Updated: My 17-inch PowerBook Experience, and Using the 17-inch PowerBook G4 for Video Editing

Author's Rating:

Pros: runs MacOS X 10.2 Jaguar, fast, powerful, user-friendly, fun to use, aesthetically gifted

Cons: expensive (but worth the price)

The Bottom Line: 
This laptop is ideal for power users who do anything design-related, and for students or programmers who used to work in UNIX, but would prefer a more user-friendly interface.

Author's Review
Prior to this, I had written an earlier review that discussed the pros and cons of using the 17-inch PowerBook G4 for video editing (Part II of this one), but in this revised edition, I have added additional material discussing the process leading up to my choosing this PowerBook, in addition to my experiences upon using it (Part I).

Part I: My 17-inch PowerBook Experience

Section I.i: Pre-Purchase Research Stage

Sub-section I.i.a: Internet Research

Before purchasing my PowerBook, I looked at the user comments on CNET ( http://www.cnet.com/ ) and compared both the 17-inch PowerBook ( http://reviews.cnet.com/Apple_PowerBook_G4__PowerPC_G4__1GHz__17_in__TFT_/4852-3122_7-20783423.html?tag=box ), and the comparatively priced Alienware Area 51m ( http://reviews.cnet.com/Alienware_Area_51m/4852-3122_7-20857400.html?tag=box ) model. I discovered that more users had very positive comments about the PowerBook than about the Alienware model, and that some users had horror stories about bad customer service with Alienware. Overall, it seemed that users seemed to like the PowerBook more than the Alienware model.

Late last year, I had also done a similar comparison of the Titanium PowerBook with a similarly-equipped Sony VAIO laptop, and discovered that the PowerBook users also had more positive comments than the VAIO users. In particular, there was one user who complained that the VAIO screen broke very easily when subjected to pressure, and that the VAIO cases were not very rugged, even though the screens were very beautiful and bright.

Sub-section I.i.b: Testing

In addition, I visited both the Sony Style Store in midtown Manhattan and the Apple Store in SoHo, as well as the TekServe service center in midtown. At those stores, I discovered that while the iBook screens were considerably darker and slightly fuzzier, and even the Titanium and 12-inch PowerBook screens were still slightly darker (though much crisper), than those on the VAIO laptops, the one on the 17-inch PowerBook was much brighter and very crisp.

In addition, one of the 12-inch PowerBooks that I had checked out at a local Nobody Beats the Wiz store had a defective trackpad, but none of the Titanium or 17-inch PowerBooks seemed defective.

Sub-section I.i.c: Support

Another issue that concerned me was support. Specifically, I wanted to find answers to the following questions:

(A) How reliable was Apple customer service?

(B) How reliable was third-party support?

(C) How reliable was user support?

In regards to (A), I researched many user postings on both the Apple - Discussions (U.S.) ( http://discussions.info.apple.com/ ) and Apple - Discussions (Japan) ( http://discussions.info.apple.co.jp/ ) forums (I am fluent in Japanese), and discovered that there seemed to be many problems with AppleCare customer service, both in the US and Japan. Specifically, many users complained that they were forced to send in their laptops repeatedly to AppleCare because each time they sent them in, a different part would get scratched or broken. While this experience was not universal, it seemed widespread, and worried me.

But then, concerning (B), I read some postings about positive user experiences with small Macintosh repair shops, such as TekServe ( http://www.tekserve.com ). Such shops would usually provide high-quality customer service. While some repairs necessitated them sending in the laptops to AppleCare anyway, at least these shops seemed to do their best to ensure that even in the worst case, the customer would not be dissatisfied.

I personally stopped by the TekServe store in midtown Manhattan, and was impressed with the quality of customer service there. The employees there were very friendly, and seemed to do their best to ensure that all Mac-users felt part of a greater Mac community committed to the best possible customer service. The TekServe employees alleviated my worries.

Finally, regarding (C), In addition, I later came across a plethora of on-line discussion groups, such as MacNN Forums ( http://forums.macnn.com/index.php ), populated by assorted Mac-users who volunteered to help other Mac-users. These forums later proved very helpful in answering many questions that later came up.

Sub-section I.i.d: Research Conclusions

The main point that I preferred with the PowerBook, however, was the OS: MacOS X 10.2 Jaguar. Compared to Windows 2000 Professional Edition, and even compared to Windows XP Professional Edition, the OS was more easy to use, and more practical for my needs.

I came from a Sun Solaris UNIX environment at college, and had been looking for a laptop that simultanously could be used for UNIX-based Oracle 9i OCP (Oracle Certified Professional) DBA (DataBase Administrator) study, and for showing high-quality VR (Virtual Reality) applications, as well as for routine e-mail and word processing. The only laptops that I could find that could fit these needs were the PowerBooks.

