If Apple notebooks were built like Thinkpads, I would own one

[psycho bob]

i agree with the OP. you don't have to trash PCs and other computers just because you love apples. apples are nice but they arent godsends either and definitely have their share of faults. ...but this is a mac forum though.

I quite agree but a blanket statement that Thinkpads are better for xyz qulaities isn't right either. They are solid machines but they too can exhibit problems.

No machine is flawless, IBM use a tried and tested design with solid components and get trusted results. Apple push the design envelope and do encounter more issues in their new designs then some but they iron them out and most of the bugs are annoying rather then serious.

I've had nothing but positive experience of Sony VAIO's and would easily put them on a par with Thinkpad's for what it's worth.

 

[dpaanlka]

i agree with the OP. you don't have to trash PCs and other computers just because you love apples. apples are nice but they arent godsends either and definitely have their share of faults. ...but this is a mac forum though.

I'll trash ThinkPads all I want, I owned one. Members, please, stop coming into these heavy debates with posts like "lets all be friends - everything is wonderful!" You're ruining the fun with that nonsense. I think some of you are taking our debates way too seriously.

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

iv always wondered why IBM doesnt even put their chips in their own laptops! also, what is that "access IBM" button that's on all thinkpads? what does it do?

IBM Processors are not x86 compatible - in other words, they wouldn't work with Windows, and IBM does not have an operating system that it could sell to consumers.

(Someone correct me if I'm wrong!!!)

 

[zap2]

I'll trash ThinkPads all I want, I owned one. Members, please, stop coming into these heavy debates with posts like "lets all be friends - everything is wonderful!" You're ruining the fun with that nonsense. I think some of you are taking our debates way too seriously.

Darn right!!
I'm love talking about Mac vs PC stuff, you kind of have to stand on one side in a debate(if you really want to get into it)

 

[zap2]

IBM Processors are not x86 compatible - in other words, they wouldn't work with Windows, and IBM does not have an operating system that it could sell to consumers.

(Someone correct me if I'm wrong!!!)

No you right, but you would think if IBM was making chips, they would make it work with there hardware

What i think it comes down to is, IBM thinks PPC is better but Windows is in control and there are looking to sell hardware(so they need laptops with x86, so intel wins)

 

[wmmk]

IBM Processors are not x86 compatible - in other words, they wouldn't work with Windows, and IBM does not have an operating system that it could sell to consumers.

(Someone correct me if I'm wrong!!!)

you are very right. if IBM really believes in their own stuff, they should make a linux distro and put it on PPC.

 

[dpaanlka]

What about OS/2

 

[poppe]

*cough* heretic *cough*

Sorry, but what on earth is that?

Doorstop wedge, or computer?

Its probably one of the best Mouse like features a laptop can have. Every laptop after the think pad that I've ever put my hands on feels like its missing something...

Yes at first its a little awkward, but so is not using the start menu. Then you get over it and realize the beauty... just like the little red nose reindeer mouse butting thingy mah-bob!

 

[poppe]

Don't even throw out the excuse of first generation product. My thinkpad x40 is first generation, my friends t60 is first generation. my mom's dell 9300 is first generation, and we don't have these issues.
QUOTE]


Well those are all none Apple things, thats like saying buy a PS3 because Nintendo makes good Rev A stuff, it simple makes no sense.

Actually its more like: Nitendo makes superb rev A products why can't PS3, but then again this analogy does not work because many think pads are a little more similar to the Apple products than a PS3 and Nintendo...

 

[poppe]

Thinkpad's were great computers, but really have started to go down hill as many of said...

My sister's work issued laptop is a Tablet think pad (12 inches or so) and man... It is horrendous (sp?).... It is very dell feeling.

For example: when typing in some forum like this suddenly the text is deleted like you hit ctrl A then crtl X or something.

The other problem is how it actually feels. Her original think pad felt plastic yes, but still felt like the strongest and most durable laptop (plastic ones) around, but this one feels very Compaq like (if you've ever held one of those).

 

[poppe]

Side Note

On a different note: My girlfriends father has a dell that he just loves. The whole family loves Dell's ( I know I know time for a new girlfriend), but his keeps breaking down.

His hard drive crashed about a month and a half ago so that doesn't really count, but now last night he was playing some new NBA game and after 3 online games it suddenly began resetting itself, and would begin to load windows and then suddenly reset itself again. HaHa...

The point is is that he still would never even think about another brand besides Dell. Thought that was very weird... its not even an XPS or anything...

