Verizon Wireless
Entered CNET Catalog: 07/27/2005
SKU: 0718908454046
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Manufacturer description
For a laptop, the inside of a backpack presents a jarring environment filled with shifts, bounces and the occasional bump. That's why Apple engineers designed the iBook G4 from inside out to stand up to the rigors of a strenuous life on the go. After all, you shouldn't have to walk softly just because you're carrying the world's most appealing notebook. Made of ultra tough polycarbonate plastic - the same high-grade material used in bulletproof glass - the iBook's sleek white case resists impact. While that measure alone might have allowed iBook to comfortably survive everyday use and abuse, Apple engineers took the idea of protecting your investment quite seriously. Inside, a sturdy magnesium frame provides superior strength, while reducing the weight of the iBook G4 to well below that of other full-featured PC notebooks. Rubber mounted for added bump tolerance, the iBook's hard disk drive lets you store all of your digital goodies and still enjoy peace of mind. What's more, the iBook has no I/O doors or protruding elements - and no optical drive tray, either - to break or snap off when tucked into a backpack or briefcase.Product summary
The good: Low base price; well-designed case; lengthy battery life; hard drive-protection technology; robust software package; Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.
The bad: No external multimedia controls; no audio input; weak speakers; only 90 days of free telephone support.
The bottom line: Though it's less powerful than the PowerBook, the reasonably priced 12-inch iBook G4 has a well-designed case, long battery life, and great software, which make it a good choice for anyone seeking a solid entry-level laptop.
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/30/2005
The 12-inch Apple iBook G4 makes up one half of the dynamic iBook duo (the other half is the 14-inch version). Despite its low $999 starting price, this new 12-inch iBook G4 comes with some welcome improvements over the prior generation, including a standard 512MB of memory (expandable to 1.5MB), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), and longer battery life. While the 12-inch iBook G4 isn't as fast as the 12-inch PowerBook G4, its combination of features, software, and design comprise some stiff competition for the best Windows-based thin-and-light laptops.
Though the iBook G4's internal components have received an update, its well-built case remains the same. The sturdy, mostly white, polycarbonate case measures 11.2 inches long, 9.1 inches deep, and 1.4 inches thick; it weighs 4.9 pounds--about average for a thin-and-light. Other laptops with 12-inch displays, such as the $1,199 Averatec 3715 (which starts at $949), weigh 4.1 pounds. We should note that the Inspiron 700m has a wide-screen display, while the iBook offers a standard-aspect display. The iBook G4's three-prong AC adapter adds another 0.8 pound to the package; a handy two-prong adapter is also included.
We like the iBook G4's keyboard. The white, slightly concave keys are particularly comfortable, though we wish the tiny arrow keys were bigger. We admire the extrawide, one-button touch pad. The two-finger scrolling feature, for scrolling horizontally and vertically, is magical (use it for a few days, and you'll wonder how you ever did without it). The display (which actually measures 12.1 inches diagonally) features a standard 1,024x768 native resolution--detailed enough that you can watch videos without eyestrain. Keep earphones close by, however, because the iBook's two speakers provide middling audio at best. The iBook lacks external multimedia controls often found on PC laptops, such as volume, mute, and track advance--a sacrifice you make for a clean design.
The iBook G4's ports and jacks are a mixed bag; you get some higher-end ports, while some basic ones go missing. Included are ports for 56K modem, 10/100 Ethernet, unpowered four-pin FireWire, headphones, and USB 2.0 (two). You also get a video port that accepts several different adapters for VGA (included), S-Video, and composite-video connections. The power port sits on the right side along with the cool slot-loading DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, which eliminates the need for a flimsy optical-drive tray. Audiophiles take note: Though the laptop's lid has an omnidirectional microphone built in, the iBook lacks an audio-in port, which will flummox you if you're interested in recording audio directly from an external source (Apple sells an audio-in adapter separately). There's also no PC Card slot.
Though the iBook G4 lacks a true productivity suite, it ships with some really strong software. You get the latest version of the terrific Mac OS X, nicknamed Tiger, plus Apple's excellent iLife '05 software bundle. Among other things, the bundle helps with photos (iPhoto), videos (iMovie), and music (iTunes).
The 12-inch iBook G4 we tested costs $999, which is a perfectly reasonable price for its specs: a 1.33GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 512MB of memory (expandable to 1.5GB, marking a drastic improvement over the previous maximum of 640MB), 802.11g AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi, latest-generation Bluetooth 2.0+EDR hardware, an ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 graphics chip with 32MB of dedicated VRAM, and a smallish 40GB hard drive with Apple's new Sudden Motion Sensor technology, which is designed to stop the hard drive from spinning if you drop the system. The price undercuts those of several similarly configured PC thin-and-light laptops, though there are also better deals to be had on the PC side; check out our roundup of five other $1,000 laptops here.
While the new 12-inch iBook G4 delivered improved performance in CNET Labs' tests, it was no match for the more powerful 12-inch PowerBook G4, which uses a faster G4 processor with a faster bus and a faster hard drive. The new iBook G4 managed to convert a music file into MP3 format (using iTunes) nearly twice as fast as its predecessor but still 6 seconds shy of the Unreal Tournament 2004 trials, proving that those who need better graphics and gaming performance should turn to the PowerBook. That said, the iBook G4 is plenty capable of dispensing with any ordinary productivity task, from e-mail to Web surfing.
