealenus in London. Find love in Rome.

Seriously - have you been to Europe before? If this is a one-off trip, try to chill out and enjoy it.

If you haven't read it you NEED to read Alain de Botton's great book 'The Art of Travel'.

If you witness the entire trip from behind your video camera, and spend each evening writing web logs and hacking FCP, you're going to miss a great opportunity to expand your mind. You can do that stuff ANYTIME, and you'll also be worried about all this expensive kit if you're staying in hostels, or overnighting on trains.

If you must take video, take it home and edit there. Your vacation time will be precious... don't waste it.

[chicagdan]

There's no comparison between an iBook and the 12" PB ... please, go to an Apple Store and look at them side by side. The iBook is a plastic piece of junk next to the PB.

[Jesus on OSX]

Originally posted by phong
Hey firestarter,

Should have mentioned about the iBook. The reason I do not want to get the iBook is power. I will be using FCP 4 during the trip. I have FCP 3 right now, and planning to upgrade. The G3 processor does not allow much, render times are already long on a G4. I will also be using Photoshop 7 for the trip and probably Macromedia Studio MX during the trip to make some changes to my website.

Thanks for the replies!

with enough ram in an iBook you can manage all that. As for FCP 4 on 12"PB, you're just better off with iMovie on iBook.

My $0.02

[phong]

Firestarter,

I appreciate your reply. I agree with you on this matter. However, for this year, I will be planning do all that stuff. I have been to Europe many times before and had a great time. I will plan to come back again next year, or hopefully to New York for MacWorld but anyways. . .I just want to keep the memories for myself and my AP European Course and also for others who may want to keep up with me. I will agree with what you say. I just want to show my teacher, what I learn, what I experience, etc. I know this sounds like a tedious thing but its a path I have chosen for this trip.

[friendlyghost]

Originally posted by firestarter
OK Phong - here's the advice.

Ditch the electronics, travel light. Take some books instead. Read some Proust.


Seriously firestarter, that has to be one of the best posts that I've ever seen. Well done. Take a bow.

[mim]

Originally posted by firestarter
OK Phong - here's the advice.

Ditch the electronics, travel light. Take some books instead.

I fully agree! But obviously there's some need here to record the event(s). So, having done some similar things myself - ditch the video camera, and get a really small, light digital camera. Get a big CF card for it (like 512 meg or more). If you need to take a laptop then I have to agree with firestarter again - go the iBook. Really - if you're planning on travelling (as opposed to 'touring' - if you know what I mean) you'll be suprised how much wear and tear you subject your gear too. This should be a really big factor in your choice. I really battered up my laptop on a few trips before (an old dell...). There's no point taking the latest & greatest if it breaks on you.

I suggest not taking the video because you're really conspicuios with it. Most of the history you'll be documenting is static - buildings, statues, ruins - seriously it would be a real shame to video these things in a kinda amateurish way rather than taking great quality stills. For those times you really really need video, then you've got that function on your digi camera.

Really - you'll spend far too much time editing/taking video - and be far too obvious. People will immedietly class you as 'stupid tourist' and either tag you for rolling, or simply ignore you. Just think small & discrete and I gaurentee you'll have more interesting things happen to you.

BTW, I once saw this guy video every single painting in the Ufizzi gallery without taking his eye away from the viewfinder. Don't be that guy - please! See the history, and get into the cultures. You'll understand it on such a more personal level.

Hope this doesn't sound like a sermon. You've got such a great opportunity here - and I'm jealous 'cause I want to be travelling again. That's all ;)

- good luck!

[phong]

Agreed.

In this case, I should open up my mind and not doing that through electronics.