Apple PowerBook G4

When Apple announced the release of updated 15- and 17-inch PowerBooks back in October, one question seemed to drown out the rest: were the refreshed models just place holders before the company's much talked-about decision to switch to Intel processors finally takes effect?  We had the chance to test the 17-inch model, and the upgrades to Apple's flagship line of notebooks are certainly not trivial.

The two largest enhancements being touted by Apple are improved battery life and screen resolution. The notebook's souped-up battery promises to give you up to 5.5 hours of use. When we tested the notebook's life by running a DVD, the PowerBook stayed alive for just under three hours, which should give you more than enough time to watch almost any movie not directed by Peter Jackson. It also suggests you can get at least an hour more of endurance if all you're doing is basic productivity chores.

The 17-inch model offers an impressive 36 percent increase in resolution, upping the pixels from 1440 x 900 to 1680 x 1050, and increasing the display's brightness by 46 percent, making the notebook all the more ideal for digital photo enthusiasts, designers, and graphic artists who have long preferred Apple's processing and graphical capabilities. On the audio front, the notebook's speakers stand up quite well against comparably-priced desktop replacements.

The Apple SuperDrive 8X DVD burner is now standard on all three models for the first time, perfect for use with the new iMovie HD, which allows users to download, edit, and burn video from High Definition cameras. You can also easily convert video clips and download them to the fifth-generation iPods.

This enhanced PowerBook is optimized for OS X Tiger, which features those infamous little Dashboard widgets, giving the user instant desktop access to stocks, weather, dictionaries, and an ever-increasing array of information. Tiger's Spotlight offers instantaneous desktop search results, beginning a system-wide hunt for files the moment that you type the first letter.

The scrolling trackpad and ambient light sensors, which illuminate the keyboard in a darkened room, are both present on the new model. Otherwise, the PowerBook's design is identical to its predecessor, which is a good thing. It's still the only 17-inch notebook on the market that weighs under seven pounds. The notebook retains its aluminum alloy finish and front loading disc drive. Apple elegantly lines both sides of the laptop with the ports and PC Card slot.

As with all Apple computers, the latest versions of Apple's iLife, which includes iTunes, iPhoto, iDVD, and GarageBand software are on board, helping to secure the PowerBook as the most musician and designer-friendly notebook on the market. Unfortunately, TextEdit is the default word processing program, so expect to shell out a couple hundred dollars if you want to use Word (though the software bundle does include a 30-day trial of Office, and FileMaker Pro, for what it's worth).

The 17-inch PowerBook G4 features ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics, which theoretically gives users the ability to play 3D titles like Doom III and Myst V. We downloaded the former, and while the graphics were quite clear, gameplay was choppy to the point that our system stuttered a bit even when doors opened. This ho-hum experience coupled with the limited Apple game library should find gamers looking elsewhere.

If you weren't planning on jumping ship in favor of Apple at any point in the near future, chances aren't great that the new PowerBooks will make a believer out of you. Software compatibility, the same major problem that has always plagued Mac users, is still present. On the other hand, with the rising popularity of Apple's computers (thanks in no small part to the iPod halo effect) more and more cross-platform software is becoming available.

If you were already edging toward a wide-screen PowerBook, the new features have certainly sweetened the pot, doubly impressive when one considers that Apple has dropped the price $200. The changes may not be revolutionary, but Apple has improved upon an already terrific portable, once again raising the industry's bar, if only ever-so-slightly.