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Just ordered 12" G4 iBook!

P

plasticparadox

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 24, 2003
484
1
This will be my first Mac, though I used them all throughout elementary and high school (although not OSX). Should be delivered in about a week!

I got the education discount (I'm a teacher), so I maxed out the RAM to 640. I didn't bother with Airport or Bluetooth.

Does anyone have the 12" G4 iBook? Can you let me know if I made a good choice? Should I have gone with the PowerBook?

TIA
 
Me too! :)

I just put in an order for a 12" G4 iBook 30 minutes ago!

I also got the ed discount as I am a student. I opted for bluetooth, keynote, 60 GB HD, and I will get the RAM 3rd party later on.

From what I have read we both made great choices :) Congrats!
 
Re: Just ordered 12" G4 iBook!

Originally posted by plasticparadox
This will be my first Mac, though I used them all throughout elementary and high school (although not OSX). Should be delivered in about a week!

I got the education discount (I'm a teacher), so I maxed out the RAM to 640. I didn't bother with Airport or Bluetooth.

Does anyone have the 12" G4 iBook? Can you let me know if I made a good choice? Should I have gone with the PowerBook?

TIA
Click to expand...
Awesome--i'm sure you'll love it. However...no Airport? You're not going to use wireless at all? I mean you can always add it yourself later, but...?
 
Congrats !

Good choices - both of you. I made the switch about 6 month ago and got the iBook G3 900MHz. Great machine, great experience. I have a PeCee as well and .... well don't want to blame M$ again.

Cheers

If any questions - ask !
 
You can always add AirPort later for the same price. I have no airport card yet in my powerbook but I can't yet afford a base station and Britain is very behind in the Wi-Fi race...

Congrats with your purchase. I switched to Mac 8 weeks ago and have not looked back!
 
yay!! i ordered one on friday too, and will be teaching next year (my rationalising for needing one *grin*)

but i hate waiting for it! bleeeerrrgh! waiting is not one of my strong points ;)

i think we've made fantastic choices *grins*
 
Guys and Gals,

Just to let you know that my 12" iBook is one killer machine! I hyped it up so much to my friends that i was worried that it wouldnt live up to expectations, but now they beg me to let them use it! OSX is so slick, i cant get over how smoothly it runs and how great at multitasking it is. I only have the stock ram right now and it still seems to run photoshop etc no problems.

So for me, a student who has no greater computing needs than web browsing and word processing, this machine is more than enough. My first mac has not disappointed in the slightest! You have just ordered yourself one brilliant computer! Enjoy it!

ac2102
 
Originally posted by ac2102
Guys and Gals,

Just to let you know that my 12" iBook is one killer machine! I hyped it up so much to my friends that i was worried that it wouldnt live up to expectations, but now they beg me to let them use it! OSX is so slick, i cant get over how smoothly it runs and how great at multitasking it is. I only have the stock ram right now and it still seems to run photoshop etc no problems.

So for me, a student who has no greater computing needs than web browsing and word processing, this machine is more than enough. My first mac has not disappointed in the slightest! You have just ordered yourself one brilliant computer! Enjoy it!

ac2102
Click to expand...
That's cool. One day if I have some spare cash :rolleyes:, I'd love to get one of these. I love my 15" PB, but it'd be great to have something really tiny, light and portable for those times when I don't feel like carrying around the PB.
 
I got my g4 ibook when they came out and I've had no complaints. It's a great sturdy, portable machine. I still have an old tibook but, to be honest, I have not touched it since I got my ibook.

You should definately get the airport card, exp if you are in education - as most schools have wireless access. And even if you don't have a base station at home, maybe your neighbor will. Hotspots just keep popping up everywhere.
 
i should be ordering mine in a few days from now. and hearing all these positive reviews is making me more anxious. jeah.

;)
 
Originally posted by Cecret
I got my g4 ibook when they came out and I've had no complaints. It's a great sturdy, portable machine. I still have an old tibook but, to be honest, I have not touched it since I got my ibook.

