Tip: Waking up your PowerBook with the lid closed

A utility dubbed "NoSleep" recently made its debut on the Mac shareware scene, allowing users the ability to keep their portable Macs on when their lids are closed.

However, this functionality can be accessed with a stock Mac OS X installation.

Simply plug in a USB mouse to your Mac portable, close the lid, and click the mouse button. The laptop will wake up. The mouse and any other USB device will work. On some PowerBooks, simply attaching or unplugging a USB device will result in wake-up.

Alternatively, you can connect a USB keyboard, attach an external display, and press the space bar to wake up your laptop and transfer video to the attached monitor.

UPDATE: It should be noted that for most Mac portable models, the unit myst be plugged in or it will not wake up with the screen closed.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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