Why the 12" PB bashing!?!

banjo_boy

banjo_boy

Bona Fide Pater Familius
I can't understand the 12" PB bashing that is happening all over the Mac world.

I know it can only go to 640 Ram
I know it is only 867 Mhz.
I know the bus speed is not up to snuff.

But does this mean it's any less able to be worked on?

I am currently running a G4 400Mhz with 512 Ram. It has a hard time keeping up with me. But, my 733 does well. I would take a 12" PB hands down over anything right now. Even the 17".

Why?

1. Size: Nice, small, fast and powerful.
2. I can attach it to a large external monitor (1600 x 1200)
3. Superdrive
4. G4. Better than the 12" iBook
5. Price: $2000 for a PB

I liked the iBook when it came out because of its size, but it did not have a G4 and a Superdrive.

Are we always going for the biggest and best? Are buying a new computer everytime there is a new release just because it's better?

I don't get it. Please fill me in.
 
I don't bash it. But Apple should call it a iBook not a PowerBook. It would have been nice to have all the features of the 17".
 
I don't understand that? Why should Apple add the super-duper fasterest Firewire or the lit keyboard? That is like asking Honda why they don't put the m3000 or NSX engine into their base Civic.

You pay for what you get.
 
Well, traditionally the powerbooks are the "real power machines" and technology-innovative. And now it's "no more" this way. That's why many ppl bash it... (at least why I do)
 
I'm still wondering why Powerbooks continue to be insanely expensive. They are cool and all but not for 4 thousand.
 
If i didnt have my ibook, i'd get the 12" PB. I like small, also when need an external monitor for studio work. Still a G4 and a PB. The 17" sure is nice .. if oonly i had that much money and then 17" is not that comfortable in a bag.. yuou need a huge backpack to carry it (yes, dont even try to tell me to put it to a powerbook bag to carry it in. that's like flagging the bag "hey i have 4000$ inside") .. as i have the ibook, so far it has to do.. i hope the next will be a retro mac, something like a quadra tower, with a 970 inside. .. if i'd take a laptop it'd be that 12" anyway. it just fits perfectly to your bag, .. i do like it :)
 
I was really excited about the 12" PBG4 until I discovered 1) the lack of DVI out and 2) a RAM limit of 640MB. It's a G4 iBook with a metal case! In fact, the 800MHz iBook beat the 867MHz PBG4 on two out of five benchmarks at Bare Feats.

The 12" PBG4 is a good example of Apple's puzzling feature omissions within lines. Initially I was gonna buy a 12" iBook, hack it for dual displays, and buy a good, bright 18" analog LCD and external DVD burner (not for iDVD, though, so don't post smarmy comments about G4 requirements). After Macworld, I got all excited, thinking I could have an internal DVD burner... AND DVI out from a 12" PBG4... nope! So then I started thinking... "if I get the 17" PBG4, I won't really need an external screen, at least not badly... I'll have the SuperDrive... and even DVI if I want to attach a good screen."

Then Apple drops the PBG4's SuperDrive speed from 2X to 1X. An hour to burn a disc?! Is this 1996 all over again? I'm starting to feel like Tantalus, reaching for the grapes- er, Apples...
 
An hour to burn 4,5GB is back to the roots? That's more than 1MB per second! I don't think this is bad. Compare to current high-speed CDRW-burner. They ain't much better
 
As one of the most outspoken anti-new-imac people here (but now changed :p), I have a few things to say:

1) The 12" has a sort of sexyness to it. Apart from all its features, this is the most aparent, coolest, and unique. What other laptop is this small, and yet still this cool? :) Its almost worth its price merely for that. If it was a 250mhz ppc 603, it would still be *cool*. (Though incredably slow under osx.... :p)

2) It is fast. My dad has an ~800mhz ibook, and although it is 'ok', its not fast. Not fast when I load up all my apps and try and use it as I normally do. You know those keystrokes, ui tricks, and clicky things you get used to on your speedy computer - they don't all flow on the ibook. BUT, they do on the 12" power book g4.

3) Minus the appearance and speed, it has a few 'bonus' features, imo: dvd player and cdr, standard. Base model comes with 256 megs ram. Decent graphics card (unsupported under power pc linux though :( ).

So, you may say "well, it lacks the power of the other models." Or, "the ibook is way cheaper... and its about the same size." or even, "That keyboard don't light up". BUT,

I'm getting one next week, and chances are, you aren't, and that makes me cool.

There, I said it. Admit it, if you saw me with that 12" sitting outside on the net, or watching a dvd, you would WANT it.

That "WANT it" factor has allways been with apple. Apple's computers are allways cool. Some models may not be as cool as others, and some may appeal to different people.

I want that 12". No doubt about it. 867mhz g4, 640 ram, three year apple protection plan, airport extreme... sales tax.... $2,540.82 delivered!!!!!

I do wish it had the lighted keyboard - and I can understand others feeling the same way about other features, like dvi out and expandability. But, for some people, they want it ANYWAY. Besides, the older power books didn't have: Airport extreme, blue tooth, lighted keyboard, or firewire 800.

So, it is cool, it is better, and I can't wait for mine to arrive!
 
Originally posted by kilowatt

...
2) It is fast. My dad has an ~800mhz ibook, and although it is 'ok', its not fast. Not fast when I load up all my apps and try and use it as I normally do. You know those keystrokes, ui tricks, and clicky things you get used to on your speedy computer - they don't all flow on the ibook. BUT, they do on the 12" power book g4.
...
Click to expand...

What's the source of this statement? You saw tests? Your tried it anywhere? Cause everything else is pure speculation. And speed is the thing I am worried about. Why did they take the L3 cache? Less space? I don't think so. Heatissues? Nahhhhh. What else could be the reason? I know, those guys from apple are really smart, but it's still no invitation for me to buy it blindly...
 
Did you ever think that maybe there are people out there that do have the need for a machine like the 12" ? It's cute, it's simple and just right for those who don't want/need DVI and 640 MB is just right for what they want to do.
You buy what you need and grow with. It wouldn't have been placed on the market if there wasn't a clientel that would buy it.
 
Originally posted by Cheryl
Did you ever think that maybe there are people out there that do have the need for a machine like the 12" ? It's cute, it's simple and just right for those who don't want/need DVI and 640 MB is just right for what they want to do.
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Click to expand...

Sounds like iBook to me!
But we have to see how the pb 12'' "feels" like. By now it sounds like a better iBook to me, but I would love it to be much more.
 
Originally posted by Zammy-Sam
What's the source of this statement? You saw tests? Your tried it anywhere? Cause everything else is pure speculation. And speed is the thing I am worried about. Why did they take the L3 cache? Less space? I don't think so. Heatissues? Nahhhhh. What else could be the reason? I know, those guys from apple are really smart, but it's still no invitation for me to buy it blindly...
Click to expand...


This is what I call a qualitative observation. My source for this information is me. And yes, I did see the tests. And I did try it somewhere.

Why apple didn't include a L3 cache is a mystery to me. Infact, apple's entire line is riddled withj small mysteries. Like.... Why is the ram for the 12" faster than the ram for the 15"?

Overall, I think the important thing is to buy what you need/want/like. Don't blindly buy a product.

I'm not going to sit here and 'defend' apple for releasing this product though. It is their right to release whatever they wish. And to call it whatever they wish. We choose what to buy.
 
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