help..

[ruger]

hi

newbie here.. my sister and i are currently in search for a laptop that would fit us both.. we are also in a process of deciding whether to get an ibook or an ibm thinkpad.. my sister actually doesnt care which laptop we would buy since all she'll do is use it for typing and sometimes, watch dvds with it while ill use it for presentation purposes, some graphic and video editing.. as for me, im more inclined in purchasing an iBook since i have been very much intrigued by its capabilities, reliability and style. the thing is, we both haven't touched (literally haha) an ibook nor any mac computer. so, can u guys please help me by giving me a rundown of the advantages of an ibook over a thinkpad? a few more things..

1. can it be connected to our home network and share dsl with windows based pcs using our linksys router?
2. can i play pc games on my hopefully new ibook?
3. how about software availability here in the philippines?
4. any specific model that u can advise us buying? (wer both college students btw so we really cant shell out that much)

thank you very much

[Kenneth]

Hi ruger, welcome to Philmug. :beer:

>1. can it be connected to our home network and share dsl with windows based pcs using our linksys router?

Yup!

> 2. can i play pc games on my hopefully new ibook?

No, you can't. Unlike PCs which usually have MS Windows installed, Macs use a unique OS, the latest is OS X 10.3, otherwise called Panther. So PC software will not run on it. In short, you need to get the mac version of any software you need.

> 3. how about software availability here in the philippines?

Original licensed software can easily be found. Places like Datablitz, Apple Center, etc. Check out your nearest reseller. Although I believe, you don't need it since a Powerbook already comes bundled with everything you'll need for college.

> 4. any specific model that u can advise us buying? (wer both college students btw so we really cant shell out that much)

There was a G4 Powerbook 12" 867MHz that just got sold. I think something with similar specs will suit your needs quite well. For your sister, similar specs, but lower MHZ will do so long as it has a DVD drive.

> The thing is, we both haven't touched (literally haha) an ibook nor any mac computer.

Absolutely not a problem. The Mac OS is so easy to use. And since you're coming from Windows, I'm sure it'll be almost second nature for you.

> can u guys please help me by giving me a rundown of the advantages of an ibook over a thinkpad?

You said it already: capabilities + reliability + style= Mas pogi ka. Mas marami kang chicks. 'Nuff said! But seriously, I think if you compare the two from a price vs. features point of view, you'll see that a powerbook has the best value, not to mention the best resale value if you sell it in the future.

Another plus is you'll have Philmug as your own personal tech support group

btw, while you're deciding on which to get, FYI the CPU on a mac is not the same as the CPU of a PC. So if you're comparing which is faster, an 1GHZ pc laptop or a 1GHZ Powerbook, then the Powerbook is faster. Correct me if I'm wrong anyone. :blush:

Good Luck!

[Edited on 5-7-2004 by Yagballs]

[ruger]

thanks sir yagballs (nice nick btw hehe)

after spending d whole night (turning down an invitation to go out and party.. wat a geek? haha) reading tons of stuff about mac and talking to my sis (she now actually wants to buy another ibook for herself), we are definitely getting a mac.. now, can u please help me deciding on which model to buy.. i have here a brochure from applecenter (dont know if its updated though) and i have narrowed my choices to these two:

+ ibook 12.1"/800/256/30g/combo/bt -> P 74,688
+ ibook 14.1"/933/256/40g/combo/bt -> P 88,488

is the +133 advantage of the 14.1" really an advantage? i mean can i really feel it when using the laptop to edit graphics and videos (for fun only )? or would upgrading the 12.1" memory from 256 to 512 be sufficient enough? btw, im not particular with the size of the screen so the 2" difference won't really matter

would u guys recommend another model? or can i get a model with these specs:

12.1"/933/512/30g/combo/bt ?

thanks again

[Edited on 5-7-2004 by ruger]

[Kenneth]

Hi Ruger,

Excellent choice. I guarantee you won't regret it. :beer:

Pls read my post again above, as I edited some stuff, especially concerning software.

In my opinion, the ibook 12.1" is a good choice, but if your budget is big enough, I'd suggest you go for the 14.1", not because of the +133MHZ difference, but because of the bigger screen size. I doubt you'll feel any speed difference between the two models. I recommend you place more priority on RAM. Defintely get at least 512MB, this will be enough for your needs. But if possible, max out your RAM to 1.25 gig. You will definitely feel the speed bump with more RAM.

