Howto maintain your macbook properly?

[JloR]

Okay, so I tried to search these forums regarding caring for your macbook properly.
I've read about Invisible Shield for macbooks, a thin plastic cover that is applied to the wrist guards, the top, the touchpad and the bottom.
And thus protects the macbook from getting dirty/discoloured and perhaps even from fingerprints showing.
(What I was looking at was this: http://www.shieldzone.com/item_description/APPMCBF.html )


I was also looking at some screen protectors (small filt thing to put on the keyboard before closing the lid), and various other things.

But.. Is it really necessary?

It looks promising and all, but.. How much is it needed?


What do you people do to protect your MB's ?

 

[Hockeypuck]

I would at least get the protector you slide in between the keyboard and screen, there's a lot of people that get scratch imprints of their keyboard on their screen every time the laptop has some pressure on the top.

 

[miles01110]

I have a Macbook Pro, and I just use the screen cover that came with it in the box. I assume the Macbook came with more or less the same thing.

I also use an Incase Neoprene sleeve to carry it around.

 

[extraextra]

I have a white iBook, basically the same thing as the Macbook. The palm rests/trackpad do get worn down/slightly discolored over time. Not the hardcore discoloration that warrants a replacement - that's a whole different thing. The one I'm talking about is just natural wear from usage.

If you don't want that wear, a cover might help.


The iBook gets scratched, and scratches are obvious. Then dirt gets lodged in the scratch, makin the iBook look worse. Dirty/oily hands leave smudges, the former leaving brownish smudges. They come off with a napkin or whatever, of course, but if you're concerned about the above, a cover might.


The best way to protect it is to never take it out of your room and barely use it at all.

 

[Star Destroyer]

My macbook, got some pretty bad scratches when i tried cleaning the top, i guess something on there was sharp, and basically i ended up dragging it along the top with the cloth.. ....but oh well... it still looks better then like, everyone with an Acer laptop haha...

But i use an anti-shock sleeve, and a backpack with a laptop compartment just to be sure.. i made a thread a month back and i will revive it next week with a review of the bag and sleeve i have... and no i dont put anything between the screen and the keys..i might if i take it on long trips, but to school there no pressure squeezing it cause it sits vertically..

 

[JloR]

Thanks for all the input. The squeezing is another thing I was slightly worried about. I too have a laptop compartment in my bag. I could imagine it would get squeezed quite a lot in there on my trip to and from university.. Those books weigh quite a lot


And my current laptop (some Dell thingy) has horrible palm prints on the wrist pads. I'm buying a black macbook to lessen the damage if the wrist pads get dirty.
But the oily fingerprints part might be a slight problem. Though I tend to keep my fingers on the keyboard

I think I will try to use it normally for a month or so, if I see something growing on the wrist pads, I will most likely order those shields.

And when it comes to neoprene sleeves, I have a friend with the blue-ish one, and it looks quite clever. I'm thinking of buying the black one so we wont mix them up


So.. I guess.. All I can do now, is wait for the MB to show up. In - according to the store - 2-3 weeks time.

 

[FFTT]

Spend $29.00 on an Apple USB keyboard.

 

[JloR]

Spend $29.00 on an Apple USB keyboard.

I rarely use my laptop on a desk. And if I do it's not at home, but at university or a friends house. The concept of having to drag a keyboard with you every time you go somewhere, destroys the concept of a "portable computer" But yes, it would be the best way to go for a workstation-type laptop.