New Mac owner needs some help

Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
26
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Hey all, been frequenting these here parts since my Mac landed on my doorstep 3 weeks ago! Love my Mac, PloyCarb Unibody, shes so sexy!, but as a newb I have a few questons that I am slowly learning and want clarification, so thanks!

1) The only way to turn the birghtness down on the apple logo is to turn screen brightness down right? I use the laptop in bed, and the lady gets bothered by the light while I am typing....

2) Whats the best way to clean it? I forsee myself getting minor scrtahces on it, no biggy as I plan on owning it for years, but whats the best way to clean up grime, oils, finger prints etc??? Someone said Magic Eraser, but to me that sounds like it would scratch the new polycarb macs.....

3) Is there anyway I can put the laptop in clamshell, and still use the HDMI form MiniDP to view on my TV?

Thanks, sorry if these are dumb questions!
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
The answer to # 1 is simple: Don't use the machine in bed as that tends to make it run warmer since it's resting on you or the bed covers. That usually blocks air from circulating under and around it. If you have to use it in bed, buy a laptop desk. Office Depot has them for $29.95. And yes, you have to turn the brightness down....

#2 Don't use water or any kind of strong cleaning liquids. As a matter of fact, keep all liquids far away from your new Mac! The magic eraser is safe and does a good job of removing smudges. No food or snacks anywhere near your machine - is a good practice.

#3 You can operate your Mac in clamshell mode with an external monitor or TV. Just follow Apple's guidelines.

Regards.
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,208
Reaction score
1,411
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
2) Whats the best way to clean it? I forsee myself getting minor scrtahces on it, no biggy as I plan on owning it for years, but whats the best way to clean up grime, oils, finger prints etc??? Someone said Magic Eraser, but to me that sounds like it would scratch the new polycarb macs.....

You could avoid any possible scratches by protecting your laptop with a cover, sleeve, or hard shell case.

- Nick
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2010
Messages
2,116
Reaction score
123
Points
63
Location
Rocky Mountain High, Colorado
Your Mac's Specs
1.8 GHz i7 MBA 11" OSX 10.8.2
Plus a cover or sleeve would cut down on the brightness of the apple logo. I use the speck cover
Speck

I also bought a gelaskin for my wife's Macbook Air. This would also help cut down on the brightness.
GelaSkins | iPhone Skins, iPod Skins, Laptop Skins, Gaming Skins, Custom Skins, Giclee Prints and more...

Or if you have an ipod touch or iphone - the white apple sticker fits perfectly on the apple of your laptop - which would also help cut down on the brightness.

There is program called insomniax which allows you to close your laptop without having to connect anything - do note that it may cause heat issues but I haven't experienced anything too bad.
Download InsomniaX for Mac - Disable sleep mode on an Apple Laptop. MacUpdate Mac Software Downloads
 
OP
N
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
26
Reaction score
1
Points
3
You could avoid any possible scratches by protecting your laptop with a cover, sleeve, or hard shell case.

- Nick
Thanks Nick, I actually did purchase a ZAGG shield, should arrive soon. :)
Plus a cover or sleeve would cut down on the brightness of the apple logo. I use the speck cover
Speck

I also bought a gelaskin for my wife's Macbook Air. This would also help cut down on the brightness.
GelaSkins | iPhone Skins, iPod Skins, Laptop Skins, Gaming Skins, Custom Skins, Giclee Prints and more...

Or if you have an ipod touch or iphone - the white apple sticker fits perfectly on the apple of your laptop - which would also help cut down on the brightness.

There is program called insomniax which allows you to close your laptop without having to connect anything - do note that it may cause heat issues but I haven't experienced anything too bad.
Download InsomniaX for Mac - Disable sleep mode on an Apple Laptop. MacUpdate Mac Software Downloads

I looked at the cases, I wish I could handle one in person just to see what it feels/looks like. Online sales never do any item justice. I supose I'll head to an apple store and see if I can get a hands on, thanks for the tips!
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top