PowerBooks & iBooks

PowerBook G3/333 & G3/400

a.k.a. PowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard)
code name: Lombard

• Got a G3 PowerBook or iBook? Join LEM's G-Books Group\.
• LEM's Mac OS 9 Group is for those using Mac OS 9, either natively or in Classic Mode.
• LEM's Puma Group is for those using Mac OS X 10.1.
• LEM's Jaguar Group is for those using Mac OS X 10.2.
• LEM's Panther Group is for those using Mac OS X 10.3.

Overview

Details

• introduced 1999.05.10 starting at US$2,499; discontinued 2000.02.16
• requires System 8.6 or later, 10.3.x officially supported, 10.4.x can generally be installed using XpostFacto 4
• CPU: 333 or 400 MHz PPC 750 (a.k.a. G3)
• bus: 66 MHz
• performance:
• Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 213 (400 MHz)
• MacBench 5: 958 (333 MHz), 1237 (400 MHz)
• BYTEmark: 11.1 (333 MHz), 13.3 (400 MHz)
• ROM: 4 MB, NewWorld ROM in RAM architecture
• RAM: 64 MB of 3.3V unbuffered low-power 144-pin 100 MHz 10ns SO-DIMM, expandable to 512 MB* using low profile, low density DIMMs (16 memory chips on the card) in both slots; high density DIMMs (8 RAM chips) will only be recognized at half their capacity.
  * Lombard officially supports only 384 MB of RAM, and some Mac OS installers will not work if you have 512 MB of RAM. The solution is to remove one 256 MB module.
• Level 2 cache: 512 KB on 333, 1 MB on 400
• Video: ATI Rage LT Pro
• VRAM: 8 MB
• display: 14.1" 24-bit 1024 x 768 color active matrix, resolution scaling to 640 x 480 and 800 x 600, also has S-video output via VGA connector
• hard drive: 4, 6, or 10 GB UltraATA-33
• expansion bay: same as Pismo
• CD-ROM: 24x (2x DVD-ROM available for 333, standard on 400; only the 400 comes with hardware to display DVD movies)
• floppy drive: external USB only
• expansions bays: one
• USB: 2 USB 1.1 ports
• SCSI: HDI30 connector on back of computer
• ethernet: 10/100Base-T
• modem: v.90 56k
• 4 Mbps IrDA
• PC Card slots: 1
• infrared: 4 Mbps IrDA 1.1
• size: 10.4 x 12.7 x 1.7" (26.4 x 32.3 x 4.3 cm)
• weight: 5.7-6.1 pounds (2.6-2.8 kg) with battery
• machine ID: PowerBook1,1
• family number: M5343

Accelerators & Upgrades

• Peek at first PowerBook G3 upgrades from Newer, Go2Mac.com, 2000.07.27. 466 MHz card will upgrade almost all WallStreet models, all Lombards.
  NOTE: No CPU upgrades are being made for the Lombard PowerBooks.
• SuperDrive DVD-RW expansion bay module, MCE Technologies, $479. 2x1x8x DVD, 16x8x24x CD. 2x DVD-RAM. 2 MB buffer.
• Combo drive expansion bay module, MCE Technologies, $389. 8x DVD, 24x10x24x CD. 2 MB buffer.

