Introducing.... The MacBook Spare

Because having a Mac Pro to do the heavy lifting on, a MacBook Pro to do the hard core - but portable stuff on - a MacBook for general use - an iPhone or iPod Touch for ultra portable web surfing, and a MacBook Air for other traveling, just isn't enough. You need another computer!

My MacBook is For Sale!

Alas, it is time for me to part with my old friend, my MacBook. Having revived it from the land of the dead, and restored it to better than new condition, I have to part with it. I have to pay off the debt I got into replacing it!

It is on ebay right now.

Here are the specs.

• 1.83 Ghz Dual-Core Intel Core Duo Processor
• 2 GB DDR2 PC2-5300 677 Mhz 200-pin SO-DIMM RAM
• 80 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive SATA
• ComboDrive (CD±R/W & DVD)
• 13.3" Screen at 1280 x 800 resolution native
• Front Row (remote included)
• Leopard Mac OS X 10.5.1
• iLife '08
• iWork '08
• Microsoft Office 2004
• Windows XP Professional SP 2
• 2 USB 2.0 Ports
• Wireless 802.11a/b/g/draft-n
• Ethernet 10/100/1000
• iSight web cam
• built-in mic
• headphone and mic jack
• stereo speakers
• Mini-DVI out
• And more....

If you are interested, please check out the auction. If you "Buy it Now" at the Buy it Now price, I'll throw in my Brenthaven carrying case, which is $50 online.

I really hate to part with this computer, since it was the first new computer I ever bought, but I can't really justify keeping it since I replaced it. Also, since people have asked, I will say that I can load all my YouTube videos on it, and even sign it, if you are so inclined. And if you don't want XP for whatever reason, I can take that off, too. It's a new hard drive with a fresh install of everything - so this is in better-than new condition. I replaced the keyboard, maxed out the RAM, and put in a bigger hard drive. This this is better than the MacBook Air in every way except thinness!

If you have any questions at all, feel free to leave a comment - email me - or contact me through ebay. Thanks for reading and happy bidding!

My MacBook LIVES!

In this video, I show you how to replace a broken keyboard on an Apple MacBook.

Take note, there are a LOT of screws.

This could save you hundreds of dollars. Step by step instructions can be found here Thanks to IFixIt.com and Roger of RogersVids for your help and advice.

I will be listing this MacBook, my original "My New MacBook" from my most popular videos, on ebay. Look for the link here soon. It's a 1.83 Ghz Intel Core Duo with a 60 GB Hard Drive and maxed out with 2 GB of RAM. It will be a fresh install of Leopard, as well as software like MS Office, iLife 08 and iWork 08. Stay tuned for more details.

MacBook Field Test

I took my new MacBook on the road, and it's working great! I kind of failed to mention a few things in the video.

1. It found the WiFi with no problem. I was online as soon as I turned on the AirPort (which I turn off at home when I'm not using it).
2. This thing did editing and rendering of video and audio SUPER fast. I couldn't say that in the video because I didn't know that until *after* I shot the video. Go figure.
3. The battery power is holding up great. It's running out a little faster now that I'm on WiFi but, even after 40 minutes, I'm still at 84%. (Yes, I'm still at St. Louis Bread Co. now).
4. I love my new MacBook! :)
   

Long Live My New MacBook

Well, after watching that heartwrentching video of me saying goodbye to such a dear friend, now you can watch me kick that old piece of crap to the curb as I greedily unwrap my new New MacBook. Let's watch. This guy is really cool.

Apple developing mini-disc adapter for slot-loading drives

Apple iPod chief Tony Fadell has develop a hardware solution that would allow his company to ship software on mini-discs which could then used in slot-loading optical drives built for standard 12 cm CDs and DVDs, a new filing has revealed. This is good because I was just wondering how I could run Damn Small Linux off of a business card CD in my MacBook. And now I know it's on the way!

read more | digg story

MacBook wireless suffering after recent Mac OS X updates

Owners of Apple's 13-inch notebooks are reporting that their Wi-Fi access is much less reliable after installing Mac OS X Leopard or more recent updates to Mac OS X Tiger, especially when the systems switch to battery power. As a MacBook owner and user, I am not happy about this, but I am sure that Apple is working on the problem.

read more | digg story

My phone call from OWC

If you don't know who OWC is, then you probably aren't a Mac user, or at least you are a new Mac user. OWC stands for Other World Computing, and they are one of the best known, best loved, and longest standing third-party supporters of Apple hardware.

