PowerBook G3 Wallstreet

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#1 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Thu May 11, 2006 3:53 pm

I FINNALY recieved my PowerBook G3 today that I ordered off eBay and I have to say that this is the coolest computer I've ever layed hands on. The 14" screen is nothing short of spectacular, the keyboard rocks and the overal formfactor is very nice. This computer could be presented in an executive boardroom just as easily as in an art museum. The processor is a mere 233mhz w/ 512kb L2 but with 128mb RAM, Mac OS 9.2 runs smooth as silk on here. I can not find a single thing to complain about on this laptop other than the touchpad as I'd much rather be using a trackpoint.

Well, anyways, I just had to talk about my newest addition to my collection. That's all. I'll try to have pics sometime this week.

Website · #2 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Thu May 11, 2006 4:03 pm

Am I in a time warp or something?

I thought that you listed a FS ad in the Marketplace for this for $90?!?!

Did you list it before you rec'd it or something, or is this pre-dejavu?

#3 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Thu May 11, 2006 4:12 pm

Actually you've fallen into a time quandary warp thingamabob. Actually, I just listed it before recieving it. It had been payed for but shipping was slow. I didn't expect that I'd want to keep it so I listed it but I deleted my for sale post now.

Oh, and PLEASE do not ask me how I found this out but the air vent on the side, it blows out air that smells EXACTLY like new car smell.

Website · #4 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Thu May 11, 2006 4:14 pm

AlphaKilo470 wrote:Oh, and PLEASE do not ask me how I found this out but the air vent on the side, it blows out air that smells EXACTLY like new car smell.

Now you know that begs the question of how. Well....

Website · #5 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Thu May 11, 2006 4:18 pm

Oh, and for the record, I was considering buying the G3 from you. My aunt's friend was looking for an older Mac laptop a while back.

I left her a message about yours, but haven't heard back, yet. (false alarm)

christopher_wolf · #6 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Thu May 11, 2006 4:23 pm

The Wallstreet G3 and Pismos were *excellent* laptops; all in all, I think they are the closest you can get to a Powerbook + Thinkpad in one package. If I remember correctly, certain parts were actually interchangeable with the Thinkpads of the time, especially the memory.

Website · #7 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Thu May 11, 2006 4:30 pm

christopher_wolf wrote:The Wallstreet G3 and Pismos were *excellent* laptops; all in all, I think they are the closest you can get to a Powerbook + Thinkpad in one package. If I remember correctly, certain parts were actually interchangeable with the Thinkpads of the time, especially the memory.

The Pismo was the recommendation previously, but they were TOO expensive, for what she wanted.

Was it more than just the HD and ram that were interchangeable?

christopher_wolf · #8 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Thu May 11, 2006 4:39 pm

tfflivemb2 wrote:
christopher_wolf wrote:The Wallstreet G3 and Pismos were *excellent* laptops; all in all, I think they are the closest you can get to a Powerbook + Thinkpad in one package. If I remember correctly, certain parts were actually interchangeable with the Thinkpads of the time, especially the memory.
The Pismo was the recommendation previously, but they were TOO expensive, for what she wanted.

Was it more than just the HD and ram that were interchangeable?

I am pretty sure the most common of interchangable parts were the RAM and the HDD; I have heard reports that various people have tried screen swaps and the like. I wasn't entirely sure that would work though. However, after seeing a G3 Powerbook opened up, alot of the internal design looked like it could be easily re-adapted and after seeing the thread about someone here taking the screen from another laptop and sticking it onto a Thinkpad, it borders on the far-out-but-possible.

I do know that the Lombard was the first G3 Powerbook that used the then industry standard optical drives and could be swapped with the Pismo.

Here is a peek inside a Pismo that I could find; http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/6.19.1.html

#9 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Thu May 11, 2006 5:48 pm

I upgraded the RAM from 32mb to 128mb when I first got the computer and this ting was very easy to take apart and I like the way the keyboard pops up; it reminds me of the 760 I used to have. I just don't get why I have to remove the CPU card to get to the second RAM slot.

