[woodsman]

I had a G3 firewire PowerBook for 2 years and took it around the world. After 2 years it still looked and functioned just as it did the day I got it.
Now I have a one month-old Ti 667 PowerBook with one trip to Europe and 2 trips in the USA on the odometer. And...the entire left top edge of the PB case is worn down to bare metal....the culprit is my watch band. I don't know what kind of paint they used on this case, but it chipped off after less than one week of use. I see that someone has a business to sell Ti Paint on-line for big bucks!!! That's a bad sign!

And now, my left HINGE is broken. The LCD panel was always kind of "stiff" to raise and lower, and the case where the hinge is attached is now broken. The hinge works OK, but the case attached to the hinge is split apart. it will fall off soon...mabe on this trip!

I am really, really concerned about how this Ti PB will hold up for the next 2 years. I bought the "AppleCare", so I'm covered, but I don't want to have to strip out all my data and to be without the PowerBook for weeks while it gets repaired. And not over and over again!

Am I alone, or is this new Ti PB really unable to hold up to even normal wear and tear? I keep it in a case when I travel, but I'm not ready to have to remove my watch and ring just to use the thing.

I am really sorry that I bought this PB and I wish that I had waited until MWNY to see what the replacement looks like. Is there a way to send this one back for a refund???? It's from the Apple on-line Store.

I really don't think this TiPB will keep up with my travels or use. I like the bigger screen, greater speed, etc...but it's falling apart after 4 weeks!!!!!!!

[Rance]

I have a TiBook 400 that I bought used in December, I can't speak for the keeper before me, but I treat it pretty rough. In and out of my tool bag, traveling with it to and from work, giving the LCD a solid open-close workout. Lot's of un/reconnecting my home parepherials (mouse, cat5 cable, monitor). It gets used pretty hard.

From what I understand, the 400 and 500 Mhz TiBooks are "supposidly" constructed less-sturdy than the newer 550's and 667's.

All that being said, I'd have to say I haven't really had a single problem with it as far as the construction being faulty. In fact, no using a real laptop carry case with things like, real padding and such, I'm really surprised nothing has broken and I don't have any dead pixels on the LCD or anything.

I'm very satisfied how it's upheld the beating I've given it.

-Rance

[seanyepez]

Unless you're treating it like a G3 PowerBook, the G4 PowerBook will hold up to normal wear and tear.

I don't think it's typical to have a hinge break after a month. How often are you using the machine? The TiBook is a great deal more delicate than previous PowerBooks. You should look into TiBook touch-up paint for your watch markings.

[Cellery]

I'm treating my TiBook (667) with the utmost of care, and the paint is still chipping off in places. I always remove my watch, so that's not the problem. BTW, the TiPaint is a ripoff, both in terms of price and what you get. I unfortunately ordered it and am pretty dissatisfied. The color doesn't match completely, you don't get a lot of it, the "applicators" are toothpicks, and the price is exorbitant. For all of Apple's boasting about titanium's durability, my TiBook looks a lot worse after 4 months than my Lombard after 2 1/2 years and my VAIO after 1 1/2.

[Cellery]

Originally posted by seanyepez:
<STRONG>Signature test. Ignore this.
</STRONG>

Your old one was better, I liked the way the text fit perfectly under the image.

[seanyepez]

Originally posted by Cellery:
<STRONG>

Your old one was better, I liked the way the text fit perfectly under the image. </STRONG>

It fits perfectly under PC browsers and near-perfectly under IE5.

What browser are you using?

[seanyepez]

OmniWeb doesn't render it atrociously, either...

[Cellery]

IE5.1 for Mac. I just meant that since this new sig is wider the text fits underneath it but doesn't go right from edge to edge, fitting perfectly in that sense. I hope it preserves the formatting of my example, check it out in OmniWeb to see.

---------------------
| seanyepez (+) |
---------------------
texttexttexttext

[ 04-11-2002: Message edited by: Cellery ]

[PeteWK]

I have three close friends with Ti G4s (667, 550, 500) and all but the 500 have been in the shop for major repairs. Not a good record.

PeteWK

[seanyepez]

I tried it in OmniWeb. It's not perfectly aligned, but I can't please every browser, can I?

I would need to make it part of the image, and we all know the admins don't want a signature of the size I would have to make it.

