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The Mac Webb
The Fully Utilized Computer
- 2001.12.31
I know I am not the only one who packed up his PowerBook and associated gear and brought everything they needed with them on Thanksgiving day, although I may be the only one who did it to travel only a half hour.
We buy portable machines to make sure we have access to our data and applications when and where we need them. If you are like me, you may pull your machine out to check email or surf the Web, but you really find it a reassuring piece of home. It makes you feel comfortable. Although you rarely do anything that could not wait until your return, you like to carry the gear with you just in case a need arises.
This Thanksgiving I was able to put my setup to good use and impress the family with the computing capabilities of my PowerBook G4. As we left the house, I grabbed my Targus case, which happened to have my entire outfit loaded from the last day at the office. I was not planning on using anything but my computer, but did not bother to unpack anything.
My rig
- PowerBook G4
- Canon N650 U Scanner: small, USB powered
- MCE lucid CD-RW drive: small, bus powered
Additional gear
- Canon Elura DV camera (my brother's)
My brother arrived and brought his Canon Elura DV camera for us to play around with. As the day progressed, we had accumulated a good deal of footage of my children and the rest of the clan.
As we sat down to watch the Dallas Cowboys game, I pulled out my PowerBook for my brother to play with. He is a casual computer user who is running an older HP notebook I gave him last year. The stylings of the PowerBook impressed him quite a bit, and he was having fun with my MP3 collection.
While we were playing, my mother was watching some of the video we had taken while she was preparing lunch. She wanted copies of some of the video of the kids, and my brother promised he would send her a copy of the film. It suddenly dawned on me that we could take care of that on the spot.
I grabbed the AC adapter, the burner, and the scanner, and I moved to the dining room table, long since cleared of any debris. We connected the DV camera to the PowerBook, and, as you would expect, the files were easily transferred to the computer.
I started iMovie, and we began to edit the raw footage into something a bit more polished. I keep about 20 GB of my 48 GB drive free for video, although I must admit that may be silly - this was the first movie I tried to edit on this machine. We edited the raw footage and created a good summary of the day's events.
Once the file was complete, I used the MCE burner to create a CD of the QuickTime file. Once the disc image was ready, it was simple to make a copy for the entire family. Everyone was thrilled, although I am certain I will have to spend time helping the non-Mac folks figure out QuickTime.
Flushed with our computer success, my brother and I grabbed a batch of family pictures and began running them through the scanner. I chose the Canon scanner based on its small size and the fact that it draws power from the USB cable. We eventually distributed the pictures on CD as well, giving everyone a thrill and making many understand the power of a fully utilized computer.
I made made the point to all who were impressed that they should
constantly look for new ways to use computers. They are one of the most
expensive purchases we make, and to let capabilities sit idle or
unexplored is a waste of funds.
Kevin Webb spent the last seven years selling technology consulting services. Of that time, at least two years have been devoted to trying to convince the world that the Macintosh is the pinnacle of the computing experience. He is the proud owner of eight Macs, ranging from a new iBook to a Classic. You can read about his newest computer in Kevin Webb's PowerBook G4.
Recent articles by Kevin Webb
- How Macintel could spell trouble for Windows, 06.15. "Apple has been working to change the game from simply a hardware discussion to an integrated system approach - the digital hub."
- Tech junkie swears off new hardware for one year, 07.14. "This is the day of the big freeze. I am going to choose my personal infrastructure and freeze those products for one full year!"
- What a long strange trip back to Pismo, 03.29. The 15" and 12" G4 PowerBooks were nice, but the old Pismo is the PowerBook that seems just right.
- Switching from a PC to a pair of Macs, 01.23. Friend buys a Power Mac and an iBook -- and uses FireWire Disk Mode to tie them together.
- More in the Mac Webb index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: Mac IIfx, Mar. 1990 - This 'wicked fast' 40 MHz Mac trumped the 33 MHz DOS world.
- Group of the Day: Mac mini List is for anyone using or contemplating a Mac mini
- March 19 in LEM history: 90: Mac IIfx - 99: Fool me twice? - 01: Add FireWire, USB to older Macs - Time to replace your iMac? - 02: The Mac Challenge - Installing Linux on a low-end Mac - 03: Value of the Lombard PowerBook - Your portable should have WiFi - PowerBook 1400 upgrades - 04: The video iPod - 07: Troubleshooting an iMac - 08: Intel Mac mini value
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Could iPad Replace the Mac?, Mac Sales Up in 2010, Avoiding Windows 7 'Whenever Possible', and More, Mac News Review, 03.19. Also why your next Mac may be an iPad, science blogger abandons Apple, the benefits of standing while working, and more.
- The Mobile System Stampede, Lithium Battery That Can't Explode, Affordable SSD Options, and More, The 'Book Review, 03.19. Also June 2007 MacBook Pro external display issue, laptop stands, 1 TB ultraportable hard drive, Mini DisplayPort/HDMI adapter, and more.
- CardBus WiFi, the Shiira Browser, Ridding the Web of Flash, and Macs vs. PCs, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 03.18. Mac longevity, Shiira speed, ambidextrous Mac and Windows use, and how Flash benefits Apple.
- How to Zoom Your Browser for a More Readable Web, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac, 03.18. Instructions for zooming text and pages in Safari, Firefox, Camino, and Opera.
- How Ad Blocking Hurts Your Favorite Websites, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 03.18. Ad income keeps the Web free. Blocking online ads hurts your favorite websites.
- Taking Apart the 12" PowerBook, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 03.17. There are a lot of steps involved in disassembling a 12" PowerBook. Proceed with caution.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
- Best Intel iMac Deals, 03.17. Used 17" from $600; 20" from $750; 24" from $825; refurb 21.5" nVidia, $999; new, $1,099; refurb Radeon, $1,299; new, $1,399; refurb 27" 3.06, $1,499; more.
- Best G5 iMac Deals, 03.17. 17" 2.0 GHz, $380; 1.9 GHz iSight, $479 shipped; 20" 1.8 GHz, $509 shipped; 2.1 GHz iSight, $549 shipped.
- Best Time Capsule Deals, 03.17. Close-out 500 GB, $140; new 1 TB, $279; used 2 TB simultaneous dual-band, $400; new, $455. Shipping included.
- Best iPad Deals, 03.16. 16 GB iPad, $499; 32 GB, $599; 64 GB, $699; 16 GB with 3G, $629; 32 GB 3G, $729; 64 GB 3G, $829. Free ground shipping.
- Best iPod classic Deals, 03.12. Used 20 GB, $119; 40 GB, $139; 60 GB, $159; 30 GB video, $129; 60 GB, $159; 80 GB, $169; refurb 120 GB, $189; new, $214; 160 GB, $228 shipped.
- Best G3 iBook and AirPort Card Deals, 03.12. 366 MHz 12" clamshell, $89; 466, $125; 500 white CD, $100; 600, $199; 800 Combo, $239; 14" 900, $225.
- Best Xserve Deals, 03.12. Used 1 GHz dual G4, $499; 2.0 dual G5, $599; 2.3, $749; refurb 2.26 4-core Nehalem, $2,499; new, $2,699; 8-core, $3,449; refurb 2.66, $4,299; new, $4,799; more.
- More deals in our archive.
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