Advice on iBook purchase?

[cryptochrome]

I am currently the owner of a Wallstreet 233 Powerbook, which cost me a large chunk of my lamentably small salary. Nowadays it's just not cutting it at all, particularly where video (DivX and lack of DVD) is concerned. But I still don't have much cash, and decided to wait for a computer that was at least three times as good as what I had. Well, here I am, the TiBook is too large for my tastes and too expensive for my pocketbook. I was hoping they would boost the speed of the iBooks to 700mHz at MWSF - but no luck. The 12" combo model is so close to what I want, but I have severe doubts about whether the processing and graphics power are going to cut it for my needs in the near future (as this will be my only computer), particularly with concern to games, video, and (unfortunately) OS X in general (so much eye candy it practically requires a G4).

Should I bite the bullet and get one, or hang in there for a little while? I'd hate to buy it now only to have them come out with a 900mHz version, or a smaller less expensive powerbook, or an iDock that would offer road portability and desk power. And then there's this Gigawire thing that sounds intriguing - I don't want to make the same mistake I made before (buying the last model that didn't support USB or Firewire and getting left out in the cold peripheral wise). It seems like I've been patiently waiting for a 'book to meet my criteria, only to have it held up by a stubborn insistence to not let IBM G3s outpace Motorolla's cranky G4s.

 

[Catfish_Man]

Welllll...

...for OSX, despite what people say, a G4 is NOT a requirement. I'm running it on a G3 233MHz w/ 384MBs of ram and a 7200rpm 30GB hard drive. It isn't great, but it isn't bad. with a 600MHz G3, it'll probably be roughly equivalent to my friend's G4 450MHz, which is just fine (aside from an odd bug where it fails to start up sometimes, and starts scrolling a bunch of unixish text across the startup screen.)

 

[mischief]

If time is not a concern, wait

For the TiBooks to get Rev'd and get an outdated one cheap. It should be May or so.

 

[mischief]

-Catfish Man

That Failure at startup issue: Are you running a Beige? Get your data backed up and hurry! OS X and the ATA controller on the beige don't get along. Get yourself a PCI EIDE host card and get yourself off that Bus!! This is true of Blue and Whites and "Yikes" G4's too. Back everything up, flatten that drive and get off that bus. It is a File Tree header issue where the ATA controller fails to completely map volumes larger than 10Gb per HD. Upshot: Your drives begin to flake out from the header blocks up. Sux. Lost a whole system's worth of data and a Drive that wouldn't re-format.

 

[yaddayadda]

Im selling a special edition graphite ibook dvd 466 mhz 10gighd fior 900. only problem it has 64 ram but nowadays ram is cheap. you can pick that puppy up to like 300 or something.


you want it?

 

[cryptochrome]

No thanks, I need at least a 100mHz bus (when will they start bringing out the hypertransport mobos?)

 

[yadda]

I would just go to ebay. Bid away and come out with a top o du line ti powerbook ..u know 667mhz combo drive 40 gig hd for like 2,000. or a mid range pb for 1200 maybe 1000 if your lucky.

 

[Unregistered]

ibook

I have an ibook 600 DVD 256Megs Ram for sale, with alot of software. Will sell for 1300 or trade for a new iMAC cd-rw!!!! Any1??

 

[cryptochrome]

One other question - I think I'm going to go ahead and get it, provided something unexpected (i.e. promos designed to clear channels) doesn't transpire on tuesday. Correct me if I'm wrong - the online Apple Store doesn't charge sales tax, but the retail stores do, right? And since I can get an educational discount I could save at least $100?

 

[cryptochrome]

To answer my own question, the online apple store DOES charge sales tax b/c they have a presence in all 50 states - but many of the online retailers/catalogs don't charge it. Some of them have good deals (mac mall is offering a free 3.2gb hd with the one I want) and some have special options (MCE hasn't upgraded their prices with the new 'books, but they are offering a 40gb hard drive upgrade!)

 

[oldMac]

Try Outpost.com

Outpost.com will generally give you a good deal, let you avoid sales tax and include free shipping for orders over a certain amount ($500 or so, though they often modify that promo.)