Macally PS-AC4 AC Power Adapter for Apple G4
by Mace Group Inc / Macally Peripherals
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List Price: Our Price: $17.25 You Save: $42.74 (71%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Macally PS-AC4 AC Power Adapter for Apple G4
Customer Review: Macally AC Charger for PowerBook and iBook G4
Summary: 5 Stars
I discovered the Macally Adapter courteous of a Mac Genius after I had left my orignial Powerbook adapter at work before leaving on a trip. I happened to be staying near a mall with an Apple store, so I went in to purchase an original Apple Powerbook adapter. Unfortunately, the Apple store was sold out of their adapters, but the Mac Genius allowed me to charge my laptop at the counter. While sitting at the counter, the friendly Mac Genius showed me the Macally Adapter when he had a break between helping customers and told me it worked great.
I ordered one from Amazon and use it has my home charger while carrying the Apple charger when traveling. For the money, it is a great backup charger, and now I don't have to unhook and fish my Apple charger through holes on my desk to the surge protector for all my other computer peripherals.
Rather than look like the Apple charger for Powerbooks/iBooks, the Macally charger is like most PC chargers. It's has two separate cords, the cord with the AC plugs is permanately attached to the rectangular white piece, while the cord that plugs into the Apple can be disconnected from both the laptop and the rectangular piece. It doesn't have the Apple orange/green filter and light at the tip of the plug, but I can simply look at the top right corner of my laptop to see if I'm charging versus using battery power.
This adapter has Apple beat in the length of the cord itself more than doubling the length of the Apple adapter. Apple's cord is approx 6 feet, while the Macally measures over 12 feet.
This is an excellent replacement or secondary adapter.
For those frequent travelers:
How many times have you checked into a hotel, and tried to find an electrical outlet near the desk or someplace you might actualy use. I travel 14 days each month and found a solution.
One of the most useful tools on the road is a simple 9' White Extension Cord.....so many hotels have outlets behind beds and only one outlet available. Carrying an extension cord overcomes the pre-computer, pre-cell phone layout of many hotels. I carry a white extension cord not to match my Apple stuff, but so I don't leave it behind when checking out of the hotel. The white cord is more visible compared a black or brown one.
Hope my extension cord tip is useful to some of you.
Customer Review: After TWO Apple Cords lit on FIRE - MACALLY is AMAZING, Affordable, works fine with APPLE G3, I have TWO - Model PSA-C4 (AP5024)
Summary: 5 Stars
WONDERFUL PRODUCT - BEST ON MARKET! I cannot tell you all how much I like EVERY Macally Product I own. As an avid Mac user ever since computers were born, I've always stood by Apple Products UNTIL both my G3 iBook and PowerBook Cords - because of the cheap and inferior design, became weak at the point of highest impact and - well, both cords shorted out within the first year and one of the cords actually shot sparks and flames into the air. If I had not been right there to see it, I would not have believed it - yet, I am sure the Fire Department would have. I would have had my entire home in flames as I was working on a large project with flammables everywhere - I was VERY LUCKY! The US Product Safety Commission hasn't done anything to help - I filed reports, and Apple is acutely aware of the problem, (they recalled the G4 cords I believe, not the G3 cords. I still have the singed/burned cords as proof.) Do yourself a favor - watch this around children and pets - and in the meantime - invest $30-$40 for a cord that has lasted me three years and is still going strong. I can't find them locally in Boston, they are always sold out, everywhere. That alone tells you something! Replace your cord before you have a fire - or it shorts out your computer - the surge supressor won't stop it. I love the Macally Price, the solid quality, the compact nature and again, the PRICE. APPLE wanted approx. $100 for another cheap flammable cord. I ALMOST became a Windows user over this, but Macally changed my mind - do not hesitate to buy this gem, or the USB 2.0 mini dock for those iPod users with a 1.0 USB port - I have had my investment returned many times over, and do not need additional FIRE INSURANCE for home now that I have a Macally AC Cord! Buy one before you have a problem! Forget any help from Apple. And - if your original cord is showing wear, or you are losing your charge - those were my first warnings - don't risk your home, or family. It happened to me and I am afraid for those who don't know what happened to me and MANY others! (PS: Tried Kensington at $79.00 and it fell out constantly - improper fit, another waste of $$$)Customer Review: The blue light is NO guarantee of charging (note: re used unit)
Summary: 3 Stars
First, know that this review applies to a unit I bought USED. My complaint may not apply at all to a new, fully warranted unit. IF you're about to buy a used unit, consider my experience.
