[icruise]

Again, I will just have to say that people like different things. Personally, I find the Tibooks to look boxy and (dare I say it?) a little cheap in comparison to the Aluminum finish of the new books. I mean, what is the point of having a computer made of metal if you then paint it a dull grey? But I do respect that some people may prefer that look.

I am more able to identify with arguments about the 12" powerbook's features and performance -- it is a little disappointing that the 12" is missing some of the features that we now associate with Powerbooks. (Although I do find it interesting that the things that people think distinguish a Powerbook from an iBook -- L3 cache, DVI, 1ghz G4 or even, God help us, lighted keys -- are all very recent additions to the powerbook line). But you have to make a few sacrifices to fit everything in a smaller enclosure and to get the price down to a point where it fits in with the rest of Apple's offerings.

[scott brown]

>>They already had the ibook. Why didnt they just paint an ibook silver thats basically what they did.<<


yet it's a smaller case with a different external and internal layout


>>The issue is that they released a new product that I do not believe is up to par with there other products.<<


i think the 12 inch is a perfect product for what i need it for. I sold my ibook/800 for one

and you say it's not a big leap over previous products. as an owner of an ibook/800, a previous product, i think the 12in PB is a huge leap. i get a smaller machine that has a g4 and a superdrive. sounds like a dream machine to me

scott

[caseygittings]

Thanks to those who understand what I was trying to say about the new 12" books. I will say that I hope all that have there 12" are enjoying them and are not taking this as a jealous thread. I dont feel I have anything at all to be jealous about. I am a little jealous of the backlit keyboard on the 17" though and cant wait for the day when aftermarket companies make them for the ti books. Maybe the new ones will be a direct swap.

[clf8]

Okay, I think the problems with the 12" boil down to a few basic issues:
1. Screen size
2. Heat
3. Level 3 cache
4. Firewire 800
5. Base Memory
6. DVI

And my comments on that:
1. Personal preference. If you want ultra portable, 12" is great (and you can always hook to an external display). If not, you've got 2 great options.
2. G4, they're all hot. And my iBook 466 has always been warm to the left of the trackpad. There's a hard drive there, what are you gonna do?
3, 4, 5: I truly hope that Apple has "skimped" on these to keep the 12" from being better than the 15". In the current state, you don't hate yourself for buying the 15" because it's what you want/need, even though the 12" has everything better. When you see the 15" converted to Al, you may see a bump in the 12" to bring it up to spec. I'm hoping to see all three of these improved.
6. Tough call. The 12" is definitely running short on room to add ports. Sure, it looks like there's still a couple of inches there, but realize that space has a hard drive that is flush with the edge. Can the DVI port support S-video and Composite video? Sure, there's a DVI->ADC and DVI->VGA adapter, but none to S-video or Composite. What's better, I guess it just depends on the user.

[itai195]

There really isn't any room for a dvi port on the left side, because the fan and hard disk are there.

[Parky]

I helped unpack the new 12 inch at a store today (not for sale, demo only) and I was very impressed.

It feels like it is made from a solid piece of metal. The lid opens so much better than the TI or the iBook. It real has much less 'flex' than the other Apple laptops.

The keyboard looks and feels great.

I did not get to use it as they had to do the software install, but it's a very good looking machine.

[matthewbuchanan]

Originally posted by caseygittings:
What is better about a lower res. smaller screen...?

My 2c on the screens - yes the AluBook's screen is smaller (of course), but lower res than the 15" TiBook? The AluBook has the same screen as in the latest iBooks, and it's a beautiful-looking screen that's easily as high-res as the TiBook's, if not higher. Remember, the AluBook runs at 1024x768, while the larger TiBook runs at 1280x854. I don't have the exact physical screen measurements of these screens but after using both I'd say the AluBook is marginally higher-res, if anything.

Matt

[caseygittings]

Matthew Bucchanan you are rediculously crazy. I cant believe you would even say that. Anyone that agrees to this remark better have some serious explaining to do. Let me guess the graphics card is better to, right? The 12" is using an ibook screen which I have sitting right next to me as I type on my 15". No comparison at all.

