Greg Joswiak's Feature Presentation

[whatever]

Huge Disappointment

You can believe that the new AI 15" Powerbooks only have a G5 running at 2GHz. What is Apple thinking. And what's up with the new Wicked Extreme Airport technology. Come on everyone with half of brain expected the even faster WE2 airport that Apple patented last year!

What's up with the screen size. I really expected a 21" foldup Jetson car screen. A friend of friend of my cousin so them being used by Jobs at a local Starbucks.

Gee I guess Apple really doesn't want my money. I'm just going to buy a cheap TiBook.

The above is an example of a post that would have appeared on this board if Apple released a new 15" Powerbook today.

Whatever

 

[NNO-Stephen]

Re: lyle

Originally posted by tex210
Does zoom really feel that unworkable to you? Imagine people who truly have bad eyes. It is a blessing for them. In call centers there are people who are legally blind working with easy access. I guess they are being unrealistic. I myself would love an 8" with zoom and expose as my work around. Truly portable.

since you bring up the visually impaired, I just happen to have bad eyesight (no driver license cause of it... bah!) the 12" is too small on it's own, and with zoom, it's hard to get any amount of work done realistically, so yeah, I am waiting on a 15" PowerBook. besides, if I wanted an iBook, i'd just get the 14.1" model that is actually faster in many instances.

 

[tex210]

ibm

The thinkpads are very nicely priced, and in days of old were known as solid. I don't know anything about the newest crop, other than winxp. If the os is of no concern to you, I can see how they would be attractive. This is not an x is better than y argument by the way. I would just think that this being a Mac rumors site, most people here feel very strongly about wanting access to an Apple os.
Now that I think of it.... How could anyone buy a new Apple without waiting for Panther anyway? : )
Don't you think xpose will make desktop space less relevant? We are talking about portability after all. No matter your decision, I hope you are happy with whatever purchase you make. If you're not, there's always e-bay. (insert claim of re-sale value here-even though I've never sold any of my little Apples)

 

[Lyle]

Originally posted by io_burn
Wintel Laptops and Powerbooks all DO the same thing, you run your programs, browse the web, get stuff done.

Agreed; generally speaking, you can find equivalent types of application software for both Windows and Mac OS X.

You could make both Windows XP and OS X ****ty unstable operating systems if you don't know what you're doing.

I've never worked on a Mac OS X based computer for any length of time, but I think you're probably correct on this point. If you have just enough knowledge to be dangerous, you can probably seriously screw up any OS on any computer

Everyone calling people who are debating going Dell (or Sager for that matter) stupid for not wanting to use OS X, I think that is rather unfounded. If I get my projects at work done, in the same amount of time, does it really matter which type of computer I'm using?

Now you're getting closer to my take on the situation, although I think we're probably on opposite sides of the argument

If you can get your projects at work done equally efficiently using any software application, on any operating system, then no, it doesn't matter which type of computer you're using. And in that case, I would be first in line to tell you to find the cheapest Intel or AMD-based computer that has the features you need. But the story I've gotten from a lot of colleagues who've had the opportunity to use different software applications on various operating systems (namely, Windows, Mac OS X and Linux) is that they are more productive working with Mac OS X and software applications developed for Mac OS X. That's not to say there isn't some crappy software out there for Mac OS X; I'm sure there is. But on the whole, Mac OS X based applications seem a lot more usable than their Windows counterparts. This is of course a highly subjective point, so, to each his own

 

[spercharged69]

Lyle, well said.

I know my posts are taken as a grain of salt, and nothing will stop any of the underlying biases on these forums... But in my opinion people who crap all over Microsoft and Windows look just as stupid as racist people who crap all over minorities. I know it's an extreme example, and people are very opinionated on their computing platforms... But it's something to consider next time all you people are posting your amazingly 'witty' rants about how stupid anyone is who wants a PC because it runs "M$ Winblows."

With that being said, I still really want an updated 15 inch powerbook

 

[Rustus Maximus]

Originally posted by Lyle
I am a potential "switcher", but have refrained from making wild-eyed threats about buying some other vendor's notebook (and thus single-handedly causing the downfall of Apple). I don't think it's productive. And I am on record as stating that the Dell Computer Company will never, ever, see a dime of my money

But since you asked, yes, I am looking around to see what some of my other (non-Apple) options are. Over lunch I went to the Gateway Store and priced their 400XL notebook, which in my estimation was closest to the 15" TiBook. I trust that you can find your way to Gateway's web site and so I won't go through the exercise of posting that model's technical specs, or its price. But suffice it to say that that I can almost pick up one of these suckers and an iBook for less than the cost of the 15" TiBook.

Well, I did manage to find the Gateway site and I will take the time to post a couple of spec notes and the price.

