Product Description

PowerBook G4 Notebook, PowerPC G4 1.5GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard Drive, 15.2-inch WXGA TFT Display, 8X DVD / 24X16X24 CD-RW Combo Drive, Mac OS X Panther v10.3 ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The Gift that Keeps on Giving
Like another reviewer before me, I too have owned Macs for 20 years [at home].I also have worked with PCs at work for the past 20 years as well.I have watched and worked with the evolutions of the hardware and the operating systems.Both Wintel and Mac products have been, more or less, just fine.

I just purchased a month or so ago from Amazon.com [a good point of sale] a Powerbook G4 1.5. and of course Mac OS 10.3.8.

Yes, there are Wintel laptops that offer, at a higher price, brighter, sharper screens.Yes, there are laptops that offer, at a higher price, slightly faster operations than the Powerbook.But, if you combine the solid "feel" of the hardware with the absolute elegance of Mac OS 10, you have a combination hard to beat.

The more I work with this system, the more I am impressed.Two quick examples: I am studying Spanish and trying to practice writing sentences.Lo and behold I discover that OS 10 allows me the option of changing my keyboard from English to Spanish [or German or any one of scores of other languages] and thus I can type the Spanish punctuation [upside down question marks, for example].

I also had occasion to set up bluetooth devices on a PC and on my Powerbook.With the PC I had to insert a CD, go through a relatively elaborate set up process.It worked just fine, but with the Mac, there was no driver set up needed, just a 10 second "pairing" process and the blue tooth mouse was scampering across the table top.

These are not "assets" advertized or promoted.I just discovered them and I feel like I have a lot more pleasant discoveries ahead of me.

The only computer you'll ever need
I'm just a regular person with no training in graphics or computers. Apple has changed all that. I used PCs all my life and now realize that I wasted my time & money. PCs will never compare to Apple, and frankly, I don't undertand why people bother. I thought buying a G4 desktop was the best purchase of my life. But this powerbook (PB) is an even better purchase. Since I've bought it, I have totally (and I mean "totally") ignored my G4 desktop. I do all my computing from the comfort of my couch. I do everything wirelessly. Apple's OS X is unbelievably stable. This PB is great for the user who enjoys using higher end digital equipment and software. Apple software is simply the best. The graphics intense power simply sits on your lap. iPhoto is easy to use and with a .mac account, you can share your photos on the internet in just a few easy minutes. With music, garageband allows me to plug in my guitar and record my music. Then I use gargeband to add some bass, drums and other instruments. I then save it in iTunes and post my music on the internet where friends can download my music onto their iPods. I'm not even a good guitar player but garageband turns me into a musical genius. As for digital movies, I download my footage into Final Cut Pro and edit my movies while sipping latte at Starbucks. I then use my PB to burn my movies on a DVD and share them with friends and family. And I'm just getting started! As life goes on, Apple continues to improve and so do I. I highly recommend this powerbook. It will change your life...

A PowerBook to Die For
I have a friend of a friend who works at an Apple store and just recenlty he let me play with all the new stuff, some old stuff too and here is my impression of the new, improved 15 inch PowerBook. First off, and I feel like shouting this, but I won't, "It's about time Apple put out a computer that had enough memory in it to actually run it!" I have an old G3, 14 inch iBook and right off the bat I had to buy more memory, bumping it up to 640 megs, so knowing this baby comes with 512 right out the door, will bring a sigh of relief to anybody thinking of buying one.

The screen on this baby is gorgeous, no reading glasses for me here. This machine is svelte and sleek, comes with Airport Extreme built in. Has all the usual ports, plus FireWire 800 and it's crowning jewel, in my humble opinion, is the backlit keyboard. Apple claims it's ten times brighter than the old model. I can attest to the fact that it's brighter, but ten times, I don't know, I didn't see it. However, it's plenty bright enough to work in the dark. This 1.5 GHz model does not come with a Superdrive, but for an extra two hundred bucks you might not care.

Compared to my aging, but still working like a champ iBook, this baby screams. And the 80 gig hard drive gives you plenty of room to load up those MP3s to play in iTunes.

All I have to add is to say, well done Apple, you have created a PowerBook to die for. Five stars and worth every one.

Jack Priest, Sailor home from the Sea

One of the best laptops I ever used
I am using this Apple laptop for some time and thought its time to right a quick review. Apple as always famous for excellent design did a good job here as well. Few things I love about this machine
1. Very attractive look
2. Backlit keyboard to use in the dark (my favorite feature to use on the plane)
3. Good stereo speakers
4. Excellent screen resolution
4. Plenty of ports (Ethernet, Firewire, USB, speaker, telephone, etc.)
5. Built in Bluetooth (I think it's the best way to connect to cell phone)
6. Built in wireless (both 802.11b and 802.11g)
7. Lots of printer/scanner work well with this out of the box
8. Slot loading CD/DVD drive (I have DVD writer which works amazingly well and fast)
9. Built in Modem
10. extremely easy to change battery or memory, if you need to

Only two things I didn't like about it
1. Heats up fast and stays warm (and I read that its very bad for men to use a warm notebook keeping on lap)
2. Wireless connection lose some strength (about 20%)

As you see both the issues are because of the Aluminum case but it gives gorgeous look so I am ok with them.

long-time Apple user loves this G4
I've owned Apple computers going all the way back to the Apple II+. Along the way, I have had the very rare bad apple. However, this PowerBook G4 worked great right out of the box. It was nice to find it fully charged and ready to go. These days I'm not really a 'power user. I'm not crunching any serious numbers or even much game playing, but I still appreciated the crisp speed of the 1.5GHz processor. I can see a noticeable difference between the 1.5GHz and my old PowerBook G4 500MHz. I also like the keyboard and how it lights up in darker rooms. Finally the PowerBook hasn't lost any of its coolness. I still get people commenting on how cool it looks. I have to say that this is one of the best Apple Products that I've owned in over 20 years of owning Apple products. ... Read more

Product Description

iMac G5 Desktop, PowerPC G5 2GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, 250GB Hard Drive, 8X DVD+/-RW SuperDrive, Built-in 20-inch LCD Monitor, Mac OS X Tiger v10.4 ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Macking301
It has been three years since I bought my last Apple computer.

When I saw this G5 20" widescreen that now comes fully loaded, I was very impressed. It was loaded with TIGER (OS X.4) which ran like a Benz!

Thats before I got this big boy home!

Wow, loaded with wireless networking, bluetooth and a fast DVD double sided burner using a high speed connection, it is rocket fast and a state of the art machine!

It was easy to connect and all I needed for my own taste was an extra 512 meg of ram at $75.00.

I can now use Adobe Photoshop along with iPhoto and other applications all at the same time, and the spinning wheel is a thing of the past. The iMac is now a VERY fast aand smooth running machine.

I have the wireless Apple keyboard and mouse that came with mine and it only adds to the thrill of this zoom computer.

I could go on and on...but....

Pro's- the entire iMac !!!!
Cons? None!This is a thing of beauty and performs so well that I am truly amazed. Its the best computer I have ever owned or for that matter ever used!\

THIS IS A MUST SEE -MUST USE AND A MUST OWN!!!

