i have never owned a Mac. I am looking to get an iBook G4 from Craig's List. It is 512MB RAM and 40GB hard drive. Sounds horrible, I know. Runs Tiger 10.4. I want to browse the web, use iTunes to sync my iPhone 3G, and mess around with Garage Band to record some tracks with my guitar. Is this sufficient? I do have 150GB external drive, but I don't want to carry it every where, and can't because it needs to be plugged into a wall outlet. I know PPC sucks and isn't Snow Leopard compatible, 512MB is ridiculous, and 40GB is small, but is it good for a first mac?
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Is this a suitable iBook G4 for me?
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That was my first Mac, but it was 2004.
If you want to use Garage Band you will find yourself limited very quickly with only 512MB RAM.
Look around eBay for first generation MacBooks, you can get them for 300 to 400 USD, and it will blow the iBook away.
You can even upgrade the HDD much easier, and if I remember correctly it takes up to 2GB of RAM (the iBook takes only 1.25GB).
If you want to use Garage Band you will find yourself limited very quickly with only 512MB RAM.
Look around eBay for first generation MacBooks, you can get them for 300 to 400 USD, and it will blow the iBook away.
You can even upgrade the HDD much easier, and if I remember correctly it takes up to 2GB of RAM (the iBook takes only 1.25GB).
Yeah, unless you're getting that iBook for around $100 it makes a lot more sense to save up a bit more money and get something better. Previous generation MacBooks and Mac minis will blow that iBook out of the water and still have a reasonably decent usable life ahead of them. If you can, save up a bit of money and look for used nvidia based Mac minis. Those will give you the longest usable life.
OK, thanks guys. I was going to get it for $270 
I really want a Black MacBook. Was that the 1st generation that had the black option? Ebay might be able to help me here...
I really want a Black MacBook. Was that the 1st generation that had the black option? Ebay might be able to help me here...
The Blackbook was available in the first generation and 27oUSD is quite a ripoff.
See here: http://www.mac2sell.net/permalink/?id=b7884b1cbbd35dd93f4a1deee3eace4d
See here: http://www.mac2sell.net/permalink/?id=b7884b1cbbd35dd93f4a1deee3eace4d
Even $120 for a G4 anything is pushing it, considering PPC is dead in Macs and Apple has essentially phased out PPC support.
http://www.macofalltrades.com/Apple_Intel_Core_2_Duo_2_16GHz_MacBook_Black_p/ic2d216mb1.htm
Its going to be pretty difficult finding a reasonably priced black MacBook. Everyone seems to think they command some sort of premium over the white MacBook, despite the fact they only ever shipped with crap Intel GPUs.
Edit: had posted an ebay link. But like all things on ebay these days, it looked like a scam.
http://www.macofalltrades.com/Apple_Intel_Core_2_Duo_2_16GHz_MacBook_Black_p/ic2d216mb1.htm
Its going to be pretty difficult finding a reasonably priced black MacBook. Everyone seems to think they command some sort of premium over the white MacBook, despite the fact they only ever shipped with crap Intel GPUs.
Edit: had posted an ebay link. But like all things on ebay these days, it looked like a scam.