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algold · May 12, 2004, 12:08 PM

I've got a six years old PowerBook 190 cs in full working order (even the battery still works) collecting dust. Does anyone have any interesting idea what I can do with it. It's a shame not to use it and because it is so outdated I can't give it away to anybody.
PB's spec: 8 MB RAM, 500 MB HD, OD 7.5.5.
Any ideas?

Waragainstsleep · May 12, 2004, 01:01 PM

You have the following upgrade options:

Your old 'book will take up to 40MB of RAM.
It will run OS 8.1.
It should take a much bigger HD.
You have PC Card slots (2 type two or 1 type three). Not sure if many modern cards will work though. I don't know about cardbus support.

As for what you can do with it, maybe you could use it as an MP3 Player (Does Soundjam work on 8.1?).
Perhaps a webserver?

Could you run SETI@Home on it? Perhaps not.

tooki · May 12, 2004, 01:53 PM

I'm pretty sure SETI and SoundJam both require PowerPC processors.

The 190 has a 68LC040.

tooki

Waragainstsleep · May 13, 2004, 05:41 AM

Someone must have written an MP3 player that will work? Surely. What about Macamp?

blackbird_1.0 · Jun 11, 2004, 04:43 AM

Audion?

Anyway, I've got a Powerbook !65, with a black and white screen, and System 7.1.

Any ideas?

mitchell_pgh · Jun 14, 2004, 08:53 AM

Those old 40 processors aren't worth much... especially when they have a Black and White screen.

Komisar · Jun 14, 2004, 10:15 AM

i have a powerbook 180... lol i took a screenshot on it put it on a floppy disk and transfered it to my comp...thinking of posting on resexcellence lol

mitchell_pgh · Jun 15, 2004, 06:29 PM

I think you can make an answering machine out of it...

Find a copy of MegaPhone and use it that way...

anthology123 · Jun 16, 2004, 02:57 PM

I have many old Powerbooks (duo 230, 2300, 3400, 2400, 5300, 100, and old non-power macs like SE, FX, IIci, Quadra 700, Quadra 630.

I have a large collection of games that date way back to the Mac Plus. For each machine, I put the games that can be played on them and set it up as a game system. Great for kids, too if you don't want them playing on your good system.
Games like Dark Castle, Uniinvited, Apache Strike, Pipe Dream, Tetris, Crystal Quest, and many others. Even games like Super Munchers, Oregon Trail if you want educational.

ima-macuser · Jul 2, 2004, 01:16 PM

Mpegdec should work on 68k processors for playing mp3s. I'm unsure of the quality though, as I've never used it.

It's here:
http://members.aol.com/xanathus/mpegdec/about.htm

Waragainstsleep · Jul 3, 2004, 12:28 PM

I might give this a go on my Performa 6200....!

oojacoboo · Jul 12, 2004, 01:04 AM

Install Linux on this system make it an MP3 player and put it in your car. Or, you could make a digital picture frame out of it. Check out http://www.macmod.com mod guides for more info.

Cheers,
Jacob Thomason
Mod Squad

wuzup101 · Jul 17, 2004, 11:44 PM

Well if you can play Oregon Trail on it then that's what you have to do... lol. I can't count the number of days I spent playing that game back in the day at school. It was always fun when "ball sack" came down with typhoid or was killed by indians. Anyway, the game idea is great. I'm sure you could find plenty of old yet entertaining games to play on there!

angelmb · Jul 19, 2004, 04:13 PM

install iCab 68K version on it and you get a nice and additional internet machine, enough to check the MacNN site on iCab�s kiosk mode

Matt OS X · Jul 27, 2004, 10:01 AM

Originally posted by algold:
I've got a six years old PowerBook 190 cs in full working order (even the battery still works) collecting dust. Does anyone have any interesting idea what I can do with it. It's a shame not to use it and because it is so outdated I can't give it away to anybody.
PB's spec: 8 MB RAM, 500 MB HD, OD 7.5.5.
Any ideas?

Just an idea here: Maybe you could give it away and have it recycled with apple products? Better than nothing?

For more info about Apple Recycling, go to:Apple Recycling

f1000 · Jul 27, 2004, 10:08 AM

Originally posted by algold:
I've got a six years old PowerBook 190 cs in full working order (even the battery still works) collecting dust. Does anyone have any interesting idea what I can do with it. It's a shame not to use it and because it is so outdated I can't give it away to anybody.
PB's spec: 8 MB RAM, 500 MB HD, OD 7.5.5.
Any ideas?

If it's in good cosmetic condition, then try selling it on eBay. I had a Japanese enthusiast pay good money for a pristine Duo of mine.

anthology123 · Aug 5, 2004, 07:24 PM

just find old free games on info-mac. Look at http://mirror.apple.com and go to the games section. You can also use Word 4.2, Excel 5. Even stuff like Minicad, Vellum will also work.