[lexicdark0725]

I'm using an outdated 350MHz iBook G3- Graphite with a CD-ROM drive and a 12.1-inch screen. College starts back in about a month and I'd like to get into something a bit more modern that runs OS X like a gem, but unfortunately their are some concerns I have about the current line of G4 iBooks and Aluminum PowerBooks.

I've read stories about people who claim they spend more time shipping their iBook off for repairs than they do using it. A lot of users complain about the tupperware-style plastic around the keyboard turning black after enough use.

PowerBook owners on the other hand are starting to talk about something far worse it seems. Owners who have been using theirs long enough decribe corrosion around the keyboard, probably due to sweat or acidic oils from their hands.

Could some expert users who have either of the 2 products mentioned above sound off with opinions and advice on what I've said and should do.

Much appreciated!!!

[Gig103]

I say don't worry! I'm no expert and have only had my 15" Al PB for a month or so but I love it so much, I wouldn't worry about the external appearance.

But i've always been function over form, so YMMV.

[f1000]

Originally posted by lexicdark0725:
PowerBook owners on the other hand are starting to talk about something far worse it seems. Owners who have been using theirs long enough decribe corrosion around the keyboard, probably due to sweat or acidic oils from their hands.

Avoid resting your palms on the built-in palm rests, and try to use an external keyboard as much as possible.

Several companies also sell 'skins' to protect the palmrests:

http://www.klearadvantage.com/

[kafoochy]

I think you're worrying too much. If you want you can buy a Dell and worry about the horrible plastic twisting sound that will develop when you touch it, wait that's probably a standard feature on the Inspirions. Or their fans which come on with the slightest bit of processor use and rival a MDD G4. I don't know about the "issue" with the iBooks that you noted since I don't have one, but I've not noticed the corision on the Powerbook and I got one of the first 1.25Ghz 15". I'm also a sweaty guy and my apartment doesn't have air conditioning and yet I still never had problems. The title that this Powerbook forum is under is "Hardware Troubleshooting and Discussion" When people have problems they come here, but they aren't necessarily the norm. Buy what you want. Don't spend your life worrying, you'll get nowhere. Buy AppleCare and stop worrying. I've treated my computer well, I wipe it down occasionally, and it repays me with beauty, grace and a whole lot of power.

[amazing]

An ounce of prevention never hurt anything: Get yourself some clear shelf-liner plastic and cut rectangles to fit on each palm rest. Voil�: no dirt on iBook, no pitting on aluminum PB.

There are more important decisions to make about which laptop to invest in: For example, are you going with the 12" of either model? What's the edu price and what comes with it? You gonna do the iPod edu purchase with laptop? What size HD do you need? On the edu price list, can you configure the 12" iBook with a larger HD? Add in all the stuff and take a look at your budget...

[Dubloseven]

get a 12" powerbook. i used it for my first year of college last year and it was perfect. no problems at all with it. i'm gonna use it for at least the next few years. btw, i do use an external mouse and keyboard, it makes it much nicer to use on your desk.

[MilkmanDan]

I second getting a 12in Powerbook. The size makes it great for lugging around campus, plus its quite the fast little guy. My roomie has a 12in Powerbook and takes it everywhere. I eventually got one myself after an unfortunate accident killed my tower. Well work it to buy a 12in. Heck, you can even buy a refurbed one for a decent price.

[Phat Bastard]

I have a 12" Powerbook that I take with me to and from grad school. It's true, the palm rests have developed small black specks from the aluminum corroding slightly. But it's no big deal, since the machine is so freakin' incredible I can ignore this little thing. The specks are like half a millimeter wide, they're nothing.

Why are you so worried about this corrosion? It doesn't affect the machine's performance, and it is barely even noticeable. If you're concerned about resale value, there are many other factors that affect resale value in laptops than things like this.

[vancenase]

why not just clean the possibly affected areas every week (or day) or so if you are worried about it?

[jstein]

lexicdark0725 kafoochy is ever so right. This is a troubleshooting and discussion thread. So there are going to more post in this community concerning problems and repairs than anything else. Also people tend to justify their existence through bad experiences rather than the good ones. Case in point, I posted a thread about a recent positive experience I had with Apple repair service and though it received a lot of views few people replied to it.


Problems occur with technology it is not something that you have to or should accept but they occur. I have a 15inch alpb and I could never be happier, well to be honest I could give me the 17inch one . Your main concerns as you go back to school should be what model of the current powerbooks are you going to go with? How much extra RAM are you going to add? Etc etc....

Since I do not know what is your field of study or how you will actually use your next computer I cannot say too much. However, here are few things to consider, if you are not going to be running major applications or sucking up a lot of juice. You may want to look into the 14inch Ibook. Wtih the BTO you can even add a superdrive to it. Now, this in no means compares to a powerbook regardless of the size. But if you are not going to need all of that extra power save you some money and go with the Ibook. As college students we need all the extra cash we can get. Something to keep in mind....

[kafoochy]

Originally posted by jstein:
Since I do not know what is your field of study or how you will actually use your next computer I cannot say too much.

I was also curious what your plans are for college. If you don't know, that's ok too (at least here in the liberal-arts obsessed US!) I'm happy with my 15" as a communication/ad/design major, but at times wish it was a little more portable since we've become inseparable and I take him with me everywhere around our wireless campus. I probably should have gotten the 12" PB with a 17" studio display. I think the 12" is a great machine although a little small for some things, such as design. Then again I have a friend who takes his 17" everywhere, and its size is completely transparent to him. You need to just figure out what size you want. I think I was too logical when I got the 15", although I still love it as much as the day I got it. The iBooks are great too and more rugged than the Powerbooks. I'd have little issue putting an iBook into my messenger bag and running off to class but I just can't do that with my powerbook (without a good slipcase). The iBooks are great in that regard.

[wuzup101]

Either will be a great upgrade from what you're currently using. I personally suffered through my first year with my PC desktop (though I built it myself so it ran quite nice). A nice laptop is woth so much in college. Get yourself something that you can see yourself using for a few years. I already take this powerbook with me everywhere. I have no clue why people say the 15" isn't portable. It's thinner (even with it's sleeve case) than any one of my notebooks for class. My friends with middle end dells hate me for it Unless your a midget or something, I'd say the 15" is a perfect portable which also has a big enough screen to use as a desktop replacement!

BTW, I'll be a sophomore in Bio Engineering this fall at Penn State Main.

Good luck!