Product Description

Ultra-compact. Full-featured.

More. That’s the word that best describes the 12-inch PowerBook G4.

It has more speed, thanks to a 1.5GHz PowerPC G4 processor. It offers more memory: 512MB, to be exact. It provides more storage, with a standard 5400-rpm 60GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive. It boasts more power to burn CDs with its DVD / CD-RW combo drive. The only thing less about it is its affordable price.

As Smart as It Looks
Housed in a stunning, scratch- and stain-resistant aluminum alloy enclosure and weighing just 4.6 pounds, this diminutive powerhouse features a high-resolution 12.1-inch TFT XGA active-matrix display with brilliant 1024 x 768 pixel resolution. You’ll marvel at the way this supersharp display fits into such a remarkably small frame: just 10.9 inches wide, 8.6 inches deep and 1.18 inches thin. Perfectly smooth on all surfaces, the 12-inch PowerBook has no doors, protruding latches or levers to break, no external buttons to accidentally press and no sharp edges to catch on your clothing.

Built for Speed
The 1.5GHz PowerBook G4 delivers blazing-fast performance, thanks to the PowerPC G4 with Velocity Engine, which processes data in huge 128-bit chunks and accelerates the data-intensive processing required by next-generation video, voice and graphics applications.

Scroll Mate
Scrolling through web pages or large documents on a trackpad can challenge even the most nimble fingers. That’s why every 12-inch PowerBook G4 features a new trackpad with scrolling capability. Just drag two fingers over the trackpad to scroll vertically and horizontally or pan around any active window. Change this feature to suit your needs: Customize your trackpad settings or turn off scrolling completely via System Preferences.

Handled with Care
Now the 12-inch PowerBook G4 is equipped to help protect your most valuable asset: your data. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

it goes everywhere with me :D
i've been a mac user all my life, i have tried a few windows based systems but they just seem poorly integrated and clnuky and too much trouble, i don't mind playing with them at work for the 'geek factor' but i do all of my music and digital artistry on my macs and wouldn't have it any other way.

since the 12" powerbooks came out i have been drooling over them, but i had a 15" titanium powerbook and then recently got a g5....but when my titanium powerbook practically fell apart, i decided to buy the 1.5hz 12"pb (combo drive).

i absolutely love this thing, its so small and cute but it can handle anything you throw at it, i thought the screen would be too small to do my graphics work on it but i can easily sketch away with my graphics tablet wherever i am.

the battery life is good, its compact and relatively lightweight, made of metal, built very solid and runs osx.what else could you want?!

the one thing i was a little unhappy with was the screen because its just a regular lcd, alot of 'windoze' notebooks are using those nice shiny 'crystal bright' displays.
if apple had those displays in a widescreen form factor on this thing, it would be absolute perfection, bar none.

but overall im very happy with it and its abilities to perform anything i throw at it.
if you are considering one then go to an apple centre and play around with one for a while...i bet you will go home with one, or want to :D

osx tiger is fast, sleek, powerful, futuristic, beautiful.
and below the hood in the terminal you have access to its darwin/unix.
ive never had a virus EVER in my life thanks to being a mac user, no spyware, MUCCCH less chances of being hacked, my titanium powerbook only crashed once in the whole 3-4 years i had it, and my g5 and 12" powerbook have NEVER crashed.
sure it is possible to get a 'lemon' and have problems, it IS a computer afterall and there can be things that go wrong, but overall....macs just work. and in doing so they let you work without screwing around with settings and troubleshooting.

i honestly dont know why people still bother with windows, its primative compared to osx.

A TRUE Switcher!
I am writing this review in order to give you my thoughts on this powerbook versus the last guys that wrote a review about switching. First off there's no way you can compare apples to oranges, or in this case Apple to Windows computers. Because first off Apple's processor is much more efficent in the way it handels information. You can not look at Gzh! there are many more steps involved than just that. Now I will go down the line of "cons" that superman2k3 had.
1 - The screen is small, there's no doubt about it but that's what you have to sacrifice for the smallness of the 12 inch powerbook, and I still do not know what he means by clearity in the font, I can easily read what I am typing, what folders say on my desktop and anywhere else there is typing of FONTS!.
2 - I have 512 mb of RAM in my powerbook. It runs perfectly smooth and flawless. My powerbook 1.5 ghz runs faster than my neighbors 3.0 ghz pentium desktop!
3 - First off with the accessories the $60 mouse he's talking about is the Apple bluetooth wireless mouse. You can get a corded mouse much less. And second of all you DO NOT have to buy just Apple accessories. I have a mini wireless mouse that I got when I had a windows laptop (with windows XP) and to use it on the windows laptop I needed to install drivers and other software, well one night I decided to try it on my powerbook and it worked GREAT! with no drivers, nothing. The manufacturers website never stated it made for a Mac! Only for windows 98, 2000, ME, XP ect.
4 - Now I don't know about you but I personally don't have any reason what so ever to get to my hard drive. With 60 or 80 gigabyte discs I don't think I will be randomly droping new ones in. In fact I don't think I will ever even open up my RAM slot for more RAM. There is just nothing inside the computer I would ever want to mess with. Instead I would just send it in to Apple.
5 - Well in a way this is true. Most software for Windows won't work for a Mac but you can however get a $80 software called Virtual PC made my Microsoft for the Mac computer. This program enables you to run every program made for a PC. And when you buy future programs you will just buy the mac version instead.
6 - What do you mean NON SCROLLING. This trackpad in my powerbook has a built in scrolling function. Just drag two fingers over it in a webpage, a word file (yes Microsoft makes all of the Office suite, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, ect. for Mac) pdf's, Jpegs, you name it it works. And I know it only has a single button but if you need a sort of "right click" just hold down the Ctrl button at the same time. A list (just like on a Windows) pops up.
7 - As I stated earlier you can't compare apples to oranges. The Apple computer will run faster, smoother, and is already pre-loaded with amazing applications that would cost you hundreds of dollers on a PC like iPhoto, but mostly like iMovie and iDVD.
8 - Innovation, give me a break!!! Apple invented the personal computer. They wrote the Mac Operating System (OS) that Microsoft eventially copied back in the 80's. In fact there was a huge lawsuit over it. You can search Google if you want to learn more! And Apple has to compete with PC's everyday. I mean you think about it, a person is not going to buy both an Apple laptop and a PC laptop together! THINK HERE MAN!
9 - You DO NOT have to order any more warrenty from Apple, Apple gives you a one (1) year warrenty for your machine already, in fact better than most PC manufactures, however you may want to purchase the extended warrenty because laptops get a more rugged approach to them then desktops. Now this would be the same case as if I were buying a Dell, HP, Compaq (owened by HP so is relativley the same machine) or any other PC. And they're all in the same price range for the extended warrenty.
10 - As I stated earlier (I seem to have to repeat myself a LOT!) almost all hardware devices work both ways. And software, if you want to keep your PC software you can purchase an $80 virtuall PC software that will run it just fine!

