Features

• 1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 processor with 167 MHz system bus
• 512 MB DDR SDRAM (two SO-DIMM slots support up to 2 GB), 100 GB hard drive, slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• One FireWire 400 port, one FireWire 800 port, two USB 2.0 ports, and one PC Card/CardBus slot supporting one Type I or Type II card
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit) ethernet, 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and 56K V.92 modem
• 17-inch (diagonal), 1440 x 900 resolution, TFT widescreen display

Reviews (14)

A work of art, indeed
I purchased my PowerBook G4 last year, and I must say, I do NOT regret it. I compared this machine with Dell's most powerful offering at the time (a monster Precision-line notebook), and promptly returned the Dell. Despite the Dell being three times faster with twice as much video memory, it was still in the 90's with its port configuration (still had a serial connector, still had only a 15-pin VGA for a supposed 'graphics notebook PC'). I won't get into any other details about the Dell except that of course, I would've been stuck with Windows, on a notebook that weighed a ton. It's measly 15" screen didn't help any, either.
An excellent machine well worth the asking price..Great for people tired of windows that ,is prone to viruses and spyware.
Yes i own several windows based machines..They are okey,but i am tired of windows security risks,spyware ,malware and viruses..Because of this we purchased two of these machines,with updated ram,for work purposes...Wow the graphics,and screen quality,seem much better,than the windows based machines,selling for say 1600 dollars...For anyoneon a tight budget,stick with windows...Of course, once you use an apple based machine,you wont want to switch back...Customer service,and technical support,could be a lot better...They should not charge extra for premium support...Look for the sales.Dont be afraid to buy a discontinued model...Please check out this machine in person,and please make sure the retailer,has a good/refund/exchange policy.I highly recommend this machine..5 star rated. thank you stewart l 12/07/05.

The WORST Customer Service of any Computer or Electronic Company Ever
The computer itself is adequate.That is if you don't have any problems (which is unlikely).However if you have to call in to Apple, BEWARE!Not only are you on Hold for over an hour, but once you get through to somebody, they will rush you off the phone.I asked the guy why he was being so rude and his reply was something like, he didn't have time to answer any questions.I asked for someone else and he spouted, I'm not required to let you talk to anyone else or give you my last name or something else (I lost track, after the first two "not required to's).I only asked to talk to someone else - the rest he just kept saying like it was a list of what he wasn't "required to" items.It was unbelievably rude.I have 3 Mac systems and 3 PC's and I will never buy Mac again.It simply is not worth it.Started to call back, but this is not the first bad experience I've had, just the worst.
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Editorial Review

Though Apple's new 17-inch PowerBook G4 rates as its finest notebook ever and one of the most sophisticated portable computers in history, this model, the considerably more affordable 15-inch PowerBook G4 M8981LL/A, is not far off the pace of its big brother. While it sports a smaller display, a slightly slower processor, and a more compact profile, this 15-inch PowerBook nevertheless incorporates all the other amenities that make its 17-inch sibling so desirable. Read more

Reviews (35)

Like driving BMW
Like it or not, I've used Windows/PC for the past 12 years. Macintosh occasionally appealed to me, but I didn't get it partly because it's expensive, partly because of compatibility. At work and at home, I owned: Dell Inspiron, Thinkpad, Dell/HP Desktops, running Windows 98/2000/XP. Also I tinkered with Sun workstations running UNIX (I'm an EE guy and have a respect for UNIX). Tough laptop!
My PowerBook has been accidentally dropped twice. The first time it fell from a table as my kids were watching a DVD movie from the laptop. The second time my carrying fell from a reception counter. The PowerBook is still running as if nothing had happened.

