[muglo] Re: laptop
- From: Eric Dunbar <eric.dunbar@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: muglo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 08:52:31 -0400
> I also don't agree with the earlier post denigrating the iBooks as
> consumer junk, the whole post reeked of elitism.
They're not necessarily consumer junk (perhaps Apple has improved the
manufacturing of iBooks and worsened the PowerBook), but they have a
specific niche, and, Apple history in the "consumer" arena has
adequately demonstrated that their consumer offerings are indeed
consumer JUNK!
Whenever I pick up an iBook I feel like I'm using a dinky-toy. The
plastic just feels cheap, the construction as if it'll fall apart and
I have never gotten used to the less-than-satisfactory experience of
using the iBook track-pads (they feel funny) and mouse button (nasty
click response).
I guess it's to each his own. Some people absolutely loved their iMac
CRTs but I could never get into them. I owned one and saw three
additional ones go belly up (one which couldn't be blamed on cheap
components ;-) and require service or be ditched. I cannot say the
same for the G3s and G4s I've seen over the years.
Basically, you get what you pay for, <i>on average</i>! Their are
lemon pro machines and stellar consumer machines, but, on average the
consumer machine gives a more satisfactory experience.
MHz for MHz the consumer machines usually give better $ for MHz BUT
since we're Mac users we know that $ for MHz isn't that important
(otherwise we'd all be using Dells or IBMs with Windows XP). It is
what your computer allows you to do that is important.
PS I have yet to see evidence that Apple supports monitor spanning on
its iBook line (other than a hack that allowed some 700 MHz iBook era
iBooks to do so). According to Apple iBooks only support:
VGA, S-video and composite video output =09Video mirroring supports VGA
video out to an external display or projector (requires included Apple
VGA Video Adapter) and S-video and composite video out to a TV or VCR
(requires optional Apple Video Adapter, sold separately).
Anyway, there are a few things which really don't endear iBooks to me:
1. TINY screens (mobile phones and digital cameras are getting close
to the screen size!!)
2. Lack of monitor spanning (video mirroring is only really useful for
projecting the iBook's screen on something larger, not actually
*using* a larger monitor)
3. Unsatisfactory trackpad (though, that may have changed with the
latest crop of iBooks?)
4. The difference b/t the iBook G4 and my *ancient* PowerBook G3 Pismo
is virtually nil. The iBooks are a tad faster, having USB 2 (vs. 1.1),
but they're also butt-ugly.
That said, I may still get an iBook 12" b/c it's *cheap* and it'll
come with a functional DVD/CD-RW (my DVD-ROM is failing... it's
starting to have problems with some CD-Rs :-(. Though, the 1024*768
screen size is a bit of a drawback (at least it's a small computer).
I'd love for Apple to put out a 14" PowerBook with an 1152*870 screen
(or something in that neighbourhood). PB 12" is too small and not
great value for money (vs. iBook 12"... both 1024*768 screens), PB 15"
is too big but good value for money (1280*870 vs. 1024*768 for 12" PB
and 14" iBook), and the iBook 14" is just a lame duck b/c it has such
a low-resolution screen (14" + 1024*768) and offers little more than
the iBook 12".
Eric.
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