I have a brand spanking new PowerBook!

[dcv]

Yes I finally "switched" this afternoon after holding off for a few months to see if an update was going to be released for the iBook. I decided on the 12" PowerBook as due to the slightly better specs I think it should last me a little longer than the iBook may have done.

Have never used a Mac before - only looked over friends' shoulders as they typed on theirs so am still getting used to it... it's a very different O/S but I'm really enjoying it so far!

The little 'welcome' sequence was a nice touch and user registration was really clear and straightforward. I like the way it automatically displayed program updates and asked for a password to continue - unlike XP where it just seems to download all kinds of cr@p in the background and then restarts your computer at the most inconvenient time! Connecting to my new wireless network was also a doddle.

Dashboard seems pretty cool. The ripple effect is certainly impressive the first few times you see it, but I can see the novelty factor wearing off quite quickly, so to anyone who is currently waiting for an iBook update just to get this additional feature I'd say - go and see it on another Mac at your local Apple store and then just order the iBook anyway as you won't miss it much!

Programs in general launch really quickly. I'm coming from a rather old laptop (PIII 650MHz Vaio with 256MB RAM running WinXP) so I'd hoped they'd be a fair bit faster on this anyway, but for example launching MS Outlook on my Vaio seemed to take forever. The mail program on here is lightning fast.

I'm having a little trouble with the keyboard at the moment as the keys seem slightly bigger than what I'm used to and also several keys are in different positions compared to every PC keyboard I've ever used before - most notably the " and @ keys are swapped over! And I'm having to program my brain to use the Apple key instead of Ctrl, though I'm sure i'll get used to all that in no time. The touchpad really is excellent; it's the best one I've ever used on any laptop and the 2-fingered scrolling in particular seems a very useful feature. The dock and Exposé etc are all a welcome change from a cluttered start menu and task bar too. Oh it's such a shame that I still have to use Windows for work.

I could waffle on and on about how great this laptop and Tiger are all night... but a better use of my time would be getting to know all the other features. Overall so far I am *really* impressed - great build quality, no hassle set-up, and an operating system that seems FUN to use :) Also applications and websites just seem to look better on a Mac! A few people here on MacRumors have said that the screen on the 12 inch isn't great, but it looks perfect to me...any brighter and it would be hurting my eyes! I'm sure if i'd have gone with my original plan of buying the iBook i'd be equally pleased but I certainly have no regrets spending the extra £350.

The only one additional feature I would like (especially right now as i'm sitting in the dark) is a backlit keyboard - shame it's not available on the 12" models. But hey i'm not complaining. This is one s*xy little machine!

Final word: to anyone thinking of switching... JUST DO IT. You won't be disappointed...

[3lions]

have lots of fun with it! :) Mine should arrive Monday

[goodtimes5]

I don't think "sexy" is a bad word in any culture.

[JzzTrump22]

Congrats on the awsome purchase.

[Hattig]

Yeah, someone kick Apple for switching the @ and the " (on their UK keyboards at least) please!

Getting used to using the option key isn't that bad though, a couple of days and it's second nature. Also Exposé is so bloody useful I don't think I can go back to a computer without a similar feature.

One thing though was that I hate the crappy feeling of the Mac mouse (the one button clear one) ... it has to be the worst optical mouse I've used in terms of simply getting the job of mousing done. The single button isn't an issue, but I want something that is more accurate.

[DJY]

Congratulations on your new purchase!
One of the best things about your new toy - is that even after 12 months I have found I'm still very much in love with it... and haven't even thought about cheating or looking at another computer yet. That in itself is a very new feeling for me! Ever other computer I have bought... within months it slowed, had problems, needed rebooting lots, had clashes w ith software and / or hardware.... but not with the PB!

Welcome to the club mate!

[Poiboy]

I feel the same way, I got my 12 inch PB yesturday and I could not be happier

[trainguy77]

You will have fun using all the different great apps that comes with your system! Have fun! :)

[maya]

Congratulations on the new Mac Portable. :)

[tuartboy]

Got my 12" PB last weekend as well.

Could not agree more with you guys and must say that I am rather impressed by the numbers of people buying apple hardware right now. I have seen at least 20 posts in the last 5 days saying people dropped the cash for new equipment.

So much for WWDC killing off sales ;)

[StokeLee]

Im a newbie mac owner you could say im a switcher but i reckon i was a lifer and just didnt realise it, lol
ive brought the new imac g5 its awesome,ive had it 2/3 weeks ish but after using a laptop for so long,,, i miss the way i used to wrk,,,, so pleaes no more pots about Apples laptops because otherwise im going to have to buy one. lol

Just have to say this
my dad has got a windows xp pc, and we both made a photo DVD, 1500 photos , and his is still encoding it, mine finished hours ago,,,,, you just got to laugh

[3lions]

Could not agree more with you guys and must say that I am rather impressed by the numbers of people buying apple hardware right now.

especially powerbooks (mainly 12"!)