Nice looks, but don't look at the price
I switched from Apple to Centrino because it cost half as much and the battery lasted twice as long.Now I really like Apple just fine, but I can't see spending more money to get a slower computer.In fact almost all notebooks are made buy the same few companies, so why does Apple charge more?I guess if people will pay it, Apple will charge it. ... Read more

Features

• 15.2-inch (diagonal), 1440 x 960 resolution, TFT widescreen display
• 1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 processor with 167 MHz system bus
• 512 MB DDR SDRAM, 80 GB hard drive, slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• One FireWire 400, one FireWire 800, two USB 2.0 ports, and Type I/II PC Card slot
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit) Ethernet, 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and 56K V.92 modem

Reviews (30)

Amazing machine!
Can't believe it took me so long to switch from Windows! A wonderful machine, that is a pleasure to use. Just one minor gripe - under-powered USB ports mean some external USB drives need a powered hub. There's no excuse for that. Other than that, by far the best laptop I have ever used, and great looking as well!

Repair
If you plan on buying this laptop, be aware that there have been issues with the memory slots on this model. Apple has issued a repair extension program to help owners deal with this.Unfortunately this program only applies to 1.5 GHz and 1.67 GHz machines.A number of people with 1 GHz and 1.25 GHz machines are having the same failure, but I am not aware of any help for these machines.
Bad Airport card
The airport card reception/transmission is blocked by the Aluminium case of the PowerBook.Apple even says so. Great computer. Just dont go online.... ... Read more

Features

• 1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 processor with 167 MHz system bus
• 512 MB DDR SDRAM (two SO-DIMM slots support up to 2 GB), 80 GB hard drive, slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• One FireWire 400 port, one FireWire 800 port, two USB 2.0 ports, and one PC Card/CardBus slot supporting one Type I or Type II card
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit) ethernet, 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and 56K V.92 modem
• 15.2-inch (diagonal), 1280 x 854 resolution, TFT widescreen display

Reviews (24)

Best computer ever
I have had this system for 8 months now and I only have a few minor complaints. It is hard to get the DVD drive to stop reading a scratched disc (CD or DVD). While importing my iTunes library I had some old CDs that had a few scratches. The comp would lock up. Apple needs to develop some sort of time-out or somthing. Oh yeah and these CDs worked fine in my work comp (DELL). So I would burn a copy and use the newly recorded CD in the Mac. Minor headache. Other than that this is one kickButt machine! Don't buy this machine if you are planning on usingit for gaming. I tried to play Call of Duty 2 and it is too choppy. Only have 512 MB memory.

Después de un año se acabó
Despu�s de 1 a�o 3 meses de tenerla un buen d�a dej� de funcionar. 3 pitidos y nada m�s. La llev� al centro de servicio y me cobran la mitad del precio de nueva (28 mil pesos) por repararla (12 mil pesos). Obviamente no voy a gastar 12 mil pesos y s�lo me queda comprar una laptop pc que sea r�pida (muy lentita esta compu), que pueda reparar fuera del car�simo centro de servicio autorizado y que tenga refacciones. Un robo. La voy a tirar a la basura o a vender en partes. Cualquier duda sobre la veracidad de esta informaci�n escr�banme a mi e-mail. S�lo como an�cdota. Lo mismo le pas� a mi ipod. Se descompuso y la �nica opci�n fue cambiarlo. Afortunadamente estaba en el a�o de garant�a. Ipod U2. Apple = computadoras desechables.

Awesome, elegant laptop. You'll love it!
This is an awesome laptop. My most satisfying Mac purchase to date.
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Features

• 1.5GHz PowerPC G4 processor running OS X version 10.3
• 512 MB DDR333 SDRAM, 80 GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive, SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
• 17-inch TFT widescreen display, up to 4.5 hours of battery life
• FireWire 400 port, FireWire 800 port, two USB 2.0 ports, PC Card slot (Type I/II)
• Built-in 10/100/1000 Base-T, 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme; built-in Bluetooth, 56K V.92 modem

Reviews (13)