Among these, the choices eventually boiled down to a very close match between the Titanium 15.2-inch model, and the Aluminum 17-inch model.

In comparison, the 15.2-inch Titanium PowerBook and the 17-inch Aluminum PowerBook had the following pros and cons, respectively:

15.2-inch Titanium PowerBook (SuperDrive version):

Pros:
* smaller size
* ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics controller with programmable pixel and vertex shaders (excellent especially for graphics gaming)

Cons:
* regular AirPort built-in
* no FireWire 800
* BlueTooth optional
* relatively easily scratched exterior

17-inch Aluminum PowerBook:

Pros:
* built-in AirPort Extreme
* built-in BlueTooth
* built-in FireWire 800
* highly durable exterior, difficult to scratch
* backlit keyboard

Cons:
* nVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go graphics controller (without programmable pixel or vertex shaders; unable to run some high-intensity Macintosh graphics games, such as Shadowbane, which requires an ATI Rage 128 graphics controller with at least 32MB of VRAM>
* difficult-to-open latch, which requires silicone cushions between the lid and the base to ensure proper easy opening

Between the two, I eventually opted for the 17-inch PowerBook because of AirPort Extreme. I was very concerned that Apple may try to leverage AirPort Extreme technology very quickly, and thus make the 15.2-inch Titanium model outdated unexpectedly early.

Section I.ii: Post-Purchase Stage

Sub-section I.ii.a: Opening the Box

After much consideration, I purchased my 17-inch PowerBook (originally code-named "Hammerhead," according to The Apple Museum [ http://www.theapplemuseum.com/index.php?id=tam&page=codenames&subpage=portable] ), from CDW ( http://www.cdw.com/ ), at the end of March. By purchasing from a vendor with no local branch, I saved almost $300 in sales tax.

A few days later, my PowerBook arrived via FedEx Ground. The PowerBook's box was wrapped in a sturdy cardboard box, which was itself further wrapped in FedEx's cardboard box, so the PowerBook arrived in perfect condition.

The PowerBook's own box was a beautiful black box with a picture of the PowerBook on the outside. The style somehow reminded me of "The Matrix." I almost felt like putting on black sunglasses while opening the box.

I opened the box. The interior was divided into two styrofoam levels, with the manuals, CD-ROM's, power adapter, and cables on the upper level, and the PowerBook itself on the lower level. The layout looked very professional, with the manual in a clear plastic bag sitting in a recessed area on top of the CD-ROM's, and the power adapter and other cables each in separate areas around the center.

My PowerBook experience had just begun.

I lifted the upper level and looked below. Sitting there was the 17-inch PowerBook. It looked very thin and stylish, with the Apple logo in the center.

I took it out. It seemed rather heavy in relation to the thickness, since it was, indeed, only one inch thick, and weighed 6.8 pounds. I needed to hold it with both hands in order to be sure that it wouldn't slip out of my hand without my having to grip it too tightly.

I opened the lid. A thin translucent cellophane sheet protected the 17-inch LCD screen from the keyboard.

Sub-section I.ii.b: Powering on the PowerBook

I connected it to my Belkin - 10-Outlet Surge Strip/12' Cord, purchased for 39.95 + tax from The Apple Store in SoHo, here in Manhattan, New York City, and turned it on.

The customary Apple boing sound echoed, and the PowerBook powered up. The 17-inch screen lit. It was exceptionally bright, especially compared to the screens on the iBooks, the 12-inch PowerBook, and even the 15.2-inch Titanium PowerBook.

Sub-section I.ii.c: The Quasi-Dead-Pixel Problem

The registration process began. As I started registering, my heart almost froze as I noticed two pixels that seemed dead, one glowing white in the upper-left corner, and the other showing up black just left of the center.

Remembering a tip from a sales representative at RadTech ( http://www.radtech.us/ ), a Macintosh accessories vendor, I very lightly massaged the two pixels using PowerSleevz ( see http://www.radtech.us/powersleevz.html ), an ultralight, form-fitting sleevecase made with Optex 100% synthetic ultra-microfiber (>1 million fibers/sq. inch), which I had purchased for $24.95 + shipping.

The black pixel disappeared immediately. The white pixel, on the other hand, flickered at first, then disappeared, but then periodically returned every few hours later before apparently disappearing completely within a couple weeks after repeated very light massaging.

My PowerBook screen now looks perfect, and the previously white pixed hasn't needed massaging for the past several weeks, so it has probably disappeared for good.

The registration process took only a few minutes. During the process, the application offered to connect to the Internet, but since I hadn't yet hooked up my AirPort Extreme Base Station, I decided to connect later.