[RMXO]

Originally posted by matthewbuchanan:
My 2c on the screens - yes the AluBook's screen is smaller (of course), but lower res than the 15" TiBook? The AluBook has the same screen as in the latest iBooks, and it's a beautiful-looking screen that's easily as high-res as the TiBook's, if not higher. Remember, the AluBook runs at 1024x768, while the larger TiBook runs at 1280x854. I don't have the exact physical screen measurements of these screens but after using both I'd say the AluBook is marginally higher-res, if anything.

Matt

hmmmm.... how you figure? i have the ibook 800 & the 800 DVI. my DVI reso looks way better than the iBook. GigaBooks looks better than the iBook also...

[John123]

Originally posted by RMXO:
hmmmm.... how you figure? i have the ibook 800 & the 800 DVI. my DVI reso looks way better than the iBook. GigaBooks looks better than the iBook also...

I think the dude is confusing resolution with dpi...

[brettwolf]

First post, so I'm gonna 'splain some things.

The new books were a nice attempt to heighten Apple's already known high grade laptops.

Did they raise the bar? My opinion, no. We can go on all day throwing out stats about if they made a better machine or not, but it doesn't matter.

They didn't raise the bar. Sure 17", wow thats nice, but the coolness factor of how big the screen is dampened with other issues. (can we say nVidia?)

Look, I have (2) 366 G3 iBooks that I work off of everyday, so I would kill to get an upgrade to any G4 Book. But, If I had the dough to go out and get any one of them today. It be the 15". No contest.

[Eug]

Originally posted by matthewbuchanan:
My 2c on the screens - yes the AluBook's screen is smaller (of course), but lower res than the 15" TiBook? The AluBook has the same screen as in the latest iBooks, and it's a beautiful-looking screen that's easily as high-res as the TiBook's, if not higher. Remember, the AluBook runs at 1024x768, while the larger TiBook runs at 1280x854. I don't have the exact physical screen measurements of these screens but after using both I'd say the AluBook is marginally higher-res, if anything.

Matt

Resolution: 12" AluBook 1024x768, TiBook 1280x854
DPI: AluBook 106 dpi, TiBook 101 dpi

You don't quite understand what resolution is I think.

Anyways, the iBook 800 screen (which everyone says is identical to the 12" AluBook's screen) is nowhere near as good as the current TiBook's screen. The TiBook has better brightness and better contrast IMO. As for the more densely packed pixels of the 12" AluBook, I'm not sure that's a good thing. With OS X I find I prefer something in the 90-100 range for dpi. The 106 dpi of the 12" AluBook is too high. That was the one thing I disliked about my previous iBook (although I definitely appreciated its portability).

[JayTi]

Eh, I didn't read all of the thread, but I'll confirm what I'm sure others have confirmed, That this person is obviously just trying to make themselves feel better about their purcahse, perhaps they feel bad they didn't wait, but they're obviously insecure and are just trying to justify their purcahse to themselves.

This is not a flame, I'm probably just repeating what others have said, but its still his opinion, I don't agree with it, the 12" is great for what it is. Its a little warm in the AppleStores, yes, but they're also not turned off, they're on all day and etc. Don't compare this to other machines, its meant to be a G4 in a small package. There is, of course, a market out there--Apple wouldn't just release a product that there was no demand for.

[iBorg]

Originally posted by JayTi:
There is, of course, a market out there--Apple wouldn't just release a product that there was no demand for.

You're right ... and wrong:
1. Yes, there is a market for this limited 12" G4 Powerbook.
2. Can you spell C-U-B-E?



iBorg

[Eug]

Originally posted by JayTi:
...but they're obviously insecure and are just trying to justify their purcahse to themselves.

This is not a flame...

Of course it is Jay.

Anyways, I agree the 12" to 15" comparison is kinda meaningless in the greater scheme of things.

The real comparison will be the 15.4" AluBook vs. the 15.2" TiBook. Although it will too late of course, since I'm convinced the 15.4" AluBook will have a faster CPU.

[caseygittings]

Jay you are so wrong. Where in this thread is there anything that even suggests my jealousy. Obviously you have not read through the thread and seen the many replys that agree with my opinion.

[brettwolf]

Originally posted by caseygittings:
Jay you are so wrong. Where in this thread is there anything that even suggests my jealousy. Obviously you have not read through the thread and seen the many replys that agree with my opinion.

Right on CG!