Now I hope I did not make anyone angery by this, it's just the facts. And in conclusion the Powerbook is a remarkable tiny, shiny, all around great machine that has the looks and feel of Apple all around, from the hardware, to the OS it is all Apple (with no viruses or spyware) and the best part of it is that if you ever have any problems at all, because Apple makes the whole thing (inside and out) there is just one (1) number to call for anything dealing with it. Try doing that with a PC company. They'll just refer you to another company who will refer you back. That's if you get an actuall representative! Not just a computer on the other end. Well I hope this helps to clear up any thoughts you may have. I am a TRUE switcher. I went from a PC for five (5) years to a mac for now my 3rd month. And I LOVE IT!

One more thing "Once you go Mac, you'll never go Back!"

~God Bless!~

Faster than My Old iBook, that's for Sure
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 12 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 is too small for my tired eyes, but if you're young and seeing 20/20 or don't mind reading glasses that shouldn't be a problem. This machine is small and sleek, comes with an Airport Extreme card built in. This model comes with the DVD/CD-RW drive instead of the Superdrive, so you can't record video, but for an extra 200 bucks, maybe you don't want to. Compared to my aging, but still working like a champ iBook, this baby screams. And the 60 gig hard drive gives you plenty of room to load up those MP3s to play in iTunes.

The machine does not, however, come with one of those nifty, light up in the dark keyboards and you don't get a FireWire 800 port, 400 only, but I guess Apple had to give them up, due to size considerations. But as I said, this machine screams, really screams and for 1500 bucks, it's a deal. It would have been nice if Apple could have figured out a way to engineer a G5 chip into the machine, but, I suppose they are still too hot and a fan or fans would have made this silent marvel both noisy and bigger. Anyway all in all I have to say, well done Apple. Five stars and worth every one.

Jack Priest, Sailor home from the Sea

You'll fall in love with this go-anywhere Powerbook!
I made the "switch" last fall when the 20" iMac G5 was released, and was looking to pick up a laptop with the same quality hardware and OS. I knew I wanted an ultra-portable laptop, partially because of the price and partly because a laptop is just not meant to require a desk to use it. (In my opinion, anything over 15" or 6 pounds is a desktop-replacement). I had originally considered the 12" iBook, which is a great value (1.2 GHz + Airport Extreme!) for the money. In the end, after getting the "i"Mac, I though I'd go with the "Power"book. My decision was partially due to the realization my 15 GB iPod is about 60% full, so importing the iTunes collection would have taken up a good chunk of the iBook's 30 GB drive.

It's quite a bit more expensive than the iBook, but you get a faster processor, a disk drive that twice as big and faster, Bluetooth, and an aluminum case that looks stunning. Also worthy of mention would be the new features in the 2005 Powerbooks, namely a scrolling trackpad (I wish my iMac had one now!), Sudden Motion Sensor that'll park the disk heads if it senses that it might have just been dropped, and Bluetooth 2.0, a standard so new there's no peripherals that'll use the 2.0 speeds, only its 1.1/1.2 legacy support. 512 MB is finally enough for standard usage (I can't endorse anything less than 512 MB for OS X), but I still upgraded the memory. Too bad Apple still has 256 MB built-in, as I had to pull the socketed 256 MB SO-DIMM to put in a 512 MB SO-DIMM, unlike the 15" and 17" which come with a single 512 MB SO-DIMM and an open slot.

If you can afford the extra money over the iBook and need the features, this machine will quickly become your pride and joy. If a 30 GB HD is big enough and you won't be doing heavy-duty iMovie editing, I still believe the iBook is an unbelievable price/performance value.

Items to get with your 12" PowerBook G4
There is no question this is one of the best laptops available at a great price. I have a new Sony Vaio laptop as well, which has an outstanding screen, but all comparisons stop there. The G4 12" wins hands down on all other counts, from the full size keyboard, easily accessible ports, etc.
The point of this review, however, is to suggest several items I use with the G4 12". First, a Tom Bihn "Brain Cell" laptop case... works well on its own but even fits in my backpack. This case is light but still strong; I never have to worry about my laptop while on the road. Second, an XT-Stand from GJB enterprises. This raises the laptop to a nice angle and allows heat dissipation while maintaining stability, and is nicely portable as well. Third, a Targus (or other reputable brand) optical two-button mini mouse, which I prefer wired so as never to have to replace batteries (a problem for wireless bluetooth or IR models). That's all you really need. ... Read more

Product Description

Affordable portable performance.

Fully loaded with a powerful G4 processor, a 5400-rpm 80GB hard drive, 512MB of memory, a faster-burning 8x SuperDrive and a nifty scrolling trackpad, the 15-inch PowerBook G4 boasts features few notebook computers can match.