Sub-section I.ii.d: The Jaguar Desktop

The MacOS X 10.2 Jaguar desktop then appeared. The graphical user interface, Aqua, was indeed aptly named. The initial look and feel of the desktop were indeed that of using desktop tools floating on a virtual glowing water backdrop. The desktop was apparently designed not just to be convenient, but also to be visually soothing, futuristic, and beautiful.

The dock, Aqua's counterpart to the Windows taskbar, appeared on the bottom of the screen. As I moved the mouse over the icons on the dock, each icon magnified momentarily.

Sub-section I.ii.e: The Trackpad and Backlit Keyboard

The trackpad was very smooth and easy to use, and allowed exceptional tracking accuracy.

The keyboard glowed when I passed my hands over the ambient light sensors. The distribution of backlight's blue light was not completely even, though, and the main keyboard section seemed to glow somewhat more brightly than the function key row, but the overall effect was quite beautiful. Since I live in an apartment whose overhead light switch is broken and cannot be turned off, I was unable to test the effect in the dark.

Sub-section I.ii.f: Speech and Voice Recognition

As I used the PowerBook, I discovered a voice recognition and speech feature. I turned it on from the Apple menu > System Preferences tool, selected a voice I liked, enabled voice confirmation, and, remembering a similar line by Scotty from "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," said, "Computer: What time is it?" The PowerBook responded, "'What time is it?' The time is 3:50 AM."

My PowerBook had just spoken back to me!

I then tried several other voice commands, but apparently, the repertoire was rather limited, and not all applications could use it. Also, voice recognition was not always accurate: once, I said, "Shut down," and the computer replied (I think), "Show dock," and hid the dock. I was glad that I had had voice confirmation enabled. I said, "Show dock," and the computer repeated my command and showed the dock again. I am currently investigating how to extend my PowerBook's voice recognition repertoire.

Sub-section I.ii.g: AirPort Extreme

I then set up my AirPort Extreme Base Station (with modem and antenna port) ($249.00 + tax) for wireless networking. The PowerBook came with AirPort Extreme technology built in, so I only needed to set up the base station. The base station also came in a version without the modem or antenna port for $50.00 less, but I opted for the higher-end version just in case I needed to expand it in the future.

The AirPort Extreme setup process was straightforward. After setting up my Verizon Residential DSL Service, I connected the base station to my DSL router via a premium-quality Belkin High Performance Category 6 UTP Patch Cable (3 feet) (Part # A3L980-03-BLU-S) ( http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Product_Id=118831 ) ($14.99 + tax).

Since I would be using the PowerBook on the opposite side of the room from the base station and DSL router, I connected both the router and the base station to separate Radio Shack One-Outlet Computer Equipment Surge Protectors ( http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F004%5F002%5F001%5F001&product%5Fid=61%2D2420 ) ($14.99 each x 2).

Then I connected the 4-line telephone cord to the Radio Shack surge protector, and connected another telephone cord from the surge protector to the DSL router.

The final software setup process was relatively straightforward. At first, after installing the AirPort software, I wasn't able to connect to the base station, so I ran the AirPort Assistant, and then was able to connect immediately. I haven't had any connection problems since then.

Sub-section I.ii.h: Accessories

I also purchased the following accessories (some of which may already be listed above) to improve my PowerBook experience:

* RadTech Wildeepz (Transparent Silicone Display Cushion Upgrade) ( http://www.radtech.us/wildeepz.html )
* RadTech Laptop ScreensavRz (Display Protection, Cleaning and Refinishing Cloth) ( http://www.radtech.us/screensavrz-laptop.html )
* RadTech PowerSleevz (Ultralight, Elegant, Form-Fitting Sleevecase) ( http://www.radtech.us/powersleevz.html )
* PodiumPad ( http://www.roadtools.com/podium.html )
* iKlear Apple Polish Kit ( http://www.iklear.com/iKlear.html#Anchor )

Of the above, the most useful have so far been the PodiumPad and the three RadTech products.

Several PodiumPads are used at the Genius Bar (repair counter) at The Apple Store in SoHo to ensure that laptops are kept cool while under inspection. My own PodiumPad has so far been instrumental in keeping my PowerBook cool; my PowerBook's internal fan has so far not even had to turn on once.

As for the RadTech products, the most critical is Wildeepz. These silicone display cushions maintain adequate distance between the PowerBook lid and the base, thus ensuring that the latch unhooks properly; one user reportedly cracked the screen of his 17-inch PowerBook by trying to force the latch open one day without these.

The instructions recommend using four along the top of the screen, but one user reported that doing so caused the screen to warp slightly, so I only use two. So far, I have had no problems with the latch.

Part II: Using the 17-inch PowerBook G4 for Video Editing

A certain user on the Apple Discussions Web Site ( http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?128@203.ViThaVLAbOz.0@.3bc1566b ) recommended that I post my response on this forum:

My questions are simple:-

* Will I be able to edit on this using either FCP4 or Avid Xpress DV3.5?

