Amazon.com Product Description

Amazingly portable, extremely well connected and equipped with DVD burning capability, Apple’s freshly released PowerBook G4 12.1-inch M9008LL/A is a great choice for those who enjoy Apple connectivity and convenience but don’t need the larger, pricier 15-inch or 17-inch PowerBook models.

Surprisingly, the PowerBook G4 M9008LL/A is driven by the same CPU used in last year’s top-of-the-line 17-inch PowerBook, the 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor with 512 KB Level 2 cache for rapid retrieval of recently accessed data. Apple has added 256 MB of medium speed PC2100 (266 MHz) DDR SDRAM memory (upgradeable to 1.25 GB) and an nVidia GeForce FX Go5200 graphics chipset with 32 MB of dedicated video memory, thus ensuring smooth operation during standard mobile tasks. Some performance degradation may be evident when running complex professional applications and high-end 3-D games or while multitasking.

At just 10.9 by 8.6 by 1.2 inches and a scant 4.6 pounds (with battery and optical drive attached), the brushed aluminum PowerBook G4 M9008LL/A is extraordinarily compact. Yet it’s packed with amenities. Standard features include a 12.1-inch TFT display capable of high-detail 1024x768 resolution, a 78-key keyboard with accurate solid-state track pad, a digital DVI output for flat-screen displays, integrated Bluetooth 1.1 technology for cordless peripherals, and two high-speed USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port for connecting plug and play devices such as external drives and digital cameras.

To help you handle your data, Apple has outfitted the system with a reasonably sized 40 GB hard disk and a versatile DVD-RW/CD-RW drive through which you can play and listen to audio CDs, archive files, enjoy the latest movie releases, and burn home video to long-lasting DVD media. A high-speed 10/100BASE-T Ethernet connection and low-speed 56K V.92 modem are standard, but wireless communications are available only with the purchase of an AirPort Extreme card.In ideal conditions, battery life is estimated at an impressive five hours. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Excellent features in a compact Powerhouse
Ah, the Powerbook. For many years, Apple's version of what a laptop computer should be. Then they created "consumer level" ibooks and the Powerbook was elevated to a status of Pro machines (which it always was). There used to be only a couple models (remember Pismo?). Then the Titanium wonder that shocked the portable world. Now, Apple has 3 different sized Powerbooks with various models inbetween those sizes. The compact little gem is the subject here.

This is one of the finest Macs I have ever used. The weight is so light. The aluminum case is amazing. The slot load Superdrive which burns either CD's or DVD's is elegant compared to slide out trays that risk being damaged. The keyboard feels amazing. I could go on and on. Battery life I have gotten has ranged in the 4 hour range...excellent for a G4 equipped laptop. ALthough 256MB of RAM seems rather low, it surprisingly does well (Though I did add a 512mb module later, and watched performance grow). The power adapter itself has hooks to wrap the cord around (though admittedly, the old doughnut design was better looking). The 12" Powerbook is an excellent piece of hardware for those looking to tote a laptop. Two Thumbs Up!

Perfect
I received a 12" PowerBook for Christmas, and so far, I haven't turned on my old media center pc since. I absolutely love all the features. The computer is quick to boot up, quick to load application, and because of the design of each clock cycle, programs don't interfere with each other on a large scale.
I needed a computer that could edit film and audio, and render quickly and professionally, and while this isn't the fastest PowerBook, it is definitely the one that fits my life the best. It's portable and powerful, and compared to the machines that I was running on before, this is a superior machine. I have Final Cut Pro, Express, Macromedia Studio MX 2004, Adobe suites, not to mention all the handy iApps for simple cut and edit in film. I have yet to get DVD Studio Pro 2, but that's on my list of apps to get. This is the tool for a person who needs power, but the actual physical requirement needs to come second to their ideas and creativity.
The only con is the battery life, rendering and using this processor takes a toll on it, but when I do most of those type of things, it's near a wall socket, so it isn't a big deal. And despite what I had read about this machine before I got it, it is not blazing hot. The wrist rest gets a little warm, but I've yet to find a laptop that doesn't. And unlike those laptops, this one cools down when you put it on a hard flat surface, and I barely notice that the fan is running to vent it. It is a superior machine, and definitely worth the money. Couple this with a 20" Apple display, and you have all the screen space you would ever need.