With a processor speed of 1.67GHz, DDR RAM capacity up to 2GB, a light 5.6-pound weight and thin 1.1-inch design, the 15-inch PowerBook gives you the ideal balance between power and portability. Work and play in millions of colors on a stunning 15.2-inch (diagonal) widescreen display with 1280 x 854 pixel resolution that’s ideal for watching movies in their original wide-screen format. You can also make movies of your own with the included iMovie HD software, or get Final Cut Pro HD for more advanced video editing, compositing and special effects. And thanks to its built-in DVI port, you even have the option of connecting your PowerBook to Apple’s breathtaking Cinema Displays. Add optional dual-link DVI capability and 128MB of graphics memory and your 1.67GHz 15-inch PowerBook even supports the massive 30-inch Cinema HD Display.

As Smart as It Looks
The sleek exterior is as stunning as ever. The 15-inch PowerBook G4 comes with all the refinements and esthetic touches that make it the most coveted full-featured notebook computer on the planet: elegant aluminum construction, 1.1-inch thin design, slot-loading 8x SuperDrive and a brilliant illuminated keyboard. On the inside, a faster PowerPC G4 processor, a standard 5400-rpm 80GB hard drive, powerful graphics, up to 2GB of RAM and Mac OS Xthe world’s most advanced operating systemcombine to deliver off-the-charts performance.

Built for Speed
Inside the 15-inch PowerBook G4 is a screamingly fast 1.67GHz PowerPC G4 processor with Velocity Engine. Advanced processor design and memory architecture are among several core advantages that enable the PowerBook G4 to pack ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A word of caution
Apple needs to improve quality control and product support. The superdrive stopped working when laptop was 6 weeks old.Sent to Apple repair on April 4 and was informed 5 days later after I called that replacement wouldn't be available until end of April. New Superdrive could be quality control problem like permanent white spots on screens and batteries that catch fire of earlier models. Pity, because everything else about the machine is simply superb.

The Holy Grail of Laptop Computing
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 1.67 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.

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.

This, in my opinion, is not only the best PowerBook of the bunch, but the best laptop ever made. It is truly the Holy Grail of laptop computing. Apple has really gone and got it right this time.

Jack Priest, Sailor home from the Sea

tens years later... back from retirement
Had to return an hp laptop because it refused to cooperate.ProTools Le was too much for it.
I didn't want a powerbook, I needed one.
The blend of beauty and pleasure shocked me when I booted it up the first time.
Slipped in the gig of pc 2700 ram with no problems.
It hasn't complained once.
The superdrive is super-intuitive and easily backed up a full dvd in as much time as my pc would burn files to cd-r.
All my peripherals are compatible with osx.3.8 (which I had to download from apple...breezy.)
I'm enjoying the interface, a lot less clicks and menus to access files.
Got giggly about the zoom feature for the display.
When's the last time your pc made you smile?

In short, my g4 is the perfect houseguest.

Apple PowerBook Notebook
This is one of the best notebook PC's on the market. This has a 1.67GHz PowerPC G4 Processor which isn't too fast but it's pretty fast for the Apple computers. 512 MB RAM is just perfect but I would recommend 1GB or 2GB. 80 Gigabyte Hard Drive is really nice and it's almost the largest hard drive (100GB is the largest). It has a SuperDrive which can do whatever you want it to do. The styling on this notebook is no wonderful and comes with all the ports and features. 15.2" is pure beauty and the graphics on this thing are great. Here are the specifications of this laptop.

Processor| PowerPC G4
Screen Size (Inches/Diagonal)| 15
Optical Disc Drive| DVD+-RW / CDRW Combo
Hard Drive (GB)| 80
Memory - Processing RAM included| 512MB
Memory - Processing RAM Maximum| 2GB
Memory - Video RAM| 64MB Dedicated
Screen Resolution - Maximum| 1280x854
Wireless Capability| Built-in
Connection - Wireless Network 802.11| 802.11b / 802.11g
Connection - Wireless Bluetooth| Yes
Connection - Sound| In/Out
Connection - RJ11| Yes
Connection - RJ45| Yes
Connection - Video| Out
Operating System| Apple Macintosh OS X
Software| Pre-Installed by Manufacturer
Unit Dimensions - High| 1
Unit Dimensions - Long / Wide| 14
Unit Dimensions - Deep| 10
Unit Weight - Approximate with Battery| 6.0
Manufacturer's Warranty - Hardware| 1 Year
Manufacturer's Warranty - Software| 1 Year

Source: www.jr.com

if you're a heavy pc user, don't switch
I have Powerbook G4, purchased Nov 04, Mac OSX 10.3.8, 1.5 Ghz, upgraded RAM to 768MB.
If you're new to computing, or use Mac for non-business applications (heavy on graphics and creative work) it's probably a good choice.If you use Outlook (not Express) heavily, or use Powerpoint, Excel, and Word a lot and like XP, then the Mac is a snoozer.
reasons not to buy:
1-you pay a lot to get it to do the things a PC with updated Microsoft Office Professional Suite already does, and it never is quite as good...Mac Powerpoint feels pokier (saving, just in keeping up with my typing), Mac Excel toolbar gets on top of/in the way of my worksheets (haven't figured out how to make it go to the back), Outlook just isn't replicated at all on the Mac (unless you get Virtual PC)...Entourage just lacks the functionality
2-doesn't seem to handle the WEP password protocol on my Linksys wireless home network...even the folks at the Apple store said I wouldn't be able to get the DHCP security to work with my PC-based home network
3-Filevault....oooh, what a liability. Much touted file encryption will scramble and destroy files that are open if the Mac also goes into the won't-wake-up-again-sleep mode problem that it has. Though I never diagnosed this completely, I lost a number of key working files that may have been open when the Mac went into sleep mode (read:crashed) while I had Filevault going.I lost saved versions, and they're completely unrecoverable.Later the guys in the Apple store said they never use Filevault...it's "scary", they said.
4-Certain applications, like Visual Basic, aren't available for the Mac yet.
5-switching cost is high...getting contacts and files migrated over to the Powerbook took me a long time, and some of it is never the same. The contacts from outlook to entourage aren't organized the same (due to the fact that entourage contacts aren't as full-featured, lack some key fields), and the pc directories are only useful as read-only...I can't edit files in my pc folders and save them back into those folders (must have been some drive formatting issue that carried over); ripple effect of switching means you have to buy a lot of stuff new (back up drives, antivirus software, disk management software, backup AC cables, if you travel, etc.)
6-if you like XP, the Mac is NOT intuitive.What used to be left is now right, what's top is now bottom.I keep my mouse to the right of the screen (out of the way of typing)...but now important buttons like close/minimize are on the left, increasing mouse travel time.PC's usually have a disk drive light that lets you know the PC is working on something that involves the drive.I liked that...very intuitive way to let me know the PC is busy.No such light on the Mac.
7-you may have problems listening to Sirius radio on Safari; I needed to use Internet Explorer (Hah!much touted Mac browser useless for audio?), and even then can't get fully functional display due to some Mac technicality, according to Sirius techs.

