My Powerbook G4's untimely demise...

[Electro Funk]

Have had an 800Mhz Ti Pwrbook for the last 5 or 6 years and she has treated me well from day one, besided the obvious chipping issues with the titanium books... was thinking about getting a new MB Pro but instead purchased a new iMac core duo for my fiance so she could do all of her scrapbooking and what not... (figured i would wait for merom in the fall and then purchase the Macbook pro)

Opened up the lappy this morning and both hinges snapped and one flew out and hit me in the forehead! (Both hinges broke at the same time!)

So the question is... do i still wait for merom in the fall and get this one repaired? not sure if it is worth the 5 or 600 hundred they want for a new LCD... not to mention if i have that replaced i might as well replace the bottom enclosure as it is chipping badly as well... sooo that puts me at around 800-1000 just to fix my ailing pbook.... the decision to wait for merom was easy when i had a working powerbook... now that i am confined to the studio (where i have the iMac) i dont think i can wait that long!

what do you guys think? is it worth it to have it repaired or should i just take the plunge a buy a new macbook pro?

 

[Spock]

http://www.powerbookresq.com/detail.php?prodID=P009742

Check that out $269 for replacement

 

[FireArse]

not worth it

I think you should use the PB as a server of some sort, and buy a 17 MBP. FW800 is back!

F

 

[Electro Funk]

http://www.powerbookresq.com/detail.php?prodID=P009742

Check that out $269 for replacement

Interesting... thanks for the link... may consider this option!

 

[Electro Funk]

I think you should use the PB as a server of some sort, and buy a 17 MBP. FW800 is back!

F

Not a bad idea FireArse! not sure if i can handle the 17" though... I drooled over them when they were first released as g4's, but when when i actually saw one thought it was way to big... (maybe i am just comfy with the 15") although the specs on the 17" MBP are very appealing... maybe i will give them another look... would be nice if apple dropped the price a few hundy on the 15" MBP so the bto 2.16 option was not as expensive as the 17"... might make this decision a little easier

 

[cait-sith]

Sorry, but the image of hinges flying off a laptop and beaning someone in the forehead put a smile on my face this morning. Attack of the powerbooks.

 

[Electro Funk]

Sorry, but the image of hinges flying off a laptop and beaning someone in the forehead put a smile on my face this morning. Attack of the powerbooks.

I am lucky i didn't lose an eye!

After it was all said and done... and i was over freaking out about my lcd dangling off the pbook... i have to admit... i did laugh a bit... i am glad my girl wasn't up yet to witness it and make fun of me!

 

[Electro Funk]

Here are a few pics of my poor friend...

as you can see... both hinges are wrecked...

and for cait-sith i included a pic of the peice that bounced off of my forehead trying to claim an eye!

Edit: Geeze.... didn't realize the pics were so big... thought i had constrained them... sorry...

 

[zap2]

uses it as a "tower" PowerBook(using an external display) because it not really worth fixing if your replacing it soon(and even when you get a MBP you can keep it as a guest computer, or for kids (when you have them if you don't allready) or when people come over and need a computer, then don't have the chance to mess up your MBP

 

[baby duck monge]

Not a bad idea FireArse! not sure if i can handle the 17" though... I drooled over them when they were first released as g4's, but when when i actually saw one thought it was way to big... (maybe i am just comfy with the 15") although the specs on the 17" MBP are very appealing... maybe i will give them another look... would be nice if apple dropped the price a few hundy on the 15" MBP so the bto 2.16 option was not as expensive as the 17"... might make this decision a little easier

Re: 15" vs. 17" I'll just say that I have a 15" PB and my father in-law has a 17" PB. Their weight and size really aren't that much different when you get them side-by-side. Sure, the 15" fits perfectly across my lap, but it's not like the 17" is terribly wider. The only time there might really be an issue is if you're trying to use it on one of those airline trays, but I find it better to not use my laptop on the plane anyway.

 

[Electro Funk]

Sure, the 15" fits perfectly across my lap, but it's not like the 17" is terribly wider. The only time there might really be an issue is if you're trying to use it on one of those airline trays, but I find it better to not use my laptop on the plane anyway.

Hmmm... i find myself using mine quite a bit while flying... i will keep that in mind if i give the 17" a look...

