Powerbook in a desktop role

[gear02]

So people use PC laptops as desktops all the time. Dell has docking stations where you plug your laptop in and it essentially turns into a desktop, with an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

I want to do this with my powerbook. I don't need a docking station, but I want to use it with an external monitor, mouse, and keyboard. And preferably without having to lift the lid to turn it on, in operation, or to turn it off (although i don't mind).

Do you guys do this, and how do you do it? Is it as simple as plugging in the mini dvi to dvi extension and the pbook knows to operate in desktop mode?

 

[Eleven]

Yup thats what I'm doing got the montior, keyboard and mouse plugged in, then I just close the hood and its wakes up on the big monitor...its perfect!

 

[mox358]

When I started college, I used my TiBook as a desktop (cause it was the only Mac I had). I just hooked up a big 19" CRT monitor to the back, plugged in a kb and mouse, and went to town. I did have to open it to turn the power on, and I also had to set the external display as the main screen, or else the Tibook wanted to extend the desktop onto the external, leaving me with an empty blue screen. I can't recall if I had to do that every time or not, since I was lucky to get an iMac shortly thereafter. It can be done however... I'm just not sure how easily. I have seen PBook docking stations available from Bookendz . Seems like a nicer solution if you intend to do this full time.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Solafaa]

I did that for about 3 weeks, i was in London for 3 weeks and i took my 17" PB. I always had problems with heat from my PB so i went to the Apple store in London (wow its amazing) and got the iCruve you can get it here
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/icurve/

I had my PB on for like 4 hours of working time and about 8-12 hours of it being on btu in sleep mode. I never had any heating problems with it, and it works great.

 

[aricher]

I use my PB 17" everyday with an external BT keyboard and mouse and a old-fashioned CRT monitor - works like a charm. Get yourself an iCurve or RoadTools Podium CoolPad though.

 

[gear02]

I was told that running with the lid closed to an external monitor caused heat problems (because the monitor is still on). Is this true? What should I do?

 

[mox358]

Yup thats what I'm doing got the montior, keyboard and mouse plugged in, then I just close the hood and its wakes up on the big monitor...its perfect!

After that big long post of mine I wish someone would have told me that 4 years ago! Lol. Would have saved me a lot of time.

 

[emw]

I use my PowerBook as a desktop everyday - as I've done for the past 7 years over several versions. However, I like to leave the PB lid open so that I have the spare display area. I suppose if you're short on actual desk space, it could be an issue, but I enjoy the extra real estate for palettes, etc.

 

[Earendil]

I use my Powerbook for Computer Science C++ homework, and Web application all the time. It handles running Macromedia Flash, Word, Taco HTML, PhotoShop, Powerpoint, Safari, Firefox, and of course iTunes, Mail, and Audium (a mesaner) are always running as well.

Today I went and sat at the lab computer infront of all the Computer Science major folk (of which I am one), unplugged the flatscreen from the PC at my desk, plugged it into my powerbook and dueled the two of them the whole time. When I got board of working I would just lean back and with my 4 button mouse Expose the windows repeatedly, over and over, as if I was fidgeting with a pen
Expose-ing TWO screens was friggin awesome. I must have had 8 windows on each screen.

I always wondered how much an external monitor attached to this laptop would effect performence, and to my complete surprise, I thin it actually ran BETTER when plugged into another monitor, if that makes ANY sense at all

After all that my CS prof, who worked at Microsoft for 10 years, said the other day that he "could never used an OS that looked like that" when reviewing some of my work and helping me with a program. Though he said it nice, I wanted so badly to respond "And I could never used a OS that functions like THAT" and wave at the Windows XP machines. But I didn't

~Tyler