Apple iBook G4 Review

Apple iBook G4

The world’s best-loved consumer portable has recently undergone animpressive makeover with a superfast PowerPC G4 processor with Velocity Engine, a new architecture, a slot-loading optical drive and enhanced wireless networking capabilities. Mac OS X version 10.3 “Panther,” which apple claim to be the world most advanced operating system is included with the latest iBook G4s.

The 12.1-inch iBook slips easily into a backpack. It weighs less than many textbooks that kids are supposed to carry these days, making it perfect for school. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself wondering how such a wide screen fits into a notebook computer that measures just 11.2 inches wide, 9.1 inches deep and 1.35 inches thick.

Every iBook is now delivered with a superfast FireWire 400 port built-in, so you can easily connect to high-speed devices like the iPod, digital camcorders and high-speed disk drives.

All G4 iBooks, ship with a built-in 56K V.92(3) modem for dial-up connections, and 10/100BASE-T Ethernet to enable you to connect to a DSL, cable modem or a high-speed network. The Setup Assistant takes you through the steps of connecting to the Internet quickly and easily, and you can be online and surfing the web in minutes.

Improving on a well-respected mainstream notebook, the new entry-level iBook features an 800MHz G4 processor, 256MB of RAM, a 30GB hard drive, a 12.1in. display and a DVD/CD-RW combo drive. All three new models have ATI's Radeon 9200 graphics chip and come with 32MB of video memory.

The new iBook G4 is one of the finest laptops that Apple has ever produced. If you've been looking into buying a portable, consider this. We could recommend buying it on looks alone, it's well worth going to see your local apple dealer and seeing one before purchasing. This notebook is more than just a companion for students and fans, it's probably the most affordable yet speedy and fully featured notebook you will ever find on the market. And only the Apple Ibook G4 has enough battery life to watch two full length DVDs back to back.

Your Comments/Opinions

Apple have made bluetooth and airport wireless networking standard on the new ibook G4s.

John

Apples Wirless Networking is compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g standards its Airport Extreme.

Chris

the NEWEST iBook comes with a 1.33GHz processor and comes standerd with 512 mb of ram and a 40 GB hard drive. if you dont have a laptop yet and your on the fence of maybe buying a mac.... do it its deffinatly worth. plus its one of the coolist and sleekest laptops on the market

martin

It is realy good value too, even compared to cheap windows laptops that are half as stylish with a lower spec and more wieght and bits that snap off or snag

Rob

FIRST PURCHASE EVER AND AFTER MAKING SWITCH 6 MONTHS AGO TO IMAC G5 (WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A VAS TIMPROVEMENT OVER PC'S) I AM BLOWN AWAY BY PERFORMANCE AND TIGER... WAS ONLINE (UNEXPECTEDLY AT WORK) WITHIN 2 MINUTES OUT OF BOX AND THE SURPRISES KEEP COMING. THE NEW CONFIG ROCKS.

JOHN

'If you buy one, make sure you get AppleCare with it. A lot of them die after a year and will cost @ $900 to fix the Logic Board if you don't have the extended warranty. '

phyll_

'what a waste of money,ibookg4,wish i had bought a laptop pc,got carried away saying how easy to use.give me microsoft anyday,seems to be aimed at the pre teen market ichat,garage band,movies ,nanosaurus etconly use it for internet,when i can,safari keeps saying no connection when i am connected,only had machine one month,if i had not subscribed to a years broadband service.iwould throw it in its own trash binalso bought a apple mouse,problem is connection on left of computer.i am right handed,short cable,result cant use,another £35 wasted'

john_

'You NEED to buy Apple Care. I've just had mine 14 months and screen completely died. $500 to repair.'

mayra