[iWrite]

I personally think that the best Powerbook that Apple ever made was the Pismo G3 400Mhz and 500Mhz series in black plastic.

It was rugged and durable and it looked great.

No peeling paint. No dings. No dents. No electrical shock problems. No heat issues. Even scratches were minimal.

I don't know why Apple insists on metal for their computers, to be honest, other than it looks cool, but I wish Apple would bring back plastic, rugged plastic, for their Powerbooks.

It's light and durable and looks good when designed well, like the Pismo series.

Remember those good old days?

[Naz]

electrical shock problems?

[iWrite]

Yeah, apparently some people have had electrical shocks occur.

[Ti X]

Well...everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and mine is that I prefer the aluminum the most out of all the different choices. It is the most durable, lightest, best looking material used yet.

Electrical shock? I haven't heard that one, but I suppose it could happen.

Heat? Well, if we all go back to G3 500's instead of G4 1000's it wouldn't be a problem. Which do you prefer?

What about cracks with plastic enclosures?

Both have their pros and cons, but I definitely prefer the new aluminum enclosures most of all.

[iWrite]

Wait until you drop it or it gets dented and your resale value (if you ever resell it) drops by 50%.

Never had a "crack" in the plastics of any of my Lombard or Pismo Powerbooks -- 6 of them over 2 years -- and a couple of them fell onto hard surfaces off of a desk or countertop.

[Maflynn]

it seems my resale value drops by 50% once I walk out the door.
As for plastic vs metal. I prefer the metal, a better look and feel. Metal is a better heat conductor for these faster processors its able to keep the cpu cooler then a plastic enclosure, all things being equal.
I never heard of the issues with shocks, thats a new one on me. I've been reading this forum for some time.

Mike

[slider]

I also disagree. I was just thinking about how Apple is using metal to make computers, but didn't want to post just because of that. The metal in the powerbooks also has a practical purpose; disappating the heat, allowing for a super thin design. I have never dropped a laptop, I think my heart would stop. I like the black powerbooks too, but when I looked on recently, well, it's dated, and, don't shoot me, PC'ish. (ducks)

I think it IS really cool that the Pro series computers have all gone metal. It sure is a long way from beige plastic.

[Naz]

iWrite that was so cruel to send someone, "drop it and dent it," vibes!

ouch so much for my 17" AL

the AL look makes me want a PB more than the plastic look so I guess I will have to put up with the bad vibes of dropping it

the only plastic case I would want is a G5 Desktop - I hate the new case that much.
The old G4 case was so beautiful

one of the main reasons I'm going with the PB now and a G5 a few years later when that yuk factor fades from my mind.

[Mastrap]

My 12" PB looks like new after three month daily use. It's been on planes, in presentations, in the garden, on the deck. It doesn't get any special treatment at all.

Best (looking) Mac I've ever owned.

[iWrite]

Here is just one link about electrical shocks on the Titaniums -- there are many, many more.

I've also heard about electrical shocks on the newer aluminum systems over at Apple Discussions.

[NightEyes]

iWrite, what are you doing to cause so many PowerBook drops? You stacking those things around the foosball table?

I loved my Pismo, but the Albook I have now is more durable, all things considered, and the screen is in another league. The Pismo got plenty warm too if you used it for anything that taxed the GPU and it was certainly subject to more smudges that didn't come off very easily. Sounds like you should just keep your Pismo iWrite and upgrade to a G3 900 Mhz card.

[Stogieman]

Originally posted by iWrite:

No peeling paint. No dings. No dents. No electrical shock problems. No heat issues. Even scratches were minimal.

I don't know why Apple insists on metal for their computers, to be honest, other than it looks cool, but I wish Apple would bring back plastic, rugged plastic, for their Powerbooks.

The new AL Books address most of the problems you mention. I haven't heard any problems regarding paint or electrical shock on the new powerbooks. And the heat issues you mentioned have nothing to do with using metal. Everyone knows a G4 runs much hotter than a G3. Slap a 1Ghz G4 inside a Prismo and watch how hot it gets.

[riverfreak]

I think everyone is missing iWrite's point here, which is that plastic is still a viable medium for casing.

It may be that you have a personal preference for the Al/Ti's over the old style Pismo casings. I don't think iWrite is suggesting a return to the Pismo design, just that plastic at least be considered as a design material because of its strength and weight properties.

