What can I do with an old laptop word processor?
December 10, 2009 7:00 AM Subscribe
I've seen great ideas for modding old laptops, but what can I do with an old laptop word processor?
A few years back I bought a cheap word processor on eBay so I could write when away from home. Besides being huge and weak-batteried, the thing's been usurped by my new netbook.
I've seen a lot of cool instructions about what to do with old laptops (e.g. dedicated media center, use the display as a second monitor, etc.), but none of these work for the decrepitude that is the word processor (for one thing, the display isn't great and I imagine the memory is not large). Here's a photo I found via Google.
Any ideas for putting it to good use?
Besides claiming the year is 1995 whenever I turn it on, here's some specs:
- Brother "Super PowerNote" Model PN-8500MDS (I think Brother makes sewing machines now)
- 3.5" floppy drive and AC power adaptor
- ostensibly portable
- Claims to have "access to CompuServe and Internet Email", though I've never connected the thing
- Currently offers word processing, spreadsheet, and TETRIS
- 22 line by 80 character black-on-green LCD display (about 4"x9")
A few years back I bought a cheap word processor on eBay so I could write when away from home. Besides being huge and weak-batteried, the thing's been usurped by my new netbook.
I've seen a lot of cool instructions about what to do with old laptops (e.g. dedicated media center, use the display as a second monitor, etc.), but none of these work for the decrepitude that is the word processor (for one thing, the display isn't great and I imagine the memory is not large). Here's a photo I found via Google.
Any ideas for putting it to good use?
Besides claiming the year is 1995 whenever I turn it on, here's some specs:
- Brother "Super PowerNote" Model PN-8500MDS (I think Brother makes sewing machines now)
- 3.5" floppy drive and AC power adaptor
- ostensibly portable
- Claims to have "access to CompuServe and Internet Email", though I've never connected the thing
- Currently offers word processing, spreadsheet, and TETRIS
- 22 line by 80 character black-on-green LCD display (about 4"x9")
I think Brother makes sewing machines now
Brother still makes lots of things. Both of my two favorite printers (one inkjet combo fax/scanner, and one laser) are recent Brother products.
And yeah, as limon says, portable WP-only devices are still popular with writers who don't want distraction. Things like the AlphaSmart Neo, which looks like the successor to that Brother you have.
But the short battery life of yours probably kills most of its value. Can you upgrade/replace the batteries?
(Also, Tetris? Sweet. If that's really any e-mail (like a POP3 connection) that is pretty nifty, too.)
posted by rokusan at 1:07 PM on December 10, 2009
Brother still makes lots of things. Both of my two favorite printers (one inkjet combo fax/scanner, and one laser) are recent Brother products.
And yeah, as limon says, portable WP-only devices are still popular with writers who don't want distraction. Things like the AlphaSmart Neo, which looks like the successor to that Brother you have.
But the short battery life of yours probably kills most of its value. Can you upgrade/replace the batteries?
(Also, Tetris? Sweet. If that's really any e-mail (like a POP3 connection) that is pretty nifty, too.)
posted by rokusan at 1:07 PM on December 10, 2009
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posted by limon at 8:38 AM on December 10, 2009