What should I do with this shiny new Macbook Pro?

[diordna]

After spending four years with a POS eMac, I just got the "middle" Macbook Pro. Before, I couldn't do anything graphics-intensive at all. Is there anything I should be doing with it that I couldn't do before, besides just enjoying the great GUI responsiveness and turning all the settings up in Halo?

(Preferably for free or for cheap.)

[Skorche]

Since you've got an Intel Mac now, you could cook your breakfast (http://www.tuaw.com/2006/07/13/cook-breakfast-with-your-macbook/)! :p

Seriously though, I can't really think of anything that has any hard and fast system requirements other than games.

[AnotherJake]

You can watch HD 1080p trailers now! BTW, I've found that VLC actually plays them better than Quicktime. Check out Deep Sea (http://www.apple.com/trailers/imax/imaxdeepsea3d/hd/)!

[Taxxodium]

:blink:

Shouldn't you have thought about what you want to do with a new Mac, before actually getting a new Mac??

Anyway, my 2 eurocents: you can now do whatever you can do with your eMac but can do it from anywhere since it's portable. Plus it does it faster than the eMac. You can also run Windows natively if you're up to that... handy if you do webdesign and need to test things on IE.

[OneSadCookie]

You can run GLSLShowpiece in the developer examples and marvel at real-time Mandelbrot :D

[diordna]

Shouldn't you have thought about what you want to do with a new Mac, before actually getting a new Mac??
1) Needed laptop for college. 2) eMac kicked the bucket. 3) Everything ran slow and I couldn't run things due to not having Tiger. I didn't randomly buy without reason, but I'm looking for extras now. :)

It looks to me like this thing didn't come with a developer tools CD! I hope I can get one from Apple... (edit: can't find one after browsing developer.apple.com, does anyone know where I can get one?)

[Taxxodium]

Aha, apologies then :)

Good choice btw. I have a MacBook (the white one) and it's great for programming.

[QUOTE=diordna;128391
It looks to me like this thing didn't come with a developer tools CD! I hope I can get one from Apple... (edit: can't find one after browsing developer.apple.com, does anyone know where I can get one?)[/QUOTE]

You need to go to http://connect.apple.com
Register an Online ADC account (free) and after you login you can download it. Warning, it's almost 900 MB or so.

[diordna]

Looks like the first install disk had the dev tools on it. Never mind. (I wish it had been labeled.)

[PowerMacX]

Install VirtueDesktops, go to the preferences and turn on "Enable light sensor switching" (aka Jedi hand gesture mind control):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6fJ2myxHrM

Or turn on "Enable motion sensor switching":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOtkDKtzp4w

I personally like to enable motion sensing at just one notch below max sensitivity and switch desktops simply with a light tap on the table my MacBook is on. Of course, only when someone who's never used a Mac comes along and asks "Is that an Apple?", not for day to day use! :P

(note: both light and motion sensitivity are now integrated into Virtue, there is no need to download any separate apps like those mentioned in the videos anymore)

VirtueDesktops+Parallels+Vista+Ubuntu:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE1XQyT_IbA

The last versions of VLC now work with the Apple remote (btw, have you tried Front Row already?), but for other apps you can use:
http://www.filewell.com/iRedLite/ (free)
http://www.iospirit.com/remotebuddy/ (not free)
http://twistedmelon.com/mira/features.html (not free)
http://caseapps.com/sofacontrol.html (not free)

And, there is of course the "do it yourself" way:
http://www.osxbook.com/book/bonus/chapter10/iremoted/
http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/chapter10/ams2hid/
http://www.osxbook.com/book/src/
Edit: There is also http://www.suitable.com/tools/smslib.html

Or, as you mentioned, you could use it "for college"... ;)

[StealthyCoin]

Mine makes an excellent doorstop.

[aarku]

Is there anything I should be doing with it that I couldn't do before, besides just enjoying the great GUI responsiveness and turning all the settings up in Halo?

(Preferably for free or for cheap.)
Go to coffee shops and belittle other lesser, covered in stickers, laptops.

-Jon

[PowerMacX]

Is there anything I should be doing with it that I couldn't do before

Use it as body armor (http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/laptops/macbook-pro-takes-a-cap-for-its-owner-still-boots-up-239774.php)?

[Duane]

Folding@home!

[Skorche]

Go to coffee shops and belittle other lesser, covered in stickers, laptops.

-Jon

I always find it funny that people don't take those off. :rolleyes:

[PowerMacX]

I always find it funny that people don't take those off. :rolleyes:

Actually, not even fire would work (http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/20/dell-battery-explodes-at-yahoo-hq-hundreds-evacuat/) ;)

[Joseph Duchesne]

Try Unity? Be able to compile your games on Windows without switching machines? Give your brand new laptop to the somewhat jealous me? ;)

Marvel at your computers ability to accept typing at >1000wpm!

[PowerMacX]

I just got the "middle" Macbook Pro. [...] Is there anything I should [do]

Shoot yourself? (http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/) :shock:

(Sorry!)

edit: When you say "just got" does that really mean "just", because I think you could get it exchanged for one of the new models. Or so the theory goes...

[AGhost]

After spending four years with a POS eMac, I just got the "middle" Macbook Pro.

I have also been thinking about replacing my 4 year old eMac 1Ghz with the very same Macbook Pro for when I go to University this fall. My question is, is it worth it to go the route of the Macbook Pro over the Macbook? I like the look of the faster CPU and better graphics chip since I do both 2D (Photoshop) and 3D work - both of which I find to be barely usable on my current system due to the amount of time spent loading and the response time.

So is the Macbook Pro worth the $$$?

[Joseph Duchesne]

I'm getting one myself.
A carefully used 15" 1.83Ghz Core Duo Macbook Pro with exactly the same specs as me 10 month old iMac (other than screen and harddrive size), used for $1300 (canadian), presuming the purchase goes well in two hours.

I'm really happy with my iMac (Core Duo 1.83/1GB RAM/128MB Vram etc.) and when I saw an add for the macbook with the same specs I decided now was the time to replace my Powerbook G4 667 (which has a dead screen and is just about to be replaced by a Linux tower as my web/data server). I'm hoping to sell the imac for around $900 (canadian). (anyone want an iMac?).

I must say though, I am really really happy with the iMac so I really can't justify buying a better spec'd machine (such as a new MBP). It really has all the horsepower I need for programming, gaming, photoshop for work etc (as long as it has 1GB of ram, which both my iMac and the macbook pro do).