Turn your MacBook into a SmackBook!

[giza]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uvQTTPr9Rw

This guy wrote some code for his MacBook that, when the built-in motion sensor detects the side of the machine taking a hit, switches to another virtual desktop. Pretty neat use of the technology!

Comments

[kellic.livejournal.com]

Yah I tried to get this working...couldn't. :x\

[giza.livejournal.com]

SMACK YOUR COMPUTER HARDER!

[garrwolfdog.livejournal.com]

That was cool,. but THIS is what makes me want to get one: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/22/macbook_lightsabre_emulation/

[sagejackal.livejournal.com]

That's just crazy-cool as all Hell!

[furahi.livejournal.com]

But why do they have motion sensors on the sides? o.0

[giza.livejournal.com]

Because if the machine gets bumped hard enough, it will be detected and the head of the hard drive will be parked to prevent data loss.

I had a Thinkpad when I was at Symantec that did the same thing. It was pretty neat.

[furahi.livejournal.com]

Cool ^.^

Ahem...

[ionotter.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one here thinking that if you're hitting your computer hard enough for the Emergency Hard Drive Head Parking Technology to detect the impact, then maybe you shouldn't be hitting your computer?

Re: Ahem...

[giza.livejournal.com]

The threshold for detecting an impact is likely far below what's required to damage a hard drive (about 80 Gs, if memory serves).

Recalling the Thinkpad I had when I was at Symantec, the sensor could not only detect minor bumps that didn't require parking the hard drive, it could also detect changes in the machine's orientation. I know this because the Thinkpad came with a program that should display a picture of the machine, and rotate it as the machine was rotated among the X, Y, or Z access. I could literally pick up my machine, twist it in all sorts of ways, and watch the graphic on the screen twist accordingly.

So if the Mac's sensors are anything like this, it's just detecting minor rotation along the X axis.