I have a G3 900mhz iBook, and have only had it for about 2 months... I am wondering if Apple could be pursuaded to switch me for a G4 800mhz or if there's anyway i can lift the lid and upgrade?
Hob
Hob
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G4 iBook? :O
- Thread starter hob
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Re: G4 iBook? :O
Why not put up your 900mhz iBook for auction on eBay? You should be able to get some money out of it.
I doubt that you'd be able to do either.
Why not put up your 900mhz iBook for auction on eBay? You should be able to get some money out of it.
Re: G4 iBook? :O
You should go find one and play with it. I bet you won't be amazed at how much faster it is. I have a 600 MHz iBook and also often use a 867 MHz Powerbook (G4) and for most tasks (photoshop, CGI scripting, web browsing) the difference is barely noticeable. One extra bounce here to start up an app, a few seconds on applying a filter.
You have a nice machine. It'll hold you until a killer Powerbook comes out in a year. I upgraded my 2 year old machine with the new G4 iBook, but mostly because I needed a second machine and was running out of hard drive space on the iBook.
You should go find one and play with it. I bet you won't be amazed at how much faster it is. I have a 600 MHz iBook and also often use a 867 MHz Powerbook (G4) and for most tasks (photoshop, CGI scripting, web browsing) the difference is barely noticeable. One extra bounce here to start up an app, a few seconds on applying a filter.
You have a nice machine. It'll hold you until a killer Powerbook comes out in a year. I upgraded my 2 year old machine with the new G4 iBook, but mostly because I needed a second machine and was running out of hard drive space on the iBook.
Yeah, I guess it's the way things go - I'm still impressed by the machine i have... It's just i've been told aps like iMovie run better on a G4 than a G3, but i'll follow your advice and wait for a.... G6 PB? 
Hob
Hob
It may be faster but not by a huge amount. Just think to yourself "can I tolerate an extra few seconds to do this or launch that?" If you can, then just save up to get a sweet G5 PowerBook when everyone who bought a G4 iBook will be drooling but hasn't the cash because of their G4 iBook.
Originally posted by fraeone
Easy for you to say Powerbook G5, you have a brand new 15" G4 PB!
I will be one of the many who'll be drooling when others are in the market for the PowerBook G5...I can only wish, but at least I have a nice laptop to last me through the rest of college.
Resale is key
Once you get a little Apple equipment, you have some retreivable value for quite a while.
The computer you buy now will have a very good resale value for a relatively long time (considering that it is a computer). The longevity and small production volume of Macs keep used Mac prices high.
Upgrading is really all you have to do once you have your PowerBook.
I know I'm looking forward to selling my beautiful new 15" 1.25 and paying a few hundred for the G5 PowerBook. (hopefully)
Once you get a little Apple equipment, you have some retreivable value for quite a while.
The computer you buy now will have a very good resale value for a relatively long time (considering that it is a computer). The longevity and small production volume of Macs keep used Mac prices high.
Upgrading is really all you have to do once you have your PowerBook.
I know I'm looking forward to selling my beautiful new 15" 1.25 and paying a few hundred for the G5 PowerBook. (hopefully)
I've seen this ibook claims to have a 6 hour battery life, is this true? Could I buy one of these batteries and put it in my G3 900mhz 12.1"?
Hob
Hob
The new 12 inch iBook uses a 50 watt hour battery while my old 800Mhz G3 iBook uses a 47 watt hour battery. I doubt the extra three "watt hours" entirely accounts for the extra hour of battery life. Perhaps some of the hardware in the new iBook is more conservative of power.
Why do people always want to upgrade and only talk about the processor?
If i was to upgrade from my current iBook (i am anyway), i wouldn't do it for the CPU, i'd do it because it has USB2, a much faster optical drive, a better Gcard and so forth. Processors don't interest me anymore and they are not the be all and end all of a laptop.
I have ordered the 15" 1.25Ghz mainly because of a need for its screen size and superdrive along with the Gcard, i know the processor is going to be faster so i ignore that attribute.
