bigapplefan1
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Q: Does the Apple PowerBook G4 have internet access?

SO, I am buying a used PowerBook G4 for surfing web. Does it have internet like the Enernet app and google chrome, like other laptops? Please let me know. I am also wondering if this laptop has a built in Webcam. Thanks.

Posted on Feb 17, 2015 4:34 PM

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bigapplefan1

Q: Does the Apple PowerBook G4 have internet access?

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  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Feb 17, 2015 4:38 PM in response to bigapplefan1
    Level 9 (54,112 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 17, 2015 4:38 PM in response to bigapplefan1

    With that old of a PowerBook, you are not going to be able to run a browser that will work with the majority of the web site of today. If you have not already purchased it, I would suggest that you cancel the purchase.

  • by petermac87,

    petermac87 petermac87 Feb 17, 2015 4:38 PM in response to bigapplefan1
    Level 5 (7,402 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 4:38 PM in response to bigapplefan1

    Hi, no webcam and if I remember, it takes an Airport Extreme card to connect to WiFi so see if one is currently fitted.

     

    Pete

  • by bigapplefan1,

    bigapplefan1 bigapplefan1 Feb 17, 2015 4:38 PM in response to Allan Eckert
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 4:38 PM in response to Allan Eckert

    But im asking does it have built in internet?

  • by bigapplefan1,

    bigapplefan1 bigapplefan1 Feb 17, 2015 4:39 PM in response to petermac87
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 4:39 PM in response to petermac87

    Thanks. But is it built in home wifi? Like if i wanna surf the web at home.

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Feb 17, 2015 4:41 PM in response to bigapplefan1
    Level 10 (314,589 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 17, 2015 4:41 PM in response to bigapplefan1

    1. Yes, it has Internet access. Whether or not it has built-in wireless capability varies from model to model.

    2. No, it doesn't have a webcam.

     

    (122598)

  • by petermac87,

    petermac87 petermac87 Feb 17, 2015 4:44 PM in response to bigapplefan1
    Level 5 (7,402 points)
    Feb 17, 2015 4:44 PM in response to bigapplefan1

    bigapplefan1 wrote:

     

    Thanks. But is it built in home wifi? Like if i wanna surf the web at home.

    They all had Ethernet ports and phone line ports for direct connection. As I said, the Airport Cards were not always built in. You had to add them to most models for WiFi.

     

    Pete

  • by Network 23,

    Network 23 Network 23 Feb 17, 2015 5:16 PM in response to bigapplefan1
    Level 6 (12,043 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 17, 2015 5:16 PM in response to bigapplefan1

    bigapplefan1 wrote:

     

    Thanks. But is it built in home wifi? Like if i wanna surf the web at home.

    The PowerBook G4 can easily do wired Ethernet or wireless WiFi. If the one you buy doesn't have a wifi card in it, it's easy to buy a USB wifi adapter if you can't find an AirPort card. The Internet connection should not be a problem.

     

    You will still have problems, but the Internet connection isn't going to be your real problem. Your real problem will be when you try to read web pages and watch video. Because the PowerBook G4 cannot run current web browsers, you will find that many web sites don't display properly. Some web forms and online stores may not work right. Also, the G4 will be too old to install current OS X security updates, so you will be more vulnerable to Internet attacks.

     

    When you try to watch videos, you will find that the G4 is not powerful enough. The G4 may be able to play older, SD and low-res videos on YouTube, but if you try to play any current HD videos on the Internet you will discover that the G4 cannot handle it. This is because current HD videos on the Internet use a format that plays back smoothly with the help of the multimedia optimizations in the Intel CPUs. But the G4 is too old and does not have an Intel CPU, so playing back HD video is too hard for it.

     

    I don't know how much you paid for the G4, but you can get an older MacBook Pro for just a few hundred dollars and it will be much faster, more modern, and more secure than the G4 in every way.

     

    Understand that I used to own a PowerBook G4 and I really loved it, but it simply became out of date and could not handle today's content.

  • by Network 23,

    Network 23 Network 23 Feb 17, 2015 5:45 PM in response to bigapplefan1
    Level 6 (12,043 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 17, 2015 5:45 PM in response to bigapplefan1

    bigapplefan1 wrote:

     

    google chrome, like other laptops? Please let me know. I am also wondering if this laptop has a built in Webcam. Thanks.

    Some more info. You cannot run Google Chrome on a PowerBook G4 because Google Chrome requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later, but the latest system you can install on a G4 is Mac OS X 10.5. And while you can buy a USB webcam and plug it in, the webcam may need driver software, and if the webcam software needs OS X 10.6 or later you will not be able to use the webcam with the G4. You may have to find an older webcam that works with such an old Mac.

  • by setha13,

    setha13 setha13 Feb 21, 2015 3:48 PM in response to bigapplefan1
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Feb 21, 2015 3:48 PM in response to bigapplefan1

    Hi bigapplefan1,

     

    My 12" Powerbook G4 can connect to the Internet through Ethernet and through Wi-Fi without the need for an external chip or card (I had OS X Leopard on it) but it does not have a webcam. Skyping on the PowerBook is close to impossible

    If your 12" is newer than 2003-2004, it should connect to the Internet OK.

     

    Regards, Seth

  • by Network 23,

    Network 23 Network 23 Feb 21, 2015 4:23 PM in response to setha13
    Level 6 (12,043 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 21, 2015 4:23 PM in response to setha13

    setha13 wrote:

     

    Skyping on the PowerBook is close to impossible

    That sounds about right. Any modern video chat probably uses compression that takes advantage of Intel multimedia acceleration in the CPU. Which, once again, a G4 processor does not have. That acceleration is key to squeezing the video signal into the Internet bandwidth we have, in real time.