PowerBooks &iBooks

Titanium PowerBook G4

code names: Mercury, TiBook

Got a G4 PowerBook or iBook? Join our G4 'Books Group or PowerBooks and iBooks Forum.
Got a PowerBook G4? Join the TitaniumG4 email list.
Our Mac OS 9 Group is for anyoneusing Mac OS 9, either natively or in Classic Mode.
Our Puma Group is for those using MacOS X 10.1.
Our Jaguar Group is for those usingMac OS X 10.2.
Panther List is for thoseusing Mac OS X 10.3.
Tiger List is for those usingMac OS X 10.4.
Our Leopard Forum is for those using MacOS X 10.5.
Our Leopard Group is for those usingMac OS X 10.5 and 10.6.

The PowerBook moved from G3 to G4 at the Macworld Expo on January 9,2001. It was smaller and lighter than any of the G3 'Books thatpreceded it, measuring just 1" thick and weighing 5.3 pounds.Construction is titanium and carbon fiber, which should have madefor a very tough, very light computer.

In the field, a fresh battery can yields 3-4 hours of use. A DVDdrive was standard on the early G4 PowerBooks; over time Applemigrated to Combo drives and even had a SuperDrive version of thefastest TiBook.

These were the first PowerBooks designed without an internalfloppy drive, and they had only a single PC Card slot, where mostearlier PowerBooks had included two. But perhaps the biggestdrawback was due to the use of titanium itself - it greatly reducedthe range of Apple's AirPort networking. (Best solution: athird-party WiFi PC Card with its own antenna.)

The titanium PowerBook was replaced by a 15" aluminum PowerBook in Sept. 2003.

PowerBook G4 400 & 500 MHz

The first TiBook shipped in twoversions. Both included a DVD-ROM drive, a "mega-wide" 1152 x 768pixel display, VGA video output, ATI Rage Mobility graphics, andsupported up to 1 GB of RAM on a 100 MHz bus.

The lower cost model ran at 400 MHz and included 128 MB of RAMand a 10 GB hard drive. The top end model had a 500 MHz G4, 256 MBof RAM, and a 20 GB hard drive. A 30 GB drive was a build-to-orderoption.

PowerBook G4 550 & 667 MHz

In October 2001, Apple moves the TiBook to the next level.The entry-level model now ran at 550 MHzon the same 100 MHz system bus, 128 MB of RAM, and a 20 GB harddrive.

The more costly 667 MHz model had a133 MHz system bus, 512 MB of RAM, and a 30 GB hard drive.

In December, Apple replaced the DVD-ROM drive with a Combodrive, which can read DVDs and burn CDs.

PowerBook G4 667 & 800 MHz

There were bigger changes afoot with thethird version of the TiBook, which was introduced in April2002. The most evident is a higher screen resolution of 1280 x 854.This was supported by ATI Radeon 7500 graphics with 32 MB of videoRAM, and the VGA port found on earlier TiBooks vanished in favor ofa digital DVI video interface.

Beyond offering speeds of 667 MHz and 800 MHz, the G4 CPU foundin these TiBooks have a much larger level 2 cache - 1 MB vs.256 KB in earlier TiBooks.

PowerBook G4 867 MHz & 1 GHz

In Nov. 2002, the final revision of theTiBook boosted speeds to 867 MHz and 1 GHz. The Radeon 9000graphics processor replaced the 7500 of the previous generation,and video RAM doubled to 64 MB on the top-end model.

The 1 GHz TiBook was the first and only titanium PowerBook toship with a SuperDrive.

