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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > ...So these Macs are pretty addictive

...So these Macs are pretty addictive
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Ryknow215
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Aug 9, 2005, 04:55 PM
 
I finally got my G3 PowerBook last week and I haven't been able to get away from it since! If i knew how much I would have liked it, I'd have bought one years ago. I've been messing around with OS X 10.3.9 for the past couple days, got it set up with AirPort and NeoOffice/J and currently networking my shared music, movies and printer with my PC (although my PC hasn't gotten much use lately).

Here's the specs on my 15" PowerBook:

400 MHz
512MB Ram
8MB ATI Rage Mobility
40GB Hard Drive
DVD-Rom
OS X Panther - 10.3.9
AirPort Wireless-G

There's some great stuff in here. Can't wait to learn more about it. I'll post some screenshots in the near future.

/rant about new PowerBook
     
djkny
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Aug 9, 2005, 06:16 PM
 
I think your specs are about 2 years-in-a-time-capsule tardy.
     
tavilach
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Aug 9, 2005, 06:27 PM
 
Everything makes sense, except for the phrase "new PowerBook." Then again, it's new to him .
"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." -Archimedes
     
ibook_steve
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Aug 9, 2005, 06:54 PM
 
And it's got to be a Titanium G4, not a G3, if it has a 15" screen. That's the very first Titanium at 400 MHz.

Steve
     
fisherKing
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Aug 9, 2005, 08:32 PM
 
also, the G3 did not offer the airport extreme...

anyway, enjoy it!
"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
     
Ryknow215  (op)
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Aug 9, 2005, 09:14 PM
 
Thanks for the replies fellas

Some clarification:
You're right, it isn't necessarily a "new" PowerBook but I am new to Macs. Better to start small with something used rather than spending a lot of money on something that I hated.

Nope, it's a G3, I mistakenly put in 15" when i meant 14".

I realize that I am not running AirPort Extreme, hence why I did not type in an AirPort Extreme Card. It's a Wireless-B card that allows me to connect to -G speed networks and surf them at Wireless-B speeds. I labeled it as a wireless-G card cause it makes me feel cool .

Anyways, sorry if i seem defensive cause I'm really not. My type-o's deserved some clarification. And I am DEFINETELY enjoying the PowerBook.

Have a good one
     
kmarketing
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Aug 10, 2005, 04:03 AM
 
Hi,

I'm wondering if you have the lombard or the pismo. If you have 2 firewire ports in the back then you have a pismo, which is still regarded by many to be the best powerbook ever made. I happen to be one of those fans.

I'm actually thinking of selling my newer 17" powerbook since my pismo does pretty much everything I want it to. And as someone who likes taking things apart and having a rugged laptop that I don't want to worry about scratching or denting, the pismo is the way to go.

It's no wonder why you are happy with your "new" powerbook. I think if you had a titanium widescreen first, you may actually have some negative things to say... it gets hot, the fan is loud and comes on often, the paint chips, wireless reception stinks, etc. With yours, I think your entry into the world of macs was a great choice.

Enjoy! And there are several upgrades that will make the powerbook run even better. And the best thing is you can do them yourself!
     
Ryknow215  (op)
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Aug 10, 2005, 02:40 PM
 
I've got the Pismo and it's no wonder why people love this model. Just last night I networked my PowerBook with my Windows PC so I could access my music, movies and documents and it was probably one of the easiest things I've ever done. Mac sure did it right with the networking stuff.

My airport reception is great on this, whether I'm in my apartment or on campus. Haven't had any problems yet with getting kicked off or losing the signal anywhere .

I need to get myself a firewire cable to that i can plug into my 20GB external HDD but that isn't much of a big deal anymore considering i can grab all my stuff over AirPort.

Have any recommendations for stuff that I should get? Any kind of software for movies/music/image-editing etc?
     
kmarketing
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Aug 10, 2005, 02:55 PM
 
Hi,

I have 1gb of memory in my pismo, and it makes a big difference to me.
     
jam8
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Aug 10, 2005, 06:51 PM
 
Where can you find a g4 processor upgrade for the pismo? I've heard that there was a 900mhz processor (or something to that nature) and whatnot. Can anyone verify this?
     
JMan09
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Aug 10, 2005, 08:12 PM
 
I found this link on this forum before, glad I bookmarked it. There some mac upgrades on this website. Not sure if it is what you are looking for.

http://daystar-store.com/index.asp

Hope you find what you need.
     
Jacob
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Aug 11, 2005, 02:18 AM
 
I owned a Pismo before. Damnit they're awsome machines. I even dropped it 2 feet off a table, still worked perfect. They are 'strong' machines. Very fast, even up to task with todays demands. I have a 15" Powerbook G4 now, but still rather miss that ol' Pismo.
     
cambro
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Aug 11, 2005, 09:04 AM
 
Originally Posted by Jacob
Very fast, even up to task with todays demands. I have a 15" Powerbook G4 now, but still rather miss that ol' Pismo.
I had/have the same G3 400 Mhz Pismo too. You are definitely taking a speed hit with this processor. My grandma adopted that machine and the performance difference between it and my current 1 Ghz Ti Book is dramatic.

