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Classic mac to go with new one.

yoyo5280

yoyo5280

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 24, 2007
1,910
0
Melbourne, Australia & Bay Area
Hey!

my dad says he is going to buy the iMac (finally) what an updated one comes out to replace our bottom of the line g4 mac mini.

This is great and means that I no longer have to save for a laptop. However I would still like one.

Now that we will have a desktop with lots of processing power, at home I was thinking maybe I could use my money earned to just buy a very very cheap classic mac laptop that I could use for basic stuff like school work. (I want a laptop so I can use mac for my IT project at school, where there is only mac).

Two laptops I love design wise are the Clamshell iBooks and the 12" Powerbook but like typical apple products they retain their value and on the internet seem to cost a bomb.

What is a laptop with very basic specs (as long as it can do email, iwork, and itunes) with wifi for a decent price?

Also where can I find used macs in tokyo?

Thanks
 
Do you want a full laptop, or a netbook? If you've got a good desktop at home, I would think about something like the MSI Wind. It's a great little computer, and you can run OSX on it without much trouble.

It would help to know your budget, too. Refurb plastic MacBooks start at $850... used MacBooks will be even cheaper.
 
Nice! I am looking at the black/white one. It is a great price...about the same as a 12"powerbook :eek:!

Still are there any other cheaper netbooks that can run mac os?

how difficult is installing mac os on a netbook, I have read multiple guides but... is it reliable? Will updates break it? Can I have dual boot?

**UPDATE** how will the HP mini bottom of the line with 8gb HD work with os x and an external HD?

**UPDATE2** I found a chart of netbooks that tun OS x an only the Dell Mini 9 and MSI wind run os x without a hitch.
 
12" Powerbook is a very desirable item, but a MacBook is more powerful and useful than it.

Especially with Snow Leopard round the corner.
 
yoyo5280 said:
Nice! I am looking at the black/white one. It is a great price...about the same as a 12"powerbook :eek:!

Still are there any other cheaper netbooks that can run mac os?

how difficult is installing mac os on a netbook, I have read multiple guides but... is it reliable? Will updates break it? Can I have dual boot?

**UPDATE** how will the HP mini bottom of the line with 8gb HD work with os x and an external HD?

**UPDATE2** I found a chart of netbooks that tun OS x an only the Dell Mini 9 and MSI wind run os x without a hitch.
Click to expand...

Yes, updates can break the install. I would recommend looking at refurb MacBooks (white/black ones), they are rather comparable and are still rather modern machines.
 
yoyo5280 said:
I so want to but I would prefer not to buy over the web. :(

is that much for an old machine a rip off?
Click to expand...

For a 12" PB, pretty much but it is a standard price. For $300 more you can get a like new rather modern MacBook.

A PowerBook is a dead end (no SL support) and most likely will die on you within the next few years. My 5 year old PowerBook moves insanely slow compared to my MacBook.

A MacBook on the other hand will be supported by Apple for years to come and you can still get AppleCare for it.
 
MysticMage said:
For a 12" PB, pretty much but it is a standard price. For $300 more you can get a like new rather modern MacBook.

A PowerBook is a dead end (no SL support) and most likely will die on you within the next few years. My 5 year old PowerBook moves insanely slow compared to my MacBook.

A MacBook on the other hand will be supported by Apple for years to come and you can still get AppleCare for it.
Click to expand...
300 for a 14/15 year old can make a hell of a difference.

I know the feeling. My 1.25GHz mini chugs comparing to my moms macbook.

So even just as a basic iWork and internet machine don't get anything less than an intel?
 
