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Apple iBook Laptop M8602LL/A (700-MHz PowerPC G3, 128 MB RAM, 20 GB hard drive)Platform: Mac OS X
Brand: Apple
Binding: Personal Computers
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Brings the fun back to computers [Posted on 2002-09-30]
I bought one of these for my father who had previously had little luck with his windows laptop. Unfortunately, while 'testing it' I got hooked and had to buy one for myself. It is beautifully designed, from the feel of the case to the OS X software and is a very addictive machine. I don't feel the need for a larger screen: I like its compact size and low weight. It isn't the fastest laptop on the block, but is snappy enough for everything I need at home including Photoshop and occasional office work. If you buy this laptop you do need to buy more RAM, especially for Photoshop and you don't need to, but you will also find yourself buying a digital camera, an Ipod MP3 player and finally a DV camcorder as well. The sign of true addiction though is the purchase of the Airport Base station and card. True laptop bliss is sitting in the garden surfing the web... this is the first computer to bring the fun back into computing for a long time.
PC Switcher Loves It! [Posted on 2002-11-07]
I'm a PC switcher who used PCs until January 2002. This is my second Mac within a year. I love it. I definitely need to add more RAM; 128M isn't enough as it bumps against the hard drive which affects battery life. This is a great little portable. Yes, you can use Adobe Photoshop on it, but I generally reserve my high-powered applications for a larger screen; i.e., my 17" Apple Studio Display. The G3 chip in the iBook can handle Photoshop, and most apps, but remember this is a laptop with a 12-inch screen. I love its small size and portability. It's great to slip into a purse or take outside and surf wirelessly from my swing in the oaks. I would recommend adding more RAM. Also the cord on the battery adapter is a bit fragile, as it is made of the kind of wire that isn't very flexible. Apple says you can wrap the cord up inside the adapter, but I prefer to keep it stretched out so that it lasts longer. Other than the wire on the power adapter, which is a minor complaint, I can't say enough good things about this little book. I do wish Apple would increase RAM capabilities in these to at least 1 G. You can never have enough RAM! I have also really enjoyed watching DVD movies on it. It's great to surf in bed and is super quiet. A nice break when you're tired of your loud desktop. And I can't say enough about the relaxing benefits of surfing wirelessly. My battery life, if I play a DVD, which is what Apple recommends as a battery test, is 2 hours; Apple uses this as a test because playing a DVD keeps the hard drive constantly in motion. If I am only surfing and chatting, and I dim the screen to increase battery life, I get about 3 1/2 hours. You will get more battery life if you add more RAM and dim the screen slightly. It recharges quickly; in about 2 hours. I am so glad I have an Apple iBook and would not want any other notebook on the market. Love the style, love the applications, and I chose the 12-inch screen over the 14-inch because I wanted the portability. I have a desktop, a PowerMac, so I was not looking for a desktop replacement, just something to journal/blog in, use Microsoft Word, Photoshop occasionally, and surfing, email and chat. The iBook has lived up to all my expectations except playing games in Yahoo is slow, which is primarily a function of me only having 128M of RAM. Anyone knows that isn't enough RAM. Oh, and don't think of using the speakers to play your iTunes! Get an iPod, headphones, or use your desktop's speakers for that. I highly recommend the iBook.
It does run CAD [Posted on 2002-11-19]
I bought the 800 MHz version with the 12"screen and have added 512MB of RAM and an Airport card. I love the portability, the screensize is adequate, but I have never gotten used to not having a mouse (so I am buying one). I run the normal Adobe graphics and office stuff, but decided to load up Virtual PC, Win 98, and the CAD standard used by most engineers. It isn't fast, but it is definitely functional. Also, I can design when I am sitting out in the daughter's play yard (nice mid November day in the 70's). I have a wired/wireless LAN in the house, so I can just share my drawings with the wife's PC where my homework was usually performed. It's mighty convenient and the weather outside is better for my creativity (actually, I haven't started the PC in days). Although I usually run the Apple's Jaguar OS for my other stuff, the CAD seems to like OS 9.2 better with the emulator...I have no idea why.
A few flaws, but a good buy, overall. [Posted on 2002-12-11]
Being a long-time user of Powerbooks and Apple laptops in general, this iBook was quite an improvement from its predecessors. The G4 Powerbook is far too expensive to interest a buyer like myself, however price and features combine to make this iBook a very solidly good computer. Pros: The RAM is adequate, for the most part. The more the merrier, but 128 MB to start with is mostly adequate. Combined with a 700 mhz processor, the speed is also adequate for the most part in both OS 9 and OS X. The built-in CD-RW drive is also very nice and convenient, though. As well, the DVD player is a nice added feature. It also is a better shape than the colored iBooks since they couldn't easily be stacked... Cons: This series of iBook is-- or feels-- less durable than the old series. My first time using one of these, I thought, "These feel really flimsy compared to my tangerine iBook..." at least it feels that way. The actual durability I have not put to the test that much. Also, the battery power on all iBooks is unfortunately very low. I can get 4 hours of use on a full battery charge most of the time, although I might be able to get 6-8 hours if I put it in sleep the whole time. There aren't that many other problems that I can think of... Overall, a very good buy.
Nice laptop but be prepared for some problems [Posted on 2002-12-22]
I really enjoy my iBook when it works. I not very computer savy and it is perfect for a novice like me. My main complaint is that I have had to send it back twice for repairs. The first time the screen died. I mean just died. I turned it on, heard a pop, and that was it. Sending it back wasn't much trouble, but by the time I got it back about three weeks had passed. Then it stop booting and made a funny grinding noise. They sent me a new hard drive (quickly this time) but that didn't do the trick. I just sent the whole thing back and I haven't got it back yet. So I love it, but I really wish it was more reliable.
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