Apple Australia is shipping my custom Powerbook

[CmdrLaForge]

OMG it's here! It's actually in my hands. It appears to be working! Case is fine. Screen is perfect. No stuffed pixels. Checking it out right now. Further report when I give it a good thrashing to make sure everything works. Loading UT2K4 as part of my methodical scientific testing regime

Thanks to all for all the support through this sticky switch...

Congrats ! Good to see that you finally made it. Hope you have a lot of fun. Keep us posted and maybe you can share some pics ?

Cheers
CmdrLaForge

 

[aswitcher]

Aswitcher Report - Week One

I am finally out of my home spare room and now all over the place. Not really a Mac issue but a big fun change in itself.

Ok, all still appears technically fine with the powerbook.

First the bad (well just not excellent ) The only issues have been:
> A strange speaker hissing sound yesterday that went after a reboot. No idea why buts its gone now.
> Some problems with my mail not being able to save my password - again which seem to fix itself up with a reboot. I suspect Konfabulator given some of the notes.
> Importing my old email is an ongoing issue. I read a work around but haven't got to it.

Now the good (well excellent)
> Powerbook is oh so sexy. Brings a smile everytime I pull it out or sit down to it. Love the screen and what Quartz does for it. And the silver Crumpler School Hymn cover looks a treat and gets as many remarks as the machine itself...at least until I fire up and show them expose, the dock, account switching and some of the apps... love the illuminated keys, extrernal battery and sleep light. Such nice touches.
> "iCandy" is awesome. Apple need to register that name
> Tungsten T2 took some effort to set up but it works fine now. Nice link with .Cal. Wish it could handle multiple accounts...but I am sure thats Palms fault
> Love bookmark bar and tabs in Safari. Internet lifes much slicker.
> Finder is pretty FAB. Easy to navigate, find files.
> .Mac (iDisk etc) are all pretty fine. Nice knowing I can get access to key files, booksmarks from anywhere (work ). Training vids have helped.
> iTunes and the iPod have been a treat. 22 gig and counting...
> .Cal with iDisk seem to have great potential. Already subscribed to a few iCals. Have to take a closer look at this later.
> Office 2004 is pretty fine. Still coming to grips with it but pretty impressed with the new notes feature with audio and writing. Entourages project features are pretty amazing.
> Some third party apps are pretty sweet - Limewire, Konfabulator, and the various Stumblers.

Anyway week one has been a buzz. Too much time playing versus posting on the boards

 

[Ozi]

Awesome!

I hope the coming years of joy and practicality that you will get from your Mac will compensate for the horrors of trying to get a working one in the first place!

enjoy it mate... you will be the envy of everyone for many months to come.

~ozi

 

[yinyang]

Aswitcher Report - Week One
> Some third party apps are pretty sweet - Limewire, Konfabulator, and the various Stumblers.

Anyway week one has been a buzz. Too much time playing versus posting on the boards

an app for the aussies...

degrees down under which puts the whether in sydney (?) in your dock

an app for the iPod and entourage, and iCal...

iPod It since iSync doesn't with entourage

there are loads of others - just ask and you'll get bombarded with replies.

i noticed that you got the crumpler hymn cover, which i was looking at too - is it quite sturdy? i thought the stm glove was too 'soft' and wanted something that wasn't too bulky but still tough enough. also you got office 2004 (you rally did splash out lol!) - i was actually surprised that the powerbook doesn't even come with appleworks

but glad to hear that all is going well, and good to see you're on appletalk australia as well

 

[aswitcher]

a
there are loads of others - just ask and you'll get bombarded with replies.

i noticed that you got the crumpler hymn cover, which i was looking at too - is it quite sturdy? i thought the stm glove was too 'soft' and wanted something that wasn't too bulky but still tough enough. also you got office 2004 (you rally did splash out lol!) - i was actually surprised that the powerbook doesn't even come with appleworks

but glad to hear that all is going well, and good to see you're on appletalk australia as well

Crumpler is pretty tough. Has reinforced walls and nice protected zip.

Appletalk is ok, just seems a bit slow compared to macrumors.

 

[yinyang]

Appletalk is ok, just seems a bit slow compared to macrumors.

they've not been going long, but they are local

 

[aswitcher]

Letter from Apple

Ok, another update.

Monday before last I wrote to Apple Australia and today I got a response.

"Mr King" (MD Apple Australia) was not available and there executive relations section wrote me a letter.

The reason for the delays

"Unfortunately there are things out of our control that cannot guarantee delivery within the quoted timeframe." That being 10 working days.

They apologised a couple of times and "trust that enjoy using [my] PowerBook..."

So that's all...what should have been 2 weeks turned in 6 weeks and they apologise...

Well at least I go a letter for all my months "inconvience"

 

[aussie_geek]

Good stuff mate

Ok, another update.

Monday before last I wrote to Apple Australia and today I got a response.

"Mr King" (MD Apple Australia) was not available and there executive relations section wrote me a letter.

The reason for the delays

"Unfortunately there are things out of our control that cannot guarantee delivery within the quoted timeframe." That being 10 working days.

They apologised a couple of times and "trust that enjoy using [my] PowerBook..."