[PoisonTooth]

Originally posted by macgeekjay:


And the keyboard? BY FAR the best keyboard in ANY laptop. Period. The Titanium Books seem cheap by comparison. They are still a solid value and, like others have said here, the 12" and the 15" are both filling their own respected niches- filling different needs.

Wrong. The best keyboard, bar none, on any laptop, is that of the IBM ThinkPad. It's one of the only laptops in the world that consistently gets huge kudos for its keyboard feel and travel. I have one at work, and I can say that the keyboard on that machine rocks. Better than that on my TiBook 1GHz.

[DVD Plaza]

Originally posted by JayTi:
Apple wouldn't just release a product that there was no demand for.

They do, however, withdraw products there is demand for... the Newton and Cube for instance...

[matthewbuchanan]

Originally posted by Eug:
Resolution: 12" AluBook 1024x768, TiBook 1280x854
DPI: AluBook 106 dpi, TiBook 101 dpi

You don't quite understand what resolution is I think.

Anyways, the iBook 800 screen (which everyone says is identical to the 12" AluBook's screen) is nowhere near as good as the current TiBook's screen. The TiBook has better brightness and better contrast IMO. As for the more densely packed pixels of the 12" AluBook, I'm not sure that's a good thing. With OS X I find I prefer something in the 90-100 range for dpi. The 106 dpi of the 12" AluBook is too high. That was the one thing I disliked about my previous iBook (although I definitely appreciated its portability).

Yes you're right - I meant DPI rather than resolution. But you've confirmed my theory that the iBook and AluBook do have a slightly higher DPI than the TiBook, which is what I was attempting to say. I'll reserve judgment on brightness until I see the AluBook in the flesh, however I personally prefer a higher DPI, so on that count the AluBook stacks up fine.

Matt

[ft2bme]

Originally posted by Parky:
I helped unpack the new 12 inch at a store today (not for sale, demo only) and I was very impressed.

It feels like it is made from a solid piece of metal. The lid opens so much better than the TI or the iBook. It real has much less 'flex' than the other Apple laptops.

The keyboard looks and feels great.

I did not get to use it as they had to do the software install, but it's a very good looking machine.

Saw a 12" at an Apple store today, and I gotta agree. I kept going between that and an iBook, and the iBook case creaks easily, but the 12" PB G4 is very, very solid and smooth when you move the screen. Noticed it seemed a little bit slow waking up, taking a couple seconds, where my TiBook 500 is ready before I can put the screen in position.

When I started using it, the case was slightly warm, but as I ran some applications and iTunes with visuals, the left side did get very warm. My TiBook always stays fairly cool on both sides (but don't ask me about the bottom!). The 12" didn't get painful hot, not even close, just very warm. Maybe it would have if I had used it longer. Someone mentioned the sharp edge below the keyboard, and it's truly quite sharp, but even my fat thumbs never touched it, even when I was resting on the pads and typing.

Still debating whether to replace my TiBook 500 with a 12". Quartz Extreme would be nice, but it didn't strike me as blazingly faster on most things. Not like when I tried the 1GHz DP on the next shelf.

[Superchicken]

this post is now officialliy the lamest on the board

There are two stances

1) I like the 12 inch, it's got good set of features doesn't have Firewire 800 (for some reason some twits are talking about hardwaer but are mentioning Firewire 800 as a dumb feature for these laptops but uhh it's not on them you... grrr) but that's OK, I didn't want it anyway, blue tooth might be good for a wireless mouth it doesn't appear to useful to me right now, AE is good or fine whatever not a huge thing. But all in all it's a nice computer that wasn't supposed to raise the bar since the bar was raised 3 months ago.

2) These suck my slightly older more expencive machine kicks it's but haha you're losers!

OK the second's a bit exadurated. But yes these machines did not suddenly make the Power Book amazing. it's already good and it's already hot hence it obviously can't have a G4 1Ghz in it!
Why the heck are people STILL replying to this post?
It's over, some Ti owners are idiots who can't recognize that yes they have nice machines, but other people have other needs.
And some people don't realize that Ti owners acctually do preffer painted metal.
My preff of course is the 12 inch. SO WHAT?!

If you don't like it FINE, if I don't like your Ti as much as the 12 inch I'm gona get, FINE, it's not like this involves a right or wrong, it's just DIFFERENT.