Great machine, with caveats....
Ditto all of the lauditory comments of my esteemed colleagues here on the review page, with a few additional comments. AppleCare is a must since the "logic board" of MACs are notorious for going down. The plan is $300 additonal cost for a three year policy, and you absolutely have to have it (you may buy it during the first year after purchase). The shipping protocol of the computer is excellent, with prepaid shipping containers sent to you, but Apple will charge you an additional $50 to save your hard drive data in the event that it must be replaced, a cost that should not obtain in my judgement given the expense of the add-on policy. The quality of the call-in help line varies (as they all do with PCs), but it's necessary, particularly for PC defectors like me. Lastly, if you have a problem with the enormous heat generated by the unit, get an 11" x 14" zip folder at Staples or Office Depot to place under the unit and also to carry/protect it. And you will carry this unit since this is a truly portable computer with a 3 to 4 hour battery time (my old SONY Vaio pooped out after 40 minutes - it's like a dinasaur next to the PowerBook). Plus, truly amazingly, you can edit video and burn DVDs that work simply great on a home DVD machine. Unbelieveable.

AMAZING!!!
I have owned over 20 macs in my 12 years of Macintosh consulting and development.. This is the best Mac yet. I just sold my 15" TiBook to get this 12" Aluminum/1ghz/DVDR model. I can't put it down. The screen seemed small - until I used it. No problem there at all. I do a lot of digital photography and programming and the 12 inch PowerBook is THE MACHINE!

Question about Powerbook G4 12 inch
Dear Powerbook users,
On the 12 inch G4 1 GHZ...is the heat that it generates really a problem? I get really annoyed with hot laptops...I'm a college student and I usually sit for hours on my desktop typing up papers and what not. However, I really do like the design, speed, and portability of this powerbook. I'm also considering the ibook G4...Let me know what you pros out there think..Thanks :) ... Read more

Amazon.com

While this PowerBook model can't compare to its fully tricked-out big brother (the 500 MHz, 256 MB, 20 GB version), it's nonetheless an impressive product. Take a look at the 15.2-inch, wide-aspect-ratio screen in a sleek titanium case and it's hard not to drool with envy. Whether your goal is to author multimedia or just to have the ultimate road-warrior toy, the PowerBook could be the notebook for you. This model offers a 400 MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 128 MB of RAM, and a DVD-ROM drive. Its 10 GB hard disk drive is not huge by current standards, but offers ample space for most storage needs.A modem and networking are standard, as are signature Mac extras such as FireWire ports. The system comes with both the classic Mac OS 9 and the slick new Mac OSX installed. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

This the best computer money can buy.
After reading reviews about the powerbook getting hot, I had almost given up on buying powerbook and was thinking of buying a wintel machine. Saw it perform at my friends place. This thing is really cool, I could play DVDs for like 3 hours before the battery warning came up. If you want to buy a computer forget about buying a desktop, this machine roars, 30 GB hard disk with 1 GB RAM this is better than any laptop available in the market. Kudos to Steve and Apple. Unix is back and windows is out. I ran 11 apps at one time and this OS X did not crash, this stuff is amazing. If you are a programmer, or a gamer OSX is the best thing that could happen.

Take this, Bill gates!
Like many windows users, I bought into the fallacy that you didn't want an apple computer because of the lack of software - until I saw this Powerbook at an Apple store, did some research, found all the software I wanted was available for apple computers, and realized that I need not support the dark dominion of Microsoft anymore. Bought the computer and I have never regretted it. OS X is great too, no more one program crashing the entire computer. Beautiful in looks and execution, fast, with a RW drive, light, beautiful screen. If Apple had been as unscrupulous as Microsoft in it's early days we might all be using these wonderful computers.

I'm in love
A one word review would suffice: "WOW!!!"

But, I will elaborate..... :-) This is the best laptop I've ever owned. It is my fourth Macintosh is just under three years. My first was a clamshell iBook. I then owned a PowerBook G3 and an eMac G4 but decided that I wanted portability in my G4. I bought this PowerBook G4 667 and never looked back. This was the most intelligent purchase I've ever made in the computer world.

Apple designed a truly wonderful products. It is speedy, beautiful, and functional. I could not ask for more in a notebook computer. Thanks, Apple! I'm now a dedicated and loyal user.

The PowerBook G4 is an amazing machine
This is a beautiful computer. I have no complaints. I love it!

Move on up to 1GHz, 667 is yesterdays news
This machine had it's day, but it is past. An 800MHz G4 is the *entry level* machine. I benchmark these (and PC based) laptops all day, and I can tell you that the total platform performance of this machine is about that of a newer Celeron based laptop (the older graphics on this model subsystem doesn't help).

