The Big Mac Dilemma

[Belfastboy]

What ever u do go for scamp, make sure it has a DVD burner ie...a superdrive.

basically so u can download all your home digital video compliations onto DVD also u can include your photography on the DVD as well....but im sure u know all this anyhow...

another suggestion would be to maybe search eBay....if you do enough browsing u can get some really good deals, if u dont mind 2nd hand goods...as long as they have decent feedback ie 95%+ go for it....

[Nordlys]

PowerBook 12" Combo Drive  B69,900

PowerBook 12" Combo Drive  B71,900

PowerBook 15" Combo Drive  B88,900

PowerBook 15" Super Drive  B98,900

PowerBook 17" Super Drive  B121,900

iBook 12" Combo Drive  B47,900

iBook 14" Super Drive  B62,900 

iBook 12" Combo Drive  B39,900 (1.2Ghz, discontinued model) 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Correction: 2nd model PowerBook from the top of the list (12") is a Super Drive model... not combo. Super Drive model comes with a larger capacity HDD (80GB), whereas combo drive model comes with 60GB HDD. I don't think super drive powerbooks can burn double layer DVD yet, so I got myself a super fast external drive that can burn double layer DVD (8.5GB) and instead bought combo drive PowerBooks. BTW DDR SDRAM for PowerBook is also very expensive in Thailand.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

What is the current price of a G4 powerbook in Bangkok?

Providing I can get an international warranty?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK, so I was at Apple Center (Copperwired) Thonglor J Avenue branch today and got a price list. So here you go the prices in Thailand. Other shops in Fortune or Pantip might sell the same product for less (than the prices below) but not considerably less (but can't be more than this price as far as I can tell). All prices below inclusive of 7% VAT.

PowerBook 12" Combo Drive B69,900

PowerBook 12" Combo Drive B71,900

PowerBook 15" Combo Drive B88,900

PowerBook 15" Super Drive B98,900

PowerBook 17" Super Drive B121,900

iBook 12" Combo Drive B47,900

iBook 14" Super Drive B62,900

iBook 12" Combo Drive B39,900 (1.2Ghz, discontinued model)

I don't know about the prices in Singapore and HK, but I've been a long time Mac user myself and had 7 Macs both desktop and notebook but never bought any hardwares in Thailand as I always found the Apple products in Thailand way overpriced (including the iPod, 4GB iPod mini is sold here for more than 6GB iPod mini in Japan). I just bought myself a 2nd PowerBook in Japan three weeks ago and I paid approx B55,000 (duty-free) for the 12 inch combo drive model sold in Thailand for almost B70,000. Last year, I bought 15 inch, combo drive PowerBook in Japan for B63,000 when the same model was sold for B81,000 after discount during the annual COMMART fair at Queen Sirikit convention center (promotional price effective only during the fair). I don't know how much the air fare would be from Beijing to Tokyo, but since you're not too far out from Tokyo and if you've never been to Japan, why not a visit to Tokyo so you can buy your apple and at the same time do some sight seeing there (well, of course that's if you'd want to).

Anyway if that's out of question and if you find Beijing prices to be not a whole lot cheaper than Bangkok, and if you're coming to Bangkok in any which way, then I'd fly to Singapore to buy one. These days you can fly to Singapore for 2 nights 3 days package for less than B5,000 and I would assume the price difference of higher end model PowerBooks between Bangkok and Singapore to be greater than that amount.

BTW, you'll get worldwide warranty for apple notebooks wherever you buy it (as far as I know). Whether or not you get the same service under the warranty (or if or not the service is available at all whether or not under the warranty) is another matter though.

Also, I find the Sony VAIO price in Thailand to be outrageous (than apple prices here). Almost 30 - 40% higher than in Japan.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for this info, I'm expecting a G5 to be around 100,000 BHT so I'm looking at almost a grand and a half UKP.

Although I'm set on a Mac, how come many Mac users have several machines?

If they are so good, is one not enough?

Also, will I have to buy the movie editing software seperately or will it all be included as part of the package?

I have currently saved about 1,200 UKP and will be ready to buy when I have enough funds to live through my three week holiday come mid Oct.

I will probably fly direct from Beijing to Bangkok unless I find a special deal or unless I can get enough solid confirmation that I would be definately better off flying via HK or Singy as I would, as we all know, end up spending more than the flight as even for a day or two there would be taxis, a hotel, food and possibly a couple of beers.

I am very much looking forward to making my movie - 'Carnivology' - and hope the Mac can cope with ease with all the ideas I have to feed it.

[Firefoxx]

The Mac will come with software which can make movies, but of course a more professional solution like Final Cut Pro would be in order if you're halfway serious.

An update on the Intel Macs: There will be another newer batch of Powerbooks introduced in a month's time, and the launch of the Intel Macs will be around the middle-to-late 2006. Of course, if you need something now, then you don't wait for something around the corner.

And if anyone thinks that a PC is not capable of doing movies... I've edited several hundred hours of DV video on my PC without a hitch.

[Nordlys]

Thanks for this info, I'm expecting a G5 to be around 100,000 BHT so I'm looking at almost a grand and a half UKP.

The first model after a major model change is always very expensive. I had the first model Powerbook G4 (titanium), and I paid B150,000 for that (I regret I did). Aside from CPU being G4 chip, the spec of this machine was almost the same as the preceding model, Pismo PowerBook G3, which cost 2/3 the price of my first titanium. This PowerBook I had was the most expensive of G4 PowerBook family, yet the lowest in spec. I don't think the PB G5 price will be that high though, but more than B100K for sure, given the existing model 15 inch super drive is almost B100K.

Although I'm set on a Mac, how come many Mac users have several machines?

If they are so good, is one not enough?