reasons to buy:
1-Largely virus-free because virus writers get more leverage attacking pc's (more market penetration and more business focused); this is a blessing because I found Norton AV '04 to be dysfunctional, glad not to have to deal with it anymore.
2-Supposedly faster processing due to more streamlined operating system, though I don't find the mac to be any more responsive than even a lower priced pc
3-Faster boot-up and shutdown.
4-Fewer crashes-true, though not infallible either; mac's version of the PC blue screen is that some won't wake up after going to sleep
5-cool keyboard, backlit in the dark; very romantic and pretty.

Rating of 3 stars indicates sameness...it's as good as a PC, just different.I wouldn't recommend it for someone who's switching from XP expecting something superior. ... Read more

Product Description

PowerBook G4 Notebook, PowerPC G4 1.5GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, 80GB Hard Drive, 12.1-inch XGA TFT Display, 8X DVD+/-RW SuperDrive, Mac OS X Panther v10.3 ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Super Slow
The Apple 8X Superdrive only burns at a speed of 2X!!! Many owners are having that problem and Apple refuse to address it to the public.I suggest people that are thinking of buying this unit save the $200 and buy an external burner, you can burn DL disk and at a faster speed.

(...)

Everything else about the computer im happy with, but if I know it takes 35mins for me to burn one full dvd I would saved my money and buy a faster external drive.

It's the Battery, Stupid
Apple still can't seem to include a reliable battery in anything they produce. I've begun associating their products with the old adage: "Die young and leave a good looking corpse." This is because the damn things just don't go the distance without being plugged in constantly. Apple continues to use poor batteries in the iPod (sure they last longer on a charge, but see how many charge cycles you get before a single charge begins to take twelve hours to complete and then only three hours to drain.)

The saga continues here. I take this laptop into school and rarely do I reach the end of the day before the damn thing croaks off into sleep mode due to a drained battery after maybe four hours of use. For a product whose main purpose is to provide mobile computing in a solid, sturdy frame, this kind of battery life is just pathetic. I find myself all-too-often picking and choosing times to use it so I can make it last all day. This is not the kind of "freedom" I enjoy in my over-priced, ultra-portable computer (especially when numerous PC laptops go twice the distance for less cost.)

Aside from the battery issue, this is an excellent machine that delivers all the TV-commercial whiz-bang that it promises. If you use Toast, this burns CDs way faster than comparable PCs. The included software also blows doors on anything you'd find in a prepackaged PC. The keyboard is really nice and really takes a beating (unlike the iBook keys whose letters wear off the keyboard.) It has all the ports you need and none you don't. The aluminum body still looks sharper than any PC on the market and, although tiny, this laptop still feels like a tank without packing on the pounds.

As for faults, the WIFI detection could be stronger and the monitor lacks sharpness in outdoor areas while losing all contrast when subjected to even semi-direct sunlight. In other words, don't confuse these laptops with Apple's Cinema Displays. DVD playback is fine but will suck down the battery in no time.

Now that Tiger has been released, consider waiting until it comes pre-loaded. I've had my G4 for two months and definitely feel cheated about my newly-old Panther OS. Being the only major company to produce its own OS and the machines it runs on, it surprises me that Apple doesn't take better care of its hardware customers by offering free upgrades to very recent computer purchasers. Being asked to pay $130 for Tiger less than a month after the G4 hits my credit card bill is not a great way to convert me into a Mac Evangelist. I also own a PC am not loyal to either format.

Apple's are the best
If you are looking for a worry-free and just plain out fun computing experience then look no further than this Powerbook, or any mac that you can afford. I own the 1.33ghz 12" PowerBook and upgraded the RAM to 512mb - For those of you new to the Mac World 256 just won't cut it when it comes to OS X. I just installed the new version of Mac OS X Tiger on my PowerBook Today, and boy does it fly. This PowerBook is Perfect for Students (Like myself) I use to have a 15" but it use to weigh me down everyday walking around Campus. If you have an external Monitor buy the 12" load it up with as much RAM as possible (1.25gb) and you've got your self a great desktop replacement, and a great portable notebook. - Battery Life: Between 3-4hrs depending on what I'm doing. All in All a Great Notebook, Just get a good case for it and a Sleeve, because the Aluminum Case dings real easily.

Super Fast, Super Compact, Super Computer
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 12 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 is too small for my tired eyes, but if you're young and seeing 20/20 or don't mind reading glasses that shouldn't be a problem. This machine is small and sleek, comes with an Airport Extreme card built in. This model comes with a Superdrive and that, plus the fact that you get twenty more gigs of HD space with this model, is the only difference between it and the one selling for 200 dollars less. So if you don't want to record DVDs you might want to look at the more inexpensive model.

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.

The machine does not, however, come with one of those nifty, light up in the dark keyboards and you don't get a FireWire 800 port, 400 only, but I guess Apple had to give them up, due to size considerations. But as I said, this machine screams, really screams and for 1700 bucks, it's a deal. It would have been nice if Apple could have figured out a way to engineer a G5 chip into the machine, but, I suppose they are still too hot and a fan or fans would have made this silent marvel both noisy and bigger. Anyway all in all I have to say, well done Apple. Five stars and worth every one.