Online Resources

• Best used PowerBook G3 deals, updated monthly.
• Best classic Mac OS deals. Best online prices for System 6, 7.1, 7.5.x, Mac OS 7.6, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 9.0, 9.2.2, and other versions.
• Best Mac OS X 10.0-10.3 deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3.
• Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.4.
• Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to the Lombard PowerBook G3, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.05.13. With the Lombard PowerBook, Apple abandoned the legacy ADB and serial ports for USB, trimmed 20% from WallStreet's weight, and hit 400 MHz.
• Lombard, the forgotten PowerBook, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2009.05.06. Sitting between the legendary WallStreet and the widely known Pismo, Lombard provides great value and handles OS X nicely.
• Upgrading your Lombard PowerBook G3, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.08.25. Step-by-step instructions for getting inside the Lombard PowerBook to upgrade RAM, replace the hard drive, and swap out the CPU card.
• WiFi cards for PowerBooks with PC Card slots, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.08.12. PC Card and CardBus 802.11b and 802.11g cards known to be compatible with Apple's PowerBooks.
• What's the best Mac OS for your iBook, PowerBook, or MacBook?, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.08.19. Tips on choosing the best OS for your PowerBook 500 Series or newer Mac notebook.
• What's the best version of OS X for my Mac?, Ian R Campbell, The Sensible Mac, 2008.02.28. Which version of Mac OS X is best for your hardware depends on several factors.
• Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to Mac OS 9, 2008 edition, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.05.12. Declared dead by Steve Jobs 6 years ago, Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but Classic software hasn't kept up with Web changes. What Macs support OS 9, where to buy it, and how to update to version 9.2.2.
• Taking apart a PowerBook G3 (Lombard or Pismo) battery, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.09.24. Step by step instructions for opening up a Lombard/Pismo battery to get to the lithium-ion cells inside.
• Replacing your Lombard or Pismo optical drive with a SuperDrive, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.08.15. It's not difficult to swap out the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive in a Lombard or Pismo PowerBook with a CD- and DVD-burning SuperDrive.
• Backing up your G3 PowerBook quickly and easily, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.10.27. Who needs Leopard and Time Machine? With an expansion bay hard drive and the right software, you can have a bootable clone ready for use.
• $40 802.11g CardBus WiFi card for OS X 10.3 and later, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2009.03.10. Whether it's the Buffalo or Belkin card, it has the same Broadcom chipset as Apple's AirPort Extreme and needs no special drivers.
• WiFi CardBus adapters compatible with PowerBooks, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel, 2009.03.11. CardBus hardware and drivers compatible with PowerBooks running Mac OS X.
• WiFi PC Cards compatible with PowerBooks running OS X, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel, 2009.03.11. PCMCIA/PC Card hardware and drivers compatible with PowerBooks running Mac OS X.
• WiFi PC Cards for PowerBooks running Mac OS 9, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel, 2009.03.10. PCMCIA cards and drivers reported to be compatible with the Classic Mac OS.
• Upgrading a Pismo PowerBook with a slot-load drive salvaged from an iBook, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2009.10.30. Starting with a spare DVD-ROM module and the SuperDrive from a G4 iBook, the author ended up with a SuperDrive in his Pismo PowerBook.
• Optimized software builds bring out the best in your Mac, Dan Knight, Low End Mac's Online Tech Journal, 2009.06.30. Applications compiled for your Mac's CPU can load more quickly and run faster than ones compiled for universal use.
• Lombard PowerBook: Almost a Pismo for less, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 2009.06.18. Although Pismo has the huge following, Lombard provides comparable performance of often sells for quite a bit less.
• Tips for installing 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, is supported on G3 Macs.
• Odd MacBook sleep behavior, Pismo resurrection and upgrades, end nigh for Classic Eudora? and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2009.05.27. Also the end of the road for Lombard and G4 iMac CPU upgrades.
• Mac 'Book power management adventures, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2009.05.19. If your 'Book won't power up, shuts down while your working, or has other power issues, resetting its internal power manager may clear things up.
