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Miles Davis · May 7, 2003, 07:09 PM

I have had an iMac for a few months now and would like to get a portable. Just for writing, web and that sort of stuff. I having been thinking about getting a clamshell if I can find one cheap enough (ebay lists the 300mhz at around $400) (of course for around $400 you can get a pretty powerful wintel laptop (Dell)) I like the clamshell form factor as well as the icebook. My question would be if the clamshells are over-priced in this market. Also which to get?
thanks.

dampeoples · May 7, 2003, 07:44 PM

It's my opinion that Apple Computers in general are overpriced on eBay.
I looked at the toilet seat ibooks, but they are limited to 800x600 resolution, that made me want to get the icebook.

Miles Davis · May 7, 2003, 07:52 PM

well where else can you go?

dampeoples · May 7, 2003, 07:57 PM

That's pretty much it, sadly, unless the marketplace here has something. These rigs have a high resale value though, from what I've seen.

iamnid · May 7, 2003, 10:15 PM

check out macprices.com under "clearance ibooks" sometimes the resellers have refurbished clamshell ibooks for quite cheap.

philzilla · May 8, 2003, 06:09 AM

Originally posted by dampeoples:
they are limited to 800x600 resolution

that's the killer part. otherwise, go for it. they're still great machines

ctisevn · May 10, 2003, 01:11 AM

macofalltrades.com had blueberrys for 399 last I checked. if youre anywhere near san francisco theres always someone on craigslist.com looking to unload one. I concur with the others, its still a great machine. Im using one now as my only mac, it could use a little extra ram but I dropped in a cd-rw when the cd drive failed and its been a champ. looks cool too.

Miles Davis · May 10, 2003, 08:33 AM

you can install a cdrw drive? how much does that cost? is it hard to do?

pat++ · May 10, 2003, 10:38 AM

I wouldn't get a clamshell if you plan to install/use OS X. 800x600 is much too limited.

slider · 07:03 PM

OK, I have a 466 iBook SE, which has the dvd player with 576MB of ram, Airport, and Apple replace my HD b/c the old one sounded like a chainsaw. Anyways it runs OS X great for what you're talking about doing. Email, Web (safari), iChat, and M$ office, but at times it wants to lag, no problem though. I have even played with iMovie abit. Don't ask it to run iMovie and some other intensive program at the same time. Now, that is the iBook 466 SE, and I think if I got $400 it would be fair. I would not run OS X on anything less then the 366 with as much ram, but that is it. If you get the 300, run OS 9 and stick a 128MB Chip in it and allocate plenty of ram to the programs such as Word and Web Browser of choice. But I gotta say, I think $400 is too much for a 300 iBook. With the current low end iBook coming in at $999 it's kinda hard to ask for a lot for these clamshells.

Edit: Sorry, I am not selling mine.

ctisevn · May 10, 2003, 06:39 PM

Originally posted by Miles Davis:
you can install a cdrw drive? how much does that cost? is it hard to do?

theres a couple 4x and 8x cdrw drives that work with itunes and are bootable out of the box, ones a sony the others a matsushita. I got mine for about $50, its not terribly hard as long as youre comfortable opening the case. the hardest part is getting the faceplate to work with the new drive.

the_glassman · May 11, 2003, 11:31 AM

Could you tell us more about these CDRW drives? Model numbers, etc???
And they work so you can keep the faceplate???
The only CD-RW drive I have seen is from ibookparts.com and it doesn't let you keep the face plate.

I have no problem opening up my book, since I've already upgraded the hard drive, and over clocked it.

ctisevn · May 11, 2003, 12:49 PM

Originally posted by the_glassman:
Could you tell us more about these CDRW drives? Model numbers, etc???
And they work so you can keep the faceplate???
The only CD-RW drive I have seen is from ibookparts.com and it doesn't let you keep the face plate.
I have no problem opening up my book, since I've already upgraded the hard drive, and over clocked it.

check xlr8yourmac.com, theyve got a drive compatibility list. the one I used is a sony CRX700E. its bootable and burns under itunes, totally plug and play. youre going to have to mod the faceplate to get it to work with any drive though. I had to shave a bit of the inside of the faceplate off with an xacto and drilled a small hole so the release button was accesible. the attachments dont line up so I used super glue. I thought it might be a problem but its never fallen off and I lined it up well so it looks like it should. the sony has a green led that bleeds light thru the faceplate that looks very cool too.

whats yours overclocked to? any info on how to do that? Id like a bit more speed if its not ridicuously difficult. anyone know if the clamshells (blueberry in this case) will take a 512MB ram chip?

the_glassman · May 11, 2003, 03:27 PM

Originally posted by ctisevn:
check xlr8yourmac.com, theyve got a drive compatibility list. the one I used is a sony CRX700E. its bootable and burns under itunes, totally plug and play. youre going to have to mod the faceplate to get it to work with any drive though. I had to shave a bit of the inside of the faceplate off with an xacto and drilled a small hole so the release button was accesible. the attachments dont line up so I used super glue. I thought it might be a problem but its never fallen off and I lined it up well so it looks like it should. the sony has a green led that bleeds light thru the faceplate that looks very cool too.
whats yours overclocked to? any info on how to do that? Id like a bit more speed if its not ridicuously difficult. anyone know if the clamshells (blueberry in this case) will take a 512MB ram chip?