It depends what you want to do with it. If you want to keep up to date with the latest software and os then nothing less than intel. If you just want to keep the os and use it for basic needs (like you said) than you can get a PowerPC. G4 is the oldest processor that will run Leopard. G3 will only go up to Tiger. Of course SL will only support intel macs. :mad::(

This thread reminds me of when I bought my snow iBook G3. I only payed $40 for it! I use it to this day for basic schoolwork, and the specs are in my signature. Its a fine machine for basic stuff. :)
 
iLove Apple said:
It depends what you want to do with it. If you want to keep up to date with the latest software and os then nothing less than intel. If you just want to keep the os and use it for basic needs (like you said) than you can get a PowerPC. G4 is the oldest processor that will run Leopard. G3 will only go up to Tiger. Of course SL will only support intel macs. :mad::(

This thread reminds me of when I bought my snow iBook G3. I only payed $40 for it! I use it to this day for basic schoolwork, and the specs are in my signature. Its a fine machine for basic stuff. :)
Click to expand...

Only 40$!~~ where did you buy it!?
 
I would get a Sony P if you have the money. Reasonable hard drive space and very stylish. Or maybe an MSI Wind/Dell Mini (maybe the Dell Studio series?)/ or the Lenovo S10.
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
I would get a Sony P if you have the money. Reasonable hard drive space and very stylish. Or maybe an MSI Wind/Dell Mini (maybe the Dell Studio series?)/ or the Lenovo S10.
Click to expand...

Sony P is nice but the adverts in the train stations annoy me~! :p
if I am going to get anything in the price range its a white book.

looked at Wind and Mini but i'm afraid of the costs to installing Mac OS, even though they are apparently fully compatible.
 
Can't you just use Windows XP? To install OS X on the Wind or Mini, it just takes a Leopard disc, some time and patience (finding drivers, worrying about any updates bricking the netbook, etc).
 
If you're using the laptop for serious stuff I would get a real mac rather than a netbook with os x on it. From the wind angle (I have one), there are additional costs.

Firstly if your school use wpa encryption u need to get a replacement wireless card as the inbuilt realtek utility doesn't have many forms of encryption. Secondly you would buy a copy of leopard for piece of mind for eula and cos we don't condone piracy at macrumors. This ultimately leaves the netbook at an equivalent price with a powerbook. However if you can get by using the computers at school i would wait and save up for a refurbished macbook/ netbook with ion platform for better compatibility with snow leopard.
 
SnowLeopard2008 said:
Can't you just use Windows XP? To install OS X on the Wind or Mini, it just takes a Leopard disc, some time and patience (finding drivers, worrying about any updates bricking the netbook, etc).
Click to expand...
I honestly can't and hate using windows xp. we have it at school but most of the staff and students have mac at home. so usually I ask if I can do computer tasks for homework.

I will never use a windows machine (anymore) at home.

ViM said:
If you're using the laptop for serious stuff I would get a real mac rather than a netbook with os x on it. From the wind angle (I have one), there are additional costs.

Firstly if your school use wpa encryption u need to get a replacement wireless card as the inbuilt realtek utility doesn't have many forms of encryption. Secondly you would buy a copy of leopard for piece of mind for eula and cos we don't condone piracy at macrumors. This ultimately leaves the netbook at an equivalent price with a powerbook. However if you can get by using the computers at school i would wait and save up for a refurbished macbook/ netbook with ion platform for better compatibility with snow leopard.
Click to expand...
Like i said in OP, the iMac at home will be used for more heavy stuff (graphic design, movies, too much skype) while I just want another computer to use for basic email and school work.

the absolute requirements are Wifi (that obviously rules out the wind now :p) and ability to run iWork 06/08, adium/skype, flock/safari, iTunes. That is it

If I run into a good deal (like a $40 iBook) should I just snag. It will also get me into mac collecting.

I don't think i'm likely to find one though. The mac classic at a shop near me is going for about 6,000Y which is pretty much 60 bucks! WOW
 
The MSI Wind and Dell Mini are fully compatible with OS X, and updates havent broken it so far.
 
yoyo5280 said:
Only 40$!~~ where did you buy it!?
Click to expand...

Haha, I bought it from my spanish teacher. He has an iMac G4 flowerpot as his main machine at home and he is thinking about getting the unibody too. So, he diddn't need it anymore. There are problems, though.
-Battery doesn't hold a charge anymore
-Shift key broken (not the one I use anyway)
Not really a big deal
 
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