Biggest fastest iMac G5 now even faster
Apple is, quite simply, the best and most innovative computer manufacturer. A recent article in Consumer Reports identified Apple computers as the most reliable computers and PC Magazine user surveys have reached the same conclusion. Furthermore, PC Magazine regularly designates the iMac G5 as the best all around desktop computer. Now the ultra-reliable, user friendly iMac G5 has an even faster G5 processor.

Yes, most people use Windows-based PCs, but do you really want to be just another member of the PC herd -- with all of the problems and frustrations presented by Windows-based PCs (including regular virus attacks) -- or are you looking for a computer which is user friendly, seldom crashes, and is virtually impervious to viruses? If these virtues are more important to you than being one of the crowd, please seriously consider buying an Apple computer. This new iMac G5 is Apple's latest and fastest iteration of the innovative iMac series of compact, user friendly computers at reasonable prices. Like all G5-powered Apple computers this new iMac is a very fast computer -- more than twice as fast as a Pentium 4 with the same clock speed -- and has a state-of-the-art 64-bit processor. All computers will have 64-bit processors some day but very few PCs, except for Apple G5s, have them at this time. If you're looking for a fast, versatile, easy to use computer, want to stop worrying abut virus attacks, and are willing to try something off the beaten path, you'll love this elegant and now faster new iMac G5. A less expensive model of the faster new iMac G5 is available with a 17" screen. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Referred to by its code name, Jaguar, Mac OS X 10.2 contains more than 150 newfeatures and provides significant enhancements to its modern, Unix-based foundation.From AOL-compatible instant messaging to advanced junk mail filtering and arevolutionary Web search tool, Jaguar is as innovative as the computers that run it.

With iChat, the AOL-compatible instant messenger, you can chat with your AOL andMac.com buddies through a fun, easy-to-use interface. Sherlock 3, the new Web searchtool, delivers stock quotes, maps, restaurants, and more without a browser. QuickTime 6supports MPEG-4, the new worldwide standard for playing and viewing pro-quality audioand video over the Internet. This new version also includes Rendezvous, a revolutionarynetworking technology that lets you link computers and devices instantly without anyconfiguration.

Another cool new feature is Inkwell, which lets you write on a graphics tablet, andJaguar turns your handwriting into typed text at the cursor in any application. Andwith new compatibility built into Mac OS X 10.2, sharing files, using Windows documents,and connecting to a Windows network have never been easier. And it easily runs MicrosoftOffice. For business users, Jaguar comes with Active Directory interoperability, and witha PPTP-based VPN (virtual private network) client that allows Mac users to connect remotelyto Windows corporate networks.

Jaguar's complete suite of professional-quality developer tools now features GCC 3.1, whichradically improves C++ build times and standards compliance. The updated Interface Buildermakes it easier to group, lock, and drag Aqua controls between windows for rapid user-interfacecreation. And, perhaps best of all, these professional tools are still included with everycopy of Jaguar, empowering Java, C, and AppleScript Studio developers to do their best workon the Macintosh platform. ... Read more

Reviews (114)

Expensive but worth every penny
Buy this upgrade!!

While not a true switcher (as I run a high end Win XP Pro PC(2.4 ghz dual Intel cpu 2 gig ram [money] Pro-graphics card and the fantastic Sony GWM-FW900 24" wide screen monitor) for [money] a seat 3d CAD/CAM software)

But to replace my ageing Dell 800 p-3 mostly used for games and fun with Linux) as a main home computer

I bought a top of the line iMac 800 G-4 super drive in March to see what all the fuss was about ref OS-X. as I am an old Unix geek thought it would make a nice BAD Unix toy if this Apple thing did not work out and it was so fine to look at as an industrial design engineer.

So if any one was entitled to be miffed with Apple at the full price on this 'point' upgrade it was I.

Well this is NO 'point' upgrade! this is like going from Wi 98sp2 to XP pro SP1 only much more so not only Was X 10.1.5 rock solid on the iMac G-4 this 10.2 is faster and better in every way in very subtle ways

If I could get my work software ported to OS-X I would have a dual G4-1.25 Ghz driving my Sony MFW-900 in a moment

I am a total convert to the fantastic beauty of this OS and I Have ordered Ashlar Velum Cobalt to see if it can replace my work PC software on a Mac

[costly] but worth every penny
Buy this upgrade!!

While not a true switcher (as I run a high end Win XP Pro PC(2.4 ghz dual Intel cpu 2 gig ram...Pro-graphics card and the fantastic Sony GWM-FW900 24" wide screen monitor) for...a seat 3d CAD/CAM software)

But to replace my ageing Dell 800 p-3 mostly used for games and fun with Linux) as a main home computer

I bought a top of the line iMac 800 G-4 super drive in March to see what all the fuss was about ref OS-X. as I am an old Unix geek thought it would make a nice BAD Unix toy if this Apple thing did not work out and it was so fine to look at as an industrial design engineer.

So if any one was entitled to be miffed with Apple at the full price on this 'point' upgrade it was I.

Well this is NO 'point' upgrade! this is like going from Wi 98sp2 to XP pro SP1 only much more so not only Was X 10.1.5 rock solid on the iMac G-4 this 10.2 is faster and better in every way in very subtle ways

If I could get my work software ported to OS-X I would have a dual G4-1.25 Ghz driving my Sony MFW-900 in a moment

I am a total convert to the fantastic beauty of this OS and I Have ordered Ashlar Velum Cobalt to see if it can replace my work PC software on a Mac

Substantial improvement
This is a very stable, incredibly smooth OS. It launches at lightning speed, is very intuitive and the learning curve is very short. If there is a downside, compatible professional graphic software is in short supply. It is a huge improvement over Windows and previous Mac OS.

Amazon reviews: Now featuring False Information!
Mac OS X does not disable built-in floppy drives. Mac OS X runs better on computers that are built for it. Running it on a Beige G3 is like running Windows on a 486; you can do it, but it doesn't mean you should. Crashes occour from poorly-designed APPLICATIONS, not OS X. I have had OS X for over a year, and I have had only 2 'kernel panics' (full system lockups). hbj200 is wrong about the 1%. it's more like 8% and growing rapidly, and everyone uses Windows because they believe Bill's propaganda. There is more documentation about digital cameras that networking in OS 10.2 because of Rendezvous (Stable, Efficient Networking for Dummies)

I

This is awesome
The best Mac OS yet. I'm amazed each day at the capabilities of this operating system. I haven't had to restart in nearly 5 months! This IS the smoothest, best looking, best running operating system I have EVER used! ... Read more

Features

• 4 GB model holds up to 1,000 songs; supports MP3, AAC, WAV, MP3 VBR, Audible (6), and AIFF formats
• Mac and Windows compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available
• 1.67 inch (diagonal) backlit screen displays full song names and more
• More than 8 hour battery life on a 3 hour charge (1-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)
• Comes with earbud headphones, belt clip, AC adapter, FireWire cable, and USB 2.0 cable

Reviews (196)

Small But Powerful
The iPod mini is built from the ground up as a portable device for people with fast-paced lives. It's small and lightweight physical dimensions are perfectly suited to be being placed in a pants or shirt pocket without being a burden.

