Apple PowerBook G4 12.1 in. (Z07B) Mac Notebook
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- HDD Size: 40 GB
- Family Line: PowerBook G4
- Processor: PowerPC G4 867 MHz
- Operating System: Apple MacOS X
- Installed Memory: 256 MB (DDR SDRAM)
- Display: 12.1 in. TFT Active Matrix
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PowerBook Crippled by the Battery!
Pros
It has a very compact design with more than enough features for most people.
Cons
Poor battery life doesn't live up to billing and it gets warm to the touch.
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
I would wait for a while before getting one. Macintosh OS X 10.3 will be out this fall. This might fix the problem.
I was one of the many in a near coma on January 7th when Steve Jobs announced this beauty. After consulting with my Wife, I bit and purchased one with every bell and whistle I could get. I got it all the memory in it that it would hold (760 meg), the biggest hard drive (60 gig), and the crowning feature, the DVD/CD RW drive. This machine is cool, if it is round and silver I can burn on it.
When computer arrived a month later, it seemed like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one. It looked better out of the box then it did when Steve announced it. I was thrilled out of my mind. Here was a computer that was smaller than anything I had ever owned and it out did them all. It was simply lovely.
About a month after I owned it, I noticed that my battery life was dropping a little, and then it went over the cliff. In one day my battery life went from about two hours to about 30 minutes. I called Apple and after working with their tech support folks it was determined that I had a bad battery. A new one arrived the next day.
When I installed the new one, it didn't fit right. As small as these computers are, there is not room for any error when assembling the battery. The new one just hung down a little and made for a sharp edge. Apple replaced it, again with overnight shipping.
The new one worked great for about another month and then started the same routine again. Calls to Apple prompted them to request that I take it to an authorized repair center to examination. I did that and guess what, I had another bad battery. I called Apple again and they sent me out another new battery overnight. This one works but I haven't had it very long. AppleCare is a good thing so at least I don't have to worry about buying batteries for three years.
The unit does get hot to the touch, especially when charging. I'm wondering if the battery problem is not directly related to the heat put off by the unit. I ordered a CoolPad and it seems to help a little with the temperature, but it is still hot.
I can deal with the heat, especially after getting the CoolPad, but I can't deal with the battery problems. I have had this computer for less then six months and am on my third battery, not counting the one that didn't fit right. This is a major problem for me. I am not getting anywhere close to five hours and the majority of the time only about half. This is not acceptable. This unit hold so much promise only to be limited by the battery.
When computer arrived a month later, it seemed like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one. It looked better out of the box then it did when Steve announced it. I was thrilled out of my mind. Here was a computer that was smaller than anything I had ever owned and it out did them all. It was simply lovely.
About a month after I owned it, I noticed that my battery life was dropping a little, and then it went over the cliff. In one day my battery life went from about two hours to about 30 minutes. I called Apple and after working with their tech support folks it was determined that I had a bad battery. A new one arrived the next day.
When I installed the new one, it didn't fit right. As small as these computers are, there is not room for any error when assembling the battery. The new one just hung down a little and made for a sharp edge. Apple replaced it, again with overnight shipping.
The new one worked great for about another month and then started the same routine again. Calls to Apple prompted them to request that I take it to an authorized repair center to examination. I did that and guess what, I had another bad battery. I called Apple again and they sent me out another new battery overnight. This one works but I haven't had it very long. AppleCare is a good thing so at least I don't have to worry about buying batteries for three years.
The unit does get hot to the touch, especially when charging. I'm wondering if the battery problem is not directly related to the heat put off by the unit. I ordered a CoolPad and it seems to help a little with the temperature, but it is still hot.
I can deal with the heat, especially after getting the CoolPad, but I can't deal with the battery problems. I have had this computer for less then six months and am on my third battery, not counting the one that didn't fit right. This is a major problem for me. I am not getting anywhere close to five hours and the majority of the time only about half. This is not acceptable. This unit hold so much promise only to be limited by the battery.
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