Cephalopodcast

I’ve finally got a replacement AC plug for my Powerbook G4. This allowed me to reinstall the OS and get it cleaned up for sale. If you are interested, please feel free to contact me.

For sale

PowerBook G4 15-inch (Double Layer Super Drive, DVD+RW/CR-RW)
CPU Speed 1.67 GHz
Airport Extreme Card & Bluetooth
100GB Ultra ATA drive @7200 rpm
Serial Number: W85448L4SX2
Purchase Date: 31-Oct-05

Applecare Expiration: 31-Oct-08

Included:
-new AC plug
-new AC cord
-new battery (replaced during recall)
-2GB of RAM (third party, crucial.com)
-Installation CDs (Disk 1 & 2)
-original box and packaging

Bonus
-Stash Card

Note: Cosmetic damage on bottom lower left and right.

Asking price: $599.00 US

UPDATE: SOLD

What would happen if Apple decides to make a service like Tivo’s recently announced remote video and picture sharing service available to .Mac subscribers via AppleTV? There is already photocasting via .Mac accounts. So maybe videosharing is already available somehow? Seems like there could be a pay-per-view scheme in there somewhere for video podcasters.

TiVo has just announced a new service that will allow users to route video content directly to other people’s Now Playing lists. [T]he unnamed feature lets anyone with a PC and broadband connection upload vids or photos to a special site, where they are then sent to a specified list of subscribers…Unlike YouTube or Google Video, the uploaded content is strictly controlled and not open to the public….

So wouldn’t it be neat if, in a future iteration, AppleTV not only received video but also sent it? Your television room could become a broadcast studio as well as theater.

As mentioned on a previous post, I ran into trouble with the power adapter on my Powerbook G4. This adapter design gets a lot of criticism, and there are many dissatisfied reviews on the Apple store. This has been ameliorated somewhat with the introduction of the magsafe connector on the new generation of MacBook Pros. However, they still look susceptible to the same kind of fatigue from regular bending.

So I have this bit of advice, which I hope helps other Mac users. I picked this trick up from one of the Apple Store Geniuses. As an aside, since he showed me this technique and confessed that all the other employees use it too, it seems pretty clear that Apple knows the design is flawed.

So the technique can be seen in the picture (click for larger image). The idea is to give the cord a wide, slack first loop before wrapping and then continue to wind it around the brick loosely, giving the cord a half twist each time. It should be just like winding rope.

Seems simple enough. But if you wrap it tightly like in the picture shown in the product promos and on the Apple website, you are likely to wear out your cord and get the same cracks that I had with my Powerbook. We will see if this techniques helps my new brick last longer. Also, I added some white Gaffer tape to the end points too, as reinforcement.

My Powerbook G4 has been out of commission. It started with a frayed cord near the brick of the power adapter. This seems to be a common situation. Sadly, Apple classifies this as my problem and would not fix it, even with AppleCare and visits to the Genius Bar. Out of desperation, I made the mistake of getting a 3rd party adapter. A couple weeks ago, the center prong on the connector broke off inside the computer. I tried to remove it myself, but the 2mm of metal wedge inside the power port won’t come out, despite various strategies. The repair is likely to be +$400.

Consequently, the Cephalopodcast has not received the attention it deserves. I hope to rectify that in the immediate future.

MacResearch.org lists a couple dozen scientific widgets for the Mac. Categories include astronomy, biomedical, chemistry, geology and math/physics. So if you want a periodic table on your dashboard, check it out.

• MacResearch.org: Scientific Widgets Roundup

I’ve just come across some software that combines two things I enjoy, my Mac and my aquarium.

[Maquarium is] management software for the novice or expert fish keeper. It allows users to track chemicals, schedule tasks, keep notes, manage inventory, and analyze expenses.

Maquarium features a fish, coral, plant, and invertebrate profile database which contains information that helps you track and maintain the delicate needs of each item in the tank. Furthermore, Maquarium helps the novice by warning of dangerously high chemical values and the recommended course of treatment, while allowing experts to set up custom warning values.

A demo version of maquarium is available. The full version is $24. I will try it out over the next couple of days to see how it works. If you know of similar software, let me know.