Instead look at the 1GHz G4 which has a top of the line ATI 9000 GPU as well as a decently clocked G4 to go with it. Now that is a nice Powerbook. Anything less is really a waste of money ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A scaled-back version of the top-of-the-line PowerBook 17-inch G4, the PowerBook 12-inch G4 is the smallest notebook Apple has ever released. At just 10.9 by 8.6 by 1.18 inches and a mere 4.6 pounds, the unit is easy to transport and easy to operate in any circumstance. Yet it doesn’t sacrifice performance for portability.

Featuring a capable 867 MHz PowerPC G4 processor (256 K of DDR SRAM Level 2 cache) and 256 MB of PC2100 DDR SDRAM system memory (upgradeable to 640 MB), the PowerBook G4 sports enough raw power for any standard notebook or desktop application. Its 32 MB nVidia GeForce4 420 Go graphics chip may have a few problems smoothly rendering today’s most graphically intensive 3-D games and drawing packages, but is ready for most anything else. The unit’s internal 40 GB hard disk is large enough to accommodate lots of programs and files, and its versatile DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive allows you to record home movies and video, burn and enjoy audio CDs, and back up critical information.

The PowerBook 12-inch G4 ensures you’ll stay connected in any environment. For wireless situations, it features an integrated Bluetooth adapter and a built-in antenna and expansion slot for an optional 802.11g AirPort Extreme card. For traditional wired connectivity, you’ll find a 10/100Base-T Ethernet port for high-speed LAN and Internet access and a low-speed 56K modem.

The system offers a host of other amenities, including one IEEE 1394 FireWire port for fast data movement from sources such as camcorders and digital cameras, two USB 1.1 ports, an internal microphone, stereo speakers, and a compact but crystal clear 12.1-inch TFT XGA active-matrix display screen with support for 1,024 x 768 resolution. System controls include a 78-key keyboard with embedded keypad and tap/double tap/drag trackpad. Maximum battery life is estimated at an admirable five hours. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Lap Dancer
I resisted laptops until picking up this 12" Powerbook 9 months ago. I had always felt that switching from a desktop to a laptop model was a bit like going from a Steinway to a flimsy electric keyboard (I'm a pianist). But I'm sold. I take this machine to the library, where it works wirelessly; I bring it into the classroom and use it to project DVD's; I take it to bed and do mail and Amazon reviews. People comment on how cute and compact the machine is. I-Book users envy my speed and multi-tasking abilities, apparently beyond the lower-priced Apple models that sport the same G-4 processor.

One complaint: after an hour this is a "hot" machine. No problem if you're using it as a faux desktop model. But if you take "laptop" literally, be prepared for hot thighs. At least I don't have to tip it.

Great computer, few problems
Yeah, I know it's a little more money than the knock-off PC clones from Dell and Gateway, but this is a far superior computer. The Mac platform is not only the most powerful one available, it is also the simplest and most versatile - once you learn it.

The 15-inch is the perfect size for me. I looked at both the 12 and 17-inch models and felt they were a little too small/big respectively. There is something attractive about the 12 inch - a friend of mine has one and he carries it around everywhere, able to write anywhere anytime. And seated at a desk the 17-inch is also attractive, presenting a massive, bright screen to work on. But all in all, the 15-inch provides the best both worlds. It's very portable - maybe not as easy to tug along as the 12-inch, but certainly manageable with a small backpack. The 17-inch can be problematic on a plane if there are people crowding you, and it's certainly cumbersome to maneuver in tight spaces, whereas the 12-inch is easy to maneuver but can cause a little eyestrain from a distance.

I definitely recommend a Mac, first of all, and within that I recommend the 15-inch G4 notebook. If you must have a 12-inch, you might take a look at the 12-inch iBook, which is cheaper but obviously not as feature rich (the iBook's graphics card is not as powerful and the processor is slower, most notably).

The complaints I have are exterior - the computer doesn't age well (i.e., it nicks and scratches rather easily) and there should be some sort of elevation device to raise the back end while typing (like the older Powerbooks had).

All in all you can't go wrong with any Apple laptop you choose. They are truly making the digital life a reality with all of their integrated software - iTunes, iPhoto, iSight, and the iPod are particularly cool. No other laptop will have an operating system with so many fantastic programs that are so perfectly integrated together. If this is remotely in your price range, go for it. It can literally change the way you operate on a day-to-day basis.

The best computer I've ever owned
I bought a 12-inch Powerbook after I gave my old Sony Vaio notebook the Pete Townshend treatment - I put my fist through it. (Yes, it looks like a stained glass window.) I hadn't used a Mac in years, but I decided I'd had it with Microsoft and Windows. All it took was one weekend and a good book - "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual," by David Pogue -
however, and I mastered the machine.