So that's all...what should have been 2 weeks turned in 6 weeks and they apologise...

Well at least I go a letter for all my months "inconvience"

Well done aswitcher,

Finally you have got a response. At least they know that you were unsatisfied with their service. Lets hope that your next Apple purchases will not be like this one.

Good to hear that you are enjoying your new Powerbook.

aussie_geek

 

[aswitcher]

Well done aswitcher,

Finally you have got a response. At least they know that you were unsatisfied with their service. Lets hope that your next Apple purchases will not be like this one.

Good to hear that you are enjoying your new Powerbook.

aussie_geek

Well I have ordered an Airport Express directly from Apple...due out July...

 

[coattaker]

First shipment of Airport Express units is due 15th July...

Great to hear the good news aswitcher! Now when are you ordering a Dual 2.5Ghz G5...?

Good that you got a sort of response from Apple too. Shows they have one or two literate people there at least.

 

[DJY]

Okay - so my first impressions after a few days of using my very sexy new 17" Powerbook.

WOW!
Why didn't I listen to my friends over the years?!?!?!?!

Only what I think is one dead pixel on the screen - bottom left hand corner... is whitie / pinkie coloured...
but apart from that - can't fault it!

Even the packaging is a work of art!
Was better than Christmas unfolding all the layers!

Love Safari and TAB browsing! How did I survive with out before?!?!?!
Love Expose!
I think F9, F110 and F11 are my new best friends!!!!
.Mac looks good - like the concept and the ease of use / integration - but yet to really play much there...

iSync - GREAT! My T610 rarely actually sync'd with my PC - but first time on the Powerbook (and every time since PERFECT!)

iPhoto - handled importing all my pics very well - I thought I'd kill it attempting to copy in so many photos at once - but nope - it handled it all!
Would like to be able to navigate inside an album by title names... so still searching for more shortcut keys for that.

Address Book - good - if I can get it working - love the integration between everything - especially devices (T610) my mate showed me how he gets incoming calls, and even sends SMS from his Powerbook - mine not working yet - but I'm sure its me not the Powerbook.

iChat - WOW! I expected another text based IM - but no!
First night I heard the phone ring (wasn't my mobile or home phone) and then I had a clearest audio chat with my mate... same night had three one way video chats with other mates around the country - so I just had to go back an buy an iSight! LOVE IT!

Thats my initial impressions... some hiccups getting my PC and Powerbook talking - so I gave up and used my iPod to transfer data (as an external firrewire HDD)...
and had a couple of glitches getting data out of Outlook - but got that sorted as well.

WIll take me a bit of time to get up to the proficiency level I enjoyed on Windows based machines - but I'm confident!

So overall - I think I've become an instant Mac snob!

 

[aswitcher]

Okay - so my first impressions after a few days of using my very sexy new 17" Powerbook.

WOW!

So overall - I think I've become an instant Mac snob!

Hey thats excellent !

Get a copy of X resource graph off version tracker...very cool monitoring your CPU etc temps, memory usage, wattage, net traffic and local weather

 

[aswitcher]

Week 3 report on new 17"

Well its been another good week.

Starting to get things bedded down and second nature.

Still have to get around to using iChat with voice but appears to be working.

I love the keyboard and illuminated keys but still want a bluetooth keyboard...but dont want a white one...

.Mac works a treat. Training vids pretty cool but would prefer to have been able to download and save them.

iPhoto, iMovie and iDvd all have proven to be excellent. I need a real DV Camera but even the little family olympus makes fun flicks.

Need to get a laptop pad with fans. Really would prefer a portable one but cant seem to find any in Sydney. Anyone help with that?

Wish I could get my hands on some of the quicktime vids that are used in Apple stores to present mac software etc so I could just run those to demo the capabilities. Strange they dont seem to be available on the Apple site.

Looking forward to getting my Airport Express so I can dump the network cable. I also need a USB printer (probably a Canon bubble for under $300 AUD) but want to make sure it will work 100% with the AExp.

 

[DJY]

Looking forward to getting my Airport Express so I can dump the network cable. I also need a USB printer (probably a Canon bubble for under $300 AUD) but want to make sure it will work 100% with the AExp.

Ditto!
Can't wait now for Airport Express!
Oh and as for printing - forgot about my printer till I wanted to print something today - and discovered it doesn't have a USB connection!
DOH!
So what a shame I'll have to upgrade my printer as well - and that way I know it will plug into an Airport Express!

WOOHOO!

 

[locopano]

Cooling stand

Get an iCurve for ergonomics and cooling - they cost $90(a bit expensive) but they work, and for some peoples benefits they look really good. You will need an external mouse/kb because its awkward to type on it...

anyways my fan never comes on (but to tell you the truth i dont care about noise) i just care about it staying cool and healthy..

Also an iBreeze are supposed to be great by i would thing that because it is pressed against another surface that would retain some of the heat, it would not be as effective as an iCurve..

Anyways its not exactly portable bits its well worth the investment...

 

[aswitcher]

Get an iCurve for ergonomics and cooling - they cost $90(a bit expensive)

They are damn expensive for a bit of plastic. $90 should be able to buy a collpasable metal or wooden frame that does the same thing, but is also portable and easy to pack away. That's more like what I am after.