Itching to go portable again...

So here's my situation.

I currently have a Mac Mini mated to a wireless keyboard, wireless mouse. Am using a 14" Mag Innovision LCD monitor with it. My room is cramped like you wouldn't believe, and I wish sometimes I had a bigger screen, and some portability to do homework, word processing, and other tasks downstairs in the living room/kitchen. I'm a former owner of a 12" powerbook, and 2 12" iBooks. Why I sold those, who knows. Usually for monetary reasons.

But here I am again, wanting so badly to be portable again. So tonight I'm in my IT for teachers class, and my buddy next to me is talking about his 400 mhz G4 TiBook. He curiously asks how much they go for these days. He tells me it has Tiger, 10 gb hdd, 256 mb ram and a DVD drive. I tell him it would roughly go for $400 or so. He seemed to perk his ears up at that, as he has a G5 tower as his main rig.

I'm almost considering selling my mini and making an offer to him. You may scream, "No! you'll need the RW drive for burning data or CD's", or "No! I just say no!"

Well, let me tell you what I do anyways. It's called surfing the web, and Appleworks. Yep, that's about it. iTunes to load my music, and that's about it. What about data transfer? I have an iPod. Since I have 16 free gigs, I have no problem toting around data on that thing.

Even if I don't buy his, I'm seriously considering an early TiBook. His is in MINT condition. What about wireless you say? Well, No. I use ethernet right now, as my Mini doesn't have wireless installed. No problems for me, as we have routers in a few places at home.

I don't want to hear the "oh, but spend 300 or 400 more and get a brand new iBook!" line either. I don't have 300 or 400 more, thats the thing.

So, what says the forum?

Thanks!

IMO i think it is dumb..... if you have a good rig at the house even if it is a little cramped why would you sell a twice as fast machine for the same price i think its dumb.

Because I hate being confined to a certain space. Why would someone buy a 1.67 ghz laptop for 2500 when for the same price, they can have a dual 2.3 ghz tower?

Speed is irrelevant to me, as it's not like I'm using the Mini to its full potential. 85% of my hard drive remains unused. At most, I have 2 applications open. Not always about speed to me.

lol, I've got a 366Mhz iBook SE with built in Firewire and Airport that I'd sell you... No DVD burner, and only 128 MB ram, but it'd save you some cash... upgraded (ram) she'd run Tiger. It does run Panther fairly well, and is great for web browsing.

rs2sensen said:

lol, I've got a 366Mhz iBook SE with built in Firewire and Airport that I'd sell you... No DVD burner, and only 128 MB ram, but it'd save you some cash... upgraded (ram) she'd run Tiger. It does run Panther fairly well, and is great for web browsing.

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****, as much as I loved the graphite'ish clamshells, I'd not own one. I think I'd need a bit more horsepower, and I planned on possibly upgrading the possible TiBook to 1 gb ram.

Thanks for looking out for a fellow forum member though!

If you use iTunes, it will run BUTT slow......

baggss said:

If you use iTunes, it will run BUTT slow......

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have you used iTunes on an early TiBook? If so, comment on it please.

Not a Ti book, but on an older iBook......

I suppose if your library is not to big (say a few thousand songs) it might not be too bad....

How old was the iBook you were using? I used to have a 700 mhz G3 with 640 mb of ram, and I had zero problems with it.

I wish I had 3000 songs! Alas, I am sitting here with a music collection on my iPod of *only* 850 songs!!

I wouldn't do it, thats just a little too old.

JSchultz said:

How old was the iBook you were using? I used to have a 700 mhz G3 with 640 mb of ram, and I had zero problems with it.

I wish I had 3000 songs! Alas, I am sitting here with a music collection on my iPod of *only* 850 songs!!

Click to expand...

I think the one I was using was a 400 or 500Mhz machine, it wasn't mine so I'm not sure.

bad idea...u have a better machine. if its so necessary to go move arround a mini and some wireless stiuff isnt to hard to bring downstairs. u could sell the mini and accessories for more and get something newer/better.

oh and btw. if u have all these reasons why the tibook is better and all of these arguments to what we might say...don't ask us. especially is you don't like our answers and disagree for each one. it sounds to me like u've already made up your mind.

I agree with Unc ... either move the Mini downstairs, or sell it and get this TiBook that you've seemingly already decided on doing. Personally, I'd save up $400, sell the Mini and get a refurb CURRENT iBook.

He already said he doesn't have the money. Saying what to do with other money he doesn't have is answering a question he isn't asking. The one problem you may encounter is RAM, which you already said you'd consider upgrading. If you sell the monitor AND the Mac mini, you should definitely have enough to do that. Another thing you may want to consider is shopping around for other TiBooks. See if you can get a slightly faster one. Obviously there's no substitute for it being right in front of you like your buddy's is, but there's also the problem of, IF something goes wrong with it, it will SUCK for your friendship. Plus, if you can get a better deal, go for it. Just my two cents.

I haven't already made my mind up. I'm just asking for other opinions, really. In my situation, portability comes with a speed loss. My stationary situation comes with space limitations and lack of portability. I'm asking what is more important, or what others think.

And I am considering other faster TiBooks. Something in the 667/DVi Range.

Then maxing out the memory.

Or a 500/550 maybe.

And trust me, I have tried the cart the mini/keyboard/mouse/monitor/cables around. It's not nearly as easy and simple as a laptop, haha.

It seems that some are saying go ahead and do it, just get the best deal, and some are saying flat out no. Hmmm.

Thanks to all for the information and such. I appreciate all of it, from both viewpoints.

I'll have a new post in the FS forum soon. Thanks!