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Andy8 · Apr 21, 2003, 12:11 AM

I'm still comparing the PB models before I upgrade my iBook.

The user that have 17" PB's now, have you found an increase in productivity by having the extra screen real estate?

Can you fit 2 browser windows side by side eith ease or is it a squeeze?

Photoshop palettes and workspace all fit decently on the 17"?

Having Word and a browser side by side without a squeeze?

Watching a DVD while having a browser open side by side?

How's airport range with new 17" compared to say the current 15" or new 12"?

I will think of more i guess...

HasanDaddy · Apr 21, 2003, 12:51 AM

andy

although I don't own one (yet), I was playing with one at the Apple Store Pasadena

I opened 3 Word documents in about 100% (normal) viewing and had them all side by side......that's impossible on a Ti

I also was able to open two Final Draft windows at 150%, which isn't really possible on a Ti either

so yes, the screen real estate is very good

on the other hand, if you need that much more space, I suggest grabbing a 15" DVI with a Cinema Display --- nothing can beat out those puppies!

xylon · Apr 21, 2003, 01:10 AM

Originally posted by Andy8:
I'm still comparing the PB models before I upgrade my iBook.

The user that have 17" PB's now, have you found an increase in productivity by having the extra screen real estate?

Can you fit 2 browser windows side by side eith ease or is it a squeeze?

Photoshop palettes and workspace all fit decently on the 17"?

Having Word and a browser side by side without a squeeze?

Watching a DVD while having a browser open side by side?

How's airport range with new 17" compared to say the current 15" or new 12"?

I will think of more i guess...

My productivity has most definitely increased. I didn't think having all a large amount of screen realestate would greatly affect my productivity, but I am quickly finding that it is having a huge beneficial impact. I do a lot of paper writing, coding, web design and a smidge of photo editing. I've noticed I can get more done in all of these areas, but the areas of greatest change are paper writing and coding. I can have two drafts of a paper up and quickly scan through and edit a paper. I find I can edit a paper in half the time it used to take me. As for coding, I do essentially the same thing, check my code against itself. As for web design and photo editing it's just nice not having to find all my palettes overlapping. It also helps productivity.
As for wireless, I get great reception. However, I think this is because my school's wireless network is so great. The whole thing is wireless so you can walk across the whole campus without losing your internet connection. When I go over to my friends apartment I find I get a slightly better connection than her iBook.
So, in short, yes, that 17" beauty of a screen has definitely helped me.

gururafiki · Apr 21, 2003, 01:21 AM

Originally posted by Andy8:
I'm still comparing the PB models before I upgrade my iBook.

The user that have 17" PB's now, have you found an increase in productivity by having the extra screen real estate?

Can you fit 2 browser windows side by side eith ease or is it a squeeze?

Photoshop palettes and workspace all fit decently on the 17"?

Having Word and a browser side by side without a squeeze?

Watching a DVD while having a browser open side by side?

How's airport range with new 17" compared to say the current 15" or new 12"?

I will think of more i guess...

I do a lot of photoshop/illustrator work and I am quite happy with the extra screen size, especially I am coming from a 15" screen.

-Most photoshop palettes fit on the screen fine.
-A word document and a browser open side by side is a little tight, but doable.
-Airport range is vastly improved. I can get a signal one story and several concrete walls away from the base station.

Andy8 · Apr 21, 2003, 01:22 AM

xylon - how many Word windows can you have open when editing your text at once. Do you use Word, as I use Word a lot and need to have 2-3 documents open at once to compare and edit.

I don't have a demo in town to try all this or I wouldn't be asking.

Andy8 · Apr 21, 2003, 01:30 AM

Originally posted by gururafiki:
I do a lot of photoshop/illustrator work and I am quite happy with the extra screen size, especially I am coming from a 15" screen.

-Most photoshop palettes fit on the screen fine.
-A word document and a browser open side by side is a little tight, but doable.
-Airport range is vastly improved. I can get a signal one story and several concrete walls away from the base station.

gururafiki - how much RAM did you have in your 15" - is the GIG of ram make a difference with photoshop/illustrator?

xylon · Apr 21, 2003, 12:33 PM

Originally posted by Andy8:
xylon - how many Word windows can you have open when editing your text at once. Do you use Word, as I use Word a lot and need to have 2-3 documents open at once to compare and edit.

I don't have a demo in town to try all this or I wouldn't be asking.

Andy,

I can fit two Word documents with no overlap and about 1.25 inches of extra screen realestate. I've done editing with three Word documents, but had to overlay them. It wasn't too bad, but not anywhere near as easy as two Word documents.

Hope that helps.

gururafiki · Apr 21, 2003, 02:59 PM

Originally posted by Andy8:
gururafiki - how much RAM did you have in your 15" - is the GIG of ram make a difference with photoshop/illustrator?

I had an iMac DV the only had 256mb of ram before my 17" (which SUCKED for what I do). I have used a tibook with 512mb ram and the 1 gig of ram does make a difference. I tend to run a lot of programs at once (illustrator, photoshop, dreamweaver, itunes, limewire, extensis suitcase, cpu monitor and safari). With all the programs open the 1 gig helps my machine run very smooth.