[typoon]

I haven't heard too much about the durability of the Ti Powerbooks but I was going to get one when I got a good deal on my iBook 600 with the 14.1 inch screen. This Machine definately feels a lot more solid than the Pismo and the Tibooks. This model is like the next revision of the Pismo without the G4 Chip. I've had it for a week and Have been happy with it so far. Hopefully the next revisions of the Ti will be more solid and durable.

[tramahound]

my tibook 400 is still in mint condition, but i treat it like a baby so...

[jules]

Originally posted by tramahound:
<STRONG>my tibook 400 is still in mint condition, but i treat it like a baby so...</STRONG>

ditto!

[Ozmodiar]

My Ti400 leads a pretty decent life. Sometimes I take it to class just in my backpack stuffed in between some books, and since I don't have a USB hub (someone recommend a good one?) I'm always unplugging and plugging things in. I've had it since August, and I unless Apple wows me with a new PowerBook this summer I'm probably going to have it for a couple of years. No complaints here.

[PBG4 User]

I've had my 500 for over a year, and I only rubbed paint off in one spot by the PC Card slot. Once I found out why it was happening I started using a sleeve case and it hasn't suffered an additional scratch since.

Not talking about any posters in this thread, but I've read some people describe how they treat their Ti's and I can't believe it!

In one post, a guy stated that he had been tossing his Ti onto the couch for months. The last time they tossed it, the Ti took a bad bounce, landing on the floor and causing cracks to the carbon/plastice pieces of the case or something to that effect.

I don't understand how someone could spend thousands of dollars on a precision piece of equipment and just toss it around like a toy?!?

[rhansen_x]

Buy a laptop case with good padding (I am using a Samsonite) and take your watch off when using it.

[Scooterboy]

Even my iBook gets special care. I always use a screen protector, and I always transport it in its padded sleeve, which fits right into my backpack. I know it's tough, but I want to keep it like new, and so far it is.

[kndonlee]

Well, I have a Ti 400. I know exactly what you mean as to the durability of the Titanium. It's definitely nothing like my old Pismo. the Pismo I'd put between books, and treat it like one, it would pushed around, shoved, tossed(while in back packs) and it was fine...

My Ti400 is nothing like that. After a little bit, al the scratches started coming up here adn there and the case was horrendous. After the bottom panel's latch to the frame of the powebook came apart I sent it into apple along with complaints about the whole case.

I was lucky and got a new case. =) Ever since then I've kept it in the waterfield designs (sfbags.com) sleeve, and treated it like i always have. not a scratch now... and It's still looking good.. Any metall object will show off it's scratches more than a plastic object...

thus the different between my pismo and Ti..

[andreas_g4]

Just use a sleeve to protect while carrying. Just be some careful while working with it. It should be fine as long as all your guys Pismos were
Not am I saying the Pismo wasn't a lot more durable. but the ti isn't so thin-skinned as many say. Hey, it's a computer, not a washboard... And yes, I have had both machines as well!

[jstein]

Hello fellow Mac Enthusiasts,
Once again the durability of the TiPb is being question. You have to love the boldness a TiPb owner for a only a few of them can admit that their machine has any flaws. I have pismo for which I have owned for about 14 months now. Since that time my uncle and a close friend of mines purchased TiPb. One has the 500mhz and the other the 667 model. In this brief time of they have both been plagued by numerous problems from broken hinges, paint chipping and scratches. Both of them are pretty gentle with their TiPb as well. For who would really abuse such a divine and wonderful machine. But we all know that TiPb is fragile. They can not stand up to everyday travel regardless of how careful a person is. Think of all the other products that have been release that have that silver,platinum or titanium finish. ie (cell phones,pagers and PDA�S) The first thing to go is the color. Plus if so many people keep complaining about door or hinges problems. Could their actually be a problem there. Let�s hope that for the next wave of Powerbooks that apple can find a balance between the TiPb and Pismo line. A true desktop replacement and not a SUB NOTEBOOK.......

Thank You,


� never mistake activity for action�

[andreas_g4]

Originally posted by jstein:
<STRONG>But we all know that TiPb is fragile. They can not stand up to everyday travel regardless of how careful a person is.</STRONG>

Sure the Ti is less durable then the Pismo. But it CAN definitively stand up everyday travel. I use it on the road all across Germany an it survived every city with bravour. I use only a sleeve of neopren and it has no scratch yet. I think it's simply the way every user treats it's Ti. But, once more, it's true that I had to treat my lombard (witch is comparable or equal stable as the Pismo) and iBook way less careful then my Ti... And after all, the Ti is a much better machine than a Pismo... Why complaining about the Ti has only one battery? You can carry a second with you and change it without shutting down the book.