Online Resources

Low End Mac'sCompleat Guide to Titanium PowerBooks, Charles Moore, 'Book Value,2008.04.29. Between January 2001 and November 2002, Apple went throughfour revisions and eight models ranging from 400 MHz to 1 GHz.
Low End Mac's BestTitanium PowerBook G4 Deals.
Low End Mac's best MacOS X 10.0-10.3 deals. Best prices on Mac OS X 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and10.3.
Unsupported Leopardinstallation, Dan Knight, 2007.10.31. How to install Mac OS X 10.5on unsupported hardware - plus field reports.
Low End Mac'sCompleat Guide to Mac OS 9, 2008 edition, Charles Moore,Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.05.12. Declared dead by Steve Jobs 6years ago, Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but Classic softwarehasn't kept up with Web changes. What Macs support OS 9, where to buyit, and how to update to version 9.2.2.
What's thebest Mac OS for your iBook, PowerBook, or MacBook?, Charles Moore,'Book Value, 2008.08.19. Tips on choosing the best OS for yourPowerBook 500 Series or newer Mac notebook.
$40 802.11gCardBus WiFi card for OS X 10.3 and later, Charles Moore, 'BookValue, 2009.03.10. Whether it's the Buffalo or Belkin card, it has thesame Broadcom chipset as Apple's AirPort Extreme and needs no specialdrivers.
WiFi CardBus adapterscompatible with PowerBooks, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel, 2009.03.11.CardBus hardware and drivers compatible with PowerBooks running Mac OSX.
WiFi PC Cardscompatible with PowerBooks running OS X, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel,2009.03.11. PCMCIA/PC Card hardware and drivers compatible withPowerBooks running Mac OS X.
WiFi PC Cards forPowerBooks running Mac OS 9, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel, 2009.03.10.PCMCIA cards and drivers reported to be compatible with the Classic MacOS.
Adding USB 2.0 toa Titanium PowerBook G4, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2009.08.20.TiBooks have built-in USB 1.1, but with a compatible USB 2.0 CardBuscard, you can go 2.0. Problem is, not all cards work.
Checking out Safari 4 on anold PowerBook, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2009.06.30. Safari 4 isthe fastest it's ever been, but it's not without some frustratingdrawbacks.
Optimized software buildsbring out the best in your Mac, Dan Knight, Low End Mac's OnlineTech Journal, 2009.06.30. Applications compiled for your Mac's CPU canload more quickly and run faster than ones compiled for universaluse.
Tips forinstalling or reinstalling Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger', Adam Rosen,Adam's Apple, 2009.06.10. Mac OS X 10.4 uses less memory than Leopard,supports Classic Mode on PowerPC Macs, and, unlike Leopard, issupported on G3 Macs.
Mac 'Book powermanagement adventures, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2009.05.19. Ifyour 'Book won't power up, shuts down while your working, or has otherpower issues, resetting its internal power manager may clear thingsup.
500 MHz iBook keeps going, iBookvideo repair, a WiFi card that costs less than AirPort, and more,Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2009.05.13. Also Dell'salternative to the 12" PowerBook, WiFi hotspot insecurity, and feedbackfrom a Eudora fan.
Does using matched RAMmake your Mac faster or more stable?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum,2009.04.28. Most Macs don't need matched memory modules and seem to runjust fine with mismatched brands and capacities, but matching modulesmay be a bit faster.
Hacking a WiFi PC Cardto work in Apple's AirPort Card slot, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum,2009.04.21. Apple's AirPort Card has become expensive since it wasdiscontinued. Here's how you may be able to adapt an 802.11b PC Card toreplace it.
Is Leopard slowerthan Tiger on G4 Macs?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2009.04.17.Truth be told, when you have 1 GB of RAM, Leopard benchmarks aninsigificant 4% slower than Tiger.
The 25 mostimportant Macs, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2009.02.17. The 25 mostsignificant Macs in the first 25 years of the platform, continued.
