Apple Releases PowerBooks and iBooks

[eazyc10]

I'm posting from my brand new 15" pb. It's AWESOME! I can't believe how much larger the screen is compared to my old 12" ibook. The screen is clear and crisp. Haven't had much time to play with it yet but will run some tests when I get back home. Don't have the "wobble" or any dead pixels which I can see.

I'm very happy with my purchase

 

[citizenchunk]

hmmmm......

i just received my new 1.5 GHz 15"er, although i'm not typing on it right now, as it's doing the full charge-up thingy.

i seem to have all the bad luck. i have 2 dead pixels, although they aren't obnoxious. i also seem to have a little of the case "wobble," as someone put it. AND, i seem to have a slight discoloration on the RETURN key.

but i'm trying not to sweat the small stuff. i really don't want to return it, now that it's here and i've re-partitioned/re-installed. am i just being a chump?

btw, am i the ONLY one out there who didn't upgrade to 128 MB VRAM??? must be a lot of gamers on this board. i don't game, nor do i do 3D/CAD, so i didn't even consider it at first. when i later found out that it was only $50 extra, i felt a little stupid, but i still don't think i'll ever miss it.

 

[kbonnel]

I wouldn't feel bad at all. The only reason I have this PB, is because my local Apple store didn't have any of the SuperDrive PB's in stock. I was going to wait a couple of days and go back, but decided to just order.

As for my "wobble", it has gotten a little better. I think over time, it should "unwobble" itself, if not, I will call Apple. I haven't noticed any bad pixels, so I am 2 for 2 on my PB's. Some people have made suggestions to rub around the pixel, and in my experience it does sometimes work. Just take your time, and don't apply too much presure. Now that you mentioned it, I do even think I looked at my keyboard yet, guess I will have to do that.

Kimo

hmmmm......

i just received my new 1.5 GHz 15"er, although i'm not typing on it right now, as it's doing the full charge-up thingy.

i seem to have all the bad luck. i have 2 dead pixels, although they aren't obnoxious. i also seem to have a little of the case "wobble," as someone put it. AND, i seem to have a slight discoloration on the RETURN key.

but i'm trying not to sweat the small stuff. i really don't want to return it, now that it's here and i've re-partitioned/re-installed. am i just being a chump?

btw, am i the ONLY one out there who didn't upgrade to 128 MB VRAM??? must be a lot of gamers on this board. i don't game, nor do i do 3D/CAD, so i didn't even consider it at first. when i later found out that it was only $50 extra, i felt a little stupid, but i still don't think i'll ever miss it.

 

[James L]

Hey all,

Congrats on the new PB's! Mine is now in WINNIPEG, CA and says it is released for delivery... the only problem being that WINNIPEG is about 1500 miles from my house in another province!

...what exactly does released for delivery mean, anyway?

Can't wait to get it!

 

[eazyc10]

hmmmm......

i just received my new 1.5 GHz 15"er, although i'm not typing on it right now, as it's doing the full charge-up thingy.

i seem to have all the bad luck. i have 2 dead pixels, although they aren't obnoxious. i also seem to have a little of the case "wobble," as someone put it. AND, i seem to have a slight discoloration on the RETURN key.

but i'm trying not to sweat the small stuff. i really don't want to return it, now that it's here and i've re-partitioned/re-installed. am i just being a chump?

btw, am i the ONLY one out there who didn't upgrade to 128 MB VRAM??? must be a lot of gamers on this board. i don't game, nor do i do 3D/CAD, so i didn't even consider it at first. when i later found out that it was only $50 extra, i felt a little stupid, but i still don't think i'll ever miss it.

I personally don't think i'll do much gaming on the pb even though i did upgrade to 128mb. Unless virtual pc runs much better than it did on my ibook. I'll probably stick to pcs for games. I think i just did the upgrade for bragging rights sake.

 

[Konsole]

I got my first mac today, 15" powerbook with all upgrades and 512 ram in 1 stick.