The iBook G4 excelled in our Labs' battery-drain tests, playing a DVD for an exceptionally long 4.4 hours, compared with the prior generation's 3.4 hours. The 12-inch PowerBook G4 managed a mere 3.1 hours.
Apple offers a one-year warranty with the iBook G4, which is the typical term included with most home and small-business laptops. But the company provides a short 90-day tech-support policy--the same that comes with some lower-end Dell laptops but far inferior to the standard one-year warranty that HP and most other vendors offer. At least Apple's support Web site features a useful forum section along with the usual FAQ and troubleshooting items.
For more detailed information about warranties and service plans, check out Computer Shopper's overview of 37 major computer vendors.
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System configurations:
iBook G4 (1.33GHz, 12-inch)
OS X 10.4.2; PowerPC G4 1.33GHz; 512MB PC2700 333MHz DDR SDRAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 32MB; Fujitsu MHV2040AT 40GB 4,200rpm
iBook G4 (1.33GHz, 14-inch)
OS X 10.3.8; PowerPC G4 1.33GHz; 256MB PC2100 266MHz DDR SDRAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB; Fujitsu MHT2060AT 60GB 4,200rpm
PowerBook G4 (1.5GHz, 12-inch)
OS X 10.4.2; PowerPC G4 1.5GHz; 512MB PC2700 333MHz DDR SDRAM; Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 64MB; Hitachi Travelstar 5K100 80GB 5,400rpm
PowerBook G4 (1.67GHz, 15-inch)
OS X 10.4.1; PowerPC G4 1.67GHz; 512MB PC2700 333MHz DDR SDRAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 64MB; Fujitsu MHT2080AH 80GB 5,400rpm
PowerBook G4 (1.67GHz, 17-inch)
OS X 10.4.2; PowerPC G4 1.67GHz; 512MB PC4200 333MHz DDR2 SDRAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 128MB; Seagate Momentus 5400.2 120GB 5,400rpm
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 User Rating: 
7/10
good product!
Pros: Small, portable size. Good speed for 1.** GHz. Mac OS X Tiger. Software.
Cons: No built-in webcam, ram only expandable to 2GB, KERNAL PANICS!!!, Faulty airport card.
User Rating: 7/10
Good Computer for the Average User
Pros: Very stable and durable system. Easy to Use and really come in handy on the Go.
Cons: It looks kind of clunky and ugly, it can become a little slow but nothing drastic.
Ease of Use 4
Speed 3
Features 3
Looks 3
If you are looking for an average computer that will last a long time and will get the job done for you then I would highly recommend the iBook or the MacBook. Both are very durable and reasonably priced despite propaganda from certain Apple haters.
User Rating: 
10/10
if you dont need it dont buy it
Pros: if new to mac ox good to learn. way better than the older versions
Cons: expensive and usable almost only to developers
User Rating: 
1/10
Save your money! This laptop isn't worth it.
Pros: Takes 10 minutes to boot. aka SLOW
Cons: Locks up, Unreliable, TYPICAL Crapple
User Rating: 
2/10
Too expensive to be disposable
Pros: Great combination of initial price and features
Cons: Horrible reliability, support is not helpful, AppleCare is an overpriced must
For the first year, my iBook was fantastic. The power adapter has a combination of pretty and functional, the small size made it ideal for travel, and I appreciated the brightness and clarity of the display. About a month after my one year warranty was up, my adapter ceased to function. I tried resetting the PMU, I tried plugging it into a different wall, nothing. I could buy a replacement adapter from Apple for $80, but the reviews on Apple's site gave it 2 stars, poor reliability, and mentions of fire hazards. I went with an iGo adapter instead, which was rated at 65 W and supposed to be compatible with the iBook. I went through three of these, and not a single one lasted more than a week. iGo's customer support was superior to Apple's however, and I ended up with an adapter that was rated for 90 W. Problem solved. At least, the problem of my dead adapter was solved.
I frequently leave my laptop asleep when I'm traveling from work to home. One day, I opened my laptop up and I was greeted with a white flash, a small popping noise, and the iBook powering off. I then followed Apple's support routine of checking the battery (60% power), plugging it into the wall, resetting the PMU, etc. to get my laptop to turn on. Nothing. Apple's support was not helpful, save for the suggestion that I look into buying a new computer. I removed and replaced the Airport card and RAM, tried the power button again, and had success.
My laptop worked for another two weeks before the same sequence repeated itself. This time I tried booting with each component. It turned out that my second DIMM spontaneously will unseat itself, which causes the rest of the system to erp. For a computer that is meant to be portable, I find this unacceptable. Not to mention, I'm not always going to have the tools and space to take apart the iBook, reseat everything, and try to restart it when I'm greeted with the pop & flash.
