How to Mod Your MacBook
Your MacBook may be a fine computer right out of the box, but a little modification can help you to personalize it a bit to suit your needs. Mods can be anything from a slight cosmetic change to a functional change in the way the system works. Not surprisingly, you can make a great many modifications. Certain modifications are most often implemented by MacBook users.
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Things You'll Need
- Mini flat-head screwdriver
- Stiff plastic card
- Colored transparency
- Scissors
- Tape
Instructions
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Dvorak Keyboard Mod
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1
Use the edge of the mini flat-head screwdriver to pry the letter and punctuation keys from the keyboard. Slip the tip of the screwdriver beneath the front edge of the key and then wedge the key up slowly until it pops from its mount.
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2
Consult a diagram of the Dvorak keyboard layout (available in Resources), and then rearrange your keyboard keys to match. Just push the keys down onto the mounting squares on your keyboard to reinstall them into place.
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3
Turn on the MacBook and open the “Apple” menu. Select “System Preferences,” and then select the “International” options. Click “Input Menu” and place a check mark in the box next to “Dvorak.”
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4
Check that the oval next to the one input source option is checked. If it isn’t, tick the oval and then exit the menu to save your choice.
LED Logo Color Change
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5
Remove the small Phillips-head screws at the base of the MacBook rear cover using your mini flat-head screwdriver angled sideways so you can insert it into the screw slots. The limited space between the base of the screen and the base of the notebook does not leave sufficient room for screw removal at a direct angle.
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6
Slide a stiff plastic card into the joint between the back cover and the screen. Run the card along the joint around the perimeter of the screen to pry open the clips securing the cover to your system.
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7
Place the cover on a flat workspace. Peel away the white filter in the center of the cover. Cover the clear LCD coversheet with a transparent colored overlay. Any transparency in the color desired will suffice, changing the LCD logo to that color. Alternately, you can use an overlay with an image to have a glowing image at the rear of your case. Cut the transparency to a size just large enough to cover the LCD opening using a pair of scissors.
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8
Place strips of tape around the edges of the transparency. Cover the transparency with the filter and then tape the filter in place as well.
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9
Snap the cover back on to the rear of your case. Replace the screws using a pair of tweezers to insert the screws into the mounting holes, and then use the angled tip of the mini flat-head screwdriver to fasten them into place.
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Tips & Warnings
Always turn off your MacBook and remove the battery before doing any modding.
Making even slight modifications to your MacBook may void its warranty.
References
Resources
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