[kmarketing]

Hi,

I just got my 12" Ibook that I bought for $850 - in brand new condition. I popped in my airport extreme card ($50), and my 512 chip (free) and I was ready to go.

The thing is beautiful - to look at and to work with. The battery life and airport reception are RIDICULOUS!! I work on this bad boy for hours at a time (internet, basic stuff) on my lap, and there are no heat issues whatsoever. I'm so happy!!

Just to briefly go over how I arrived to this point...
I traded my 17" Powerbook rev a, for a g5 single processor with 230gb hard drive space, 1.5 gb memory, etc., and a 20" Widescreen Cinema Display. I figured the G5 would be much more of a desktop machine than the powerbook.

We are selling my wife's imac too, which allowed me to get a laptop. I kept on thinking powerbook, powerbook, powerbook. But then I figured i would just need something to get me by until what I really want comes out - the g5 powerbook. So I just wanted to get something to hold me over, and something I would have to spend to much/take a big hit on resale.

I came up with the 12" ibook, but never thought I would be so happy with it. Did I mention I have been working with the ibook on my lap with no heat issues?!! I have had the privilege of using a: Ti400, Ti500, Ti667, Ti800, Ti867, Ti1ghz, Al 867, Al 1ghz (12), Al 1.25, 17" 1ghz, and never have been able to do hours of work on my lap without feeling discomfort. Not until I got the ibook.

Did I mention that I get over 5 hours of battery life, and I'm walking on the streets getting wireless networks all over the place?!

Let me ask you, checking the specs, the ibook looks very similar to the 12 Powerbook 1ghz. Is that accurate? Besides the larger hard drive, bluetooth, and dvi, they look to be the same machine. Am I correct to assume?

Also, it does look like this ibook resembles the older g3 models. In due time, I will probably be upgrading the internal hard drive (I have a 60gb 5400 lying around), and i can get a cheap superdrive. Upgrading the internals on an ibook, would be something I would be heavily reluctant to do on a powerbook.

All in all, what a laptop - I never thought the lowest end model would actually make me so happy.

Thanks for all you opinions to get me here, and let me know about the comparison of the 1ghz ibook, and 1ghz powerbook.

Thanks!!

[rastatero]

I am super happy with my 12" iBook as well. I purchased it for many reasons similiar to yours. I needed something that would hold me over until I can save for a G5 desktop or powerbook. The iBook has excellent battery life and I hear the durability is great too. What I really love about the iBook is that it is much affordable and with its acrylic finish I feel like I don't have to really baby the laptop at all. I won't have to worry about too much while at school. So yeah, go iBooks! -- Tony

[Commodus]

kmarketing:

The 12" iBook pretty much shares the same architecture of the previous-generation 12" PowerBook, right. The only difference that might be present is that the CPU may be an MPC 7447A (the 12" 1 GHz PowerBook just used the initial 7447) that draws less power and produces less heat.

[kmarketing]

Hi,

So you're saying that the new ibook has the cooler processor, right?
It definitely seems so, just because I had the 12" 1ghz at one time, and it still would run warm.

I'm just a happy camper now, I picked up a powersleeve12, and the ibook is ready to be the road warrior. That is something I had a hard time saying with my 17" powerbook.

I can now wait for a g5 powerbook with patience
Of course if I run into a good deal for a powerbook, I may reconsider

Thanks!

[MrForgetable]

you guys are making me reconsider my 12 inch powerbook purchase

[kafoochy]

Originally posted by Commodus:
kmarketing:

The 12" iBook pretty much shares the same architecture of the previous-generation 12" PowerBook, right. The only difference that might be present is that the CPU may be an MPC 7447A (the 12" 1 GHz PowerBook just used the initial 7447) that draws less power and produces less heat.

This is correct I believe, and the iBook's Video chipset and memory aren't as good as the Powerbook's. Even though the Powerbook is smaller, the current 12"s have the same battery size. And the Powerbook has the superior keyboard. Although the iBook is "cheaper" than a Powerbook, better AirPort reception, great battery life, good performance, etc make it an excellent machine. And the fact that the plastic keeps the heat inside will certainly make your legs more comfortable, although at the expense of the computer's internals having to put up with the stress of being much hotter. I would have gotten a 12" iBook if it was smaller/less heavy had DVI-out so that I could hook up to a larger LCD, had bluetooth etc, so that's probably why I got a Powerbook instead since as my primary machine I just needed more. If I had a G5 though, I would definitely have chosen the iBook. Congrats!

