PowerBook battery - Can this be right!?

So, my four year old G4 Powerbook (17 inch Alluminium) has started to
revert to that date (is it 1901?) which lets me know that its internal
back up battery needs replaced.

Thinking that a replacement would cost about five quid - no, ten quid,
this is a Mac! - and be readily available at my local Maplins, I had a
quick look on the net to see what I needed.

Well, first off, these things are surprisingly thin on the ground.
http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/ seems to be one of the very few
sources for a replacement battery. You'd think they would be in the
Applestore. I mean, shouldn't there be hundreds of thousands of aging
PowerBooks with depleted batteries by now!?

Secondly, the replacement battery isn't just a battery, it's a whole USB
port and battery assembly (see
http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=35
2&products_id=63133 ). And it doesn't cost £10, it's £65 + VAT +
Shipping. That's over £80!

To add insult to injury, it seems that much of the PowerBook has to be
disassembled in order to fit the thing - torque screwdrivers, ribbns
disconnected, the lot!

Rant over. Starting to feel a bit better!

Ian
.

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