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t_hah · May 22, 2006, 02:52 PM

I had my PowerBook G4 800MHz for a while. It is a nice computer still, but now that I have my MacBook Pro, it has been only collecting dust.

What do you guys use your older Macs for? I currently set it up as a dedicated iTunes machine... but I am sure that there are smarter, more useful ideas out there.

scaught · May 22, 2006, 02:55 PM

send it to me. ill PM you my address.

kthxbye

t_hah · May 22, 2006, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by scaught

send it to me. ill PM you my address.

kthxbye

Sure, wanna buy it?

kthxbye

olePigeon · May 22, 2006, 04:00 PM

Get a 7" widescreen touch LCD and put the PowerBook in your car/pickup. Maybe some GPS, map software, and a hacked Front Row.

production_coordinator · May 22, 2006, 04:19 PM

Donate it to some kid you know.

ort888 · May 22, 2006, 04:25 PM

A Powerbook G4 is still a very viable computer. You make it sound like a 6500 or something. Sell it on ebay before it becomes worthless.

Millennium · May 22, 2006, 04:28 PM

I still use my PBG4/400. It needs a new bottom case, but it's running Tiger decently. If you plan on getting rid of yours, I suggest donating it to a school.

t_hah · May 23, 2006, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by ort888

A Powerbook G4 is still a very viable computer. You make it sound like a 6500 or something. Sell it on ebay before it becomes worthless.

The housing is pretty "beaten up looking"... the Titanium series had the chipping paint issue and that shows a lot on it. The right hinge also failed partially, but in general the PowerBook is very usable.

So no other ideas? I was thinkking about hooking it up to my TV in the living room and use it as a media center... maybe that is what I will do, if nothing better comes up.

Millennium · May 23, 2006, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by t_hah

So no other ideas? I was thinkking about hooking it up to my TV in the living room and use it as a media center... maybe that is what I will do, if nothing better comes up.

The TiBooks have the advantage of being very thin. You could probably make a very nice digital picture frame out of one. You'll need to remove the screen, but since the right hinge failed that shouldn't be a problem.

On a sidenote: failing laptop hinges is a real pain: you have to pretty much replace the entire upper case (though not necessarily the screen). That, in turn, requires pretty much disassembling the whole thing and putting it back together again. Not pretty stuff.

ort888 · May 23, 2006, 03:49 PM

If you are having trouble thinking of a use for it you don't need it. Seriously... sell it.

I always think I'm going to do something really cool with my old computers, but they always end up sitting around until they are worth nothing.

Right now, I have a broken PB G4/400 sitting in my closet with a broken screen. I was going to turn it into something, but never got around to it. I was offered $300 for it at one point but decided to pass. I should have taken the money.

d4nth3m4n · May 23, 2006, 03:59 PM

as someone who is still using a pismo as my main computer (saving up has been a little tricky lately), i'd like to interject that using an 800hmz g4 as a digital picture frame is blasphemy. hell, this thing has quartz extreme.\

op, if you're going to go the picture frame route, send me a pm, i'll give you this pismo and a 14" iBook screen if that's your thing.

Socially Awkward Solo · May 23, 2006, 04:09 PM

A large iPod

Millennium · May 23, 2006, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by d4nth3m4n

as someone who is still using a pismo as my main computer (saving up has been a little tricky lately), i'd like to interject that using an 800hmz g4 as a digital picture frame is blasphemy. hell, this thing has quartz extreme.

Point taken. If picture frames don't float your boat, you could probably make a decent MAME cabinet out of it. It wouldn't be able to run the very latest games all that well, but you could keep up with everything up through the Neo-Geo anyway.

waxcrash · May 23, 2006, 04:55 PM

If you play guitar, an old TiBook 800 is great to run Amplitube or GarageBand. I use my old TiBook as a guitar effects processor.

brassplayersrock² · May 25, 2006, 12:26 AM

comming from a person who uses a powerbook 140 as an electronic journal, i'd say keep it. your media center idea sounds like a good one, and i agree with waxcrash, his idea is a good one, and not just guitar ether, get the right kind of clip mic and and hook it to any brass or woodwind instrument and use the effects on them.

Dr.Michael · May 25, 2006, 03:47 AM

Dedicate it to Seti at home and support science. Or cluster your home network with xgrid. The idea with the iTunes server is also cool. These mp3s use a lot of hd space.