MacPrices.net

Technology resource site SvenOnTech.com, back in July, told its readers that they had, "lost all hope of being productive" after spending a lot of time with a certain non-gaming SMS application. This led them to fish around the 'net looking for other programs that utilized the Mac's SMS feature.

SvenOnTech found a Dashboard widget, a very interesting one if you will, plus a game that was totally built on the SMS feature, specifically designed/created for--get this--an Apple PowerBook G4. (MacBook and MacBook Pro owners need not apply, but they still can... there's just a handicap involved that totally defeats the idea).

Besides video games and widgets, one Mac blogger found a sampling of other application software--some useful utilities, while others just for entertainment--the most useful being a pseudo car alarm designed for your laptop. Someone tries to steal your 'Book, and the SMS kicks in and kicks the thief into putting it back where they found it.

The closest thing to SMS that any video game console manufacturer has is featured in Nintendo's two hand-held portable (the irony) systems, the GameBoy Advance SP and the newer DS and DS Lite. The feature is not built-in however, and the motion detector comes inside a game cartridge, currently available only on two titles for the SP.

The other device that Nintendo has is a supplemental cartridge for use only on the DS that provides motion feedback--not motion sensor control--called a "Rumble Pak" which enhances game play on the main cartridge. (The DS has two cartridge slots: one on top for its software, while the one below plays GameBoy titles).

Alright. So the SMS experience on your Mac is not the same as the eye-popping graphics experience in Sony's Playstation 3. Nor is it the innovative feature of Nintendo's Wii that converts a player's hand motions with the controller--instead of pressing buttons--into movements onscreen. (Oops. Now that we've mentioned two motion-related things from Nintendo, maybe we just contradicted ourselves here? Or is this leading to... well, that's another story).

But we will have to say that using the SMS feature to play games (or what not) on Apple laptops is relatively unknown. Though there may be a lot of people who are aware of it, not everybody knows about it, so shedding some light on an underrated and "unused" feature present underneath the hood of your Apple portable was only appropriate. Plus, SMS wasn't designed to be a feature utilized by the user to begin with (much less, to play games).

Besides, who out there is literally going to do something foul to their laptop just to test out the motion sensor to see if it works? No siree! It's one of those features designed to be tucked underneath the product's hood. You don't notice it during everyday use, but when it's needed, it will be there for you, and you'll be glad for it.

Furthermore, the SMS by itself is something probably unknown to current owners of a MacBook or its Pro version, since it's not mentioned in the product's tech specs on Apple's website, and is instead located on their support page. Only owners of late PowerBook and iBook G4s are ones who we'd expect to be familiar with it-- and anyone else who has a prolific knowledge of all things Mac--because it was clearly touted as a feature of its G4 line of laptops.

So this comes just in time to give you something during the Thanksgiving holidays to pass the time away. Discover a new trick your Mac can do. Come on now, did you really line up the other day to get a PS3 or Wii? Just use your Apple portable for a new gaming experience, something other than work for a change, a feature only "Wii" Mac laptop users currently have.

(Or is it notebook? we don't know. That's another thing Apple dropped from its product descriptions, from "laptop" to "notebook." Speaking of drop...).

Apple PowerBook G4... $1499. Using SMS feature on PowerBook to entertain oneself while kids hog the new PS3 or Wii... amusing, possible reputation destroying, but free. Spending time with the in-laws for Thanksgiving... talk about "turkey." Dropping that PowerBook on your way to get more turkey, and thanking your lucky stars that Mac laptops have the SMS feature?... priceless!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving holiday--"Gobble, gobble!"--and have fun too trying out the newfound abilities of your new Mac SMS console... just don't take that fun with you to work!

Note: remember how we said "that's another story" above? We're working on an upcoming feature on Nintendo and its connection to Apple (what?? stay tuned... the mystery awaits!).

(Hey, here's an idea. If you're planning on getting in line early in the morning after Turkey Day for all the "Black Friday" hype and sales, bring your laptop with you. Do all that fun stuff with the motion sensor and distract people in line so that one of your friends can cut in up front and you join them later. They'll be so mesmerized that you might just convert a few PC users to the Mac! Heh heh.)

SOURCES:

Apple.com (support page), "About the Sudden Motion Sensor" (5.16.06)
"William Computer Blog" (with resource links), "Apple Sudden Motion Sensor" (5.26.06)
SvenOnTech.com, "Using that Sudden Motion Sensor for Fun" (7.13.06)
"Mac OS X Internals" (by Amit Singh), "The Apple Motion Sensor..." **(March 2005)
note: **link to AMS2HID software is on this site, along with external link to video game

REFERENCES:

Apple.com, "MacBook Pro: Technical Specifications" (11.22.06)
[observe how the SMS feature is not mentioned on the tech specs page]