When traveling for business I taste to pack more than enough gear for the business at deal — computing machine , extra shelling , photographic camera , cables , backup saucer , USB keydrive , iPod … whatever the job calls for . Though I was sure I ’d done the usual thoroughgoing task of load down prior to jetting to San Diego for the going of Holland - America ’s luxury liner , the Oosterdam , and its accompanying MacMania 4 cruise to the Mexican Riviera , I neglected to admit what two - third of my travel company believe is our most essential while of gear .
A night lightness .
You see , I ’m accompanied by my wife and child and yes , I forgot to backpack the Nox light that my four - yr - honest-to-goodness daughter relies on for a solid ( and untroubled ) dark ’s sleep . Dad was in the doghouse .
Oh sure , I could have discretely asked around the ship to see if some other instructor or luminary had a resolution . Leo Laporte is here with his mother Mary and maybe she never fall apart the substance abuse of carry a light and binky for her favorite boy . Andy Ihnatko , who unfailingly pack a bizarre collection of computer hardware in his bandolier , was another hypothesis . And I ’m certain Woz would have been well-chosen to fashion a suitable night light out of parts scavenged from the on - add-in casino . But I ’m on a Geek Cruise , dagnabbit , and if I could n’t solve this piffling trouble on my own , I merit to be stripped of my Mariner ’s Badge and repast card .
I ’m glad to report that I ’ve save my honor and — as I type this — my deary girl is resting well , bathed in the gleam of her ad hoc dark light .
The inspiration for its fashioning came from a line I routinely use when discussingiPodpower management .
“ The iPod is not a torch . practice backlighting when only absolutely necessary . ”
And any father who does n’t believe that “ when only absolutely necessary ” mean when your daughter threatens to stay alert until sun - up , bouncing Furry Frog , Texie the Armadillo , and Dino the Fluffy T - Rex off your headway because it ’s too damned dark to do anything more worthwhile , merit the carbonise waffle and flat , non - alcoholic beer that will doubtlessly adorn his breakfast board this June 18th .
You have the wind that the iPod ’s backlight supplies the need illumination . I choose it rather than my PowerBook ’s illuminated screen because , well , frankly , I ’ve got a couple of iPod to save and I ’m unwilling to assess the life of my only laptop ’s screen door .
I routinely carry an iPod Y - cable system that rollick Apple ’s dock connector on one death and splits out to USB and FireWire connectors on the other . ( I do n’t , however , normally convey an iPod might arranger as the PowerBook charges it utterly well . ) I plugged the FireWire connecter into the play along port wine on my PowerBook , plugged the PowerBook into the power strip I carry , and end the lid of the PowerBook , which now burden the iPod . ( I specifically chose the FireWire connection because a catch some Z’s Mac will continue to shoot down an iPod connected via FireWire — something it wo n’t do with a USB connexion . )
I then go to the iPod ’s configurations screen , select Backlight Timer , pressed Center , and chose Always On in the Backlight sieve . I then placed the PowerBook under my daughter ’s fold - out bottom and coif the iPod on the tabular array between us , pointing at her .
Does this substitute night light turn over the exam ? The sleeping sort of Furry Frog , Texie , Dino , and Daughter prove it .
