Hmm

[ksmith]

I use my iBook a lot, to the point that it's become my default writing computer. This is due to its portability, mostly.

But it's almost 4 years old, and things are starting to get iffy. I can't connect to the internet anymore. I remove the cable that's connected to the iMac, plug it in, and nothing. I don't know if the Airport Extreme card that I installed is interfering in some way (yes, I have the card, but no router up and running, so no wireless internet), or if the port itself is the issue.

This morning, I plugged in my USB Reader/Writer with flash card to transfer a file, and it took four unplug/plug-in attempts for the iBook to register the presence of the card.

yes, I'm wondering whether I should be considering a MacBook, or a refurbed iBook. Not that I particularly want to spend the money right now--if port repair is a simple fix, I should go with that. I don't need a new laptop. Really. I don't.

Comments

[daveamongus.livejournal.com]

Repairing the port almost always means replacing the motherboard, which can be a process and generally an expensive one at that. You're certainly looking at more than the computer is worth, and probably a significant percentage of the cost of a new one.

And all that's available right now from Apple is going to be refurbed MacBooks; I think the iBook is done, unless you go to eBay.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

The motherboard? Now I'm afraid to use it at all.

I told myself that I would refrain from buying a new laptop until I sold something. I really would like to wait.

I checked out MacBooks, of course. I want the black one, which is the most expensive. With the protection program, we're edging up to $2K.

Please hold out, little iBook...

[bb-kristopher.livejournal.com]

As tempting as the black is, you can get the exact same thing by going to the apple site and configuring a white MacBook with the same specs, and it will come out about $200 cheaper than the black. (Which is why I have a white MacBook instead). Of course, using the savings for a new iPod would be silly and irresponsible.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Thing is, my iBook is white. White starts to look scruffy after a while. 'Course, there's no guarantee that the black won't age equally badly.

[daveamongus.livejournal.com]

On laptops, as with most desktops these days, including your iMac, the physical hardware for all of that stuff is built right into the motherboard, so it could be something wrong with the socket itself, but it might be the chip that allows the communication with the rest of the computer. The former would require a spare part and a soldering iron, the latter a new mobo.

On the plus side, I've rarely seen integrated network issues on PCs go much beyond that. Failure here doesn't necessarily mean failure elsewhere. Though, four years is where I start to expect something to go wrong sooner, rather than later. So, something else could go wrong, and it may or may not be related to the network port dying.

tappu just got a new (refurb) Dell laptop because the PC I had built for her just after our wedding (4.5 years ago) finally accumulated too many problems and I couldn't Frankenstein out enough solutions.

So yeah, I'd start budgeting for it sooner, rather than later.

[bb-kristopher.livejournal.com]

Depending on which model iBook you have, you're looking at anywhere from $80 to $500 dollars, just for the parts ($80 for the old iBooks with the color cases, $500 for the most recent iBooks with G4 processors). Then there's labor to consider.

A referb would probably get you more value for your money than a repair, depending on the age of your machine, but if you decide to go the repair route, you could try:

http://www.macservice.com/
http://www.powerbookmedic.com/

If you decide to go the MacBook route though, you definitely won't be disappointed. I got one a couple of months again, and I love it. The new keyboard especially, but the built in Webcam and the remote are things of beauty.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I have a G4 iBook, so we're talking $$$.

I know there's a MacBook in my future. I just didn't want it to be quite this soon...

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

also, it depends on if you want to upgrade to Leopard. I figure in another year or so I'll be turning my iBook in for a MacBook with Leopard.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I was going to buy Leopard for the desktop next month anyway, but I plan on (knock wood) keeping that for a while yet.

I just don't want a major hardware failure to make the decision for me...