iBook G4

From Mac Guides

The iBook was Apple's consumer-level laptop between Oct 2003 and May 2006, which was made from a polycarbonate exterior.

There are two major types of iBook; the 12-inch iBook and the 14-inch iBook. The 14-inch still sports the same 1024x768 resolution as the 12-inch, but often came with a faster processor and better optical drive than the 12-inch iBook. All models either come with Airport Extreme (Wireless-g) built in or as an option.

Contents 1 Models 2 Notes 3 iBook Concerns 3.1 Keyboard Wear 3.2 Upgradeability 3.3 Battery Recall 4 Other iBooks

Models

Date	Processor	L2 Cache	Max RAM	Optical Drive	Graphics	Display	Wireless
October 22, 2003	PPC 7457 G4 - 800 MHz	256 KB	640 MB	Combo	ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB	12.1"	Optional
October 22, 2003	PPC 7457 G4 - 933 MHz	256 KB	640 MB	Combo	ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB	14.1"	Optional
October 22, 2003	PPC 7457 G4 - 1 GHz	256 KB	640 MB	Combo	ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB	14.1"	Optional
April 19, 2004	PPC 7447a G4 - 1 GHz	512 KB	1.25 GB	Combo	ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB	12.1"	Optional
April 19, 2004	PPC 7447a G4 - 1 GHz	512 KB	1.25 GB	Combo or SuperDrive	ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB	14.1"	Optional
April 19, 2004	PPC 7447a G4 - 1.2 GHz	512 KB	1.25 GB	Combo or SuperDrive	ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB	14.1"	Optional
October 19, 2004	PPC 7447a G4 - 1.2 GHz	512 KB	1.25 GB	Combo	ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB	12.1"	Built-in
October 19, 2004	PPC 7447a G4 - 1.33 GHz	512 KB	1.25 GB	Combo or SuperDrive	ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 32MB	14.1"	Built-in
July 26, 2005	PPC 7447a G4 - 1.33 GHz	512 KB	1.5 GB	Combo	ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 32MB	12.1"	Built-in
July 26, 2005	PPC 7447a G4 - 1.42 GHz	512 KB	1.5 GB	SuperDrive	ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 32MB	14.1"	Built-in

Notes

• The final revision of the 14" iBook is the only iBook to have a 142 MHz system bus. Every other iBook had a 133 MHz or slower bus.
• iBooks were preinstalled with iLife, AppleWorks, and the Mac OS X Panther or Tiger Operating Systems depending on release date.
• The video card in the last revision iBook is the ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 (4x AGP) with 32 MB of vRAM, and is sufficient to run Core Image effects such as the Ripple, as well as being fully capable of supporting the basic operations of Tiger.
• Included are 2 USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire 400 port, Ethernet, Modem, Audio-Out, and a mini-VGA port.
• The iBook only supports monitor mirroring (duplicating the contents of the built-in display) out of the box. However, a simple hack can enable spanning (displaying different contents on each display)

iBook Concerns

Keyboard Wear

A number of users have complained that the labels on the iBook G4's keyboard tend to wear off quickly. The problem is related to the paint or decals used to label the keys. The keys continue to function, but reading the labels becomes difficult or impossible.

Upgradeability

Other than upgrading the memory on an iBook, user upgrades can be a challenge. Upgrading the hard drive or DVD player requires practically dismantling the entire machine--a difficult task for the average user. Further, such upgrades may result in voiding Apple's warranty on the machine.

Battery Recall

12" iBooks with the model number A1061 with a serial number in the range of ZZ338 through ZZ427, 3K429 through 3K611, 6C510 through 6C626 require a replacement [1]. See the Apple Support Page for more information.

Other iBooks

A list of other iBook models can be found here.