Using your (Powerbook 520) laptop as a flashlight

lightlover

Flashlight Enthusiast
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(Reproduced with permission.
Originally at www.mulunkey.com

by Russ Graves, December 2000.
BE CREATIVE! And if you find a new and innovative use for a Powerbook laptop, please let us here at Mulunkey! Software
and Services know! )

Using your Powerbook 520 laptop as a flashlight


In certain situations, the Powerbook 520 (and possibly other laptops) can be used as a very effective flashlight. As a result of having a backlight for the screen, the Powerbook laptop puts out light. A rather substantial amount, in fact. This light can be used to illuminate a dark room.

In order to use this "undocumented feature" of a Powerbook, one needs a Powerbook with a working backlight. If your Powerbook monitor backlight does not work, you cannot use your Powerbook as a flashlight!

The most efficient way to utilize your monitor as a flashlight is to allow as much light as possible through the LCD display. In order to do this, the screen should be
showing as much white as possible. A word processor works well for this, as does a folder window expanded to the full screen. Total whiteness can be achieved with the contrast control to the right of the monitor, but this is not necessary, and will interfere with normal Powerbook operation.

The brightness control to the right of the monitor can be used to control the level of illumination. While there is a difference between the different backlight levels, the
correct setting is up to the individual user. The lowest setting will give the longest battery life and quite sufficient light, but the higher settings will give slightly more light at the expense of battery life.

Physical Positioning of the Laptop.

There are two "modes" in which the laptop can be used as a flashlight. The first "mode" is the "Walk Around" mode, or
the "Portable" mode. To use this feature, set the screen to a right angle with the case of the laptop. Hold the laptop
securely with the screen facing away from you, and use it as a forward facing flashlight. With regard to the holding
method, I personally suggest wrapping the hand around the side of the laptop, with the palms on the side, the 4 fingers under it, and the thumb wrapped around over the top
of the battery compartments. The screen should be resting against the user's stomach. This is a secure arrangement
that will allow you to maintain a tight grip on the laptop during most operating conditions. As an alternative method,
if the use of one hand is required, the laptop can be cradled with one back corner resting on the arm close to the
elbow joint, and the hand of the same arm holding the laptop in the front opposite corner under the battery compartment.
This is less secure, but is often useful when a hand is needed for activities.

The second mode is the "room light" mode, used to light up a room at night. For this mode, the laptop should be set with the screen fully opened - so the screen faces the same direction as the keyboard, usually "up." The laptop should be set on a secure surface. The light will reflect off the ceiling and will illuminate the whole room. If directional light is needed, the screen can be lifted up to a right angle with the case and the laptop can be rotated to direct the light in the proper direction.

WARNING: When using the laptop in the "Room light" mode, care should be taken to avoid looking directly at the laptop screen. In a dark room, looking at the bright screen will
cause your eyes to loose their night vision, critical for proper vision under the fairly low lighting of a Powerbook Laptop.

Light Properties (Or what to expect)
The light coming from a Powerbook is very white. It is a harsh light, similar to fluorescent tube lighting in nature. Due to the low light levels, it may cause objects to appear in black and white. However, for navigation in a darkened area, such as a room of a house at night, or through
darkened hallways, the Powerbook provides more than enough light to be useful.

A Quote:
While harsh white lighting may not be the most romantic lighting in the world, the music group R&G said it best in their parody of Meatloaf's hit song, "Paradise by the
Dashboard Light." As they sang, "I can see paradise by the laptop light," they foresaw the many uses of a Powerbook Laptop for lighting.

-----------------------------------

No actual lumenage or runtime measurements though.

Lite-Lover
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(EDIT - Russ Graves "my current computer case" is also well worth a look ......
www.russellegraves.com/case/
 
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