But don't let its light weight fool you into thinking the iPod mini is a pushover. The 4GB hard drive (3.7 GB actual) can hold about 1,000 songs - enough to last almost three full days. The installed software includes four games; a calendar; a notepad; a contact database; a clock; backlight with timer; an alarm clock; and the abilities to customize the main menu; create playlists; and rate songs. All this is in addition to being able to be used as an external hard drive!

However, the most revolutionary aspect of the iPod mini (aside from it's size and weight) is its control interface. Incorporating the 'Menu', 'Pause/Play', 'Forward' and 'Back' buttons directly to the touch sensitive scroll wheel not only creates simplicity from a design standpoint, but form a user one as well. Accessing these controls is a breeze. Thankfully the touch wheel is designed well enough that accidental pressing of a control is unlikely to occur since you have to press down a bit to activate the button. I'd actually like to see the entire iPod line adopt this interface.

Some people complain that the iPod mini is only slightly cheaper than the 20 GB iPod and offers a lot less storage space. But what you loose in storage space you gain in portability. It is also important to consider that compared to other players of its size and weight, the iPod mini offers much more storage space, many more features, and a better music jukebox in iTunes 4.0.

I want to carry the most music I can in the smallest possible device that offers the best interface and features. For me, that device is unquestionably the iPod mini. If you have similar demands of a portable music device, the iPod mini is sure to become a permanent accessory to your lifestyle.

Small in Size not in Functionality
The iPod mini is built from the ground up as a portable device for people with fast-paced lives. It's small and lightweight physical dimensions are perfectly suited to be being placed in a pants or shirt pocket without being a burden.

But don't let its light weight fool you into thinking the iPod mini is a pushover. The 4GB hard drive (3.7 GB actual) can hold about 1,000 songs - enough to last almost three full days. The installed software includes four games; calendar; notepad; contact database; clock; backlight with timer; alarm clock; and the abilities to customize the main menu; create playlists; and rate songs. All this is in addition to being able to be used as an external hard drive.

However, the most revolutionary aspect of the iPod mini (aside from it's size and weight) is its control interface. Incorporating the 'Menu', 'Pause/Play', 'Forward' and 'Back' buttons directly to the touch sensitive scroll wheel not only creates simplicity from a design standpoint, but form a user one as well. Accessing these controls is a breeze. Thankfully the touch wheel is designed well enough that accidental pressing of a control is unlikely to occur since you have to press down a bit to activate the button. I'd actually like to see the entire iPod line adopt this interface.

Some people complain that the iPod mini is only slightly cheaper than the 20 GB iPod and offers a lot less storage space. But what you loose in storage space you gain in portability. It is also important to consider that compared to other players of its size and weight, the iPod mini offers much more storage space, many more features, and a better music jukebox in iTunes 4.0.

I want to carry the most music I can in the smallest possible device that offers the best interface and features. For me, that device is unquestionably the iPod mini. If you have similar demands of a portable music device, the iPod mini is sure to become a permanent accessory to your lifestyle.

SO CuTE
The funny thing is some people waited for over 3 months to get their mini ipod's, 5 days before christmas my mom went to target to get started on her christmas shopping, and she got the last blue one! The mini ipod is the cuttest thing i have ever gotten in my life, and one of the best gifts! my sister who has a dell music player and for the same price got 9,000 songs laughed at me! grated dell has a better deal, but who really needs 9,000 songs? the mini ipod is light weight so when i go running or i am working out i can't even feel it. although the battery life isn't what it says to be the ipod is still wonderful!

Amazing!
I got my pink ipod mini about a week ago as sort of a pre-Christmas present. Anyway I love it. With the itunes cards which target also sells it is really easy to download music. I would like to suggest that anyone who does get a ipod mini should get an ipod dock, not a mini ipod dock. The mini ipod's are not plastic on the outside like the regular ipods. The ipod mini's have a brushed metal outer case and if you use the ipod mini with the ipod mini dock, your beautiful new ipod will get all scratched up on the front. I hope this helps anyone thinking of buying one of the ipods or mini ipods.

Mini Ipod..definately worth it.
When I first saw the mini Ipods i feel in love with the different colors. I decided to ask for one for my birthday, I got it. I have fallen in love with it. At first I wanted a regular Ipod, but the regular ones hold a TON of music, and since I get bored with songs easily, having a smaller one would make more sense considering my CD collection is quite small since I usually just listen to music on the computer. And when you think about, 1,000 songs.. that is A LOT of songs. You can also just delete the songs you don't want anymore and put new ones on it.

I must say me being a 14-year old girl and being absolutely obsessed with the color pink also persuaded me in asking for a pink mini Ipod. White is just boring.. to me that is. This review probably isn't very helpful, but mini Ipod all the way. ... Read more

Product Description

Mac mini, PowerPC G4 1.25GHz Processor, 256MB RAM, 40GB Hard Drive, 8X DVD / 24X16X24 CD-RW Combo Drive, Mac OS X Panther v10.3 ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Great computer for mom, dad, and grandparents
If you ever wanted to get a computer so that your parents and grandparents can keep in touch, get this one. The main reason why I wouldn't recommended a PC is because of all of the viruses and spyware that clog most machines today. My parents have 2 PCs in their home. A virus killed one machine. Spyware and popups slowed down the other machine to the point where web surfing is rendered useless.

Macs don't have to deal so much with viruses and spyware like PCs. Admittedly, you should double the ram. And maybe get a wireless keyboard to free up some USB ports.

Overall, this is the perfect PC replacement for mom,pop, grandpa, and grandma.

(...)

All in all, this machine is great for all the applications your parents will ever really use.

Base Configuration should have 512MB RAM
Very happy with the machine, but it should have double the RAM as part of the standard configuration.Anything more than 2 apps running at one time and it slows down noticably.

The software suite that comes with the machine is awesome.Easy to use and tightly integrated.I'm using this machine for digital photo management and for web surfing. No spyware/virus problems with my mini (so far!).

As much as I like it, this machine doesn't have the omph to run the apps I really love, namely 1st person games.My AMD Athlon 1800+ with the same graphics chip (Radeon 9200) runs Call of Duty at high res with acceptable frame rates, while the mini is choppy running a demo version of the same game at 800x600.

Oh well.That's why I'm running both my mini and my WINTEL machine with a KVM.I can always switch back and forth by tapping a few keys.

Great Mac, but you can't get it for free!
(...)

It is a well-known fact that these "programs" are run like pyramid schemes. Only the first few people to sign up actually got a Mac mini (it doesn't take a genius to see that you won't be the first sucker here). The rest just get heaps of telemarketing calls, junk faxes, and junk emails.

I ought to know--I'm one of the chumps that was foolish enough to try! Please, learn from my mistake and don't help these jokers rope in any more people.

The Mac mini is a great computer. (...)