 

[OutThere]

Revisions:

You have essentially no way of knowing what revision your computer is if it isn't an Apple. Why? Because other companies don't make a big stink about revising their products. My Dell FPW2005 is a 3rd revision. (I read online about serial numbers and revisions etc.) So, your Thinkpad might be the first generation of that model, but they could have revised the hardware 10 times by now...


Aesthetics:

Thinkpads are butt ugly. Fine. If you don't mind butt ugly, that's your choice. If you're going to preach how butt ugly is cool, most people don't want to hear it. There are a number of reasons we bought Macs, and for many of us it's aesthetics. I mean, it doesn't matter if my house is entirely rotten and covered in bird poop as long as it's nice inside, right?


The mouse-button track-button thing:

I really like it. Unfortunately it only comes on PCs.



My bottom line: I like to refer to ThinkPads as 'clunkers from hell'.

 

[colinet]

Actually, all current computers with the Duo Core do whine. Where'd you hear they didn't?

********, I've got a black Macbook and it doesn't whine at all. (unlike some of the people in this forum)

 

[weckart]

What about OS/2

No longer on sale

http://www-306.ibm.com/software/os/warp/

 

[semaja2]

a bit off topic but... is there any software that can control the fans? i mean im sure most users would be happy to install a piece of software and set it to what ever cpu fan speed they like.

IMO i love it that they dont have the fans on, but having that extra functionality would be kinda cool.

NOTE TO APPLE: in the power preferences give us a option on when to activate the fans (like 30c degrees or 50c degrees)

EDIT: i found this, it seems you can control the fans in ubunutu http://tiger.chem.uw.edu.pl/~poszwa/ibook/

Fan is controlled by therm_adt746x and the module is loaded by default. I noticed that in the standard configuration the fan turns on much more frequently than in Mac OS X. It starts running when the CPU temp reaches 50 C. I raised the limits by +5 C by putting therm_adt746x limit_adjust=5 line into /etc/modules. With this increase fan operates only after a few minutes of CPU intensive task. The fan is still much often on than in Mac OS X but this new limit was OK.

 

[dukebound85]

Lets drop my thinkpad from 6 feet and your macbook pro, and see which one breaks more

So what if they look like they're from the 80's?

Porsche's haven't changed their look for a good 10+ years yet every year they sell more and more because they get built better, faster, and more utilitarian. Fast engine, great handling, that's what it's all about. Not who can make a crazier design ferrari or lamborghini

my thinkpad is a notebook that i am confident playing with no matter where i am, the mac books are fragile, heavy, heat, and have poor battery life.

my notebook is 2 years old and would you believe i still get 7.5 hours of battery life? when i got it 2 years ago it lasted 10

computers are not cars is all i have to say. that and im sure ferrari and lamborghini are doing just fine in terms of selling cars so whats your point again? people get what they want and unfortuanatly your analogy i dont think applies well to the old boxy style hondas of the 80's. who in their right mind wants an old boxy car lol

 

[jamesi]

*cough* heretic *cough*

Sorry, but what on earth is that?

Doorstop wedge, or computer?

lol good arguement. just kidding

 

[jamesi]

i am a firm believer that the thinkpad line offers the best option for a PC laptop. i wanted to extend that to best option for a laptop period, but ill wait until OS X is legally supported on non apple hardware. granted the thinkpads look rather ugly, if it were inside a nice apple style case, i think there would be more supporters.

 

[codo]

I have honestly never seen a more repulsive looking computer. I guess it has the advantage that no one would want to steal it, but still.

If I was in the market for a PC laptop, I'd buy from Evesham, a company in the UK that build fantastic machines and have service twice if not three times as good as Dell's.

 

[ikonq]

would you want to waste the time talking to some indian across the ocean?

My MacBook Pro had a faulty Logic Board, Inverter and Display on arival and so was deemed DOA and a replacement was organised within 10 minutes of calling Apple. It was picked up via couriers the next day and the CTO had already started being built when I called up to enquire later on that day.

The two people I spoke to were nice, courteous and spoke fluent english. One of them even called me back when the line got a little static-ridden, saying "do you mind if I call you back? this line is a little static-ridden because you've been transferred from tech-support."

I'm very pleased with Apple service.

If you don't like talking to people from India, then there are a few things you can do first; Run Apple Hardware Test (or Service Diagnostic), or get it looked at by a Certified Tech. If it's stuffed out of the Box it's DOA and you can organise a replacement- If it's outside of the 14 or so day DOA period, you can get it repaired at a service center or if the problem persists with new parts- you may be lucky enough to get a customer satisfaction machine.