Another AWESOME Apple :-)
You have to get this great 17" Mac! Having just upgraded to this laptop, I cannot believe how awesome it is. Whether on the road or lugging it to and from the office, connecting via wireless or LAN/WAN it is so easy and convenient.
Some people simply write inadequate reviews...
I dont have a Powerbook 17 (yet), so I am not going to make any statemnts abouit it. Nevertheless I feel like saying the following:
overall good, but not perfect
The Powerbook 17" is reasonably fast. I suggest however to get it with at least 1GB since any Apple computers work defnitively better with a good amount of ram (half Giga is really the minimum). With 2GB (as I got) you will be quite satisfied since that will avoid the use of virtual memory (that can be painfully slow). Also, with 256MB of ram the video card performs quite well (despite I did not tested the computer with hard demanding video software). Comparred to my old PB, the ventilation is quite silent and efficient. Overall I am quite satisfied, still there are some negative points.
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Editorial Review

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Reviews (10)

Great machine with it's limits
Very nice screan is the first thing you'll notice here. The side to side angle of view is pretty wide, while the top to bottom isn't. You'll need to have the screan angled directly at you for optemimal viewing. The promised battery life is a joke of course. Without using the optical drive at all you might get 2.5 hours from it. I suspect the promised 4.5 hours happens only if the hard drive never moves and backlighting is off. It does seem to sleep for a good long time on battery though. As others have mentioned, the cooling system is a bit awkward. You have to keep the machine on a hard flat surface or it will overheat. The track pad is really awkward and I really dislike it. You cannot tap the pad instead of clicking the button the way i can on my addesso keyboard. That means mouse chores are two handed. The last down-side i can think of are the built in speakers. Don't expect much here, they're only basic speakers not loud enough or full frequency. You'll need to hook up something external to get a decent sound. Best computer I ever had
This is the best computer I ever bought. I stopped using Macs after buying the Apple IIc (a long, long time ago in a galaxy far away) but when I saw the 17" I thought it was perfect. Great, but not good for portability
Ive had my powerbook for 1 1/2 years now and I there are two unignorable problems I have.Otherwise the powerbook is a great purchase.Read more

Features

• 17-inch (diagonal), 1680 x 1050 resolution, TFT widescreen display
• 1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 processor with 167 MHz system bus
• 512 MB DDR SDRAM, 120 GB hard drive, slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• One FireWire 400, one FireWire 800, two USB 2.0 ports, and Type I/II PC Card slot
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit) Ethernet, 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and 56K V.92 modem

Reviews (8)

After this, everything else looks so miniscule...
I could never really afford a new 17" BowerBook, nor a new MacBook Pro 17" that is coming out.But when the Apple Store manager told me I could get a new 17" PB for $1,500, I had the credit card out in 1 second.
I love my 1.67 GHz Apple PowerBook Notebook 17
I love my 1.67 GHz Apple PowerBook Notebook 17. I use it upstairs and out by the creek and pool with my airport. The battery lasts a long time. The screen is huge and it's and fasts. It plays some nice 3d games, burns dvd etc,I use it for net, quicken, iphoto, itunes and a bit of photoshop and I use isync to keep everything together. It's great on a airplane orwhen I can't get to my G4 duel. It's light weight and thin IMO.
A $2500 paperweight
My new (dec. 05) P'book 17" - fully loaded - is in for it's third repair.
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Editorial Review

A scaled-back version of the top-of-the-line PowerBook 17-inch G4, the PowerBook 12-inch G4 is the smallest notebook Apple has ever released. At just 10.9 by 8.6 by 1.18 inches and a mere 4.6 pounds, the unit is easy to transport and easy to operate in any circumstance. Yet it doesn’t sacrifice performance for portability. Read more

Reviews (4)

