How well did iBooks age?

[WabeWalker]

I'm looking at this new white Macbook of mine and am wondering how long it's actually going to stay looking this way?

What's the story with iBooks - did these things age well, or did they discolor after a certain amount of time?

White computer equipment, in my experience, tends to turn yellow after a time. The only exception to this rule seems to be my original Revision A iPod. After almost five years, my old iPod, I'd estimate, is about as white as it was on the day that I bought it.

 

[Makosuke]

Depends a lot on how you use it, where you use it, where you store it, how clean you keep it, how greasy your hands are, and dumb luck.

All that said, my brother has a heavily-used, well-traveled, several-year-old white iBook (600MHz G3, I think, which would make it about 5 years old), and it frankly looks almost brand new. The surface is a tad scratched up, but there's no noticible discoloration.

The area most prone to discoloration by far is the palmrest area--the oils from your hands mess with the plastics. You can buy a variety of plastic covers to protect this area--I'm planning on getting a lightly padded one for my MPB, in fact, both for protection and comfort.

Oh, and if you REALLY want to protect your MacBook (though admittedly, this will help with scratches far more than discoloration) you can get a layer of InvisibleShield for it--it's this uber-tough clear stick-on plastic that is supposed to be functionally indestructiable. They sell a full-body cover for the MacBooks for $55, which covers everything but the keyboard and screen (it includes the top, bottom, wrist rests, trackpad, and button).

http://www.shieldzone.com/form/index.html?preadd=action&key=APPMCBF

 

[BlizzardBomb]

I think another factor is whether its exposed to cigarette smoke or not. That can also make it go yellow.

 

[zap2]

Got mine Dec 05 look the same as the day as i bought it

 

[mmmcheese]

Well, they turn grey....get a few wrinkles...and have trouble getting and keeping their lids up....

 

[erikamsterdam]

I have a clamshell iBook that is over 5 years old and it still looks perfect. The blue has gotten a tad bit lighter on top, but the white is still white (the new Belle and Sebastian single comes in mind here
The battery has only 20 mins left but everything else is 100%. And even the lid is still firm...
I got it cheap a year ago for surfing/typing on the couch. Eyeing the new Macbooks though, this baby is getting a little slow. Although the discolouring threads worry me a bit.

 

[veroi9]

my G3 iBook is 4 1/2 years old and it still looks and works perfectly... except for the battery. which only lasts about 10 minutes now. i don't need and new computer, i just want one