2 compactportable USB 2.0 hubs, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2009.01.12.Compact hubs from Targus and Proporta make a great complement to yournotebook computer. Each accepts a third-party AC adapter to provide buspower.
Notebooks andblackouts, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.12.23. When the powergoes out, a notebook computer with long-lasting batteries lets you keepworking for hours and hours.
4 GB RAM problem persists afterfirmware update, TriBook concept MacBook, DIY Mac netbook, andmore, The 'Book Review, 2008.12.19. Also using third-party monitorswith 'Late 2008' MacBooks, MacMagSaver protects MagSafe cord, $25802.11g USB adapter, bargain 'Books from $500 to $2,299, and more.
The 'better safe thansorry' guide to installing Mac OS X updates, Charles Moore,Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.12.16. Most users encounter no problemsusing Software Update, but some preflight work and using the Comboupdater means far less chance of trouble.
Why youshould partition your Mac's hard drive, Dan Knight, Mac Musings,2008.12.11. "At the very least, it makes sense to have a secondpartition with a bootable version of the Mac OS, so if you haveproblems with your work partition, you can boot from the 'emergency'partition to run Disk Utility and other diagnostics."
Every workingcomputer is useful to someone, Allison Payne, The Budget Mac,2008.11.19. Whether it's a PowerBook 1400, G3 iMac, or Power Mac G4, itcould be all the computer someone needs.
The best browsersfor older Macs running Tiger, Charles Moore, MiscellaneousRamblings, 2008.09.25. A dialup user's overview of browsers for Mac OSX 10.4 puts the emphasis on reliability, downloads, and speed.
9 browsersfor G3 and older G4 Macs compared, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum,2008.09.26. The latest versions of Opera, Safari, Shiira, iCab, Radon,Firefox, Demeter, Sunrise, and Camino that run on Mac OS X 10.4"Tiger".
TruePower ACadapter for iBooks and PowerBooks is rugged, reliable, andaffordable, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.08.14. Apple's trackrecord with AC adapters is spotty, but the TruePower adapter is toughenough to survive being run over by a truck.
Turn your oldMac into a web server with Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, JasonPacker, Macs in the Enterprise, 2008.07.09. Step-by-step instructionsfor installing and configuring Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP on anolder Mac.
SheepShaverbrings Classic Mac OS to Intel Macs and Leopard, Alan Zisman,Mac2Windows, 2008.05.20. Mac OS X 10.5 doesn't support Classic Mode.Neither does Leopard. But SheepShaver lets you emulate a PowerPC Macand run the Classic Mac OS.
Mac value, the Hackintosh market,unsupported Leopard, and USB 2.0 for older PowerBooks, Dan Knight,Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.30. High-end Macs cost less thancomparable HPs and Dells, the need for a Mac minitower, a Leopardinstallation tip, Leopard on an 800 MHz iBook, and which PC Cards workwith Mac OS X drivers.
Outliners for word processing, Maccompatible WiFi cards, iWork disappoints, and more, Dan Knight, LowEnd Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.27. Also running Leopard on a maxed outDigital Audio Power Mac, Clamshell iBook hacks, Lombard externaldisplay resolutions, and collective nouns.
Wireless FAQ for OlderApple PowerBook Computers. Resources to help you to install andmaintain 802.11b/g wireless PC Cards on older PowerBook computers.
TheComplete and Utter Guide to PC Cards and Expansion Bays on thePowerBook, Insanely Great. All about the PCMCIA, PC Card, orCardBus slots used in various PowerBooks.
Poweryour recycled laptop with a rebuilt battery, John Hatchett,Recycled Computing, 2008.02.20. Old notebook computers usually mean oldbatteries that may be dead or on their last legs. You can buy areplacement battery, or you can have your old battery rebuilt.
Reasons for sticking with theClassic Mac OS, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2007.10.30.Whether it's the simplicity, elegance, speed, or desire not to replacelots of expensive hardware, there are lots of good reasons for stickingwith Mac OS 9.
