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A PowerBook I found on eBay

mzs.112000 said:
I was lurking around eBay and found a PowerBook G3 you may be interested in.
Note to mods: It is NOT mine, I just saw it on eBay.

PowerBook G3 Pismo:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G3-Powerboo...495?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa8470ba7
400Mhz
768MB RAM
60GB HDD
Airport card
OS X 10.4 and OS 9 installed
US $174.99
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I'm going to be very upfront here but I don't anyone is going to be overly interested in that. G3 PowerBooks tend to be more expensive than many newer Macs and therefore aren't a practical purchase. At this point a G3's value is exceedingly limited. OS X performance is weak, OS 9's compatibility is poor, WiFi networking is restricted, and the internet experience is terrible. You're really stuck to native apps, especially in OS 9. For $175 (+$10 shipping) you can easily buy 1 or 2 (or honestly maybe even 3 or 4) G4 PowerBooks, or an Intel MacBook or MacBook Pro.

We have some collectors around here, but not someone usually willing buy something like this unless they get a good deal. $185 isn't exactly a great deal as it is. The battery is dead, no discs are included, and there is no mention of the actual condition and "seller refurbished" means nothing on eBay. G3 PowerBooks are somewhat tricky to come by, but I have seen Pismos listed for ~$80. It really comes down to patience. Also note that RAM upgrades for 15 year old computers are dirt cheap generally speaking (<$15 for 1GB for a PBG3). Here's one with similar specs for nearly 1/2 the price (not mine) http://columbus.craigslist.org/sys/4971396484.html

My intention here is not to be rude, but you yourself admit it's not a great value. We all, as internet connected computer users, have the ability to search eBay and Craigslist and see whats out there if we're looking. Occasionally someone post a ridiculously good deal (i.e. G4 DLSD PowerBook for $40) or something particularly rare (i.e. G4 processor upgrades). We also have a thread dedicated to ridiculously overpriced used Apple ads too.

Thanks for keeping the community in mind though. Who knows, someone may be looking for a Pismo in the $200 market.
 
A.Goldberg said:
At this point a G3's value is exceedingly limited. OS X performance is weak, OS 9's compatibility is poor, WiFi networking is restricted, and the internet experience is terrible. You're really stuck to native apps, especially in OS 9. For $175 (+$10 shipping) you can easily buy 1 or 2 (or honestly maybe even 3 or 4) G4 PowerBooks, or an Intel MacBook or MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...

I agree. The PowerBook G3 is purely for nostalgia and collectors. OS 9 does still have utility though, particularly for musicians. Check out this site for more info: http://www.macos9lives.com/

There are, of course, far better options than the G3s for running OS 9, such as the 1GHz TiBook.

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weckart said:
Wow sums this one up.

This one is sitting at a penny, one day left for local buyers

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mac-g3-powerbook-/371308042402
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Totally different world. One I wish i lived in :rolleyes:
 
ptdebate said:
I agree. The PowerBook G3 is purely for nostalgia and collectors. OS 9 does still have utility though, particularly for musicians. Check out this site for more info: http://www.macos9lives.com/

There are, of course, far better options than the G3s for running OS 9, such as the 1GHz TiBook.

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Totally different world. One I wish i lived in :rolleyes:
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Exactly. I recently wanted an OS 9 machine (out of nostalgia) and ended up going with a very clean 1Ghz TiBook which in end cost me about $100 with new battery, keyboard, and cd drive cleaning disk. I think it represents a solid place in Apples history, as the TiBok was their first artistic use of metal.
 
MagicBoy said:
Yorkshire? Absolutely. Even I'm wondering if it's worth nipping across the county border.... ;)
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My coworker is from Yorkshire. I just asked him why he came to America and he hesitated to think of a reason. :p

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A.Goldberg said:
Exactly. I recently wanted an OS 9 machine (out of nostalgia) and ended up going with a very clean 1Ghz TiBook which in end cost me about $100 with new battery, keyboard, and cd drive cleaning disk. I think it represents a solid place in Apples history, as the TiBok was their first artistic use of metal.
Click to expand...

That's a good deal for that Mac. Clean ones are rare because of how easily the paint scratches and chips. It actually runs Leopard very well with maxed RAM, not to mention Tiger and OS 9.
 
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