Ryknow215, if you are having such a good time with the Pismo, I strongly recommend upgrading AFTER the next PB update...you won't be sorry.
     
Phat Bastard
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Aug 11, 2005, 12:39 PM
 
Congrats on your new Mac, but I'm confused as to why you just bought a G3 Powerbook. Can't you get a middle-of-the-road Titanium G4 that's newer than yours for next to nothing now?

Some auctions:
auction 1
auction 2 (actually an Aluminum powerbook)
auction 3
auction 4
The world needs more Canada.
PB 12" 867 MHz, 640 MB RAM, AE, OS 10.4.2
Black iPod nano 4GB
     
Ryknow215  (op)
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Aug 11, 2005, 09:10 PM
 
I suppose that i could have gotten a newer G4 PowerBook for a good price but the G3 Pismo seemed like a good place to start. Nice low price, good features and alot of goodies. I read through these forums for a while too before i bought the Mac it seems like people get a better performance out of the G3 than the G4. That's pretty much it, but i'm sure i will upgrade to something newer a few years down the road.

     
Salty
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Aug 11, 2005, 10:56 PM
 
hehe. Hope you enjoy and if it's good enough for your needs I'm happy for you. Instead of upgrading that though beyond perhaps RAM or something, you might consider just saving up for an iBook.
But welcome to the mac using community.
Pick up your better person badge at the door
     
iBorg
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Aug 12, 2005, 01:38 AM
 
Originally Posted by jam8
Where can you find a g4 processor upgrade for the pismo? I've heard that there was a 900mhz processor (or something to that nature) and whatnot. Can anyone verify this?
There are 2 differenct processor upgrade paths: you can only go to, I think, 550MHz G4, but you can upgrade to a 900MHz G3 processor (they offered a 1GHz G3 for a while, but that's no longer available). Since the G4 processor is pretty low speed, for most apps, the 900MHz G3 upgrade would give you more bang for your buck, IMHO.

I currently use a 1GHz TiBook, and passed my 500MHz Pismo to my wife, who LOVES it - it is, arguably, the best PowerBook ever made - durable, distinctive syling, swappable bays (can use 2 batteries simultaneously), and there are alot of upgrades, including the processor, DVD-R/CD-R, upping the RAM to 1Gig, and swapping to a bigger hard drive.

And congratulations, Ryknow215, on becoming a Mac-user - you won't be sorry!



iBorg
     
iBorg
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Aug 12, 2005, 01:55 AM
 
Here are the links for the Pismo processor upgrades:

550MHz G4 for $289 by Daystar.

500MHz G4 for $280 by Newer Technology through OWC.

900MHz G3 from Powerlogix, although this page says "available 9/05" and doesn't give a price. I know that this speed G3 upgrade has been available for a couple of years, but can't find a link for one currently available.

Hope this helps some!



iBorg
     
Phat Bastard
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Aug 12, 2005, 01:06 PM
 
Ryknow215, what do you mean by "people get a better performance out of the G3 than the G4"? Do you mean the G3 is a stronger built machine that will last longer, physically, or are you talking about performance/speed? Because the G3 is no comparison to the G4's that I mentioned. Just curious what you meant by that statement.
The world needs more Canada.
PB 12" 867 MHz, 640 MB RAM, AE, OS 10.4.2
Black iPod nano 4GB
     
kmarketing
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Aug 12, 2005, 03:32 PM
 
Hi,

There is no question that g4's are more powerful than g3's. But in terms of basic applications, I don't think there is much difference at all. Surfing the web, using office, and basically non-alvitec functions, I think the g3 is a good processor. Sure a g4 will be better for photshop and other major functions, but I think if your needs can be met by the g3 in a pismo, it may not make semse to spend extra money, especially on titanium powerbooks.

I've had pretty much every powerbook since the pismo, and I always find myself selling the other ones and end up keeping the pismo. And it's simply because it does everything that I need my laptop to do. Granted I have a g5 to do my big tasks, but in a laptop, I think it's hard to find something better than the pismo... for me at least.

Dual batteries up to 10 hours, airport range that is probably the best of all powerbooks, swappable drives, user serviceable, not much heat, and more importantly durability - that is what the pismo line offers over the titanium and aluminum lines. Just try surfing the net on your lap with a titanium powerbook (especially the 400mhz and 500mhz ones), and see how long that lasts. How about airport range? Add paint chips and broken hinges.

I think a pismo as a first laptop or even as a primary laptop today, is a great choice. Especially when compared to the titanium line. Sure the aluminum line may be better. But I'm always wondering if it would be better for me to sell my 17" powerbook since my pismo gets so much more use.

Either way, I can totally see why someone is so thrilled about their new purchase of a pismo, even today.
     
Eug Wanker
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Aug 12, 2005, 03:42 PM
 
I've had pretty much every powerbook since the pismo, and I always find myself selling the other ones and end up keeping the pismo. And it's simply because it does everything that I need my laptop to do. Granted I have a g5 to do my big tasks, but in a laptop, I think it's hard to find something better than the pismo... for me at least.
Well, to each his own I guess.

If I had to use a Pismo, I'd rip my hair out. It's so slooooowwwww...
     