 

[dextertangocci]

Have had an 800Mhz Ti Pwrbook for the last 5 or 6 years and she has treated me well from day one, besided the obvious chipping issues with the titanium books... was thinking about getting a new MB Pro but instead purchased a new iMac core duo for my fiance so she could do all of her scrapbooking and what not... (figured i would wait for merom in the fall and then purchase the Macbook pro)

Opened up the lappy this morning and both hinges snapped and one flew out and hit me in the forehead! (Both hinges broke at the same time!)

So the question is... do i still wait for merom in the fall and get this one repaired? not sure if it is worth the 5 or 600 hundred they want for a new LCD... not to mention if i have that replaced i might as well replace the bottom enclosure as it is chipping badly as well... sooo that puts me at around 800-1000 just to fix my ailing pbook.... the decision to wait for merom was easy when i had a working powerbook... now that i am confined to the studio (where i have the iMac) i dont think i can wait that long!

what do you guys think? is it worth it to have it repaired or should i just take the plunge a buy a new macbook pro?

Thats quite weird, both broke at the same time! Shame. That's why have my iBook insured against accidental breakage. If you don't want to have it repaired, just use it as a desktop, or get a macbook pro, or even a 17" powerbook, nothing wrong with those!

 

[Ryan T.]

Merom is really going to offer only marginal gains, I'd pick up that MBP now

 

[someguy]

uses it as a "tower" PowerBook

TowerBook™?

 

[Electro Funk]

well, took a trip to the local Apple store today to see if i could play around with the 17" MBP... wont have them until tomorrow, but the 15's sure were nice...

The Genius Bar di*k*d me around forever so i finally grabbed a sales guy and asked him to get an estimate for repair on my PB... i was right on my initial guess! $700.00.. they want to replace the entire LCD, not just the hinges...

Hmmmm... so i guess im back to square one...

i'm def. not dropping 7 hundy on repairing a PBG4 800mhz... that would better go towards a new MBP... so i must juggle the 15 or 17"...

anyone have a rough idea on how much i could fetch for my Ti power book that is damaged? Pics above...

 

[THX1139]

anyone have a rough idea on how much i could fetch for my Ti power book that is damaged? Pics above...

Try this: http://www.powerbookresq.com/purchaseform.php Else try eBay.

 

[THX1139]

uses it as a "tower" PowerBook(using an external display) because it not really worth fixing if your replacing it soon(and even when you get a MBP you can keep it as a guest computer, or for kids (when you have them if you don't allready) or when people come over and need a computer, then don't have the chance to mess up your MBP

That's actually a good idea. If you have a monitor laying around - close the lid on the powerbook and plug the monitor into the vga and run the book as a desktop. Not a perfect solution but it will buy you time until WWDC and Merom.

 

[Electro Funk]

Try this: http://www.powerbookresq.com/purchaseform.php Else try eBay.

Thanks for the link THX1139... just filled out their form... will post back on what they offer...

 

[Electro Funk]

That's actually a good idea. If you have a monitor laying around - close the lid on the powerbook and plug the monitor into the vga and run the book as a desktop. Not a perfect solution but it will buy you time until WWDC and Merom.

yes.. it is a good idea... but i need something portable... i have the iMac and a PC in the studio... I do have a dell laptop for work i guess i could use until i get this sorted out... i just HATE working in the windows environment when i dont have to

 

[StealthRider]

Merom is really going to offer only marginal gains, I'd pick up that MBP now

Starting performance gains of 20%, plus 64-bit support, is marginal?

 

[Electro Funk]

Starting performance gains of 20%, plus 64-bit support, is marginal?

no doubt... i really wanted to hold out for merom... and it was going to be easy with a working powerbook... (well i guess it still works, i just cant take it anywhere) now its a whole different ballgame...

 

[nospleen]

no doubt... i really wanted to hold out for merom... and it was going to be easy with a working powerbook... (well i guess it still works, i just cant take it anywhere) now its a whole different ballgame...

Buy a refurb MBP and upgrade when Merom comes out if you need too. But, I think you will be pleased with the MBP's performance.

 

[StealthRider]

Or you could even go for a cheap refurb iBook- you can possibly put working parts from your PowerBook (hard drive, optical drive, etc.) in it, and it'll tide you over until Merom MBPs are released.

 

[cait-sith]

Electro, thanks for those pics. It's really too bad that your laptop broke, they are so beautiful.

If I were you, I would definitely wait on the new revision of the powerbooks. Can you get away with buying an LCD and keyboard/mouse and using the laptop like a headless desktop? That's how I use my PB at work (though, my LCD still works, I just like having an LCD and keyboard at work..)