Great, thanks for the info. My Rev A. Blueberry is now 400 MHz (from 300) with a 20 gig hard drive, and soon a CD-RW!!!

It should hold me off until there is a real G4 ibook.

For info on overclocking your ibook, go to this site.
Here!

ctisevn · May 13, 2003, 12:09 PM

Originally posted by the_glassman:
Great, thanks for the info. My Rev A. Blueberry is now 400 MHz (from 300) with a 20 gig hard drive, and soon a CD-RW!!!
It should hold me off until there is a real G4 ibook.
For info on overclocking your ibook, go to this site.
Here!

nice! next time Ive got the ibook open Ill try that. how much ram are you running in yours? Im going to pick up either a 256 or a 512 if itll take it.

jedi2187 · May 13, 2003, 01:03 PM

Originally posted by Miles Davis:
you can install a cdrw drive? how much does that cost? is it hard to do?

go to www.wegenermedia.com for CDRW internal for the clamshell models.

biposto · May 14, 2003, 03:40 PM

Edit: Sorry, I am not selling mine.

Take good care of that baby, they are so cool

BigDaddy · May 14, 2003, 03:44 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...2&category=117

I like my 300 still but this bid has to be a joke.

iamnid · May 14, 2003, 05:02 PM

Originally posted by BigDaddy:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...2&category=117

I like my 300 still but this bid has to be a joke.

No kidding! I went to the link at it was over $600 for an original clamshell... some stupid bidders out there.

rozwado1 · May 15, 2003, 11:25 PM

Some stupid sellers too. I got my iBook 500 (oct 01) in February 02 for $675. Been lucky ever since.

radarbob · May 16, 2003, 04:40 PM

I wouldn't get a clamshell if you plan to install/use OS X. 800x600 is much too limited.

I disagree.

I'm running OS 10.2.2 on Precious - a 300MHz iBook. Go to MacDebate for a lengthy thread on my experience with OS X. http://www.macdebate.com/6/ubb.x?a=t...937&m=68960147

ctisevn · May 16, 2003, 04:51 PM

Originally posted by radarbob:
I disagree.

I'm running OS 10.2.2 on Precious - a 300MHz iBook. Go to MacDebate for a lengthy thread on my experience with OS X. http://www.macdebate.com/6/ubb.x?a=t...937&m=68960147

your 300 is alrite with that 512 chip? its time for a ram upgrade in mine and its either 256 or 512 if it works.

radarbob · May 18, 2003, 12:09 PM

As I report in the referenced thread above, the 512MB works just fine. As noted, again in that thread, my brief experience with OS X and a 256MB simm suggests it's not enough.

512MB vis-a-vis 256MB does not make the computer faster per se, but it makes it much, much more usable.

ctisevn · May 18, 2003, 01:42 PM

Originally posted by radarbob:
As I report in the referenced thread above, the 512MB works just fine. As noted, again in that thread, my brief experience with OS X and a 256MB simm suggests it's not enough.

512MB vis-a-vis 256MB does not make the computer faster per se, but it makes it much, much more usable.

thanks, I read the thread after I posted the question, it does clearly state your positive experience with a 512 chip in the ibook. thats great news. 256 would have been more than enough for my use but as long as a 512 works Ill probably spring for the extra memory.

radarbob · May 18, 2003, 11:35 PM

Let me get back and address the original question....

Even if you get a cheap clamshell think about how much you'll shell out for upgrading it. I paid 159 for my new hard drive and 100 for the memory.

So let's say you just spent $600 for that whole deal. For $400 more you can have a new 800MHz iBook under warranty. Oh, but you should spring for the extra memory there too.

And you can never upgrade the clamshell to the buss speed, screen resolution, graphics guts, etc. of the iceBooks.

MilkmanDan · May 19, 2003, 12:24 AM

I've been looking for a used iBook also. The best deal is finding a used IceBook 500 mhz. You can always mod it to bump the bus speed up to 100 mhz (from the original 66mhz). The problem is finding one without having to sell your liver in the process.