So please for the love of all that is translucent and made out of blue plastic. (which includes my Rev D iMac) SHUT THE HECK UP ALREADY!
gahhhh

[TheIceMan]

Superchic[k]en
That was well-said...but in an angry sort of way. Chill. There are some of us who agree with what you just said.

[iBorg]

Originally posted by Superchic[k]en:
this post is now officialliy the lamest on the board

There are two stances

1) I like the 12 inch, it's got good set of features doesn't have Firewire 800 (for some reason some twits are talking about hardwaer but are mentioning Firewire 800 as a dumb feature for these laptops but uhh it's not on them you... grrr) but that's OK, I didn't want it anyway, blue tooth might be good for a wireless mouth it doesn't appear to useful to me right now, AE is good or fine whatever not a huge thing. But all in all it's a nice computer that wasn't supposed to raise the bar since the bar was raised 3 months ago.

2) These suck my slightly older more expencive machine kicks it's but haha you're losers!

OK the second's a bit exadurated. But yes these machines did not suddenly make the Power Book amazing. it's already good and it's already hot hence it obviously can't have a G4 1Ghz in it!
Why the heck are people STILL replying to this post?
It's over, some Ti owners are idiots who can't recognize that yes they have nice machines, but other people have other needs.
And some people don't realize that Ti owners acctually do preffer painted metal.
My preff of course is the 12 inch. SO WHAT?!

If you don't like it FINE, if I don't like your Ti as much as the 12 inch I'm gona get, FINE, it's not like this involves a right or wrong, it's just DIFFERENT.

So please for the love of all that is translucent and made out of blue plastic. (which includes my Rev D iMac) SHUT THE HECK UP ALREADY!
gahhhh

Might I suggest that tomorrow you try decaf .........



iBorg

[jamez bond]

I would really want a 12", as I have said in another post somwhere....
I just can't justify the cost right now (even though the money for it is in my bank account).
Had a look at the 12", then My 667DVI, and back again. Damn! I still have a nice computer!

Hopefully, there will be much faster laptops with more goodies in them next year, when I upgrade.

[villalobos]

Originally posted by austinjackson:
Are the keys really painted?

I dont know if they are painted, but I agree that they look cheap. They feel pretty good though.

villa

[austinjackson]

Originally posted by villalobos:
I dont know if they are painted, but I agree that they look cheap. They feel pretty good though.

villa

Are they painted on the underside or on top? I don't even touch my powerbook's painted areas because I am worried about stains and wear. Painted keys do not seem all that intelligent to me.

[icruise]

I don't know if they are "painted" in the sense that we normally use the word. It is true that they are a dark grey plastic underneath with silver on top. If you have done much painting of models and the like you will know that a dark undercoating is necessary to create a good metallic silver color, and the silver on the keys looks much better than most of the silver plastic I have seen used in computers. If you want to see cheap-looking, look at the plastic used in many of the silver monitors or laptops available in Japan.

I personally don't care how the color is applied as long as it doesn't come off. (Those of you who have had powerbook G3s or G4s for a long time know that the keys have a tendency to get shiny after months of use). I guess only time will tell.

[PeterKG]

Hi Icruise,

Rest assured the 12" Powerbook has NO painted parts. It's amazing to me how this thread has evolved. The keys are not painted either. They are color injected plastic.
I wish yours would arrive. Believe me the machine is truly beautiful and rock solid. It is a great machine for anyone wanting the small footprint.
My modem works. My machine is not overly hot. The keyboard feels fantastic to type on. It's plenty fast. The mouse pad doesn't stick. Have I covered all the negatives growing on these and other threads?
Just wait to get yours and don't let a bunch of people who don't own or have never used it for a length of time in their own homes make you doubt your purchase.
Playing with a crapped up demo in some computer store gives you no real experience with any computer.
Yeah, I want to give a review of the 12" Powerbook locked in a brace I saw for a few minutes at the CompUSA with some moron acne faced teenager sales clerk giving me the low down. Sure.

Peter

[olli2]

Originally posted by PeterKG:
I really don't understand what point you are trying to make.

Why are you even comparing a 15" 1GHz Ti Book
to the 12" Powerbook? They are not meant to be in any way similar. The 1GHz is $1000.00 more in price. Everything about what is inside is a more powerful computer. It has it's merits for the people who desire that product.

