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Finally Ordered a Powerbook!

T

TheZeppo

macrumors newbie
Original poster
So I finally ordered a 12" powerbook. I'm pretty damn happy, but i'm hesitating about the size of the screen. I've been using the 17" eMac for a while and I hope that I can get used to the powerbook's 12" screen. I don't really know how the resolution plays out. The eMac right now has a resolution of 1280x960, and now i'm going to 1024x768, and I hope that it's not a huge downgrade.

Did anyone have a similar experience? Is the resolution anything to worry about?
 
maverick808 said:
Why didn't you wait for the rest of the MacBook Pro line to be revealed before ordering?
Click to expand...

Probably because there's not going to be a 12" MacBook Pro.
 
I think you'll be fine, unless you are going to be using it heavily at your desk. In that case I'd buy an additional monitor.
 
ITASOR said:
Probably because there's not going to be a 12" MacBook Pro.
Click to expand...

Well we don't know that for sure. There might be a 13" widescreen version.

Anyway, there's a good chance that the new iBook (or MacBook) will outperform the current 12" PowerBook.
 
The reason why I didin't wait for a 12"/13" Mac Book/Mac Book Pro is because I've been waiting since last october, and was expecting something that size to come out at MWSF, and well, nothing. I'm tired of waiting, I really need a laptop.

I do have an external display, it's 15", so I guess if the 12" is too small for some things, I can always use it.
 
TheZeppo said:
The reason why I didin't wait for a 12"/13" Mac Book/Mac Book Pro is because I've been waiting since last october, and was expecting something that size to come out at MWSF, and well, nothing. I'm tired of waiting, I really need a laptop.

I do have an external display, it's 15", so I guess if the 12" is too small for some things, I can always use it.
Click to expand...

Fair enough although it's almost certain something will come out before April.

I would recommend a good external display for the 12" as the resolution is a little low for a lot of things. For example, if you try to use an app like OmniGraffle then there just isn't enough space to fit on all the little palettes. Same with stuff like Photoshop which becomes a bit cramped on a 1024x768 display.

Also, I have come across some apps that just won't fit on the screen no matter what. I can't remember any except for a game, Mike's Cards, at the moment but I know there were others.
 
You're probably better off with the tried and tested Rev D 12" Powerbook than the "prototype" Rev A Macbook Pro in any event.
 
Bern said:
You're probably better off with the tried and tested Rev D 12" Powerbook than the "prototype" Rev A Macbook Pro in any event.
Click to expand...

Don't know about that. The current PowerBook has uneven screen lighting (check the bottom corners). It is also well known for overheating and case warping as a result. My girlfriend's 12" PowerBook has suffered case warping and when she took it in to the Apple store they told her it happens on nearly all 12" PowerBooks.
 
maverick808 said:
Don't know about that. The current PowerBook has uneven screen lighting (check the bottom corners). It is also well known for overheating and case warping as a result. My girlfriend's 12" PowerBook has suffered case warping and when she took it in to the Apple store they told her it happens on nearly all 12" PowerBooks.
Click to expand...


Is that limited to the 12"?
 
dr427 said:
Is that limited to the 12"?
Click to expand...

I've only heard of, and personally seen it, on the 12". I had a 15" for nearly 2 years and never had case warping on that even though I ran it nearly constantly.

If you google for "case warping 12 powerbook" you should find more info.
 
MUCKYFINGERS said:
i think you made an excellent purchase. the 12" powerbook is a great machine. enjoy it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, it makes me feel much better.
And I only paid 1,099 for it! 😀
 
Re posts 4 and 6 above by Itasor and Maverick808 - has there been anything more than wild guesswork on what the rest of the laptop range will be? Most of the MWSF predictions were just rubbish (gossip from sandwich bars etc), and the early Appleinsider predictions were really sidelined by all the talk of plasma screens and iBooks.
There must be a load of people waiting for a small 12-13" MacBook Pro, but
a) will there be one?
b) will it have the dual-core chip?
c) will it be a true replacement for the existing PowerBook, or a crippled iBook?
 
stevep said:
Re posts 4 and 6 above by Itasor and Maverick808 - has there been anything more than wild guesswork on what the rest of the laptop range will be? Most of the MWSF predictions were just rubbish (gossip from sandwich bars etc), and the early Appleinsider predictions were really sidelined by all the talk of plasma screens and iBooks.
There must be a load of people waiting for a small 12-13" MacBook Pro, but
a) will there be one?
b) will it have the dual-core chip?
c) will it be a true replacement for the existing PowerBook, or a crippled iBook?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty confident there will be a smaller MacBook Pro so I'd guess the answers would be...

a) Yes
b) Definitely
c) No, it won't be a replacement for the CURRENT 12" PowerBook because the current 12" PowerBook is a reshelled iBook. It'll be far more powerful.

In any case, even the new iBook (MacBook) will outperform the current 12" PowerBook so even if it was a reshelled iBook (and it won't be) it will still be better than the current PowerBook.
 
TheZeppo said:
Thanks, it makes me feel much better.
And I only paid 1,099 for it! 😀
Click to expand...
Man I envy you! Thats a giveaway price for a machine of that caliber. You should be arrested... 🙄

Post pics.
 
Congradulations on your purchase...


Your worries of going from a high resolution to a low one is really non-existent. For me personally when I bought my 12'' PB, I was worried that it would be hard to switch between screens. However, Expose really eliminated that potential problem. Im really love my F9 through F12 keys now 😀

The trackpad has also been an extremely helpful tool as well that i take full advantage of 🙂

On a side note, I would still recommend getting a external display though, especially if you can snag a Dell 2005FPW. Its really great to come back after a class and plug it in and view 4 screens at a time. 😀
 
Good Luck and enjoy your purchase...

I loved my 12" PB... The screen is perfect for portable use, however if you ever find yourself cramped for space, simply plug in an external monitor and your away 🙂 One of the best computers I ever bought...

Wish I never upgraded to the new 15" hi-res as that has been a pain with liney screen and fecked up battery... 🙁 🙁 🙁
 
I feel I've said a lot of negative things so far and I have to say that I'm not trying to say the 12" PowerBook is a bad purchase. It's a great machine and if it suits your needs then perfect.

However, I do want to answer this...

wako said:
Your worries of going from a high resolution to a low one is really non-existent. For me personally when I bought my 12'' PB, I was worried that it would be hard to switch between screens. However, Expose really eliminated that potential problem. Im really love my F9 through F12 keys now 😀
Click to expand...

I think this really depends on your usage. For me, the 1024x768 resolution is extremely difficult to deal with. Added to this is the fact that the brightness and viewing angle of the screen are both substantially lower than the 15" screens. For example, if you are watching a movie on the 12" you really have to be facing it head on for the colors to appear correctly whereas with the 15" that's just not a problem. So the 12" is really bad for watching a movie with someone else or showing someone a picture slideshow. I find the brightness particularly poor even when looking head on at the screen. It always appears dim no matter what.

I also find the 1024x768 really constraining. To fit Word documents on the screen you have to view them at a lower zoom level so the words appear smaller and it can be hard to use. Plus any program that uses tool palettes like Word, Photoshop, OmniGraffle are awkward because it's hard or impossible to find a working layout where the palettes aren't obscuring too much of the document.

Again, I have to say that this is just my opinion. I have a 15" PowerBook and considered the 12" for a long time and the only thing that really held me back at the time was the poor screen. If you are happy with it and can work fine on it then that's fantastic.
 
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