[kmarketing]

Okay,

I know many of you may say there is no comparison, or many of you don't care, but I can't believe I'm actually content now to let go of my aluminum for my pismo.

For the first time in a long time, I actually get full usage of my laptop for what I really needed it to be a portable with good battery life, wireless internet, and something to take away my worries when I bring it outside. That goes to the pismo.

I have 2 batteries in there. I'm getting about 7 hours of life, and that's with a 80gb 5400 hard drive. Move over centrino!! My wireless range is ridiculous!! I pick up signals that I never saw before, the connections are always strong, and internet is fast. And even though I have an airport card in there (wireless b), I don't see much of a difference with the wireless g of the airport extreme. Opening and closing programs with my 1gb memory is terrific also. But besides the battery life and wireless internet, the next facets are the most welcoming.

I can't remember the last time I felt comfortable bringing my laptop (mainly powerbooks) outside, and feeling at ease putting the laptop on a park table simply because I was worried about scratches or dents. Then just putting it into a bag without fear of dents or warping the casing. Not with this plastic shell (even though the aluminum is beautiful!!) I have no fear anymore.

How about working in bed or on my legs? The aluminum would often get that warm tingly feeling that would often become very uncomfortable after a while. Not with the pismo though. I guess being less powerful and made out of plastic has some advantages. Now when I browse the net for hours in bed, I don't worry about overheating.

As for any of you, like me, who like to take things apart, you know why the pismo is a great machine. I already upgraded my processor, memory, and hard drive within 20 minutes. CD Burner? I can easily put a DVD burner in there just by using the dvd caddy of original drive.

I definitely must say I will miss the performance of the aluminum. The screen is gorgeous to look at, and the feel of metal made me feel more professional and definitely cooler. But pratically, I think I made the best move for me.

Part of me thought to go the ibook route, but I ended up spending $400 for this 500mhz pismo with 1gb Memory, 80gb Hard Drive, Airport, and 7 hour battery life. I think that this will be the cheapest and most suitable laptop that I would have gotten. Now I don't have to worry about "if my aluminum will be heavily replaced in the next line" or "will they come out with a carbon fiber dual g4 or g5". I would have though the same for an ibook. I know my pismo is inferior. I know it is outdated and maybe obsolete. But if I can get a decent amount for my aluminum, then I would have put an extra $1000 into a little account for the new toy that may come out to replace this pismo.

Until then black plastic it will be!!

Thanks for letting me vent and taking the time to read this. I hope it makes sense though!!

[striker100]

Your post is making me think long and hard about what I want to do. I have a Powermac G5 and enjoy OS X over Microsoft XP, this week I purchased an IBM Thinkpad T43p with the 2.13GHz PM, 7200rpm hard drive and 14.1" display. It has all the atributes the Pismo has and then some. The display is awesome, fantastic battery power (about 5 hours), teriffic wireless range, light and sturdy case and the keyboard is absolutely unbelievable. I'm typing on it right now and it feels as if the keys are on rails the tactile feeling is so smooth and silky. The one and only downside is that it doesn't run OS X. I was planning on going to the Apple Store and getting the 15" Powerbook ultimate version but now I don't know what to do, keep the Thinkpad or get the Powerbook. I really like OS X and Tiger is pushing me a little in that direction but then I think of the things I would be giving up with the Thinkpad and it makes me uncertain all over again. I've had an aluminum Powerbook in the past and sold it mainly due to the slow 4200rpm hard drive. Now I remember other things I wasn't crazy about like the not great battery life, the slightly warped lid and the feeling of fragility I don't feel with the Thinkpad. But then I think of it having OS X again and...oh well.

[SassyPants]

Its quite a dillemna, i know! I'm going to get a new laptop for college, and i can't decide between the IBM T43p and the 15" Powerbook. The IBM is just an all around good computer, excellent battery life, awesome performance, a keyboard like no other...

But like you said, I can't run OS X on it. And i don't believe that the Powerbook performs as well, overall, compared to teh T43...

Also another thing to think about for me is the fact that IBM Computing is now part of the Lenovo group...

SO many things to think about, and its a tough decision.

