On Thursday 15-07-2004 I picked up my Powerbook 15" from the
Maccentric Apple Shop in Chatswood.
This 15" Powerbook is the 1.5GHz with 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 and 80GB 5400RPM harddrive upgrades.
After covering the main differences between the 15", the 17" and the T40p it is now time to mention some of
the software that has survived the sporadic usage on the Powerbook 17".
Applications I installed on the 15" after using them on the 17"
uControl.
This is a great utility. I cannot live without it. I use it (on the 17" and 15") to remap the little "enter" key
next to the cursor keys to "fn". The enter key just kept getting in the way when I started using the 17" a few
months ago, having it remapped to the "fn" key also makes forward-delete easier (thumb on the "enter" and middle
on the "delete"). uControl also allows the use of the "fn" key to use the trackpad to scroll in windows, great
replacement for a scrollwheel when the mouse is not active.
SubEthaEdit.
I must pay for this sometime. I use it daily, for HTML editing to C++ source editing. Very fast editor.
The only 2 things missing are column select and case conversion. The one criticism Ihave relates to code completion.
SubEthaEdit does it, you just have to press "F5" or "alt"+"escape" to get the suggestion. It would be better,
in my opinion, to have a popup list with suggestion automatically. The less "strange key combinations"
have to be used the better. Aside from that it's pretty perfect!
Cyberduck.
Simple SFTP client. Reliable and no fuss application. I use it to upload new parts of the happymakinggames
website when required. Cyberduck hasn't failed me.
Taco HTML Edit.
Free HTML editor. I mostsly use SubEthaEdit for HTML editing, but sometimes it's just easier to create HTML
elements using menus and windows. Use Taco HTML Edit to insert a colour element using a colour picker, create image maps,
add links, create tables, check PHP code and the HTML produced by PHP code.
iStumbler.
Simple wireless network "finder". Shows nearby networks and allows connection. Has recently been updated to include Bluetooth as well!
Pathfinder.
Excellent finder replacement. can replace desktop and finder browser windows.
I am currently using the demo as a replacement for Finder browser windows but not the desktop. It has the annoying feature
of only allowing the use of Pathfinder's floating trashcan and not the Dock's trashcan if the Finder has been quit.
Pathfinder is a very powerful and extremely well featured filesytem browser - finally a usefull control-click menu!
Applications I did not install on the 15" after use on the 17".
Quicksilver.
Very useful and interesting, but I just didn't use it enough.
Konfabulator.
Usefull applets, but not free. I have used similar applications on
Windows and Linux and they usually stop being used after the novelty wears off.
LiteSwitchX.
I never used the extra functionality over the built-in Apple application switcher.
Actually, I hardly ever use the Apple applications switcher either, I usually go for the "F12" key which I've mapped to Expose.
Some Powerbook 15" 1.5GHz observations.
The base near the back can get quite warm, uncomfortably so. I don't think it would be smart
thing to sit it on bare legs. It seems to get hotter than any Thinkpad I've had.
The base is wobbly. The front right corner seems to be off the desk slightly.
This disappears after a bit of use, but is back the next time I open the machine.
Like the 17" Powerbook there is no support to keep the display off the keyboard when shut.
Only a little bit of pressure is required to make the screen touch the keys.
There is never a complete lack of pressure in a backpack... I bought a keyboard cover and
Wildeepz from Radtech
and will probably do something similar for the 15". Instead of the keyboard cover and wildeepz
I might buy the screen sleeve from Acmemade.
The screen should really have the resolution of the 17" and the 17" should have a higher
resolution again. Cliche complaint, I know, but the extra sharpness would help.
Mail imported thousands of email messages in about 15 minutes, pretty cool!
