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krux` · 09:09 PM

Well! It finally arrived! It actually came about a week ago, however between that time and now i have been on some solid hours each day! First of all, before i start, i would like to say i am stunned. Before it arrived i had not even seen a powerbook in person, so i didnt know what to expect, however it Is truely a stunning machine, the engineering put into it is very noticable, the design is next to perfect, very rugged feel, just a great machine that im going to have for a long time. i Have had No problems with it, none at all, not even the ones discussed on this forum such as it being too hot.. Whats this about?? when its on my lap and im donig photoshop work its never to hot.., whitespots? none, Never crashed, no kernel panics, whole screen is perfect. battery life is like i said 3:30 that is with the screen brightness set at max with heavy multi task. i waited a week before i posted a review on it because i heard there were problems with some 15" Pb's not when you got it, but 3-5 days after, with white spots. That is simply not the case here! There are No white spots, and i am AMAZED at the screen quality!! This is how pictures and images should be viewed! The quality of images is absurd!

This is what i got!:
15"
SuperDrive (without superdrive)
Backlit Keyboard
Radeon 9600
512" stock
Extra 512
80GB hd
Panther 10.3.1

So to start out, when this thing arrived, i hadnt expected it, because it said it would ship on or before the 25, it shipped 7 days early, and it was 3 day shipping (i had specified 7) - so when it arrived early i didnt know it was mine, but it was! So i opened it up, to the soft esters of delta-9-tetrahydracannibinol and soft tunes provided by Jim Brickman (which sounded noticably optimized on my computer), and i opened it up with great anxiety. apple has been known for their elaborate packaging, and that they are! So once i opened it up, set this on my desk, however note that it was literally freezing from shipping, wasnt cold no, freezing is the term. so i started it up anyways, to find not a loading screen, not a mess of configurations that are there for you to scavage thru just to mess up the experience, but rather a welcome movie that only shows once ive now found, music and everything! sounds dry however it was quite the opposite. To my surprise it was too easy to install, didnt even take as long as a barbone install of mandrake! So since then i have installed all my favorite app's with no trouble, features such as .Mac service work seamlessly, battery life is around 3:30, the sound on the laptop itself is very good for such small speakers, hooked in DSL cable, and opened up safari, and internet. Perhaps im being overly estatic however it Is the best machine ive owned, let alone seen! Since the time it arrived ive used it everyday, with intensive programs open most of the time, multi tasking Photoshop, dreamweaver, and bryce, with of course safari irc and ichat! and remember this is with only 512! i had bought an extra 512 from memorytogo.com however the screws are too small to get out to even install it.. Now im sure people are looking for bad things about this as well, or at least downsides, and i do have one. That is i hear a slight clicking, not a clicking like my x-mag with intellifeed and lvl 10bolt, but a barely audible clicking like the writing/reading of a harddrive, its very faint however its there, and its always on now, i didnt notice it until about 2 days ago, perhaps its always been there maybe not but its there. and a slight beeping sound when i have dreamweaver and bryce open, beeps here and there, and that is very very faint as well. i called applecare (yes i got applcare not that ill need it but a "peace of mind") and they said it was the power somthing or other, and said it would go away, i think they said that to get rid of me cuz i still hear it ; ) so ill be bothering them about it again.. anyone know what the sound is though? Other than that *None*! Im very hard on products however this one is quite flawless, no whitespots or anything! quite a happy customer from apple.. And your tired of me talking so heres the awesome pictures:

http://homepage.mac.com/krux/PhotoAlbum13.html

Edit: From a gaming perspective, this is an ideal machine! Ive run Ut2k3, AOM and SC4 Wc3, all run exceptional, except SC4, i believe its poorly written because G5's have a problem with that to! Framrates in UT2k3 are exceptional! AOM Runs without a jerk, ever.. WC3 is the same deal! All settings were at maximum detail

---------------------------
PB 15" 1.25GHz 1GB 80GB - [email protected] - iChat: vStkileR
You can't imagine anything that is not real, because your imaginging it creates its own reality

onaujee · Dec 4, 2003, 07:27 PM

nice..

futurist · Dec 4, 2003, 09:12 PM

I agree with wat Krux have mention. I juz got mine 4 days ago. Screen look much brighter. Guys start your order now..

Sakino · Dec 4, 2003, 11:20 PM

Originally posted by futurist:
I agree with wat Krux have mention. I juz got mine 4 days ago. Screen look much brighter. Guys start your order now..