Jack Priest, Sailor home from the Sea

The best gets better
I bought the second generation of 12" PowerBook (1.0GHz) and just upgraded to the latest version of the same laptop (1.5GHz).To the Windows fan who says the fonts look bad and that there is no software, I say quit trolling and learn the facts.To everyone else I say that Apple's smallest PowerBook is a terrific machine, running a terrific OS.

Now the XP guy might say that I'm just another Mac zealot, but that is not the case.I am actually writing this on an IBM ThinkPad, and always own one laptop on each platform (I have no use for desktops, though).The simple fact is that some things are better on the Mac (stability, lack of viruses, user interface) while others are better on the PC (games, compatibility with unusual devices, availability of obscure software titles).The Mac is a better system, in my opinion, for the average home user, but for advanced users it will depend on what you do and what you like.

While Apple does have the better operating system, their hardware is sometimes second-rate.Yes, the 12" PowerBook is lovely, but the aluminum enclosure transmits heat (its a conductor) and while not hot enough to damage anything, it does get hot enough to be uncomfortable on your lap.It is also heavy at 4.6lbs where many 12" laptops, even those with optical drives like the PowerBook weigh less than 4lbs.Finally, my ThinkPad only requires one screw and no dissassembly to replace the hard drive.Seven screws and no dissasembly to replace the keyboard.Keyboards are one of the most common items to fail on laptops, and as programs get larger and people collect more music and video, many users want to upgrade their hard drives, not to mention replace a failed or older drive that is getting noisy.

No computer is perfect, they are all trade-offs.In the grand scheme of things, I give the current 12" PowerBook 4 stars.or the frequent traveller who wants an optical drive built-in, it is not the lightest choice, but it is the best. ... Read more

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

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 (5)

A First Class Computer
As other reviewers have stated, the hardware itself is great. The computer is visually stunning. And the OS is rock-solid and user-friendly.

Some people have complained about the size for traveling. It's about as small as a 17" computer could be -- but if you are sitting in coach and the person in front of you reclines their seat, it's hard to use. (Get the 12" if you think this might be a problem for you.)

Finally, a word on Apple service. I had some problems with this computer and needed to send it back to Apple several times -- which is a bad thing. On the other hand, I finally reached Roberto, a Powerbook specialist in AppleCare, who was understanding and expedited my repair -- which is a good thing. 4-stars -- would have been 5-stars except for the hardware problems.

Best, fastest laptop on market- Mac smokes Windows Again!
This is the fastest, most powerful laptop I have ever seen. It simply blows away all of the Pentiums, and while the 14" G4 Mac is a tad faster, this 17" screen makes this computer a supercomputer in a thin aluminum case. I use both Windows XP and Mac OS X (Mac OS X is eons ahead of Windows XP), and to compare the 2 is not fair- the Mac wins in almost every category you can think of. I run Virtual PC on this computer, so in a pinch if I must slum a bit and use a Windows application, I can do so (although at slower speeds). The backlit keyboard is great, but the performance is what sells me on this awesome machine (my 6th laptop, and 10th computer in last 8 years). Best computer I have ever seen.

Not the fastest but very cute
Sure Mac's aren't the fastest computers in the world, but for most people 1.5GHz G4 is fine. And with the nice big screen this one is very cute. I also like the fact that the MacOS is made for people like me who are clueless about computers. My only complaint is that Apple products seem to break down a little more than I would like. I guess that's the price of staying in fashion!

I switched, unswitched, and switched again
I bought a PowerBook 12" 867MHz about nine months ago, had a brief fling with a Dell that my work issued me, and went back to the Mac. Then, in a fit of insanity, I clicked "buy" and now I am a very happy owner of the 17" 1.5GHz.

Positives:
- The screen is just massive, and you don't need to be a graphic artist or movie producer to use it; it works great for Excel, side-by-side document editing, or just keeping iChat and Sticky Notes in view while surfing the web
- It's pretty fast; I'm finally happy with the performance of Virtual PC 6.0 running Windows 2000 and Outlook XP; as a matter of fact I've duplicated my Windows work laptop in VPC and no longer have to carry two machines around
- Movies are incredible on the big screen, and the speakers have great stereo separation (to the point that sometimes working late at night, I think I hear someone in the room, and it turns out to be part of the song)
- It's quite thin, even compared to the 12", which is good on my wrists when typing

Negatives:
- Trying to get around the massive screen with the touchpad is a chore; get an external mouse ASAP
- Sitting in bed working on e-mail can be a bit difficult, because if you end up slanting the PowerBook upwards, the cover wants to close
- Even though this is one of the smallest 17" laptops out there, you just can't get away from the fact that it's a big monster of a machine when you spread out on a desk, airplane tray table, or other area

INCREDIBLE! You won't believe your eyes...
Wow. This is a stunning laptop. No other laptop on the market can match the Apple Powerbook. Yes, no other laptop SHOULD match the Apple Powerbook because you're paying nearly double the price for this one, but I assure you, you won't be disappointed with this power-house. I am a college graphic design student, and I was required to purchase this computer for my field of choice. I was sort of reluctant to have to ask my parents to purchase ANOTHER computer for me, but once I started researching the powerbook, I totally changed my mind immediately. I worked on Powerbooks inside my classes and began to fall in love. Stunning graphics, quiet as a mouse, and people will all be jealous of this little beauty. I suggest upgrading memory to 1 GB. It makes your computer run so much faster with multiple programs. You can burn a dvd and surf the interent while working on a document. It's really nice to be able to do all of that without your computer freezing on you. Go to the Apple website and research more about the Powerbooks, and if you choose this route for your laptop, you won't be disappointed!!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The most exceptional computer I've ever owned!
The most exceptional computer I've ever owned! And that's saying a lot. I've been running an advertising agency for many years and I've owned Mac's and PCs back to their origins. We now have nearly 100 computers from IBM laptops to G5s and I've used Mac laptops since I bought the ill-fated "Portable." However, this is by far the best. If you're not doing graphics every day, the 12" version is nice because it's so easy to use on a plane or in a Starbucks. All applications, including PhotoShop and InDesign run great and the Microsoft Office is seamlessly compatible with PC versions. The keys feel great and the wireless Airport is astonishing. Just open your Mac in hotels, airports, coffee shops, and office buildings and you're likely to find an available network. (You can even sit outside of a hotel in a pinch.)

