OMG ROFL

May 20, 2006 12:37 AM

MacSaber! Turn Your Mac Into a Jedi Weapon. I cannot explain how much fun I had slashing co-workers with a laptop today. Be careful not too get too excited. You don't want to lose your grasp on the MacBook or shake so hard you damage the hard drive. Great to try once. Or in my case, 20 minutes straight.
posted by jragon (30 comments total)

Is this something you need a macbook to understand?

Just kidding - what does it do? Make your macbook emit sounds?
posted by phyrewerx at 1:07 AM on May 20, 2006

So what IS it? I don't have a mac laptop with motion sensor, and there are no screen caps or pictures, so what? - does it turn you laptop into a constrained field of hot plasma? Can you duel with them? what?
posted by Meccabilly at 1:08 AM on May 20, 2006

Wow.

It does exactly what it claims to, turns your MacBook into a light saber. Wave it around, and it makes authentic light saber noises. It's perhaps the killer app for MacBooks.
posted by mullingitover at 1:16 AM on May 20, 2006

1. Create over-priced, over-hyped product.
2. Create feature that encourages owners to handle said product in such a way that they are likely to drop and damage it.
3. ????
4. Profit!

That being as it may, this is still incredibly cool.
posted by spazzm at 1:41 AM on May 20, 2006

Does it work with a PowerBook G4? I don't think it's 'sudden motion sensor equipped'.
posted by MrMustard at 1:47 AM on May 20, 2006

The later models are. (Try the level widget.
posted by abcde at 2:07 AM on May 20, 2006

This makes me want to buy a Wii.
posted by greytape at 2:35 AM on May 20, 2006

Spazzm: I don't think you need the ????s...that looks like a pretty solid business plan as is.
posted by Ian A.T. at 4:19 AM on May 20, 2006

dammit, I need a new ibook... guys, my birthday is coming up...
posted by dabitch at 4:50 AM on May 20, 2006

PowerBook's have a motion sensor but it doesn't seem to work with mine :(
posted by public at 5:08 AM on May 20, 2006

Doesn't quite work with my SMS-equipped PB G4.
The application runs, but there's a weird 3-4 second lag between tilting the machine and the software recognizing the tilt.

Other apps that take advantage of the SMS (e.g. the level widget) work fine on this machine though...
posted by sriracha at 6:17 AM on May 20, 2006

Awesome! This is the single greatest thing I've ever installed on my laptop... Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go play with, er, myself...
posted by Robot Johnny at 7:20 AM on May 20, 2006

"Apple Tech Support."
"Yes, hello. My new powerbook seems to be having trouble reading from the hard drive..."
posted by Eideteker at 7:42 AM on May 20, 2006

I would like to nominate this as the nerdiest post I've ever read on Metafilter. Alas, when Mac fans and Star Wars aficionados (who still pine for light sabers) unite in an unholy union of super-geekdom, tis truly a sign of the end times. (Or at least a really funny blog.) I for one welcome our new MacSaber wielding overlords.
posted by Skygazer at 7:45 AM on May 20, 2006

Too cool! I want one for my Clie but it doesn't have the motion sensing dealie.

I think this might be enough to convince my wife to let me upgrade my G4.
posted by fenriq at 9:22 AM on May 20, 2006

Thinkspads have had motion sensing for years. Has anyone written such a thing for them?
posted by octothorpe at 9:28 AM on May 20, 2006

No videos??
posted by zouhair at 11:58 AM on May 20, 2006

oh fuck yeah! this is soooo cool! *ZZZRRRROOOOWWWWSSSHHH* *FFFPPPPCCCCCUUUUUU*
posted by Jeremy at 12:37 PM on May 20, 2006

What's the practical purpose behind a laptop with motion sensors? Besides light saber sounds, of course.
posted by puke & cry at 1:00 PM on May 20, 2006 [1 favorite]

It parks the drive head if the laptop moves suddenly (e.g., is dropped).
posted by bac at 1:25 PM on May 20, 2006

1. Create over-priced, over-hyped product.

Er... how is a MacBook overpriced? It's $1100 to start. That's hardly an expensive laptop, particularly when you start comparing feature-for-feature with other laptops in that price range.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:16 PM on May 20, 2006

I think I'll wait until the mod that'll turn the MacBook into a $1500 USD Wii controller.
posted by Smart Dalek at 4:23 PM on May 20, 2006

Here is someone's video they made from the built in isight. . . not mine/ Not a great video either but gives you a good idea of what the program does.
posted by visual mechanic at 4:59 PM on May 20, 2006

Ian A.T.: Yeah, you're technically correct, but I'm so in love with the meme that I leave the ???? in there. Even on my real business plans. That always gets derisive snickers at board meetings.
posted by spazzm at 5:11 PM on May 20, 2006

fff: Your argument rests on the assumption that laptops in general are not overpriced.
posted by spazzm at 7:14 PM on May 20, 2006

Thinkspads have had motion sensing for years. Has anyone written such a thing for them?

There's a theremin app for the touchpad on thinkpads, I believe.
posted by shoepal at 7:49 PM on May 20, 2006

spazzm: ah. Prices are kept artificially high, eh?

The light saber program doesn't appear to work on iBook G4 late '05 edition.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:31 AM on May 21, 2006

Oh man! That was so fun!! I was just jumpin' around like the star wars kid.

1. Create over-priced, over-hyped product.
2. Create feature that encourages owners to handle

BTW Spazzm, for 4 to make any sense, 1 and 2 should really be the same company.
Someone made a fun and free app to use with your motion sensor, no need to hate apple for that.
(plus it's still under warranty anyway, duh. There aren't any out there that are not yet, so even under your suspicious plan,
they would lose money with free repairs. And here's some free advice, when life gives you sour grapes, make sour-grape aide.)
posted by milovoo at 2:47 PM on May 21, 2006

No videos??

As a matter of fact...
(via)
posted by TedW at 12:21 PM on May 23, 2006

How did so many mefites miss #1's light saber dance? Thanks TedW for the link.
posted by Cranberry at 12:15 PM on May 25, 2006