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MacB · Sep 24, 2003, 05:11 PM

What the heck is a Pismo .......

schwaz80 · Sep 24, 2003, 05:19 PM

Last Gen. G3 PowerBook... you know... the big black one form Idependence Day?

:dragonflypro: · Sep 24, 2003, 05:46 PM

Originally posted by schwaz80:
Last Gen. G3 PowerBook... you know... the big black one form Idependence Day?

I believe Independence Day used a 5300.

As for Pismo... they were the first PBs with Firewire and Airport. They came exclusively with a 400mzh or 500mzh G3.

See one here

schwaz80 · Sep 24, 2003, 05:54 PM

you could be right

Timo · Sep 24, 2003, 06:01 PM

"Pismo" is a codename for the Powerbook G3 (firewire), the last black plastic one before the TiBooks were introduced. I think the name comes from a beach in California.

MacB · Sep 24, 2003, 06:26 PM

You mean the ones before the fruit colored ones? Anyone have a pic?

ingeniero · Sep 24, 2003, 06:27 PM

Originally posted by MacB:
What the heck is a Pismo .......

Some of the old timers will agree that it's one of the best powerbook's built. I happen to still have it. Beautiful machine and very reliable. If you saw What Women Want, Mel Gibson had one. Check it out in
http://www.apple-history.com

year 2000, Powerbook G3 (firewire)

romeosc · Sep 24, 2003, 06:35 PM

Originally posted by MacB:
You mean the ones before the fruit colored ones? Anyone have a pic?

The "fruit colored " colored Apple Logo is a wallstreet which came before the Pismo and had scsi instead of firewire.

..... or did you mean the "fruit colored " Ibooks (toilet seat)

GlobalNomad · Sep 24, 2003, 07:09 PM

The best PowerBook ever made.
Alot of companys have ripped off Its deisng. Most of the PeeCee laptops are only catching up with it now. Its sad.

The pismo was just simple the best (and still are

). It was so cool how the underside looked like the top side. It is extremly well built. My mom has sworn she will never put her Pismo out into retirment. (384 ram, 500 MHz).

My chemestry Lecture has one to. The only thing that can steel the thunder and glory of the Pismo is that the Apple logo is upside down when you open the lid, not a major downside but posibly the only one.

MacB · Sep 24, 2003, 07:59 PM

yeah...i meant the toilet seat...different colors...tangerine, etc...wall street? I heard that before, now what is that??!!!

RooneyX · Sep 24, 2003, 08:19 PM

Bin Ladin has one but he calls it a Bismo.

Fyre4ce · Sep 24, 2003, 08:25 PM

Have to interject a little self-interest here.

I will soon be selling my Pismo. It has served me faithfully and problem-free for over three years, and I have taken good care of it. Specs:

400 MHz G3 processor w/ 1 MB L2 cache (stock)
1/2 GB RAM, upgradeable to 1 GB
40 GB 5400 RPM HD (IBM 40GNX - great drive!!)
DVD-ROM drive
RAGE Mobility 128 w/ 8 MB VRAM
AirPort card installed
14.1" XGA screen, no dead pixels
USB and FireWire
100BT ethernet and 56K modem

It's really a killer machine, and will run OS X great (although I don't have it installed). There are two processor upgrades available from PowerLogix, a 500 MHz G4 and a 900 MHz G3, for around $300 each, which will put it on par with much more recent machines and turn it into an OS X monster.

The computer is in great shape. It's traveled very little and has no major problems. It has signs of use - lid has a little bit of freeplay, but the bearings still hold well. Screen has two little marks on it, but as I mentioned no dead pixels. That and a few barely visible scuffs in a few spots.

I am asking $850, which is honestly a great deal considering I paid $2500 for it and put at least another $500 into it in upgrades. Unfortunately I won't be able to part with it for several weeks, but I'll make this deal to anyone interested: agree to buy it now, and I'll lower the price to $800. Pay $400 now, and then another $400 before I ship it.

Everyone on MacNN should know this is not a scam. I've been around here for over two years, and I am trustworthy. Email me at cdd25 AT cornell DOT edu if interested. All proceedes go to benefit the Feed a Starving College Student Fund.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I'll pay for shipping to anywhere in the continental US. I'm willing to negotiate shipping charges if you live elsewhere.

stevesnj · Sep 24, 2003, 08:31 PM

My first Mac was the Pismo 500 and it was an animal !!!! I used it everyday, dropped it, installed a GB of RAM, OS X from 10.0 to 10.2.6 and never once did it ever burp, spit, or groan back at me...I will always think of it as the toughest computer I ever used...I now have a Al 17" Rev. A and is an elegant machine and seems durable but the Pismo has a macho look to it like a tough Black pickup truck. The Al is a Hummer H2, tough looking and very powerful but treats you to it's luxurious ammeneties once you step inside.