People like me who have bought the 12" Powerbook find it perfectly suitable for our needs. I like the 12" screen. I don't want or need a portable with a 15" screen. I have a desktop for that. I wanted something durable, portable, G4, and more powerful then an iBook.

Your arguement is like saying, don't buy an iBook because my Ti is better. Each one of these models fill the needs of each buyer. You like yours. I like mine. iBook owners like theirs, and so on. I think they are all great laptops.

When the 15" aluminum models come out I will think they are great and the buyer who doesn't need a 17" or a 12" will flock to it. GREAT! Good for everyone.

But don't knock down the 12" because you have a 15". That is really immature. Be happy for all Mac users to find the machine they desire.

But the TiBook screen is not that much bigger compared to the 12" screen. It has the same height, but is a bit wider. If you put them next to each other, you will see that the size difference is not that big, the TiBook is longer.

[gdiddy]

double post.....

[gdiddy]

I just looked at a 12 the other day and the screen seemed no where near as crisp as the 15. And this fllor version at CompUsa seemed really hot! The whole case and the keyboard were hot to the touch. I thought it was because I had just come in from below freezing temps but the 15 sitting right next to it felt...well just like my 15 at home - Warm. Would be a nice travel notebook though.

[jmatero]

You know, I'm really having a difficult time understanding the "issues" people have with the 12" PowerBook.

12" a problem? get real.... it competes with other small notebooks and 12" is fine... I have it on an IBook and now on a 12" with superdrive and it's perfect for what I use it for.

Heat? you're kidding right? I've used the thing 3 nights in a row now... in bed.... on my lap... with little/no venting on the bottom... and the top is no warmer than my ibook.... in fact the fan has YET to kick on. The small toshibas and sony's WITHOUT internal CD's at work are MUCH hotter. It's not an issue.

No DVI? Not an issue... nobody who buys a sub sub notebook cares.... and if you need it to play on screens/displays in offices, they're ALL VGA... only the Apple flat screens use ADC so who cares. Look, The market for this unit is: people who want to burn DVD's and don't need a huge monitor. I dumped my desktop system at home for.... yup.... a blown iBook last year. I mainly surf the web and do some light photoshop work. HOWEVER I really wished it had a G4 to speed up Photoshop filters and a Superdrive to convert the zillions of home movies I have to DVD. The system is perfect.

As for the TiBook, it is in no way, shape, or form anywhere CLOSE to being as well built as my little 12". I work for a large publishing Co. and we have dozens of them and they are NOT sturdy AT ALL... they dent VERY easily, have constant cd drive problems and the hinges go to crap after a years steady use. The new 15" powerbook coming in a few weeks will incorporate all of the improvments the 12" and 17" have... including the incredible new keyboard. Also, I like working in bed and the TiBook is just too big... to big for an end table... too big to toss around.. for me.... I'm happy as a clam.

I love my little bugger... couldn't have asked for anything more

[icruise]

Originally posted by PeterKG:
Hi Icruise,

Rest assured the 12" Powerbook has NO painted parts. It's amazing to me how this thread has evolved. The keys are not painted either. They are color injected plastic.

Hi Peter. Today before writing that post I went to a store to gaze longingly at the 12". When no one was looking I popped off a key (they pop right back on -- I wasn't being a vandal...) You could see that they were clearly a different color underneath. That's what I based by post on. I couldn't exactly get a good look at the key, since a salesman came by and I didn't want to look too suspicious . As I said, I don't think they are "painted" but it does seem like there is a layer of color on top of another.

I wish yours would arrive.

No kidding... I'm dying here, Apple!

[jamez bond]

I have not seen the keys myself, but I would just like to say that there are good processes for plastics out there for "painting" plastic parts (does not matter if it is injected, blowed, rotated etc). This is often referred to as metalizing, and can work VERY well if done properly. Just have a look at how good this process is on some makeup boxes/lipstick casings etc.
Yes, they might be painted, but I don't think apple would choose a process where the letters or "paint" would flake off (well we have the example of the older tibooks...oops) anyhow, lets hope they have learnt from this.

You can also have two different colour on a plastic injection moulding. (called dual shot) but I doubt this is done on the keys....a bit too costly really.

So; can be metalised, lets hope they have gone for the right process this time around...

