[HOWTO] - Use your Powerbook lid closed - Page 5

ElDiabloConCaca · #33 November 13th, 2004, 12:45 AM

I'm sure some sort of external input device is necessary to run the PowerBook in closed-lid mode, since entering into closed-lid mode involves putting the PowerBook to sleep, then waking it up via some external input device.

H2OSX · #34 November 13th, 2004, 07:31 PM

There are a couple programs, but the one i use is kisMac which is a wireless hot spot finder, which is still in beta i think, and it allows you to use the computer with the lid closed, but i have had some problems - i also think there was a thread like this a while back that you could check out

**fryke** · #35 November 17th, 2004, 07:38 PM

Not sure what you're talking about, but isn't a WiFi hotspot finder mainly usable when you're out and about, where you probably don't have an external display/keyboard/mouse around?

lurk · #36 November 17th, 2004, 10:55 PM

I think he may be talking about war driving or something of the sort.

**fryke** · #37 November 18th, 2004, 07:29 AM

Yes, I thought so, too. But whether it's about war-driving or just casually looking for wireless networks, it doesn't have _any_thing to do with closed-lid powerbooking as far as I can see. That's why I asked.

**btoneill** · #38 November 18th, 2004, 07:40 PM

Actually it does have alot to do with closed laptop usage. By closing the laptop you are able to extend the battery life by a great deal, it's also easier to have a folded up laptop sitting in your car then one open and lit up, it's also much stealthier to walk around "war-walking" with the laptop closed while picking up hotspots. Since you normally will have a GPS connected at the time recording the exact locations that signals are found, you don't have to be looking at it. KisMAC does have an option in it's settings to disable sleep when you close the lid, but in 10.3 it only works for 5 minutes. In 10.2 it used to work for however long you wanted, but they changed the way powermanagement works in 10.3 and their tricks that the used previously no longer work. There are also some other apps that used the same code to do this trick as KisMAC did which were only used for keeping suspend when closed that also suffer from the 5 minutes problem.

Brian

**fryke** · #39 November 19th, 2004, 09:23 PM

Thanks for clearing that up. However I don't think KisMac solves the problem of the Tungsten T3 user... I guess that one should simply keep the lid open and screen dimmed, then...

psycik · #40 January 2nd, 2005, 05:51 PM

Hey everyone. I am a recent MAC convert. Have been a PC user all my life, work in an IT department with a Windows domain, but I could not bring myself to buy another PC laptop, the quality just stinks.

This is exactly how I used my old Dell and what I want to do with my new 12" powerbook. I want to be able to have it plugged into my 19" LCD and use a bluetooth keyboard/mouse and have the lid closed (the laptop just tucked away somewhere)

how bad are the heat issues? This doesnt' seem to get hot on the keyboard...so im a bit confused why lid closed operation causes so much heat. Anyone have a good work around or suggestion?