The final straw came when the tip of my adapter broke off inside the notebook. The q-tip + superglue failed, as did the small pair of forceps, or even trying to shake it out. I brought it to Apple's authorized repair center (there are no Apple stores in my state) for assistance. They told me that a repair would involve soldering work and that they wouldn't do it, but they could give me the number of someone who could. The fix was to replace the DC housing, a $10 part, with a $150 minimum labor surcharge.
As far as I can tell, Apple support is synonymous with product replacement. If you paid for the AppleCare, you're in the clear for a number of years. If not, tough luck. I think I'm finally going to take Apple up on their recommendation and buy a new computer. Unfortunately for them, it's not going to be another Apple product. The iBook may have been inexpensive in the short term compared to comperable PCs of the same size, but it's not worth it in the long run.
User Rating: 
8/10
Sleek notebook. Well priced.
Pros: Base model is pretty affordable, Fits well in a backpack
Cons: Screen is a little small adn sort of dim, Not very fast.
User Rating: 10/10
AWESOME COMPUTER!
Pros: Screen is nice...fast processor
Cons: Nothing...Nothing At All
User Rating: 8/10
Nice little laptop for the money
Pros: Bright display, good quality for the price
Cons: Battery life,
User Rating: 
4/10
A disappointment
Pros: Quiet. Nice display. Trackpad scrolling feature.
Cons: Computer keeps breaking. Not fast, even by Apple standards.
I've owned this computer for about four and a half months. I've already returned the computer to Apple for repair twice. The first time, the logic board died after about a week of use. I received the computer from Apple a week later with a broken keyboard. Now, the trackpad is becoming tempermental. Apple had always made quality hardware. Apparently, that's not the case now.
This computer isn't very fast, either. It's enough to get the job done most of the time, but even some Shockwave and Java-intensive websites are choppy. It's a little scary that this computer isn't up to speed right off the shelf.
The iBook has its good points, though. It's wicked quiet. The display is fairly sharp and not too hard to read for a 12-inch. The trackpad, when it works, has a feature that emulates a scrollwheel on a mouse. Take two fingers and drag them side-by-side on the trackpad, and the contents of the open window scroll with the fingers. Neat.
The pros don't outweigh the cons, though. I've been using Macs forever, but it'll take a real standout product for me to seriously consider another Apple in the future.
User Rating: 
3/10
Too many problems
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: Very poor quality - many things went bad
User Rating: 
9/10
The Perfect College Laptop
Pros: Mac OS X, Speed, Price, Apperance, Build Quaity, Ease of Use, Battery Life, iLife '06
Cons: Somewhat dim screen (not a huge problem), only 90 telephone support
User Rating: 9/10
Very dependable machine
Pros: Lightweight, long battery life
Cons: Gets hot when working heavy, screen not as bright as some laptops
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome Computer!!!! I Got it FREE!!! No Joke!
Pros: The computer is fast, appearance is amazing, and OS X is the best operating system i have ever used
Cons: Hard Drive is a little too small for me but i got it free so it doesnt matter!
User Rating: 9/10
Very Very Nice
Pros: Small for portability fits nicely
Cons: Screen not bright
User Rating: 9/10
Outstanding machine
Pros: Easy to use, easy to set up, many software features, very portable
Cons: Could have bigger hard drive, a little spendy
User Rating: 9/10
Nice and lite weight. good battery life.
Pros: Nice and lite weight. good battery life. Nice keyboard for a compact laptop. love the trackpad
Cons: 32meg video card works but still.
the downside only 32 megs of GRAM (at least it's not shared) still however works surprisingly well.
User Rating: 9/10
Great Product
Pros: Tough design, lots of features
Cons: No audio input, small glitches sometimes
User Rating: 10/10
Brilliant computer far better than a PC
Pros: Light, Compact, Great battery life, Great operating system
Cons: Prefect nothing to complain about
Ok the computer is just amazing its beautiful to look at and it has a compact design. The computer has built in bluetooth which is great for sending and receiveing files from your PDA's or mobile phones. The compuer also has wireless internet which is just great because I am getting free broadband off a house just up the road from me. The ibook is lso greatfor watchind DVD's on not lkie PC's where the battery runs out before you get to the end of the film. I know because before I got my ibook I had an Dell inspiron notebook and the battery only lasted about two hours max. Ok the battery I will say is just outstanding Lasting well over SIX hours compare that to a PC. The keyboard and trackpad are just a godsend to type on, the ibook despite its size has a huge keyboard which feels great to type on. The trackpad is the best out of the two because there is no real need to buy another mouse because it is just brilliant to use, the trackpad has a cool new feature that Mac's only have and that is two finger scrolling which has revolutionised the way I browse the internet and word documents because there is no need to go over to the buttons on the side of the page, you just run your fingers down. Also the computer has a sudden motion sensor which is great for people who drop there computers ocassionily because the sensor stops the spinning hard drive disks from scratching off each other on impact. Finally Apple computers don't usually get viruses which will save you money. Also one more thing to point out is that Apple are the only computer company in the world that make both the Computer and the Software.
