iBook to pBook... THANKS Everyone!

[eleveneastgate]

Thanks to all in this Forum for helping me make a decision on my next Mac.

After some thought (and savings), I've jumped from a iBook to a pBook.

When Apple came out with the new line of PBs, I noticed price drops. I did a little surfing, and saw the 1.33 PBs were priced to move, so I jumped on one:

PowerBook G4 1.33GHz/ 256MB/ 60GB/ SuperDrive/ AP Extreme Card/ E/ 12-inch/ Aluminum - Apple Certified

Estimated Ship: 3-5 business days

Delivered within 5 business days after shipping

1 $1,299.00

Recycling Fee* (New Law in California for computer wares --- Thanks, Arnold.)

1 $6.00

It's a refurb model from Apple, I'll max out the RAM, and get AppleCare later on. Another plus was that iLife '05 was included.

Thanks again everyone, and I'll keep you guys posted...

Can't wait!

 

[vtprinz]

Congrats!

The PBs are very sexy, I'm sure you'll love it

 

[eleveneastgate]

Update

12FEB05 - Ordered 12" PB 1.33 refurb from on-line Apple Store


16FEB05 - Apple sends E-mail notice that PB shipped, expected to arrive 18FEB05.

Ordered 1G RAM from here

Ordered 12" PB Tucano Sleeve from here

18FEB05

pBook arrives! Looked for flaws carefully and found hair-line scratches and smudges... No Biggie. No dead pixels, it's absolutley perfect. No extra RAM or bigger HD, but still...

I'd definitely buy another refurb! My next ones will be MacMinis for my Mom & Dad, one for my Nieces & Nephew, and one for my girlfriend.

I'm one happy Mac-ite.

22FEB05

Days after it was delivered, the pB sat at home. Then, I started to transfer data from my iB to pB via FireWire (Hold down T after you turn it on. Then, drag & drop ). As I did, I noticed I couple of FLAWS

1. Missing screw on the lower left-hand corner.
2. Tiny screws on the RAM panel were slightly stripped. I was bummed cause my order from OWC (1G RAM) arrived and I wanted to install it. I wasn't going to risk stripping it more. So, I called Apple.

Called Apple. They said go to the store. I get there about 6:45PM, and signed up at the GeniusBar for the next available Genius. Waited about an hour, and was help by this guy, Tim. I show him my pB, and he says, " Let me see if we've got the screws"

He returns with screws, and I ask if he would pop in the RAM for me. He does with no problems.

All in all it was a very good experience. Tim was excellent, and I was in & out of there in about 20 minutes... with an hour wait time.

How was the GeniusBar? Excellent! Would I buy another refurb? Yes.

Who knows, maybe I'll get that extra RAM or a bigger HD on my next purchase...

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Nice machine, good price, what more to wish for. Congratulations!

 

[eleveneastgate]

Refurb purchase... UPDATE.

UPDATE 26FEB05

Greetings Mac-ites...

Here's my Apple refurb buying experience. After all the issues I've had (see earlier posts) I missed one thing. My F1 & F2 buttons were out of sequence, so it went F2 F1 F3 --- WTF?

So off to the Glendale, CA Apple store once again, this isn't so bad because it's only about 10-20 min. away. This time, I'm assisted by Aaron. I tell him the problem, and he asks me, "Has this been opened?"

I tell him, "Well it's a refurb."

After, he proceeds to pop off the buttons and replaces them, this time in order. F1 F2

Now, I'm a happy camper. Apple came through in every way in regards to refurb products. Next time I'll inspect my future Mac refurb more carefully.

All in all, I saved about $200 bucks going the refurb route which I'll will use for AppleCare $349 .... Yikes!

 

[Dr. Dastardly]

What the Hell is a recycling fee? Shouldn't we be encouraging people to recycle and not tack on fees?

 

[pianodude123]

maybe....

What the Hell is a recycling fee? Shouldn't we be encouraging people to recycle and not tack on fees?

no offense,

but that icon with you punching yourself is kinda annoying

anywho, I think the recycling fee is for shipping, the labour it takes to disassemble the old Ibook and it is $6...not going to kill you. Its a good thing to help the enviornment.

 

[_bnkr612]

no offense,

but that icon with you punching yourself is kinda annoying

anywho, I think the recycling fee is for shipping, the labour it takes to disassemble the old Ibook and it is $6...not going to kill you. Its a good thing to help the enviornment.

To stop the animation while reading, hold down the left button on your mouse while on the page slider.