SOFTWARE
The computer comes with some great software. iTunes is the best media player on the market. I have almost 5,000 songs stored on mine. With the search function and browser display, it is easy to find a particular song. iTunes also keeps track of the number of times you've listened to a song and it allows you to rate your songs. It's easy to create a playlist. Also, burning one of those playlists onto a CD can be done with one click.

Safari is a great web browser. It has a Google search box built into the toolbar, prevents pop-up ads (I've never had one), has tabbed browsing (preventing a cluttered desktop), and allows for bookmarks to be added with one click.

iChat allows Mac users to customize their AIM and Rendezvous chat sessions in ways that the normal applications don't allow, such as adding pictures from iPhoto to their profile.

I haven't mastered iPhoto yet, but it is downloading pictures from a digital camera is as easy as plugging it into the USB port and clicking a button.

Also, Macs are less likely to get a virus or be overtaken by spyware.

The iCal and Address Book look good, but if you are going to sync a PDA with your Mac, you are better off using Palm Desktop software. Hopefully the functionality of those programs will be improved in the future though.

Finally, most of the programs work with each other. For example, if someone on my iChat buddy list is online, a green dot will appear next to a message from him or her in my Mail inbox.

I also use Microsoft Office, Quicken, Dreamweaver MX, and Palm Desktop - they all work well on the Mac. Office shares files perfectly with PCs.

HARDWARE
Spend the money and get the superdrive (CD-RW/DVD-R). DVDs have more memory than CDs and blank DVD-Rs are becoming more affordable. If you are into collecting videos of concerts, a DVD-R is a must.

I'd recommend upgrading to at least 768 MB of memory and the 80 GB hard drive. Burning a DVD requires a lot of memory and can take a while - this way you can use other applications while burning a DVD (on my old PC, if I was burning a CD, I couldn't use anything else). The hard drive space is really cheap. Plus, if you load your CDs on your computer, they can eat up a lot of memory, even as MP3s (my 5,000 songs take up about 25 GB).

Also, there is a lot to be said for getting the Airport Exteme card (although you can buy a third-party base station for less). I am able to browse the Internet in any room of my house - well worth the extra $100 or so.

I have the 12-inch monitor, but that was because Apple hadn't released the 15-inch in the new style when I made my purchase. The 12-inch is fine - it's much clearer than my old PC notebook - but if I had the opportunity, I'd probably go with the bigger monitor.

DRAWBACKS
-While most software is available for Mac OS X, there are some programs that aren't (Google toolbar, Yahoo! toolbar, Kazaa, AvantGo) or minor problems in software that is available (Quicken can't access accounts on Ameritrade via Macs)
-The PowerBook doesn't have a fan, which is great for the battery, but can cause it to get a bit hot underneath where the user rests his left hand.

Regardless of those drawbacks, however, buying a Mac was an easy decision. If you have any questions about it, click on my profile and send me a e-mail.

UPDATE: After 14 months, the hard drive started making noise and system performance got slow and I couldn't run as many programs as I used to. I called Apple and had to spend $300 for them to put in a new hard drive and some other hardware. They were unable to transfer my data to my new hard drive, so I've spent the past four days reloading all of my software and applications. No idea why the hard drive went. Hence I dropped the rating from five stars to four.

max power for real travellers
I thought my little 12 inch iBook was cool. This laptop is significantly smaller & lighter. But it is faster and has 60GB of disk. Two negatives: airport reception is not as long ranged as the plastic iBook and battery life is roughly half that of the iBook. No matter, this machine the most personal computer I have ever owned. This little laptop is my 5th! It is sooo much better than the early clunkers! Because of its size weight and power - this one goes everywhere with me. I recommend you buy a 60GB firewire drive to make clone backups of the hard drive. Then you are bulletproof - even on the road. With all the latest Apple software I have trashed my Palm Pilot - between my laptop and my iSynched Ericson phone - I have everything. This iSynch stuff is just brilliant! My Canon S45 and iPod are both part of my environment. It is all so tightly integrated and "synched", previous complexity has disappeared. Apple, you really are the best! Thanks for making life so much more powerful and so much easier! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

In the world of highly portable, business-oriented notebooks, Apple'sPowerBook notebook is a true standout. Included in its 5.3-pound, 1-inch-highcase is a PowerPC G4 chip clocked at 550 MHz, 256 MB of RAM (expandable to 1,024MB), and a 20 GB hard disk. This notebook also boasts a 6x DVD-ROM drive, a 56Kmodem, a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet NIC, and a 15.2-inch, active-matrix LCD with 1,152x 768 resolution. The system comes with both the classic Mac OS 9 and the slicknew Mac OS X operating systems installed.