Some of the software you get with your ibook is as follows: Mail, Safari, Dashboard, iphoto, Appleworks, itunes, Quicktime and iDVD to name but a few.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent software and hardware in one little thin box
Pros: Compact, sturdy, reliable, performer
Cons: could use better speaker
User Rating: 4/10
Overpriced and overhyped
Pros: Looks good, defends against viruses
Cons: Limited compatibility, limited life span, CHEAPLY MADE
I have now owned two Apple products: an iMac and an iBook. Both products were completely lackluster and borderline useless.
I purchased an iMac back in 2002 because I suppose I started to feel a little nostalgic. The public school system where I grew up cut a deal with Apple, and we used Macintoshes from when I was seven until when I was seventeen. However, I quickly got tired of my iMac's incompatibility problems, and I traded it in for a Sony VAIO.
After the VAIO crashed, I was feeling vain, and decided to purchase an iBook. I liked the fact that I could look cool when I went to the coffee shop.
After I had the iBook for about eleven months, it literally just stopped working. Did I have too much stuff installed on it? Impossible! Nothing is compatible with Macs to begin with!
It got to the point where I couldn't even open Mail. It was BAD.
Aside from that, the AC adapter was flimsy. The connector was completely bent. This happened with normal use -- iBooks have a tendency to get incredibly hot during use, since they do not have vents. I actually got burned on the leg once after having my iBook plugged in for little over one hour. Also, three (yes, three) of the rubber feet on the bottom of the unit came off, and the latch that keeps the laptop closed when not in use -- yeah, that broke too. OH, and the mouse -- it went through periods when it got stuck and you couldn't even click it... Just an overall aggravating piece of junk!!
In short, I have come to realize that iBooks are NOT meant for real computing. They are meant for hipsters who do not have a clue about computing and only need a computer to check their email or use an instant messaging program. This iBook is not meant for people into heavy gaming, computing, imaging, programming -- anything that involves skill. Windows is capable of all that, Mac OS X is just not.
I would advise you to take the $1,000.00 you'd spend on an iBook and spend it more wisely. Spend $500.00 on a better laptop (like the Acer Aspire 3500, which I purchased) and put the other $500.00 in a savings account.
User Rating: 9/10
obviously love the computer for this price you can't find a more functional laptop.
Pros: Everything about the computer is good
Cons: Not a thing wrong for this price
User Rating: 9/10
Wonderful Computer
Pros: Screen, performance, Unix based OS, user interface, keyboard, battery life, looks
Cons: No audio-in, flimsy case, small hard drive
User Rating: 8/10
Excellent for the Commuter Student
Pros: User-friendly, Aesthetically pleasing, durability
Cons: Software Compatibility, Disk Space, Pricey
Pros: First and foremost, it looks good. I suspect that one of the sole reasons why it is so popular among college students like myself, is because it does have a style that other laptops lack both in terms of the hardware and the software. Even the included modem phone cord is sleek looking! It is also quite durable, the tough plastic exterior is unique, as is the motion-detector feature that protects the hard drive when the laptop is on and in motion.
Cons: It has a very limited software selection, which limits the computer's overall potential. Games tend to run sluggish, and some websites are incompatable with Macs. That said, I do not recommend this computer as a "primary" computer, but rather, if you are looking for a 2nd computer, or perhaps your first laptop, this is a great choice. Also, the Mac OS and bundled software takes up a considerable amount of the alloted 40 gig harddrive space, I was only left with 23 gigs at initial startup which does not leave much room for large video files. I also found the laptop to be quite pricey compared to many others avaliable with similar specs, albeit they were PCs, I do think considering the specifications of the IBook it is overpriced. Including taxes and extended warranty I paid over $1800 (Canadian) for mine.
User Rating: 9/10
the best laptop i have ever owned
Pros: it does everything you need it to
Cons: except for the DVD burner
User Rating: 8/10
For home users work great, but for IT pros need extra gas
Pros: easy to cary, clean
Cons: Need a dvd-writer and more Hard disk space
User Rating: 9/10
Great computer for anyone who isn't doing anything too processor taxing
Pros: The 2-finger scrolling is the greatest thing ever!, keypad, the software package with this is amazing, very portable, bluetooth, nice bright screen, Mac OS X Tiger is the best
Cons: no dvr burning, an illuminatin keyboard would be nice(ala Powerbook)
User Rating: 9/10
Great laptop for students
Pros: Easy setup, extremely portable, user friendly
Cons: software compatability
User Rating: 8/10
great value in a small package
Pros: incredibly portable, nice screen, its not a pc
Cons: not a processing powerhouse
User Rating: 8/10
Nice Little Package, Needs Stronger Arrow Keys
Pros: Good Battery Life, Bright Screen, Strong Wireless, Wakes up and goes to sleep quick
Cons: Poor quality arrow keys, bad printer setup interface, tiny speakers, iLife and OS X, take up 10GB
When I got it running, the setup wizard was simple and in about five minutes I was using it. When installing applications, most of them I just copy and paste to the hard drive and they were installed. This amazed me, a long time windows user, and I was quite used to long setup wizards. It right away connected to the network but wasn't quite compatable with the windows network, the key was turning off the Windows Firewall, the stupid thing that cost me so many hours trying to network the compouters so i could print! I loved the simple interface for opening applications, and immediately caught onto the apple idea of using all the keyboard shortcuts in about two weeks.