One suggestion keep a battery log, by going thru terminal and running the following command.
ioreg -l | grep -i IOBatteryInfo

This will read out as the following:
| | | | "IOBatteryInfo" = ({"Capacity"=3713,"Amperage"=1272,"Current"=3699," Voltage"=11971,"Flags"=4})

The Capacity should be well over 4300, it should actually read out at 4600. The odd thing with my battery is the fact that is has been going down. My capacity started out at 4000, and has gone down that much.

This way you will get a new battery.

But with all the problems I have had with my past 2 powerbooks, apple offered to do an advance replacement of with a new powerbook. This would mean in a couple of weeks I will be going on my 4th powerbook.

slider · Dec 4, 2003, 11:31 PM

Congrates on the machine. I wanted to give you a heads up on the memory. I bought my memory from Mem. to go and I had some problems with it. This only occurred when I had the energy settings set to longest batt. life or automatic. Anyways the machine would freeze, or not wake up at all and I needed to repeatedly hold down the power button to restart until it finally would restart. I later bought another 512 chip from Crucial after seeing that 12" PB owners were having simialer problems. There is no longer an issue. My advice is try and get a refund form Mem to go and get it from Crucial instead. It's only like $30 more and worth every bit. I have not had one single problem regardless of the energy setting since I installed it. I actually still need to try and return my mem to go chip. I also had spent the extra couple of bucks for their hyperspeed memory. I still like mem. to go, I have had a lot of luck with them in the past, but I guess these new machines are very particualar about ram. Save yourself the stress.

futurist · Dec 4, 2003, 11:52 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
One suggestion keep a battery log, by going thru terminal and running the following command.
ioreg -l | grep -i IOBatteryInfo

This will read out as the following:
| | | | "IOBatteryInfo" = ({"Capacity"=3713,"Amperage"=1272,"Current"=3699," Voltage"=11971,"Flags"=4})

The Capacity should be well over 4300, it should actually read out at 4600. The odd thing with my battery is the fact that is has been going down. My capacity started out at 4000, and has gone down that much.

This way you will get a new battery.

But with all the problems I have had with my past 2 powerbooks, apple offered to do an advance replacement of with a new powerbook. This would mean in a couple of weeks I will be going on my 4th powerbook.

so if my battery is below 4300... u mean i can go to apple centre and ask for a new battery? thanks for the kind help. will try that later.

hldan · Dec 5, 2003, 12:47 AM

Congrats on your new baby, I just adopted the new 17" 1.33 Ghz but I didn't adopt that cool desktop. Where did you get it from. Can you post a link or something?

krux` · Dec 5, 2003, 01:13 AM

Slider: Thanks for the heads up, however a couple of people ive talked thru on different forums have had that RAM so im gonna at least try it however if i have problems, this discussion board will hear about it for sure ; )

hldan - my desktop rotates every 5 minutes between about 15-20 very nice desktop's and their all on the site i posted my PB pictures on, at the top under Desktop's

http://homepage.mac.com/krux/PhotoAlbum9.html

machem · Dec 5, 2003, 01:35 AM

Originally posted by futurist:
so if my battery is below 4300... u mean i can go to apple centre and ask for a new battery? thanks for the kind help. will try that later.

Sakino has had good luck --- I was unsuccessful in getting a new battery when mine showed a capacity of 3500 or so. Called more than once. It became a moot point as that battery went back with the old PB when the spots returned after a repair.

Now I have two batteries: one at 4600 and one at 4500. I don't think you'd get a replacement for one at 4300.

Have Sakino call for you.

hldan · Dec 5, 2003, 02:26 AM

Originally posted by krux`:
Slider: Thanks for the heads up, however a couple of people ive talked thru on different forums have had that RAM so im gonna at least try it however if i have problems, this discussion board will hear about it for sure ; )

hldan - my desktop rotates every 5 minutes between about 15-20 very nice desktop's and their all on the site i posted my PB pictures on, at the top under Desktop's

http://homepage.mac.com/krux/PhotoAlbum9.html

Krux, that's really cool, Thanks! One note if you haven't noticed yet your backlit keyboard and ALS may not function all the time. Sometimes you will have to put the computer to sleep and then wake it up and they keys will light up and the ALS will work. This is a Panther glitch and hopefully will be addressed in future updates.