I've owned this for 9 months and you couldn't take it away without violence.

For Those Wanting Something A Little Different...
The days are long gone of Apple's hardware supremacy, and with Microsoft's Windows XP Pro, Apple's software supremacy is also threatened.

But that doesn't stop them from producing the sexiest hardware in town. If you're the kind of person who wants something a little niftier, or more exotic, in a laptop than Joe, the Apple 12" PowerBook is just the thing for you.

It has power, functionality, and form. While it doesn't boast the processor speed of the G5 workstation, or even its 17" brother, it has enough power for you to run whatever applications you'll need. Be it games, movies, music, or good old fashioned productivity software, odds are this little number will perform as needed.

The problem with the 12" PowerBook, and Apple products in general, is price. If you need something special, you're going to be willing to put the money down on such an attractive piece of equipment. But if you're looking only for performance and value, never mind the curvaceous exterior, you're better of grabbing a Windows XP Pro-based laptop instead.

This unit is great for students and writers.

I am madly in love!
To keep it simple, my last notebook was an hp. I had that one for five years and compared to what computers have today, that one had nothing. To this day its runing pretty good. But now i decided to go with a Mac. I am beyond extactic. I love it. No computer is perfect, nor is this one, because my one and only complaint is that the speakers don't go as high as I would like. But whatever, because everything else is simple and elegant and smooth and I could go on and on. Oh and get this. My last notebook or actually it was a laptop weighed 10 lbs., this one weights less than half that at 4.6 lbs. My shoulders are screaming joy.

Loving it
As a freshman-to-be in college, I needed a new, lighter laptop, and this being my first Apple, I was a bit hesitant but dying for a change from the boring Windows XP systems I have been using. I love everything about this unit, from the style to the size to the DVD burner to Apple's iLife (GarageBand+loops is great); I have never used a browser faster than Safari, and I love using Apple's Mail program configured to AOL IMAP. The DVD burner works flawlessly (if you want to copy movies, I recommend purchasing DVD2ONE, which copies a full commercial DVD w/ features to one single DVD-R...the program is a bit expensive at 39 euros, but it is worth it...it works perfectly with U.S.-encoded NTSC DVDs). iMovie and iDVD are perfect for my needs, and Final Cut Express (student pricing: $150) is perfect for the high-powered video I need. Office 2004 for the Mac is a great bundle and truthfully better than its Windows counterpart. Battery life is impressive at about 4 hours; in fact I got through 2 hours and 55 minutes of a 3 hour movie before the battery died (screen at 50% brightness). Internal wireless is the best performance I have used (in the past I have owned a HP Pavilion zt3010us as well as a Compaq TC1000 Tablet). Performance is great unless you are looking to run extremely intense programs/games (go for an Apple G5 Desktop then...). Games run well, however...I only have tried two: X-Plane (the excellent flight simulator...beats Microsoft's easily), and SimCity 4...both run flawlessly without any changes in rendering (X-Plane slows down when scenery gets extremely complex).

(...). I run my system at 768MB and find performance to be perfect.

Some fun apps to install (search Google or versiontracker.com): iComic (downloads web-based comics to your computer, like FoxTrot, Garfield, Cathy, etc), WeatherPop (displays local weather in the top toolbar), Synergy (allows you to control iTunes from the toolbar, and shows album art for 4 seconds as a translucent pop-up), Watson (beefed up Sherlock program...basically a do-all web-interface for movie tickets, weather, recipes, eBay tracking, etc. without a web browser), DVD2One (www.dvd2one.com), VLC Media Player (plays any video file imagineable...free program), and Roxio Toast 6 (awesome CD/DVD Burner...costs $79).

All in all, I love this machine and give it a perfect 5 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Minimalist, Efficient and Portable
I've been using desktop PC's for many years, with occassional exposure to Macs throughout college. I work as a software engineer developing Java applications on a UNIX platform. Several of my coworkers develop exclusively on their 17-inch Powerbooks and have been raving about the user-centered design. They eventually got through to me and I purchased the 12-inch Powerbook model.

To begin with, it's extremely solid and compact. The aluminum case seems resilient to scratches and can probably take a bit of abuse (I've only had mine for a week, I'll give it time). The display is clear and crisp, a pleasure to look at. I use a 19-inch LCD for my desktop, and switching to my 12-inch Powerbook display causes me no grief.

I purchased my model from a local retailer and added 512MB of RAM, which I strongly recommend since 256MB is ridiculously low for modern OS' and applications. The system is very responsive and handles the load I put on it (web browser, iTunes, etc.) well. MacOS is a pleasure to work with.

The size of the notebook is great. I can tote it around the house (Airport Extreme gets incredible reception) without feeling like I'm lugging a 10 pound dumbbell - the Powerbook weighs under 5 pounds. And with energy savings enabled I get over 4 hours battery usage.

THE best ultraportable notebook currently out now
Let me first qualify this review by saying that:
1) I am/was a lifetime PC user with no prior Mac experience.
2) Before buying this notebook I comparison shopped for 3 months
3) My computer knowledge is far below that of tech professionals and hard core PC hobbyists, but I am however very computer literate.--> in short I'm an everyday computer user/consumer.

Secondly before contemplating a powerbook any further, if you are an avid gamer or buy 3 or more video games a year and you want to use this notebook as a gaming laptop... I'd suggest you you buy a PC notebook for that purpose. Powerbooks are powerful enough to play games, but the mac selection of games is sparse. And now finally to the review...

