The original iBook wasn't everybody's cup of tea: veteran columnist John Dvorak described it as "girly" and more than one person likened the design to a toilet seat. But this year's model sports a more conservative industrial design. Taking most of the styling cues from the PowerBook G4 Titanium with a hint of Cube, the new iBook is a sleek package that's at home almost anywhere.

A 10G hard disk and 128M of RAM are standard across the iBook range, apart from the AU$2995 CD-ROM model, which we suspect was built to a price point as it has a meagre 64M of RAM. Extra RAM and a 20G drive are built-to-order options on all models. The DVD version we tested costs AU$3395, and if you're prepared to spend a little more, there's a AU$3695 CD-RW configuration or DVD-ROM CD-RW combo model for AU$3995.

Although the review iBook we received was loaded with Mac OS 9.1 only. Apple vendors are now supplying versions with both Mac OS 9.1 and X preinstalled.

The iBook's chassis is designed with user logistics in mind and to minimise damage to the unit. All the ports -- modem, 10/100 Ethernet, FireWire, dual USB, video and AV -- are arranged along the left-hand side of the case. There's nothing protruding from the case that could snag on a carry case or break off.

Other design features include an offset hinge that reduces the height of an open iBook by a centimetre or so and a case latch that retracts into the lid to prevent snagging (a small magnet pulls it out as you close the lid). It weighs in at 2.2kg -- saving half a kilo on the previous model doesn't sound much, but does make a difference if you carry the computer daily.

Unlike most Apple keyboards, the keycaps are white with black legends. This suits the colour scheme and some people with less than perfect eyesight found it easier to read. The key action is as good as any we've used on a notebook. The larger than average trackpad and button are convenient, and the keyboard is easily removed when you want to install extra RAM or an AirPort wireless networking card.

Although using 1024 by 768 resolution on a 12.1in screen makes the display seem overly condensed at first (a notional 10cm line is actually 6.7cm, compared with 9.5cm on an iMac), we soon got used to it. We noticed a 'stuck' pixel near the right hand edge that might have been the result of previous mishandling. However, we understand a few owners have reported a similar flaw in the same general location. The high pixel density makes the screen ideal for displaying DVD movies, and the battery had power to spare after we watched a full-length feature film.

The video port dongle required to connect the iBook to a VGA display is included, but the special cable to connect the AV port (which doubles as a headphone socket) to a TV is an optional extra.

The demo unit had obviously been around the traps and close inspection showed many fine scratches on the polycarbonate case, but in normal use any marks on the high-gloss finish were, surprisingly, no more noticeable than on a traditional dark, matte surfaced notebook. Apple claims the new iBook is as rugged as its rubber-shielded predecessors were.

Extra performance, expandability and screen real estate still distinguish the PowerBook from the iBook. Even though it is still positioned by Apple as the consumer/education notebook, the iBook's appearance and specifications make it a realistic choice for many business users, especially as its features and price compare favourably with Windows PC based laptops.

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