Maybe I'm a moron, but here's what I am doing...

T

themacko

Barking at the moon.
I currently own an iBook 500. This was my very first Mac, it was the first computer I bought myself (previously had a PC the folks gave me for college). I love this 'book, but she's up for sale on eBay. Am I upgrading? Actually, I'm downgrading.

I am selling my iBook 500 (with 640 megs of ram, MS Office 2001 and Norton) for *hopefully* $1,200. I am also going to sell my external 20 gig portable FW harddrive. With those two gone a a ton of cash in hand, I'm going to get myself an iBook SE 466. The graphite one with a DVD rom. I'm also going to get an iPod and a 30 gig 9.5mm hard drive. Really strange, I know, but I think I'll be happier in the long run.

The 466 is pretty close to a 500. I don't think I'll be able to tell much a difference in speed. But because this 'book is most likely out of warranty I will be able to upgrade the internal HD w/o a guilty concience. And, the biggie, I'll have an iPod.

This was probably a meaningless post, but I guess I want some reassurance that what I'm not really kicking myself in the nads, I'm getting what I really want out my Mac.
 
You'd rather have the clunky iBook then this new one?

Remember, you're sacrificing other stuff too -- video mirroring, smaller and lighter laptop, etc.

Make sure you are doing the right thing...
 
The big bad thing about the pre dual usb iBook is the fact that the screen resolution is 800x600 not 1024x768 like the dual usb. Mac OS X is awful at 800x600. Second the older iBook is rather bukly and has a lot of extra plastic so it is much larger. Those two things are what drove me to buy the iBook dual USB (I went through this debate myself - indigo vs dual usb).
 
Yeah I've actually been thinking about this for a month or two now. The size/weight doesn't really bother me. I use it mainly as a desktop computer that just happens to be portable. The resolution will probably bother me, but I've been running my current 'book at 800x600 to see if I can get used to it and it's really not that bad. Especially when all I use my computer for is email, homework (typing) and these forums.

I think that getting an iPod and having a 30 gig internal hd will offset the negatives of the resolution & weight/size factors. I kinda like the old iBooks, anyway.
 
The older iBook does look good, I personally really liked the indigo one. I wish Apple would bring out computers with colors like they did! 800x600 will look much better on the older iBook than the new one.

You will have to post your thoughts about your new setup when you get it.

Have fun replacing the 30 GB hard drive. I did that to my iBook and it was not easy and I ended up putting a crack in my palmrest (stupid hidden screws). The older model is a little bit harder I was told.
 
As you can tell from my sig, I own an iBook SE 466. I bought it with my own cash as a computer to take with me to China last spring. It was amazing with dirt cheap ($1.25 US) pirated DVD's everywhere we would watch movies all of the time. I was the coolest guy on the trip, obviously for other reasons, but the iBook didn't hurt. I love the design. Would appreciate higher screen res, but with the max 320 megs of RAM I run OSX with ease. I love the case much more than the new ones, very distinctive. I say go ahead with your plan. Oh yeah, I named my iBook Axel, hence the subject line.
 
I like the older graphite iBooks. I used to have a first rev blueberry iBook that sucked (no firewire, 6 gb hd) but the case is just so darn nice looking! The new one is more cut back and lite and professional, but the old ones are fun! I thought about doing the same thing you're doing (trading my 500 icebook for a graphite) but I decided in the long run my new iBook would suit me better (higher res can be important, although I'm sure I could live with 800x600.) The new iBooks scratch so darn easy but with the old ones the only worry I ever had was the handle cracking a tad (use a case if you plan to take it around a lot, they will start to get cracks in the handle!)
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't all iBooks pre-white ones came with only the ATI-RagePro LT? not the Rage128 mobility that's included in the white iBooks. Eh considering no hardware acceleration yet on Mac OS X. I would strongly suggest you to rethink that idea.. if this is true - you're going to be pulling your hair watching quicktime movies and playing 3D games is out of the equation under OS X. I'm currently using a Lombard on OSX.
 
The iBook SE 466 has the exact same chipset (Rage128 Mobility) that's in the current iBooks. They bumped it up so they could include a DVD drive.

I don't play 3D computer games, anyhow. ;)
 
I've just sold my iBook 500 (overclocked to 600MHz/100FSB)/256/Combo/20GB HD for around US$1000.

:)
 
You are nuts, man.

Stick with the 500 MHz iBook2. It is a far better package than the older iBook.

Display: Better resolution, beautiful picture compared to the older iBook.

Motherboard: Your iBook has a faster bus (100 MHz vs. 66 MHz). Combined with the faster CPU, you WILL notice the difference.

Size and weight: New ibook wins again.

Be sure you know what you're doing, you could wind up with something you don't like as much. Furthermore, you will be buying a USED iBook. A used desktop computer is probably fine, but a used laptop is asking for trouble. Laptops take a beating, and you might wind up with someone else's problems.

All this for an iPod? Are you SURE you really need a $400 mp3 player? Have you thought about alternatives, like a cheap walkman cassette player? Do you even need a portable music player? After all, the iBook is essentially a portable music player, not as compact as the iPod, but still....

It's your money, but if I were in your shoes I'd be clinging to that sweet iBook2 you have NOW. That is one awesome laptop and to downgrade to the old clunker iBook would be a grave mistake IMO.

Perhaps you could find a used iPod on ebay and go for that?
 
Seems like a very bad idea to me macko...
You'll be halving your ram and be having a plain old OLDER computer. Also, the screen resolution is much more comfy. You'll be better off just saving up for a new iPod IMO.
Btw, how do you plan on getting a whopping 1200 for that computer? It doesn't seem very likely to me.

Sounds like most of the people on this board are saying stay with what you have :p
 
Aqualung: My iBook 500 has a 66 mhz FSB. They bumped up the Rev. B to 100 mhz.

I know it sounds completely impracticle, but you have to understand that I'm not a big computer buff. I really have no need for all the speed, the high resolution and the light, compact design. What I want out of a computer is something that is portable, runs OS X and MS Office X comfortably, plays DVDs, burns cd's and has lots of HD space.

Currently, my iBook 500 (which already sold for $1300, I might add :) ) is overkill. It probably isn't for 90% of you, but for me, I would much rather have a ton of HD space and an iPod than a really fast laptop.

With the next iBook, I'll be slapping in a 40 gig hard drive and getting an iPod. It still has FireWire for my CD-RW and DV camcorder, and will take my AirPort card, and looks cool. So I'll be a happy guy.
 
Another option you could consider is getting the PowerBook G3 Pismo - 400 MHz. You could probably get one for less than $900. You could still get your iPod that way.

I would do that myself if I were going to downgrade and get an iPod.
 
Hmm, a 40GB hard drive is quite large :)
Well, since you got $1300 for it, sounds like a good deal by me :p I was just skeptical that you would be able to get that. As for buying a Pismo, I wouldn't. They're great machines, but the iBooks are just so much more rugged :) My friend tosses his around and nothing has happened to it at all. It's just too bad you're going down to less RAM :(
 
i'm also deciding between the same two iBooks. i've pretty much decided on the iBook 500 but now that look at it, the pismo seems pretty decent. 2 firewire ports, 2 usb ports, 1024x768 and a 14.1" screen. that's pretty damn good, too bad it's only a 400 mhz. i'm still gonna go for the 500 i think.

themacko: 800x600 isn't really that bad. i currently have an iBook 300 and I'm very used to it. though, it may be kind of tough since you're already accustomed to 1024x768.
 
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