[HOWTO] - Use your Powerbook lid closed

so, why don't you test the lid-closed feature? Would love to know if it's working on those "unlocked" iBooks..
 
well.. as i already explained in a previous post on this very thread, i CANNOT test this because i have no external, usb nor bluetooth, keyboard.

so i will leave the testing to someone else.. ok?

alex.
 
Ahhh, the young ppl in these days. Do we old ones really have to do all on our own. :) ;)
So, it IS possible to close the lid and work on external devices when the iBook has at least the hack/patch from Rutemoeller.
On iBooks it will also enable clamshell mode which was not available previously
Click to expand...
Add: the clamshell mode is the lid-closed mode.
However, heat seems to be a big issue, so think twice before you try this..
 
Yes, I'd also add that - be it PowerBook or 'enabled' iBook - the second display is useful, so you don't need the screen closed, I guess... Better for the heat, better for the use...
 
This is a big thing for me, I am currently chousing my universty, and to that end what type of computer i will be taking with me, it's going to be a laptop, but what type? that will depend on what the universty is running, if i can run a pbook/ibook lidclosed (in a docking station?) this would be brillant :).
 
quiksan said:
just caution:
your system will get REALLY hot running with the lid closed, so don't burn it out, or have a cooling system/elevated-airy stand for it to rest on while you do this, if it's for long periods of time.
Click to expand...

Once the powerbook wakes up, using the external monitor, you can simply re-open the lid. The pb LCD remains powered off.
 
Yes, but why would you _want_ to do that? If you're going to open the second display, anyway, why not _use_ it as a secondary monitor? For example, you can keep windows you want to scan sometimes on that secondary display. Mail, download windows, system utilities... And work on the primary (i.e. the external) display. Shutting down the internal display and keeping it open doesn't make much sense, I believe.
 
Well, I use my 12" pb in this way while it's connected to my 18" LCD, which gives me enough inches for the applications I work with. I keep the lid open so the pb doesn't get warm and I keep the 12" panel powered off to preserve its backlight lamps.
 
I would like to keep my powerbook running when the lid is closed (without needing to plug in a monitor or a keyboard!!)

This is because sometimes if I go into a lecture and would like to be able to check email via the powerbook's airport on my bluetooth palm t3. Our building is wired for 802.11 so I'd be able to check email on my handheld via the computer.

To those of you that say it will get too hot.. don't worry, I'll leave the processor in "reduced" mode and turn down the monitor all the way.
 
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.
 
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
 
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?
 
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. ;)
 
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
 
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...
 
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?
 
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