I've now had it for about three weeks and am very happy with it. It has only crashed once and runs quite swiftly, a whole lot faster than my fathers 2.8GHZ Celeron! I was disapointed to find that once i installed a number of applications and loaded my 7GB Documents File, including music, that I was left with only 15GB of space left due to Mac os X 10.4 taking up 10GB with iLife! Fifteen gigabytes may sound like a lot but when you tart doing a bit of music recording, take more photos, and try editing a movie, it would disapeer instantly. Thus I recommend upgrading to a 60GB drive, when ordering from Apple. You can get that for about $60 (cdn).
About three days ago i discovered to my dismay that I had some markings on my keyboard arrow keys. Later I discovered that they were actually cracks. I phoned apple and they are sending me a free replacement keyboard, which they didn't ask any questions and just sent it. Now that is decent service, but I'm concerned that it will crack again just from playing those simple games like Nanosaur 2 and Pac Man. It could be a faulty keyboard but either way those tiny arrow keys are fragile!
The speakers are very tiny and quite in an environment with a little bit of noise, but not to worry if you just hook them up to a system at home. Beware of their printer wizard though, it doesn't set up that easy and makes little sense. When i tried plugging in a compatable USB printer it didn't detect it and wouldn't work no matter what I did. That is why I am printing through a home network with a address to the printer. Who on earth knows what a Hp socket printer is or a LPD printer, I am a switching Windows user, like why not have a harware detect wizard or something??
Anyways, overall, aside from my few challenges, the iBook works excellent! It is very quiet an rarely turns on its fan. Unlike other notebooks, I can lie on my bed and work on it without it overheating like a compaq or dell. The handrest heats up overtime, but that is from moving parts. It goes to sleep and wakes up in seconds and is really sturdy. It doesn't creak when you move it and looks gourgeous with the nice little apple lit on the back in low light. Overall an excellent purchase for your money, apple definately spends some time designing these much thinner than most, packages!
User Rating: 9/10
Portable, Cheap, Great OS
Pros: Great Price for Portability in class, Best OS, Excellent Networking
Cons: no audio in, noisy cd drive, gets a little hot while charging, safari quits often
User Rating: 8/10
Jameson Thottam perspectives on the iBook
Pros: Good value for the Money - Jameson Thottam
Cons: Incompatable with some win soft - Jameson Thottam
First a Quick History: Jameson Thottam
I never thought someone should ever get a Mac. I always thought Macs were expensive and mostly for professionals. Plus, I never thought it was worthwhile to learn to use a new OS.
Things changed when my company's computer store started offering iBooks and PowerBooks at discounted prices. (They only had Windows systems previously.) For $1040, you were able to get a 12" iBook with a free upgrade to 1GB RAM and AppleCare (worth $249) which extends the warranty to 3 years.
Needless to say, the white polycarbonate casing of the iBook sets it apart from the competition. It's just simply beautiful. Even the power adaptor (a small white box) looks nice.
The iBook is ready to go right from the box. Pre-installed software include AppleWorks, iLife (iTunes, iPhoto, iMovieHD, iDVD and GarageBand), iWork 30-day trial (gives you sufficient time to get an alternative productivity software like Office or the full version of iWork). It's far easier to get the iBook up and running than most Windows notebooks.
Software = Jameson Luke Thottam
I must say, it was incredibly easy to get used to the OSX Aqua interface. Windows users just have to get used to using control-click instead of right click and some differences in keyboard shortcuts.
Expose. = Jameson L Thottam
Upon pressing F9, all active windows are displayed on the screen, ready for you to select the one you want. Quite a nifty feature.
Dashboard allows you to install widgets right on your desktop. Many widgets are available as freeware... and they allow you to check the weather, find the cheapest gasoline in your area, find guitar chords, etc.
Networking with my Windows PC was also surprisingly easy, thanks to tutorials found on Google and Apple's tech support site. I managed to set up file and printer sharing over my home wireless network within a few hours.
iLife = Jameson L. Thottam
iTunes and iPhoto are great tools for managing my music and photos respectively. Creating albums and slideshows for my photos have never been easier! Simple photo editing can also be carried out.
I have yet to use the rest of the apps, but I'll just give a brief description here. iMovieHD is a movie editing programme, and iDVD allows the creation of DVDs (though you can't burn the DVD on this iBook due to the lack of a superdrive). GarageBand allows you to record your own music.
It doesn't hang = James Thottam
In fact, only once has any program stopped responding in my one month of use. That happens to be MS Word. And ending that program was as simple as clicking "Force Quit" on MS Word icon at the dock. No more blue screens of death! The iBook just keeps working.
Ease of maintenance = Jameson Thottam
No registry to maintain... no real need to scan for spyware, basically there isn't a need to do regular maintenance (e.g. reformatting every 6 months) like most Windows systems.
Technical aspects - hardware = Jameson Thottam
Weight - Weight was the key reason why I got this over the 14". At 2.2kg, its not exactly the lightest, but its manageable.