Mac Mini Makes Sense
I have always been in love with Apple Computers. Whether its' the design, construction, or hardware, it always gets to me. When I purchased my Mac Mini, I couldn't believe it. The thing is so tiny, its' the size of my hands, and its' unbelievably light-weight. It is the perfect thing to put on your desk. Even if there is a lot of clutter on your work area, the Mac Mini fits like its' nobody's business. When I purchased my Mac Mini, I added two things that everyone needs:

1. Doubled Ram
2. Keyboard and Mouse

Why do you need both of these things? The Mac Mini performs poorly on the minimum ram. Sadly, most Mac's do. For the keyboard and the mouse, the keyboard comes with an extra USB port in the back of it strictly for the one button mouse that Apple has to offer. So, you get an extra USB port on the back of your system for a camera, printer, etc. PLUS, all Mac keyboards have an eject button, so you don't have to move to the edge of your system to get the disc out. Never the less, you can use your old keyboard and mouse without a problem. I just recomend you buy it for the Mac Mini. However, you still need the extra ram, because you are going to need it. For your monitor, most people would have to buy an adapter. The port on the system is the most different of most monitor cables. So, you have to check the wire. The Apple Store have a huge selection of adapters, so go there if you need help finding one. All monitors work well with Mac Mini.

I love my Mac Mini. But why did I give it four stars? Look back. Apple gives you nothing with the Mini. If you don't own a PC, you will have to buy a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and RAM! Although, after that, it's still cheaper than the next small priced Mac, the eMac. I recomend this computer over any PC (Dell, Gateway, WHATEVER!) because it is small, and has better applications than the other systems. In essence, the Mac Mini makes sense.

Recomended Software:

-TIGER: Mini comes with panther until April 29th 2005. It is important that you wait until then, or upgrade your Mini after. For more information on Tiger, visit the Apple Homepage.
-.Mac: Membership to a whole new experience with E-Mail, Advanced Tools, and Virus Protection.
-Microsoft Office: Excel, Powerpoint, and Word are must-haves.

Mac Mini comes with iLife, so you can play around with Garageband, listen to music on iTunes, enjoy pictures with iPhoto, and watch homevideos.

worst ever
this is most suckiest computer I've ever used.I wouldn't even call it a computer other than chips with programs.You cant even upgrade the thing after you by it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Not worth it
Before I used to think that i would be worth the prive that it was set at, I was wrong. I mean this does serve its purpose and does everything it says, but it is just too overprivced. I could see this at $15, maybe $20, but $40 is just outragous. If you are planning on buying an ipod, buy a 20 or 40 gig, if you really want this. Sepreately, it is just a waste of money.

Nice work if you can get it
Let's put it this way: I think the dock is great. Aesthetically is much more pleasing to see my iPod propped up securely in this sturdy little accessory. Functionally, the line out jack is great for hooking up to a stereo. And for the sake caution, I prefer having a spot to place this pricey little unit in, rather than just leaving it lying down, just waiting for the first inadvertant soda can to be set on it, or crushed under a stack of books, and so on.

The price doesn't really bother me; it could be lower, but it's not prohibitive, considering how much you just paid for your iPod. And that's why overall, I'd give the dock 4 stars...

... But not 5. Because having said all of that, it's really sort of chintzy of Apple to make one have to pay extra for a basic component and, when all is said and done, one you don't necessarily actually need. So, in the end, it's nice, if you can get it -- but if not, you're not missing much.

too expensive, but...
For 40 bucks you get the dock, which is nice. For 75 you get the dock, a Monster Cable audio connection cable with RCA connectors; the Apple USB-iPod cable and the Apple power adapter. Apple calls this its stereo connection kit. In May 2004 it's $5 cheaper on Amazon than at apple.com. Seventy-five bucks is too much for this, too, but bought separately, I know these items would cost quite a bit more than $75.

You do need the dock to use the line-level output to your stereo. While it's true the variable output headphone connection works fine, the line-level output provides higher fidelity and eliminates the risk of overloading the inputs on your pre-amp or receiver.

If you don't have an iPod yet and you love music, especially if you travel on airplanes, you need one. Just know that podding, like most other things, is a bit of a money pit.

Probably not worth it, but handy
The iPod dock may not be worth the price - but it *is* handy if you are into convenience. My iPod came with a bundled dock and I keep in on my desk for charging/syncing.

The dock is well designed - seems solidly built and is nice and small. It's also nice how it doesn't have any cables hanging out of it like most docks seem to - you just plug in the regular iPod cable to the back and that's it.

I've seen people who have two iPods leave one dock in the living room by the stereo equipment. The audio out jack on the back of the dock allows you to hook it up to your stereo and you can use the dock cable to plug in to the AC charger. This lets you quickly snap the iPod into its dock to charge and listen to music - however, if you only have one iPod, you'll want to buy an additional cable along with the extra dock so you don't always have to unplug it to sync with your computer.

If you're not feeling cheap, I guess it's handy.

Other functionality
The iPod dock does more than just make the iPod "stand up." It also provides a line-out which is a much better way of connecting it to a steroeo sytem than going through the headphone jack. Pricey? Yes, but worth it for some. ... Read more

Product Description

iMac G5 Desktop, PowerPC G5 2GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, 160GB Hard Drive, 8X DVD+/-RW SuperDrive, Built-in 17-inch LCD Monitor, Mac OS X Tiger v10.4 ... Read more

Reviews (1)

New faster iMac G5 from Apple
Apple is, quite simply, the best and most innovative computer manufacturer. A recent article in Consumer Reports identified Apple computers as the most reliable computers and PC Magazine user surveys have reached the same conclusion. Furthermore, PC Magazine regularly designates the iMac G5 as the best all around desktop computer. Now the ultra-reliable, user friendly iMac G5 has an even faster G5 processor.

Yes, most people use Windows-based PCs, but do you really want to be just another member of the PC herd -- with all of the problems and frustrations presented by Windows-based PCs (including regular virus attacks) -- or are you looking for a computer which is user friendly, seldom crashes, and is virtually impervious to viruses? If these virtues are more important to you than being one of the crowd, please seriously consider buying an Apple computer. This new iMac G5 is Apple's latest and fastest iteration of the innovative iMac series of compact, user friendly computers at reasonable prices. Like all G5-powered Apple computers this new iMac is a very fast computer -- more than twice as fast as a Pentium 4 with the same clock speed -- and has a state-of-the-art 64-bit processor. All computers will have 64-bit processors some day but very few PCs, except for Apple G5s, have them at this time. If you're looking for a fast, versatile, easy to use computer, want to stop worrying abut virus attacks, and are willing to try something off the beaten path, you'll love this elegant and now faster new iMac G5. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The AirPort Extreme Base Station with Modem and Antenna Port is compatible with the industry-standard 802.11b wireless networking protocol, which means all AirPort products, as well as Wi-Fi certified 802.11b wireless products. For higher performance you will need to have both the Airport Extreme Card and the AirPort Extreme Base Station. The range of AirPort Extreme is up to 50 feet at 54 Mbps and up to 150 feet at 11 Mbps. The Base Station can be used in conjunction with an Ethernet connection (such as with a cable modem, DSL modem, or Ethernet network) through the integrated Ethernet port, or with a telephone line through a modem.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station with Modem and Antenna Port also supports USB or Ethernet wireless printer sharing. Just plug in a compatible USB or Ethernet printer and with Mac OS X on your computer you can quickly and easily print. You can use the new USB port to attach a USB printer or use the 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN port to plug in an Ethernet printer directly into the base station.

With the new AirPort Extreme Base Station with Modem and Antenna Port, up to 50 users can work and play on the Internet simultaneously up to 150 feet away from an Ethernet connection or a phone line. The Base Station comes equipped with a built-in firewall to protect sensitive data on your computer and the ability to secure transmissions with support for 128-bit encryption.