You will definitely be able to edit on it with Final Cut Pro 4; please see the following Web site for the technical specifications of FCP4:

http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/specs.html

You should also be able to edit using Avid Xpress DV3.5, according to the following Web site:

http://www.promax.com/Products/Detail/70054

What kind of realtime functionality can I expect - i'll be buying with the 512Mb upgrade (1Gb DDR total)? (FX, Transitions (cross disolves etc) & titling ???)

FCP4 reportedly has some of the following editing and timeline and effects features (quoted from the following Final Cut Pro 4 Technical Specifications Web page [ http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/specs.html ]):

* Edit at 23.976, true 24, 25, 29.97, or 30 fps

* Insert and overwrite with or without transitions

* Clip and sequence marker export to LiveType for titling

* 8-bit, 10-bit, and HDR (32-bit floating-point) rendering

* Over 200 transitions, effects, and filters

* FXScript and FXBuilder for designing custom filters and effects

Please see the following Web sites for technical specifications:

* 17-inch PowerBook G4 Graphics Acceleration Web page:
http://www.apple.com/powerbook/graphics.html

* Final Cut Pro 4 Technical Specifications:
http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/specs.html

* Can I author DVD's with this, & recommended software to use ?

You should use iDVD (see the Apple iDVD Web site [ http://www.apple.com/idvd/ ] for details) for editing DVD's. To quote from the Apple iDVD Features Web page ( http://www.apple.com/idvd/features.html ):

"iDVD 3 features a refined new interface that makes creating DVD-Video discs — complete with full-motion menus and scene selection buttons — even easier than ever before. Just drag and drop, point and click, and you’re done. iDVD 3 includes professionally designed themes and backgrounds, but it also lets you use your own movies and images for buttons and menu backgrounds.

"You can put up to 90 minutes of movies and thousands of digital stills on each DVD disc. The DVDs you create can be viewed on most standard set-top DVD players, as well as on Macs and PCs with DVD drives. You can also archive your images so that computer users can access them, as well as other bonus material. And because DVDs offer better image and sound quality than VHS tape, the people who see your DVD video will see the difference."

* Any known problems with this machine to look out for?
Overall, among the PowerBooks, the 17-inch model currently seems to be the most reliable and trouble-free.

Because of the aluminum coating, the case is considerably more scratch-resistant than the current 15-inch Titanium PowerBook. In addition, the 17-inch screen is very bright (I own a 17-inch PowerBook myself), and the 1 GHz G4 CPU is quite fast for most graphics applications. In addition, this PowerBook comes equipped with AirPort Extreme wireless IEEE 802.11(g) technology, running at 54 Mbps.

I myself recently purchased the 17-inch PowerBook after very careful consideration, and feel very happy with it.

Some minor precautions are the following:

* There have been a few reports of the aluminum coating on the wrist rest next to the trackpad developing black spots after repeated and prolonged contact with sweat. It would help to type in such a manner as not to allow sweaty palms from getting into prolonged contact with the aluminum coating, or to use an inexpensive wireless keyboard (such as the Logitech Cordless Navigator Duo Mouse and Keyboard, available from The Apple Store ( http://store.apple.com/ ) for US$79.95 + tax + shipping). The spots may reportedly be amenable to polishing, but this may change the shine of the surface.

This PowerBook, and the 12-inch one as well, both come equipped with nVIDIA GeForce4 4x0 Go graphics controllers (440 Go in the case of the 17-inch; 420 Go in the case of the 12-inch), instead of the earlier ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics controller. The nVIDIA graphics controllers are reportedly not very well suited for certain very high-speed games, such as Unreal Tournament 2003, because they lack programmable pixel and vertex shaders ( see an ongoing discussion on this topic at http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?s=cd353d8200da42c4a065ed1567600568&threadid=168149 ). However, there are reportedly certain games optimized for the nVIDIA controllers that may actually run faster on the 17-inch PowerBook than on the 15-inch one.

Occasionally, a PowerBook may ship with dead pixels on the screen, but these can usually be made to disappear with very light massaging using a very soft cloth such as PowerSleevz ( available from RadTech for $24.95 shipping; see http://www.radtech.us/powersleevz.html ). My PowerBook initially had two apparently dead pixels, but both disappeared with very light massaging using PowerSleevz, and now the screen looks perfect.

* Is this the right time to buy?? ie. is there a newer version of the Powerbook waiting in the wings ???

There are many rumors concerning the possible appearance of a new 15-inch aluminum PowerBook, but nobody (except insiders at Apple) seems to know for sure. As for the 17-inch PowerBook, it just started shipping in March, and it is unlikely that a significant update (other than a possible small CPU speed boost and/or RAM boost) will be available so soon.

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