When Apple
rolled its entire iBook line over to the G4 processor last month,
you had to figure that there were at least a few remaining G3
iBooks lying around somewhere, just waiting to be pawned off
on bargain-seekers. Sure enough, not only can the general public
scoop up one of the out-of-production beauties for $799, educators
can do it even more cheaply, at a mere $749...while supplies
last, of course.
The question
educators must themselves is whether it's worth saving $200 by
purchasing the G3 iBook instead of the oh-so-hip G4 model ($749
vs. $949). While you might not notice the speed difference now,
you're more likely to notice it down the road, when the G3 is
obsolete and the G4 is still capable of running tomorrow's software.
But on the other hand, you could go for the cheaper beast and
put your savings toward dessert, so to speak. $200 goes a long
way toward adding a helping of software and peripherals
to your
arsenal. And for those on a tight budget who feel they must have
an iBook right now...well, every dollar matters.
In any case,
educators considering buying a G3 iBook will likely have to make
up their minds quickly, as $749 represents the lowest price that
Apple has ever offered any individual on a new laptop, thus whatever
they have left isn't likely to last long. To gain access to the
$749 price, go to the Apple
Online Store, click on "education", and then under "Shop
for yourself" click on the appropriate option (K-12 or college).
You'll need to identify your school, and then a whole new world
of discounted
prices will open up to you. The G3 iBook deal is on the lower
right side of the page (not with the G4 iBooks).
Educators,
you might also want to take a minute to consider joining the
Billpalmer.net Online Mac User Group, or perhaps even becoming
the campus rep at your college,
or starting a local
chapter at
your K-12 school. Joining a MUG is one of the best ways that
you can keep in touch with what's going on in the Mac universe,
and keep in touch with other Mac users...and fellow Mac-using
educators.