... Read more

Reviews (21)

This the best computer money can buy.
After reading reviews about the powerbook getting hot, I had almost given up on buying powerbook and was thinking of buying a wintel machine. Saw it perform at my friends place. This thing is really cool, I could play DVDs for like 3 hours before the battery warning came up. If you want to buy a computer forget about buying a desktop, this machine roars, 30 GB hard disk with 1 GB RAM this is better than any laptop available in the market. Kudos to Steve and Apple. Unix is back and windows is out. I ran 11 apps at one time and this OS X did not crash, this stuff is amazing. If you are a programmer, or a gamer OSX is the best thing that could happen.

Take this, Bill gates!
Like many windows users, I bought into the fallacy that you didn't want an apple computer because of the lack of software - until I saw this Powerbook at an Apple store, did some research, found all the software I wanted was available for apple computers, and realized that I need not support the dark dominion of Microsoft anymore. Bought the computer and I have never regretted it. OS X is great too, no more one program crashing the entire computer. Beautiful in looks and execution, fast, with a RW drive, light, beautiful screen. If Apple had been as unscrupulous as Microsoft in it's early days we might all be using these wonderful computers.

I'm in love
A one word review would suffice: "WOW!!!"

But, I will elaborate..... :-) This is the best laptop I've ever owned. It is my fourth Macintosh is just under three years. My first was a clamshell iBook. I then owned a PowerBook G3 and an eMac G4 but decided that I wanted portability in my G4. I bought this PowerBook G4 667 and never looked back. This was the most intelligent purchase I've ever made in the computer world.

Apple designed a truly wonderful products. It is speedy, beautiful, and functional. I could not ask for more in a notebook computer. Thanks, Apple! I'm now a dedicated and loyal user.

The PowerBook G4 is an amazing machine
This is a beautiful computer. I have no complaints. I love it!

Move on up to 1GHz, 667 is yesterdays news
This machine had it's day, but it is past. An 800MHz G4 is the *entry level* machine. I benchmark these (and PC based) laptops all day, and I can tell you that the total platform performance of this machine is about that of a newer Celeron based laptop (the older graphics on this model subsystem doesn't help).

Instead look at the 1GHz G4 which has a top of the line ATI 9000 GPU as well as a decently clocked G4 to go with it. Now that is a nice Powerbook. Anything less is really a waste of money ... Read more

Reviews (14)

the cleanest laptop
This is an awesome laptop. My company bought me the powerbook and my coworker a HP P4 1.6 ghz- both with 512 mbs of memomry. He prefers the HP only because the applications that he uses (mis guy)is more available on windows (plus he's always been a pc guy). I've also have always been a PC user (and still am). I've compared using photoshop, quark, flash, microsoft office on both systems. Even when rasterizing eps files, i didn't really notice the speed difference. Both systems had plenty of memory and I haven't had any problems with it freezing up. The screen on the apple is so much nicer (and wider) than the HP. It is also so much easier and more reliable to burn cd's (both music and data) on the apple than the hp. Both systems hooked up to the network pretty easy- however the apple had a built in wireless (airport) while the hp needed a seperate card. The apple is also alot lighter and slimmer than the hp and you can tell the design is so much better. the apple is made of titanium and carbon fibre i believe and everything is designed so clean. Another nice thing about the apple over the hp was that all the included software was usefull and good (itunes, imovies, etc) while the hp was loaded with alot annoying junk software (including all the internet junk).

The only complaint about apple is that other than the essential softwares and even components - programs are harder to comeby and usually really expensive.

Nice screen
Nice screen, but that is about it.

Runs very hot. Fan is very loud. Machine is unable to accomplish any difficult task without kicking fan up to hair dryer speed. DVDs can't be enjoyed because of the very loud fan noise.

Case scratches and dents easily. Mine never leaves the house, and looks [horrible]. The paint is pealing off. The screen touches the keyboard when closed and picks up finger grease from keyboard. The edges of the base are sharp and cut into wrists, limiting circulation. Extended typing is impossible. No provision to adjust processor speed. No provision to prevent hard disk from running. MS Explorer is incapable of surfing without running HDD. Machine is fragile. Seems like designers were bent on 1" design target, and forgot about durability/comfort.

Included OSX has awful user interface and few features. Luckily OS 9 also runs on this platform. Wide screen iBook is better choice if you don't need true dual display support.

