Random questions from a newb

[Arkangil]

So I just bought a refurb uMBP 2.53. Love the computer so far, but I have some questions.

1. Anyone know of good bluetooth speakers? Does such a beast exist? I'm looking for the only cables around to be the magsafe power and my monitor. Right now, I have that setup except for speakers!

2. For about a week I have a umbp 2.4 before I upgraded. With my new one, it seems to freeze a fair amount. SPecifically, the System preferences screen freezed when I try to set either my desktop or my screensaver to personal pictures. It's strange, and I did not have this problem on the 2.4. The only setup I did differently is I did a transfer from the 2.4 to the 2.53. Could that have something to do with it? It has frozen other times as well.

3. I have the airport extreme (3rd router I tried, but very happy) and I am hoping to get a new external hdd for backups of both my PC latop and time machine. Any advice on a brand. Price is a factor. Do I have set a partition for time machine, and then use the rest for the PC?

4. Is there an easy way to calibrate my laptop screen, and my Samsung Syncmaster monitor to have the same colour and brightness? I could fiddle for hours with the two and never get them close. Just wondering if there is an auto function somewhere. Right now the white on the mac is MUCH brighter than that on the Samsung.

I think that is about it for now, though I may ammend the list in the future. I am in Ottawa and we are getting an Apple Store tomorrow! Once the hype dies down, I can go there for more advice.

Thanks all.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Wireless Speaker Discussion

As for the hard drive you are going to have to make your own partition for Time Machine, general rule is whatever your internal is times 1.5.

As for the brand, everyone has their own experiences, but I imagine that most of them are positive. Sure, there are these threads about how person x's drive failed and person y wouldn't buy anything but them. I own three drives that there are plenty of horror stories about.

No one (except MacDawg) would ever post: "I love my Western Digital 1TB Drive", unless someone posts a horror story about one. Companies ship tons of drives daily, not everyone will be perfect.

The best advice is to find one that has a good warranty and excellent customer service. And then avoid reading these threads so you don't lose any sleep.

Or you could be OCD, anal and paranoid like me and have two back-up drives...

1TB is prbly a good size to start at it, I would say most people looking for non-mobile externals start at that size, here and here are recent threads about that...
More literature found here.
Here, is another thread on 1TB Hard Drives
This one is about LaCie...
Here is another, there is some more discussion about LaCie in there...
Here is one on USB 1TB, I'd stick to Firewire...
And if all else fails, MRoogle

 

[Arkangil]

That is an impressive list! Thank you. Basically, it sounds like I am waiting until anything goes on sale for a reasonable price, and then just buying it and hoping for the best!

Since I have you here, I thought of question 5.

Can I "tether" from my macbook to something else.

For example, My macbook is connected to my wireless network, and ultimately out to the internet. Can I use an ethernet cable to plug my macbook into a desktop PC, and give that PC internet access?

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

For example, My macbook is connected to my wireless network, and ultimately out to the internet. Can I use an ethernet cable to plug my macbook into a desktop PC, and give that PC internet access?

You sure can. It's called internet sharing. It will be in the sharing properties in the Preferences. You share your internet connection on your MB to another computer connected to your ethernet port. Great for Xboxs and the like if you have a wireless network.

 

[Arkangil]

That's awesome! I'm definitely starting to love my Mac!