Mac/Pro-modding
From Mod Mania
Macmodding
As quite clearly explained and described, the popular process of modding many of the Apple branded products has exploded into communities, chats and online forums. I also focused on researching the modifications of various models of Apple’s MacBooks and Mac Pros to understand why and how Mac-users were not happy with their computers. The many upgrades in software and appealing hardware adaptations are amongst the most popular mods to choose from. An entire website entirely devoted to modding Macs is modyourmac.com who share a range of users’ modified Macs and post the process and results up onto the website. Some of their mods include simple hardware alterations, and even go up to some of the most absurd mods including spray painting, glossing, scratching and even burning the exterior for a better finish. Moreover, the Mac Pro continues to get serious re-developed casings and interiors on this website. As such very popular add-ons are the neon lighting inside the casings. Several people have replaced the aluminium casings of the Pro’s system unit with clear polycarbonate sides to view all the mechanics. Fluoro lighting is fixed and the Pro emits an attractive luminosity.
Perhaps one of the leading Mac modding websites on the internet, www.applemacbook.com, which specialises in promoting, advertising, providing Q & A, and modding of Apple’s MacBooks. A popular and quite appealing mod that can be done by anyone is that of keyboard and keys shuffling. Re-arranging the colours of the keys and keyboards into patterns, inverted colour and both colours. The black and white MacBook keys have a strong contrast between one another and have been praised greatly by many of the website’s members.
Members are allowed to post their feedback on the designers’ mods and can receive critique and evaluation based on the images. This website’s Q & A establishes contact between its creators and members to ask questions and answers. Questions vary from relating to the creator’s modification of their Mac and others may ask the creator for help and assistance on modding their Macs. One of the more popular mods for most of the Apple computers is to change the colour, shape, material, light and size of the Apple illuminated logo on the back. Apple’s earlier version of the logo was a rainbow apple from the earliest machines. Lots of Mac users try to bring back the old reminiscent logo and incorporate it into their modern Macs. Those who comment on this modification generally have either one view or another in which they either agree or disagree with the mod. Those who agree find the modification amazing but would probably never do it for themselves. Those who disagree generally don’t have the same view as the person who posted it. On codesurgeonblog.com a previous owner of the Apple II had an adored connection with the rainbow logo from the early 1980’s and took the chance to modify his MacBook Pro’s logo. He printed off a custom rainbow plastic inlay to go over the top of the logo’s illuminator.
Macmod.com is quite a larger website that has many useful pieces of information outside of just the modding of Macs, such as iPhones and other products from computing companies. The best mod I found on this website had to be that of a modification of a MacBook into an LCD tablet screen that the maker boastfully calls “iTab”. He/she received a phenomenal commendation of critique comments. This was their second attempt, since the first time was unsuccessful due to the LCD having too much interference with the tablet. However this time, they found a faulty MacBook LCD and used that as the touch screen. The screen was removed and placed under a pre-fabricated tablet case. The Apple logo and names were changed to his/her desire and they bought an aluminium vase stand and bend it to their liking to fit underneath. CD drives and ports were also fixed to complete the computer. The iTab uses a stylus to make selections instead of the MacBook’s trackpad.
These websites both promote modifications to objects, which in this case are mostly Apple’s MacBook. Through the ability for viewers to comment and ask questions, these websites and pages have become, much so, like forums in which they interact with one another and comment on the subject (modification). They then critique the modification and discuss with one another ideas in which the modification can be improved.
References
- Modyourmac.com
- Macmod.com
- Applemacbook.com
- Whitemacbook.com
- Blackmacbook.com
- YouTube.com