RAM - Even without the extra 512MB RAM, the RAM would be sufficient, as I hardly use up more than half of my available RAM.
HDD - Available space on the HDD was just 25.5GB. Now, that's a little too small for my taste, though sufficient for the moment. If extra space is needed, one can always do a clean install and include only the necessary device drivers.
Display - The 12" screen is a tad small, and watching DVDs on it (using the slot-load CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive) isn't quite as enjoyable as on a TV. A redeeming quality is that the screen has very good clarity and brightness.
Networking - The iBook has very good networking capabilities. 10/100 Ethernet and Airport Extreme (for wireless networking) are built in, as are bluetooth and a v.92 modem. It was easy to set up the Airport to connect to both my school and home wireless networks. Changing the network when moving between locations is also a breeze.
Touchpad - I love the touchpad! It now supports bi-directional scrolling. Simply place two fingers on the touchpad and you can use it to scroll vertically and horizontally.
One major grouse = Jameson Thottam
Incompatibility with some windows software/drivers. For example, the Canon i550 printer driver for OSX doesn't support duplex printing unlike the Windows one. And the SonicStage software for my Sony MP3 player doesn't run on Mac. Many programmes have Mac versions, but be forewarned, not all do. You should be able to find something for most of your needs though, apart from games. (There aren't that many games for Mac)
In conclusion = Jameson Thottam
The iBook G4 is a good value-for-money machine, great for those who just need to surf the net or for productivity purposes on the go.
Jameson Thottam
User Rating: 9/10
Replaced my Windows XP Pro Machine
Pros: Small size, plenty of power, good battery life, looks sweet
Cons: Not enough USB ports, software only available online or at an Apple store
User Rating: 9/10
Tiger-licious
Pros: Tiger OS, keyboard, trackpad, spotlight, battery life, wireless range
Cons: screen, memory
While spotlight is great, my ibook performs a simple function that makes me endlessly happy: you close it, it sleeps, you open it works. No standby, no hibernation, just close it. A little light "breathes" to tell you its safely sleeping. Two hours later, open it. Within 5 seconds its on, responsive, back on wireless and ready to go - all with the same battery life you left it at. (Oh yeah, battery life runs 5-6 hours!) I have never had the confidence to do this with any of my windows laptops. Getting to standby mode alone was a lengthy process, and forget any battery life when you come back. To simply close it with everything running was an invitation to run the battery dry.
Other pros: great keyboard, seamless MS Office integration, terminal for command line stuff, garage band, great trackpad with two-finger scrolling, it goes on...
Negatives: the screen could be a little crisper (but hey, it's only $1000), the built in 512 of memory isn't enough, but it's got an empty slot.
User Rating: 9/10
Great, Durable little Notebook
Pros: Size, Weight, WiFi, Bluetooth, Battery Life
Cons: G4 limited to 133MHz System Bus (no true DDR performance)
By the way, Justin Jaffee, this system is 4.9 pounds, not "just under 6 pounds" like you say in the video. Also, it has a standard 6-pin, powered FireWire port. You say it has a 4-pin unpowered FW port in your printed specs. Did you bother to look at the hardware you were reviewing?
User Rating: 9/10
I'm a switcher and I love my Mac
Pros: Lovely minimalist design; excellent UI; Mac apps are fun and easy to use; no viruses or crashes
Cons: Seems heavy for a 12-incher; performance lags sometimes in audio apps; no line-in port; 30GB not enough space!!
User Rating: 9/10
great buy, excellent customer service
Pros: attractive, works well, friendly staff
Cons: wireless reception is weak
User Rating: 9/10
Oh the Irony
Pros: Tiger makes for easy PC to MAC switch
Cons: Disk drive is kinda loud at start, Still need to use PC for a few programs
User Rating: 9/10
A truly great laptop for the mobile user.
Pros: Built in Bluetooth 2.0, Built in 802.11g, 40 GB HD (up to 100gb), 512MB SDRAM(up to 1.5gb), MAC OS X.4.2 Tiger, 2 USB, 1 Firewire, 10/100 Ethernet, 56k v.92 Modem, 6hr battery, 1.33ghz G4
Cons: DVD Burner is not an option for the 12 inch model.
User Rating: 9/10
truly amazing
Pros: small, reasonable light, fast, nice design,
Cons: hmm hard to say, it could come with more Hard-drive space as standard
I bought it to replace my aging dell, this is my first Mac, and i can say that i will never go back to windows.
Apple has delivered a truly amazing package with this notebook, its design makes it very protable an great for (as Apple says) just chucking it into your backpack.
i've had a few notbooks over the years, most recently a Dell i shudder and wonder why i wasted over $1500 on it, when i could have spent similiar amount on a new iBook that doenst seem to crash, get viruses (yet), and is extremly portable, my old dell always seemed to creak when ever i moved it, so, in fear of braking it, i usuallly left it in its place, but with my iBook, it seems to love to move around, and unlike my dell, it doensnt creak and groan at the sight of movement, not only that its nice and quiet, love to do a bit of DVD watching and is quick to respond to any command you give it
i love this computer, i would reccomend it if your in the market for a new laptop, or even to switch to the Mac plat form
User Rating: 9/10
its the sexiest & cheapest laptop available
Pros: it isnt heavy, its super sexy, the battery, the software, the wireless stuff, etc
Cons: small hard drive, i just cant connect a guitar and record it :P
i love the wireless card, its really really good, and the 6 hours of the battery is just great. the plug and play thing with the usb is awesome, i just can connect my midi keyboard with no problems. i just love it, dont every doubt in getting it! the 12" monitor is really not a problem, cus you get a really good resolution =) so go and buy one now!