[striker100]

I have to say that for a PC the Thinkpad has the best implementation of Windows XP. There is a new IBM Software Installer that finds all the latest drivers for your Thinkpad and allows either manual or automatic downloads and installation. That plus accesss Thinkpad and the ability to have the display at the brightest setting while on battery power and still get over 4 hours battery up time are great features. Just for fun I downloaded Style XP and got a Panther theme that makes Windows XP look somewhat like OS X. Of course it's a pale comparison but it's just enough to make XP looks at least somewhat like OS X with it's aqua type interface and I actually like the quick start buttons in the taskbar as much as the dock in OS X.
The T43p is one teriffic machine, oh and did I mention the keyboard, I can't get over how wonderful it feels. The Powerbook has a good keyboard, the T43p has an unbelievable keyboard. The mouse buttons on the Thinkpad have the same great feel as the keyboard, I just wish I could get my hands on Tiger to see if it really is a big improvement to OS X or just a minor one.

[mrmister]

Pismo is a fantastic machine, no doubt--but I wonder at your numbers. $400 for a Pismo I believe--that matches Craigslist. But that's for a stock Pismo--you need to buy the harddrive, the airport card (they didn't used to come stock), the batteries (as no Pismo batteries from 2000 are going to hold a charge worth a damn) and the hard drive has to be replaced, and the 1 GB of memory, the processor upgrade--it really adds up, doesn't it?

Now, don't get me wrong--Pismos rock, and I had a 400mhz one to knock around with back in the day. Great machine, and if you already own one, or can get one for free, some of these mods make sense. But for most it makes sense to buy a used PowerBook a little more recent, or an iBook, if you're buying already. They are damn cool looking machines, though.

And as for all the Thinkpad people--what a strange contrast with a Pismo, as I find Thinkpads great machines, but entirely styleless. If you really can stomach using Windows themed with some 3rd party app to pretend it is OS X...yeesh.

Good luck to all with their decisions.

[kmarketing]

I think that these decisions are definitely tough.

For me what it came down to is what I needed as my portable computer. I have a g5 so that is good enough for my performance and mjor needs. I also have a 15" 1.25 powerbook that I love to use, but am often nervous about battery life, heat, wireless, and cosmetic damage. I also find myself wondering if I need something so expensive as my laptop.

Add this to the fact that g4 powerbooks are always being upgraded and the value of mine is constantly decreasing. Finally with knowledge that these g4's are coming to an end, I just figure it may best to cut my losses now, and have something that meets most of my portable needs without costing me a great deal.

As for $400, this is how I got my current pismo. If you read my other posts, I got this one for $200 (g3 400). A friend of mine got me another one for $350 (g3 500). i exchanged processors and kept the airport card. I bought an 80gb 5400 hard drive for $80 and a couple of 512 chips for $50 each. Sold the other pismo for $350, so mine cost $380. And it's in beautiful condition minus the pink screen that lasts for less than 10 seconds.

I know I can sell the pismo right now also for a nice chunk of change and get me an ibook g4, but I think the pismo with its ultra upgradeability will meet my demands. And i really don't like the quality and feel of the ibooks. Not after the powerbooks.

As for thinkpads, I think that would put me in the same predicament as the aluminums. A new thinkpad would cost a hefty chunk of change which was what i am trying to avoid. But that's me. I have in a $380 machine, a useful tool that I can take full advantage of without worrying about dents, scratches, overheating, resale value, etc.

I just never thought I would be content with having less than the top technology. But seeing how the value of my aluminum has decreased, and knowing that the value of my pismo won't really go down much further, I think I won't have too many regrets. If anything, I put a nice chunk back in my wallet.

[mrmister]

Ah. By upgraded processor, I assumed you meant a 3rd party processor...so I see how you got to where you are now.

[finboy]

Originally Posted by mrmister

(as no Pismo batteries from 2000 are going to hold a charge worth a damn)

I still get 3+ hours out of mine, and I've got 2 from early 2001.

