Until some tech mag decides to actually test all the models, there's not much to say about questions like this. You really can't use the "bars of reception" as a guide, because they mean very little. You have to use something like MacStumbler, where you get actual figures--and then you have to have all 3 AlPB models side by side, along with the iBooks, each testing in the exact same location with the exact same base station. MacWorld mag did some tests back when the G3 iBooks were still in vogue, using MacStumbler, and they seemed to indicate that the original 802.11b cards had better reception at distance than the AE cards. In other words, reception dropped off faster on an AE card that farther away you get from a base station The tests also showed that Apple's AEBS dropped off way faster than 3rd party base stations. Bars of reception were NOT used as an evaluation tool.
It's the same thing with battery life questions: The time indicator means nothing. You have to use actual software, something like X-Charge to get actual figures, and on top of that you have to specify screen brightness, and software use, along with HD speed and CPU mhz. Something that maxes out the CPU and requires constant disk swapping will drain the battery a lot faster.
I keep wondering why the Mac magazines don't seem to be doing testing like this anymore? Is airport range or battery life so questionable that they don't want to shed a negative light on things?
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