User Rating: 10/10
Girl-Notebook, yes. one very impresive NoteBook.
Pros: Beautiful, Small, Runs everyday task fast, did i mention beautiful?
Cons: heavy ( just over 2 kg ), no gaming on it.
we saw the ibook and was pretty much everything she wanted to.. 1250 total with 3 year applecare just under our budget. she loves that thing. basicaly the only downside she sees in it is that i cant help her when she gets stuck.
Perfect for a non poweruser.
User Rating: 3/10
You pay for software quality, not hardware quality
Pros: OSX,OSX,OSX
Cons: Bad hardware, that will only cause trouble
I would bet that most iBooks would last a little over a year past their warranty. Save your money.
User Rating: 10/10
A computer marvel
Pros: Simplicity, Stability, Speed, Slickness, Battery life, Instant on and sleep, value and more
Cons: None so far
It's got lots of great features like the instant on and sleep which is a must have for a portable. You can just close the screen throw it in your bag and go. When you need it take it out and open the screen and its on. I'm always the first one in and out of the class because I don't have to wait for it to hibernate and turn on. Battery life is awsome too it lasts me well over 5 hrs. per charge. So I can leave my charger at home.
I can talk on and on about what this thing could do, but with limited space (for review) and time (I could spend with this computer) I can't. I love it so much that the $2,000 PC that I built is no more than a gaming toy now.
I actually was hitting my head on my wall when I ordered this computer. Being raised in Windows environment I didn't know what I was thinking switching to a different OS and hardware base. I'm glad I took the risk because I didn't regret the outcome. I'll keep coming back to Apple for my future computers. I would pay well over $1000 for this machine if I had to.
User Rating: 10/10
the best purchase one can make
Pros: great price with a good memory built in 512ram,great battery life, dashboard is amazing (you can check the weather without downloading a program), the DVD player is great
Cons: i gave this a 10 .... no cons to me for its price, however if you want something better then try the powerbook
plus you can also have excel, powerpoint, and other microsoft office features on this i-book.
i have not had to deal with horrible customer service from apple when i have a problem the waiting time is very short.
it has a good dvd player. if you are someone who likes to burn dvds i would recommend buying this computer and then buying a lacie burner if you really would like to burn dvds. the reason for this is due to the higher speed of the lacie burner.
User Rating: 8/10
From other laptop owners, I'm glad that I bought the G4.
Pros: OS10, size, weight just GREAT
Cons: Don't really like the color. Don't think it has iLife 05 installed.
User Rating: 9/10
What's wrong with the rest of the world?
Pros: featherweight, easy to use, everything in one little package
Cons: wish it had a pc card reader
going from my hp at 5 lbs or so to this, wow, i forget i'm totin' a notebook.
easy wireless networking. easy internet browsing. easily connected my hp pocketpc phone. easily moved my itunes over. i like having wirelss, bluetooth, all in one package. dependable (my wife's centrino notebook drops the connection frequently)
it just works. why did i spend all those years cursing Windows? Apple's seem to just work.
only wish it had a pc card reader. i have a wirelss card from my cel phone company that i use for internet when i'm somewhere without a wirelss internet connection. wish i could use it on this machine.
User Rating: 10/10
Perfect !!!!!
Pros: Perfect !!!!!
Cons: Perfect !!!!!
User Rating: 9/10
My first Apple but not my last
Pros: Small Size and awesome wireless internet
Cons: needs more USB ports
User Rating: 2/10
The worst possible laptop
Pros: Adequate for web browsing
Cons: Bad screen, bad keyboard, bad user interface
The keyboard is missing seveeral important keys, requiring finger-acrobatics to type common keyboard shortcuts, and the tactile feedback of the keys themselves is inadequate and irritating. The screen is dim and low-contrast, even when poer-savings are disabled, making using the Apple laptop a migraine headache waiting to happen. Worst of all is the user interface: the Apple user interface seems designed to deliberately frustrate the user. Simple tasks are made difficult, and complex tasks are made impossible. Do not believe the propaganda -- the Apple interface is NOT user friendly. It is the most user-UNfriendly OS currently available (both Windows XP and Linux are much easier to use). On top of its other deficiencies, the base iBook has inadequate RAM -- 512 MB is insufficient for anything more than casual use.
While the Apple iBook is adequate for browsing the web, it is completely inadequate for any task which actually requires a functional computer.
User Rating: 
6/10
Nice machine but screen's slightly dark across bottom
Pros: Fast machine and nice Tiger OS
Cons: slight dark area at bottom of screen
User Rating: 9/10
Seamlessly superior in all respects.
