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iBook Appearance

M

maraczc

macrumors member
Original poster
May 20, 2003
87
0
Toronto, ON
There are two binds of batteries on the Apple website. One for "Opaque iBooks" and one for "Chrystal iBooks". I was wondering which models are which of these. Is my new iBook 800/CD called opaque or chrystal?

Also, in pictures of iBooks on the internet the inside looks grayish, silver even. However I have never seen an iBook in real life which looked like that. Were iBook insides ever that colour or is it just how they look in pictures? If the inside ever looked like that, which iBook models have this colour?

Thank you for your help.
 
Originally posted by Abstract
Aren't all the new iBooks in the opaque shell now? The transparent shell only lasted that one generation (the previous gen. with the 800MHz + Combo Drive), did it not?
Click to expand...

The opaque shell was introduced with the 700MHz/CD iBook, which was the low end in the revision before last. It was not in the higher-end models, which had the crystal shell. Before that, ALL square iBooks were the crystal (or Ice) variety.

I'm not sure if the all the current machines are opaque (900 owners comment?) but I did see an opaque 14" iBook at the Apple Store on Sunday. Previously, all 14" models had been Crystal.
 
It's fairly easy to spot the difference if you know what you're looking for: The opaque shell is solid white plastic. The crystal shell is clear plastic that is painted white on the inside.
 
Originally posted by maraczc
Thanks people. Can anyone answer my question about the silver inside appearance?
Click to expand...

The "silver" is part of the crystal finish. I have it on my iBook as I have the combo drive version. It is kind of shiny and a lot smoother than the one on the opaque iBook.
 
The Crystal iBooks have the silver keyboard area, the Opaque are white instead. The previous 700Mhz CD model was Opaque and all others were Crystal. All current 12" iBooks are Opaque, I beleive the 14" models are still Crystal.
 
Personally, I find it quite disappointing that Apple is now producing all of the iBooks in this opaque white style. The clear plastic with white painted inside creates a really neat look, kind of making it seem like a futuristic bubbly thing out of a cheesy 60's sci fi movie. It's very groovy. The flat panel iMac is also clear plastc painted on the inside, which accounts for it's elegant look. I really think the opaque white plastic just looks tacky, and evven though I only have a 600mhz processor, in all honesty, I wouldn't evver give this machine up for an ugly opaque 900mhz model.

Arigato,
Brook
 
i was dissappointed when i first saw the opaque white iBooks because they were so ugly.
The snow/ice/crystal white ones were very pretty and nice looking...
originally posted by ibookin'
I'm not sure if the all the current machines are opaque (900 owners comment?) but I did see an opaque 14" iBook at the Apple Store on Sunday. Previously, all 14" models had been Crystal
Click to expand...
i remember you saying something about those sunday night...the 14" iBook that you were playing with was opaque?
 
Originally posted by Tequila Grandma
I really think the opaque white plastic just looks tacky, and evven though I only have a 600mhz processor, in all honesty, I wouldn't evver give this machine up for an ugly opaque 900mhz model.
Click to expand...

Yes you would. I had the 500MHz and got the 800MHz. Quartz Extreme makes an AMAZING difference on the two machines.

Although I didn't have to give up the crystal casing, I would've for the difference in performance I saw.
 
yeah, my girlfriend just got a 900mhz iBook and a new 10 Gig iPod (i switched her from a crashing HP desktop) and i remember being surprised when we opened it up to see the white plastic palm rest. i thought they were all that metal-ish looking material. at first i thought it sucked but now it's kind of grown on me and i think it's really cool. she's happy too because now she's got an all white setup; her iBook, her iPod, and her Palm all match! LOL, girls :rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by ibookin'
Yes you would. I had the 500MHz and got the 800MHz. Quartz Extreme makes an AMAZING difference on the two machines.

Although I didn't have to give up the crystal casing, I would've for the difference in performance I saw.
Click to expand...

darn right. I gave up a "crystal" ibook 600 to get an "opaque" ibook 900. The performance difference is quite something.

Maybe it's just me, but I really can't see that much of a difference in the appearance between the two. In fact, I had to be told that it was a different case... maybe I'm just blind. :p
 
I wonder if resellers keep paint or finish for doing touch-ups on the case. If so maybe I could ask to have my palm rest finished silver. That would be nice.
 
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