• 500 MHz iBook keeps going, iBook video repair, a WiFi card that costs less than AirPort, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2009.05.13. Also Dell's alternative to the 12" PowerBook, WiFi hotspot insecurity, and feedback from a Eudora fan.
• Is it worth maxing the RAM in old G3 and G4 Macs?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2009.04.15. Increasing memory can make your old Mac faster and make you more productive, but it probably won't improve resale value by the amount you spend.
• Is Camino now the best browser for older Macs?, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2009.01.13. Camino 1.6.6 works very will with Mac OS X 10.3 through 10.5 and seems especially well suited for slower PowerPC Macs.
• Notebooks and blackouts, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.12.23. When the power goes out, a notebook computer with long-lasting batteries lets you keep working for hours and hours.
• 4 GB RAM problem persists after firmware update, TriBook concept MacBook, DIY Mac netbook, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.12.19. Also using third-party monitors with 'Late 2008' MacBooks, MacMagSaver protects MagSafe cord, $25 802.11g USB adapter, bargain 'Books from $500 to $2,299, and more.
• The 'better safe than sorry' guide to installing Mac OS X updates, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.12.16. Most users encounter no problems using Software Update, but some preflight work and using the Combo updater means far less chance of trouble.
• Why you should partition your Mac's hard drive, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.12.11. "At the very least, it makes sense to have a second partition with a bootable version of the Mac OS, so if you have problems with your work partition, you can boot from the 'emergency' partition to run Disk Utility and other diagnostics."
• Every working computer is useful to someone, Allison Payne, The Budget Mac, 2008.11.19. Whether it's a PowerBook 1400, G3 iMac, or Power Mac G4, it could be all the computer someone needs.
• G3 and low end G4 Mac performance comparison, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.10.15. Factors that impact performance are the version of CPU, the size and speed of the Level 2 cache, and how much RAM is installed.
• TruePower battery can run WallStreet PowerBook past the 5 hour mark, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2008.10.10. If you have a rugged old PowerBook but its battery is losing capacity, TruePower can give you plenty of time in the field.
• Getting the most from your G3 Mac, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.10.03. Most G3 Macs can be upgraded so they can run Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' quite nicely. Here's how.
• The best browsers for older Macs running Tiger, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.09.25. A dialup user's overview of browsers for Mac OS X 10.4 puts the emphasis on reliability, downloads, and speed.
• Tiger great on old G3 'Books, maximum RAM for 867 MHz PowerBook G4, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.10.01. Also why 4 GB of RAM in a 32-bit Vista PC wastes most of the last gigabyte and system profile software for Windows PCs.
• 9 browsers for 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".
• Portable Mac as primary vs. secondary computer, looking at ThinkPad design, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.09.17. Also learning from the Mac Portable, upgrading a PowerBook 5300, another free app to assure maintenance routines are run, and more.
• In praise of rugged Mac notebooks of the past, POP3 vs. IMAP email, and buying glasses online, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.09.11. G3 PowerBooks were the high water mark for ruggedness, expandability, and reliability. Also the benefits of POP3 email for dialup users, and another article praising online eyewear.
• Bring back the Macintosh Portable, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.09.09. Not to fault today's MacBooks, but there's something to be said for a no compromise, very expandable, portable Macintosh as well.
• Are G3 Macs still viable work machines?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.09.08. For basic tasks - writing, email, and using the Web - a G3 Mac with Mac OS X 10.4 and sufficient memory provides plenty of power.
• Using Word 5.1 files with later versions of Word, keyboard marks on a MacBook screen, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.08.14. Also the value of Panasonic's UJ-850 for older PowerBooks and shipping concerns about the SteelPad mousepad.
• TruePower AC adapter for iBooks and PowerBooks is rugged, reliable, and affordable, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.08.14. Apple's track record with AC adapters is spotty, but the TruePower adapter is tough enough to survive being run over by a truck.