Lap Dancer
I resisted laptops until picking up this 12" Powerbook 9 months ago.I had always felt that switching from a desktop to a laptop model was a bit like going from a Steinway to a flimsy electric keyboard (I'm a pianist).But I'm sold.I take this machine to the library, where it works wirelessly; I bring it into the classroom and use it to project DVD's; I take it to bed and do mail and Amazon reviews.People comment on how cute and compact the machine is.I-Book users envy my speed and multi-tasking abilities, apparently beyond the lower-priced Apple models that sport the same G-4 processor. Great computer, few problems
Yeah, I know it's a little more money than the knock-off PC clones from Dell and Gateway, but this is a far superior computer. The Mac platform is not only the most powerful one available, it is also the simplest and most versatile - once you learn it. The best computer I've ever owned
I bought a 12-inch Powerbook after I gave my old Sony Vaio notebook the Pete Townshend treatment - I put my fist through it. (Yes, it looks like a stained glass window.) I hadn't used a Mac in years, but I decided I'd had it with Microsoft and Windows. All it took was one weekend and a good book - "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual," by David Pogue - Read more

Reviews (2)

Best notebook ever
I've had mine since they first were released.It works like a top.I've got 512 MB RAM and 30GB disk.I run everything from standard Microsoft Office to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.It runs games, Intel chip emulators, Web development tools, and a bunch of freeware or shareware that is available because Mac OS X is UNIX at the core and very similar to Linux.FOr most users though, the easy to use Apple Macintosh graphical user interface makes this machine fun and appealing to use every day, all the time.

Good Deal but Flimsy
I got a great deal pricewise on a used Powerbook (really B stock refurbished).I love the screen and the notebook mostly works.However, the clasp broke the first week and the DVD/CD drive isn't well aligned.Read more

Editorial Review

As the most affordable member of Apple’s new PowerBook lineup, the PowerBook G4 12.1-inch M9007LL/A is reasonably powerful, super-portable and extremely well connected. You may want to check one of Apple’s larger, faster PowerBooks if you need a big display or a notebook that efficiently handles demanding applications such as CAD-type drawing or advanced 3-D gaming, but the average user should find all they need inside this model’s sleek aluminum alloy enclosure. Read more

Reviews (8)

it's great!
This is a great laptop.It's light and sleek with tons of great features.I especially like the built-in Bluetooth, which lets me connect to my printer and PDA without wires.I highly recommend this PowerBook!

Great little laptop
Finally retired my Sony Vaio (850Mhz) and made the switch to a powerbook--wanted to do that ever since I realized that Mac OS X is pretty much BSD Unix with a killer desktop.What a great machine this is. Much better than the comparable IBook...twice the processor cache for starters...and none of the problems that have plagued the 1Gz iBook.Weighs just 4.6 pounds and is very portable...aluminium case is very scratch resistant.I get GREAT range with the add-on Airport Extreme card going to a LinkSys 11g access point (there's an antenna in the lid of the unit).I'm very happy with the battery life, the operating system, and the apps I use on this machine (Office X mostly).About a month after getting and using this machine I got a G5 for my desktop and I'm quite happy.If you're looking for a gaming rig, forget Apple but if you're looking for a business-oriented machine that fits in very smoothly with a PC-based office, this is the ticket. Networks much easier than a Windows machine!

One of the best Laptops I have owned
A fantastic ultra portable laptop. I bought the 12" Powerbook G4 1Ghz, and have been blown away by it. It has a good metallic design and its size is very easy to carry around, this is the major disadvantage of larger bulkier notebooks. I have had mine upgraded to 1.25 GB Ram, and the performance of applications like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop is great. You can even play games like Halo on it pretty well, if that is your thing. You can have up to 80GB of HD, and my advice is to buy the largest you can afford. I also have an Airport (802.11g) card installed, and it allows wireless connectivity with a pretty good range. In addition, Bluetooth built-in allowed me to use a very nice wireless mouse with it.The Keyboard is of good quality, an important feature if you have to write long documents in Word! The LCD screen is of good quality too. All in all it made a pleasant switch from my previous bulky Sony Vaio Lap.I would recommend this computer very highly. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not cheap, but what a valuable machine
Macs have never been for those with tight-wallets, but after having struggled with several low-price PCs from various companies I realize that you really do get what you pay for.
Great Computer - too bad about the side ports
I love my new powerbook! The only thing I really don't like is the ports being on the side. The old titaniums had the ports on the back behind a flimsy door, so I understand why they moved them. But now they are on the side and get in the way. It is difficult to use a connected mouse in the usb port because it now takes more tabletop space than it did before. However...it is a FABULOUS computer and the ports on the sides is a minor inconvenience.