Pros: Nice size hard drive for normal use, built in bluetooth + wifi, 512 mb ram, and obviously OS X tiger
Cons: Cant think of any off of the top of my head.
The hardware and software is just as good. The slot loading combo drive improves the overall look and prevents a tray from snapping and protruding. the screen is crisp and clear and elegant and does not strain the eyes. The operating system is a dream. Automator, dashboard, safari, the fasted we browser on the market; itunes, well, iLife in general; the list goes on and on...check out apple.com, better yet, head down to your local retailer and try it out, play with it, you will fall in love, it is extremely intuitive and lovable. and for the pricetag, it is exellent. One of the best on out of the box media editing and organizing as well as high end tasks. you wont regret it.
User Rating: 3/10
incredibly disappointing
Pros: lightweight
Cons: low quality hardware and wretched customer service
User Rating: 9/10
Small disign, Huge fetures
Pros: very portable, elegant disign
Cons: the 12"screen can limit work space on the go
User Rating: 9/10
Beautiful Build; Beautiful Performance in an airtight white squeeze
Pros: Looks great, nice screen, outstanding portability, OS X is amazing
Cons: Open outlets, mediocre speakers, loud cd drive
User Rating: 9/10
Just Brilliant, wouldnt want anything more!
Pros: nice white shiny plastic (the same they use in bulletproof glass!), lightweight, stylish glowing apple logo on the back, fast (dosent freeze or crash like windoze)
Cons: none, as i said its brill!
User Rating: 10/10
Best laptop I've ever had.
Pros: Light, fast, easy to use.
Cons: Haven't found any yet.
User Rating: 10/10
simply incredible
Pros: light, fast, great looking, and most important, a mac
Cons: none whatsoever
i am 12 and i do programing video editing, 3d desine, web desine and work with macromedia studio. My specs are 60 gig and 768 ram. Imovie is really slow on this but the effects are way better on it. I did a report in class with a four minute video project. I hooked it up to the classes tv with the monster itv and got the best grade in the class.
User Rating: 9/10
Head over the rest
Pros: OS X 10.4, ilife, price, memory, screen resolution, hard drive sensor
Cons: None really
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent Purchase
Pros: Software, portability, features, price, battery life!
Cons: Quicken is a tad difficult to figure out, I'm used to MS Money.
User Rating: 9/10
Very convienient for te average user (me).
Pros: Excellent OpSys. Little chance of infection. If the battery is low during use, you may replace it (while unpluged) without putting the system to sleep or shutting down.
Cons: Very touchy finger pad
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent Notebook for home/study or work
Pros: Excellent Keyboard/Instant on/Fast setup/Mac OS
Cons: Screen is a few years out of date with less than the best resolution and brightness
User Rating: 9/10
Made switching from MS very easy
Pros: Very portable, easy to use, setup is a breeze, love the network setup
Cons: Having to share with family
My only concern was the small screen, but after seeing it in person, and comparing it to the 14" - I had no complaints.
Also, hats off to the salespeople at the Apple store in the Mall of America. They patiently explained/demoed features to my wife.
My favorite feature so far is the wireless connection both the wifi and Bluetooth work flawlessly.
User Rating: 10/10
It's A dream Come True
Pros: u got to love it
Cons: best in its class
you will be impressed that how fast u can switch between applications. if u are a computer freak and u always look for the best ...this is for u watch dvds play games...and most of all if u like designing like i do and work with programs such as Photoshop CS these softwares come to life with the G4..so u can continue having a laptop or switch to ibook G4 and live it...
User Rating: 9/10
Beautiful Laptop
Pros: Appearance, Speed, OSX, Scrolling Trackpad, Airport
Cons: Auto-dim of LCD screen
User Rating: 9/10
Great machine, excellent price, top performance. Tiger just works.
Pros: Tiger. Elegant design. Top performance.
Cons: None whatsoever!
User Rating: 9/10
Great machine! even better apple customer service!
Pros: compact, easy to use, easy setup, lightweight
Cons: none, great as it is
User Rating: 9/10
The nicest computer I've ever used
Pros: Small, good keyboard, long battery life, powerful wireless, stunning display, fantastic software
Cons: Computer bottom gets hot after extended use. A little on the heavy side.
One week later and my desktop PC sits mostly unused. This is one well designed piece of technology and I absolutely love OS X. Windows? Eh, who needs it? I don't ever want to go back. I finally understand the Cult of Mac.
I'm also impressed by how good the networking is on this computer. The keyboard is comfortable to work on, and I can stare at the screen for hours without feeling any eye strain.
If you're looking for an inexpensive, moderately powered, well-equipped laptop. You might want to consider talking a walk on the Apple side.
User Rating: 10/10
CNET Preview is DEAD-ON!
Pros: A perfect package!
Cons: No Widescreen Version - Yet!
User Rating: 9/10
it's a six pin powered firewire port!!!
Pros: Check out the website
Cons: smallish hard drive
User Rating: 9/10
Great laptop, a little heavy
Pros: Powerful in a small package
Cons: Heavy with all the equipment
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