I had three, just sold my first PBG4 to my in-laws. Now I have two, one for personal use, another I had my company buy it for me recently. I might sell another one (12 inch or 15 inch PB). Interested?

Also, will I have to buy the movie editing software seperately or will it all be included as part of the package?

My PowerBook came with iMovie and iDVD bundled. You probably can do basic stuffs with them. For more professional editing you might need Final Cut Pro (or others). Very expensive software but we have Pantip in Thailand.

I will probably fly direct from Beijing to Bangkok unless I find a special deal or unless I can get enough solid confirmation that I would be definately better off flying via HK or Singy as I would, as we all know, end up spending more than the flight as even for a day or two there would be taxis, a hotel, food and possibly a couple of beers.

Just saw Singapore Air ad in BKK Post yesterday, what used to be B4,500 deal for 2 nights 3 days package to Singapore a few months ago is now B6,500 (or B6,900, around that range).

Edited September 21, 2005 by Nordlys

[The Gentleman Scamp]

I had three, just sold my first PBG4 to my in-laws. Now I have two, one for personal use, another I had my company buy it for me recently. I might sell another one (12 inch or 15 inch PB). Interested?

Possibly...

My PowerBook came with iMovie and iDVD bundled.

Is this the one you might be selling?

The Mac will come with software which can make movies, but of course a more professional solution like Final Cut Pro would be in order if you're halfway serious.

All the way serious.

It will be an insider view/video dairy/documentary of life on the worlds largest travelling funfair and I have lots of DV footage to use but I also hope to incorporate footage from other DVD's and from digital photos.

I will write a list of what I want to do and see if it's all possible, some of it is very simple, for example during an interview, fading into other footage but keeping the soundtrack.

More complicated ideas involve a lot of fast cut editing, cartoon sound FX and lots of music fade in and outs, slow motion and normal speed backwards to name some.

Parts of Natural Born Killers and the third act of Goodfellas are similar to a lot of the stuff I have in mind.

Edited September 23, 2005 by The Gentleman Scamp

[patrickq]

Scamp, I've been through a lot of this myself and am about to purchase a Powerbook. Forget the Mac critics, even those who claim to be afficionados and then say get a pc! If you are using a pc you are probably well aware of what a nightmare Windows is and the huge problem with viruses if you ever get on the internet. Sure Macs aren't perfect, however the limitations and problems are nothing compared to pcs ... I've used both and my brother is a long time pc user, he's been programming since the late 60s, and even he gets frequent dire problems. There is a lot more available in the way of software for pcs, but so what, the best editing and graphics software is Mac based ... and that is what you want to do. Get Final Cut Express or the Pro version, the BBC use it now for documentary etc because it is so good. Even the iMovie software is a breeze to use, from all reports I have read ... I'll be finding out soon.

You have to get a Powerbook, not iBook, it isn't sophisticated enough for the work you are planning. Also get, as a minimum, the 15" Superdrive. The 12" does not have an inbuilt ability to display full size on larger screens for editing, which can be useful, also you'll find the screen to small to work on easily. The combo won't have built in dvd burner. As suggested get firewire connected hard disk to use when editing. I tried a G4 Powerbook for a couple of weeks and it was so easy, out of the box, turned it on, it connected wirelessly to local internet. If you've not used a Mac before, give yourself a couple of weeks and you'll be very familiar with it. If you do any research on what the professionals in the Music Industry and Film use you'll find Macs predominant .. there is a reason why.

Praising over, as I said Macs are not perfect, check out Macuser.com forums if you want to see some griping, but it is all relative and they just are the best available option for the use you plan. By the way if you are in London you can buy a Mac from the Regent Street store and return it within 14 days if you don't like it, no questions asked. Presume they are still doing this and maybe they do so elsewhere.

Patrick

Edited September 29, 2005 by patrickq

[GoodHeart]

Clearly an Apple Powerbook is the laptop to opt for.

There are those cheaper ones (i books?), but they don't have the same visual impact and clean lines

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Think Vaio would be a better option - more bang for your baht. Apples are considerably more pricey btw.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or so conventional wisdom would have us believe. But the fact of the matter is this, they are packed with more superior hardware, better software and more a integrated technology package such that it warrants the 'extra' cost. Assuming you compare the components one to one.

Case in point: When Apple's 17" Powerbook first came out i was in the OP'ers same situation. As a PC user then, hoewver, I was poised to buy PC and shopped the market for 6 months getting a handle on price vs. technology. And all the while pondering whether I should/could and would make the leap (read ought to into that last one).

At the time I'd just priced out a top of the line Dell 15" laptop for US $3500. Yet that lofty price did not include the Bluetooth, the Wireless 802.11 B & G built-in, DVD burner, 17" screen, illuminated keyboard, multiple monitor capacity, and Rendevous networking technology that I paid US $3200 for when I bought in the Powerbook exactly one week after it was announced to the world.

That 17", by the way, is still humming along, every bit as good today as when I took delivery of it then. And furthermore, is said to be worth US $1500, as of today, on the used laptop market here in Bangkok, This according to the retailer who sold me my replacement 15" Powerbook last month.

But I'll bet whoever did buy the Dell 15"'s for those prices was never as happy nor empowered as I was over the lifespan of the machine. And I'll bet their machines aren't worth that same percentile of the original investment as mine is, assuming of course the machines are still running.

People who use Macs are fanatical for three reasons: The UI is a joy to use; the hardware is top notch and the software running it all is brilliant. The problem, if it can be called such, is

this: the technology is so subtle, so effortless, and so sublime that most people are never aware of the impact of same upon their computing experience.

Put that in your value consious pipe and smoke it....

Edited September 29, 2005 by GoodHeart