A 'free' 12" PowerBook

[CooperBox]

For some time I've been wanting to get a new battery for my 12" PowerBook but so far here (and in mainland Europe) been unable to find one with similar specs to the original, i.e. 10.8V model A1079. For some reason I see they are available with Amazon in UK, but do not ship here - and it's not as if I'm hiding away in a lost edge of Vatican City or in some remote corner of San Marino or a hidden ridge in Andorra.
Last week whilst browsing a local site for anything interesting ppc, my eyes fell upon a 12" powerbook being sold with a serviceable battery for approx the price I was prepared to pay just for a new battery. Contacted the seller, checked everything out - all worked flawlessly, and I made the purchase.
Up until then I had no intention at all to buy another 12" Powerbook, so with this deal I consider I've won a 'free' PBook.
Normally by squirreling away the arrival of another purchase, the little lady in the home is unaware of a newbie. However on this occasion - in a weak moment, I left both these PBooks on the living room table for a brief moment:

And the resulting discussion went something like this:

Her: "What's this then?"
Him: (Taken by surprise), "Oh that!....... just two oldies."
Her: "But they're identical!"
Him: (Thinking rapidly to come up with a plausible reply)......... "No they're not!"
Her: "They are. Same colour, same size."
Him: "Ah, but that's where the similarity ends. One's a 1.5GHZ and the other a 1.3GHz."
Her: "I don't pretend to understand that. But anyway I think they look very nice."
Him: (Gobsmacked at that surprising comment)........"Well they're definitely different. Beauty is more than skin-deep."
Her: "You never say that to me anymore."
Him: (Not wishing the situation to deteriorate, and again thinking rapidly).........."That's because even without make-up, I like you the way you are."
Her: "Hmm, that's ok then." (Walks away).

Wow, I think I came off quite lightly in that exchange! Perhaps I can use that argument again some other time.

A couple more pics follow:

 

[swamprock]

It's rare to find those machines in not-abused condition, and you have two of them that seem (by your pictures) to be in great condition. Good one!

 

[Dronecatcher]

Well played

 

[bobesch]

With a tear in the buttonhole I read your conversation.
And I'm glad to say, we share the same kind of "understanding" partners in our life ...
BTW: what a nice occasion! It's always good to have a backup!

 

[CooperBox]

In my original post above I wrote, "checked everything out - all worked flawlessly". I now realise this wasn't completely accurate info. I had checked everything including optical drive functioning with both a CD and a DVD, and was ok, but what I didn't do was turn up the volume.......
Since purchase I've not had time to do anything on this PBook, (a successful Clamshell lcd swap-out having kept me quite occupied).
So yesterday I sat down with the PBook and a freshly brewed coffee, popped in a CD, took a few coffee sips, and sat back to listen. Ouch! With the volume turned up to about one third, the sound coming from my AKG's was terribly distorted. Fiddled with the connector, same result, ditto with another pair of headphones.
Without headphones my fears appeared to be confirmed as this bad distortion was the same from the onboard speaker, and from what I remember a change of speaker in the 12" calls for an almost complete strip down to and beyond the logic board! ( Sticks pins in voodoo doll effigy of 12" PBook interior designer).......
Now I don't really regret the purchase, but it proves that the more PBooks or similar oldies one has, the greater the potential of finding a defective component.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I completed refurbishment of my first 12" PBook earlier this year, but at that time I thought (and hoped) it would be the last.
And the last bad news is I don't have a spare speaker unit - believe iFixit call it the 'subwoofer'. If anyone (preferaby in Europe) should be able to help out with that part, I'm very interested.

 

[bobesch]

In my original post above I wrote, "checked everything out - all worked flawlessly". I now realise this wasn't completely accurate info. I had checked everything including optical drive functioning with both a CD and a DVD, and was ok, but what I didn't do was turn up the volume.......
Since purchase I've not had time to do anything on this PBook, (a successful Clamshell lcd swap-out having kept me quite occupied).
So yesterday I sat down with the PBook and a freshly brewed coffee, popped in a CD, took a few coffee sips, and sat back to listen. Ouch! With the volume turned up to about one third, the sound coming from my AKG's was terribly distorted. Fiddled with the connector, same result, ditto with another pair of headphones.
Without headphones my fears appeared to be confirmed as this bad distortion was the same from the onboard speaker, and from what I remember a change of speaker in the 12" calls for an almost complete strip down to and beyond the logic board! ( Sticks pins in voodoo doll effigy of 12" PBook interior designer).......
Now I don't really regret the purchase, but it proves that the more PBooks or similar oldies one has, the greater the potential of finding a defective component.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I completed refurbishment of my first 12" PBook earlier this year, but at that time I thought (and hoped) it would be the last.
And the last bad news is I don't have a spare speaker unit - believe iFixit call it the 'subwoofer'. If anyone (preferaby in Europe) should be able to help out with that part, I'm very interested.

