[muglo] Re: laptop
- From: Dave Bonhoff <gtidave@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: muglo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 10:21:50 -0400
On 24-Aug-05, at 08:52, Eric Dunbar wrote:
> 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!
Compared to equivalent PC hardware, they are top of the line. Go a
buy a Dell or Gateway and you will get to know tech support in India
real well!
> 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).
You want a dinky-toy feel? Try a Dell Inspirion laptop. Despite
it's weight, it feels cheap. Cheap and flimsy plastic case, poor fit
and finnish, crappy keyboard, etc. I'll agree that the trackpad and
'mouse button' on iBooks leave something to be desired, especially
when compared to my old G3 Powerbook.
> 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.
I've got a first gen iMac in the basement right now running as a file
server. It has no problems despite being running 24/7 for the past 2
years after being overclocked. I had another one (which I also
overclocked) that is still in service 24/7 at a friends. Also no
issues. My B&W G3 tower just died - the HD controller fried and
corrupted the HD beyond repair. But should I be complaining about a
1999 vintage computer starting to have hardware issues? Heck no!
That would be as silly as complaining that a 2003 car needed repairs
today. Computers have an effective lifespan of 18 - 24 months. 36
TOPS! If you get more out of them, good for you!
<snip>
> 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).
Apple has coded OS X to prevent monitor spanning by iBooks so as to
increase the perceived value of the Powerbook line. Apple says many
things that aren't the absolute truth. They employ numerous lawyers
don't they? As an example, they say that only an Apple certified
Portable repair technician can work on their laptops because they are
too complicated. Well, I want my certification, because I've had
enough apart and back together in an improved state to justify having
the certificate hanging on my wall! Hard drives, optical drives,
RAM, Bluetooth, WiFi cards, overclocking, case mods, I've done them
all. What Apple says, and what we can do are 2 different things.
>
> 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.
1. TINY or low resolution? (come on now...)
2. It can be done with ease, and Apple can't tell because it patches
the PRAM so it can be reset as easily as rebooting.
3. I haven't tried the latest ones yet, but I do agree in general.
4. In general, I agree. The Pismo was a great machine. And it
should be noted that the G4 Ti-Book that replaced the Pismo was a
step backwards and it took a full generation of machines before they
were back at the performance level of the Pismo. I have never liked
the metal powerbooks. The Lombard/Pismo chassis looks, feels, (pure
sex in a machine with all its curves and soft surfaces) and performs
very well compared to later machines. As for the iBooks being butt-
ugly, well, I guess that is a mater of opinion....
> 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".
While I like the vision, it probably won't happen any time soon.
That is crossing into Powerbook territory, and there will always be a
distinct line between the Power(whatever) and i(whatever) lines. At
least the 14" iBook has the superdrive, which was the deciding factor
for me.
Dave
---
Why do I use a Mac vs. a Wintel box ... it's simple, I get more done
in less time. It's taken you 3 sec to read this, don't you Wintel
users need to run a virus scan or Windows update now?
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