Oh, also, if you buy a Wallstreet G3, make sure that it's a 12" TFT or 14" TFT. The 12" HPAs look junky and the 13" models have some various screen and hinge issues. Also, if you get a 233mhz model, make sure it's a Wallstreet II which has 512kb L2 cache instead of the original 233mhz Wallstreet which had no l2 cache. If you get above 233, you only need to worry about screen since the models above 233 feature 1mb L2 cache.

I actually got lucky with my PowerBook because I didn't know that the early 233mhz versions were chaceless until after purchasing but lo and behold, I got a Wallstreet II with 512k L2 cache.

#10 Post by **schen** » Fri May 12, 2006 1:01 pm

So, what are you going to load on this thing.

#11 Post by **schen** » Fri May 12, 2006 3:20 pm

Alex,

You might have looked at this site already, but I'll send it just in case. I just love to read the articles on it.

At the risk of getting you more fired up about your G3 and even less likely to trade/sell it; here goes.

http://www.lowendmac.com/pb2/g3series2.shtml

#12 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Fri May 12, 2006 10:08 pm

I actually read that site regularly. After I bid on my Powerbook and won, I immediatley looked it up on that site and since the auction just siad PowerBook G3 Wallstreet 233, I assumed I had an original which has no L2 cahce which really made me nervous. To my very pleasant surprise though, it turns out I actually bought a Series II which has 512kb L2.

My favorite parts of the website are the articles about the "road apples" which is their name for Apple computers that have intentional design problems. However, I find almost all content on the site to be a fun read.

As for the question of what I'm going to load onto my PowerBook, I'm going to put on what I can find. I tracked down a copy of Office 2001 for Mac OS 9 and a few games like SimTower. I have a few other various apps like MacBreadboard which is a virtual circuit board trainer. If my graphic arts teacher from school is able to find his old Photoshop and Illustrator and PageMaker CDs, I'm going to set this computer up for graphic design which is what the Macs have always been best at. Having a nice Macintosh laptop to do quick field jobs on as well as provide clients presentations with would really be helpful. With printing work, Macs, for some reason, seem to project a better image than PCs do even though I find PCs to be just as good for my work and my primary computers are PCs.

#13 Post by **schen** » Sat May 13, 2006 10:53 am

If you are think you might could use it. I have a bare Sony CDRW that you could put in there. It's a CRX-700E that was originally spec'd for the Dell Inspiron 7500. It has a faceplate, but otherwise bare. I tested it in a different Dell a couple of years ago and it was good them. If you want it, I'll just throw it in the box of your other stuff and chalk it up to future considerations.

#14 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Sat May 13, 2006 12:17 pm

Sure, I could probably find use for it. Thanks.

revolutionary_one · #15 Post by **revolutionary_one** » Sun May 14, 2006 1:34 am

Where are the sexy g3 pictures?!

Cheers.

#16 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Sun May 14, 2006 7:53 am

As soon as I get around to digging out my digital camera you'll get some. That should be later on today.

#17 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:29 am

Well, an event happened now this morning that I thoght was worth noting. I have a 366mhz HP OmniBook 4150 (in nearly pristine condition) w/ really nice looking 14" TFT that I was given the other day and this thing, after being on for any legnth of time, puts out the same new car smell that the Wallstreet put out of the left side vent and funny thing is that on this computer, the small is also in the left side vent. This really goes hand in hand with my 765D that smells like clove and windex.

Oh, hey, Stan, do you still have that PowerBook I sent you? If so, how's that thing chugging along?

Torque · #18 Post by **Torque** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:00 am

Enough chatter... let's see some pictures

pianowizard · #19 Post by **pianowizard** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:58 pm

I sold my G3 Wallstreet PowerBook (233MHz and 160MB) for $52 last year. I had to sell it for so cheap because the display hinge was totally loose. Many G3 PowerBooks have this problem.

#20 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:08 pm

The one I described in the thread (which I later traded away) actully had pretty good hinges albeit not the best.

Wasn't your PowerBook listed on the for sale forum here? I think I remember that. Was your Walstreet a 13" model because from hat I read, that model is most notorious for display problems though I can't verify accuracy of the claim.

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