12" PowerBook - Parting Thoughts
Well, my 12" PowerBook is sold. I've gone back to a 15" TiBook. I thought it might be time to reflect on the 12" PowerBook and offer a few closing thoughts.
First of all, I think Apple has a hit here. I'm convinced that the littlest PowerBook will be forming a very loyal following of it's own once people see it in person and get to try it out for themselves. I bet Apple really will pick up some "switchers". I was a bit sceptical when I saw the photos from MWSF but I ordered one because I wanted a truly portable portable again and the price was very attractive. Once I got to hold the 12" PB in my hands and use it I could see that this was a quality offering from Apple. The trackpad button is the exception, it really lets down the overall design, I hope they modify it. Button aside, I didn't realize how nice the 12" PB was until I compared it to an iBook side by side. I really like the iBook but I'd have no problem paying a few hundred extra for the 12" PowerBook - the even more compact design and aluminium finish make it the sexiest portable out there. Without a doubt, if I got to choose which PowerBook to grab and walk out the door with, it'd be the 12" PowerBook. I'm sure the 17" would turn my head but the 12" is just built for portability.
At home, the tables start to turn a bit. The 12" PB's performance was on par with my previous TiBook 800 but after a while, I began to miss the screen of the 15" PB's I'd grown used to. There were also small details - like the trackpad button and the sharp edges on the vents in the aluminium case that didn't quite feel as well polished as the TiBook I'd remembered. I loved the new slot-loading drive, it worked to perfecttion and I prefer it on the side as opposed to ejecting a disk from the front. I also like being able to plug in cables on the left withou having to stand up and find the right port to plug a cable into the back of my TiBook. After I had the cables in, things began to look a bit messy and I noticed that the open ports looked less solid than the TiBook's rear ports with their more sophisticated cover that hides them when not in use. Remember now, I'm comparing an 1800-2000 dollar PowerBook with a 2300-2800 dollar PowerBook, and there is some difference in quality here. There's a difference in value too, I think the 12" PowerBook will stand out as the superior value to many people who want a high quality portable they can easily carry to work or school.
If I had both a 12" and a 15" PowerBook, nine times out of ten, I'd leave the house with the 12". Working at my desk, the 15" is all that I could want from a portable (except maybe a lighted keyoard
).
The heat issue with the 12" PowerBooks is real but I doubt if it'd convice someone to give up their PowerBook if that's the model they've decided fits them.
So now we have several sizes of PowerBooks to choose from instead of the one-size-fits all approach. I think many people will find the 12" model to be the perfect fit for them, others like me will look lustfully at the petite model but be resigned to keeping our more robust, more homebound familiar 15" models.
moby1
p.s. I still have a 512 MB RAM upgrade and a Li-Ion battery for the 12" PowerBook for sale, as well as an InCase case. You can find them by looking for my original post for the 12" PB in the "For Sale" forum.