Specs- As with any notebook I suggest you have at least 512 MB of RAM. This was the only upgrade I added to my Powerbook. The Powerbook comes standard with a very generous 60gig hard drive, USB, firewire 400, ethernet, WIFI(b/g) and bluetooth. The only thing missing is the firewire 800, but that is not essential for most users including me. The Powerbook also comes with a very speedy 1.33 GHZ G4. How does this stack up to the new Centrino's (Pentium M)? Compared to my brother's IBM Thinkpad with a Pentium M 1.3 w/ 512 RAM, it runs equivalent or faster to the naked eye, unfortunately benchmarks are not readily available to compare mac and pc. But needless to say, whatever I can do on the IBM, whether its Powerpoint presentations, Photoshop, Flash, video or photo editing, I can do it on the Powerbook just as fast or faster. Also something that is very unique to this ultraportable is the 64 MB nVidia graphics card. Although there are better graphics cards out there on midsized laptops, ultraportable laptops RARELY have a graphics card as nice as this one.

Combodrive- slot loading. This is amazing. No cd tray to deal with popping in and out. Just insert the cd or dvd into the slot and it is ready to go. This is not only a spacesaver since there is no tray, but it also is less prone to break since there is no tray to snag and break off. Why did I not pick the Superdrive that is also offered with this computer? In a few months they are releasing dual-layer DVD writers that hold twice as much data as writeable dvd's currently do, so I'm waiting to get an external DVD writer. Also its good to notice that many computers in order to stay small do not even include an optical drive like the Powerbook does.

Price- Sony, IBM, Dell, Gateway. These companies all offer 12" notebooks, but customize them to equivalent specs as the Powerbook and they all come out approximately equivalent or much more expensive than the Powerbook. Apple is known for higher prices of their computers, but the Powerbook (specifically the 12" model) is a great deal price wise.

Battery Life- This is VERY important if you want to tote your laptop around (and if you don't want to tote a laptop around, then why get a laptop at all?). Battery life is 5+ hours in my experience when just surfing the net and downloading files. Again how does this compare with other PC models? I think if you research you will find that most ultraportable Centrino's without an optional larger battery average around 4 hours. The IBM mention earlier lasts us about 4 and a half hours of use.

Operating system- I think a description of this is beyond the scope of the review, but in short Mac OS X (Panther) is an absolute delight. I personally had very few problems with Windows XP, but it isn't just about the stability of Mac OS X its about the ease of use, integration and beauty of the system. Its something you just have to use first hand to fully realize it. Combine this with the excellent iLife programs that allow you to make movies, listen to music, video conference with relatives, and organize your photos and its very easy to forget about Windows.

Design- I recommend you go to a local electronic store and hold the PC laptops in your hand and type on them and just look at them all over inlcuding the bottom. Then take a look at an Apple Powerbook. Again its something that is more adequately experienced than described. From the glowing Apple symbol on the cover to the almost seamless bottom, it is an amazing feeling, solid, and beautiful notebook. Everything else just feels cheap in your hands. Also the screen is crisp and clear and the keyboard is a full-sized keyboard, not a miniature one, that is perfect for typing.

Laptop Heat and Sound- Use of the Powerbook for about 4 hours, I noticed it got only mildly warm and much less so than the IBM. However after about 4 hours the Powerbook got about as hot as the IBM, which still is not hot at all. I would say you could comfortably put the laptop in you lap very easily for the first 4 hours. After that, unless you have thick pants or like the extra warmth, I'd suggest putting it on a table. The Powerbook is very, very quiet, especially when cool. When it heats up after prolonged use the fan will kick in more often and make it a little louder. But still it is much more quiet than the IBM.

Overall- I'd HIGHLY recommend this to anyone except gamers. I'm highly satisfied with this purchase and I hope you will be to if you decide to buy it.

Apple pulled me back with this Powerbook
Well, first I'd like to say that I feel honored to be the first one writing a review of this wonderful laptop.

I purchased this Powerbook G4 on tuesday - just one day after Apple announced the new Powerbook lineup. I had been considering going back to apple for a new laptop for quite some time, but seeing new faster specs for the same price as the last revision was what did it for me! I custom ordered mine from the Apple Store on tuesday and it shipped out late Thursday night/Friday morning. I had it by Monday morning - but what a trip it had!

Normal specs for this laptop are 1.33Ghz G4 processor, 256 MB RAM (built in/upgradable via ram slot to 1.25GHZ), 60 GB 4200 RPM HD (as almost all laptops have), 64 MB of VRAM on an nVidia GeForce FX Go5200 card on 4x AGP bus, 12" GORGEOUS display, upgraded 167 MHZ system bus speed, including updated software - Panther 10.3.3, iLife '04, etc etc.

I custom ordered mine from their store with 512 MB RAM and upgraded 5400 RPM 80 GB hard drive (because I wanted to get it nice and quick), a nice Brenthaven Pro File 12" laptop bag and a .Mac membership. It shipped out from Taiwan, headed over to Alaska, then through a few other states and finally to me in NJ....

This powerbook is a work of art; even the packaging. It has gorgeous features, fluid graphic motion, VERY speedy processor, GREAT battery life - I get about 4.5 hrs. Their estimated 5 hrs is very likely if you don't upgrade to a faster hard drive (eats more power)....the OS is amazing, I was up and running within 10 minutes or so - the battery came with a full charge from the factory so I could use the laptop immediately.

I only have one minor complaint - Ive had this for a week or so now, and my spacebar has begun to squeak when I press it. Every other laptop I've ever had developed this squeaky spacebar so I don't blame apple -- its probably just the result of how I type. I highly recommend this laptop for its size and portability. It's durable finish, great cooling - yes its warm to the touch, but by no means will you burn yourself as others have suggested in past reviews of their previous version of this powerbook. CD-ROM drive is zippy, magnetic lid clasp mechanism is a marvel, breathing (dimming and getting brighter) LED light on the lid-open button when the computer is in sleep mode is great....everything is great.