• 8 hour runtime realisitic with TruePower batteries for Lombard and Pismo, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.08.05. Apple's original batteries could keep you going for up to 5 hours when they were new; these high capacity replacement batteries improve that by 60%.
• Tricking out your notebook for superior desktop duty, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.07.29. For desktop use, you don't need to be limited by the built-in trackpad, keyboard, and display or a notebook's compromised ergonomics.
• Bumps in the road for G3 Macs, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.07.28. MobileMe wouldn't synch with the Pismo, and Skype's software refused to install, but both problems were solved.
• The compressed air keyboard repair, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.07.24. If your keyboard isn't working as well as it once did, blasting under the keys with compressed air may be the cure.
• Turn your old Mac into a web server with Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, Jason Packer, Macs in the Enterprise, 2008.07.09. Step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP on an older Mac.
• Praise for Opera, low cost iBook mobo replacement, IrDA and IRtalk, WaMCom recommended, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.06.18. Also the use of 'compleat', booting from CD, new Toshiba 1.8" drives too thick for MBA, and PowerPC support and Snow Leopard.
• My 4 favorite PowerBooks, Carl Nygren, My Turn, 2008.05.28. The PowerBook 150 has a big screen for a vintage PowerBook, the 165c has color, the 100 is diminutive, and Lombard has USB and a great keyboard.
• WiMax likely, Apple not green enough, next MacBook in Q3, Cool Feet for notebooks, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.05.23. Also LED backlighting in all MacBooks in 2009, cooling down hot laptops, OLPC plans second generation laptop, universal Apple notebook battery charger, slim external third-party SuperDrive, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• Mac OS 9 still nice, anticipating Odysseus, PowerBook 1400 upgrades, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.05.14. Also rebuilding PowerBook batteries, FastMac vs. NuPower replacement batteries, and only one G4 upgrade left for WallStreet PowerBooks.
• 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 than comparable HPs and Dells, the need for a Mac minitower, a Leopard installation tip, Leopard on an 800 MHz iBook, and which PC Cards work with Mac OS X drivers.
• A very Pismo Christmas in April, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.04.30. Everyone maintaining a vintage Mac should have a parts donor, and sometimes the parts machine may have upgrades for your old Mac.
• Overpriced Macs, 4-core Mac Pro value, USB for G3 PowerBooks, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.24. Also reader feedback on running a keyboard through the dishwasher, tips for using external DVD drives, and 8 GB partition issues with the Classic Mac OS on the beige G3.
• OS X for PCs, Mac mini with HDTV, 802.11n options, upgrading from Mac OS 9, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.22. Also reviving a dead PowerBook 5300, Lucida Grande, external FireWire SuperDrive advice, OS X and the DeskWriter, and royalties.
• Outliners for word processing, Mac compatible WiFi cards, iWork disappoints, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.27. Also running Leopard on a maxed out Digital Audio Power Mac, Clamshell iBook hacks, Lombard external display resolutions, and collective nouns.
• Fading magic at Apple, Major League Baseball's rebound, and an iMac that won't boot from a CD, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.04.02. Reflections on Apple's success as a business, CD-ROM problems in a G3 iMac, and Pismo processor problem solved with thermal paste.
• Stupid Pismo tricks, 2008 edition, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.02.20. Six uses for the weight saving device and how to use the Pismo as a DVD player.
• Wireless FAQ for Older Apple PowerBook Computers. Resources to help you to install and maintain 802.11b/g wireless PC Cards on older PowerBook computers.
• The Complete and Utter Guide to PC Cards and Expansion Bays on the PowerBook, Insanely Great. All about the PCMCIA, PC Card, or CardBus slots used in various PowerBooks.
• Power your recycled laptop with a rebuilt battery, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.02.20. Old notebook computers usually mean old batteries that may be dead or on their last legs. You can buy a replacement battery, or you can have your old battery rebuilt.
• 3 ways to better YouTube viewing on older Macs, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.02.06. Watching YouTube videos in your browser on G3 Macs can be painfully slow, but there are several ways to improve your YouTube viewing experience.