I'm hoping this Rev. A PowerBook performs just as good as my first Rev. A PowerBook.

PB2K · Sep 25, 2003, 08:32 AM

i started with a lombard 333 , then a pismo 400, then another pismo 400 and finally a pismo 500. after that a powerbook g4 ti 500 and now a powerbook g4 17" 1000.

pismo was like a battleship. tough and strong. You should see my powerbook g4 500, it's a wreck, functional, but lost all esthetics

did you know why my nick is PB2K? maybe now you do

ingeniero · Sep 25, 2003, 09:00 AM

mine is 500mhz 512MB and 30Gb. never had problems, runs like a champ. I'll probably get a reb B Alu 15 when it comes, but I'd still keep my pismo.

Spheric Harlot · Sep 25, 2003, 09:14 AM

Originally posted by MacB:
yeah...i meant the toilet seat...different colors...tangerine, etc...

Those are iBooks. Not Powerbooks.

iMacs...PowerMacs - same difference.

Originally posted by MacB:
wall street? I heard that before, now what is that??!!!

The Pismo's precursor.

Go to Apple History linked above and read up.

-s*

fisherKing · Sep 25, 2003, 09:35 AM

had my pismo over 2 years, love it.
400/768/20G hd (5400 ibm).
airport works great.
sturdy, no real issues, elegant.
X works well (miss the speed of os9, but prefer the logic, functionality, stabiliy of X).

still, newer pbs offer greater speed, better videocards, superdrive...all the obvious stuff).

so gonna check out the new 12", and maybe give up my beloved pismo.

speed, size, power...may just be worth it

Person Man · Sep 25, 2003, 11:05 AM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Those are iBooks. Not Powerbooks.

iMacs...PowerMacs - same difference.

The Pismo's precursor.

Go to Apple History linked above and read up.

-s*

No, the Pismo's precursor was the Lombard.

It goes like this:

Kanga (first PowerBook G3's)
Wallstreet
Lombard
Pismo

LeeG · Sep 25, 2003, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by Fyre4ce:
Have to interject a little self-interest here.

Everyone on MacNN should know this is not a scam. I've been around here for over two years, and I am trustworthy. Email me at cdd25 AT cornell DOT edu if interested. All proceedes go to benefit the Feed a Starving College Student Fund.

Hey Fyre4ce-

How's things in Ithaca? I was CU '96. How's the university's Mac support these days - When I was there they were BIG time mac fans (I was a campus apple rep) but I have heard they have become more and more pc based- just curious-

Lee

Will Brocklebank · Sep 25, 2003, 12:15 PM

Seeing as we are discussing Mac names for models my personal favourite is the first of the G4 towers -

codename was "Yikes"... reason being that they effectively stuck the new G4 chip onto G3 motherboard architecture and hoped that it would all work well enought to be a commercial success... Yikes indeed.

***Disclaimer*** all of this was told to me by a nice chap who happens to be a friend of mine and who hangs around here by the name of Diggory. If any/all of the above is untrue flame him

angelmb · Sep 25, 2003, 03:00 PM

you can view my Pismo here:

http://homepage.mac.com/super_mario/PhotoAlbum1.html

tooki · Sep 25, 2003, 10:42 PM

Originally posted by schwaz80:
Last Gen. G3 PowerBook... you know... the big black one form Idependence Day?

Yyyeah, no. Independence Day was in 1996... the G3 didn't even come out till late 1997. The Pismo is from 2000.

tooki

Fyre4ce · Sep 25, 2003, 11:27 PM

Originally posted by LeeG:
Hey Fyre4ce-

How's things in Ithaca? I was CU '96. How's the university's Mac support these days - When I was there they were BIG time mac fans (I was a campus apple rep) but I have heard they have become more and more pc based- just curious-

Lee

Things in Ithaca are well. I'm on the race car team here - in your time here you've probably at least heard of us. The team has pretty much defined my life since the third week of my freshman year. I'm a junior now.

In terms of Macs, all the nice computer labs are PC. I think there is a Mac lab in the engineering library, but they still have B&W G3's. I actually wanted to be the Apple campus rep when I first came to Cornell. At that time I was really into Macs and wanted to major in EE. But my experiences with the race car have shifted me over to mechanical, and my enthusiasm about the platform has waned somewhat. I still hang around the forums here, but mostly for the lounge, particularly the car threads. Although, I do sometimes wander into the technical forums when I have a specific agenda, like selling something.

Send me an email if there's anything else I can do. I will be racing in Toronto this coming weekend but I can get back to you soon.