A couple of days ago, I was browsing their site, and I had a few questions. So I filled out a form, banged out a few lines of questions - bullet point style - and pressed send. I expected an automated response, and, maybe, at best an email with quickly copypasta'd answers.

Instead, this afternoon my phone rings. The caller ID says "Other World Computing".

"What's this?" I think to myself. "Is someone using Spoofcard on me? Did I accidentally order something at 3 am I don't remember buying?"

Well, it turns out it was, in fact, Other World Computing calling me up to answer the questions I sent in, and any others I might have had. In a world of email, instant messaging, TXTing, live support chat, and microblogging - an actual phone call seems almost as antique and nostalgic as a house call. (For those of you who don't remember when the years started with a 1, that is when a doctor would actually come to your home to help a sick person - it is not in reference to a telephone that is plugged into your wall. Those still exist, too, btw.)

I told the caller, (whose name I really wish I had written down), that OWC definitely has some "above and beyond" / "second mile" kind of customer service, if they are willing to imperil themselves by dialing up some nut bag who asked a slew of questions about their product.

Well, I didn't say all that. I just said that I was impressed by their customer service, or something like that. In the age when user reviews are king, but mostly negative, I wanted to give OWC a hearty pat on the back for making the extra effort of calling a form filler.

BTW, my questions and their answers were as follows:

Q1. Are you offering upgrades to the CPUs on Intel Macs?
A1. Stay Tuned, especially closer to MacWorld

Q2. Do you offer GPS add ons to MacBooks - ala the ModBook [which they are the American distributors for, but not the makers of)?
A2. No, installing such a device should be done by a professional, and, regardless would void your warranty. With the Modbook, the Apple warranty is already voided, but Axiotron [makers of the ModBook] provides an included 1 year warranty and offers an additional 2 years of protection.

Q3. What about colors for the ModBook?
A3. We don't make them, just sell them. [Although I contacted Axiotron, also by webform, and received an answer back that they are in talks with ColorwarePC to provide custom colors - and I was again hinted at to keep my eyes open as we get closer to MacWorld.)

Q4. Monitor upgrades for Notebooks?
A4. No, sorry.

Q5. Can I have a free unlocked iPhone?
A5. Sure! What's your mailing address!

OK, that last part didn't happen. But it would have been nice, huh?

I highly recommend OWC. If you want to upgrade anything on your Mac - more memory, bigger hard drive, anything at all - check them out first! There quality is top notch, their tech support is impressive, they have a ton of information on their site - like high-def Quicktime videos step-by-step of how to install RAM in your MacBook, and benchmarks for various Mac with incremental steps of RAM. (Can you tell what I was shopping for?)

And if you haven't heard of or checked out the ModBook - you owe it to yourself to at least look!

Two Words - Mac Tablet!

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And the Beat goes on... your new touchscreen WiFi OS X based iPod?

What will be announced at today's "And the beat goes on..." Apple announcement? Will be be the iPod Touchscreen? FatBoy Nano? WiFi for iPods? OS X based iPods? The Beatles' library on iTunes? All of the above? How about a speed bump for the Mac Pro and the Xserve? Only time and the Steve will tell. But, mere hours before the announcement, Chad W. Smith (hey, that's me!) gives his thoughts on the subject.

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Rig for my MacBook

As my faithful readers know, (hi Mom), I have a MacBook that I am very fond of. It comes with a lot of stuff, including a built-in iSight, which is Apple's very small, very powerful web-cam, camcorder, and digital camera. I like it a lot, and have used it often. The only problem I have with the iSight is that it is built into the laptop case in the area right above the top center of the monitor. This is, of course, the ideal place for it when using it as a web cam, but for any other purpose, that inflexible location kind of sucks. My friend just bought an Acer laptop with Microsoft Windows Vista, and its built in web cam is located in the same location on the laptop. However, it's built so that it can rotate around so you can take pictures of what is on the other side of the laptop (like what the user of the laptop is looking at if he looks over the top of the screen). That would be a big improvement on Apple's next generation of MacBooks and MacBook Pros. In the meantime, I'll have to rig something up. Maybe I can use Makeup Mirrors to create some kind of periscope, so I can aim the camera behind itself.