Perfect for everything!
I am a long time Windows user and I finally decided to try out a mac to see what all the fuss was about.After two days of use, I am in love.I also have some relatives that were only Windows user but drueled over my laptop.
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Editorial Review

Amazingly portable, extremely well connected and equipped with DVD burning capability, Apple’s freshly released PowerBook G4 12.1-inch M9008LL/A is a great choice for those who enjoy Apple connectivity and convenience but don’t need the larger, pricier 15-inch or 17-inch PowerBook models. Read more

Reviews (12)

I'm a "new" Mac FANATIC, it just plain works! PERIOD
I've waited this long to make sure the being new has worn off and there by giving a true picture of my long term experiences, and it simply WORKS. It's stable, predictable, and wakes and sleeps the way I expect it to. I shut it and come back in an hour or day and I open it and it's right back to work right a way. Try that with your Windows XP machine, it either freezes, crashs, or has to reboot. I flat enjoy my little jewel and I will ALWAYS use a Mac. Thanks Apple.

Excellent features in a compact Powerhouse
Ah, the Powerbook.For many years,Apple's version of what a laptop computer should be.Then they created "consumer level" ibooks and the Powerbook was elevated to a status of Pro machines (which it always was).There used to be only a couple models (remember Pismo?).Then the Titanium wonder that shocked the portable world.Now, Apple has 3 different sized Powerbooks with various models inbetween those sizes.The compact little gem is the subject here. Great machine, with caveats....
Ditto all of the lauditory comments of my esteemed colleagues here on the review page, with a few additional comments.AppleCare is a must since the "logic board" of MACs are notorious for going down.The plan is $300 additonal cost for a three year policy, and you absolutely have to have it (you may buy it during the first year after purchase).The shipping protocol of the computer is excellent, with prepaid shipping containers sent to you, but Apple will charge you an additional $50 to save your hard drive data in the event that it must be replaced, a cost that should not obtain in my judgement given the expense of the add-on policy.The quality of the call-in help line varies (as they all do with PCs), but it's necessary, particularly for PC defectors like me.Lastly, if you have a problem with the enormous heat generated by the unit, get an 11" x 14" zip folder at Staples or Office Depot to place under the unit and also to carry/protect it.And you will carry this unit since this is a truly portable computer with a 3 to 4 hour battery time (my old SONY Vaio pooped out after 40 minutes - it's like a dinasaur next to the PowerBook).Plus, truly amazingly, you can edit video and burn DVDs that work simply great on a home DVD machine.Unbelieveable. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Me Love
This is as perfect a machine as I could want. I can do everything that I want my computer to do. The internet connection is flawless and fast, the iTunes is my dream come true, I can talk to my friends using iChat, I can download my photos and even make them into books, burn CDs, make DVDs, use the quite usefull Dashboard, make songs on GarageBand, watch my Cubs games on the internet, plan dates using iCal, write down anything useful using Stickies, and many more things I can't think of right now.
MACS ARE SO GOOD!!!!OMFG ROFL BBQ
omfg this is soooo awesome who needs a big better performing pc when this has all the looks it is sooo fast 1 ghz!!!!! pcs get about 3.2 but this is still better becuz of the looks and the fact that it says mac on it it is completely unupgradeable!!!!! and is soooo fast i can buy music off i tunes this is a practically a steal for the performace u get!!!! i mean being able to look at the user friendly (soccer mom) software is an honor !!!! THAKN YOU MAC