There isn't much difference between 900mhz G3 and a 800mhz G4. Lets not forget the G3 900mhz is faster than a Rev A 12" PB and that was clocked at 867 mhz when not using Altivec. You are asking us to consider for you whether you should "upgrade" to a 800mhz G4. A step backwards IMHO if all you are interested in, is the CPU. I'm assuming here because thats all people have talked about.
If i was to upgrade from my current iBook (i am anyway), i wouldn't do it for the CPU, i'd do it because it has USB2, a much faster optical drive, a better Gcard and so forth. Processors don't interest me anymore and they are not the be all and end all of a laptop.
I have ordered the 15" 1.25Ghz mainly because of a need for its screen size and superdrive along with the Gcard, i know the processor is going to be faster so i ignore that attribute.
There isn't much difference between 900mhz G3 and a 800mhz G4. Lets not forget the G3 900mhz is faster than a Rev A 12" PB and that was clocked at 867 mhz when not using Altivec. You are asking us to consider for you whether you should "upgrade" to a 800mhz G4. A step backwards IMHO if all you are interested in, is the CPU. I'm assuming here because thats all people have talked about.
there is practically no chance of getting your mac changed to the new model coming out.
you have a great machine, enjoy it. it probably has a lot longer battery life than the new one too. rething of changing it when the g5 powerbooks come out, not before.
and don't worry, macs keep their value better than pcs. so keep it, enjoy it, take care of it, and then sell it when you need or want a g5 powerbook.
if it makes you feel any better, summer of last year, when the ibooks of 700 (and 600) mhz were being sold, the price was about 2200 euros. on night, the 800 mhz models came out, and the price dropped to 1600 euros. guess how did i feel, with a new 700? now i just got a 1 ghz pb, and don't regret getting it - those new ibooks are great, but i'd still get my pb.
enjoy your mac!
you have a great machine, enjoy it. it probably has a lot longer battery life than the new one too. rething of changing it when the g5 powerbooks come out, not before.
and don't worry, macs keep their value better than pcs. so keep it, enjoy it, take care of it, and then sell it when you need or want a g5 powerbook.
if it makes you feel any better, summer of last year, when the ibooks of 700 (and 600) mhz were being sold, the price was about 2200 euros. on night, the 800 mhz models came out, and the price dropped to 1600 euros. guess how did i feel, with a new 700? now i just got a 1 ghz pb, and don't regret getting it - those new ibooks are great, but i'd still get my pb.
enjoy your mac!
Re: G4 iBook? :O
If I were you, I'd drop kick your iBook. Then slam it against your knee untill it's bent in half. Then send it off to Apple and tell the customer service department that you were using iChat... iChat froze up on you and you hit command+option+escape to do a force quit and the computer spontaneously snapped in half. You could also say it kernel panicked to add realism to your story.
When they get it, there's no way they wont give you a new G4 iBook after they hear how irrate you are at what horrible craftsmanship led to your iBook's state.
If I were you, I'd drop kick your iBook. Then slam it against your knee untill it's bent in half. Then send it off to Apple and tell the customer service department that you were using iChat... iChat froze up on you and you hit command+option+escape to do a force quit and the computer spontaneously snapped in half. You could also say it kernel panicked to add realism to your story.
When they get it, there's no way they wont give you a new G4 iBook after they hear how irrate you are at what horrible craftsmanship led to your iBook's state.
no it's not. The G4 only outperforms the G3 (at the same clockspeed) when the app is altivec aware.
interesting idea about the drop kicking, but i'm not sure I'd risk it...
Alti-vec software is iMovie and the like, yes? I had noticed it ran kinda slow on my G3... ah well...
Hob
Alti-vec software is iMovie and the like, yes? I had noticed it ran kinda slow on my G3... ah well...
Hob
hey hob, I bought my g3 4 weeks ago. Can you imagine how I feel today? But anyway, I guess that I might be better of waiting to upgrade for a powerbook. G5 preferred ....
Unless I'm mistaken, the iapps don't take full advantage of altivec although they do make use of it. You'd probably see the biggest difference with Photoshop or other photo/ video editing software though.
Not to be rude or anything... but
Not to be rude or anything... but would you expect Apple to replace it? I mean you bought a machine - its a good machine - you PAID for it... the end.
Just because Apple has a monopoly over Apple products, it seems to me Everyone complains when new Macs are brought out. People who buy a dell.. and then a new dell comes out 3 weeks later don't complain... so why does the Apple Market?
Anyway, to make you feel better your 900mhz is probably faster than the iBook G4 when is comes to most things.
Not to be rude or anything... but would you expect Apple to replace it? I mean you bought a machine - its a good machine - you PAID for it... the end.
Just because Apple has a monopoly over Apple products, it seems to me Everyone complains when new Macs are brought out. People who buy a dell.. and then a new dell comes out 3 weeks later don't complain... so why does the Apple Market?
Anyway, to make you feel better your 900mhz is probably faster than the iBook G4 when is comes to most things.
people complain about buying a mac and then 3 weeks later compared to a dell buyer not complaining when they are in the same situation is simple. Apple comes out with updates so infrequently that some people feel riped off when the same product has been out forever and then 3 weeks after they buy it a new one comes out. It is almost as if the person selling it to them should have known. But the pc world as so much inner competion they are forced to some out with new updates just about ever month or so. It is expected of the pc world not of the mac world. Look at the ibook, how long was that out in it g3 snow incarnation.2-2 1/2 years. Then look at any dell laptop, they change all the time. It might not be fair to apple, for people to feal this way, but i think it is a natural reaction given the product update cycle. In my situation, i was going to buy a ibook in july, but instead i got a great deal on a centrino laptop(gifted to me). If i would have bought a g3 then i would have been ticked off royally.
Or for us people on the G3, can we actually run this program? Were starting to get screwed here. And to tell you the truth, i dont like it. The lack of Altivec sucks. I for one when i have more money and ditching my G3 iBook 800 and am going for G4 iBook.
But some of you might be asking. Why not just go for a Powerbook? Because i think the iBook looks hella better IMO.
I remember downloading a demo of THPS 4 when I first got my G3 iBook and thinking it was wierd when it didnt run. Futher investigation revealed it required a G4, even though my G3 was way faster than the minimum spec - it's all down to altivec i guess... It's annoying, and I do prefer the look of the iBook...
iBook G5 anyone?
iBook G5 anyone?
I have a 900 12" and love it. I was a bit irritated when the G4's were released, but I've gotten over it. Also, am I the only one that is confused that Apple seems to be driving everyone to the 14" iBook? The specs on the 12" (IMHO, the most popular model) are borderline pathetic. Sure it's a G4, but it's a lower clock than mine, and has less HDD space. I dunno....Altivec, slot-loading drive, and AE aren't enough to make me ebay my iBook.
I wouldn't worry. About the only thing we lost out on is resale value...and then only about $100-200 dollars. No big deal.
The 900 iBook is a great machine. Don't let the "G3" stigma get you. It's plenty for a mobile laptop.
I wouldn't worry. About the only thing we lost out on is resale value...and then only about $100-200 dollars. No big deal.
The 900 iBook is a great machine. Don't let the "G3" stigma get you. It's plenty for a mobile laptop.
In reply to Coolbreeze - the reason (IMO) Apple has made such a "pathetic" 800mhz G4 iBook is to separate it from the 12" PB...
If people want ultra portability... they'll go for a 12" Laptop from Apple. Currently there are only two such laptops... the 12" iBook, and the 12" PowerBook. The 200mhz difference + bluetooth + the other little things - is the difference between the two. If someone wants portability and real power they'll go for the PB. If you are a consumer... then you'll go for the iBook. If they had similar specs the iBook couldnt stay as cheap otherwise apple would sell no 12" Powerbooks...
Anyway, hope that has cleared your concerns up a bit?
MagiX
If people want ultra portability... they'll go for a 12" Laptop from Apple. Currently there are only two such laptops... the 12" iBook, and the 12" PowerBook. The 200mhz difference + bluetooth + the other little things - is the difference between the two. If someone wants portability and real power they'll go for the PB. If you are a consumer... then you'll go for the iBook. If they had similar specs the iBook couldnt stay as cheap otherwise apple would sell no 12" Powerbooks...
Anyway, hope that has cleared your concerns up a bit?
MagiX