The AirPort Extreme Base Station with Modem and Antenna Port lets you manage the range of your wireless network. An external antenna port is provided for you to attach an external antenna. There are two types of antennas available: an omni-directional and a directional, which extend the range of the AirPort Extreme base station. There is also a software feature that allows you on reduce the size of your wireless network, down to just a single room for extra privacy. ... Read more

Features

• Exchange files or play multiplayer games at data transfer rates of up to 54 Mbps
• Compatible with the industry-standard 802.11b wireless networking protocol
• Range of up to 50 feet at 54 Mbps and up to 150 feet at 11 Mbps
• Supports USB or Ethernet wireless printer sharing
• Includes built-in v.90 modem with an RJ-11 port and an external antenna port

Reviews (5)

Worth it
The wireless revolution has seriously altered the way I work. It didn't seem like it was that big of a deal, to be able to work anywhere in the house on a laptop. And then I was home over Thanksgiving and tried my father's - it was incredible. So, soon after I had my own and I love it - I even ended up getting another one for my wife's laptop.

Whether it's browsing amazon.com late at night in bed, checking morning email in the kitchen while the kids run around, or being able to set up a writing desk anywhere in the house without worrying about an accessible internet port - the airport system is awesome. Even if you only have a desktop computer it's worth it - you can to put the computer in a place where there's no internet plug, without the 40 foot cord draping your wall to connect it. All in all, a wireless system may seem extravagant, but once you have one you'll wonder how you got by without it.

The airport card, along with the base station, allows you to connect several computers, even ones that don't have wireless cards in them (i.e., we have two laptops on the wireless system, and then one iMac that doesn't have an airport card is plugged directly into the base station). You can print, scan - anything - wirelessly, as long as those extra components are connected to the base station.

If you have a big house and the base station won't be centrally located, you may want to look into the antenna. I have a 2500 square foot house and the base station is at one end of it. I can get access from anywhere in the house without the extra antenna, though in one or two places it's a weak signal. My father's house, on the other hand, is over 5000 square feet and the base station is at a far end - you can't even get a signal on the other side of the house. However, he purchased the antenna and the signal is now very strong wherever you are. A warning - you should make sure your airport network is password protected, especially if you get the antenna. The signal will be broadcast through half your neighborhood and if not protected, people can get on and use your airtime, clogging up your bandwidth.

Make sure you get the right card! There's the airport extreme card and the regular airport card (I believe they are both compatible with either base station). Check Apple's website for direct compatibility between your computer and the two different cards. They are different sizes and will only fit in the right kind of slot.

One final word - I've heard from others that certain products from Net Gear or other wireless manufacturers accomplish the same thing as the airport card and base station for much cheaper. I can't attest to the validity of this, but it might be worth looking into. I'd exercise extreme caution, since if you go with Apple products it will be covered with tech support, even if it's more expensive. And putting third party hardware in your computer will likely void the warranty on your computer.

The best designed WiFi.
The best design for your desk top. High quality of this drives me crazy. However, it is a little bit expensive. Anyway, I love this high tech toy.

Just don't buy a Dr. Bott antenna
The new base station is great. But don't be taken in by the advertising for the external antennas sold by Dr. Bott. They do nothing to extend the range of the airport and in most cases decrease signal strength. Check out the discussions on the Apple web site for more info on the external antennas.
Other than the external antenna port being a waste of time because there are no good antennas for it, the new ABS is a nice access point. And best of all, the new Windows utility for configuration is quite handy. Thankfully Apple has finally realized that the Airports aren't just "Macintosh" peripherals but are also used by many Windows users.

Eat our wireless dust PCs
Apple is revolutionary. With the release of the Airport, wires were suddenly a thing from the past. No more fumbling with extension cords to reach your laptop from your desktop. Nope. Now, PCs have a wireless internet source, which makes them feel special. Well Apple has now increased it's original substantially. That's right. We Apple folks are a step ahead of the crowd. With speed like this, do we even need fast connections? You could have a 64kbps internet connection, and it would be easy to live with now. Now that it can go a longer distance, I can sit in the woods behind my house and write a novel. Great, revolutionary, spectacular. These are some of the words I can use to describe this. Buy it now!

Increased bandwidth worth every penny!
I got this base station with my new 17" powerbook and I can say for certain it is well worth the money. I also have the original Airport base station that I bought when my son was born (so I can compare).

Now, the near five-fold increase in bandwidth will not effect Web surfing (unless you REALLY have a nice internet connection). But it very dramatically will increase the speed of transferring files between computers. When I got the new powerbook I moved all the data from my old laptop to the new. I hooked the old one up by ethernet and just kept the new wireless. Files were transferred at a great clip-- WAY faster than if I kept them both using the old base station. And this increase was in the mixed bandwidth mode (compatible with computers that can only use 802.11b).

As opposed to another review for the other Airport Extreme model, I see no decreased range at all-- but no real increase either. Adding the optional Antenna would presumably make it even more than the old base stations, but I have not done this. However, the speed is so much better that even bad reception does not adversely affect websurfing or file downloads. I have had mixed experience with other Wi-Fi systems (LinkSys, for instance).

As an important addition, the USB port to attach a printer or scanner is great. That way you need not buy a print server to share a printer and have the computers all be wireless at the same time. ... Read more

Features

• Supports the new iPod Photo (40 GB or 60 GB models)
• Connect to your home audio system
• Watch photo slideshows on your TV via S-Video connection
• Connects to a PC or Mac via FireWire or USB 2.0 (requires Mac v10.3.4 or later)

Features

• Includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, and GarageBand music application
• Use iLife to have more fun with digital media
• Easily create professional-quality slideshows, music, movies, and DVDs
• Seamless integration--iLife applications work together better than ever before
• Single installer that updates all existing iLife applications

Reviews (11)

Another Apple hit... well worth the price.
The iLife suite has been completely revised for the new iLife '04 release. In this review, I'll list some of the improved features.

iDVD received a nice update with some new themes and other small features. I wasn't incredibly impressed by this particular update, but that's because I rarely use the application. Not a major interface overhaul, but some nice updates.

iMovie has been significantly sped up along with an improved interface and new transitions, effects, and more. You'll quickly notice all the new features in this update if you use iMovie frequently.

iTunes has been updated, but you can simply download the update... you don't need to buy the suite to get the newest version of iTunes.

iPhoto previously suffered from extreme performance issues before this revision... if you had a large amount of images in the database there would be a large slowdown, but this revision fixes that issue. It allows you to rate photos 1-5 stars, which is handy but not a necessary feature. Another nice new feature is the ability to create "smart albums" like "smart playlists" on iTunes... you can make albums that only contain, say, five-star pictures containing the phrases "Katie" and "1st Birthday" with little effort.

And, finally, the application that almost everyone is buying this for... GarageBand. GarageBand is Apple's new music editing program. It's a music mixing application that allows you to record songs on your Mac.

GarageBand has a nice variety of realistic-sounding musical instruments which can be played using a MIDI keyboard or guitar plugged into your Macintosh. You can then add effects, use amplifiers, and so much more.

If you don't know how to play any instruments, GarageBand also includes a wide variety of amazing-sounding loops for use in your songs. Not only are they nice for people who can't play any instruments, but they're nice if you're in a band and you want to hear how a song sounds but your drummer isn't there to play a drum track.