Sakino · Dec 5, 2003, 10:50 AM

Originally posted by futurist:
so if my battery is below 4300... u mean i can go to apple centre and ask for a new battery? thanks for the kind help. will try that later.

I would say it's a good chance if you do keep battery logs and show that the battery life has gone down.

Originally posted by machem:
Sakino has had good luck --- I was unsuccessful in getting a new battery when mine showed a capacity of 3500 or so. Called more than once. It became a moot point as that battery went back with the old PB when the spots returned after a repair.

Now I have two batteries: one at 4600 and one at 4500. I don't think you'd get a replacement for one at 4300.

Have Sakino call for you.

Umm yeah but how many 15 inch al pbs have you owned?

Right now I am going on my 4th powerbook. I decided to take my 3rd powerbook into the local store and say here is my problems: battery life depleating, keys stuck. The guy looked at my other case numbers and said, "I will just get you a new computer, and we will do it with an advance replacement so you can keep your current powerbook until the new one arrives." I wasn't going to turn that down, get mid-December model will probably most of the problems fixed.

krux` · Dec 5, 2003, 12:58 PM

no, you are correct in that i dont have anything to compare with my experience to, however this is how i look at it, if this powerbook has everything i need and will for years to come, what more would i need? anything more would be tertiary

Flyer · Dec 5, 2003, 01:05 PM

Looks great, enjoy!

Zatt · Dec 5, 2003, 02:59 PM

Wow! That's one sexy machine! I agree, AWESOME desktops.

futurist · Dec 5, 2003, 06:55 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
One suggestion keep a battery log, by going thru terminal and running the following command.
ioreg -l | grep -i IOBatteryInfo

This will read out as the following:
| | | | "IOBatteryInfo" = ({"Capacity"=3713,"Amperage"=1272,"Current"=3699," Voltage"=11971,"Flags"=4})

The Capacity should be well over 4300, it should actually read out at 4600. The odd thing with my battery is the fact that is has been going down. My capacity started out at 4000, and has gone down that much.

This way you will get a new battery.

But with all the problems I have had with my past 2 powerbooks, apple offered to do an advance replacement of with a new powerbook. This would mean in a couple of weeks I will be going on my 4th powerbook.

hey sakino,

here's mine:

"IOBatteryInfo" =
({"Capacity"=4360,"Amperage"=1200,"

so is it ok?

deviousgelatin · Dec 5, 2003, 08:31 PM

Nice! Of course, I'm biased. Funny thing....it looks just like mine.

Hey! Check that out. I'm a full fledged member now. I'd like to start by thanking the academy, my hairdresser.... all the little people who made this possible...

Sakino · Dec 5, 2003, 09:38 PM

Originally posted by futurist:
hey sakino,

here's mine:

"IOBatteryInfo" =
({"Capacity"=4360,"Amperage"=1200,"

so is it ok?

I guess so? It's just odd that apple is shipping out a wide range of batteries with their current powerbooks. My roommate picked up his 15" al pb a month ago and has had no PROBLEMS. His capacity read out is actually at ~4650, will someone please explain that? How is possible apple ships me a 2-3 batteries that only have about ~3600 capacity or less.

I actually learned about this command from this forum, so I am on the same level of understanding as you. But from my understading the specs, on apple's website, list the powerbook with a battery that has "46-watt-hour lithium-ion battery." Therefore I would expect the capacity to be at 4600 like my roommates is. Basically what I am looking at is the average capacity of the batteries being shipped out by apple, and that seems to be in the 4400-4700 range.
My suggestion is to keep a battery log and if it seems that the battery capacity goes down, like mine did, I suggest you call up Tech Support and show them your log file. One suggestion with the terminal, when running this command, make sure you make it larger because there are actually a lot more lines the you can see. This might help you out in the later run.

Good Luck,
Sakino

Daracle · Dec 5, 2003, 10:17 PM

Quick Question:
How do I get my desktops to change every few mins?

Thanks

chris v · Dec 5, 2003, 10:47 PM

Originally posted by Daracle:
Quick Question:
How do I get my desktops to change every few mins?

Thanks

System Preferences--> Desktop & Screensaver, select Desktop tab, click on check box at bottom of pane, and set the time in the pop-up menu to the right of the button.

CV

Daracle · Dec 5, 2003, 11:41 PM

I should have known that
Thanks guys

krux` · Dec 6, 2003, 03:36 AM

i Just got these ScreenSavrZ for my iPod and Powerbook today, thought they were a good idea... and their Great! Highly recommened! Next is a nice sleeve!

