[SpiffyGuyC]

OK everyone, I just traded my year-old 500MHz TiBook for a new 667 DVI model, and I've got a few caveats....would like to see if these are shared by anyone else...

First, let me get this out of the way: the new screen is beautiful. Bright, high-resolution, and the Radeon graphics really drive things home in this area.

Now...overall, this machine seems to be more poorly constructed than my last. The screen hinge is tight...to the point where there are subtle little creaks and crunches on the left hinge when I close...maybe it just needs breaking in, but I'm already afraid from all the horror stories I've heard. Also, it's hard to latch - I have to push down/close with a fair amount of force to get the latch to stick. Sometimes it pops back open if I don't push down with enough force and I have to try again. My 500 never did this. Thirdly, the Combo drive is downright violent compared to my 500. Whereas the 500 would gently feed my CD in right away, the 667's drive doesn't actually grab the disc until it is almost completely inside the drive. It grabs/ejects rather quickly/violently, and the first few noises it makes aren't pleasant either!

In addition, Apple made some changes they shouldn't have, in my opinion. First and foremost, torx screws on the bottom of the computer vs. philips head on the 500. What gives? I can understand using torx for things we aren't supposed to be fiddling around with like the screen enclosure and even the internal drive mounts....but considering that the bottom cover needs to be removed to install an AirPort card, Apple could have made this a ton easier for the average Joe by keeping the philips screws. I had to go to Sears to purchase their last Torx-8 in stock before I could get on the internet and play with my PowerBook. Ridiculous. At the very least, Apple should include the necessary tool if they're going to use something so uncommon.

And the keyboard layout has also apparently changed; I'm not just talking about the function keys...I rather like the new F7 deal. I found out about the other change the hard way when I went to send an instant message to a friend, instinctively tapping my thumb directly on the.....Command Key? Imagine my confusion when I discovered the "Enter" key had been shifted over one place and replaced with a command key...frustrating when 2 years' of instinct tell your thumb where to go to send that IM Not that it's a huge deal, I'm sure I will get used to it, but nonetheless I really think the switcharoo was unnecessary.

OK, I'm done venting. In all other respects, this machine has been wonderful so far and performed right along with my expectations. My original Ti was far and away the greatest Apple product I've owned yet, and I hope the new baby follows in its footsteps!

I'm just wondering if anyone else has switched from a first-generation G4 PowerBook to the new DVI models and experienced anything like what I'm feeling (or contrary to it). Post away!

-S

[acadian]

I've gone from a first gen Ti500 to a second gen Ti667 and now to the 800 DVI and I have to say that this unit runs circles around the previous two. I have not experienced the same level of frustration regarding the keyboard layout or the screen tesnsion. Neither can I comment on the torx screw issue as I have no intention of ever attempting to remove the bottom case myself, a lesson learned from the rather "graduate" level of dificulty I experienced attempting this with the 500. Of all three though, I found the 667 most dissapointing. It suffered 2 logic board mishaps, no performance increase to warrant purchasing the 667 and the common paint bubbling issue, the 500 in comparison was a rock. I do have one rather trivial question regarding the 800 though, the inlayed panel on the bottom case which was not present on either the 667 or the 500. I am assuming this acts as some sort of heat dissapation aid but am unsure. The unit does run MUCH cooler than the previous two.

[SpiffyGuyC]

Originally posted by acadian:
I do have one rather trivial question regarding the 800 though, the inlayed panel on the bottom case which was not present on either the 667 or the 500. I am assuming this acts as some sort of heat dissapation aid but am unsure. The unit does run MUCH cooler than the previous two.

Yeah, my 667 DVI has that too - the fan comes on less often, so I'm not complaining there Looking under the keyboard, it seems that the heat dissapation is much more advanced - what was visible as a single metal bar in the 500 has evolved into a whole network of channels for heat to pass through, covering a larger portion of the logic board.

S

[euphras]

Quote:
"I do have one rather trivial question regarding the 800 though, the inlayed panel on the bottom case which was not present on either the 667 or the 500. I am assuming this acts as some sort of heat dissapation aid but am unsure."

It�s quite the other way round: This inlay is a plastic plate, that�s in fact insolating this area of the bottom. Without it this area would become so hot that it would cause severe burnings of skin. It serves to distribute the heat.

Pat

[urrl5201]

The screen may loosen with use. Try opening and closing it a few hundred times really fast, since it is still under warranty and see if there is any improvement. The CD grab is typical and an improvement over my previous 500; I never have to force feed the cd into a drive that is too weak to pull it in. I am very happy with my 667 DVI. It is usually cool and quiet. I don't think I will be upgrading for at least a few years. I have no problems with my latch. If it bothers you that much send it in for repair. Torx screws are an improvement and offer less slippage than the old phillips head screws, which look corny to boot. Why should I need two tools to fiddle with my Ti; phillips to open the bottom and torx to change the hard drive? You can get a No. 8 torx wrench at most Radio Shack stores.

[SpiffyGuyC]

Yeah...Apple confirms the latch is going to require repair. And I read on the Apple discussion boards of a couple other people who experienced the same problem. This is the kind of thing you really shouldn't have to deal with on a new machine; you'd think the final quality control/inspection process would include an open/close or two. If anybody had tried one, it would have been obvious that this unit should not has a problem - either it should be checked by the dude who put his name on the sticker inside the bottom case, or it was and he/she just didn't care. Either way, this is the 2nd Mac I've gotten in the past 4 months that has required service right out of the box due to a physical defect (had an iMac with the unfortunate "screen lean" problem).

But I did also get confirmed that the new combo drive does just act differently than the original DVD's. So I can't complain there - sounds awful at first, but works just fine.

S