Filed under: Humor, Hacks, MacBook
Automated Script Leads To Apple Repair Center Photos
Information on this story is rather scarce as of the time of posting, but here's what we know. Flickr user Toby Mckeys wrote a script for his MacBook to take a picture with the built in iSight every time the computer wakes from sleep, and then upload that photo to his Flickr account. Apparently Mr. McKeys was having some issues with his machine that required it to be sent in for repair. While at the Apple authorized repair center in Tennessee, Toby's MacBook dutifully snapped and uploaded each time a technician woke the machine up. In the set description for the photos the machine uploaded, Toby refers to the script being used for his "Waking Study" project, which I assume is a spinoff (an interesting one at that) of all those "take a picture every day for 5 years" videos that have been so popular on sites like YouTube recently.
It does not seem that the script has been made available yet to the general public, but perhaps that will change with its new found fame and fortune.
Update: Make your own automator script of this app here.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Eddie said 10:09AM on 11-09-2006
The pictures seem to have been blocked out now on the Flickr account. I guess someone wasn't thrilled about having his employee's pictures shared.
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Christian said 10:13AM on 11-09-2006
You sure to show his face here? On flickr you can't see them.
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jarrod said 10:14AM on 11-09-2006
Uh, the script is right there in the flickr set. It's an automator actions saved as a program.
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adam jackson said 10:18AM on 11-09-2006
lame though. i wish tehre were more photos.
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KSB said 10:20AM on 11-09-2006
it's a bit late now, but shouldn't Tuaw censor the employe face?
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Jon said 10:36AM on 11-09-2006
Damn... if only my PowerBook had a webcam, then I could have taken a picture of whoever stole it.
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Bob said 10:45AM on 11-09-2006
Jon,
If you did, you could have used this:
http://www.tuaw.com/2006/10/17/lifehacker-on-macbook-theft-protection-with-ialertu-ftp-and-app/#c2463022
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Uncle Jerry said 10:56AM on 11-09-2006
I think this was smart. If I had an iSight and automator on my old mac then I would run something like this (every couple of min's or motion activated) whenever the apartment people came in to do repairs or steal stuff or whatever it is they've been doing in my apartment when I'm not there.... (paranoid much?)
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JPB said 12:01PM on 11-09-2006
to use this kind of technology to get a stolen Apple back, see http://www.orbicule.com/
I've now got this software installed on my new Macbook - after my Powerbook got stolen last June (yeah, yeah ... I know ... too late ... :-(
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Dale said 11:49AM on 11-09-2006
One question: internet connection?
Did the Mac being repaired connect to a wireless network connection? Was it plugged in by the guy fixing it? Or did the photos upload once he got the machine back?
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Mark D. said 12:13PM on 11-09-2006
Christian:
Yeah, I was wondering that, too. Some of the folks on flickr are being kind of childish about the blocking out, but really there's nothing wrong with it. If anything they (the employees) might get in trouble if these photos float back to Apple HQ, or Toby might have some problems crop up since he didn't ask permission and this was a private work facility.
This is a neat idea, a remote window into the life of an ailing MacBook. I guess the good thing is it didn't start sending photos of a package delivery room back, instead.
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Ross said 1:03PM on 11-09-2006
It's a great little idea but the problem I have is that not being a terminal user I can't figure out this SleepWatcher program. And it's pretty hard to find any help online. Still cool idea.
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Noel said 1:37PM on 11-09-2006
video's: Posessive or contraction.
1. The video's hamburger was stolen.
2. The video's of a hamburglar.
videos: Plural
...of all those "take a picture every day for 5 years" videos that have been so popular on...
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jmatt1122 said 4:29PM on 11-09-2006
you should really consider censoring that picture. The author even censored it on flickr.
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MacAHack said 6:31PM on 11-09-2006
Too late! The site's been screen shot!
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loren said 7:14PM on 11-10-2006
Check out what this inspired me to do. How-to for photo-a-day:
http://www.underachievers.com/mt/archives/008217.html
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Neo said 4:12PM on 11-11-2006
for the record, the guy pictured above WAS questioned about the pictures... i was setting across from him at the time i was kinda like >.> WTF lol he wasn't fired for it though, but was warned... as if he could have known it was being done. i'm rather surprised my pic wasn't in there somewhere... although i did hear of some possible legal action towards the guy who's macbook was being repaired.. though its only rumors :)
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