Want to buy a 12" -- but iBook or powerbook? Different keyboards?
 

Hey all,

New forum user here -- great thing you guys have going on! Hurrah for geeky communities!

I'm in the market (like, today or tomorrow) for a little 12" apple notebook. It wouldn't be my primary computer (which, incidentally, is broken right now -- but they keep promising me that a new motheboard is on the way!), but rather something I would take around to cafes and things like that -- mostly a portable workstation. No heavy graphics editing; no gaming; nothing really huge at all. As much as I use my computer, I don't put much if any load on it.

So, an iBook seems to makes sense to me, given that, while not as sexy as the powerbooks, it's $500 cheaper, and I don't really need the extra power or big hard drive (though of course, they'd be nice). But reading these threads about screens warping, as a recent poster said, makes me nervous. These threads also mention that iBooks are "buggy" -- can someone explain what kinds of bugs new iBooks tend to come with?

A main issue to me, though, is the keyboard. I have wrist problems, and when I use a computer at work or home, I have an ergonomic split keyboard plugged in to it. Of course, laptops don't have ergonomic keyboards (so sad! I wish they would!), but one reason I'm looking at getting a mac is that I've found I can type for the longest with the least pain on a mac keyboard. I guess it's just short key travel (a shallow keyboard) and easy key action, but it's beautiful.

BUT, I've never tried typing on an iBook. Does anyone know if they keyboards are significantly different between the two models, or how they compare?

Thanks a lot!

I woudn't worry too much about the screen warping problem. I mean granted I have the 14" model which apparently doesn't suffer from the problem but you also have to realize the nature of a message board. Most people are going to post questions regarding problems, not praise. With that said...

My wrists have gotten plenty bad from years of FPS games on my PCs. And when i first got my iBook I had a major problem getting used to the small keyboard. I was "fat-fingering" keys all the time and it got quite frustrating. However with usage I got plenty used to it. Now I find I type better on the iBook keyboard then on a fullsized model. As far as the similarities w/ the Apple keyboard you get with their desktop models, unfortunatly I couldn't say.

All in all give it a go. If you find your wrists still suffer using the iBook keyboard you can always use your ergnomic split kb and plug it into the USB port for extended usage.

Good luck and welcome aboard!

Oh and as far as bugs, I haven't personally experienced any. However I do have a CD that on the last track will lock up iTunes during the import. I'd have to force quit and it usually results with a kernel panic. I've reproduced the problem a couple times and if I recall correctly I had a similar issue ripping the same disk on my PCs. My conclusion is that it's the disk at fault. Probably some sort of copy protection. Just run the software update for the usual security/program updates and you'll be fine.

Oh, and as far as me not reading your subject carefully enough, I've also never used a PB for an extended amount of time but a quick Google image search shows thier keyboards look pretty similar. I don't think you'll have a problem with the iBook kb if you didn't have a problem with the PB kb.

Okay, rock on! You're entirely right that, of course, people will post problems and not raves to these forums (fora?) ... and, since this really isn't a desktop replacement, I have no right spending an extra $500 on sex appeal. :-)

I just borrowed a colleague's iBook, and tried typing on it -- and no problems. I really wonder it is that makes the mac laptop keyboards so typeable -- but it's great, whatever it is!

Thanks a lot!

aftermarket keyboard
 

There are some aftermarket keyboards. This one looks like it may help if you have trouble with the normal keyboard http://www.fingerworks.com/MacNTouch_product.html

i find the keyboard on the Powerbook a lot better. But i mean iBook's is fine its just that the Powerbook *seems* more sturdy

The keyboards on the iBook and Powerbook are very similar. I wouldn't sweat that.

I took delivery of my 12" iBook a few weeks ago and it's been great. No sign of the "screen warping" problem mentioned elsewhere in the forum, and I have been using my XP machine less and less.

Keep is posted on your new purchase! :cool:

second that...

that is way cool!!!

i have found that typing on my i book is not that bad. however, after installing ram (which requires removing the keyboard), my keyboard doesn't look as if it is in all of the way.

I've got the same problem... my keyboard warps slightly now in the center.

the left lock is probably a little jammed. lightly push down the keyboard on the bottom left side ( fn,ctrl,option) and you should hear a little click..