• Better YouTube viewing on older Macs, too many dead pixels, Safari problems in Panther, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.02.05. Also picking the right used G4 iBook, Quartz Extreme support for PCI video, problems with Mac OS 9.x on G4 Power Macs, open firmware problems with 667 MHz PowerBook, and more.
• MacBook Air upgradable enough?, Lombard cache problem, and more on the liberal-conservative debate, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.02.04. Another go around on whether Mac users are liberal or conservative. Also looking for an OS X driver for the Netgear WG511T.
• Dell's 802.11g card for PowerBooks, glad for the death of Classic, FireWire cams, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.11.05. Also silent computing with 'obsolete' Macs, Leopard and the 867 MHz limit, and Tiger performance on a 600 MHz G3 iBook.
• Reasons for sticking with the Classic Mac OS, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2007.10.30. Whether it's the simplicity, elegance, speed, or desire not to replace lots of expensive hardware, there are lots of good reasons for sticking with Mac OS 9.
• iBook G3 quality, 802.11g for older PowerBooks, installing Tiger on a CD-ROM eMac, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.10.29. Also FireWire webcam options for the classic Mac OS and installing Leopard on an upgraded Power Mac G4.
• FastMac 8x SuperDrive and BurnAgain DVD: Fast and easy multisession disc burning, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.10.08. FastMac's 8x SuperDrive upgrade is remarkably fast compared with older PowerBook burners, and BurnAgain DVD makes it easy to append files to a previously burned CD or DVD.
• Replacing Home Page, Compact Flash in Lombard, Leopard hardware requirements, mini upgrades, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.04. Also the problems with using old computers in school, rebate problems, free imposition software, and a dead LC 520.
• WiFi options for Lombard, installing Tiger on a DVD-less eMac, 3D home design software, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.10.01. Two PC Card 802.11g options for the Lombard PowerBook, PowerPC version of OS X needed for eMac, three programs for home design, and a source for downloading old Mac software.
• The future of G3 PowerBooks in the Age of Leopard, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.09.11. There's no G3 support in Leopard. What does that mean for Kanga, WallStreet, Lombard, and Pismo PowerBooks?
• Pismo the best PowerBook, capacitor problems in Macs, XPostFacto for Leopard, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.06.28. Also more on tin whiskers and why you sometimes have to remove RAM to get OS X to install on older Macs.
• Even if Leopard leaves G3 behind, Tiger users will still be able to run up-to-date apps, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.06.18. While Apple may drop G3 support in OS X 10.5, there will continue to be plenty of options for 10.4 users who want to run up-to-date browsers, email clients, and instant messaging programs.
• Compact Flash faster than a hard drive, CF in a clamshell iBook, eSATA for PowerBooks, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.06.12. Faster boot times with a flash drive, replacing the hard drive in an iBook with Compact Flash, eBay feedback tips, eSATA CardBus options for PowerBooks, and the importance of G3 support in Mac OS X 10.5.
• Silence is golden: Running your existing notebook using flash memory, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Reviews, 2007.05.23. With a new adapter from Addonics, you can replace your laptop's IDE hard drive inexpensively and boot silently from a Compact Flash card.
• Why Apple must continue G3 support in Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard', Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.05.08. "We're worried about what happens if Apple unchecks that box in Xcode to include the instructions necessary to run OS X on G3 processors at all."
• Format any drive for older Macs with patched Apple tools, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2007.04.25. Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup only work with Apple branded hard drives - until you apply the patches linked to this article.
• First Blu-ray drive for Apple's 'Books, replace notebook hard drive with Compact Flash, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.04.13. Also 160 GB 7200 rpm hard drives, upgrading from a MacBook Pro to a MacBook, Waterfield's flexible new Sling bag, bargain 'Books from $170 to $1,699, and more.
• Drag and drop problems with flash drive, troubleshooting a Mac with Linux, G3 video problems, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.03.27. Also FireWire boot drives, bootable partitions, bootable external DVD drives, and maximum hard drive size on older Macs.
