Improve Productivity with a Second Display

A lot has gone on (computer wise) since my unplanned absence from Low End Mac. I got rid of my Windows laptop, got a Treo 750 (which I'll cover in another article), and got a TiBook 667 DVI (my main machine). And my iMac G4 is still running strong in my recording studio.

But most importantly, with some of the money I got from selling my Windows laptop, I purchased a nice big 22" LCD monitor. Wow!

Screen space definitely spoils. I currently have iTunes, Azures, Mail.app, my iChat buddy list, two chat windows, and Apple Software Update downloading QuickTime and iTunes on my PowerBook's built-in 15" 1280 x 854 display. On my 22", which runs at 1680 x 1050, I have Microsoft Word and Safari.

I can type an article and do full page browsing with one monitor! Wow!

Having two screens increases my productivity by a lot. I can do research and type a page without having to switch windows. I can look at my torrents with a glance while browsing the Web. I keep the clutter (like apps) on the second display and do my main work on my 22" screen.

OS X handles dual monitors with grace, as expected. When I unplug my 22", the internal PowerBook display automatically becomes the main display, and OS X seamlessly transfers my open windows as well as desktop files - and it does the reverse when I reconnect the 22".

'It's Not for Me'

A lot of people think dual monitors are a waste of money - and I can't blame them for thinking that. It's an added cost for something that seems unnecessary.

When I bought my monitor, I was going to use it "clamshell mode" and keep the PowerBook lid closed, using my 22" as my only display. What pulled me in (as well as lot's of dual monitor users) was the sheer coolness factor of seamlessly dragging a window from one display to the other.

Does Apple have any effect on it?

Yes! Not up until recently has Apple made display spanning possible on consumer machines.

I'd love it if I were able to do dual displays on my iLamp (er, iMac G4). I primarily use Logic Express and GarageBand on that machine. Having a big monitor jacked into it would allow me to edit in at least half the time. Apple used to assume that consumers didn't care for that functionality.

I couldn't stress the benefits of using dual monitors enough. If you don't believe me, go down to your basement, pull out that old computer monitor, hook it up to your Mac (assuming it supports spanning), and try it for yourself.

Recent Macs with Music articles

• The life and death of Aqua in Apple software and Mac OS X, 08.23. Aqua was a fresh new look that Apple previewed with iMovie 2 and iTunes, thoroughly embraced in early versions of OS X, began to tone down with "Jaguar", and is abandoning in "Leopard".
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• More in the Macs with Music index.

Links for the Day

• Mac of the Day: 17" iMac G4/800 MHz, July 2002 - The iMac 'grows up' with a 17" 1440 x 900 display.
• Group of the Day: LisaList supports Lisa users.
  
• November 8 in LEM history: 99: OS 9: I think I like it - 01: The simplified Mac life - Soured on Windows - Flea market Mac - 02: Little room for improvement in new 'Books - Combo drive upgrade for iceBooks - 04: Re-Porter - 05: Fix the old iMac or buy a Mac mini? - Apple's Copland project - 06: MacBook Core 2 - MacBook value equation - Cheap is as cheap does - 07: Problems with Classic mode in Tiger - The G4 Power Mac that won't run Leopard
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Recent Content on Low End Mac

• Quad-Core CPU Makes Sense in MacBook Pro, OS X 10.6 Causing Overheating, Overseas Power, and More, The 'Book Review, 11.06. Also Late 2009 MacBook reviewed, how to add RAM to new MacBook, 18.4in Acer notebook used Intel i7, and SanDisk SSD chosen for Sony VAIO X.
• Dumping Macs for Google Apps, SSD in iMac, Late 2009 iMac Performance Problems, and More, Mac News Review, 11.06. /newsrev/09mnr/1106.html
• WiFi Paranoia, iMac-O-Lantern, Magic Mouse Does Click, Free Clipboard Managers, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 11.05. Also strange time stamps, problem with ColorIt on Intel Mac, and the story behind OS X 10.5.4 install discs.
• IDE Is Dead; Long Live SATA!, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 11.04. SATA has displaced parallel ATA. While IDE hard drives haven't disappeared, the best deals are in SATA hard drives.
• QuickTime X in Snow Leopard Imports, Trims, and Publishes Video Quickly and Easily, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac, 11.04. The long, slow process of importing video into iMovie to edit it, then render it to another format, is history as QuickTime X does that much more quickly.
• More links in our archive.

Recent Deals

• Best Mac Pro Deals, 11.03. Used 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,300; 3.0 8-core. $2,299; refurb 2.66 4-core Nehalem, $2,149; 2.93, $2,549; 2.26 8-core, $2,799; 2.93, $4,999.
• Best iPhone Deals, 11.03. New 8 GB iPhone 3G, $$99; refurb 16 GB 3GS, $149; new, $199; 32 GB, $299.
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• Best Power Mac G3 and PCI Video Card Deals, 11.02. Used beige 300 MHz, $25; G4/366, $49; blue & white 350, $80; 400, $90; 450, $105; PCI video cards from $15; shipping additional.
• Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, 11.02. Used 400 MHz, $50; 733 MHz, $69; 933 MHz, $209; 1.25 GHz dual, $299.
• Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, 11.02. Used 2.0 GHz, $800; 2.2, $900; 2.4, $1,000; refurb 2.53, $1,449; 2.66, $1,699; 2.8, $1,949; 3.06, $2,169; new 2.53, $1,579; 2.66, $1,799; more.
• Best Mac mini Deals, 10.30. Used 1.33 GHz G4 mini, $379; 1.42, $389; 1.5, $419; 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $350; Core 2, $439; new 2.26 GHz nVidia, $580; 2.53 GHz, $770; Server, $990.
• Best G4 iBook Deals, 10.30. Used 12" 1.07 GHz Combo, $225; 1.33 GHz, $298; 14" 1 GHz, $349; 1.33 GHz, $398; 1.42 GHz SuperDrive, $498.
• Best Classic Mac OS Deals, 10.30. System 6.0.8 floppies, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5, $20; 7.5 CD, $4; 7.6 $13; 8.1, $11; 8.5, $20; 8.6, $90; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $30.
• More deals in our archive.

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