...
I got this because I thought is would be durable. I was very wrong. It has problems with the paint bubbling up and falling off of the front. ... I have never gotten an apple that did not have major hardware issues. ... The software is really rockin, but this version of the powerbook has more than one problem... Check the review sites ... for all the gory details. Then get a G4 tower or an IMac maybe? Good luck with your purchase. The new powerbooks are alumimim and so should not have this problem. ...

Computer nerd rates this product.
Who says that alot people don't use macs? Well I currently have a job in digital video editing and the is no other computer in our field. With MacOS 10.2 you can network with PCs, share files, run microsoft office and open PC files. Apple is the defintion of cool(at least I think so). Everthing they do is orginal, take the Newton/MessagePad series. About one and a half years before the first Palm. It was the orginal PDA, who thinks diffrent, only Apple. Not to mention MHZ (megahertz) doesn't matter as much as people think when comparing PCs to macs. The G4 chip on this computer is a 7 stage 677 mhz processer (think of it as 7 steps at 677 miles per hour. Compared to the Pent4 a 20 stage processer, so the pcs need a high mhz to keep up with the macs.

Dated screen, bad ergonomics
Screen is nice sized, but isn't bright enough for use under office lighting.

Runs very hot. Fan is very loud. Machine is unable to accomplish any difficult task without kicking fan up to hair dryer speed. DVDs can't be enjoyed because of the very loud fan noise.

Case scratches and dents easily. Mine never leaves the house, and looks like .... The paint is pealing off. The screen touches the keyboard when closed and picks up finger grease from keyboard. The edges of the base are sharp and cut into wrists, limiting circulation. Extended typing is impossible. No provision to adjust processor speed. No provision to prevent hard disk from running. MS Explorer is incapable of surfing without running HDD. Machine is fragile. Seems like designers were bent on 1" design target, and forgot about durability/comfort.

Included OSX has awful user interface and few features. Luckily OS 9 also runs on this platform. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Met all of my needs without a flaw.
After owning this machine for a few months I am convinced I will never buy desktop machine again. This is the powerbook I have been waiting for. While not as powerful as some of its desktop brothers it easily breezes through most of the main apps I use (mainly DTP apps). My wife loves to edit on my machine using FCP 3 and her Canon GL1 (she also loves the dual display support which is flawless). I can't wait till all apps are OS X native. But finding unix apps ported for X has been easy, and running apps in classic has been smooth sailing so far. For most users this will be an excellent desktop computer replacement as well as a moblie computer.

Apple refuses to exchange brand new G4
I purchased a brand new G4 on 02/15/2002 during the Olympics in Salt Lake City, opened the sealed box and found a white lited pixel on the screen. Totally dissappointed. Call the Mac store the next day who advised that they are ordering a replacement G4.
02/18/00 store advised me that Apple will not replace my unit since their policy is that up to 3 damaged pixels are industry specs and therefore nothing is wrong with my unit.
So I called 1800 sos apple and their customer service give the same story NOTHING IS WRONG WITH MY UNIT.
Being a first time user I am shocked about the way I am treated by Apple.
Apple customer service really took away my happyness at the Olympics very easily.
The unit is spectacularly built but the white dot on the screen really bugs me.
After pleading with Apple they still claim nothing is wrong with my unit.

Think Real
The product is very good, but the features are no big bargain at the price you are offering. Sorry, but this is no deal.

What a great computer
This is one heck of a computer. It's got style, power, and sex appeal. Starting with it's sleek titanium body, down to its fast processor and built-in wireless airport card, this computer doesn't disapoint. It has a gorgeous 15.2 inch wide screen that is a joy to work and play with. OS X is easily a match for anything Microsoft can put out and rivals Windows XP in ease of use. My model has a combo drive with DVD-ROM/CD-RW which is killer.

As a PC user for work and a Mac user for fun, it's taking me a bit of getting used to. OS X works differently than Windows.

The only reason I gave it four starts instead of five is because of the battery life. I can't seem to get more than about 2 hours of battery live while apple claims the battery can provide up to 5 hours. Maybe it's five hours of sitting idle, but if I'm actually working (not watching a DVD or heavily using the DVD/CD-RW) it just guzzles power. If you're going to get this computer, i totally recommend that you spend the extra money and get an airport station. You'll love taking the computer from room to room and still having internet access. In my case, I can sit in front of the fire downstairs and have my airport station upstairs. It makes the laptop truly portable.

