I'm pretty sick of my Sony Vaio that is about two years old and I'm really leaning towards an Apple PowerBook. Anyone have experience with these? I'm looking to do normal daily Internet applications and then also experiment with music using at first the included software and maybe something more advanced down the line. Can I go wrong with buying one? Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Well, ditch the Vaio for starters. Those things...

Why would you need a PowerBook instead of an iBook?

KPH

I'm going to the Apple store tomorrow to look closer and discuss, so I'd definitely look into the Ibook as well. The specs jumped out at me on the Powerbook and that is why. You own an IBook?

I own ibook and love it. it's perfect for everything I need, but if you want awesome specs the powerbook is the way to go.

the powerbook rules, but the ibook is totally doable--that's what we have.

c.

I agree with this statement

Nice avatar, btw Conway.

What's wrong with a Sony Vaio? I've had mine for going on two years now, and I love it. Am I like Dalen with his Jetta on this?

I personally own an iBook, and recently recieved a 17' PowerBook for use here at work. The iBook will fit the bill for what you're wanting to use it for as already mentioned, but if you can swing for the PoerBook you'll be happier in the long run.

yeah, apple makes some decent laptops. theyll be even better though once they find a way to shoehorn a g5 in them.

the guy at the apple store said that i the g4 was put into a powerbook today it would disolve.

okay, i paraphrased.

i want a mac mini

Damn, that's a huge laptop. Well, that's not really a laptop at 17 feet. Doyou sit on it instead?

Apple store on Wednesday.

The Sony Vaio....where to start...

My monitor or something went dead after about six months with it. I thought I lost everything on my computer but luckily I went to a computer store and had my HD copied over to an external one for a good $75 or something. I had to send it to Sony and lose it for like two weeks. Fucking ridiculous.

Then about a year ago my internal firewire card just stopped working, so I had to buy an internal one that goes in that one bigger slot for a good $60. (ipod) My keyboard never worked how it should. NEVER BUY A SONY VAIO.

I'm glad you never had a problem, though.

an ibook should be fine for what you need. i know people who perform on ibooks running max/msp and they don't really seem to have any problems. besides, i wouldn't recommend getting a powerbook right now. the g5 powerbook will come out soon enough and you will just feel overwhelming jealousy.

I'm curious as to why you are considering switching to Mac instead of just buying a different PC.

because macs are beautiful.
you know you want one.

I feel embarrased that I don't know Macs and everyone I know that has one does in fact love it. This may be stupid to some, but I feel sorta been there done that with the PC.

At work when kids go how do I do this? (and the computer is a mac i'm like uhhh where is the other mouse button?)

If I was to buy one I'm all about keeping my Sony for the internet and just using my Apple to attempt to be creative.

i dont exactly "love" my mac. but it is certainly head and shoulders above windows. i miss the customability (i dont know if thats a word or not, but you get my drift). if you want a new video card, or a new dual layer dvd burner, changing them is a pain in the ass, not to mention the limited choice. i also rue the lack of programs on os x. i can get most of what i want on os x, but im very particular about the programs i use, and i dont like to settle for second best. i thought i would find a home in the mac world after switching from windows, but i havent found it. my plan is to keep using os x for another year or so, and hope that in that time the support for linux on powerpc gets better. support on the powerpc platform has come a fair ways recently, so i have no reason to suspect that it wont.