Phat Bastard
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Aug 13, 2005, 08:26 PM
 
Originally Posted by kmarketing
Hi,

There is no question that g4's are more powerful than g3's. But in terms of basic applications, I don't think there is much difference at all.
Um, I am going to have to respectfully disagree with you on that one. I was getting sick of using my Titanium G4 400 Mhz for basic applications, because multi-tasking become near impossible, upgrading the OS was never a wise idea, the Finder became unbearably slow. Can't imagine how the experience on a G3 must be. I suppose different people have different tolerances for speed of their basic tasks. But clearly the G3 is lightyears behind the current G4's in speed (and therefore productivity) of the basic applications.

Originally Posted by kmarketing
needs can be met by the g3 in a pismo, it may not make semse to spend extra money, especially on titanium powerbooks.
You can by a modest G4 for approximately $400 today. If you don't have that kind of money for a computer, you have more important things to worry about.

Originally Posted by kmarketing
Dual batteries up to 10 hours, airport range that is probably the best of all powerbooks, swappable drives, user serviceable, not much heat, and more importantly durability - that is what the pismo line offers over the titanium and aluminum lines. Just try surfing the net on your lap with a titanium powerbook (especially the 400mhz and 500mhz ones), and see how long that lasts. How about airport range? Add paint chips and broken hinges.
I agree with you very much on all of these points except the heat issue. My 12" PB is hot, sure, but not unbearably so. I've never understood all the fuss about hot Powerbooks because it doesn't bug me. And who uses their laptop on their laps (ironic, I know) now-a-days anyway? People use them on a desk.

Airport reception is seriously a huge problem in the latest Powerbooks. Every time I upgrade my OS on my 12" Powerbook, the problem gets worse, and the reception was bad to begin with. I really hope Apple figures this out in the next generation PB's.

Originally Posted by kmarketing
wondering if it would be better for me to sell my 17" powerbook since my pismo gets so much more use.
This has thrown me a for a loop. You use your 5-year-old laptop more than your 17" PB? That's amazing, do you enjoy slow loading applications, brutal multi-tasking and a slow Finder? I've never heard of anyone that prefers to use older technology more than the latest stuff.
The world needs more Canada.
PB 12" 867 MHz, 640 MB RAM, AE, OS 10.4.2
Black iPod nano 4GB
     
kmarketing
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Aug 13, 2005, 08:59 PM
 
Hi,

My thing is that I have had at one point or another almost every powerbook that has come out after the pismo. I have a friend who gets great deals for me (mainly through ebay) so I have had many. Right now i have a 17" powerbook, a pismo, and a g5 with 20" cinema display. For me, I use the pismo the most, and for me the reasons are simple. I need a laptop mainly for: web browsing, office, music, and maybe photos. The 17" is gorgeous when used for that, but my pismo does all that fine.

Right nowon my pismo, I have 3 browsers (safari, camino, and firefox) open at the same time (I have different yahoo mail accounts), itunes open and word open, with no problems at all. My airport reception is the best among all 3 computers. And I can surf true wirelessly for over 7 hours. No AC adaptor needed. And the best thing? I can use it on my lap, on the sofa, and even more comfortably on my bed. It's been there over an hour and a half. I lift up my pismo, and you know what? Barely warm, and the fan has not been on once.

With my 17", I get 3 hours of battery life, maybe 4 if I dim the screen, then its to the ac adapter.. But half an hour on my bed, forget it! And when I had a 12" powerbook and the 15" they would get much hotter than my 17". Maybe I'm not like most people, if I want to use my laptop on a desk, I'll just go to work on my g5.

That's why the pismo gets so much more use. Need more power? Yeah maybe when I'm doing some photoshop, or some final cut. But that's what my g5 is for.

My pismo has been upgraded to 1gb memory, and an 80gb 5400 speed hard drive. This upgrade cost me $150 in total, and my pismo (with airport card) cost me in total - $350. I think this has been the best value that I got in all the powerbooks that I have had. Maybe that's why I don't notice the slow loading applications. And I am comparing that to my 17" powerbook.

$400 is not the issue, nor is $800, nor $2500. I've had them all (meanwhile I've gotten some extraordinary deals over the last 2 years since I switched to mac). It's just that the pismo, as a laptop, is great. I've sold all my titaniums (400, 500, 550, 667, 867 1ghz) and aluminums (12" 1ghz 12" 1.33, 15" 1.25, 15" 1.33, 17" 1ghz), and another pismo at one point. I've always found negative points to each of the different lines. While its definitely not as powerful, this current pismo will stay with me until its end.

The newer ones may change my mind, but for now, my pismo is the one that will stay with me until it runs out of gas. My problem now is what to do with my 17". It is a dream to use. But worrying about how to transport it, scratches, dents, heat, etc. always makes me wonder of its practicality for me.

I love the comments though. Thanks!
     
JMan09
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Aug 13, 2005, 09:55 PM
 
You can always donate that 17" tome if you dont want it anymore. HaHa
32GB iPad 2 | 32GB iPhone 4 | 11' MacBook Air 1.6 i5, 4GB, 128GB SSD
     
   
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