[Superchicken]

Yes I suppose my post was a bit... hot... I just wanted to give them something to compare the left palm rest to
heh

I tend to get a BIT over the top when people refuse to see things from multiple perspectives... I talk to some of the most admit atheists... and I think some of the Ti owners are even more stuborn
(PS a good atheist is one that will at least try and understand why someone will have a different point of veiw and not look down on them for having it... same as a Good Christian... or a good mac user... although PC users have less of a case than even atheists I think sometimes.... but then I remember the whole obvious God thing... and remember apple doesn't advertise as well )

And I don't drink coffie... I'm already addicted to to Cola... don't need another caffinated beverage.

[clf8]

Originally posted by JayTi:
There is, of course, a market out there--Apple wouldn't just release a product that there was no demand for.

Except for the Cube.

[icruise]

Originally posted by clf8:
Except for the Cube.

There was a market, just not enough of one. Everyone who is crying for more features in the 12" should realize that it would result in a more expensive computer, and less sales.

If the 12" was another cube, it would cost more than the other, larger powerbooks.

[shatten22]

Originally posted by Superchic[k]en:
It has no L3 cache because yes apple is not gona jack up the price

How much would adding an L3 cache really cost? Especially in bulk? I think this is more akin to the sound-in minijack stupidity. Wouldn't have cost anything at all. Apple is just crippling their machines so they have somewhere to upgrade to.

You're right it's not the perfect laptop for the power user. It's not supposed to be. It's supposed to be a small unit for those of us who don't want a 15.2 inch screen when we go to college and carry it around in our bags, and have it open on small tables and stuff.

Eh, it's called a POWERbook. The powerbook line has always been targeted to the power user; the professional on the go. You are implying that because it is small, it is understandable that it is underpowered, which is the silliest thing I have ever heard. If engineers thought that way, we'd all be working on Crays right now. Technological evolution has shown that we are constantly moving towards faster, smaller and more efficient devices. So size is never a good indication of power.

Blah this post reminds me of something I'd hear from a compaq user.

Or someone who is using their head. Apple is another company. Don't blindly accept what they give you as the best they can offer.

Or do you really believe the new low-end PowerMac is a good deal for professionals?

-g

[icruise]

Originally posted by shatten22:
Eh, it's called a POWERbook. The powerbook line has always been targeted to the power user; the professional on the go. You are implying that because it is small, it is understandable that it is underpowered, which is the silliest thing I have ever heard.

I'm not sure what universe you live in, but as a general rule smaller computers do indeed tend to be less powerful than larger ones. This is one of the main reasons why still use desktops. In the world of notebook computers, smaller nearly always means more expensive and less powerful. That is why I think the 12" powerbook is a good deal. We really sacrifice very little in performance and usability compared to PC subnotebooks, and it's pretty reasonably priced, too.

The 12" powerbook is suited to those professionals who value portability over raw power. It isn't suitable for everyone -- why can't people accept that? There is a reason Apple has three different models of powerbook now -- so they can address as many people's needs as possible.

[PaisanoMan]

Originally posted by Icruise:
As I said, I don't think they are "painted" but it does seem like there is a layer of color on top of another.

It's possible that the keyboard is the same as the 17" -- in that case, perhaps the layer of "color" beneath is really clear plastic so that the keys light up.

When I looked at the keyboard (I didn't remove any of the keys), it sure looked like the letters were inset in a different plastic than the key itself -- that is, the letters weren't painted on.

[MilesWho]

Hello all. I purchased a TiBook in December, and was certainly surprised when the Alubooks came out at Macworld. Are there components of the AluBook I envy? Sure. I am worried about paint chipping on my Ti (nothing yet, knock on wood...), internal bluetooth would be nice (especailly if a bluetooth mouse/key board combo comes out), and the ambient keyboard is AWESOME.

But I think a lot of people are missing the bigger picture here. For the first time in recent memory, Apple seems to be making a serious effort to competitively price their products against wintel machines. Two MAJOR powerbook updates in two months (both with significant price drops), a nice desktop update and price drop, a major price drop on displays...and the promise of a new processor in 2003 (not to mention rumors of a new digitanl device and new iapps to oppose office). As an Apple fan, I am glad to see all of these changes, despite the fact that I just purchased the last line of what will soon be an outdated product (relatively speaking).