[Voch]

I may be wrong, but I think the fact that iBooks run cooler on the bottom/sides is because more heat is dissapated out the keyboard. And this is why you really can't/shouldn't run an iBook closed (whereas "closed running" is supported in PowerBooks when hooked up to an external display with a USB mouse/keyboard). Both PowerBooks and iBooks have side "vents" and fans for heat dissapation in common but less heat escapes the iBook out of the bottom/sides.

I think an updated iBook is in my future (not this rev...maybe the next) for more portability and a speed bump...

Voch

[kafoochy]

Originally posted by Voch:
I may be wrong, but I think the fact that iBooks run cooler on the bottom/sides is because more heat is dissapated out the keyboard. And this is why you really can't/shouldn't run an iBook closed (whereas "closed running" is supported in PowerBooks when hooked up to an external display with a USB mouse/keyboard). Both PowerBooks and iBooks have side "vents" and fans for heat dissapation in common but less heat escapes the iBook out of the bottom/sides.

I think an updated iBook is in my future (not this rev...maybe the next) for more portability and a speed bump...

Voch

The reason why the Powerbook's bottoms are so hot is because they're metal and naturally conduct heat much better than plastic. There may be more heat coming out of the iBook's keyboard, but it is probably because hot air rises and there is more of it usually in an iBook that gets trapped under all the other plastic but might be able to get out around the keyboard. I don't think it is any design element. The keyboard was changed to a non-customer moveable one with the Aluminum Powerbooks to improve feel as it was one of the greatest problems with the older keyboard (although I think the G4 iBook's keyboard, and every revision up to that was an improvement). As the originally poster mentioned, the 12" iBook and PB are very similar. Removing the ability to operate in spanned mode with an external monitor is not a usual consumer operation and could have been to further differential the model lines.

[kmarketing]

Hi,

Having used a rev a and rev b powerbook for some time, I can tell you that I was definitely a fan of the powerbooks. The rev a was ridiculously hot, and the rev b 1ghz was definitely a nice machine. But it still didn't run as cool as this ibook, even the g3 ibooks didn't run this cool. And it is a huge plus to be comfortable to be able to use it on my lap or on the bed for hours. At least that's just me. And since I got my g5 with a 20 display, i don't see myself using the ibook to connect to an external display.

And for all the posts that I have read which says the fans are always on when the powerbooks are connected to the displays, I can't tell you how scary that would be to me. Being a dell owner for awhile, and learning from their forums. having the fan constantly on is not a good thing for any laptop. So I'm glad that I got the ibook for what I need.

And like I said for all of you contemplating between the two, if you need the dvi out I guess you have no option, powerbook it is. But if you need something durable, that you won't have to worry about denting, something cool, and now competitive in it's processor speed, and price I think ibook is the way to go.

I also like the fact that for me, I feel very comfortable in taking the ibook apart If the plastic gets scratched up, I know I can just swap the plastics out. If i want to upgrade the hard drive or to superdrive, it would be an hour job for me. For the powerbook, I would terrified about dents or warping the aluminum. So ibook is the keeper for me... at least for now

[brettcamp]

I lusted after the 12" PB but went with the iBook, too, for the reasons everyone's listed: price, durability, airport reception. Since I don't need big graphics power (mostly word processing and internet), and didn't plan to hook up to an apple monitor, the PB's faster chip and card and DVI capability didn't matter to me, but if it does to you, go for the PB. The Rev. C seems to have worked out all the kinks and has a bundled airport card. If I hadn't gotten one free with my iBook, I might have gone for the PB myself, as it would have been only $200 more, and the bigger hard drive (double the iBook's) would have made it worth the difference.

Everyone raves about the PB's keyboard, but I tried both and the iBook's seemed equal to it (and much better than the G3 iBook keyboard I used to have). Oh, and AppleCare is cheaper for the iBook, too, so you'll save some $ there if you buy it. I think the PB looks sharper, but the iBook is all most people will need.

If you get the iBook, use the price difference to buy RAM -- going from 256 to 768 made a big difference. In fact, to further differentiate the PB from the iBook, Apple really ought to bundle the latter with more memory -- say 512 at least) , as it does with the airport card.