This thing is absolutely gorgeous. I am amazed at how wide the screen is. It is very clear and crisp. Its also fast. I need to install a few more apps, but so far its just perfect.

now all i need to do is find some cool software to play with. What are the apps that show stats on your desktop, allow multiple virtual desktops and allow you to manage themes? And any other neat menu bar (top bar?) applets that people recomend?

 

[eazyc10]

I got my first mac today, 15" powerbook with all upgrades and 512 ram in 1 stick.

This thing is absolutely gorgeous. I am amazed at how wide the screen is. It is very clear and crisp. Its also fast. I need to install a few more apps, but so far its just perfect.

now all i need to do is find some cool software to play with. What are the apps that show stats on your desktop, allow multiple virtual desktops and allow you to manage themes? And any other neat menu bar (top bar?) applets that people recomend?

good call, i'm looking for similar apps. Hopefully someone can englighten me!

 

[vasaz]

now all i need to do is find some cool software to play with. What are the apps that show stats on your desktop, allow multiple virtual desktops and allow you to manage themes? And any other neat menu bar (top bar?) applets that people recomend?

It's only in alpha stage right now, but Desktop Manager for virtual desktops has been great for me, no crashes or bugs that I have experienced (open source too):
http://wsmanager.sourceforge.net/

For managing themes I think shapeshifter is the best...there is a month free trial for it, then you have to buy it to keep using the themes:
http://www.unsanity.com/haxies/shapeshifter

 

[markh]

Spoke to Apple OZ, can expect my 12" PB either friday or monday.. YAY! Was thinking of getting the Crumpler McBain bag. looks pretty funky n cool

http://www.crumpler.com.au/public/computerframe.ehtml?pass=210&catid=32

in navy/grey me thinks

 

[mpopkin]

Bad Words..........it

Stop complaining about this g........m wobble, i have a new PB 1.5 ghz 15 inch and it wobbles only sometimes, but it really is NOT a BIG DEAL, would you not rather have a little wobble that will go Away over time instead of Dead Pixels, DOA or worse. I would, so buckle up, stop complaining, this thread is not for complaints it is for people who want to talk about powerbooks, the new ones, and so far none of the problems are close to being as bad as the first run aluminum powerbooks and in fact this powerbook series is probably the best one ever in terms of quality control, want to know why they were not shipped earlier by apple, it was probably because apple was scared about those same quality control issues that were troubling the first aluminum powerbook. So Please. Stop complaining about the Wobble, It is not a big deal. If it is return the powerbook and get another one that wobbles, it will go away.

I wouldn't feel bad at all. The only reason I have this PB, is because my local Apple store didn't have any of the SuperDrive PB's in stock. I was going to wait a couple of days and go back, but decided to just order.

As for my "wobble", it has gotten a little better. I think over time, it should "unwobble" itself, if not, I will call Apple. I haven't noticed any bad pixels, so I am 2 for 2 on my PB's. Some people have made suggestions to rub around the pixel, and in my experience it does sometimes work. Just take your time, and don't apply too much presure. Now that you mentioned it, I do even think I looked at my keyboard yet, guess I will have to do that.

Kimo

 

[psingh01]

test drove one today

I went to my local apple store today and test drove the new portables. I must say that I was very impressed with the 12" iBook!

It felt just as zippy as the other machines. Of course my tests probably didn't tax the system, but still the difference between the models didn't seem as different as it did before.

How hard is it to upgrade a HD in the 12" iBook? It would be killer if I can put a 5400rpm 80GB HD in there. How about an after market super drive for the 12" ibook?

12"iBook/15"PB 1.5Ghz....it's getting tough to decide

 

[jeffh]

New 15", and bad pixel

Heya folks,

Great day here today! Got my new Powerbook 15" - it's great!! Super snappy running light apps with the stock 256MB RAM. I haven't put the 512MB stick that came from Crucial today because I noticed a bad pixel - actually not "bad" but "stuck". It's stuck on blue so with the default background you can't see it at all but as soon as you put the screensaver on (or a DVD) it lights up like Mars on a clear night. I thought for sure that I should take it back. However, I just read this article:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=22194

Apparently, a "certain number" of bad pixels is considered acceptable. I only have 1 bad pixel, so that surely falls under whatever that certain threshold is. It's unfortunate, since I spent a lot of money for this computer you'd think it would be perfect.