[art_director]

i've owned a pismo and two ti powerbooks. the pismo was a war horse -- it was dropped a few times and carried around the world without so much as a crack. the case material covered scratches well and it was a solid machine. the ti's, while lovely, are not very durable.

my ti 400 never had a problem. got a few scratches but that's normal wear and tear when you travel like i do.

my ti 667 is a different story. first, i returned two 667s to the store -- the first came with cracked ram clips. apparently that happened at the factory since apple installed the ram (both slots). the second returned machine had a crack in the plastic casing near the right hinge. now, on my third ti 667, the plastic casing has a crack from the headphone jack to the vent -- a mere 60 days into it's life. i should add that i carry my ti in a zero haliburton z5 aluminum computer case and always strap it in. i also use a screen protector and a cool pad for heat disappation.

then there's the airport card...reception is spotty. the apple store, mall of america, opened the case and reseated the card but i still lose reception for no good reason...it's not so bad that i can't get by but it's irritating.

finally i'd like to say the fit and finish on the three 667s i brought home was shoddy and inconsistent -- surprising for an apple product.

aside from the physical woes of my 667 experiences i love the machine and can't live without it. should the crack worsen i'll employ a stretch of duct tape and move on. fook it.

[seanyepez]

I regularly hurl my Pismo PowerBook onto soft surfaces like couches and beds from across the room.

The lid is obviously closed, and the machine is either sleeping or shut down. Tossing a computer around isn't terrible if you're absolutely sure it's going to land where you want it to and how you want it to.

[maffioso]

I used to hurl my iBook all the time, that was until i threw it onto the bed and it bounced off onto the floor, lets just say my father wasn't happy...

But, you have to love the durability of these styles. You can basically do anything within reason and they will be fine.

If you can spend over $2000 on a laptop you think you would take care of it, or is it you have way too much money?

Anything will break if you treat is badly and abuse it, a PB is a special type of Apple laptop you cant throw it around...

--
Maffioso

[Arkham_c]

It sounds like Apple needs to rethink the TiBook's paint job if nothing else. I have a white iBook and it's very sturdy, although compared to my old toilet-seat iBook it's pretty flimsy (that thing was a tank!). I think it's pretty hard to make it strong and still be light enough for the business traveler. Maybe the next revision will address the complaints in this thread, but somehow I doubt it.

[DJ Ed White]

Originally posted by Arkham_c:
<STRONG>It sounds like Apple needs to rethink the TiBook's paint job if nothing else. I have a white iBook and it's very sturdy, although compared to my old toilet-seat iBook it's pretty flimsy (that thing was a tank!). I think it's pretty hard to make it strong and still be light enough for the business traveler. Maybe the next revision will address the complaints in this thread, but somehow I doubt it.</STRONG>

Here are pics of my defective powerbook.... http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/p/photo.ph...tive_Powerbook

[jules]

Good God!

That's horrible and totally abnormal. I hope you will/did send it in to Apple for repair or replacement!

[mrtew]

I can't believe how bad that computer looks. I'd be freaking out. I am so glad that my 667 is still 100% perfect after taking it to work ever single day since I got it 6 months ago. I wish the people that recieved the bad ones the best of luck getting them replaced. No one should have to deal with that on a $3000+ item... especially a Mac. Pictures like that make me think that black plastic is going to make a comeback.

[Xandy]

I have a TiBook that I treat very well- not like it's made of glass or anything, but I'm careful. Never tossed it. I am surprised at the wear on the lighter silver paint (the hinge color). On mine, it's worn down to bare metal on all corners and on the hinge just from being put in and pulled out of it's sleeve. While think that's unacceptable, I have to admit that when I bought it, I knew it would show scratches more than black plastic, but it certainly looks a lot cooler. If you want a laptop you can throw around, buy a PC. You know when you buy a TiBook, that part of its appeal is its appearance. If you're not ready to cater to its fragile appearance, get something else. In the meantime, Apple should be trying to come up with something that looks as cool AND is durable, too.