In the last few weeks the connecting cable (from the converter to the iBook) began failing. I realized this because occasionally I found that leaving my iBook plugged in would not fully charge it, sometimes over several hours. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that with the MacAlly plugged in -- and its blue light on, indicating that current reaches the unit -- my charge indicator in my iBook menu bar fluctuated: charging AC, using battery, charging AC, using battery.
Now aware of the problem, at some points in following days I would even watch the percentage of battery power DROP as I used the iBook, plugged in -- while the MacAlly was showing its pretty blue light.
I've turned the connector firmly to the 90-degree angle on each side, and still it's unpredictable and therefore unreliable.
So that pretty blue light don't mean nothin', folks, other than the fact that current reaches the converter. That's NO guarantee that your Apple gets juice.
Remember, I bought this one used. Since I don't know how old it was when I got it, I can't assert anything about the unit's longevity. This unit worked fine for a few months as promised, so for the record, I do attribute the failure of the unit to normal wear and tear; I have no complaints against the seller.
I contacted MacAlly. They said to return the part, with the original receipt. Not expecting any such problems as these, I didn't keep my seller's receipt. Anyhow, I don't know that MacAlly would honor it for a used item, and I wouldn't fault them for that. (Bravo to them if they would; I'd try it if I still had the receipt.)
All things considered, I recommend that if you buy this unit, pay the relatively few bucks extra for a NEW one, with the full warranty -- just in case.
Customer Review: Twice the charger never worked...and I think it fried my battery!
Summary: 1 Stars
My Apple charger broke and I needed to buy a new one. Thinking it was ridiculous to spend $80 on a charger, I went with this Macally charger. I read most of the reviews here on Amazon, including the one and two star reviews from people who said the charger didn't work and, when plugged in, oscillated between charging and not charging the computer. I figured they might have received a dud and decided to try my luck anyhow. I have now received two of these items from Amazon both with the same problem. When I plugged it in and was using the computer at the same time, the power oscillated between charging and not charging every second or two. When I put the computer to sleep or turned it off, it seemed to charge the computer. Anyhow, after having the same problem twice, I decided to shell out the bucks for an actual Apple charger instead of having to deal with the annoying charger and keep sending them back and forth to Amazon.
I do believe, however, that this charger fried my computer's battery. After using this product a few times, hoping I could get it to work, the battery meter would read 70% charged but the computer would just shut down because, in reality, it was not charged. The guy at the Apple store said that I would have to replace my battery eventually but that the charger probably helped speed that process along.
Anyhow, I am now poorer from having to purchase both an Apple charger AND a new battery, but now I'm happy that I can actually use my laptop! I would not recommend this product to anyone not only for the inconvenience of having to deal with a faulty product but also because it can actually mess with your laptop.
On a side note, Amazon returns were GREAT. Very efficient...I have not had any problems with them. They even sent me the replacement product before I had a chance to mail back the first one. Something I was not expecting at all.
Customer Review: It's white and works on my ibook G4.
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow there is a lot of love it or hate it on the reviews. Some people seem to be receiving something other than the Macally product. The Macally product comes in an orange package and is spec'd for Powerbook G4 and ibook G3. ... It works fine on my ibook G4. It's white and matches the ibook. It works fine for me and I do not see any of the reported switching between charge and battery like others have reported. My onscreen battery indicator says it's on charge all the time just like it should be. I put 2 pictures of the Macally product with my ibook G4 in the customer photo section.
Here's an update. .. Mine lasted 11 months. As another reviewer pointed out, the Macally PS-AC4 that Amazon is shipping has 48 watt output. The original Apple 14" G4 ibook power supply has 65 watt output. So the Macally product is just barely able to push enough power to run a G4 ibook. That would also be a contributing factor to all of the early failures that are reported.
If you hit the Macally web site and search PS-AC4 you will see that it is officially specified to work with G3 i-book. I don't have one, but maybe the G3 draws less power than a G4 ibook, so 48 watt output might work fine for a G3.
For some reason it is specified to also work with a G4 Powerbook. Does that draw less power than a G4 ibook? Not sure. All I know is it died after 11 months. I tried to warranty it with macally. They asked exactly what system I was using it with. When I said iBook G4, my warranty was immediately voided. .. So keep that in mind if you are communicating with Macally.
Since my warranty was voided, I cracked it open to see what is inside. I'll put those pictures up. It is made by unifive. Their name is printed all over the circuit board and even molded into the back of the plastic case underneath the silver sticker.