Super laptop perfect for most computer uses.
Written: Jan 02 '04
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Pros: Battery life, screen, memory, and portability.
Cons: Speakers, vulnerability of case materials,
The Bottom Line: I would recommend this computer to the average home/home office computer user as a terrific addition/replacement to your desktop Mac.
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| jmaudsley's Full Review: Apple iBook 12.1 in. (M8860LL/A) Mac Notebook |
A Little About Me
I am a Macintosh user and have an iMac and have, since I bought my first personal computer in 1996, chosen Apple. So when the time came to buy a laptop I, of course, opted for and Apple iBook.
Why I Bought My iBook
I actually bought my iBook used but since the model is not that old, I thought it still appropriate to post my epinion. This model is a middle-of-the-road iBook with a smaller screen (than the largest available) and a reasonably large hard drive (20GB). The memory on my machine had been upgraded to 384MB RAM. My machine also came with an Airport wireless networking card already installed.
How I Use My iBook
I use my laptop for a number of purposes including burning CDs and maintaining my iPod collection of music, building and maintaining my iPhoto collection, and lots and lots of Internet surfing. For all of thes activities I have used both the battery and the AC power connection and both have provided me with flawless power and operation. I am very happy with all the available ports, too. The built in Ethernet port, firewire (1), USB (2), earphone jack, and modem ports provide all the capabilities that are most often needed.
Battery Life, In My Experience
The battery I received with my laptop was well-used and had experienced a significant loss in battery life. Initially it was useful for less than an hour but I have brought that up to 1.5 hours with careful power use and consistent discharge/recharge cycles. I soon bought another battery for my iBook and have had much better luck with this replacement battery. I have managed to get around 5 hours of use from this battery with average e-mail and surfing requirements. One major disappointment with the new battery...Apple opted to change the battery design so it doesn't match my iBook which is pretty bad...you would think that a battery specifically made for this computer would match the case of the computer? As for using my iBook for burning/ripping/listening to CDs or watching DVDs using the battery, I have not had this experience so cannot comment on the battery life in these situations.
The Screen and Portability
I really like the screen of my iBook. The 12.1" TFT active matrix screen presents brilliantly colors and legible text in all applications. I realize that it is not the largest screen ever made and I am sure I would not complain if I ended up with a 17" Powerbook...but for now I am very pleased with the 12.1" screen. Since there is a direct connection between the screen size and the laptop size, I am happy with a laptop that I can easily pick-up and carry with one hand and fits in a bag that doesn't necessarily scream "there is a laptop in here!" I have fairly good vision so I have no problem using my iBook in all kinds of applications including using the screen on the lowest viewable brightness setting available (power saving measure). I consider the screen size one of the biggest factor in the portability of a laptop so I am very happy with the screen size / portability ratio of this unit.
Hard Drive Space
The 20GB hard drive is also not the largest HD offered these days but I find it to be quite sufficient. I was able to store 90% of my music collection on my iBook before I transferred it to my iPod after which I realized that I really only needed to store my music on iPod and not on my laptop (iPods can play through an existing desktop or laptop system). I am an aspiring photographer and am currently in the process of consolidating my photo collection onto my computer. I have about 1/3 of my lifetime photos on my computer at this time and am shocked how little space these memories take up (of course many were taken with low res cameras and pics on disk technology so not all photos are the highest quality, but that cannot be helped. I find my 20GB hard drive plenty large enough to store everything I need to store at this time. Of course I realize that this will not last, what with planned obsolesence and all...
iBook Materials and Wear
The materials of my iBook have held up fairly well, though I am a bit disappointed in they way they have worn. I like to take care of my things and most things I own show little wear and tear until they are pretty much obsolete. My iBook was, in its previous life, used vigorously and it shows. The external case is quite mared and there is little to be done to restore the finish (it is basically clear acrylic that has scratches all over these surfaces. Inside the keyboard is like new but most of the other interior surfaces have be vigorously worn. The touch-pad is fine but the touch-pad button shows wear from rubbing against the screen molding when the laptop is closed. The molding surrounding the screen is quite worn all the way around from when the laptop is closed. Surprising that the wear patterns have left such visible results, I have not had similar problems with other Apple products (and I have hauled my iMac all over the place thanks to its convenient handle). All of these complaints are aesthetic and do not affect the operation of my machine, so if you aren't particular, please disregard!
Speakers
The speakers are lacking...though I realize with a laptop it is not going to be high priority to have top quality speakers. It would be nice to have speakers that worked without having to be in the highest volume setting. Although it is rare that I need to hear anything on my laptop, when it is rarely required, it would be nice if I didn't have to mess with the volume settings for my whole system.
Final Thoughts
Since I use my laptop for rather rudimentary functions, I find my iBook to nicely meet my needs and provides plenty of potential, just in case. I am very pleased with the construction, overall design, and the features of the system. I am still a bit amazed that I can sit in my living room and do everything I used to have to sit at my desk to do. This little machine is so powerful and feature packed that it easily meets all of my needs and then some.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 700
Operating System: Macintosh
Processor: PowerPC G3
Processor speed: 601-700
Screen Size: 12 inches
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
jmaudsley
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Location: Bellingham, WA USA
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Self-employed, skier, yogi, Air National Guardsman, TDI owner, and pursuer of alternative fuels.
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