You should definately get the airport card, exp if you are in education - as most schools have wireless access. And even if you don't have a base station at home, maybe your neighbor will. Hotspots just keep popping up everywhere.
Click to expand...

Your point about AirPort was well made. I chose to skip it because my apartment is insanely small. If I need to, I can drag the ethernet cable around. Also, my schools don't have wireless :(

Although I'm sure my neighbors will have something. I'll consider in the future.

Thanks for all the warm words and feedback! I'm feeling great about this.
 
Originally posted by plasticparadox
Your point about AirPort was well made. I chose to skip it because my apartment is insanely small. If I need to, I can drag the ethernet cable around. Also, my schools don't have wireless :(
Click to expand...

Don't worry! I skipped the AirPort too. The reason I did skip it was because it is really easy to add yourself later on if needed. I also skipped the RAM too. I did not skip the bluetooth because that is something I am interested in having internally and cannot add it internally (externally, yes) later.
 
Two of my bandmates just bought iBook G4's with another on the way.

So far they rock, thoug compared to my PowerBook G4 12" there are some things that differentiate it.

BUt from their perspective, running reason and general computer issues, the iBooks are a GREAT value!

Had i been able to get bluetooth built in (BTO on the iBook only) or had no need to ever connect it to a second monitor, I totally would have went iBook. They're speedy (though neither guy has Photoshop installed) and while I think the Powerbook is a bit fit faster, if you don't need the internal Bluetooth (you can still use USB) and the monitor spanning and the max 1.25gb of ram, the ibook rocks.

And while my Powerbook is extremely well built and solid, I think these new iBooks outpace the Powerbook in durability and even surpass the old iBooks.

Overall, the iBook line seems VERY mature, and stable. Grab one! :D
 
One more thing, i just maxed out (640MB) the ram and now this thing flies! It has made one hell of a difference, even to just the GUI!

Having said that, don't think that you are going to miss out on anything without it. I still thought that this machine was awesome without the extra kick!

Enjoy your iBook's!
 
Originally posted by Moxiemike
Two of my bandmates just bought iBook G4's with another on the way.

So far they rock, thoug compared to my PowerBook G4 12" there are some things that differentiate it.

BUt from their perspective, running reason and general computer issues, the iBooks are a GREAT value!

Had i been able to get bluetooth built in (BTO on the iBook only) or had no need to ever connect it to a second monitor, I totally would have went iBook. They're speedy (though neither guy has Photoshop installed) and while I think the Powerbook is a bit fit faster, if you don't need the internal Bluetooth (you can still use USB) and the monitor spanning and the max 1.25gb of ram, the ibook rocks.

And while my Powerbook is extremely well built and solid, I think these new iBooks outpace the Powerbook in durability and even surpass the old iBooks.

Overall, the iBook line seems VERY mature, and stable. Grab one! :D
Click to expand...

the coolest thing is you can span monitors with the ibook. it takes a hack, but it works... ;)
 
Moxiemike wrote:
Had i been able to get bluetooth built in (BTO on the iBook only) or had no need to ever connect it to a second monitor, I totally would have went iBook. They're speedy (though neither guy has Photoshop installed) and while I think the Powerbook is a bit fit faster, if you don't need the internal Bluetooth (you can still use USB) and the monitor spanning and the max 1.25gb of ram, the ibook rocks

And while my Powerbook is extremely well built and solid, I think these new iBooks outpace the Powerbook in durability and even surpass the old iBooks.

Moxiemike, it sounds like you maybe have a little case of iBook envy... since now you CAN get bluetooth built in (you knew that one), you CAN connect a second monitor, (it's just a matter of enabling the feature that Apple disabled by default) and you CAN have 1GB of RAM - the iBook can take the 1GB chip just as well as the Powerbooks - Apple just doesn't advertise as such. So really, the iBook is almost exactly the same as the PBook, but Apple doesn't want Pros to think the iBook would be good enough and that they don't need to spend the extra $$ on a PBook. And you already agree that the iBook's case has better durability than the PBook.

