Apple PowerBook G4 12.1 in. (APPM9690LLA) Mac Notebook
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- HDD Size: 60 GB
- Family Line: PowerBook G4
- Processor: PowerPC G4 1.5 GHz
- Operating System: Apple MacOS X 10.3
- Installed Memory: 512 MB (DDR SDRAM)
- Display: 12.1 in. XGA TFT Active Matrix
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So you know wanna know what I think after a year?
Pros
Light, easy to use, quality is high and finish is great.
Cons
Expensive to repair so buy that extended warranty.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Buy one if you are going to buy a PC and you will not look back. Great computer with great functionality. This is the last computer I hope to buy.
I like the computer. The computer body is solid. The screen is still bright and the computer seems to be durable. I have dropped the computer on an industrial carpeted floor (cement under cheap carpet) and the machine dented. My 100 lb. dog stepped on the keyboard and screen.
The machine still works although the small dent is kind of an eyesore.
The operating system is still fast and I have not had any problems with the famous PC blue screens of death and I have not had to sit for four hours and reload the operating system (coughWindowsXPcough). I was partial to Windows but this can do most everything a Windows machine can do. I have the Microsoft Office Suite which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Entourage (which is like Outlook with a better looking interface). You can go to Mactopia.com to see what these look like.
The programs rarely crash and the browser (what I use the most) has probably crashed four times in the last year. Other programs maybe twice. OS still stays up and running after program ends. Also, Word automatically saves your typed document before the crash as I was typing a document and was easily able to recover where I left off (although it did provide me with a short Maalox moment).
I believe the 12" powerbook is rated as a 5 hour battery. You can get a good solid 4 hours from it and that is if your screen is on full brightness and you are using basic functions. If you are playing games or DVD's that will easily be cut in half to a 2 hour battery time.
I like this machine because it has bluetooth, wireless modem, and a great look. The keyboard still feels solid and the computer opens and shuts with ease, which is expected after only 1 year of use. The computer is just a few pounds (3-4?). The G4 is also thin and easy to stick in a bag if you travel for work like I do.
The wireless modem is so easy to use. You start your computer and it instantly recognizes any wireless network in the area and hops right on. The user does not have to do anything to get it to work.
One cool thing about this computer is it is so easy to hook to an external monitor. It comes with this cord that plugs into the Mac and then into any newer monitor. This allows you to have more "screen real estate" which allows you to open multiple browsers or have Windows XP running on one monitor and the Mac system running on the other (through the use of Virtual PC from Microsoft).
Also if you have a plasma tv or big tv you want to use as your monitor you can buy a cord ($30 maybe) and a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. You can plug the cord into the Mac close the lid and sit 30 feet away, drink beer, and check your stocks. It is a really nice feature.
The problems I have had with the computer are as follows:
- Mac has replaced the charger about 4 times as the charger shorts out. If I didn't buy the extended warranty I would have had to pay for one of these.
- The dent I spoke about above is on the front right corner of the machine and affects an area less than inch. When I went to have it repaired the tech at the Mac store said it would cost approximately $500- $600. What a ripoff! I can get a whole new computer for less than that (albeit probably not a fully loaded Mac laptop).
If I were purchasing a computer like this I would buy the extended warranty from Mac without a doubt. My wife has an iBook from Mac and we bought the extended warranty for it and have had it serviced many times for faulty boards or something that made the screen go blank. My wife also has an IPod which we did not buy the warranty for and are regretting it because it is having problems. Seems like when you buy Mac products you should buy the warranty.
This computer was made for people who like simplicity and the top of the line in computing products. I guess you could say Mac is the Rolls Royce of computers.
The machine still works although the small dent is kind of an eyesore.
The operating system is still fast and I have not had any problems with the famous PC blue screens of death and I have not had to sit for four hours and reload the operating system (coughWindowsXPcough). I was partial to Windows but this can do most everything a Windows machine can do. I have the Microsoft Office Suite which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Entourage (which is like Outlook with a better looking interface). You can go to Mactopia.com to see what these look like.
The programs rarely crash and the browser (what I use the most) has probably crashed four times in the last year. Other programs maybe twice. OS still stays up and running after program ends. Also, Word automatically saves your typed document before the crash as I was typing a document and was easily able to recover where I left off (although it did provide me with a short Maalox moment).
I believe the 12" powerbook is rated as a 5 hour battery. You can get a good solid 4 hours from it and that is if your screen is on full brightness and you are using basic functions. If you are playing games or DVD's that will easily be cut in half to a 2 hour battery time.
I like this machine because it has bluetooth, wireless modem, and a great look. The keyboard still feels solid and the computer opens and shuts with ease, which is expected after only 1 year of use. The computer is just a few pounds (3-4?). The G4 is also thin and easy to stick in a bag if you travel for work like I do.
The wireless modem is so easy to use. You start your computer and it instantly recognizes any wireless network in the area and hops right on. The user does not have to do anything to get it to work.
One cool thing about this computer is it is so easy to hook to an external monitor. It comes with this cord that plugs into the Mac and then into any newer monitor. This allows you to have more "screen real estate" which allows you to open multiple browsers or have Windows XP running on one monitor and the Mac system running on the other (through the use of Virtual PC from Microsoft).
Also if you have a plasma tv or big tv you want to use as your monitor you can buy a cord ($30 maybe) and a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. You can plug the cord into the Mac close the lid and sit 30 feet away, drink beer, and check your stocks. It is a really nice feature.
The problems I have had with the computer are as follows:
- Mac has replaced the charger about 4 times as the charger shorts out. If I didn't buy the extended warranty I would have had to pay for one of these.
- The dent I spoke about above is on the front right corner of the machine and affects an area less than inch. When I went to have it repaired the tech at the Mac store said it would cost approximately $500- $600. What a ripoff! I can get a whole new computer for less than that (albeit probably not a fully loaded Mac laptop).
If I were purchasing a computer like this I would buy the extended warranty from Mac without a doubt. My wife has an iBook from Mac and we bought the extended warranty for it and have had it serviced many times for faulty boards or something that made the screen go blank. My wife also has an IPod which we did not buy the warranty for and are regretting it because it is having problems. Seems like when you buy Mac products you should buy the warranty.
This computer was made for people who like simplicity and the top of the line in computing products. I guess you could say Mac is the Rolls Royce of computers.
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