iBook G3 quality, 802.11g for olderPowerBooks, installing Tiger on a CD-ROM eMac, and more, CharlesMoore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.10.29. Also FireWire webcamoptions for the classic Mac OS and installing Leopard on an upgradedPower Mac G4.
250 GB 5400 rpm notebookdrive benchmarked, Apple shrinks pro MagSafe adapter, $150 Linuxlaptop, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.07.27. Also touchuppaint for TiBooks, Dell and Lenovo offer wireless USB, Logitech'snano mouse and receiver, and bargain 'Books from $130 to$2,199.
Unmatched Classic Mac OS apps,TiBook reliability, Matias Tactile Pro 2.0 disappoints, andmore, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.06.18. AlsoNetscape 7 and 9, MacBook causing problems with iMac's display, andgraphics cards for a Power Mac G4 and an ADC display.
Operation FlashBook: RunningTiger from flash on a PowerBook G4, John Muir, Mac Daniel,2007.05.29. With the hard drive failing and Compact Flash pricesfalling, it was time to consider running the PowerBook G4 fromflash. Looking back at 6 months, was it worth it?
Format any drive for older Macswith patched Apple tools, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations,2007.04.25. Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup only work with Applebranded hard drives - until you apply the patches linked to thisarticle.
OS 10.4.8 making PowerBook run cooler?, Charles W. Moore, OS XOdyssey, Applelinks, 2006.10.24. "...I haven't restarted, and the'Book is still running in the high 40°s - low 50°s most ofthe time. The fan has only activated sporadically while doing heavymultitasking."
Better laptop performance:What's the best upgrade?, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac,2006.10.09. Memory, CPU, bus speed, and hard drives all impactperformance and battery life. Which upgrades will give you the mostup time in the field?
Setting up a titanium PowerBookfor video editing, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 2006.09.01.Working with a limited budget, a 867 MHz TiBook should besufficient for basic video editing.
Customizing Mac OS 9,Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.08.01. Fiddling withthemes, picking a browser, and making the Classic Mac OS work justthe way you want it to.
7 tools for keeping your laptop(uh, notebook) cool, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings,2006.07.24. A quick look at the Podium CoolPad, ChillMat,ChillHubs, Laptop Desk, Xpad, iLap, and iBreeze - seven standsdesigned to keep you 'Books running cooler.
Power strategies for using your'Book in the field: Batteries and AC adapters, Andrew JFishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.06.05. One or two extra batteries andat least one spare AC adapter can be essential when you'retraveling and need to get hours and hours of use from your'Book.
End of G4 models points tounprecedented value for used G4 Macs, Leaman Crews, Plays Wellwith Others, 2006.06.02. The PowerPC G4 may no longer have a placein Apple's product line, but that's a far cry from saying G4-basedMacs are obsolete. If anything, their value is going toincrease.
Replacing Lombard with a TiBook:which one is enough?, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout Shelter,2006.04.19. Nice as the Lombard was, it has a new owner. The new'Book should have FireWire, G4 power, and run Tiger nicely. Howmuch TiBook is enough?
Dvorak adoption notice, tips forApple's Yo-yo power supply, old iMac a good value?, and more,Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.02.27. Also a 'Pismoup in smoke' update, Lombard up in smoke, iBook G3 logic boardproblems, Wangwriter appreciation, and more.
FastMac's $190 8x dual-layerSuperDrive for PowerBooks and dual USB iBooks, Charles Moore,Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.01.30. For US$190-250 you can replacethe CD-ROM, CD-RW, Combo, or slow old SuperDrive in mostPowerBooks, white iBooks, slot-loading iMacs, and Cubes with afaster, dual-layer drive.
Web browser tips for theclassic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence,2006.01.03. Tips on getting the most out of WaMCom, Mozilla,Internet Explorer, iCab, Opera, and WannaBe using the classic MacOS.