To add something, though:

wegenermedia just announced a $199 G4 550 upgrade. A substantial discount over what they used to sell for. Check their site for more info as it's available. I imagine they've worked a deal with Daystar, but I don't know that for sure. Best thing: they'll ship a daughtercard and let you return one for credit. Upgrade will take 30 minutes, max.

[SEkker]

I think it's important to keep in mind that without at least a G4 upgrade, the Pismo is not really that great a machine for many applications like iLife, etc. My wife uses hers to the max, but when it comes time to make and edit real movies, etc., my G4 PB is at least 3x faster.

The original poster demonstrates that if one has a machine for heavy lifting (like a G5 desktop), then even a lowly 400 MHz G3 processor such as found in the slowest Pismos is still suitable to run OSX pretty well for many normal uses. The reality is that many modern CPUs, even 3-4 years old, are more than fast enough to run 90% of current software (even the slowest Centrino is also fast enough in the windows world). This is going to be more and more of a problem for the computer industry as a whole -- why upgrade when your 3 year old computer is fast enough? Apple has been running a much longer replacement cycle (3-5 years or longer for many users), but the companies counting on turnover every 2 years, this 3-5 year cycle is going to be a shock. In education, we're modeling 3 year minimum cycles for windows, 4-5 year cycles for Macs, for all network plans.

[kmarketing]

The whole point here, for me at least, is that I have a g5 as my main computer. If I didn't I would definitely keep the powerbook, or get the g5.

It's just that, following others, I got myself a g5 AND a powerbook g4, and as someone put it, it is overkill. Again, this is for me. I have to fight myself and the temptation of having the latest and greatest when an older basic machine can suffice.

To get a g4 upgrade, for me, defeats the purpose of what I am trying to do - to keep the most basic and cheapest portable. If i had to spend another $200 - $300, I definitely would just go towards a newer powerbook.

I am no way in any of my posts suggesting that a pismo can be enough as a main computer, I'm just saying it's enough machine for someone like me who has a decent desktop to do the main computing.

[vinster]

I love portables so I have a trusty Pismo G4 500Mhz w/ airport, 40GB, 5400RPM HDD, 768MB RAM, stock optical drive, 2 batteries, 2 power adapters plus the original 10GB HDD in a MCE expansion-bay case.

I also have a brand-spanking new 1.67Ghz 15" Al that I got three days ago from Apple Customer Relations to replace a Rev B 15" 1.5Ghz stuck in repair. I have a Mac mini as well, but it's dedicated to HTPC use.

Needless to say, I was running the Pismo as my main machine this past six weeks while waiting for my Al to be repaired and eventually replaced. The Pismo works well but it's no match for the latest models. The main issue with the Pismo for me is the screen and video circuitry. My Pismo's LCD has a slight yellow tint (not bad by itself but when it's next to my LCD TV or the 15" Al you can really notice it). Also, the Pismo does tend to choke on some tasks such as graphics-intensive web pages and any major stuff such video or photo editing.

As much as I love my Pismo, it's strictly a backup for my Al and for the most part remains in a carrying case in my closet.

I can see it's value as a coffee-shop machine, however.

[I was David B.]

striker100,

I can undertand your problem. I have a thinkpad t40 and a powerbook 12 inch/1Ghz. The Thinkpad is a very good machine. It feels sturdier compared to the powerbook, has a great battery life, is really fast, weights nothing and seems to be indestructable (not at all like the powerbook).

But in the end the mac os and the available applications for mac are far better. Windows sucks on the thinkpad and linux sucks even more (I use suse 9.2 with window maker). At least fun- and productivity-wise, there is nothing to replace a powerbook.

The idea of kmarketing to buy a Pismo, that is very much like the thinkpad and runs os x is worth a second thought.

[kmarketing]

Originally Posted by I was David B.

striker100,

The idea of kmarketing to buy a Pismo, that is very much like the thinkpad and runs os x is worth a second thought.

Hi,

Do you mean that you think I shouldn't have bought the pismo?

[I was David B.]

Originally Posted by kmarketing

Hi,

Do you mean that you think I shouldn't have bought the pismo?

No, the opposite. The Pismo is as sturdy as the thinkpad and runs os x. Thats great.