I've made the switch! My first impressions of the 14" iBook G4...

I just got a new 14 inch iBook G4. This is my first Apple computer since an old Apple IIe I had when I was 12 years old.

To give some background, I've been struggling on my wife's old Gateway Solo updated with Windows XP for the past six years. Previous to that I had a Gateway desktop and an even older Gateway Solo laptop, so basically I've been running some form of Windows for the past decade or so. I've actually found Windows more intuitive to use, although this may just be because I've been using it for so long. I've only had brief experiences with Macs from demos in stores and when checking my email at some random place like the library or internet cafe.

As our old laptop became more and more of a hassle to use (almost five minutes just for it to boot up), it was time for a new computer. My wife had actually wanted to make a switch to an Apple more for aesthetic reasons, but also because OS X seemed to be less vulnerable to viruses. I was willing to expirement with a new operating system (I was wowed by the looks of the iBooks and Powerbooks, too), but then Steve Jobs announced the pending switch to Intel processors just as we were about to buy a 15 inch Powerbook. Initially, I ran back to Windows and researched a similarly priced laptop from Asus, but then thought about Microsoft's own transition to Windows Vista coming up in the next year or two which made me doubt whether now was the right time to buy a laptop based on either platform. The old Gateway began to smoke, though, so we decided to plan for a transitional computer with a less expensive iBook.

My first impressions:
I was in awe just from the packaging. Pictures of how these iBooks are packed have been posted in this forum. People say first impressions are everything and Apple doesn't waste time trying to impress here.

Startup was a breeze. The initial screen asks for language and country preferences. The Airport card built-in to the iBook then proceeded to connect with my home wireless router with ease. OS X then checked for updates of the applications already on the computer and downloaded all the updated files. After all that, I was ready to go with my new computer.

Overall build: The iBook overall is a very pretty looking machine. The case was very well built and did not flex. My only gripe was the battery which wasn't quite flush with the rest of the case on the bottom of the computer. There is a spring mechanism which pushes the battery out making it easier to remove, but also causes this problem with alignment. You can easily push on the battery to make it flush to the computer, but the spring pushes it back out. I quick Google of this problem verified that my iBook was not unique with this and one site even mentioned that part of the battery could be filed down to correct this (although such action might void the warranty).

The screen: The 14 inch screen appeared bright enough for my tastes while indoors. I actually dimmed it a bit to about 50% because on full brightness, I was getting a headache. Colors did seem slightly washed out in comparison to my old laptop, though. Getting an optimal viewing angle was also a little tricky, although the screen was still readable at 45 degrees from the center of the screen from all angles.

The keyboard: I found the keyboard to be good. The keys seemed fairly secure and I didn't note any substantial flex. The keys are a little on the light side, though, so anyone that really bangs hard on the keys might find this keyboard to feel flimsy. The left palm rest was a little warm relative to the rest of the body, but certainly not hot by any means and not uncomfortable.

The trackpad: The trackpad was about as sensitive as any other trackpad. Since I'm used to Windows, I immediately adjusted the settings to allow me to double-tap on the pad itself rather than using the trackpad button. Like most people that switch, I miss the right-click option available in Windows, but the same can be accomplished by clicking the Ctrl and trackpad button at the same time--not as convenient, but not that difficult either.

The slot-loading DVD/CD drive: I put a Star Wars: Episode 2 DVD in and heard a really loud noise like some door flipping closed. It was so loud, I almost thought something broke or that I had failed to remove some sort of safety device. I was relieved to find the DVD play without problems. I couldn't hear the DVD spinning at all. The same noise occurred when I ejected the DVD.

The speakers: I found the speakers to be pretty weak in volume. They sounded adequate (this is a laptop afterall), but the volume level was definitely on the soft side, even with it turned all the way up.

Performance: Boot-up time is pretty quick. I didn't time it, but it probably was in the ballpark of a minute or less. Since this is the first day I've been using my new iBook, about the only thing I've really been doing is surfing the Internet using the preloaded Safari browser. Surfing is substantially faster than my old laptop and movie trailers downloaded from the Quicktime site came up fast and clear. Hopefully, I'll have more to share when I really get to using this computer.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase so far. Considering I purchased the iBook G4 for about $1200 using an educational discount and basically getting a free iPod Mini to boot, I don't think there is a comparable laptop out there with the same combination of features and nice aesthetics for the money. The only disappointment has been the battery problem I noted above. The pending change to Intel processors next year also worries me a bit, but I guess by then I can upgrade to the next generation of iBook/Powerbook if I need to.

 

Congrats, Nice Work. I thought about a Powerbook for a minute or two before I got my T42 since I do not too anything on where I would need a PC, but it wasn't for me. They certainly are handsome notebooks.