Re: ibm 560

[Sandy Meltzer <sandy@sandy.com>]

At 12:18 PM 10/19/96 -0500, you wrote:
>I am considering the purchase of a 560, thw 133 Mhz model.  I wonder if
>anyone has any comments or information regarding this machine?  In
>particular, i'm interested in whether people have experienced problems with
>the keyboard (i remember something some time ago about certain keys
>sticking), or the trackpoint (the drift problem), and the overall quality of
>the machine.  One group member said something about the 560 being made of
>different plastic than other tp's, and seeming less sturdy.  Any comments
>would be appreciated greatly.  Thanks,

I've owned a 560 133Mhz TP since August 1 and LOVE it!  I own other TPs and
initially ordered a 760ED, but decided not to wait for IBM to get their
production act together and the 560 was a perfect choice for me.  I
couldn't be happier.

No, I've had absolutely no problems whatsoever with the keyboard and REALLY
like it compared to other TP's I have (755CX, 701, etc.).  It has a
slightly mushy feel to it, but I'm very comfortable with it and haven't had
ANY sticking keys.  The trackpoint drift "problem" is typical of most TPs
and NOT a problem according to IBM (just a "feature" of the technology:).
It doesn't seem any worse or better then any other TP I've used.

As far as the plastic case is concerned, yes...it is different than other
TPs and MAYBE less sturdy.  If I had to bet my life on which plastic case
could take a drop to a hard floor better, I'd bet on the 755/760 case.  The
560 plastic seems "lighter" then other models, but since I make a point of
not dropping my TPs onto hard surfaces, it really isn't a problem for me.
Also, based on the past experiences I've read here over the last few years,
I don't think ANY TP is happy about being dropped.  On the other hand, the
560 plastic seems to have a "smoother" finish and doesn't seem to attract
or show fingerprints or dust/dirt like previous models.  So, bottom line is
I'm happy with the 560 plastic case just the way it is.

I have noticed that the lithium-ion battery doesn't seem to last as long as
advertised, but it could be faulty.  I called IBM this week and they are in
the process of sending me a replacement.  I'll let you know if the
replacement is better.

Overall, the 560 is the best TP I've used to date and fits my needs
perfectly...which I think is the most important consideration.  I agonized
over the idea of buying the 560 instead of the 760ED because I didn't want
to lose functionality.  Much to my surprise, this was not the case.  The
12.1" TFT screen, keyboard, and overall performance of this 133Mhz
Pentium-based 560 is superb.  As a Webmaster and graphic designer, I run
some very heavy-duty graphic applications including Photoshop, 3D Studio
Max, and Lightwave 5.0 on the 560 and it performs VERY well.  The video is
reasonably fast and I don't notice much of a difference in speed compared
to other systems I own and use.  And frankly, 3D applications like these
are probably better then any benchmark you can run because they can really
eat up system resources quickly.  Yet, the 560 can hold its own compared to
any 133MHz Pentium desktop machines I own...even those with very fast hard
drives and fast video (Imagine128 card).

Sure, I'd like more disk space and faster drives, but I didn't buy the 560
to use as my main production system.  For me, the 560 was the best choice
and I'm happy I purchased it.  It's light in weight compared to other TPs,
yet I didn't have to give up much as a trade off.  I don't need a built-in
CDROM or floppy because I've been using Xircom's NetWave wireless LAN for
the past couple of years and it allows me to stay in contact with my main
production system via the wireless network.  And, because it's fast, the
wireless network allows me to install software from the CDROM on my main
server over the network.  I can also EASILY transfer software back and
forth with my main system over the network, so the 560 is perfect for my
needs....without the extra weight.

Oh, another little advantage was cost.  I took the extra money I saved NOT
buying the 760ED (~$3,000) and was able to buy the components to build a
wonderful  DUAL-PPro200 production system.  That's what I call more bang
for the buck. :) Thanks IBM...you done good with the 560 and I highly
recommend it.

Best Regards,


                _\//__
    --Sandy    / _  _ \
              (  @  @  )
+----------.oOOo--()--oOOo.-----+--------------------------+
|   CactusNET Communications    |  Reflections By Design   |
|   Internet Service Provider   | Web Design & Production  |
|     San Jose, California      |  Cupertino, California   |
|         408-261-4676          |      408-257-2800        |
|   http://www.cactusnet.com    | http://www.by-design.com |
| "An Oasis In The CyberDesert" |  "We Give You The World" |
+------------------- Oooo.------+--------------------------+
           .oooO     (   )     zzz.|\      _,,,---,,_       
            (   )     ) /          /,`.-'`'    -.  ;-;;,_.. 
             \ (     (_/          |,*<  ) )-,_. ,\ (  `'-`  
              \_)                '---''(_/--'  `-'\_)