[the_mole1314]

Welcome! I too have a new PowerBook (a week old). Hope you are enjoying it as much as I am!

[FFTT]

Try to get familiar with the way your Home folder is laid out.
Everything goes into one of those 4 primary folders.

The same thing goes for your Hard Drive folder.
All your Applications go into your Applications folder.





Be sure to check out all the must have, essential and freebee apps threads.
You'll find all kinds of goodness at Version Tracker and MacUpdate.


The best 'lil must have personal firewall around is "Lil Snitch " and they just released a new update.

Toast Titanium and Popcorn for easy disc burning.

SysStat is a very handy systems monitoring widget.

Personally, I also like Clear Dock to hide the ugly dock shadow.

The default Dock Icons can be left alone or "poofed' away if you don't need
them. Each time you open an application from your Applications folder
the matching dock icon (shortcut) will apprear in the dock. If that appliication is something you'll use often, right click and select "keep in dock"

My favorite key command is the ZOOM feature.

Apple(command) + for larger
Apple(command) - for smaller

I use it all the time for reading the text in these forums.

Welcome to enjoyable computing.

[dawgfang]

I got my 12" PB last weekend and I too am a first time Apple buyer. I couldn't be more happy. You are right about web pages looking better - I really enjoy reading the news now. I discover something new and cool every day.

[acedickson]

Welcome to Mac. I switched in Feb. to the older Mac in my sig. It's the best computer related decision I've made.

I'm only a month or two away from my, either iBook or, Powerbook purchase. It all depends on what happens between now and then.

[dcv]

Thanks to everyone who posted back, especially FFTT with some useful tips!

But... OH MY GOD did I panic this morning....

On my way from the bedroom to the living room where I'd set my lovely new machine down to sleep for the night I heard a noise which I assumed was something like the neighbours hoovering, or someone using machinery outside e.g. cleaning a car.... you know, a kind of loud but muffled whirring sound.

Turns out it was the precious powerbook :( the sleep-mode white light was no longer visible and the poor thing had fans blazing... seems to have overheated somewhat. I couldn't wake it up from sleep, nor power it on; it was as though it had just shut itself down completely. The underside was incredibly hot so I turned it over and pulled the battery out and left it like that to cool for a while.

Anyway, all is now well again, but I was so upset this morning. Literally hours after making my purchase I thought it had broken already!

Has anyone else experienced this??? I guess it must be the heat. We're having a spell of really warm weather in London at the moment (30ish °C) and my flat gets incredibly hot as I'm on the top floor, in fact it is 31.5 °C indoors right now! (ooh i love how easy it is to insert those degree symbols, lol) Ok next major purchase will be air con....

[Deepdale]

I'm sure if i'd have gone with my original plan of buying the iBook i'd be equally pleased but I certainly have no regrets spending the extra £350.

This is one s*xy little machine! ... Final word: to anyone thinking of switching... JUST DO IT. You won't be disappointed...

Thanks for the detailed write-up you originally posted. I also read your subsequent concern about the heat and fan noise that occurred overnight. That is the only issue that gives me some pause as it is commented on regularly throughout this forum.

Best of luck with your PowerBook for years to come. Right now I must go because between your screen name and mine, I am really working up an appetite before 8 a.m. NY time.

[Mac_Freak]

Welcome! I too have a new PowerBook (a week old). Hope you are enjoying it as much as I am!

I like your Avatar and have to agree that since G4 joined TechTV I have stopped whatching it. The Screensavers was my favorite show and now I don't even bother to turn it on.
At least I still get to read Patrick Norton's articles from time to time on the web.

Oh, congrats on PB. I still love mine even after 20 months :)

[Frisco]

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/22549

[cooknwitha]

My favorite key command is the ZOOM feature.

Apple(command) + for larger
Apple(command) - for smaller

I use it all the time for reading the text in these forums.

Freak out! I have never known about that feature. That's the thing I've learned today. :D

[DJY]

Freak out! I have never known about that feature. That's the thing I've learned today. :D

I first stumbled across it using Mail...
as often emails are so small I couldn't read them...
then I worked out - that it works in a number of other apps as well!

The more I use OS X - the more handy neat little tricks like this I find or read about!! Only problem is I can never remember them all... but this is one that I use frequently.