Great Machine!
I've just bought one of these (the one without de CDRW) and am VERY happy with it . You just can't imagine how fast this thing is ( I have a G4 Cube 450Mhz). Great investment, great WOW factor in meetings. A little bit heavy... but that's about the only negative thing I can say about it . It also came with OS X 10.1 wich is awesome! it just doesn't crash! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Good Lord! It's Sweet.
I'm what you would call a power user. I work in the animation biz and use unix workstations and pee cees the whole day. The only time I had ever used a mac was when I was in middle school. But when I saw this beauty I just had to have one. The unit is simply beautiful and is great for video editing on the fly...which is what I mainly use it for. It has become an invaluable tool for quickly putting together comps for dailies at the studio.

The ease of use and design of the OS is wonderful...I don't really understand why so many pc users are against macs. My suggestion is to go out and take it for a spin at your local electronics store and decide for yourself. For me, powering this baby up after spending hours upon hours working on SGI and SUN workstaions is a pleasure in itself.

If you are going to get this unit, make sure you don't skimp on RAM and buy an extra battery because nothing is worst than having your powerbook low in a middle of a work session.

From a long time PC user.........
I have to say after three months with this baby, I'm pretty satisfied. OS X is easy and manageable, and has never, ever crashed on me; applications have though. Yet, the keyboard does push into the screen slightly when closed, so you will see little keyboard marks on the screen when turned off. A few other problems are that the notebook can get very hot if a CPU intesive app is used and the 802.11b Wi-Fi looses some of it's range (about 150 ft) because the titanium is blocking signals.

The Best Computer Money Can Buy
I've been extremely happy with this computer and it has served me well. The only problem I've had Apple fixed right away. Highly recommended for anyone who will use their notebook as their primary or only computer.

Simply Put, the best computer I've ever owned
I think the title says it all, the display is wondeful and big with a viewing angle that is amazing. The feel and the look of the laptop is great. The battery has a long life as well as everything I need standard. It feels snappy, much more snappier then I expected from a laptop and OS X is just a joy to have. I love almost everything about it, and I wouldn't give it up for anything.
But, there are always buts, I do have a few problems with it (hince the 4 stars). First and foremost is the paint chipping problem. It is kinda annoying and I wish it could be better. Second, is that it is extremely hard to get the ethernet cord out of the back of the machine because the hinge interfers. Finally, the Airport range is smaller compared to iBooks. But do not get me wrong, I strongly reccomend this computer to anyone and the problems I have are only minnor annoyances.

It's Terrific!
I've had one since the end of May 2002, and I love it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

You get what you pay for...
When you are buying a Picasso, you can't expect to pay discount. The Powerbook G4 is a premium computer, and you pay a premium price. What you get puts similar PC-based products to shame, except, alas, on price.
The biggest advantage of the PBG4 -- besides, of course, the operating system -- is design efficiency and elegance. Despite having a 15.2-inch screen and a fast processor (one optimized for intensive video applications and presentations), the PBG4 weighs just 5.4 pounds and is stunningly slim at 1-inch thick. Check your average [local store] ad for similarly equipped laptops and they simply can not compare.

Take Sony's new VAIO GRX for example. It boasts a "gigantic 16.1-inch screen." Okay, great. I'd love a 16-inch screen too. But then, in the fine print, is this laughable phrase: "Just 8.4 lbs. and 1.8" thin."

Let's see, sounds like a great tradeoff, doesn't it? You get about 12 percent more screen real estate, 55.5 percent more weight and 80 percent more bulk (and faster battery drain to boot).

The Sony is about 15 percent cheaper, mind you, but I already told you about that part, right?

Let's compare Apples to apples, then, shall we? A new VAIO model with a 15-inch display and Combo drive sells for about a grand less than Apple's top-of-the line Powerbook, and a few hundred below the bottom-of-the line. You would think with a smaller display, maybe they could take out some of that bulk? Naw. This one is "Just 8.6 lbs. and 1.8" thin."

I don't know about you, but if the Sonys bulk up any more, their owners will be able to throw out their old "Body By Jake" video tapes.

By the way, you might also consider buying Apple's 3-year protection plan. Sure, it's expensive, but if you bought that Picasso, would you take it with you on an airplane (not to mention through overzealous security guards) without insurance?

A functional and industrial-design masterpiece.
Where other computer manufacturers make beige boxes, or, in the case of laptops, functional devices that can hardly be described as aesthetic trendsetters, Apple Computer revels in turning out eye-catching (and head-turning) industrial designs, time after time. Such is the case for the Titanium G4 Powerbook, an example of which I've had for nearly a year now. And, each time I remove this Powerbook from my carrying case and open it up in the presence of others, it never fails to generate 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from them, such is the mystique of Apple's proficiency at sleek styling and stunning display and performance.

