Great! It’s finally here! IntelliType and IntelliPoint v7.01 is now 64-bit compatible with Snow Leopard. I can finally go back to my Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 6000 setup.
The only issue is that it took literally 30 minutes to find the software. Microsoft’s site kept pointing me to an older version (v6.x) of the software no matter what combination of keyboard/mouse/desktop options I selected. The first 50 websites I found on Google pointed me back to Microsoft’s site.
I was able to find it finally on softpedia’s site, and it was mis-labeled. Here is the link. The page is labeled as Microsoft IntelliType v7.01, but it contains the desktop programs. This means that both IntelliType Pro and IntelliPoint are included in the package.
Finally had to fix the Dell Mini 9 keyboard. If you’ve played with one of these netbooks or have one, you’ll know that the quote/apostrophe key is located in the wrong spot when compared to normal US keyboards. The key is located to the bottom row of keys and takes some getting use to.
Well I thought I could get use to it. It started to become one of those minor irritants that you can’t seem to correct. Sort of like an itch you can’t scratch. The other night I had enough of that itch.
Okay, I couldn’t wait the couple of weeks more before Microsoft came out with their next version of Intellipoint. If you’ve been following along you’ll know that I’ve recently upgraded to Snow Leopard on my big machine. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t have a 64-bit version of their Intellipoint software for my Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 6000. The keyboard still works, but none of the special buttons. Especially the remapping of the Windows and Alt keys – this basically makes the Windows keyboard layout like a Mac keyboard.
It took me a week to remember but I did remember that about two years ago I bought a USB Bluetooth dongle along with a bluetooth headset. Since I really didn’t need the USB Bluetooth dongle, it sat in a box in the basement. Plus the two aging iMacs in the kid’s study room have been shutoff since they got laptops, thus their bluetooth keyboards were not in use…
I made the jump. I’m now typing this useless blog entry about a new keyboard on the newly setup Mac Wireless Keyboard on my Hackintosh. Not a lot of special buttons… ooo an Eject button… woohoo… However, there are 16 function buttons. Not sure what to do with all of them, but I’m sure I’ll find a use. Most importantly, the keyboard layout is perfect. The only complaint I have is that the keyboard is stark white, which really doesn’t go with the silver and black layout I have. Oh well, having the right keyboard layout is that important to me.
Now if I could just get the apostrophe key moved on my Dell Mini 9
Overall, I’m impressed with Snow Leopard. I waited a while before upgrading as I wasn’t too much in a hurry to upgrade everyone in my house to the next “service pack” (as those Windoze fanboys call it.) That changed of course when I downloaded the newest iTunes v9. I couldn’t browse the iTunes store without upgrading my main machine to at least OS X 10.5.8 and Safari 4. I decided that if I was going to go through the effort I might as well go with the latest and greatest.
I was able to upgrade all the MacBooks and my wife’s MacBook Pro over several nights. I did one a night and got everything updated — went up to 10.6.1, upgraded iTunes, drivers, etc. Easy peasy. Really no surprises. Even got back a few gigs on each machine. I’m hoping that the upgrade will fix some of the weird issues my wife has been seeing on her machine.
Then came time to upgrade of the Dell Mini 9 and my big hackintosh machine…not so easy
Wow.. I just upgraded my Dell Mini 9 to OS X 10.5.8 and I’m just completely overjoyed on how uneventful the upgrade went. Almost not worth writing a blog entry about it. I made a backup of my DellEFI v1.2 alpha 5 application, upgraded to 10.5.8 via Software update, re-installed the DellEFI, reboot. Done.
Although it seems like a lot of people have starting doubting the usefulness of these netbooks, I can tell you I get a lot of mileage out of mine yet. It now has a permanent home in my Go-Bag.
