Apple iBook Laptop 14.1" M8862LL/A (800-MHz PowerPC G3, 256 MB RAM, 30 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Drive)

Amazon Customer Reviews

(5 out of 5)

Perfect

Far better than anything the Wintel companies offer. Good battery life (up to a whopping SIX hours between charges), a great variety of programs that actually work, and build quality that is superb.

Unlike the ignorant comment made previously, the processor in this computer is fine. It isn't the latest model from the Power PC line and may very well be discontinued within the next year, but that is true of all chips, ESPECIALLY anything from Intel, et. al. And Apple doesn't have to de-tune these chips to get good battery life like every Wintel portable must do (the Pentium-class chips use 4 times the power that PowerPC chips use, so manufacturers must de-tune them to get decent battery life).

And unlike the people who gave this model only 1 star, I actually OWN this, and have tried many different models.

Try it ... you'll LOVE it.

(4 out of 5)

An intelligent choice, although somewhat less attractive ...

I have to respectfully disagree with a lot of the negative remarks in these reviews.

I purchased this model iBook on November 8 from the Apple Store at Woodfield Mall, Illinois. I was clearly informed that the "double your RAM" promotion would invalidate the ability to return it, and told all the terms that they say here. When making a purchase, you must be a careful buyer and examine all terms -- not blame the retailer for not being a careful consumer.

As for the iBook not being an 'intelligent' machine, that is, with all due respect, laughable. Like anything, to make it powerful and use it to its full capacity, you need to devote time to it. My iBook basically screams with efficiency, because I've spent time with websites such as Mac OS X Hints and ResExcellence to learn about my new machine and the capabilities of both its operating system and its Unix underpinnings.

The system is a pleasant one, but were I now in the market for something in this price range, I would consider, instead, the 12" PowerBook G4. It is the attractiveness of this newcomer that makes me downgrade it one star nowadays: the 12" PowerBook G4 is only roughly $300 more, and offers a great deal more options for that money: a G4 processor, 10GB more of hard disk space, a more recent graphics card, integrated Bluetooth, and compatibility with Apple's new 802.11g card ("AirPort Extreme"). The unit is smaller, however (12.1" as opposed to 14.1") and additionally, the PowerBook line has been criticized as being a little less hardy than the iBook.

I purchased the iBook in November and do not regret my choice in the slightest. It is a hearty little beast that has a lot of power under the hood and a lot of hardiness in the frame.

Unfortunately, when reading the reviews in these forums, one must keep in mind the inherent bias of the reviewer, as "Windows vs. Mac" has been a long-standing feud since the Internet was young.

(5 out of 5)

I use my laptop for better and better things everyday.

I can see a lot of criticism of Apple on this product page and it shocks me. I made the switch in college, running the top Apple computers against the top Dell computers and Apple was easier to use, and ran faster. Today, I use Dell in the office, and Apple at home. I also use Apple at work, the laptop on this page, and it is still easier to use, and runs faster than the very nice Dell which sits on my desk.

The iBook has plenty of power, has a great battery, and runs on my Windows network at work. It opens Windows files easily, and basically goes with me everywhere. It also does lots of things that it's windows counterpart cannot do, things that really matter--like not crashing. I haven't rebooted in months, and I use it daily. Everybody that sees how often and how easily I rely on my iBook is impressed. My iBook simply works and works, while my Dell finds new and innovative ways to slow me down each and every day. I only have one regret....I should have bought an iBook sooner.

(5 out of 5)

Definitely a Worthwhile Venture

As an avid pc user for years I was apprehensive about switching to this little laptop, but seeing the price comparisons tip in Macs favor, coupled with a surprisingly compact and reasonably powerful maching persuaded me to take the plunge. Contrary to some of the reviews I'm pleasantly surprised by the book's robust power in an affordable package. I was dismal about the G3 compared to the G4 processor but in the past few months notice no serious setbacks in my use. In fact, I'm surprised by the minimal edge the G4 has over most tasks. It is true that FinalCut, Color Transformation, and media editing intensive applications are noticeably faster on the PowerBook. However, all music, dvd watching, and moderate online gaming experiences have been smooth and completely satisfactory on my hand. Most of all,to the frugal consumer who still desires performance, this much Mac for that much money definitely makes up for any difference between it and the conservatively more powerful Powerbook.

(5 out of 5)

I made the Switch!

After much research (and just having bought a Dell Desktop 1 year prior) I bought my very first Mac, an iBook on 11/02. I have to admit that the first 2-3 weeks I had my doubts, just trying to get used to a new OS. However, 5 months later, I am very happy with this small, but powerful machine. I agree with some of the other posters that for basic computing, etc. this laptop is the answer. I love the beauty of the iBook, the design and the ease of use. A book that I would highly recommend if you're new to Mac OS X is David Pough's "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual". This book has been a huge help to me in learning the OS and just how to navigate around. I also have the Airport Card (not Extreme) and it works great for wireless surfing. I could go on, but you get the point: I love my iBook and am glad I made the Switch!