Another college student here with an iBook. I've got the 700 with combo (before the last revision). It's only got 256MB of RAM on it with a 30GB HDD and runs Jaguar 10.2.3 very, very quickly. I'll be upgrading to 640MB in the next few weeks and expect it to really fly then. Runs Office quite well, internet, wireless like a dream. I thought the screen might be small at first, but it's perfect, especially since I'm closer to it than most desktop screens. And it will plug into a desktop and can also take an external keyboard and mouse via USB - so it can be a "desktop" of sorts quite easily.
The screen is the best LCD I've seen on a laptop this size for this little $$$. It's bright and very easy on the eyes. It runs great in 1024x768, and the adjustable icon and dock size make the desktop extremely customizable (APPLE-J baby!). Like another poster, this thing does take a beating - and never complains. And the newest iBook models have got faster video and a faster chip. They're a steal. Course, so is the new PB, but that's more than $1600. I heartily recommend a maxxed out 12.1" iBook. It'll last for a good 3-4 or more years, easy.
The screen is the best LCD I've seen on a laptop this size for this little $$$. It's bright and very easy on the eyes. It runs great in 1024x768, and the adjustable icon and dock size make the desktop extremely customizable (APPLE-J baby!). Like another poster, this thing does take a beating - and never complains. And the newest iBook models have got faster video and a faster chip. They're a steal. Course, so is the new PB, but that's more than $1600. I heartily recommend a maxxed out 12.1" iBook. It'll last for a good 3-4 or more years, easy.