The best browsers for PowerPCMacs and the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, EmbracingObsolescence, 2005.12.16. Two browsers stand out from the pack:iCab 3 is modern and remains under development, and WaMCom bringsMozilla to older Macs.
FixIt Guide:PowerBook G4 Mercury, PB FixIt. All you need to know to takeapart, upgrade, repair, and put your PowerBook back together again.Online and print versions available.
NewerTech TiBook batteryprovides four hours of use, Dan Knight, Mac Musings,2004.05.24. "In the real world, I can get at least 4 hours ofactive use, and with the Energy Saver settings activated, a freshlycharged battery usually shows over 5 hours of power."
OWC offers $299 combo drive for TiBooks, Other World Computing,2003.03.27. Same mechanism Apple uses, includes buffer underrunprotection.
Flash memory improvesPowerBook, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2002.11.14. Using CompactFlash to boot, save files, run silently, extend battery life, andas virtual memory on a PowerBook.
Tote and Tilt Adds Handle toNew iBook or TiBook, The 'Book Review, 2001.10.19. $40 and $45handles make it easy to transport iceBook, TiBook.
How to repairbroken hinges on your PowerBook G4 Titanium for only $10,Kjartan P. Sigurdsson, 2001.10.08. It beats paying Apple $1,600 fora repair.
BookEndzDocking Station for TiBook, Charles Moore, The 'Book Review,2001.05.18. "With the new BookEndz docking station for TiBook, youcan connect or disconnect a video monitor, ethernet network, USBdevices, FireWire device, modem, and AC power adaptersimultaneously."
Guide to TiBooks, compareseach PowerBook G4.
Titanium runover by 1.7 ton car, Go2Mac.com, 2001.04.30. Screen destroyed,but TiBook still works using an external monitor.
Shot in the foot again: Firmwareupdate disables RAM, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2001.03.25."...we should not be at risk of losing some or all of the memory inour Macs because of a firmware update."
WhyI invested in Titanium, Marc Zeedar, Mac Opinion, 2001.03.22."When the Titanium PowerBook was unveiled at Macworld I tried to becautious, but I knew I wanted one."
ColorSyncprofile for PowerBook G4, Berg Design. Try it - your PowerBookG4's screen will look better.
PowerBookG4, Ben Long, MacInTouch, 2001.02.19. Best comprehensiveoverview of the TiBook we've seen.
TiBook Report #7: Zap!, DanKnight, The 'Book Page, 2/16/01. Great laptop, butthere's this pesky problem with static electricity....
TiBook Report #6, Dan Knight,The 'Book Page, 2/8/01. Is the PowerBook G4 really adesktop replacement? Also, more comments on DVD playback.
TiBook Report #5, Dan Knight,The 'Book Page, 2/6/01. Heat reduction with CoolPad,burning CDs, DVD tips, and more.
TiBook Report #4, Dan Knight,The 'Book Page, 2/5/01. Battery life, SETI performance,and more on heat.
TiBook: Day 2, Dan Knight, The'Book Page, 2/2/01. Internet connection update, more onheat, brief benchmark discussion.
TiBook: Day 1, Dan Knight, The'Book Page, 2//01. More impressions from my first daywith a PowerBook G4.
First Impressions: TiBook,Dan Knight, The 'Book Page, 1/31/01. Stop the presses -I got my PowerBook G4 this afternoon.
Simply the coolest piece of hardware Apple has ever built, part2, Charles Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion, 1/23/01
How to runthe PowerBook G4 with the lid down, Apple TIL, 1/18/01
Benchmarks: Titanium G4/500 vs. PismoG3/500, Bare Feats, 1/19/01
ThePowerBook G4, John Siracusa, arstechnica. "...the PowerBook G4is all that you could ask for in a portable Macintosh."
Buying a PowerBook G4, DanKnight, The 'Book Page, 1/18/01. Here's why I'mordering one, and how I'm configuring it.
Titanium G4email list, The Macintosh Guy. New list for PowerBook G4 users- count me in!
Titanium PowerBook: Simply the coolest piece of hardware Apple hasever built, Charles Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion,1/16/01
My problem with the titanium PowerBook, David Schultz,Applelust, 1/15/01
ThePowerBook titanium's Achilles heel, Joud Kous, Right On Mac,1/15/01
Memory pricingat ramseeker.

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