Oh, sorry about that!
Unfortunately I do not have spare parts, but looking at the bay, there are some good offers ...
Here's one: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.de/ulk/itm/172174537527

 

[CooperBox]

Oh, sorry about that!
Unfortunately I do not have spare parts, but looking at the bay, there are some good offers ...
Here's one: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.de/ulk/itm/172174537527

Many thanks for the link, I'll follow it up.
Just found this too, so looks as if I have a choice of possibilities.
https://www.thebookyard.com/product.php?manufacturers_id=30&products_id=420

 

[skinniezinho]

COngratulation on the powerbook g4 12'!
From your point of view, I may have acquired also an "almost free" Powerbook G4 12 1.5GHz.
Boxed, cds, manual, 2 chargers, 2 batteries (I think may be almost dead, it still didn't arrived to me, but it was seen functioning by a friend of mine).
About your issue, may be weird, but have you trying booting from another hdd/mac os?
About the battery, have you considered aliexpress ones? I have seen ones for about 20eur with 3 years warranty, may worth taking the risk ( I was planning of rebuilding at least one of my batteries and "good" cells cost almost as that from what I've seen.

 

[CooperBox]

COngratulation on the powerbook g4 12'!
From your point of view, I may have acquired also an "almost free" Powerbook G4 12 1.5GHz.
Boxed, cds, manual, 2 chargers, 2 batteries (I think may be almost dead, it still didn't arrived to me, but it was seen functioning by a friend of mine).
About your issue, may be weird, but have you trying booting from another hdd/mac os?
About the battery, have you considered aliexpress ones? I have seen ones for about 20eur with 3 years warranty, may worth taking the risk ( I was planning of rebuilding at least one of my batteries and "good" cells cost almost as that from what I've seen.

Congratulations on your G4 12 1.5GHz PBook too.
I may ultimately try a 'Shenzen special' battery but from what I've read and heard the cheepo batteries are very hit & miss, and makes one wonder about a claimed 3 yr warranty. I too priced-up for rebuiding several batteries starting with one from a Clamshell, but then realized it would barely be cost effective.
It's always good to get a User Manual included with a 'new' purchase, but in my experience so far it doesn't happen often. I was lucky like you, the previous owner handed me the user manual with the PBook. All I really need now to make it totally complete is your original box.....

 

[bobesch]

All I really need now to make it totally complete is your original box.....

Forget about the box - you've got the most beautiful "Book"shelve ever instead!

 

[macgeek18]

Computers come and go in my life and my little lady barely bats an eye. Till last week when my new PowerMac G5 came home in the original box. Now the original box is "taking up room" in a lonely corner and I have not heard the end of it. It's not the 20 something computers stacked around my desk it's the empty box that is on top of another empty box in the corner of the hallway......

 

[AphoticD]

Computers come and go in my life and my little lady barely bats an eye. Till last week when my new PowerMac G5 came home in the original box. Now the original box is "taking up room" in a lonely corner and I have not heard the end of it. It's not the 20 something computers stacked around my desk it's the empty box that is on top of another empty box in the corner of the hallway......

It's invading her space! At least the G5 box is big enough to house other smaller boxes. (My G5 boxes tend to store PowerBook boxes). You may need to resort to converting the box into a coffee table or foot rest in your space. Or stick it in the garage? If so, tape it up (and tape over the handle holes) to keep the wildlife out.

 

[swamprock]

It's invading her space! At least the G5 box is big enough to house other smaller boxes. (My G5 boxes tend to store PowerBook boxes). You may need to resort to converting the box into a coffee table or foot rest in your space. Or stick it in the garage? If so, tape it up (and tape over the handle holes) to keep the wildlife out.

Mine is up in my garage rafters, holding other Apple packaging

 

[CooperBox]

Talking boxes.
About 3 years ago I purchased a garden shed for storing garden tools, 3 bicycles, and other bits that tend to accumulate elswhere.
A short time ago in a eureka moment, I thought it would also be a good place to store my Apple boxes, guessing (at that time) that half a dozen (or perhaps a few more) PowerBook boxes wouldn't take up too much space. Fast forward 3 years.........
I can now hardly get into the shed! Boxes from collectable iMac G3's (FlowerPower/Dalmation), G4 iMacs 17"& 20", several Pismo boxes, plus all the other PBook cardboard box 'treasures', meant that (under cover of moonlight to avoid being seen from 'er-indoors), I've had to move several garden tools to another hidden location.........behind the garden shed! Needless to say the little lady never goes in there - or behind it, she'd probably have a blue fit if she did.