Buy Powerbook?

[student_trap]

Hey everyone,

I have been putting off buying a 12in powerbook because of the trackpad problems for two months now, and am desperate to take the plunge. So have the problems been sorted, or should i wait longer to ensure my mac is problem free? Also, with the thought that ibooks may be getting a 64Mb graphics card (to cope with tiger), is a boost in graphics card expected in the PB's too, in order to keep some sort of product differentiation between the two lines? Will there be any upgrades to come out of NAB (or in next couple of months) that would cause me to kick myself for buying now? This will be my first mac so i want to make sure that all will be good with it!

Finally, would it be better to wait for tiger to come pre-loaded, or should i take advantage of the free upgrade and move over all my files when it comes out? Is this a simple task?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[mcgarry]

Hi, and welcome.

- Apple claims the trackpad problems are addressed, but I guess that's what they would say. In any case, you can of course never guarantee that any computer you buy will be problem-free; that's what warranties are for.

- On iBook/PowerBook upgrades, or the lack thereof, there are many threads, but try this one for some more thoughts on the matter. Personally I do not expect an update to either line this month, or in the immediate proximity of the Tiger release, but what do I know: very little.

- I don't think there is a major advantage to having Tiger pre-loaded or having to install it yourself for basically the same price, or at least I don't think it's major enough to dictate your purchase decision. Apple makes OS upgrades easy thanks to a good archive-and-install function. But yes, I suppose if you are going to Tiger anyway, having it there already is easier.

 

[Advance The Man]

- I don't think there is a major advantage to having Tiger pre-loaded or having to install it yourself for basically the same price, or at least I don't think it's major enough to dictate your purchase decision. Apple makes OS upgrades easy thanks to a good archive-and-install function. But yes, I suppose if you are going to Tiger anyway, having it there already is easier.

By purchasing now, wouldn't you get a copy of Panther and Tiger?

 

[slooksterPSV]

I say wait for NAB, btw does anyone know when it is... I'll google it here in a second, and make your decision after what comes out.

 

[Eevee]

Heard that the scrolling pad problems were mostly on the 15" models,and that's why some Apple Stores pull them off the shelves for a while.


I would wait till Tiger is pre-loaded and possible a minor update on PB and iBooks (most unlikely). But mcgarry has good pts, too. It's up to you. Let us know what you decide.

 

[mcgarry]

I say wait for NAB, btw does anyone know when it is... I'll google it here in a second, and make your decision after what comes out.

Here's the old Page 2 rumor thread on the HD PB. It seems to only concern the 17", and is on Page 2, and other parts of the original post have been contradicted by the usually-pretty-good ThinkSecret rumor currently on page 1, which itself does not address PowerBooks.

So while I would not be too surprised to see something come out of NAB, I doubt it would be major, though I'd love to be proven wrong!

 

[HiRez]

Are the trackpad problems hardware-based or software-based? IOW, could they be fixed with an OS patch or firmware upgrade?

 

[R.Youden]

I have just got a 12" PowerBook and I am not having any trouble with the track pad. I am not sure if it is Software or Firmware. On the system profiler it says that the trackpad is USB powered!