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dt_ · Jan 15, 2005, 03:41 PM

Hello everyone,

Well it's my first time posting here but I've been reading the posts here and there. Seems like a nice community so I decided to register.

So I posted here first because although I don't have a Mac at this point, I'm hoping to get an Apple iBook G4 sometime in the near future... within a few months hopefully. However Tiger is on the horizon and I'm not sure what to do about that. At this point I am just tired of waiting for it and it looks like it'll come out around June. At which point I could just upgrade.

I'm planning to upgrade the iBook to 768 MB by ordering RAM from Crucial or some other place (see my "signature").

So what do you guys ...suggest? I want to at least get a Mac with iLife '05 preinstalled on it... I wish Tiger had a release date but not yet. So should I just get an iBook w/ Panther and iLife '05? Or wait an amount of time for Tiger and just get it then?

Another option is to order from Amazon and get the cheaper price (after "rebate") but there are two possible problems with that:

1.) It might have iLife '04 instead of iLife '05 on it
2.) If the iBook isn't working properly or is defective or whatnot, then who would I return it to?

Ordering from Apple (online) seems more reliable.

Also maybe I could be eligible for the Tiger Up-to-Date program when that comes out...?

So any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

dt_

pat++ · Jan 15, 2005, 04:06 PM

Welcome! I'm sure you'll enjoy your iBook.

Tiger won't be released before 6 months, so if you don't want to wait that long... you should buy your iBook right now. The main problem is that you will likely pay FULL price for Tiger. The up-to-date program has never worked since Mac OS X has been released (the coupons in the iBook box are pretty useless).

768Mb is pretty nice, and Crucial rocks. Good choice.

I would wait after January 22nd to make sure I get iLife 05 in the box.

Don't know much about Amazon...

ghporter · Jan 15, 2005, 05:19 PM

Welcome!

The best thing I can say about who to return it to if there's a problem is that it will probably NOT have a problem!

But anyway, contact Amazon's customer service and ask them about who warrants the iBook; they should tell you who to contact if you run into a problem.

I've found that anything over 512MB of RAM is sweet! Enjoy!

dt_ · Jan 15, 2005, 05:40 PM

Thanks for the kind replies.

Just to make sure, replacing/adding the iBook's RAM myself will NOT void the warranty, correct?

EmmEff · Jan 15, 2005, 06:55 PM

No, upgrading the RAM will not void the warranty.

audvidsvs · Jan 15, 2005, 07:34 PM

I can't imagine that there would be a question at all about Apple serviceing the ibook.
Just buying it from Amazon does nothing to the warranty as long as they are an authorized dealer and it is a new machine.
Why would it?

dt_ · Jan 15, 2005, 09:04 PM

I dunno... stupidly perhaps, I thought that maybe Amazon let all the boxes of their products get banged up in the warehouse and I don't want that to happen to an expensive computer like the iBook.

Anyway thanks all, you've been of great help.

dt_ · Jan 21, 2005, 12:39 AM

Well hey all.

I am glad to announce that just maybe I'll be getting my first Mac (iBook!!!!) on the 29th... a Saturday. Probably. Maybe.

There is an Apple retail store not TOO far away and it's real nice.

Now, I've got a question:
If I purchase the iBook from the store there, would it be preloaded with iLife '05?

Assuming that iLife '05 is "officially released" on the 22nd, do you think that all new Macs purchased after then from the RETAIL stores will have been updated to come preloaded with iLife '05? Or will they still have iLife '04?

It'd be much easier to just buy from a retail store than go online and order online... so do you guys think it'd have iLife '05 on it if I were to purchase it from the Apple retail store?

Remember it's an actual APPLE store that I'm talking about, not an "authorized reseller" like CompUSA or whatnot.

Thanks! biggrin.gif

MacGallant · Jan 21, 2005, 01:00 AM

MacOSX 10.4 Tiger is suppose to come out around March 2005.

You could always ask the Apple employees at the AppleStore near your place of residence if the iBooks they have in stock comes with iLife '05.

If you decide to buy an iBook early and it doesn't come with iLife '05 you could upgrade to it for $20 when iLife '05 becomes available.

Here's the MacNN news link about it:
http://www.macnn.com/news/27700

dt_ · Jan 21, 2005, 01:10 AM

I know about the iLife up-to-date program.

And I'll probably call the store at some point anyway, but I'd like to know what you guys would expect.

Thanks!

brettcamp · Jan 22, 2005, 04:32 AM

You're smart to boost the RAM to 768 -- makes a huge difference. Check ramseeker.com for the best prices from dozens of vendors.

dt_ · Jan 22, 2005, 12:39 PM

Do you think that a store like Fry's would have the proper RAM? I'm guessing it wouldn't be a name brand RAM but it seems that it wouldn't matter too much. Also I'd like to upgrade my RAM as early as possible... ordering online involves waiting for it to ship!

(Yes, I'm excited about this)

Please correct me if I'm wrong but the RAM I would get for the iBook would be: SO-DIMM 200 pin PC2100 266 MHz?

And I think I've read that PC2700 / 333 MHz RAM works on the iBook too but I'm not sure if that's true. Is it?

Sorry for all the questions - I don't want to make any mistakes when purchasing.

MARINEOSX · Jan 23, 2005, 06:26 AM

yes frys has the correct type of ram I got a 1gig for 200.00 from them, and it is pc2700 so that will work as well.

pat++ · 05:01 PM

Originally posted by MacGallant:
MacOSX 10.4 Tiger is suppose to come out around March 2005.
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Really?

who told you this? Apple hasn't announced any release date for Tiger yet, and from the reports of people who tried the current builds, there is still a lot of work to do. I really hope they won't release it before 6 months and sell an unfinished product like Panther (even today).

MacGallant · Jan 24, 2005, 05:24 PM

Originally posted by pat++:
Really? who told you this? Apple hasn't announced any release date for Tiger yet, and from the reports of people who tried the current builds, there is still a lot of work to do. I really hope they won't release it before 6 months and sell an unfinished product like Panther (even today).

I read it from some rumor sites that Tiger was speculated to be out in the first quarter of 2005, most likely March or April and that Mac OSX 10.3.8 will be out sometime in Feburary and that Mac OSX 10.3.8 will be the last update for Panther.

I could be wrong, since these are just speculations and rumors.

dt_ · Jan 24, 2005, 07:52 PM

5 days left. I'm pretty excited, folks.

dt_ · Jan 25, 2005, 01:51 AM

So, I actually will probably get the iBook from Apple's online store. Will it come with iLife '05 preloaded or included as a separate disc or what?

MARINEOSX · Jan 25, 2005, 03:05 AM

Steve Jobs announced "on schedule an within the first QUARTER of 05'." If you want proof watch his latest keynote.

toneloco28 · Jan 25, 2005, 04:51 AM

Originally posted by MARINEOSX:
Steve Jobs announced "on schedule an within the first QUARTER of 05'." If you want proof watch his latest keynote.

Actually he says first half of this year implying anytime b/w now and June.