So...enough bickering already. Let's be happy that Apple continues to put out new, innovative products, and that the pipeline seems to look good for 2003.


Cheers,
Jason

[MadJJ]

Originally posted by PaisanoMan:
It's possible that the keyboard is the same as the 17" -- in that case, perhaps the layer of "color" beneath is really clear plastic so that the keys light up.

When I looked at the keyboard (I didn't remove any of the keys), it sure looked like the letters were inset in a different plastic than the key itself -- that is, the letters weren't painted on.

The letters are different than the keys - they are translucent. When I turn on num lock the light shines through words 'num lock.' It's almost certainly the same keyboard as the 17".

[Parky]

I have been a big supporter of the 12" PB over the last few weeks, but today my views have been dented.

I saw a brand new 12" PB unpacked in a store in Manchester, and 1 hour later I had a chance to try it.

I was shocked to see it had 2 faults already :-

1. It would not lock shut. The magnetic catch was not being pulled from the display frame and therefore did not pop into the hole in the base. No amount of trying fixed this.

2. The trackpad button was sticking, every click was followed by a delayed release of the button.

These are not 'major' but I would not be happy to have opened a �1400 machine to find these faults. These could be one off problems, but they both would need the PB to be returned to Apple for repair.

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

Please for the love of god people, call it the 12" or 17" Powerbook. "Albook" or "Alubook" is the worst, most douche-chilling term since "IceBook". I couldn't believe that lame-ass nickname appeared online within moments after the keynote. It's a fscking POWERBOOK. You still gonna be calling them Albooks when the 15"ers are replaced with aluminum?

[mrtew]

Originally posted by Silky Voice of The Gorn:
Please for the love of god people, call it the 12" or 17" Powerbook. "Albook" or "Alubook" is the worst, most douche-chilling term since "IceBook". I couldn't believe that lame-ass nickname appeared online within moments after the keynote. It's a fscking POWERBOOK. You still gonna be calling them Albooks when the 15"ers are replaced with aluminum?

Again.... too much caffine! IceBook is a cool name, and AluBook isn't that bad. Speaking of 'chilling' you should try some!

[Daniel Bayer]

.......so......as you are all "Using" your Powerbooks to post silly little rants...mine just ROCKED today!!!

I promissed my girlfriend's daughter that I would not miss her school play.

So of course it is normally my day off and I agrees to go ahead and get photos of the Winter-X Games filed as a favor to help out my co-worker at the Aspen Times.

I shot all the finals of Skier Slopestyle, Boardercross and Snocross.

It has been a real pain in the arse to get parking passes from ESPN so I took the 10 minute shuttle journey from town to the ski area.

.....The school play is at 5:30.

......The five different shots, including two to the Jackson Hole News, are due in first.

I get into town at 3:30. Have 6 rolls of film to soup, edit, scan and tweak.

The lab sucks up most of the time. The rest takes 20 minutes....even with 60MB files.

I walk up to a smiling girlfriend at 5:00 sharp...showered even!


To be more on topic, my 1GHZ ti-book comes from a proven line. My life up here in the fast lane sees this rig working it's tail off.

When you all have worked out the bugs of the new machines for me...AND, they are significantly faster than my current system....I will then take a serious look.


Signed,

Apple Powerbook Posterchild.

[icruise]

Originally posted by mrtew:
Again.... too much caffine! IceBook is a cool name, and AluBook isn't that bad. Speaking of 'chilling' you should try some!

I have a problem with both AluBook (sounds kind of dumb) and AlBook (sort of hard to pronouce). So I hereby propose that we adopt the two best nicknames I have heard so far:

12" Powerbook = PowerBooklet
17" Powerbook = LapZilla

[iChristopher]

I got to play with one tonight for the very first time, and I wasn't as taken as I thought I might be. I've seen Viao's that got my juices going more purely from a cosmetic, tiny gadget perspective.

In terms of functionality and quality, I think it's a great machine for the people it's targeted for.

The screen does not blow me away, but I'm biased because I just bought the best flat panel ever. The 12" PB seems quite bright and the text seems nice and sharp. The keyboard is bigger than I expected, and it felt quite good to me. The case is very solid feeling, feels good against my skin (kidding).

Seems pretty darn "snappy", faster than my 667 DVI just dorking around in the OS.

[mousemd]

1 word for this line:

T R O L L