Apple PowerBook G4 12-inch
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Average user rating from 15 users |
Usable. Only just.
by Amri Rohayat on Dec 26th, 2007 at 10:30 PM:
Mine is the 1.33Ghz version. Upgraded to max 1.25GB RAM and a 7200rpm Hitachi hard disk, it runs so hot sometimes that it keeps going to sleep. This makes it pretty much useless for anything but light "productivity" work, such as checking e-mail, doing up some non-graphics intensive pages in InDesign, and surfing non-Flash websites.
Here's the thing that pisses me off about this otherwise perfect form factor: open more than 10 tabs in Camino and the fan goes crazy. Browse a folder full of pictures in Photoshop Elements and the fan goes crazy. Touch up more than a couple of photos in Photoshop Elements and the fan goes crazy. Open up more than one document in NeoOffice and the fan goes crazy.
When the fan goes crazy, it's just a matter of minutes before the thing goes to sleep. I'd say this thing can't cope with 30% of the things I need to do on a computer.
I use it with external 19" LCD monitor, mouse and keyboard. Removing the battery when you're using it as a desktop replacement helps keep it cool a bit, but not much. Maybe using a slow hard disk and less RAM might also help a bit. While you're at it, you might want to run it off an external firewire hard disk. All of which will turn your 1.33GHz processor into something more like 800MHz (I'm just guessing).
If all you need is a portable computer to ferry between home and office without having to go through the batty file synchronising procedures, a Mac Mini is probably a better bet. All you'll need then would be two sets of external monitor/mouse/keyboard/hard disk at either end.
dont insult, mines fine
by kk on Nov 24th, 2005 at 7:21 AM:
had the 1.5g model with 512ram as standard from pc world, is great. no problems and i have extended battery life through a patch pc world gave me on cd. is a generraly great laptop, not quite as good as my sony, because of size of HD, but this is a great gadget. is a bit of a radiator, but what do you expect? theres hardly gonna be a great heatsink in there is there??
The body is too easy to be bended
by tarcylin on Oct 18th, 2005 at 3:08 PM:
I bought this computer within a year. When I received it, the keyboard was kind of pushed up a little. I didn't think it is a problem so I didn't bring it back to Apple computer.
Today, I found the metal part that close to the CD or DVD drive is distorted, and the battery won't fit to the place. I brought back to Apple, they said this is not under the warranty because they believe it was cause by drop. I never ever drop the computer. I ask how they judge the cause of the damage is by someone drop it. They said because they see a lot of the same case.
I do not agree with them, and I think if it is happen a lot. The design has problem itself.
This PowerBook G4 is expensive, and I only use less than one year the damage occured. They said if I want to repair it, it will cost me $600. I could buy another computer with that price.
If you like PowerBook G4 12", just be aware this is a common problem that would happen within one year. One of the leg is on the battery. Now since the battery won't fit, the 4 leg won't stand correctly. This is just too bad.
Excellent Buy
by Me on Sep 12th, 2005 at 9:43 AM:
The Powerbook 12" G4 is definitely one of the best purchases I've made for the simple reason that in this case, form follows function. The aluminum chassis helps get rid of heat faster than a plastic chassis or even the titanium one from before. Guys, read up on the history of the Powerbook before getting upset over it.
P.S. James, you're a fucking moron. Put your stupid liberal whiney "oooh the whole world is going to hell" bullshit propoganda somewhere else, like a political forum.
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Love my Powerbook g4 12" 1.33
by Ray Moss on Feb 18th, 2008 at 9:22 AM: