Powerbook questions...

[Yuh]

Hi all,
I'm thinking about getting a new Powerbook for my first Mac and had a couple questions:

1) When connecting an external display to the span the desktop, can you choose whether the ext display is to the left or right of the laptop display? Also can you choose which one is "main" display (with the dock and all)?

2) I generally keep my computers for quite a while since i don't have the funds to upgrade every couple of years like most people (i've bought new PCs every 4 years or so)... just wondering who long you would expect Apple to be producing batteries for the current powerbook? Would it be at least 4 years? Because a laptop is kinda useless if you can't get new batteries for it.

 

[saabmp3]

You can still buy 3rd party batteries for Pismo, Wallstreet and candy iBooks. Apple's are known for having a very long lifespan. I think that you should still be able to find batteries, parts, software, etc for your machine atleast 6 to 8 years down the road.

BEN

 

[Zaty]

Hi all,
I'm thinking about getting a new Powerbook for my first Mac and had a couple questions:

1) When connecting an external display to the span the desktop, can you choose whether the ext display is to the left or right of the laptop display? Also can you choose which one is "main" display (with the dock and all)?

The answer to all of your questions: YES!

 

[Yuh]

Hmm maybe i forgot to add that i'm in Australia and don't travel overseas... probably make finding 3rd party items harder to get.... so yeah was asking specifically for Apple original batteries....

The answer to all of your questions: YES!

That's great!

 

[Yuh]

So anyone know the answer (or approximate answer) to my first question with regards to Apple original batteries and not 3rd party ones?

 

[abc123]

in four years time i can't see why apple wouldn't still be selling batteries for the current powerbook models, they do after all make a profit out of them.

 

[Abstract]

Why wouldn't they sell 4 year old batteries? Of course they will, and Apple resellers may do the same.

 

[Yuh]

Well i was just thinking that this current powerbook revision could be the last or nearly the last aluminium model.. and well when a new form factor comes out, they might stop supporting the old one. For example, when did the "ice" ibook come out? Cause they don't sell the batteries for the older ibook (the colourful clamshell ones) anymore... at least not that i can find on the Australian apple online store. And i don't think they've been selling them for a while now.

 

[wide]

Well i was just thinking that this current powerbook revision could be the last or nearly the last aluminium model.. and well when a new form factor comes out, they might stop supporting the old one. For example, when did the "ice" ibook come out? Cause they don't sell the batteries for the older ibook (the colourful clamshell ones) anymore... at least not that i can find on the Australian apple online store. And i don't think they've been selling them for a while now.

Apple still sells batteries for the Titanium PowerBook, which was discontinued in Fall 2003 (or some time close to that, I think). So when the Aluminum PowerBooks are discontinued, Apple will continue to sell batteries for it for at least a year. Too many people have (and will have) bought Aluminum PowerBooks for Apple to simply stop manufacturing parts for it.

Basically, I'm telling you not to worry--you will be able to find batteries for your PowerBook in 4 years, if not from Apple then from a third-party manufacturer as some people earlier mentioned.

But if I were you, I would hold out and wait until the new *G5* PowerBooks come out. That thing could last you a lifetime.

 

[Yuh]

Yeah i was worried that G5 powerbooks would replace the current lineup by this time next year and apple would discontinue the aluminium pbs... that would leave batteries for 2 or 3 years at most....

And there aren't any 3rd party batteries here in Australia... not that i can find anyways.

 

[JFreak]

titanium powerbooks were introduced in 2001 if memory serves me right, and batteries are still sold on apple store. that's over three years of support for the oldest titanium revision, and even if they dropped its batteries right now, you could still find one easily from the ebay. there's always someone who buys discontinued inventory in bulk and sells older "new" parts.

my tibook's battery was as new (in terms of getting a constant 4.5h battery life) after 18 months of heavy use. i'd expect four years of use from such a battery, and if one buys a spare battery when one still can, that's eight years of use. approximately. point is, if you have two batteries for one laptop, the two batteries should last as long as the laptop itself is usable. and after that, the laptop can still be used with a power cord attached.

so don't worry