Thinking about getting a used laptop

[chriskleeman]

To all you TS Laptop experts:

I'm thinking about getting an used/older Apple laptop of some description for use when I'm on the road... so it at least needs to be airport equipped or ready... I'd like to be able to use at least 10.3.9 in it for now, maybe Leopard in the future... it doesn't have to be blazing fast, just have a good useful speed as it would probably only be used while I'm traveling.

Web-surfing, e-mailing, word-processing, perhaps using the Mozilla HTML Editor, and probably a Combo drive so I can at least burn CD's and read DVD's.

Any thoughts?

Thanks very much,

Chris K

[giantmike]

Hey Chris,

It would probably be helpful to know a general range of how much you are looking to spend on this computer. If you are willing to go up to $1000, you could get a brand new MacBook, which has all the features you need, and is guaranteed to run Leopard when it comes out. Just keep an eye on Dealmac.com for the latest deals. Right now the 1.83 GHz MacBook is $999 at Amazon.com!

[daryl66]

QUOTE(chriskleeman @ Oct 15 2006, 01:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To all you TS Laptop experts:


Any thoughts?

Chris K

Chris:

I do not have a clue what they sell for used these days but I am well into my 2nd year with a 12" Powerbook 768mb, combo, came standard with Airport, and Bluetooth.  I could not be happier. It is not on the road constantly but gets its share of airplane and hotel time.
It went for around $1300 new.

Daryl  

[kbeartx]

Another ringing endorsement for the 12" PB - it's a totally sweet little machine!

[Frances144]

I have a g4 iBook, 14" screen, that is well into its second year and is bashed about, travels and is very good.  Like it alot.  Brilliant for watching dvd's on when you have a long journey.  I did add extra RAM.

F

[chriskleeman]

Thanks, kbeartx, Daryl66, Frances144, giantmike...

giantmike, dunno what I want to spend... don't want to spend a bunch, because this would really be kind of a utility machine for me. When I travel now, I am borrowing computer time from my friends... it would be much better to have my own machine with my own stuff I can update. And, I could have an e-mail client of my own, which is fairly crucial to what I need to do when I'm traveling.

Just wondering what is out there, and what the most cost-effective solution might be.

Your suggestions are great, and I'm hoping for more!

Thanks,

Chris K

[Frances144]

I would look into the refurb market, or a dealer who has an "old style" iBook or Powerbook lying about gathering dust as everyone wants the new ones.  One without Intel.  Or, of course, there is Ebay!

http://cgi.ebay.com/iBook-G4-Like-new_W0QQ...1QQcmdZViewItem

Good luck.
F
(mine is invaluable for being on the road)

[kelly]

http://www.lowendmac.com/deals.shtml

[Parker]

don't even think of picking up a MacBook
nothing but problems.

I loved my PowerBook G4 12"

[giantmike]

QUOTE

don't even think of picking up a MacBook
nothing but problems.

Exactly what is this based upon? If you are basing it on reports from troubleshooting sites, then obviously your opinion will be skewed. There are people that have troubles with every Model of Mac (or PC), there is no exception to that rule. It's just that those who don't have problems aren't going to write to the troubleshooting sites to say everything is A-ok.

It's always a good idea to put what you read into perspective. I would put money on there being at least 100 MacBooks that work just fine for every problem that is reported.

[Parker]

QUOTE

Exactly what is this based upon? If you are basing it on reports from troubleshooting sites, then obviously your opinion will be skewed.

i'm basing this on my experience with my macbook
which is going in for service again now
becuase it's giving me problems with the screen

Lets see...
it's been sent in twice so far for service

[RHPConsult]

Chris:

This may be a really silly response, but why worry about Leopard if e-mail on-the-road is all you pine for?  

I absolutely love my 15" Aluminum G4, but I'm still using my trusty Pismo G3 at home as a kind of archive machine (w/9.1 and Jag on separate partitions) so to be able access really old files that won't "process" on out Tigerized G-4s and G5s, and surly won't if I fall for a new G5 iMac DT.

With an airport card in the Pismo's PCMCIA slot, it can talk easily to our LAN and give me old, old, PDFs of docs I may need to reprint for business purposes. Slow, but steady. I'll be you could find a reliable one for >200 bucks.

Kelly's been a Pismo fan from waaay back!  

[Parker]

QUOTE

e-mail on-the-road

then just get a blackberry

[chriskleeman]

Well Dick, Parker,

E-mail is not all I pine for... althought that's a consideration for something much smaller...

QUOTE

then just get a blackberry

Web editing on the road is also a need, and yes a Pismo is a consideration, but it looks like a used 1.33 Mhz 12" G4 iBook can be had for somewhere around $5-600, the Pismo's I've seen so far aren't much less... Frances144, thanks for that link to ebay, I'm looking at all kinds of laptops there now.

I was thinking about spending $3-400, but with the prices I'm seeing for the fairly recent iBooks, I'd be willing to spend a little more for a newer machine...

And being able to run current OS for a few years isn't a bad thing!

And, being easily confused, a machine that can run what my destop has for an OS is also a consideration.

Great feedback, great links, thanks to all of you for your replies!

Best,

Chris K

[daryl66]

QUOTE(chriskleeman @ Oct 17 2006, 09:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Web editing on the road is also a need, and yes a Pismo is a consideration, but it looks like a used 1.33 Mhz 12" G4 iBook can be had for somewhere around $5-600,

Chris K

Chris:  A couple of deciding factors for me   G4 Ibook vs G4 Powerbook were:  No airport for the Ibook ( a MUST for travel)   and the ability to utilize a monitor in addition to the PB screen. ( it is MY computer at home ) appears to be no issue for you.

Daryl