My ibook finally bit the dust. After 18 months of nearly flawless operation (ok, I had to replace the hard drive once) my lil buddy is headed for the great chip fab in the sky.
I was having some trouble with the screen fading in and out. For some reason a brisk slap to the lower left wrist-rest area seemed to bring it back. After a few too many brisk slaps, however, the system stopped booting. Turns out the hard drive lives right under that area. I pulled the hard drive - no easy feat on an iBook - and put it in my old Pismo, but no luck. I had slapped it to death. Fortunately I had backed the system up just a few days earlier so I didn't lose much data, mostly just email. I could probably get the whole thing repaired, but it would cost more than a brand new iBook.
My real quandary lies in choosing its replacement. I was within inches of buying a new 12" Powerbook but I realized that the minute I did Apple would release new notebook models. So I'm holding off. Everyone has assured me that new aluminum 15" models are on the way.I'm guessing they'll be announced June 23 at the Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference. I think it very unlikely that Apple will wait until the MacWorld conference in July, particularly since Jobs seems to be feuding with MacWorld's organizers.
[Guess I was wrong. Now I'm waiting for Joz's presentation July 16. -Leo] It should happen soon. The TiBooks are way overdue for an update. Even Woz told me I should wait.
Meanwhile I'm laptop-less and suffering. I was totally dependent on my iBook. I have plenty of other systems, including my old Pismo Powerbook, but none of them quite do the trick. I'm off to New York tomorrow for my regular appearances on ABC's
World News Now and
Live with Regis and Kelly (I'll give you the actual times and dates when I learn them). I'm going to bring a
Fujitsu Lifebook P5000 with me so I'll be able to steal WiFi as usual, but it's not going to be the same.
I will also be bringing a
Nikon D100 digital SLR - and that I'm excited about. It's way too expensive for me to buy right now, but if I had a spare $2500 this is the camera I'd choose. Can't wait to shoot up New York with it. I'll post pictures when I get back.
Here are some of the products I'm bringing with me and hope to show on TV...
WNN:
SEGMENT ONE - Digital Cameras:
SEGMENT TWO - Summer Proofing Your PC:
- APC, Back-UPS CS Series
- Tripp-Lite, Isotel8 Ultra Surge Protector
Live with Regis and Kelly: Dads and Grads
- Apple , iPod
- Samsung, i500 PDA/Phone
- Intrigue Technologies, Harmony SST-768 Universal Remote Control
- PoGo! Products, Radio YourWay - First portable digital AM/FM radio recorder
- Suunto, M9 - Navigational GPS Watch for sailing enthusiasts
- Canon, Powershot S230
- HP, Deskjet 3820 printer
- Timex, Digital Heart Rate Fitness System, $140 Ironman Triathlon watch with chronometer, timer, and alarm
- Sharper Image, Laser Softball, $30 - Clocks pitch speed automatically
- Sharper Image, Dynaflex Powerball, $40 - Gyroscopic ball for strengthening your wrist
- Swingless Golf Corp, Swingless Golf Club
It's going to be a gadget festival! I tape WNN Sunday night and the segments usually air on the first Tuesday of each month. I'll be at Regis on Tuesday, but no word yet whether I'll be live or taped for a later show. Lately they've been doing post-show tapings, so I'm thinking that's probably what will happen this time, too.
Friday, December 31, 1999 at 5:01PM 