Yes, the Al/Ti's look cool and are functional, but there are problems in their durability.

In fact, I would agree that I would like to see some case changes that AREN'T all metal, like a matte finish based on the iBook case design. The inside of the iBook has become more matte-like since its inception. It would be nice to extend that all the way around. And talk about DURABLE. The icebooks are substanially more durable than the powerbooks (well, at least the Ti).

[riverfreak]

Whoops! Hit the reply button instead of the edit. Duplicate message, sorry

I think everyone is missing iWrite's point here, which is that plastic is still a viable medium for casing.

It may be that you have a personal preference for the Al/Ti's over the old style Pismo casings. I don't think iWrite is suggesting a return to the Pismo design, just that plastic at least be considered as a design material because of its strength and weight properties.

Yes, the Al/Ti's look cool and are functional, but there are problems in their durability.

In fact, I would agree that I would like to see some case changes that AREN'T all metal, like a matte finish based on the iBook case design. The inside of the iBook has become more matte-like since its inception. It would be nice to extend that all the way around. And talk about DURABLE. The icebooks are substanially more durable than the powerbooks (well, at least the Ti).

[cambro]

Originally posted by riverfreak:
I think everyone is missing iWrite's point here, which is that plastic is still a viable medium for casing.

No, as mentioned, plastic is NOT a viable medium for casing while keeping a 1" form factor and a G4 or G5 processor. The metal body effectively makes the whole computer a large heat sink. If the Powerbooks were, they would have to be thicker and/or require even louder fans to accomodate the current heat generation.

I like thin, plastic would be great, but it just isn't practical right now because plastic is a good insulator.

[7Macfreak]

Even though what you say about the pismo is very true (esp. the expansion bay). However, i don't think the problems you listed are really 'problems' with the aluminium cased PowerBooks. Aluminium is arguably as light as plastic, it doesn't seem to scratch (yet). In fact my Pismo had some prominent scratches due to it's dark colour and it got as hot as my 12" PowerBook (maybe a little less). The Ti PowerBooks had to be babied, yes, that is probably why they moved to aluminium.

Anyway, plastic IMO, seems so... 90's. I like the metal on my PowerBook, especially aluminium.

[hexor]

Most plastic is also not recyclable which will and should be more of a concern in the US. Once dismantled the Al books would be easily recyceled... just throw it in with your empty soda can! There are also issues with the production of petroleum based plastics.. from the reliance on foreign oil to the toxic soup required to produce it.

[cSurfr]

Originally posted by iWrite:
Wait until you drop it or it gets dented and your resale value (if you ever resell it) drops by 50%.

Earlier this year, I dropped a remote control on my Ti 550, which resulted in a dent in the lid. I recently sold it for over 1300.00 on eBay. You are telling me that because of a dent my resale dropped 50% ? Not a chance. My machine still got full price without any problems. You might be concerned with the cosmetic appearance of the laptop, but not one person that bid on the Tibook or emailed me about it was worried about a small dent.

cS

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by riverfreak:


Yes, the Al/Ti's look cool and are functional, but there are problems in their durability.

Quite the opposite. I think you're find that Al owners are delighted with the durability of the design.

[schmoe]

Well said iWrite, while I prefer the beauty of metal cases, the plastic used in most laptops seems way more durable. Sratches are barely noticable, no possible paint issues, and finger prints aren't noticable. IBM has 1" thick laptops with plastic cases, so I don't see why it wouldn't work for Apple.

The pre-Ti Powerbooks seem to be a pinnacle of sorts, designed for long life and extremely upgradable with CPU cards, swappable drive bays, etc. The new Al powerbooks don't even have user replaceable hard drives right? Seems like Apple is going towards a disposable model for laptops.

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by schmoe:
Well said iWrite, while I prefer the beauty of metal cases, the plastic used in most laptops seems way more durable. Sratches are barely noticable, no possible paint issues, and finger prints aren't noticable. IBM has 1" thick laptops with plastic cases, so I don't see why it wouldn't work for Apple.

The pre-Ti Powerbooks seem to be a pinnacle of sorts, designed for long life and extremely upgradable with CPU cards, swappable drive bays, etc. The new Al powerbooks don't even have user replaceable hard drives right? Seems like Apple is going towards a disposable model for laptops.