For the 'whine', I can't see why people care. Run iTunes or something and a) you won't hear it, b) it'll be gone anyway).

The Heat is nothing to me- I felt like it was cozy on my lap. My wrists were fine too.

*shrugs*

 

[skubish]

Before I get called a heretic, I became a switcher a month ago. I am the proud owner of a 20 inch iMac and I love it.

Safari is a pain in the ass sometimes, but this thread isn't about Safari.

Back on topic: my other computer is an IBM Thinkpad X40, my friend has a T60, and honestly I can't see myself getting a MacBook Pro or a regular MacBook after using what I think is the pinnacle of notebook design.

Yes they look sexy, and this one girl who sits 2 rows in front of me in microbiology has a MBP. I've talked with her over coffee about it and she hates the heat, she doesn't get the whine but she heard abut it.

Second, don't blame Intel and hot chips. Remember my friend's T60? It has a core duo hip inside and it's cool to the touch on the bottom, only having a slightly warm left palm rest. Not even close to the temperature of the MBP.

Don't even throw out the excuse of first generation product. My thinkpad x40 is first generation, my friends t60 is first generation. my mom's dell 9300 is first generation, and we don't have these issues. the one thing that annoys me to no end is any self respecting mac geek will tell you to avoid first generation notebooks from apple, yet he doesn't see anything wrong in that statement.

you're explicitly telling people not to buy a product just because it's the first iteration, which happens to be crap. how can you say that with a straight face and still claim you have a better product?

my rant is over, will it accomplish anything? not really

will apple portables get better? god i hope so because right now they are weak sauce.

i love os x, i love my imac, i dislike apple notebooks, and i love my ultra-portable thinkpad x40

make me fall in love with your notebooks dammit

99% of Apple users surveyed say that the Thinkpad is fugly.
'nuff said.

 

[FleurDuMal]

If Apples were built like a Thinkpad, and Thinkpads looked like Apple's, ran OSX, never got viruses, had firewire, didn't crash, etc, etc then I'd buy a Thinkpad.

 

[semaja2]

My MacBook Pro had a faulty Logic Board, Inverter and Display on arival and so was deemed DOA and a replacement was organised within 10 minutes of calling Apple. It was picked up via couriers the next day and the CTO had already started being built when I called up to enquire later on that day.

The two people I spoke to were nice, courteous and spoke fluent english. One of them even called me back when the line got a little static-ridden, saying "do you mind if I call you back? this line is a little static-ridden because you've been transferred from tech-support."

I'm very pleased with Apple service.

If you don't like talking to people from India, then there are a few things you can do first; Run Apple Hardware Test (or Service Diagnostic), or get it looked at by a Certified Tech. If it's stuffed out of the Box it's DOA and you can organise a replacement- If it's outside of the 14 or so day DOA period, you can get it repaired at a service center or if the problem persists with new parts- you may be lucky enough to get a customer satisfaction machine.

For the 'whine', I can't see why people care. Run iTunes or something and a) you won't hear it, b) it'll be gone anyway).

The Heat is nothing to me- I felt like it was cozy on my lap. My wrists were fine too.

*shrugs*

I cant agree any more, when i had to call tech support i actually got a asian first then i rang again and was transfered higher up and got a australian.

So what i reccomended is to sound technical and try to get transfered higher up

 

[Timepass]

I cant agree any more, when i had to call tech support i actually got a asian first then i rang again and was transfered higher up and got a australian.

So what i reccomended is to sound technical and try to get transfered higher up

that is always the case. Lv 1 tech support is just scripted tech support. It is no differnt for apple. They have to read a script and if they do anything differently they get in trouble.

at lv2 they are allow to become free thinkers and think about what the problem is a not do just what the computer monitor is saying.

I will say scripting works for over 90% of the phone calls. It cheaper and easier to run and anyone can do it. They just have to be able to click a mouse and read a screen. Now lv 2 is quite helpful when you get to them. It always getting past the lv 1 stuff first.

 

[Passante]

I just looked at the specs for the T60.

Stock T 60 Compared to the basic Macbook

Basic screen resolution is lower 1024 x 768 (T60) vs 1280 X 800
HD is smaller 40 gig vs 60 gig
Tray loading vs slot loading CDRW
Optical audio on the Mac
Xtra USB port on T60
PC card slot on the T60

I'm not seeing superior specs??