iOh iMy iGod!
Written: Oct 08 '00 (Updated Mar 27 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Like a Fiat on an Xterra platform with two shuttle boosters placed on each side.
Cons: Too cute, does it come with Starbucks Coffee and a Volkswagon Beetle?
The Bottom Line: _
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| SnowFalcon_CU's Full Review: Apple iBook Key Lime Special Edition 12.1 in. (M82... |
The Greeks have pioneered the notion that to live long, you must indulge yourself within reason and moderation. Will I go to hell for indulging myself in this incredible piece of machinery? Ever since my lab issued the Apple iBook Special Addition series to me for "scientific research" (fun and excitement while still maintaining your maturity) I haven't left the house in nearly five days, I realized that, hey, I look pretty good with a beard, and, why are there flies buzzing around me? I don't know what day it is and this review that I am writing looks quite good on this 12.1' diameter screen via the ATI RAGE Mobility 128 graphics chipset. I am not a computer expert and I realize that most people do not have a strong sense of understanding when dealing with techy-speak, so my goal today is to present an indicative and honest representation of what it has been like owning this beautiful, sensual, mind-boggling, sexy, sleek, glossy, wooooooo, take a shower snowflake!!!
Background
My lab-group spent several months investing time and money (poorly spent and ill-represented) in another laptop brand; it has come short in characterizing our needs and requirements for our field of work. Finally, an intelligent, and, for God's sakes, caffeine-free, chap recommended an Apple product. The group was split and some opted for the Apple Powerbook, and the others (myself included) opted for the smaller and less committed iBook Special Edition. Why we did that is another story that doesn't pertain to the review, maybe I'll explain, but its rather insignificant.
First Impression
The sharp, and rather flamboyant new colors of Keylime and Blue were subject for this year, but I opted for the standard Graphite color, the only other choice for the Special Edition was that particularly bright green color. My first reaction was "Boy guys, that sure is cute, does it come with Starbucks Coffee and a Volkswagon Beetle?" Three hours later I felt the sobering, discomforting feeling of opening my mouth too soon and with too much candor.
The standard release comes with Apple Works 6, a best selling program that includes regular applications like word-processing, spread sheets, drawing, painting, etc'. Apple Works also implemented an off-shoot that enables people who understand how it works to create presentations and add tables, graphs, charts, digital photography, sound and movie bits, high resolution imaging, and a better capacity for downloads. A nifty tool is the AV Port that allows you to download an image, and instead of having five people pack around to look at it, you plug an outlet port to your television and display it on the TV screen. WOW!, this is actually something I use regularly--creating a slide show is now convenient and easy.
Appearance
Snapping a picture on a digital computer and uploading it to the iBook SE was a piece of cake. Mine personally had 128 megs of SDRAM, and a 20 gig ATA drive, as opposed to the regular 64/10 combo. DVD files are large, something like 3.8 megabytes per second. Upgrading to 128/20 from 64/10 costs $500.00 and relieves a lot of "stress" and "strain" placed on it when playing large films. The ATI RAGE chip that I mentioned before produced a more refined photo-realistic format for movies and provides and added boost when engaging games and multimedia applications--everything works in concert.
Techy-Stuff
If you really want to feel loved, I opt for the "keeping it real" Airport, by Apple. A bit pricey at $398.00, it offers people who have children the benefit of not having your kids run over the cords, your mother from telling you to lift your feet when she sweeps by vacuuming and gulping it in (my mommy) and your wife from spilling the coffee on your shirt because she tells you day in and day out to take that freaking contraption away from the dinner table (my friends wife). Listen (or look at my fonts) closely, you plug the cable in to your modem, phone jack, or Ethernet hub, log on, and……………REMOVE IT!!!! That's right folks, once you're on you can disconnect the cable and move around your house or office for up to 150 feet (that's more than enough space). The Airport sends radio-assisted signals so it WILL travel through walls and your loved one will not get in the way and cause a tantrum to your sensitive head. For people that have one account and many children who utilize the web, all of you can surf the net off of one connection. Hence, my title, iOh iMY iGod. Every iBook comes with a built in Airport insert-slot so you need not buy it now, and if you don't its not a defeat or loss in techno-advantages.
Crunch Time - Unsung Heros
I am writing too much so I will sum up some more important factors in the iBook for the next several sentences. The iBook SE ways slightly over six pounds, has a pull-out handle to be carried with ease in your hands, will recharge its battery(s) in two hours (my calculated time) and will endure for more than six. Its very portable and maybe our little elves at Apple designed it to be carried by the coffee-drinking-suburban-hippie-wearing-I-love-Lilith-Fair-listening-Seattle alternatives. Well I can tell you that many fields and different scopes of people can use the iBook. Twenty gigs is ample storage, the battery power is abundant, you can watch DVD films, play games, access the internet with ease, and move around the house without any cables attached to you (via Airport)--now that's organization and efficiency!
The iBook SE can come configured in many different ways and a cool shell color, 12.1" screen, Airport slot, CD drive, 64 megabytes, and 10 gigs all come standard. When modified, this laptop is like a European Fiat placed on a Nissan Xterra Platform, with two Shuttle Rocket Boosters placed on each side, painted vividly green. (woo, nice one Art!) Once I fall "out of love with it", I will look at the calendar to see what day it is…
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID: SnowFalcon_CU
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Location: Boulder, CO
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 10 members
About Me: Si hoc signum legere potes, operis boni in rebus Latinis alacribus et fructuosis potiri potes!*
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