The Gateway you are speaking about has a 2.8Ghz P4 (non-Centrino) and the same amount of RAM (512MB). It only has 32MB video RAM compared to the Ti Book's 64 (same ATI card)...and after outfitting the Gateway with the extra items you would need to bring it on par with the TiBook's wireless options, etc....you are only $400 shy of the Apple (the TiBook is 2599, the Gateway 2199)

Now the Gateway 400XL can't have more than 32MB video RAM and it doesn't even have Gigabit ethernet...plus it runs Windows XP...so all in all...I'd say they are close in their performance.

Yes, the Titanium PowerBook is dated, but Apple knows this folks. They are working like crazy to bring new PowerBooks to the market (not just the 15" either I imagine - think G5)...but to say that it can't handle your performance needs and it's price is not on par with what the PeeCee guys are offering is simply not true.

 

[tex210]

minority

Originally posted by io_burn
Lyle, well said.

I know my posts are taken as a grain of salt, and nothing will stop any of the underlying biases on these forums... But in my opinion people who crap all over Microsoft and Windows look just as stupid as racist people who crap all over minorities. I know it's an extreme example, and people are very opinionated on their computing platforms... But it's something to consider next time all you people are posting your amazingly 'witty' rants about how stupid anyone is who wants a PC because it runs "M$ Winblows."

With that being said, I still really want an updated 15 inch powerbook

did you really associate windows with minority? Can someone please do a reality check?

 

[Orome]

He said it was an extreme example...

 

[spercharged69]

Re: minority

Originally posted by tex210
did you really associate windows with minority? Can someone please do a reality check?

No, my point is the unfounded hate for anything to do with a PC or Windows is similar to the unfounded hate [ in racism ]

Is a Dell REALLY that bad that anyone who posts suggesting one deserves ridicule? They're great machines, I've owned two, and have never had problem number one.

Now I know this will be replied to with "but winblows is slow and crashes lol," so I give you two pre-emptive rolleyes smileys.

 

[Rustus Maximus]

Re: minority

Originally posted by tex210
did you really associate windows with minority? Can someone please do a reality check?

I...I can't...

Apparently Paul Otellini's and Bill's Reality Distortion Fields are turned up too high today...

...need...to...touch...my...PowerMac...

 

[codemother]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
I've never seen a "severe paint problem" on a TiBook. My 1.5 year old rev A has a couple of nicks, but that's it. The rev B and C models that co-workers have are just fine, as is my rev D 1GHz.

Paint issues are nothing more than isolated cases and now FUD.

Unfortunately I was one of those isolated cases (powerbook 500Mz revB) where much of the paint on the surrounding strip dropped off of it's own accord. Fortunately my retailer (John Lewis in the UK ) took it back after 8 months - they had seen many with the same problem. Apple did not want to know. I really want a new PB for OS X but I will not hand over £2000 while there is any doubt in my mind it might happen again. That's why I won't buy the current Ti machine.

I hope the delay for the new 15" is for the new processor - what else could be the reason? but until it is updated I 'll have to wait.

 

[tex210]

xtreme

extreme would be exxagerated, this was 180 degrees from the truth. Every other site out there is windows centric, where it is obvious that windows users are the majority, and we with sales under 4% are the minority. so really, it's more like an anglo man talking about all of the oppressive bigotry he has to put up with in this world filled with minorities. Ya, extreme.

 

[Rower_CPU]

Since we're picking nits...

Racism goes both ways, so we have PC zealots crapping on Macs and vice versa, just as you have majority racists crapping on the minorities and vice versa.

That being said, my work as a 50/50 PC and Mac technician puts me in contact with many hardware/software scenarios on a daily basis and Apple's hardware and OS win hands down in terms of stability and ease of use. We have constant issues with our 40+ Dells, while our Macs just work.

Power/speed is where the Macs are clearly lacking, but the G5 chips are going to level that playing field real fast. Whether or not we see them in a portable form factor is anyone's guess...

 

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by codemother
Unfortunately I was one of those isolated cases (powerbook 500Mz revB) where much of the paint on the surrounding strip dropped off of it's own accord. Fortunately my retailer (John Lewis in the UK ) took it back after 8 months - they had seen many with the same problem. Apple did not want to know. I really want a new PB for OS X but I will not hand over £2000 while there is any doubt in my mind it might happen again. That's why I won't buy the current Ti machine.

I hope the delay for the new 15" is for the new processor - what else could be the reason? but until it is updated I 'll have to wait.

Yeah, I heard about some extreme, isolated examples, too. Almost all seemed to be tied to that rev and/or batch or PBs that came out. I really haven't heard or seen anything much about that issue since.

 

[tex210]

Re: Re: minority

Originally posted by io_burn
No, my point is the unfounded hate for anything to do with a PC or Windows is similar to the unfounded hate [ in racism ]

Is a Dell REALLY that bad that anyone who posts suggesting one deserves ridicule? They're great machines, I've owned two, and have never had problem number one.

