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Ian_Bullock · Nov 26, 2006, 10:30 AM

Just wondering if people are still using them as their main machines? I've heard a lot about how fragile they are, but I've always wanted one, and I've just managed to get hold of a 1ghz one off ebay as it's just come down into my price bracket. I saw one two years ago and it was soooo beautiful - just new I had to have one someday.

So has anyone on here still got one they can't bear to stop using, or have they all broken their hinges, melted from heat, or generally died by now?

Mine's going to be having pretty light use, as I've got a 2 year old dual 2.0ghz G5 so I don't need it for much other than itunes, word processing, DVDs, iphoto, and the web (oh and looking incredibly sexy). I'm guessing it'll still be fairly speedy at all that stuff.

Oh and are there people out there who still think it's the nicest looking (if non-scratched or flaky paint) laptop ever? Think it's a design classic, and I can't wait to open it and turn it on - and hopefully not get a kernel panic!

Anyway, will be interested to hear people's thoughts, if they can tear themselves away from the thread about all the latest MBPs. Still can't believe they changed to Macbook Pro from a great name like Powerbook! Though they do look like great machines.

Dork. · Nov 26, 2006, 11:06 AM

My wife' 1GHz TiBook was in use until recently, and generally meeting all her needs. Tiger ran fine on it. It can even do some minor photo editing. It's got some paint flaking and the original battery has departed for a better world but the TiBook is still going strong with a second battery. We only really upgraded because we got a good deal on a MBP with a bigger HD, and wanted some of the new bells and whistles (like the camera and built-in bluetooth).

I find it amazing that a laptop from nearly 4 years ago is still very servicable (even snappy™) today. It was top-of-the-line back then, and it still holds its own today. It can be a great road-warrior machine for someone who does heavy work on a desktop but needs inexpensive portable power.

Did I mention we're selling the old TiBook? I hope someone with a nostalgic streak for the TiBook stops by this thread and wants to buy it.

Unfortunalely, though, the TiBook does not get the title of Apple's best looking PB -- that goes to the curvy classic Pismo. If Apple put out a 13" MacBook Pro with the Pismo styling and decent graphics, I would get it in a heartbeat!

Ian_Bullock · Nov 26, 2006, 11:28 AM

Yeah, I had a pismo for my dissertation last year - bought it for $300, put a 512mb ram chip in it, which took it up to 758, whacked in an 8x slot-loading superdrive, used it for six months, and sold it at a �200 ($350) profit 6 months later. Can't complain! Loved the drive bays - I used to use it to type on in the library all day, with two batteries in the drive bays - I could get 9 hours out of it! On a 6 year old laptop, running the latest OS! Amazing. Oh and I used a really cool wireless expansion card that registered as Airport Extreme under Tiger, which had amazing reception. Shame I had to sell it. It's amazing the difference in performance it had over my old clamshell - I'm hoping the Tibook will be a comparable improvement over the pismo.

When I have lots of money to burn when I qualify in 2008, I'll buy the best version of the pismo, put a massive HD in it, put in 1GB ram, a DVD burner, and put it in a nice display case, along with this Tibook, and my clamshell (466 SE firewire). I think they're all beautiful laptops.

You mentioned a bit of paint flaking, but have you had any major problems with kernel panics, breaking hinges, general fragility etc in owning it? Would you warn people about buying Tibooks?

Ian_Bullock · Nov 26, 2006, 11:29 AM

Ps - like all the original packaging etc in that photo you linked to - makes it look brand new! Someone's going to be pleased with it I'm sure.

Dork. · Nov 26, 2006, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Ian_Bullock

You mentioned a bit of paint flaking, but have you had any major problems with kernel panics, breaking hinges, general fragility etc in owning it? Would you warn people about buying Tibooks?

We only ever had kernel panics when using a particular PCMCIA compact flash reader. Other than that, the machine was rock-solid. You can see the paint flaking in the picture I posted. In fact, we've had more trouble with the MBP, which occasionally doesn't fall asleep when closed, even with the new firmware, requiring a PRAM/PMU reset to fix.