Could not be happier
I bought this computer for the OS and have had no problems. And I mean no problems. No crashes, no compatability issues. I may have had to work a little more when dealing with PCs, but usually once I've gotten everything straightened out it is smooth sailing and I leave my PC freinds scratching their heads at the stuff my Mac can do that they simply can't. I have upgraded the Ram to 2GB and installed Virtual PC, which I hardly use and MS Office as well as iLife '05 and Toast 6 Titanium. This is a great computer and I would reccomended it to anyone. ... Read more

Features

• 1GHz PowerPC G4 Processor
• 512MB of PC2700 DDR RAM
• NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go with 64MB of DDR SDRAM
• 60GB Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive
• DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive

Features

• 12.1 TFT XGA Display
• NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go graphics with 32MB of DDR SDRAM
• 40GB Ultra ATA/100 Hard Drive
• Slot-Loading DVD-R/RW/CD-RW SuperDrive
• Built-in 10/100Base-T Ethernet Interface

Editorial Review

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Reviews (14)

Clean, elegant, graceful and powerful.
The Titanium G4 PowerBooks are in their final state of evolution.Rumor has it that the new version will be radically different in design.As such, I would take advantage of this final incarnation of the Ti Book because it has gone through all of the refinements and fine tuning that has put it at the top of the game.Sure, the newer model will have more bells and whistles -- but keep in mind that it will also have a lot of things needed to be tweaked and adjusted.The Ti Book has had several generations of refinement and is now perfect, solid and reliable.Remember, a computer is only as good as the work you do on it and this Ti Book has a long pedegree to back it up and years of refinement that have brought it to its optimal (and final) version!Buy it before it is gone.It's quite simply the ultimate computing machine!

The greatest laptop ever with the best OS.
I love this powerbook.It is without a doubt the handiest computer that I've ever used.The wide ratio display makes it easy to have multiple coding windows open while the convenient brightness controls allow me to work easily in changing light conditions.The mute button is handy whenever the phone rings. The Best iPod Accessory Ever
I freely admit, I am writing this at the sunset rather than beginning of the Titanium PowerBook's technological lifecycle.But, as a died in the wool Wintel person, what is really remarkable is that, after a hiatus of about 10 years, I have bought a Macintosh again.You can blame this on a combination of three things - one of my computers died, I needed a portable, and I just bought an iPod.Supporting the latter, and getting my ears onto iTunes was the deciding factor.Read more

Editorial Review

Faster and far more capable than any other Apple notebook to date, the freshly unveiled 17-inch PowerBook G4 may be the most sophisticated portable computer ever released. Featuring an enormous display, an unrivalled feature set and virtually no performance bottlenecks, the stunning yet undeniably pricey 17-inch PowerBook G4 is ready to satisfy even the most discriminating professional or personal user.Read more

Reviews (14)

I switched from 10+ years of Microsoft's platform, MACS rule
This powerbook is a work of art..Very well thought out from the hardware to the software.....
First Class Computer -- Need Upgrades for Support
As other reviewers have stated, the hardware itself is great. The computer is visually stunning. And the OS is rock-solid and user-friendly. Cost a lot, but it's a good computer
Now I've been down on Apple because they charge 2X for a computer built by they same people making computers for everyone else.But I have to admit, this thing looks great.Now I jumped ship to Centrino because I needed more battery life, but if I was to buy Apple again, this would be the one. ... Read more

Editorial Review

While this PowerBook model can't compare to its fully tricked-out big brother (the 500 MHz, 256 MB, 20 GB version), it's nonetheless an impressive product. Take a look at the 15.2-inch, wide-aspect-ratio screen in a sleek titanium case and it's hard not to drool with envy. Whether your goal is to author multimedia or just to have the ultimate road-warrior toy, the PowerBook could be the notebook for you. This model offers a 400 MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 128 MB of RAM, and a DVD-ROM drive. Its 10 GB hard disk drive is not huge by current standards, but offers ample space for most storage needs.A modem and networking are standard, as are signature Mac extras such as FireWire ports. The system comes with both the classic Mac OS 9 and the slick new Mac OSX installed. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

I'm in love
A one word review would suffice: "WOW!!!"