<img src=http://homepage.mac.com/krux/.Pictures/Desktop/savrz.jpg>

edit: http://homepage.mac.com/krux/.Pictur...ktop/savrz.jpg

ae86_16v · Dec 6, 2003, 07:04 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
One suggestion keep a battery log, by going thru terminal and running the following command.
ioreg -l | grep -i IOBatteryInfo

This will read out as the following:
| | | | "IOBatteryInfo" = ({"Capacity"=3713,"Amperage"=1272,"Current"=3699," Voltage"=11971,"Flags"=4})

The Capacity should be well over 4300, it should actually read out at 4600. The odd thing with my battery is the fact that is has been going down. My capacity started out at 4000, and has gone down that much.

This way you will get a new battery.

But with all the problems I have had with my past 2 powerbooks, apple offered to do an advance replacement of with a new powerbook. This would mean in a couple of weeks I will be going on my 4th powerbook.

My capacity reads out 3400. I get about 2.5 w/ screen dimmed.

Deuce · Dec 6, 2003, 07:38 PM

Sweet deal bro. Just bought a 12" myself... although I can't have it until Christmas (20 years old and my mom still holds the Christmas Day standard true... it's ok... I'll play her game).

Just one thing I noticed:

Credit cards? Money? What were YOU doing by the new Albook huh?

hehehehehe

How difficult is it to install another 512 on a 12? I was thinking about doing this as an extra gift for myself. Is it worth it?

Thanks!

~AJ

NYCFarmboy · Dec 6, 2003, 08:08 PM

Originally posted by Deuce:

Just one thing I noticed:

Credit cards? Money? What were YOU doing by the new Albook huh?~AJ

I was wondering that myself!

Deuce · Dec 6, 2003, 08:15 PM

Not that I know what that means or anything....................

Perhaps he was just trying to buy things online?????

But then there is that glass desk... and the twenties. Course if they were hung's I'd REALLY be thinking... know what I mean?

Enough of that... lol

Kenneth · Dec 6, 2003, 09:24 PM

Nice.

Those cash and TAZO tea look good...

krux` · Dec 6, 2003, 10:19 PM

lol, actually bro what happened was i moved from california up here to seattle, just bought this new desk at staples, got the powerbook at a student discount, and only payed half of that, same with ipod applecare and 2.Mac accounts, so im not rich ; ) as for the credit cards, i had those out when i bought my RadTech ScreenSavRz and my iPod RadTech cover to, those are in my screenshot that i posted like 6 msgs up. and that money was all 5$s i dont have a wallet

as for the RAm i have an extra 512 that im looking at now, however who the hell would have a screwdriver that small! i dont wana try to open it with anything other then that Size 00 driver, dont wana strip the screws. This powerbook is plenty fast now i wonder what it `ll be like after i throw that thing in!

Deuce · Dec 7, 2003, 12:47 AM

Suuuuureeee... you can fool the younger crowd... but not this guy.

No wallet. PSSSHHHH!!

~ AJ

krux` · Dec 7, 2003, 02:46 AM

sorry to be posting so much, but alot is going on with this machine! got more RAM into this thing, XBench scores were 116, up from 109 with 512 ram.. only one test, usually i do more and take the average but not this time around

check it out:

http://homepage.mac.com/krux/.Pictures/new/1024.jpg

EvanV · Dec 7, 2003, 05:37 PM

"IOBatteryInfo" = ({"Capacity"=3688,"Amperage"=1200,"

krux` · Dec 8, 2003, 03:54 PM

Well, today i called apple because that very faint harddrive noise is still present, and though its not a problem, i just want to make sure its not going to affect me long term, so i called, they said nope, and while i was on the phone, thanks to this forum i had been keeping track of my battery, it was originally at 4300, then 3700 and battery life was getting shorter, thought it was because i needed to calibrate it, so i did, and it dropped, and now this is what it says:

"IOBatteryInfo" = ({"Capacity"=3176,"Amperage"=1200,"Current"=2882," Voltage"=12532

It's as if when i calibrated it, it dropped it drastically and even worse kept it there.

So i decided while i was on the phone to put that up and see what they would say, and the applecare person put me on hold for 10 minutes, came back and said ok well send you a new battery. That simple, didnt need any other information other than my address (Not even serial # of computer) That's ok by me! She said it would come sometime this week so il update on the battery spec's once it gets here!