Now I know this will be replied to with "but winblows is slow and crashes lol," so I give you two pre-emptive rolleyes smileys.

Oh no you did'nt.
this thread is definitely coming to an end soon.
If anything, I would associate the distaste mac users have for x86 tech is more like the angry minority who is sick of having everything brady bunched into their faces. windows will be required for our new voting system, windows takes on homeland security, oh yeah, you can't even go to the loo without windows. If you use a mac, you need to eat in the kitchen like help, and no you can't vote. Mac user? You're a security risk, line them up on the wall and shoot them. Be a good nazi and comply.

by the way, i'm mixed. I don't have a race. My heritage is a little of this and a little of that. I think if the world were realistic, we would all realize that a pure race is nothing but inbreeding.

 

[Brother Mugga]

Yay

Yay Rower

I *think* that pretty much sums up what io_burn was getting at (feel free to correct me if not).

As a PeeCee'er who's actually a closet (oh sod it - who am I kidding - I'm WAY out there with it...) Macoholic, it never ceases to amaze me how people can so easily descend into a rabid frenzy over these things..........


.....isn't it GGggggggggrrrrrrreat?

I mean, that's the value of having broadband right there.

BT (or whoever you have over in the U.S.) should stick it in their adverts: "Get online and catch the foam..."

Or, you know, something less open to smutty interpretation...

Brother Mugga

PS: Hang on...what was this thread about again...?

 

[TomA]

Re: Ignorance

Originally posted by jaedreth


Go look up the chemical composition of Thermite

(Edited by the Redundancy Ministry of Redundancy...)

No thanks. Why don't you point out to us how a computer chip will get so hot as to make an aluminum laptop dangerous?

Because you are being silly, that's why.

 

[Lord Bodak]

Re: Re: minority

Originally posted by io_burn
No, my point is the unfounded hate for anything to do with a PC or Windows is similar to the unfounded hate [ in racism ]

Is a Dell REALLY that bad that anyone who posts suggesting one deserves ridicule? They're great machines, I've owned two, and have never had problem number one.

Now I know this will be replied to with "but winblows is slow and crashes lol," so I give you two pre-emptive rolleyes smileys.

In some cases you're right. But a lot of the hate for PCs and Windows is _far_ from unfounded. I've been a Windows user since I installed 3.1 in 1991 (and Linux at home since 2000). I spend my days coding on a Windows XP machine. My distaste for Windows is well-founded in stability and performance issues that Microsoft promises to fix with every new release.

My degree is in computer engineering. Having programmed Intel chips, Motorola chips, and working with both CISC and RISC architectures, I have no doubt that PPC processors are far superior to anything Intel/AMD can develop as long as they hold on to the legacy x86 architecture.

As for Dell specifically, I have never owned one. Everyone I know who has owned a Dell laptop has had so many problems that I would not go near one.

 

[spercharged69]

Re: Re: Ignorance

Originally posted by TomA
No thanks. Why don't you point out to us how a computer chip will get so hot as to make an aluminum laptop dangerous?

Because you are being silly, that's why.

I would have to agree. Seems like he's going off what he saw on Star Wars instead of what he learned in Chemistry. Where the hell is the Potassium in a powerbook? Or the glycerin igniter for that matter? I suppose if you dropped the powerbook in to a wood chipper and the shards of powerbook landed in a puddle of potassium and glycerin... then you might have something.

 

[Lyle]

Originally posted by Rustus Maximus
Well, I did manage to find the Gateway site and I will take the time to post a couple of spec notes and the price.

Sigh... OK.

The Gateway you are speaking about has a 2.8Ghz P4 (non-Centrino) and the same amount of RAM (512MB). It only has 32MB video RAM compared to the Ti Book's 64 (same ATI card)...and after outfitting the Gateway with the extra items you would need to bring it on par with the TiBook's wireless options, etc....you are only $400 shy of the Apple (the TiBook is 2599, the Gateway 2199).

Fair point on the difference in video RAM, I hadn't picked up on that. I also now see that the maximum resolution is 1024x768, which displeases me. But moving on, at the Gateway Store, I did ask them to spec it out with a Linksys 802.11g wireless card, which adds $70 to the price. So added to the $1700 base price, that brings us to about $1770, not $2199. I'm not arguing with your math, but what other options did you "outfit" the Gateway with to bring it on par with the TiBook?

Now the Gateway 400XL can't have more than 32MB video RAM and it doesn't even have Gigabit ethernet...plus it runs Windows XP...so all in all...I'd say they are close in their performance.

OK, I'll assume that there's no sarcasm buried last comment Yes, I thought as far as Gateway's offerings go, this one was roughly the equivalent of the TiBook. And if I do end up buying an Intel/AMD-based notebook of some kind, it's my intention to dual boot Windows and Linux, as I'm doing more and more of my work under Linux these days anyways.