 

[oingoboingo]

no offense,

but that icon with you punching yourself is kinda annoying

anywho, I think the recycling fee is for shipping, the labour it takes to disassemble the old Ibook and it is $6...not going to kill you. Its a good thing to help the enviornment.

Totally off-topic, but if I'm not mistaken, the avatar is Edward Norton's character from the movie Fight Club, in a scene when he is in his manager's office.

 

[Eevee]

UPDATE 26FEB05

Greetings Mac-ites...

Here's my Apple refurb buying experience. After all the issues I've had (see earlier posts) I missed one thing. My F1 & F2 buttons were out of sequence, so it went F2 F1 F3 --- WTF?

So off to the Glendale, CA Apple store once again, this isn't so bad because it's only about 10-20 min. away. This time, I'm assisted by Aaron. I tell him the problem, and he asks me, "Has this been opened?"

I tell him, "Well it's a refurb."

After, he proceeds to pop off the buttons and replaces them, this time in order. F1 F2

Now, I'm a happy camper. Apple came through in every way in regards to refurb products. Next time I'll inspect my future Mac refurb more carefully.

All in all, I saved about $200 bucks going the refurb route which I'll will use for AppleCare $349 .... Yikes!

Great to hear about your experience with Apple computer. That is one problem with purchasing refurbish models, something is wrong with it before. Get the Apple Care for your laptop incase if something else go wrong.

Is yours the 15"? I maxed out the memory for mine (2 gig). Running multiple programs is fast and easy!

Congrats on your new PB!

 

[matticus008]

anywho, I think the recycling fee is for shipping, the labour it takes to disassemble the old Ibook and it is $6...not going to kill you. Its a good thing to help the enviornment.

Sort of. It's a state-imposed external tax on electronics that contain environmentally "unsafe" materials which have to be sorted and processed separately. Part of the fees covers transportation to regional depots that take care of this from a local collection point. It does absolutely nothing to help the environment, though, unless you take it to a designated recycling center, which you could do before. The fee, which is $6-10, does help defer those costs by creating a state fund to pay recyclers to take "e-waste"--tantamount to a bribe, basically. A good idea, but it needs to encompass curbside pickup at no charge before most people will care.

The tax will likely start appearing in many other states as "e-waste" grows and threatens to seep into the ground. It's paid upfront so that it will lessen the financial burden on waste management firms for the sorting and special processing (and hopefully encourage more of them to do it, so less electronics end up in landfills). Note that it is based on displays and not desktops at the current time (so notebook computers are charged, but not PowerMacs).

Apple's information site on SB20/50 is here.

 

[runninmac]

Hey great story but I have a few questions about the refubs now that you got me interested. Does the machine come in the new box and have all the nice packageing (i know stupid question but the boxes look very nice and i like to keep them but that wont have a effect on my purchase). Do indivudal apple stores sell them or just online. Im assuming from your story that you get free assistance from a mac genius no matter where you puchase it (ex. online from apple, best buy, comp usa ect.) am i right? I will probobly be getting a mac this summer when a apple store opens up 10-15 mins away from me im so exited!

edit: do u happen to know how long it takes from consturction to end on a 4,000sq ft apple store? Consturction started last week so im just curious.

 

[adamjay]

hey you said you wanted to max out the ram.
just wanted to give you a heads up on the best 1GB ram chip deal for powerbooks:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewprodu...-111&ATT=Memory+Notebook+Memo&CMP=OTC-dealram

$181 Shipped, and they're tested to work great in powerbooks and ibooks (most of the reviewers of the product are apple owners!)

happy 'booking!

 

[eleveneastgate]

Is yours the 15"? I maxed out the memory for mine (2 gig). Running multiple programs is fast and easy!

Congrats on your new PB!

Nah... not the 15”. I have the 12” Thanks!

Does the machine come in the new box and have all the nice packageing (i know stupid question but the boxes look very nice and i like to keep them but that wont have a effect on my purchase).

No, it comes in a brown box with APPLE Reconditioned on it. It’s packed safely. You can buy a box on eBay.

Do indivudal apple stores sell them or just online.

I think they’re only available on-line. However, I think you can check Apple stores to see if they have any returns for sale.

Im assuming from your story that you get free assistance from a mac genius no matter where you puchase it (ex. online from apple, best buy, comp usa ect.) am i right?

Yes, you can go to Apple or an Authorized Apple repair shop if your pB’s got some issues. I phoned Apple first to confirm this. Good Luck on your future Mac purchase, and no I don’t know how fast it is to build a store... Take care!

AdamJay ---

Thanks for the heads up!

Peace!