My dad has an even older TiBook which just recently had its hinge break, and that was after it was mainly used for the last two years or so as a computer for my nieces and nephew when they visit, the oldest is seven and the youngest are almost four. So I'm assuming it's taken more abuse than the typical TiBook....

gooser · Nov 26, 2006, 01:42 PM

well, due to the fragile nature of these beasts unless you want to run os9 on a g4 i think i would prefer to have an ibook g4. however if you prefer the specs and appearance of a tibook............................................ ....................................

Oversoul · Nov 26, 2006, 03:28 PM

I still have my Ti/500Mhz and I was still using it as late as last year. I still power it up on occasion. I love the Bauhaus-esque design of the Ti PowerBooks and still think the Aluminum PB/MBP design pales in comparison. The Tis were truly a work of art. True, paint flaking and hinge breaks were common problems with the Ti, which explains Apple's design direction with the Als, but I never had a hinge break and only experienced minor paint flaking after 3 years of regular usage. I've since replaced it with a MacBook 2Ghz. It's not the same.

sedlacek · Nov 26, 2006, 05:06 PM

Just retired my TiBk/667 with the delivery of a new 15" C2D MBP/2.33. The unit was moderately fragile (one hinge got broken a couple of years ago, requiring a small epoxy repair job), but it has served me quite well over the years. I'll keep it as a back up for simple word processing, mail and browsing. Got Tiger running on it. My MBP certainly runs cooler than the TiBk.

HTH

-a

daleg · Nov 26, 2006, 07:00 PM

I have two old ones, a venerable 400 mhz and an 867. The 400 is pretty pokey for anything but Web surfing, but I keep planning to use it as an iTunes connection for my stereo. I also use it for presentations. Once PowerPoint is up and running, the speed doesn't matter and if someone knocks over the table, it's not a big deal. The 867 is still in regular use and is not really that slow, once it's booted. I wouldn't want to run Photoshop filters on big files or anything, but it's not bad for low power uses. I thought of selling them when I bought my Aluminum 17" 1.8, but they seem to get along nicely.

jersey · Nov 26, 2006, 10:36 PM

I just put my 1ghz ti to rest (gave it to my mom to use) and replaced it with a black macbook.

It was my main production machine until several days ago for video and big photoshop images 20x30 up to 40 x 80 inches.

Yes it was feeling slow these days ....... but is a good machine.

mrtew · Nov 27, 2006, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by Dork.

..... Tiger ran fine on it. It can even do some minor photo editing. ...

Minor photo-editing???!?!?!!! People were doing major photo editing on Macs LONG before the Ti-Book ever came out and I was doing it on mine until two days ago when I got my new MacBook. As for delicate I dropped a huge sheet of glass on mine and it smashed the table the computer was on and flipped it onto the floor. No damage except for some scratches on the screen and the metal. I love that machine and will always miss it. Truly the best. I sure hope my new computer is half as good.

Freeflyer · Nov 27, 2006, 07:13 AM

My Ti 1Ghz was retired a couple of months ago when I spilled a large drink on it. Oops.

I was running photoshop CS2 quite happily along with everything else I used it for. Superb machine and I'd have happily kept it another couple of years had I not drowned it.

Replaced it with a C2D macbookpro. Love the new machine, still miss my old one, it had been round the world a dozen times, logged me in from the wierdest of places (guesthouse in Kathmandu after splicing together a modem cable using sellotape etc) and generally proven to be near indestructible, though unfortunately not waterproof. It was covered in bangs and scrapes and every one told a story, to me at least. Best single piece of technology I've ever bought.

Dork. · Nov 27, 2006, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by mrtew

Minor photo-editing???!?!?!!! People were doing major photo editing on Macs LONG before the Ti-Book ever came out and I was doing it on mine until two days ago when I got my new MacBook.

I just meant that the only photo editing she did on it was little things for her blog....

daleg · Nov 27, 2006, 09:26 AM

I waxed so eloquent about my two Ti's I failed to address your central question: yes, they are reliable. My only problem with either was that the lid latch was not snug and they could wake up while carrying them. I solved the problem with a big rubber ban.

romeosc · Nov 27, 2006, 11:51 AM

Tibooks are a very dependable machine except for hinge issue. As long as you don 't worry about the dings and scratches, it is very dependable. It will do everything you need, if you don't get spoiled by the keeping up with the jones syndrome!