You want me to post a picture of my partner's old Wallstreet? You want to see scratches, I'll show you scratches
And of course you see fingerprints on plastic.

There appears to be some sort of glorification happening here. Of course the Wallstreets and Pismos were/are excellent machines but in no way are they superior to the current offering, neither in looks nor in durability. Neither are any of the plastic PC boxes out there, IMO.

And no PB was ever designed to have the internal HD user removed btw. The extra drive bays were for additional modules that have now lost their usefulness. I don't need a Zip when I can write DVDs.

[Link]

You really need to see the laptop sean gave vmarks if you want to see how well powerbook g3s held up

[Simon]

I worked with a Lombard for four weeeks when I was on business trip last year in Japan. It was a very nice machine and I really liked it. Solid, powerful (in OS 09 at least), expandable. Cool.

But, I think it's rather unfair to compare it with a modern PowerBook. The G3s were fatter, had less power (and a much cooler CPU btw) and offered inferior I/O.

The G3's bays were nice, but the case was too fat. They ran cool, but their CPUs are too slow for modern stuff. They had nice expandable bays, but they didn't offer DVD-R. Etc. All in all, they were great for their time, but I don't think they could compare with today's PowerBooks if they had to offer similar performace.

And btw, I fail too see how a Pismo was so much more sturdy than a 12" PowerBook. The Ti feels kind of vulnerable to me, but the 12" Al seems to be very firm.

Then again, if you really don't think the PowerBooks are tough enough, try an iBook. I think they are probably some of the most durable portables Apple has ever built - apart from the 1989 Macintosh Portable of course.

[icruise]

I owned a Lombard and then a Pismo for years (still have the Pismo) and while they were great machines, I MUCH prefer the metal design of the Aluminum powerbooks. The titanium had to be painted, which made it a poor choice in my opinion, but the aluminum works very well. By going with metal you are able to reduce size, thickness and weight, and it just looks better. As for dropping your powerbook...um...don't do it. I've used laptops of various kinds for maybe 15 years and I've never dropped any. Don't plan to start now.

[schmoe]

No PowerBook was designed to have user replacable drives? Why does Apple have instructions then?

I'm not sure how a metal case would reduce weight since metal weighs more than plastic. As I mentioned the IBM T40p is 1" thick, weighs 4.9 pounds, and has a plastic case. Sure plastic shows fingerprints, but not as badly as light colored metal imo, and the same goes for scratches.

I think the main reason plastic is out is that Apple is on some sort of metal binge, what with the increasing use of the brushed metal UI, the G5 case, aluminum PowerBooks, etc. Personally I prefer Aqua and the pre mirror-door PowerMac case, although I do love the design of my Ti.

[Arkham_c]

Apple has plastic laptops for those who want them -- iBooks! I personally still love the way my 12" iBook looks when closed -- very stylish, even with a few scratches.

I've never been enamored with the TiBooks or AlBooks, but I think it's more for features/price reasons than materials. The 12" PBook is the first one that has interested me, but the cost/performance vs. the high-end 12" iBook is not there yet for me.

[Kenstee]

Because of the blackout Thursday I had to walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn - about 7 miles. I can't tell you how happy I was to be carrying my 12" rather than my old Pismo (which I had to carry the same distance on 911.). My shoulders are so grateful! Case closed. If metal=light I'm all for it.

[Mastrap]

Originally posted by schmoe:
No PowerBook was designed to have user replacable drives? Why does Apple have instructions then?

Ok, wiseguy. I am aware that each and every HD is user replaceable should you really want to replace it. Done it myself more than once.

As long as you don't mind voiding your warrantee you've got nothing to worry about.

[schmoe]

Since the hard drive on the Ti 15" is explicitly designed to be a "customer installable part" , replacing it will not void your warranty.

Whereas the 12" and 17" do not have customer installable hard drives.

Originally posted by Mastrap:
Ok, wiseguy. I am aware that each and every HD is user replaceable should you really want to replace it. Done it myself more than once.

As long as you don't mind voiding your warrantee you've got nothing to worry about.

[ASIMO]

I am all for plastic, so long as it is made of metal.

[euchomai]

Originally posted by Mastrap:
Quite the opposite. I think you're find that Al owners are delighted with the durability of the design.