GarageBand lacks a few features that would make it a professional music creation title... the ability to change the tempo throughout the song instead of using just one for the whole song would be nice; but one could even run a small professional band on this program if they had to.

I can count the number of times I've completely crashed my Mac on one hand, but it did crash (not a kernel panic, just a crash) during the install. After a restart, all worked well again.

Another thing to note with this software title is that while it does work on *most* Macs, GarageBand and iDVD require a G4 or better, at *least* 256MB of RAM, and a DVD player to use the install DVD. Actually, you can install GarageBand on a 600MHz (or higher) Mac with a DVD drive, but you can't use software instruments then.

All in all, a nice package, and worth the price.

I would have preferred an upgrade option, but...
The latest update to "your digital lifestyle" is a great one. iMovie includes more options for editing and adding titles. iDVD adds more great themes, easier interfacing with iMovie, and ups the final production minutes from 90 to 120. iTunes is a free download anyway (cause Apple makes money through the iTunes Music Store. iPhoto, to be honest, I don't play with a whole lot because I already use PhotoShop, ImageReady and Fireworks.

Then, there is GarageBand. It may not be the most necessary piece of software ever, but it certainly is the coolest. I managed to create a short song in less than an hour. Me! I can't make music with anything resembling an instrument. Apparently though, I can produce music. The ease with which the program works is astounding. Adding new loops is as easy as click and drag.

The minor complaint here, at full screen GarageBand eats memory. My iBook starts to scream in pain when I open the program. On a G5 or my G4 iMac it works great though. You can ease the memory requirements by using less screen space for the program, but it only eases the issues, doesn't resolve it.

Also, considering that Apple just made us buy the program to begin with last year, an upgrade option for those of us who did would be nice. At least they kept it at a fairly reasonable price though.

Make your personal computer be a personal compter!
Computers are wonderful tools that have greatly changed just how we do just about everything. Apple iLife software continues this tradition. I have used both Mac and PC computers. I have also used software written for both. There is nothing easier or more intuitive than Apple iLife. It is not the most powerful software. For $400-$600 you can by professional grade software that will blow the socks of iLife. However, for the average "Joe" there is nothing better. It doesn't take a lot of computer savvy. iLife does most of the work for you - and quickly. Other software we have used for loading pictures is slow, hard to manage and less desirable in many ways. I used this software at my sister-in-laws wedding. In no time at all I had a wonderful slide show set to music for everyone to watch. Doing all this work on a PowerBook G4 15" laptop allowed me to later show my father-in-law what he missed due to some health issues.

With iLife, you can edit your pictures. You can order copies with just a click of a button. With just another click, you can e-mail them to anyone in your e-mail address book. Another click you can post them on a web-sight for your friends to see. For example, we recently moved to a new state. I posted a slide show of our new home for all our old friends to see. We had over 60 different friends view the web sight. Can you image the cost of making prints for all those people? In addition, you can set your pictures, web sights to your favorite music in iTunes.

Speaking of iTunes, I love music - always have. If you like to listen to music, make your own recordings of your favorite tunes you will love iTunes. Plus, iTunes makes it easier and more affordable to buy music. I don't understand why the music industry continues to over-price their CD's but they do. And who can afford to buy an entire CD for just two or three songs. Now, with iTunes you can buy only the songs you want from a particular CD. Once down loaded, you can arrange them in any order you want, burn them on your own CD or hook your Mac to your home stereo and listen through you speakers. In addition, whatever music you have in iTunes is easily used in iPhoto, iDVD or the other applications iLife opens for you. You will not be disappointed with iLife unless you desire to spend tons of money for three or four different software programs that will not work together as seamlessly as iLife.

...what you've all been waiting for...
Face it. Most of those interested really want Garageband above all. That being the main program I use from iLife, I'll review it.

Garageband is the Final Cut Pro of Music. It's excellent for musically talented and musically challenged.

No need to worry about beats or anythin', because Garageband makes any and all set loops go together with ease.

Disregard the review by a fellow who claims it is a program for kids and idiots who want to show everyone else their noise. It IS a very sophisticated music editor while remaining simplistic and fun to use. I spent hours mixing and matching endlessly. The possibilities are infinite.

The "drag and drop" style of operating masks movie-editor Final Cut Pro, also available here at Amazon. It's an easy to learn, easy to use tool that most people will love.

I recommend, that, if you planned on buying iLife '04 solely for Garageband, then by all means, do so. I really think that if you love music and you love making it, regardless of playing an instrument, that you will adore this product.

Garageband should be called "i-casiotones"
This is a review of the garageband application in ilife. It is a big disappointment. Modern music is suffering from a surplus of hooks, loops, and grooves and a dearth of melodies. Here comes Apple with a software program that allows any tone deaf and musical illiterate to pile samples and loops one on top of another and put a beat to the mess. Change chords? Nope. Melody? Nope. Modulate? Nope. Hey! This is music that requires no instrumental playing ability. Think of it as an audio collage tool. The result is mind numbing. Now anyone can be Philip Glass and have endlessly repetitive cells of notes. There is an onscreen keyboard (laughingly called "grand piano") that will let you hunt and peck whole notes (if you can see the keyboard - the keys are so small you will need great fine motor control to hit the right key).
Remember those annoying keyboards that allow you to add endless rhythmn and background arpeggios to whatever you are playing? Here is one for your computer.

DO NOT buy this thinking you are getting a sophisticated mixer and tracker. You aren't. This is for kids only or idiots who want to inflict their noise on everyone around them. Next to this, cleaning spam our of your inbox seems like a worthy use of one's time. ... Read more

Product Description

The ultimate portable desktop.

Miraculously engineered, the ultralight 17-inch PowerBook G4 is a mere 1-inch thin and only 6.9 pounds, making it one of the planet’s thinnest, lightest, 17-inch notebooks.

Power on Display
The first thing you’ll notice is the megawide displaythe largest ever in a notebook. This PowerBook’s stunning display gives you the same viewing area as a 19-inch CRT monitor. And as for the amount of information you can see on the screen at one time, the 17-inch PowerBook supports a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixelsan eye-popping 1.3 million pixels appearing on the screen simultaneously, with room aplenty for your menus, toolbars and palettes. Thanks to its built-in, dual-link DVI support and 128MB of graphics memory, you even have the option of connecting your PowerBook to Apple’s breathtaking flat-panel displays, including the massive 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display. Featuring a powerful 1.67GHz PowerPC G4 processor, a standard 5400-rpm 100GB hard drive, an 8x SuperDrive, up to 2GB of DDR RAM and AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR built right in, the top gun of notebook computers has it all.

As Smart as It Looks
You’ll love the high-resolution 17-inch active-matrix display with brilliant 1440 x 900 pixel resolution. And you’ll marvel at the way this supersharp display fits into such a remarkably small frame: just 15.4 inches wide, 10.2 inches deep, 1.0 inches thin and a mere 6.9 pounds. Housed in a lightweight and durable aluminum alloy enclosure, the 17-inch PowerBook G4 is resistant to stains and scratches. Flat-out, drop-dead gorgeous, this revolutionary notebook is perfectly smooth on all surfaces, with no doors, protruding latches, levers or external buttons to accidentally press or break, and no sharp edges to catch on your clothing.

