If you already utilize an aluminum PowerBook — any 12- or 17 - in model , or a 15 - inch unit that ’s less than 18 month honest-to-god — you’re credibly not going to get very excited about the latest update to Apple ’s pro laptop telephone circuit . After all , the rumored G5 models that generated so much ballyhoo on the Mac rumor website before January ’s San Francisco Macworld Expo proved — again — to be a pipe dream . Though the new G4 models offer performance improvement across the board , plus a span of tasteful newfangled tricks , their plan and core features are indistinguishable to those of their predecessors .
But my main Mac is an iBook , one that ’s just a few months short of its fourth natal day , and I ’m starting to wonder when to spring for something better . I ’ve mostly been thinking about a current iBook , but I ’ll confess that I ’ve always been a little susceptible to the PowerBook mystique . And since Apple has again brought PowerBook prices down another notch — standard configuration now range from just $ 1,499 to $ 2,699 — they no longer strike me as the luxury items they used to .
That ’s why I jump at the hazard to take a couple of the new models — the $ 1,699 12 - column inch version with a 1.5GHz G4 processor and SuperDrive and the $ 2,299 15 - inch model with a 1.67GHz G4 processor and SuperDrive , both equip with Mac OS X 10.3 ( Panther ) and the Modern iLife ’ 05 suite — out for a spin over last weekend .
Speed Bump
On the whole , I was n’t disappointed . Even if their out designs are n’t fresh , the PowerBooks ’ sheer elegance is undiminished . Compared not only to my ancient iBook but also to previous PowerBooks I ’ve tried , both system of rules felt dainty and snappy in routine functioning like launching app and saving files — a result , most probable , of Apple ’s move from 4,200- to 5,400 - rev hard drive across the line of work . ( you’re able to see the quantitative numbers out of the Macworld Lab . ) With 8x SuperDrives , up from 4x in the previous generation , even videodisk burning is faster , though burn time are by no means cut in one-half . Another welcome improvement : the drives now support DVD+ as well as the DVD- formatting — I burned both + R and + RW medium without a piece of hassle .
As to advanced technologies , these machines , even without major innovations since 2003 , are still pretty much state - of - the - art . That ’s particularly true of the 15 - inch models , which , like their 17 - inch sib , feature Gigabit Ethernet , FireWire 800 as well as 400 port , and one of my favorite Apple spot , the backlit keyboard , which mechanically perch up when a sensing element detects shadow . The backlighting seems brighter than in premature generations , and it now comes in all 15 - in models as well as the 17 - inch whole ; previously , it was standard only in the 15 - inch SuperDrive configuration .
The 12 - column inch model still lacks the backlighting feature film ; its FireWire embrasure is of the 400 variety ; and its Ethernet port tops out at 100Mbps . As in the previous PowerBook generation , however , AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth are both stock in all PowerBook framework . In fact , they now all include the very latest in wireless technology , an updated measure called Bluetooth 2.0+Enhanced Data Rate ( EDR ) . It ’s say to triple data throughput , and , in the process , save stamp battery life and shine out bug in multi - equipment setup , but I could n’t evaluate those claims — since Apple is the first vendor to support the new technology , there are n’t yet any peripherals to test it with . ( Not to worry , though : it ’s backward - compatible with Bluetooth 1.x . )
More New Goodies
One extremely gas feature was a petty too tricksy to try out : a patented feature ring Sudden Motion Sensor , which is hypothesise to protect your hard crusade and the data point it contains by in a flash park the cause ’s read - write head if you drop your machine . I would have get laid to give this characteristic a try , but my editor program firmly instructed me not to — the engineering probably works , but having paid for the motorcar , they did n’t want to launch the risk .
The other novel feature in all of the late PowerBooks is what Apple calls the scrolling trackpad . If you drag two finger instead of one across the pad , either horizontally or vertically , your document is supposed to scroll mechanically . I ca n’t say I was thrilled with the results . It does n’t automatically figure out in the front - most windowpane — evidently the cursor has to be within the window for it to mould . In Microsoft Word , vertical scrolling work , but not horizontal scrolling ( both make in Excel ) . In general , I found it a little bunglesome to control , but perchance I ’ll get used to it . ( Owners of older Apple laptops can get add similar capabilities to their system with SideTrack , a $ 15 shareware gadget driver byAlex Harper . )
Picking and Choosing
Though I no longer jaunt very much , I still tend to go for compact laptop , so I picture that if either of these raw PowerBooks could really clinch the spate , it would probably be the 12 - inch modelling .
As it reverse out , I was wrong . Working on a 12 - inch PowerBook just did n’t feel all that different from using an iBook , and while the PowerBook is a lilliputian light and has a few lineament the iBook lacks ( notably audio in and out ports and backup for extended desktop mode on external displays ) , the iBooks continue appreciably less expensive ( specially if you do n’t need a SuperDrive ) .
The 15 - inch PowerBook , on the other hand , is qualitatively different from any iBook . Gigabit Ethernet and FireWire 800 are nice to have — I do n’t involve them now , but I may someday soon — and the backlit keyboard is just plain cool . But the substantial difference , of course , is in the concealment : The 15 - inch widescreen , with a aboriginal resolution of 1,280 - by-854 pixels , can display almost 40 percent more selective information than the 1,024 - by-768 - pixel showing of the 12 - inch PowerBook and both the 12- and 14 - inch iBooks . After a few days ’ use , I really commence to value the divergence : on the 15 - in organisation , it ’s actually possible to keep an middle on your mail , for model , while you browse the WWW or work in an office lotion — something that involves considerably more hassle on a 1,024 - by-768 - pixel scheme .
Whether the extra picture element are worth the extra cash and heave up to me , I ’m still not sure . But for me , the choice is now between an iBook and a 15 - inch PowerBook . Attractive as the 12 - in PowerBook is , I ’m afraid I ca n’t see much of a type for it .
Either way , I ’m not going to waitress for a G5 laptop computer . For me — and , I think , most users — the Modern PowerBooks and even the current iBooks deliver more than decent public presentation , plus a rattling set of feature . On the other hand , I just might hold back until Apple lets OS X Tiger off its leash .