I had called tech support earlier and they told me to take it to my local Apple store. I was planning to do it tomorrow, but after reading that link I'm not so sure.

Big deal, or no? Return it, or just deal?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[FrankieShakes]

Hey Jeff,

It's unfortunate that most companies consider a few bad pixels to be "acceptable"... I sympathize with you.

Have a read at my earlier post (https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/815755/)... That may solve your problem.


Frank

 

[powerofthekiwi]

Well it doubles as a screen cloth and it looks cool

You order a standard config from Macmall USA or AUS?

went and bought some fleece from hobby lobby for $2 today - beats $20 or whatever for an "official one"

 

[Bhennies]

Hey y'all, just ordered the 12" superdrive PB today (500 bucks refundable deposit). did anyone who got the 12" regret it and wish they'd got the 15"? Am I going to be kicking myself in a year or two for not getting firewire 800 or up to 2 gigs RAM? Or am I just panicking 'cause ordered a 1700 dollar machine today (with applecare)? Thanks!

 

[jaw04005]

Sim City 4 sucks on all computers, MAC's or PC's, I have the PB 1.5 too, but will not use it, my Powermac g5 DP 2.0 Ghz with 9800 Pro is great, but not with Sim City 4, in fact i hate sim city 4, the graphics are sputtery and the interface is wrong, they just need to tweak the graphic drivers for it and it could be good, but as a recommendation i would not use it for testing out the power of any computer.

Not true. We have a 2.6Ghz & 3.0Ghz P4 Dell in our offices, and it runs very smooth even at "Highest Quality" with an ATI 9800 Graphics Card & 1GB Ram. Now, I have not got Sim City 4 to run with good performance on any Mac I have, and I even tried it on a friend's Dual G5... still bad performance. Its just the way the game was created--I tend to want to blame Aspyr, but what can you expect from a port? $49.95 (Mac) Sim City 4 is definately NOT worth it.

 

[data1ore]

Hey y'all, just ordered the 12" superdrive PB today (500 bucks refundable deposit). did anyone who got the 12" regret it and wish they'd got the 15"? Am I going to be kicking myself in a year or two for not getting firewire 800 or up to 2 gigs RAM? Or am I just panicking 'cause ordered a 1700 dollar machine today (with applecare)? Thanks!

You're probably panicking. Go sleep on it keep sleeping on it if it still bothers you, and before you know it, your new baby will appear on your doorsteps.

On another note. I received email confirmation from Apple that it has shipped this mornig, and at 1.05am the next day, the FedEx tracking number is still not appearing in its tracking database. Strange...hope it's just a case of poor updating of shipping info by FedEx.

 

[jaw04005]

Hey all,

Congrats on the new PB's! Mine is now in WINNIPEG, CA and says it is released for delivery... the only problem being that WINNIPEG is about 1500 miles from my house in another province!

...what exactly does released for delivery mean, anyway?

Can't wait to get it!

Released for delivery simply means its been released to be transported to your nearest shipping hub. Mine was released for delivery in INDIANAPOLIS IN and I live in Arkansas. When you see "Out for Delivery" then you can get excited!

 

[JonGraves]

Hey Bhennies,
Don't worry, you have just bought a kick as$ portable! Seriously, is portability important to you? If so you got the right PowerBook. Coming from a Pismo (G3/14"/500MHz) PowerBook, I was shocked how much larger the 15.2" 'Books are. I figure it will take them a bit longer to squeeze a G5 into a package as small as the 12".

I got mine today and it is awesome - I have been messing around with wireless networking, using a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, driving a 20" cinema display, burning a DVD-R in just over 10 minutes!

In a couple of years it may not still be the fastest but it will still be small!