Built for Speed
The 1.67GHz processor gives a tremendous performance boost with ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The best notebook out, period.
Unless you're a 100 pound weakling, stop complaining about the weight of this notebook and get it. This is the top of the line PowerBook. I was considering the 15inch since I heard the other complaints about the weight and portability of the 17" but went with my own judegement and got the 17". I'm very happy with my decision and purchase. The RAM was upgraded 2GB on my system (which is the maximum). This system outperforms my previous ThinkPad which had a similar specs. The OS is rock solid (Tiger 10.4). Essentials to have WHEN you get this are a great case (I'd recommend Timbuk2 Commute XL), Office 20004 for the Mac, Quicken 2004 for the Mac and if you're into games, Doom 3 for the Mac. My future purchases to complement this system will be the iSight and Airport Express.

If you've been considering this system for a while, take the plunge. You won't regret it.

The best value
There are, quite literally, thousands of notebooks in the market today, ranging from $500 to $3000+ in price. If you're looking through the reviews of the magnificent $2700 17-inch Powerbook, you might be wondering if the price, the upfront cost of a Macintosh, is justifiable given that one can easily purchase 5 of the $500 notebooks. I looked around myself, but it came down to these:

1. The big screen. Most 17-inch Windows notebooks try to be media centers, and they weigh a ton. This Powerbook is barely more than an inch thick.

2. Size. I don't have big hands, but I do like a comfortable writing space. The keyboard has a nice tactile feel, it's backlit in dim lighting conditions.

3. Quietness. There is hardly a sound from the computer, and unless I'm doing processor-intensive work (like watching Quicktime HD sample movies), the fan is never on. It lets me focus on my work, rather than get distracted and annoyed at the grinding noise from the fan and hard drive.

4. Ease of use. All the necessary plugs (USB, firewire, etc) are present. More importantly, OS X (I'm using 10.4) with the included iLife '05 productivity software is easy to learn, and based on my experience from Windows PCs, makes me more productive quickly.

5. Software. The OS and the bundled software (I mentioned them above) don't intrude, requiring constant attention and drivers to install when I plug in a camera for the first time. They get out of my way, and they let me produce results. It took me 30 mins to import photos, edit them, and make a DVD catalog (browseable in Safari) AND make a quicktime movie of a slideshow. I was never able to do this on my old Windows PC (3.4GHz P4).

6. Value. Macs have generally higher resale value than other PCs. It's one company, versus hundreds of companies making, generally, the same computer, and so they gravitate towards pricing as the differentiator. I sold my 6-month-old 14-inch iBook G4 at 80% of the original price I paid. That's hard to do with any other PC or notebook.

And we come to price. At $2700, it is expensive, there is no getting around it. But when I compared to a comparable Dell 17-inch notebook (very nice, I must add), and added hardware and software features, resale value, plus considering ease of use and increased productivity, the $2700 in price is a bargain. Consider with a grain of salt, make your own comparisons and judgements.

You Don't Need a Desktop Machine Anymore
I have a friend of a friend who works at an Apple store and just recenlty he let me play with all the new stuff, some old stuff too and here is my impression of the new, improved 17 inch PowerBook. First off, and I feel like shouting this, but I won't, "It's about time Apple put out a computer that had enough memory in it to actually run it!" I have an old G3, 14 inch iBook and right off the bat I had to buy more memory, bumping it up to 640 megs, so knowing this baby comes with 512 right out the door, will bring a sigh of relief to anybody thinking of buying one.

The screen on this baby is gorgeous and really, really huge, stunning, no reading glasses for me here. This machine is svelte and sleek, but a bit to big to be taken on the road in my opinion. It comes with Airport Extreme built in. Has all the usual ports, plus FireWire 800 and it's crowning jewel, in my humble opinion, is the backlit keyboard. Apple claims it's ten times brighter than the old model. I can attest to the fact that it's brighter, but ten times, I don't know, I didn't see it. However, it's plenty bright enough to work in the dark. This 1.67 GHz model comes with a Superdrive and a scrolling trackpad (which I didn't mention in my other reviews). I found the trackpad scrolling business to be a little annoying, but no matter you can turn it off in System Prefs if you want. However, I imagine once you get used to it, one might find it darned handy.

In a way this baby is like having two computers in one, because you won't need a desktop anymore, not with all this screen real estate. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Apple really got it right this time.

Jack Priest, Sailor home from the Sea

Portability not such an issue
First of all, let me state that while I have used this machine, I am the current owner of an older model - the first generation 17" with a 1GHz processor and a 60GB hard drive.

One of the biggest questions I always hear is "Isn't that too big to carry around?" My answer is no. I carry it for a 20 minute walk to my college campus daily and have no problems with it. I keep it in a Brenthaven bag specifically designed for it, and while it is a little unwieldy, it took me very little time to get used to it. The weight is definitely not an issue. For anyone thinking about getting this, I would weigh any bag that you carry with you on a day to day basis - seven pounds really isn't so much to deal with.

I use my Powerbook as my primary machine. At any given time, I am usually running Adobe Photoshop and/or Illustrator, Macromedia Flash, as well as a few native applications (Mail and iCal are always open, usually iTunes as well). The programs that come with the computer are well integrated into the operating system. I use mine for about 15 hours a day, and I put it to sleep rather than shutting it down. Even with all of the work that I do on it, a year and a half after purchasing my model it still stays on for two to three weeks with no need to shut it down.

The backlit keyboard is a feature that I never thought I would need, but now that I have it I'm not sure how I ever lived without it. Light sensors automatically adjust your screen brightness and keyboard lighting, although these can be adjusted manually. It makes working a breeze. Even though I don't look at the keyboard very much when I'm typing, it's nice to be able to see when I need to use keys I don't access very often (function keys, etc.). Since the keyboard lighting controls take up extra function keys, the "one-key" Expose features in OSX require one more step with pressing function before hitting F9-F11, but if it poses a real problem you can always set screen corners or change the hot key.

My biggest issue with this computer is the battery life. With the brightness turned all the way down (which can make the screen very difficult to see depending on your lighting conditions) and AirPort turned off, it can get around 3.5-4 hours of battery life. If you need full brightness and a wireless internet connection, you're realistically looking at about 2-2.5 hours of battery life.

Overall, I am a large supporter of this computer. I would recommend it to anyone that has a need for a Macintosh with maximum screen size and portability.

Best PowerBook Yet
Apple's latest update to their aluminum PowerBook series warrants a close look by current PowerBook users and anyone on the fence. The 17" screen is stunning, even keeping in mind that other makers have copied the idea (Apple's overall presentation simply outclasses the copycats' efforts), and the design and construction are first class.
I purchased the new 17" PowerBook to replace the previous 15" model. The increase in processor speed is noticeable, and I love the new trackpad which incorporates vertical and horizontal scrolling simply by touching the pad with two fingers instead of one. It is immediately easy to use--no extra buttons to manipulate or odd procedures to learn. The screen seems brighter than the previous one, and the new keyboard backlighting is beautiful.
I also like the fact that, besides increasing the base amount of memory, Apple now ships the machines with one memory slot open. That is, a standard 512MB machine has one 512MB strip on board, with one slot open. I simply took the "extra" 512MB strip out of my previous machine and put it in the new one, giving me a full 1GB of memory (upgradable to 2GB for those planning missions beyond the galaxy or whatever).
Buyers of the new 17" PowerBook should also check out the Apple/Brenthaven shoulder bag and backpack. I opted for the backpack this time. It is beautifully crafted; easily worth the slight additional cost over the standard fare, especially since the computer sleeve is made specifically for this computer.
In sum, this is not an "intermediate" tweak; it is a serious upgrade of an already-great product. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

The best OS out there. Period.
I used to hate Macs especially because of their OS. It was old, unstable and Mac users had to wait ages for updates which they had to pay to get.