Again, I recommend you canvas the local resellers for the best prices. But if you do plan on getting it from Apple Center, you know if you have an HSBC credit card, you can avail of their 0% installment promos. Give 'em a call.

[mykmarinas]

Hi there, Welcome to Philmug ladies arty:

+ ibook 12.1"/800/256/30g/combo/bt -> P 74,688
+ ibook 14.1"/933/256/40g/combo/bt -> P 88,488

Actually this specs are already a few weeks older. There are newer lineup for the Ibook family.

Here are the new specs:
A. Ibook 12inch
1GHz PowerPC G4
512K L2 cache @ 1GHz
12-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
256MB DDR266 SDRAM
30GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
ATI Mobility Radeon 9200
32MB DDR video memory
AirPort Extreme ready


B. Ibook 14 inch
1GHz PowerPC G4
512K L2 cache @ 1GHz
14-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
256MB DDR266 SDRAM
40GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
ATI Mobility Radeon 9200
32MB DDR video memory
AirPort Extreme ready


C. Ibook 14 inch
1.2GHz PowerPC G4
512K L2 cache @ 1GHz
14-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
256MB DDR266 SDRAM
60GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
ATI Mobility Radeon 9200
32MB DDR video memory
AirPort Extreme built-in

Is the +133 advantage of the 14.1" really an advantage? i mean can i really feel it when using the laptop to edit graphics and videos (for fun only )? or would upgrading the 12.1" memory from 256 to 512 be sufficient enough? btw, im not particular with the size of the screen so the 2" difference won't really matter

If your purpose is mainly for surfing, word processing, watching dvds, powerpoint presentations; the +133mhz increase is unnoticeable. And doing simple graphics and video editing using imovie, I think you'll have a minimal speed increase. Ask some Ibook G4 owners here in the forum and they can explain their experiences. I would really suggest is to bump up or maximize you memory (the more, the merrier) coz OsX.Panther will response more quickly when you have more memory with it.

Just feel free to ask questions :beer:
Welcome again!


[Edited on 5-7-2004 by mykmarinas]

[ruger]

thanks for the replies guys. :beer:

i guess we'll go with the 1ghz 14" model and try to increase the ram as much as our budget would allow. ill also try to squeeze in an airport extreme card any idea how much one costs?

my sister and i will go to megamall later check out which models are available, what are our other options and hopefully (fingers crossed) buy one im really so excited i might not even sleep anymore :evil:

as for where to buy, i think apple center is our first choice since its very near our place and a friend of mine knows the owner

[tdbur]

Just a note.. you could purchase the ram for your iBook from other sources. Purchasing directly from an authorized distributor is rather expensive. Try asking ditoy_eagle or some other people here on the board if they're selling ram.. you'll save quite a bit

[bagwis]

Airport Extreme Card: 6,500.00 Purchased last week for my brother-in-law at Apple Center in Greenbelt.

If you're doing videos, you might want to consider the iBook 14" with it's Superdrive option. I purchased an iBook 12" last February 2004 and I did a lot of video projects both for home and work use. I had to trade in my iBook for a PowerBook because I wanted to burn my materials on DVD. Of course, you could easily buy an external DVD Writer but it's compatibility with iDVD could be a problem. I wanted maximun portability and so I wanted the SuperDrive to be built-in.

I guess it all boils down to one's budget. If you have a hell of a lot moolah, you could also consider the PowerBook line of Macs as well. As far as my experience with Macs is concerned, the iBook is one of the best value for money portables around. Take your time, if I may suggest. Don't settle for units that are just on stock. Specify what you like then make the purchase. That way, you wouldn't have to regret anything. But with a Mac, I'm happy to say that I certainly have very few, if not no regrets at all.

Welcome to Philmug.:beer:

[ruger]

thanks for the replies

ill be going to applecenter in a while to inquire i got a hold of myself and considered taking my time as what sir bagwis suggested hehe.. ill try calling those local resellers first thing monday morning

anyways, i talked to my mom (our moolah provider haha) about the laptop and she's really interested with apple's line of products.. ill try to convince her to come with me to megamall to look at the apple products there.. who knows.. i might end up owning a g5 as well haha (its not illegal to dream right?)

[the_Nong]

true to that guys, bigger is better. upgrade specs if you can bcoz' ur mac will perform at it's best (since it performs well in all stock). go on and dream as you can and as you want, dude, believe me, they really come true..