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Computerworld - OK, I can admit it. I'm a sucker for Apple Computer Inc.'s 17-in. PowerBook line. I had one of the first of those that came out in March 2003 (see story), snagging one at a local Apple Store when the first shipment rolled in. Later that year, I upgraded to the 1.33-GHz model, and last year, I couldn't resist popping for the then-new 1.5-GHz version (see story).
Friends like it when Apple releases new hardware, too, because it generally means I can pass on, at a nominal discount, what I've been using. Co-workers jokingly refer to "Ken's Gently Used Electronics" store.
So when Apple updated its PowerBook line again last week -- finally, after nine months -- I managed to get an order in two hours after the new laptops were available. Lucky me. Mine shipped out last week and arrived Monday. Other road warriors who ordered PowerBooks that day are still waiting. The same is true for the popular midrange 15-in. models, although some have now shown up and are in happy buyers' hands.
Given the paucity of the speed increase -- we're only talking about an 11% boost in processor speed -- what makes this one stand out from earlier versions comes down to four main things: a lower price, twice the RAM, a better backlit keyboard and a new trackpad that allows you to scroll around documents, Web pages and photos by using two fingers instead of one.
The trackpad for day-to-day use looks to be the best improvement.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm as much a speed demon as the next geek, and a G5 processor in Apple's PowerBooks would have been a wonderful thing. But that doesn't mean the 1.67-GHz chip used in the new models is a slouch. And the nice thing about buying what is now the fourth revision of the "Lapzilla" or "lunch tray" PowerBooks is that this version is the most solid one yet. Build quality, on first blush, is outstanding. No bad pixels. No flaky latches. Battery life and heat are on par with the previous generations, and I've yet to notice the fans coming on. Temperature Monitor shows the "processor bottomside" holding at 129 degrees after hours of light use.

The latest 17-in. PowerBook looks the same as earlier models.

Having said that, if you bought a PowerBook last year, there's little reason to upgrade. In fact, if you have the second iteration of the 17-in. model, the one released in late 2003, you might want to hold off