This laptop opens Corel Painter 8 within 3 seconds which I consider amazing considering my 1.3Ghz P4 desktop PC can only open it in about 10-15 seconds! This computer flies through everything it does and it certainly could be a desktop replacement. The casing is sturdy and shines like a new penny! The apple illuminates on the back side of the display showing everyone in a subdued manner that you chose the best. Even their power supply/cable design is astounding - having the option to extend it if you need more cable length is great. There is a charging status ring where the cable plugs into the side of the laptop which is orange when charging and green when fully charged. To check the battery status, you can push a small button on the battery which will light up a series of LED lights on the battery to indicate how full a charge it holds. Amazing!

I'm glad to be back in the Apple world and look forward to getting a G5 tower to replace my aging PC in the coming year or so.

Wow I love this Powerbook! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Like driving BMW
Like it or not, I've used Windows/PC for the past 12 years. Macintosh occasionally appealed to me, but I didn't get it partly because it's expensive, partly because of compatibility. At work and at home, I owned: Dell Inspiron, Thinkpad, Dell/HP Desktops, running Windows 98/2000/XP. Also I tinkered with Sun workstations running UNIX (I'm an EE guy and have a respect for UNIX).
After 12 years of Microsoft (and blue screens), I made a bold switch to Apple Powerbook 15" with 1.5GHz/512RAM/80Gb, and I'm so happy with this system that even 5 stars are not high enough.

- The sleek aluminum chassis and the wide screen generate Wow! effect.
- This 15" machine is lighter than my old Dell laptop.
- It's very quiet during operation, but the bottom side may occasionally become hot.
- The keyboard has a good depth and touch, and the backlit keyboard is simply cool.
- Using the built-in microphone, you can play the bundled 3-D chess game via OS X's voice-recognition. Isn't that futuristic?

About software compatibility (from EE guy's viewpoint):
- MS Office 2004 for Mac became my favorite patch of programs. Even better than the XP version - a very important factor in my decision to switch.
- Math tools, especially Mathematica 5 and Matlab, run well on Mac.
- Favorite design tools, Adobe Photoshop and Carrara 3, work well. After all, Mac was built for them.

- There are tons of open source programs you can use: GIMP, A/G BLAST, ...
- Some layout and CAD tools are not compatible. I have to use old PC. For those number-crunching jobs, however, I don't use laptop anyhow.

As much as I enjoy steering this elegant silver machine, I love to navigate through the Mac OS X. As Sun's Bill Joy said during an interview, "Mac OS X is rock solid". I like the idea of using UNIX commands on my Mac, although I can do everything with the user-friendly Mac interface.

Yes, Powerbook is more expensive compared with Dell and other PCs, but you get what you pay for: top-quality components, futuristic functionality, eye-catching design, and the enormous joy of owning a rock-solid elegant machine (like BMW!). You'll definitely like this one!

concerning double-memory promotion
Hi,

If you are considering to purchase this PB because of Amazon.com's recent (as of 6/29/04) free double-memory promotion. Be aware! This configuration of PB comes with two DIMM slots already filled with two 256MB modules, and there is no open slot left. So, even if you get another 512MB memory module for free, in order for you to add it, you will need to remove one of those pre-installed 256 MB modules. So, that means instead of having 1 GB memory that you are dreaming about, you will only be able to upgrade it to 768 MB, which is not bad. In fact, that is how much I have for my iMac at home running OS X 10.3 Panther. In the end, you will have an extra 256 MB module.

Anyway, I just wanted to bring this to your attention.

Very happy customer
I have to say I am glad I waited for this generation of the G4 powerbook. It has been said in reviews that the most significant new feature of this laptop is it's lack of problem exhibited in many of the previous generations of the g4 powerbook. I must agree. The powerbook is very refined and the technology is perfectly combined with the operating system. It does everything with grace.

BTW, I reccomend the Appld bluetooth mouse and keyboard. They are an flawless pair.

I am very hard to please and don't write such positive things often.

A great machine
I've had my unit for about a month now and there is very little to complian about. It functioned brilliantly out of the box and was fully operational within 20 mins including the wireless networking functionality.

My only complaint was the lack of prepackaged software included. I went ahead and purchased Office 2004 to have a complete Word processing and a better mail client.

All in all though a hell of a machine.

Wow
Wow...this computer is incredible. I got it a little over a week ago, and I've been playing with it non-stop! I've been a Windows user since computers came out, and it took hardly anytime to get used to MAC PANTHER. I love it! I already think it is so much more beautiful and has a much better design than WIndows XP. With the help of the book, "Everything You Need to Know about MAC OS Panther," I learned everything within 1 week.

This is a beautiful computer than has a unique design, and is totally portable! Yeah, it is pricey, but you WON'T be disappointed! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best notebook ever
I've had mine since they first were released. It works like a top. I've got 512 MB RAM and 30GB disk. I run everything from standard Microsoft Office to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. It runs games, Intel chip emulators, Web development tools, and a bunch of freeware or shareware that is available because Mac OS X is UNIX at the core and very similar to Linux. FOr most users though, the easy to use Apple Macintosh graphical user interface makes this machine fun and appealing to use every day, all the time.

Good Deal but Flimsy
I got a great deal pricewise on a used Powerbook (really B stock refurbished). I love the screen and the notebook mostly works. However, the clasp broke the first week and the DVD/CD drive isn't well aligned.

I paid less than the price of a new ibook and an Ibook is what I was looking for at first. Despite the flimsy construction I love the screen and the Powerbook with some added ram and an airport makes a great portable web surfing machine. The titanium powerbooks are definitely the snazziest laptops ever made even if they are a bit flimsy. (I have experience with many other laptops and other Powerbooks because I manage the IT department at my company). I generally get a new PC laptop every few months from my job so I really didn't want to spend the [money] on a new 800 mhz Powerbook. This one does the job I want it to do. If you really want to do heavy processing a newer Powerbook is a good idea. As an alternative to an ibook, this older G4 500 can be a great deal.

As an added note, Apple has done a great job with System X. I hated system 8 and 9 - I thought Windows 2000 was a lot better. But OS X addresses the things I hated (lack of command line control, poor multitasking, poor TCP/IP support). If only apple would stop messing around and use Intel processors since the Motorola ones just aren't keeping pace. ... Read more