Well, MacOS X, is by far the most complete and beautifully engineered OS out there (at least on a commercial basis). It is based on NeXT (using the Mach ker.nel) and BSD -- a feature which offers a lot to someone coming from a UNIX platform -- and clearly the best GUI out there.

Some may argue that it is not as polished as it could, but, hey, what is? Windows or Linux? Besides, Apple is releasing free *until now* revisions for download every couple of months and it has improved a lot since 10.0. (the current version at the time of writing is 10.1.2). Release 10.2 is rumoured to have great new features old Mac users requested as well as more language packs and a speedier Quartz. (the graphics engine)

I recommend this to anyone open-minded enough to leave windows behind him/her.

Apple OS X
I've been using OSX for over a year and have gone through all the upgrades. I currently have it installed on an upgraded and accelerated iMac g3 running at 466 mhz, as well as a 500mhz iBook.

I find the system stable, workable, and user friendly, although quite a bit different in feel from OS9. You have a stricter file hierarchy, that rewards putting the right folder in the right place, and retrieving your folders and applications in the same manner.

I also find the system a bit slow. I have seen it at work on new Imacs and I don't find the right speed-to-system ratio until you get up to the 800 mhz, 100 mhz bus level (that means the newer G4 equipped Macs.) It is usable on G3 machines, but I have used a lot of options to turn off various graphic bells and whisltes that slow system X down.

That said, hardware will become faster and cheaper (it's Moore's law), and the underlying flexibility and stability of System X make it a good bet for the long haul. It's especially impressive when hooking up third party peripherals like digital cameras. iPhoto and iTunes live up to the hype. Overall, I will keep using it and look forward to future Macs.

Leave your OS 9 at the door
After using the Public beta and Mac OS X 10.0 (the first public release), with this release I made the "permanent" switch. It's not perfect, but it gets 5 stars because Apple has done more than anyone could hope for considering this is only the 2nd retail release of this OS. The wonders of Mac OS X have only just begun...

Eye-candy aside, this release is most importantly stable, much more feature complete (DVD Player and Disc Burner support), and it utilizes dual processors beautifully. I haven't locked up the machine once. Sure, you'll have to boot into Mac OS 9 once in a while and it won't be blazing fast on older systems.

Office v.X is due shortly, and popular apps from Adobe, Macromedia, and others have already gotten the X treatment or development is underway.

Third party hardware is still largely unsupported, but many inkjet printers connected via USB are supported in some capacity right ouf of the box. Drivers are trickling out from Epson, HP, and others. The good news is most OS 9 drivers work just fine in Classic and with Classic apps.

Developers and technogeeks will enjoy the Unix underpinnings, bundled copy of Apache, Terminal access, SMB support, and robust networking capabilities...

If you're still unsure, just do your homework. Mac news sites are chock full o' Mac OS X reader reports, troubleshooting tips, and capatability reports.

Watch out for USB driver problems and kernel panics
Six months into using OS -X started having Kernel panics (Apple's blue secreen of death). Not running non-Apple programs, multi-tasking, or running peculiar non-standard hardware (Logitech tracball, HP printer/scanner). 5 trips to the repair shop - new hard drive, new RAM, new system board, upgrade to 10.2.8; 4 phone calls to Apple "Support." Kernel panics returned. Lots of web searches - found lots of boards where people have the same experience, and found the only permanent solution was downgrading to OS9 or upgrading to OS 10.3. "Support" denies it's poor USB software.

I love OS X, but be wary of the server version
my advice is to make sure you need it before you buy it, but if you know you need it, then buy it. How will you know? If you need it, you would already know that you do. If you don't know that you need server version, then you probably don't need it. Most day to day tasks are done by the normal version of the os in ways that are much simpler than the server tools. Now you do get a variety of nice things with the unlimited client, such as server managment systems, monitoring systems, etc., but if you are just doing a basic install without a complex networking or users/groups system, then you probably should try to do what you need to do with a 10.1 or 10.2 and see if you actually have to own the server. I would say the ideal application of a server install is for a medium to large lab install using netboot, where the actual cost of doing it via server will lower the TCO significantly. ... Read more

Product Description

Mac mini, PowerPC G4 1.42GHz Processor, 256MB RAM, 80GB Hard Drive, 8X DVD / 24X16X24 CD-RW Combo Drive, Mac OS X Panther v10.3 ... Read more

Reviews (41)

The worst computer experience i have ever had.
I had decided to try switching from PCs to macs recently, and thought the mac mini would make a good first mac computer.

I ordered my first mini with all the extras and when i got it, i tried importing all my cds to itunes. The optical drive was malfunctioning whenever i put in a cd with the slightest scratch on it. It would freeze up, making an awful skipping sound, and i would have to force quit itunes and sometimes shut down the computer and turn it back on just to get the sound to stop and get my cd out.

I called tech support, and the first man said there was nothing wrong with the drive, it was my cds that were at fault. Their solution was to take my scratched cd to my PC, burn it and take it back to my mac mini and then try to import it.

I said, ok, so my cds should work on other computers, but not the mini? and he kept saying how it was my cds and not the mini. I asked him if i could return my mini and he said no because i had bought extras like more ram and bluetooth. so i got off the phone with him and called back again.

The next tech support "help" also told me there was nothing wrong with the computer but i could return it (but not exchange it because there was nothing wrong with it). He transferred me to someone who told me i could exchange it, which i did.

Now, my next mini comes in the mail, without my bluetooth and airport extreme options. "Oops, sorry", they say, "we can return it and we'll send you another mini." I took it to my local store and they very nicely installed them for free in 45 minutes. So, now with less enthusiasm for my new purchase, i took my mini home, and tried out the optical drive again, which again had troubles. Now i should mention I took the same cd's that wouldnt work on my mini, and they worked on my PC and on my friend's mac.

I called back the apple store and all they would give me for compensation was a return for my mini (not the $60 keyboard i can no longer return at the store) and $100 credit for my next apple purchase. I said sorry, that's not enough for the hassle that i will probably go through again.

Never, never again will I buy an apple product. This whole hassle lasted for most of a month, and it is still not over yet. Time for me to buy another reasonably priced PC. My mac friends are all about their mac's, but first impressions are lasting, aren't they?

No free anything
Clicking your way past this barrage of come-ons finally gets you to the meat of the matter. Incentive Reward Center says you have to sign up for at least two offers from participating firms to get your hands on that free iPod.

It looks like there might be some freebies here, but most of the offers are for DVD and music services, credit cards and other such strings-attached programs.

according to sfgate.com