It will still run everything it used to run!

Ian_Bullock · Nov 27, 2006, 05:20 PM

All that sounds realy good - from what some people say I was worried that this would be my day tomorrow:
1.Recieve beautiful titanium powerbook.
2.Open it up, and rest my hands on the palm rest. Realise my sweat had disolved all the paint
3.Turn it on, have a kernel panic
4.Lean the screen back to get a better view, watch in horror as the hinges break, and the screen falls backwards and smashes
5.To add insult to injury, realise a few years later, that I was now infertile as I was using it on my lap and fried my testicles.
6.Girlfriend break up with me, as she wants "a real man"
7.Start drinking....
8.9.10...A gradual downward spiral
17.Found dead at the age of 30 of a heroin overdose under a bridge. The police find an odd shaped piece of metal in my frozen hand, and realise that it's some sort of broken hinge....

So you've all reassured me a bit! This Tibook won't wreck my life?

Xyrrus · Nov 27, 2006, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Ian_Bullock

All that sounds realy good - from what some people say I was worried that this would be my day tomorrow:
1.Recieve beautiful titanium powerbook.
2.Open it up, and rest my hands on the palm rest. Realise my sweat had disolved all the paint
3.Turn it on, have a kernel panic
4.Lean the screen back to get a better view, watch in horror as the hinges break, and the screen falls backwards and smashes
5.To add insult to injury, realise a few years later, that I was now infertile as I was using it on my lap and fried my testicles.
6.Girlfriend break up with me, as she wants "a real man"
7.Start drinking....
8.9.10...A gradual downward spiral
17.Found dead at the age of 30 of a heroin overdose under a bridge. The police find an odd shaped piece of metal in my frozen hand, and realise that it's some sort of broken hinge....

So you've all reassured me a bit! This Tibook won't wreck my life?

I've been running a 1Ghz Ti w/ 1GB of ram for the past four years. The machine is on literally 24/7, except for an hour a day when its asleep during my commute. For the first 2.5 or so years, it was the only machine I used for work, both at work and at home. I made my place of employment buy me a G5 once I started editing very large photoshop documents (taboid sized 300dpi). Also, dreamweaver (which is a serious hog - more so than it should be) was just too slow. About 2 months ago I finally retired it for primary use at home when I bought a Mac Pro. I simply could not tolearte its sluggishness running dreamweaver, or running photoshop on 8mp digital camera files. I also wanted to run aperture, which is not supported on the Ti.

The machine is still on 24/7 and it handles email, chat, IM, etc. Currently it has a 40+ day uptime and the last restart was on a system update, I think. It has simply been a fantastic computer and a real workhorse. It certanly looks and feels 4 years old, but the case paint is in good condition (no discoloration, very little flaking, but I do often use an external keyboard). I've had the space bar key break on the keyboard, but the guys at the apple store just popped a new one on for me @ no cost. The screen doesn't seem as bright as it used to, but then again I've got it next to a pair of dell ultrasharps which are rather bright, so it could just be a matter of perception.

Anyways, its been a fantastic machine. If my new pro serves me half as well, I'll be very happy. Enjoy your powerbook,

-Xy

issa · Nov 27, 2006, 08:47 PM

My 1GHz TiBook -- one of the first off the production line in November 2002 -- continues to run well after more than four years of extended daily operation. Nary a mark on it, either.

This 1GHz TiBook saw hard service and chalked up loads of miles as my main machine for close to three years. For the past year or so, it has been faithfully serving the needs of my wife, mostly around the house.

While on the subject, I might add that my original 500MHz TiBook also continues to look and perform well, if not within my house. That TiBook served me personally from the spring of 2001 through to November 2002, then my wife for over two years before going to a dear friend in need of a portable in the spring of last year. My friend has been happily using that TiBook daily for the past eighteen months. That's a total of 5-1/2 years of dutiful service. Not so shabby.

Admittedly, of the metal-era PBs/MBPs, I remain fonder of the TiBook design. To my eyes, the TiBook continues to put the Aluminum 'Book beside it in my study to shame. Performance pales a bit compared to later machines, and too bad it can't accommodate 2 gigs of RAM; but it does run Tiger fine, and holds its own well for a four year old computer.