[bbt]

wow

i was thinking of getting one but maybe i won't now

thanks for the info guys

[vmarks]

Originally posted by bbt:
<STRONG>wow

i was thinking of getting one but maybe i won't now

thanks for the info guys

</STRONG>

Go and get hands on experience with one, and compare it to an iBook. There's just no good way to find out what's best for you without seeing one in person.

[DJ Ed White]

Originally posted by DJ Ed White:
<STRONG>


Here are pics of my defective powerbook.... http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/p/photo.ph...tive_Powerbook</STRONG>

This is pretty depressing. Apple has yet to make a decision on what to do with my machine. However the response to my photos has been very strong. Take a look at:
http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/p/photo.ph...tive_Powerbook

[ 04-27-2002: Message edited by: DJ Ed White ]

[ 04-27-2002: Message edited by: DJ Ed White ]

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Wow. You people tossing laptops around... you're tempting fate big time. Eventually after internal components weaken from the added stress of being jostled around like that -if you're really lucky you might even manage some hairline fissures in the motherboard and other circuitry-and the thing eventually locks up randomly as a result- no complaints about it!

I was beginning to think I was alone in having a TiBook that's as sturdy as a rock. Using it for months now, take it all over the place with me, back and forth to work every day and on various trips, etc. not a scratch or blemish on it- aside from two small indents on the border of the screen from those two side widgets. It�s in nearly flawless condition as I expect it to be for years to come. I don't treat it like it's made of eggshells, but then I don't go throwing it around either.

No way I'd ever put up with the obvious flaws of the TiBook in those photos. That's some sort of flat out defect that needs to be replaced with a new TiBook no matter what run-around someone tries to give.

[ 04-27-2002: Message edited by: CRASH HARDDRIVE ]

[Mac Zealot]

OW!!!

Those pictures are horrible! I myself have seemed to end up on this side of the line with my powermac, and it's pretty depressing, but OUCH!

[M�lum]

I have a Ti since the were introduced. I'm on the road around 70% of the year and don't take particular care of it.
It has some paint bruses on the top of the lid and some corners are worn out. That's it.
I actually like it more now, then when it was brand new. Like a leather briefcase that gets worn in.

[DJ Ed White]

Anyone else having issues?
http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/p/photo.ph...tive_Powerbook

[art_director]

i had a ti 400 for nearly a year and never any such problem. now i have a ti 667 that was purchased in january and again no such problem.

what the hell did you do to get that to happen to your machine? what sort of climate do you live in? lots of humidity or something? haven't spilld nuclear waste on it or anything, have you?

[DJ Ed White]

Originally posted by art_director:
<STRONG>i had a ti 400 for nearly a year and never any such problem. now i have a ti 667 that was purchased in january and again no such problem.

what the hell did you do to get that to happen to your machine? what sort of climate do you live in? lots of humidity or something? haven't spilld nuclear waste on it or anything, have you?</STRONG>

I didn't do anything. I'm in Chicago. It's a defect.

[seanyepez]

It looks like it's rusting!

[cenutrio]

I have a year old Ti 400 that I bring to my work place every day (I bike). I also have travelled around Europe three times. Still, not a single scratch. Do not blame the computer, blame the way you hadle it. PBtis are expensive machines that should be treated gently.

[DJ Ed White]

Originally posted by cenutrio:
<STRONG>I have a year old Ti 400 that I bring to my work place every day (I bike). I also have travelled around Europe three times. Still, not a single scratch. Do not blame the computer, blame the way you hadle it. PBtis are expensive machines that should be treated gently. </STRONG>

It's always funny when people say "don't blame the computer". I'm hoping that was sarcasm on your part, Cenutrio. The point in documenting my situation with photos was to determine if this was a widespread problem or one that only affected a select batch of machines. Regardless of treatment (and I babied my Powerbook), the degredation in the quality of the paint on my machine if something completely out of my control.

[seanyepez]

It's definitely not his fault. Scratches are usually lines. His is chipping. Dropping the machine would only dent it. The paint is most definitely defective.

[maffioso]

All i hope is when i buy the new revision as soon as it is released, what ever it is, that they have addressed this problem and have some how made the laptop stronger and more scratch resistant...

I can hope can't i?

Chris

[zigmeister]

A friends Tibook 550 fell from 1.5 meters and it spat out one of those "card" cds that was stuck into it. No damages. No worn paint, he treats it rather brutally.