All flaws corrected in version 2.0
Written: Sep 29 '99
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Quick, 6lbs, loaded, stylish
Cons: Easy to confuse 1st/2nd models.
|
|
|
| Andyman's Full Review: Apple PowerBook G3 (M7308LL/A) Mac Notebook |
Apple Computer has finally constructed a housing worthy of the ghost that's in all their machines. The PowerBook G3 line has recently been revised, and whatever complaints anyone was able to scrape together about the first generation have been swept away. I'm not talking from the perspective of a user who got lucky an had no trouble, I have supported a few dozen of these things at work. when something goes wrong with them or if a user isn't happy, I hear about it and have to deal with it. So far, the PowerBook G3 has proven not only reliable, but so fast and capable that it will go many years before the thought of upgrading even crosses its user's mind.
From the first generation (aka "Wall Street") the Powerbook G3 packed all the power of a desktop computer, and almost all of the functionality. It came complete with SCSI, adb for an external mouse or keyboard, a serial port, built-in ethernet networking and a modem, an infrared port, S-video out, the list goes on.... It was a powerhouse and showcased some of the most beautiful screens ever to grace a laptop. The largest of these TFT displays had more viewable area than a standard 15" monitor. DVD-playback on one of these boys is a gorgeous sight any movie lover should rabidly seek out.
The drawbacks of this first wave were: weight (almost 8 pounds), excessive heat on the bottom and underwhelming battery life. Apple corrected each of these problems in revision 2.0 (aka "Lombard"). the Lombard has a translucent "bronze" colored keyboard; this is the best way to tell it apart from a Wall Street.
The machine is now down to under 6 pounds, gives off less heat, and battery life has improved. Apple boasts 4 hours of life per battery but in my company's experience it's more like 3. A good three. A realistic 3 hours of WORK time. The upshot is that you can take out your DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive and insert a second battery for those long plane flights. 6 real hours of battery life is nothing to sneeze at in a 6-pound laptop that moves faster than any you've ever held. The new ones have USB (though not adb), as well, a boon to anyone who wants to invest in a joystick, printer, scanner, mouse, digital camera, etc...
One feature I particularly enjoy about the Lombard model is that when you plug in an external monitor, you don't just get a mirror of whatever's on the laptop screen. Your working desktop display is effectively doubled. Windows 95 users who are strangers to the dual-monitor capability of the MacOS jump right out of their seats the first time they move the mouse pointer right off one monitor and right onto the adjacent one! This is one very nice feature for those of use who use Photoshop & GoLive or other apps that have a lot of toolbars/palettes.
The Lombard ships with Mac OS 8.6 right now, and I think that anyone who has used a GUI-based OS before will agree that its tight, crisp interface makes computing less confusing, its built-in networking/internet hardware make driver issues a thing of the past, and its mobile computing features like intelligent power management, password lock, and location switcher are godsends to anyone who travels a lot.
Sure, you could probably invest in a smaller, lighter laptop, but I've seen more than one of those break during normal usage, and their tiny keyboards will make your knuckles ache. The Lombard features a full-sized keyboard with an integrated 10-key keypad and T-arrows. It's comfortable, though it does increase the overall width of the computer. The price may seem high at $2400-$3000 but it's good to remember that you don't have to add much with the Powerbook G3. Apple includes modems, ethernet networking, and the full-size 14.1" screen on ALL models now, so you don't need to spend $300 on a modem card only to wrangle with its drivers for another 2 hours. This guy is ready to work on a network, cable modem, dialup, whatever, right out of the box.
Oh yeah, it's also the best-looking computer ever built. Period.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Andyman
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Member: Andy Hilal
Location: Oakland, CA
Reviews written: 131
Trusted by: 177 members
About Me:
Epinions Alum!!
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.