As noted in some of my previous post(s), I am not hung up on the difference in processor speed. But (by my reckoning) a $1000 price difference for "technologically equivalent" systems is tough to justify. The question for me, then, is whether the increased productivity and the (admittedly subjective) aesthetic advantages of being able to run Mac OS X are worth this price premium.

 

[reflex]

Originally posted by TomA
12" is just too small for one's sole computer. 17" is beyond his university budget. The 15" is outdated, no matter what the Mac Nazi's say and it has severe paint problems. He can't just "wait", because he doesn't have ANY computer right now. Apple has no good option for him.

I feel sorry for your professor, but sometimes you just can't get what you want when you want it. Apple also doesn't sell that 8.9" screen laptop that I might want to buy from them.

I agree that Apple has been slow to update the 15" though. Not that I mind too much, I prefer the Ti look to the Al look. But maybe I'd like a 15" Al laptop even better, who knows.

 

[vrapan]

Dissing Windows

The whole thing with the minorities is quite funny simply because I am not speaking as a born die hard Mac fun. I gave Windows every chance under the sun. I owned them, paid for them, used them fixsed them, played on them wokred on them, learnt any knowledge I have about the computer world from them and every day I spent with them it was a day I was pushed away to find something different. MS and the Wintel platform in general had every chance to prove me that they are worthy of my time and money and they failed miserably. On the contrary the only thing I am saying every minute I spent on my 12" PB ? "Why didn't i switch earlier"? Now if Apple turns bad and horrible and buggy and slaggish and crashy and humiliates me with horrible Activation Schemes treating me like a criminal before I even buy the product then I will be the first one to try something different.... I don't hate windows I just don't think they ever did enough to make me love them

 

[jaedreth]

Another reason for delay

The NMR report reported last month of Apple aggressively trying to find a vendor for Fuel Cells. Now while at first I thought this complete bull-excrement, I'm now thinking otherwise.

1) This is the Gay Blade reporting. He has close ties at Apple.

2) According to the article, Apple is not trying to make such a vendor fit a fuel cell into an existing battery slot, but is offering to *redesign* the portable products around an existing fuel cell design, if needed.

The Naked Mole Rat report does a special Recon for Investors report that shows even more dirt that jsp's like us won't find out. So I am starting to believe *this* to be the reason why there have been no powerbook updates since January. They are redesigning all the powerbooks and ibooks for use with a specific Fuel Cell vendor. Imagine the "battery life" on those...

Year of the Notebook? This could actually deliver on that note.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled.

Jaedreth

 

[TomA]

Originally posted by Rower_CPU
I've never seen a "severe paint problem" on a TiBook. My 1.5 year old rev A has a couple of nicks, but that's it. The rev B and C models that co-workers have are just fine, as is my rev D 1GHz.

Paint issues are nothing more than isolated cases and now FUD.

WOW! A giant sample of FOUR!!! You must be correct then!

You obviously don't know much about the issue at all. Perhaps you should educate yourself on the matter before making false statements:

1. I can email you pictures of mine--which has had the shell repleaced once already.

2. You can go look at the transcript of Jobs MWSF statement about the benefit of the new aluminum ones not having paint.

3. They make a product called Ti paint. Wonder why?

4. You can do a search for "powerbook titanium paint problems"

5. or look at (the first is the best)

http://www.djedwhite.com/photo/photo.php?dir=Defective_Powerbook

http://www.alfar.com/~amanda/TiPics/

http://www.scrubbybubbles.com/tibook/

http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?50@183.ekTGajTzegM.145113@.2cd5dd19/128

http://www3.macintouch.com/pbg4reader12.html

http://www.powerbookcentral.com/features/pbquality2.shtml

http://www.powerbookcentral.com/features/g4paint.shtml

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/eric.rsoc/

http://www.pbzone.com/archive/0402_8thru15.shtml

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/guestbook.fcgi?albumID=30191816

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Hardware/Mac_Communications/Q_20456988.html

http://www.macopinion.com/columns/roadwarrior/02/12/10/

http://homepage.mac.com/jmatwood/tibook/

http://www.uc.pt/ihti/joaquim/titaniumproblem/

http://community.webshots.com/user/mackgammon

http://homepage.mac.com/jbondo/PhotoAlbum1.html

http://bayoudog.com/powerbook/

 

[reflex]

Re: Re: Re: minority

Originally posted by tex210
windows will be required for our new voting system, windows takes on homeland security, oh yeah, you can't even go to the loo without windows. If you use a mac, you need to eat in the kitchen like help, and no you can't vote. Mac user? You're a security risk, line them up on the wall and shoot them. Be a good nazi and comply.

Sounds more like a political problem than one of operating systems. But that's another discussion I suppose...