Jon

Hey y'all, just ordered the 12" superdrive PB today (500 bucks refundable deposit). did anyone who got the 12" regret it and wish they'd got the 15"? Am I going to be kicking myself in a year or two for not getting firewire 800 or up to 2 gigs RAM? Or am I just panicking 'cause ordered a 1700 dollar machine today (with applecare)? Thanks!

 

[Bhennies]

Hey Bhennies,
Don't worry, you have just bought a kick as$ portable! Seriously, is portability important to you? If so you got the right PowerBook. Coming from a Pismo (G3/14"/500MHz) PowerBook, I was shocked how much larger the 15.2" 'Books are. I figure it will take them a bit longer to squeeze a G5 into a package as small as the 12".

I got mine today and it is awesome - I have been messing around with wireless networking, using a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, driving a 20" cinema display, burning a DVD-R in just over 10 minutes!

In a couple of years it may not still be the fastest but it will still be small!

Jon

Whew. I was starting to question my purchase. I keep forgetting that this is going to be my second computer (my portable). Apple sure does a good job in making it seem like you NEED something rather than WANT it. By the way, did you get the 5400 RPM drive or did you stick with the 4200? I ordered it with the 4200 because I'm gonna use it with an external 7200 RPM and I'll throw the extra $$$ into 1 GB stick RAM. Is the 5400 RPM drive gonna make a huge difference?

 

[James L]

Released for delivery simply means its been released to be transported to your nearest shipping hub. Mine was released for delivery in INDIANAPOLIS IN and I live in Arkansas. When you see "Out for Delivery" then you can get excited!

Thanks dude,

James

 

[mattster16]

My PB is MIA somewhere in the continental US. I don't know where it is. It left Memphis on the 26th at 5pm. FedEx hasn't updated it's status since then.... Hopefully they just forget and it's just waiting to be put on a truck tomorrow and delivered. Otherwise....who knows....

I really hope I don't have any dead pixels....I'm such a perfectionist that would just be the worst thing that could happen! Mostly because I've read previously that Apple consideres that acceptible and doesn't take it back for that reason.

 

[JonGraves]

Whew. I was starting to question my purchase. I keep forgetting that this is going to be my second computer (my portable). Apple sure does a good job in making it seem like you NEED something rather than WANT it. By the way, did you get the 5400 RPM drive or did you stick with the 4200? I ordered it with the 4200 because I'm gonna use it with an external 7200 RPM and I'll throw the extra $$$ into 1 GB stick RAM. Is the 5400 RPM drive gonna make a huge difference?

Hi Bhennies,
My 12" is also a second computer - I think it is great for that purpose. I got the 5400rpm drive for the extra space as much as for the extra speed. Undoubtedly, the sensible thing to do might have been to stick with the stock setup and upgrade later. I upgraded my trusty old Pismo to a 5400rpm drive and definitely noticed a bump in boot times and other disk-intensive operations. Nothing shocking but noticable.
You know what the compromises are for portability - IMHO they are worth it. Sleep on it like Data1ore suggested and maybe check them out gain at an Apple store tomorrow if you have time. I just find the 12" really compelling in person.

Jon

 

[aswitcher]

went and bought some fleece from hobby lobby for $2 today - beats $20 or whatever for an "official one"

Well, I like the black cloth with the big black X on it. If I am spending thousands on a PB, I can cough up the $27 dollars for it and postage since I am going to be seeing it every day

 

[h_harker]

delay!?

after previously being told on or before the 26th (ordered 2pm gmt on the 19th) i have just been told that it hasnt even been sent to manufacture yet! this is because apparently they are getting 2,500 faxes a day to confirm details if you are shipping to a different address from your billing address! so it was meant to ship yesterday but its still in a queue to be built. how annoyed can one man be! 3-5 days now of waiting for it to be put together- then shipping- i have so much work to do, but instead i will have to stay at work until 1.30am to do it, instead of taking it all home on a 15"er.

i hope by that time they have no wobblers and no dead pixelers left!