• OS X 10.3 or 10.4 on a G4/533?, Lombard to Pismo hard drive swap, 'Book repair, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.01.29. The best OS for a G4/533, migrating by swapping hard drives, WallStreet and iBook repair and replacement options, and upgrading RAM in Lombard.
• PC Card WiFi for OS X PowerBooks, installing Classic for OS X, Gmail problem with Shiira, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.01.15. A low-cost WiFi PC Card for PowerBooks running OS X, tips on installing Classic under Tiger, Gmail broken with Shiira 1.2.2 browser, and stimulating a flashd rive on pre-USB PowerBooks.
• Disabling deep sleep on MacBooks, 'Other Red' a scam?, mixed RAM can reduce performance, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.11.13. Also other disk utilities Mac owners should know about, Lombard cooling, Netscape 7 on OS 9, Final Vinyl for ripping LPs, and more.
• Best OS X for Pismo, mixing RAM speeds, LP to MP3, SpeedFan cools MacBook running Windows, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.10.30. Also Lombard still rocks, Powerlogix WallStreet upgrade tip, old Macs still perform admirably, a 64 GB flash drive, and RadTech's clever BT600 mouse design.
• Ubuntu on older Macs; Lombard, Pismo, and WallStreet upgrade questions; installing clamshell RAM; and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.10.09. Also more on why some older Macs can't read modern CR-R discs and Russell Beattie's 'underhanded' criticism of OS X.
• 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 impact performance and battery life. Which upgrades will give you the most up time in the field?
• Lombard, the 'middle child' PowerBook G3: Good enough for OS X?, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.10.02. The PowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard) was slimmer, lighter, and less expandable than the WallStreets it replaced. It added USB, gave up ADB, and retained SCSI.
• Is Ubuntu Linux a sensible alternative for Mac users?, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.09.18. If your Mac can run OS X decently, is there any reason to try Ubuntu Linux? If it can't run OS X well, is Ubuntu a reasonable choice?
• MacBook shutdown solved, better batteries after recall, MacBook Pro better for Vista than Vaio, and more, The 'Book Review, 2006.09.15. Also MacBook troubleshooting, the value of a used iBook, Apple to sell 1 million 'Books this quarter, replacing cells in an old PowerBook G3 battery, bargain 'Books from $299 to $1,299, and more.
• Inside your notebook's battery: Ordinary AA Li-Ion cells, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.09.08. That expensive battery in your notebook computer probably holds less than $30 worth of off-the-shelf AA Li-Ion batteries.
• Is the G3 still a practical choice?, Matthew Jay, Macs to the Max, 2006.08.10. Although the G3 is several generations old, it has enough horsepower for most of the things we do on our computers.
• Customizing Mac OS 9, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.08.01. Fiddling with themes, picking a browser, and making the Classic Mac OS work just the 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 stands designed to keep you 'Books running cooler.
• Upgrade your Pismo with a dual-layer DVD burner, Jason Schrader, Maximize Your Mac, 2006.07.19. If you want to add a DVD burner to your PowerBook Pismo, FastMac's new dual-layer SuperDrive merits serious consideration.
• Power strategies for using your 'Book in the field: Batteries and AC adapters, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.06.05. One or two extra batteries and at least one spare AC adapter can be essential when you're traveling and need to get hours and hours of use from your 'Book.
• Pismo modem issues, best Mac keyboard, Pismo processor upgrade value, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.05.01. Also swapping screens between Lombard and Pismo, more on Frankenpismo, PRAM reset may resurrrect dead Lombard, and more on the dead Lombard.
• Modern computing: First impressions of a $10 PowerBook G3, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.04.26. The price was right, assuming it worked, but how beat up and underpowered would this $10 PowerBook be?
• 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. How much TiBook is enough?
• Making the move from Jaguar (OS X 10.2) to Panther (10.3), Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.04.11. One advantage of Apple's "no upgrades" policy for OS X - someone can give you their old copy after upgrading without worrying about violating their license.
• Many G3 Macs now considered vintage, Mac News Review, 2006.03.31.
• Pismo and Panther, Pismo on last legs, and Lombard vs. PowerBook G4, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.03.08. More on OS X 10.3.9 as the best for Pismo, Pismo plagued with kernel panics, and whether to upgrade a Lombard or replace it with a PowerBook G4.