So the only advantages I see in the PowerBook is the 20% faster processor + extra cache; the option for a bigger hard drive (80GB vs 60GB); the option for DVD-R (+$200); and the 'cool-looking' metal case. All that for $420. That's comparing the 12" to the 12", of course.

No hard feelings, but I'm going with the iBook, and spending my $420 on other goodies (wireless network, firewire HD, wireless keyboard/mouse, nice case...) and I still have $100 left over!

Just for the record, I'm not attacking you, Moxiemike - just making some points. A few months ago, I would have bought a PowerBook, too! But now...
 
i got my ibook a month back...and it rocks....
really..its just gr8...and neither me nor my frends had ever been near a mac before...n they all hv windows laptops..so we were all infact skeptical...that softwares would be difficult to get..etc etc...but really...its so cool that now all of them wanna switch....:))
i installed airport card..but i dint get bluetooth...i miss that coz i hv a blue tooth enabled phoen..so i m plannin to give this ibook to my uncle n get one again,,..
cheers...

abhi
 
My first Mac was an 800 MHz 14" iBook. It's a wonderful machine, and is a very good introduction to the Mac. I ordered a Power Mac G4 this morning, and am now playing the waiting game, like so many of you!
 
Originally posted by plasticparadox
Your point about AirPort was well made. I chose to skip it because my apartment is insanely small. If I need to, I can drag the ethernet cable around. Also, my schools don't have wireless :(

Although I'm sure my neighbors will have something. I'll consider in the future.

Thanks for all the warm words and feedback! I'm feeling great about this.
Click to expand...

I started off without wireless (even though my TiBook came with Airport built in I didn't have a base station) and was content with the 30' ethernet cable till I realized that if anyone kicked it or tripped over the cord I could render my ethernet port useless, or worse damage my computer if it came off a table or something like that. I figured the investment in wireless was worth it if only to prevent damage. But the wireless thing is amazing, even in my 500sf shoebox I was living in at the time. Wireless USB printing (with the AE) is also quite a nice perk.

I'm about to order a 12" iBook for my wife, who is also a teacher. She is very excited about finally getting her own laptop, and I won't have to share mine with her anymore! Plus we can send each other filthy IM's during the day!:p

I'm glad to hear so much positive feedback about this machine.
 
Little snag in my order.

Apple Store called me yesterday and said they had problems with my credit card. My card limit is 100,000 yen, and the iBook came to about 140,000 yen. I had chosen to pay in 3 installments, so I didn't think it would be a problem, but apparently it was.

Apple Store Japan has an payment option where they will mail me a bill for the iBook and I can make my cash payment at a convenience store.

So as soon as I get this slip in the mail, I'll go off to the Circle K with 140,000 yen in my wallet (yikes).

It looks like it'll take longer to get my iBook :(
 
G4 iBook 12 inch

Another switcher here. I got mine at the night of the Panther. My first Mac ever. People at work are sick and tired of hearing about it.
I really like Panther and how the whole laptop is built. I used to own several Dell and Toshiba laptops before but I have never been so fond of a laptop before. I got the Airport stuff at the same time. I love being able to get about 1.9 Mbps from my couch downstairs to the internet, all w/out wires.
It makes it easy for me to VPN to work and do bkups and such in the middle of the night, without leaving the family. There is a spanning hack that I am considering using if I ever have the need to hook up to my 17inch LCD. There also is a 1GB RAM chip for the iBook. A third party also has a DVDRW drive specifically for these iBooks. So the differences between the PB and iBooks are very small. I might one day consider a next generation PB if it isn't extremely overpriced. What I really would like would be a G5 desktop for work.
 
Ok cool, I just ordered the iBook for my wife (who's a teacher:) ) with all the goodies, AE, Bluetooth, 60Gig HD. Plus with the promotion running, she gets a free printer which she needs. She put in her request for a replacement for her dead printer months ago, and still hasn't gotten one. The mail in rebate sucks, but oh well, its faster to do it herself.

Boy is she gonna be stoked.
 
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