I was an 'early adaptor' to the Macintosh, dating back to the late-1984 512K 'fat Mac.' Since then, the Mac has been my preferred platform, and I only use Wintel machines when I have no choice in the matter (for example, at my business, which is run on a Wintel LAN). Typically, a Mac design will last me approximately five years (some three times the industry average), so that, when it is time to upgrade, the improvements in performance become truly meaningful (and dramatically noticeable).

The Titanium G4 Powerbook certainly didn't disappoint me in this respect. It has blazing speed ' in terms of both display of files and web pages and read/write performance ' and it has a 'killer' color LCD display that is the envy of all who see it. With its titanium and carbon fibre construction, it is robustly built to last forever (certainly well past my typical five-year upgrade cycle). Equally important, the choice of construction materials ' and the industrial design ' seem simply perfect. The keyboard has a perfect tactile feel to it, and the built-in CD/DVD drive can create more than its fair share of envy when one inserts a 'letterbox' DVD to watch a movie.

This construction (and these features) come at a very modest weight cost. While the G4 Powebook weighs in at slightly over 5 lb, it offers integrated features that other, lighter, laptops simply cannot match without adding peripherals (and of course weight).

There isn't much NOT to like about this one-inch-thick masterpiece. The thickness has reduced the PCMCIA slots from two to one (but so many other ports are built in that this is hardly a concern), the CD/DVD drive is of the slot, rather than drawer, variety, and there is no Audio-In jack (despite there being plenty of space for it). This last is common to all recent-vintage Macs, for which users will need to obtain a third-party USB audio-in adapter.

Macintoshes had pretty much always come at a price premium: If you want the industrial design, the features, and the OS, you should be prepared to pay for these. But, with this latest laptop, the playing field is much more level. While it is true that the Titanium G4 Powerbook is not 'cheap,' it is no more expensive than a Wintel alternative that has the same features. That is, if you could find a Wintel laptop that has this quality of industrial design and construction and this magnificent display.

The fact is, simply, that you can't. This machine is in a class by itself.

Best Laptop Ever!
i purchase a new powerbook about every other year. i say this every year, but this machine rocks! it is amazing how fast it is & and as usual get tons of attention everywhere i go. this powerbook is extreamly fast, the screen is amazing, and its dvd/cd burner work without a flaw.

2200 is a great value for what you get!

No finer laptop exists. Period.
The first thing that will strike you about the PowerBook G4 is the screen. There is no bigger screen on a laptop, and it is gorgeous and bright. Unlike other laptops, the screen is oriented like a widscreen television. Watching DVDs on the built in player is a dream simply due to the sheer size of the display and its vibrant colors. The second thing you will notice is how light and thin it is. It is the only laptop on the market made from titanium, and not cheap metal plating or some other heavier alloy. It is a joy to carry around, and looks in size and over all color like one of those metal notepads that contractors carry around--only, in the true Apple tradition, the attention to detail and excellent design more closely resembles something you might see on Star Trek. It is also fast. In head to head tests with a Sony laptop with a faster rated Pentium chip, it outperformed the Sony in task after task. You can also burn CDs. It comes will Apples indescribably easy "i" applications (iMovie, iPhoto, and iTunes), and can easily be used as a portable film editing station, recording studio, or photo editing and storage hub. As importantly, the operating system--not Windows, but OS X--is a breath of fresh air. It blows Windows away with its stability, beauty, and ease of use. Trust me. You'll never go back to Microsoft, except, perhaps, for Microsoft's just released Office for OS X (which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Entourage), which is far more advanced and useful than its Window's counterpart.

The other reviews listed here which paint the PowerBook G4 as a poor computer are bizarre, to say the least. There is no truth whatsoever to these criticisms. Indeed, it has a battery life of four solid hours in my experience, far greater than any Windows computer, and OS X is fast and stable. It hasn't crashed for me yet.

Highly recommended.

Notebook, Not recommended
I have recently purchased the Apple PowerBook G4 and have not been pleased. There always seems to be some type of fatal error causing the computer to freeze. The only solution is to restart the computer, which is time consuming, and causes all recent work performed to be eliminated. I have been working with Macintosh computers for the past 4 years and always have frustrating problems. Anyone in the graphic field knows how crutial one's work is and how irritating it is to lose, just from an aggravating computer freeze. I know that Macs are the dominant choice for the graphics field, but I do not recommend the PowerBook. It also overheats quickly and the battery does not last long enough if trying to work away from home. ... Read more