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macintologist · Mar 21, 2004, 07:24 PM

I know that the iBook's keyboard isn't as good as the Powerbook's, but is that a factor along with other things that woud justify the 12" Powerbook's $400+ extra cost?

Strictly from a typing standpoint, how acceptable is the iBook keyboard? iBook g4 preferably, if there is a difference with the older ones.

iREZ · Mar 21, 2004, 11:30 PM

The keyboard on the PB is alot harder and doesn't bend at all because the ram and airport go underneath the computer not on the top. The 12" PB is a great computer but so is the iBook. The new G4 iBook's keyboard is tons better then the older much more flexible ones. The PB has a better keyboard but only slighty, you wont be dissapointed with the new iBook keyboard.

gonadman · Mar 22, 2004, 12:09 AM

I'd have to second the sentiment that the new iBook keyboards are far better than the previous models. I've had an iBook G3 600, G3 800 and neither keyboard compared to my G4 1GHz. The keyboard is no longer partly clear and is definately more solid. I don't think you'd have any problems with the iBook these days

Gustav Gans · Mar 22, 2004, 03:29 PM

What about the other features of the two types of notebooks. Currently I am a PC-user but may soon be entereing the apple world by acquiring either the 12" powerbook or the 12" ibook. Is there any considerable differences (if both are configured to have 1ghz and a similar amount of RAM, + bluetooth) between the two, other than the keyboard?

Thanks in advance for some advice

discotronic · Mar 22, 2004, 03:38 PM

Originally posted by Gustav Gans:
What about the other features of the two types of notebooks. Currently I am a PC-user but may soon be entereing the apple world by acquiring either the 12" powerbook or the 12" ibook. Is there any considerable differences (if both are configured to have 1ghz and a similar amount of RAM, + bluetooth) between the two, other than the keyboard?

Thanks in advance for some advice

Check this thread:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=205991

There are other threads like it. Do a search on the PowerBook forum as well. Good luck.

d4nth3m4n · Mar 22, 2004, 08:16 PM

can i install a ibook g4 keyboard in my 700mhz? anyone know?

xaserax · Mar 23, 2004, 04:05 PM

i was a bit concerned about this when deciding between a 14" ibook g4 and a 15" powerbook. i went with the ibook and am very happy. i occasionally play around with a 12" powerbook and I do notice a difference in the keyboards, but it's not a dealbreaker (especially considering the price difference).

andretan · Mar 24, 2004, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by d4nth3m4n:
can i install a ibook g4 keyboard in my 700mhz? anyone know?

I'd like to find out too

ginoledesma · Mar 24, 2004, 07:29 PM

The PowerBook keyboards are much more "solid", though the iBook G4 keyboard is definitely in all ways superior to the older keyboards of the past models which tend to be squishy or spongy. The iBook G4 keyboard is good enough for me, though, since it has a nice feel to it.

The PowerBook 12" may edge out (albeit slightly) even the fastest iBook, thanks to its larger L2 cache (512KB compared to 256KB). And if its a iBook G4/14"/1GHz vs PB G4/12"/1GHz competition, I'd say the competition would have to be in size and weight. The PB 12" is the lightest among all of Apple's laptop offerings, and you get audio line-in, not to mention having the luxury of selecting a SuperDrive.

rytc · Mar 26, 2004, 08:13 PM

Originally posted by Gustav Gans:
What about the other features of the two types of notebooks. Currently I am a PC-user but may soon be entereing the apple world by acquiring either the 12" powerbook or the 12" ibook. Is there any considerable differences (if both are configured to have 1ghz and a similar amount of RAM, + bluetooth) between the two, other than the keyboard?

Thanks in advance for some advice

Well for starters neither of them can be configured any faster than 800Mhz and 1Ghz for the iBook and PB respectively. So the iBook will always be slower in some tasks. But depending on what you're doing the diff. is probably negligible.
(You can of course get a 1Ghz 14" iBook)

cold aspiration · Mar 27, 2004, 02:50 PM

is it true that the powerbook keyboards have a light under the keys so the letters illuminate? I thought the ibook would have that but once in a dark room I was typing and I noticed the keys are hard to read. This is not a problem at all for I can type without ever looking at the keyboard but I thought it would be really cool if the keys lit up.

But then agian this could be a real battery drainer... maybe an option to turn this off or on?

andretan · Mar 27, 2004, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by cold aspiration:
is it true that the powerbook keyboards have a light under the keys so the letters illuminate? I thought the ibook would have that but once in a dark room I was typing and I noticed the keys are hard to read. This is not a problem at all for I can type without ever looking at the keyboard but I thought it would be really cool if the keys lit up.

But then agian this could be a real battery drainer... maybe an option to turn this off or on?

Currently, only the 15" and 17" Powerbooks have the backlit keyboard. The user can turn it on and off too.

Really neat to have.

typoon · Mar 30, 2004, 08:15 PM

While the Keyboard on the new iBooks is MUCH better than the older ones. For me that was one of the things that made me get the powerbook. It just didn't feel as solid and as nice.

The other things that made me go with the Powerbook over the iBook was the standard equipment. More built in RAM, Larger hard drive, Bluetooth built in. I definitely would say for the price though the iBook can't be beat.