• FastMac's $190 8x dual-layer SuperDrive for PowerBooks and dual USB iBooks, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.01.30. For US$190-250 you can replace the CD-ROM, CD-RW, Combo, or slow old SuperDrive in most PowerBooks, white iBooks, slot-loading iMacs, and Cubes with a faster, dual-layer drive.
• Replacing or upgrading the optical drive in your PowerBook G3 or 1400, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout Shelter, 2006.01.24. If your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM has died or you want to upgrade to a CD or DVD burner, here's how to do it yourself.
• Web browser tips for the classic 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 Mac OS.
• The best browsers for PowerPC Macs and the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2005.12.16. Two browsers stand out from the pack: iCab 3 is modern and remains under development, and WaMCom brings Mozilla to older Macs.
• Software that worked during my months in Iraq with my PowerBook, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout Shelter, 2005.12.20. Two operating systems and over a dozen programs that made life better while deployed in Iraq.
• Configuring a PowerBook for months in Iraq without Internet access, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout Shelter, 2005.12.13. "What do you need to keep yourself entertained and be able to work for months without Internet access? A Mac."
• Lombard: A great $400 field computer, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout Shelter, 2005.12.06. Rugged, reliable, and feature-laden, this G3 PowerBook also fully supports OS X and is available at decent prices.
• Configuring a PowerBook for months in Iraq without Internet access, Joe Rivera, Mac Fallout Shelter, 12.13. "What do you need to keep yourself entertained and be able to work for months without Internet access? A Mac."
• FixIt Guide: PowerBook G3 Lombard, PB FixIt. All you need to know to take apart, upgrade, repair, and put your PowerBook back together again. Online and print versions available.
• Lombard renaissance, Charles Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion, 2004.03.23. "Both Newer Technology and PowerLogix made G3 upgrades for the Lombard for a time, but they apparently didn't sell especially well...."
• The strong value of the Lombard PowerBook G3, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2003.03.19. Why the 333 MHz Lombard is a particularly good value in portable computing.
• Flash memory improves PowerBook, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2002.11.14. Using Compact Flash to boot, save files, run silently, extend battery life, and as virtual memory on a PowerBook.
• Is the Lombard a lemon?, Charles Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion, 10.15. "...one might deduce that either a design flaw or hardware defect is beginning to manifest widely in these machines as they age."
• Rage Pro Driver for Lombard, James Denton. Oops, OS X 10.1.5 missed acceleration support for Rage LT Pro in Lombard. This patch solves that oversight.
• Rage at being left behind, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2001.12.24. It's official - Apple doesn't plan to support graphics acceleration for any Mac with ATI Rage video.
• Recall: PowerBook G3 AC Adapter Exchange Program. Most WallStreet and Lombard AC adapters recalled. See Apple's page for details.
• OS X graphics speedup with early ATI video, Mac OS X: Optimizing for Earlier ATI Graphics Accelerators, 2001.03.09. ATI Rage II+, IIc, Pro, and LT Pro faster displaying thousands of colors, not millions.
• SCSI and FireWire Disk Modes, Paulo Rodrigues, Tangerine Fusion, 2000.11.29. How to use SCSI Disk Mode and FireWire Target Disk Mode for ultrafast file transfers.
• Accelerate Your Mac! has downloadable color profiles for the iBook and recent PowerBooks that really improve on-screen color.
• Recovering a stolen PowerBook, The 'Book Page. One user's experience.
• PowerBook G3 Series memory pricing, ramseeker
• Review: PowerBook G3s, Macworld, September 1999, p. 34
• Apple Specs Online for PowerBook (Bronze Keyboard)
• PowerBook G3 Computers: How to Identify Different Models, Apple TIL 24604

Cautions

• Be sure to specify low-density DIMMs, which have 16 RAM chips on them. High-density DIMMs have only 8 RAM chips, and the computer will only use half of their capacity.
• From Apple Knoweldge Base Archive Article 58386: When the PowerBook G3 Series [Lombard/Bronze Keyboard] wakes from sleep, the Password Security control panel is activating before the PowerBook has a chance to enable the USB bus. This results in any external USB keyboard not working.
• There is an incompatibility between the Kensington Startup ADB extension and the Trackpad control on the iBook with Mac OS 9.0.4. Symptom: trackpad responds during boot, but not later. Solution: disable Kensington Startup ADB extension. This may also apply to other USB portables and versions of the Mac OS.

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