It would appear that Apple's new Macbook Pro's are not immune to prior known issues about the MagSafe connectors. One user of the new unibody Macbook Pro's MagSafe connector burned completely charring the end of the cable and leaving noticeable damage to the laptop. Pictures can be found at the end of this article.The story goes that Ken Brinkman was sleeping and awoke at 1:30 AM to the smell of burning plastic. Luckily he woke up and was able to unplug the laptop to prevent further damage.
"Smoke was pouring out the seam between the unibody and bottom enclosure. I actually burned my hand pretty badly ripping the adapter out. Oh man. This is reallllly scary because what if I didn't wake up? It could of burned my house down."
Apple is not the only one who has experienced laptop issues; Sony's exploding battery issue was far more serious and widespread. Although, a laptop that can burn while charging may be more likely to do damage to a home as most people don't watch their laptops charge.
+2
+2
From the lowest bidder, to increase profits...
C'mon Apple, if someone pays +$2000 on top of what is just an anally controlled hardware platform with an anally controlled software platform installed on it; we demand quality!
"Did you know we are sitting on 2 million gallons of fuel, a nuclear weapon and a thing with 270,000 loose parts that was built by the lowest bidder. Kinda makes you feel good don't it?"
I've heard about this happening on like 10 magsafe and iPod adapters out of millions probably. It's still an awesome quality step and it's called 6-sigma in engineering. So instead of saying "wow all the mac fanboys must be crapping their pants now", just realize it doesn't happen as often as you may think OR Apple would have fixed it a loooong time ago
I think the reaction comes from Apple users who believe Macs have superior build quality and stability to other computers. From people I know in person:
1 iMac okay / 1 MacBook okay / 1 MacBook Pro okay
1 MacBook Pro cracked and had to be returned / 1 MacBook Pro died had to be returned / 1 Mac Pro and 1 MacBook Pro random incredible slow down, both returned and fixed
That's everyone I know in person who has a Mac, and by those figures I'd rather trust a PC, yet only 1 (out of 4 fails) of those people are willing to say they weren't happy with the product - maybe that's the reason Apple appear to have such great quality.
They have a good returns service which does them favours, I've had to deal with it too with faulty iPod headphones, but rapidly replaced.
Nevertheless, why do Apple hardware issues always get so much attention? This seems to be just a relatively isolated problem, and this kind of things is natural to happen to a percentage of items from a batch.
And this article isn't about the heat from the vents. It's about the magsafe cord that melts and catches fire.
There's been complaints since the days computers got PSU's too.
In the big picture, this connector does what it's supposed to do.
Components catching fire and/or exploding do seem to stir up some news, as that's something many would not expect to happen and can be very scary when it does...
And whats with posting this story in neowin's front page??Why haven't anyone posted thousands of battery exploding cases on PC?
http://www.google.com/search?q=magsafe+melting
It's been going on for years...
And here's your exploding battery stories:
http://www.neowin.net/index.php?act=view&id=41952
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/07/04/30/a...p-battery-issue
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/06/08/24/a...ttery-standards
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/06/08/14/d...tepad-batteries
There's a good reason there's a search box at the top of every page on Neowin.
As for why this is on Neowin: It's a new story. You can verify that by clicking the link in the article.
And whats with posting this story in neowin's front page??Why haven't anyone posted thousands of battery exploding cases on PC?
When you pay for Apple you pay a big premium for extra quality, we shouldn't expect this kind of sloppiness for Apple.
QFT
Quite apart from the atrocious spelling and grammar, do you not see how these two comments conflict?
Macs are still PCs. Neowin reports on all PCs. Extreme events get reported. This is the news.
You haven't bought much Apple hardware then I guess. The less-blinkered owners have been complaining for years about the slide in Apple's QC. It's one reason why you can only start trusting a new Apple product around it's third generation. I have three Macs here so I'm not bashing, just stating the facts. You're buying a good OS, a nicely-designed machine and a premium badge.
But these MagSafe issues have been going on for what seems like forever... the only way I can think of the issue reported here happening is if too much power somehow got to an adapter which couldn't handle it.
And whats with posting this story in neowin's front page??Why haven't anyone posted thousands of battery exploding cases on PC?
We all know that you're a true Apple fanboi at heart. You don't have to keep reminding us.
Though it makes me wonder, did you ever wonder (or even get equally annoyed) why neowin reports EVERY single iPhone/iPod piece of "news" and barely bother with other smartphones/mp3 players?
I guess double-standards are warm and cozy.
When you choose to report news regarding a company the size of Apple you'll report the whole package. Not just the good parts with apple fanbois high-fiving each other and whatnot.
And whats with posting this story in neowin's front page??Why haven't anyone posted thousands of battery exploding cases on PC?
PC laptop exploding stories usually make front page. It's not something to casually shrug off in order to maintain some perceived perfect record for a certain company's products.
Newsflash: MacBook = computers. "PC laptop" = computers. Machine blowing up = news.
Ok, Apple employee, whatever you say.
And whats with posting this story in neowin's front page??Why haven't anyone posted thousands of battery exploding cases on PC?
You're right, I used to, but then I quit buying Apple products. The only products I've had that ever died completely, with no rhyme or reason, were made by Apple. Go figure. Now, in retrospect, I'm just glad they didn't blow up and burn the crap out of me. I'll take inexplicable hardware failure over skin grafts any day.
On the other hand, for all we know, this could be fairly uncommon in the big picture. There's too little information here to say that it isn't in reality less common than on "PC" laptops.
This is suppose to be a mac community's prob.And a thread should cover this.
It's not that Macs get burn in a regular basis.Their is some kind of false agenda going on.
Last edited by satanist on 20 May 2009 - 21:40
This is suppose to be a mac community's prob.And a thread should cover this.
It's not that Macs get burn in a regular basis.Their is some kind of false agenda going on.
So, you want it hidden because it sullies the image of your perfect Apple.
Grow up.
Also, Apple is nowhere in the "clear" if you compare incidents of their other products as well and all the issues they've faced. Hardware issues are bound to happen with any company, but the key thing we should be paying attention to is: how widespread is it, how are they going to fix the problem, and when? An ongoing problem is just an absolute slap in the face to the people that are purchasing their product.
Last edited by dead.cell on 20 May 2009 - 22:13
This is suppose to be a mac community's prob.And a thread should cover this.
It's not that Macs get burn in a regular basis.Their is some kind of false agenda going on.
Do you realize you're posting on a site called NeoWIN? And last but not least, if you don't like the news posted here just stop visiting the site. I'm sure you wont be missed.
And don't even get me started on the whole "its a mac community's prob". I've lost count of how many times you posted crap on win-related news. Guess what, its a win-related issue, you don't belong there.
Paying a lot does not mean ZERO issue.
These things are made by humans and will have issues no matter what. Same for an OS. I can't see people using this as an argument.
Look, as long as Apple assumes it and pays and reimburses the damage caused, and as long as they keep track of it right now to fix it (that we can't prove I know...) I don't see what's wrong. It really doesn't happen as often as you may think. Now there's one article exposed here on Neowin, and I've heard of like 4-5 in the past, but it doesn't mean it happens to every laptop.
anyway the pics are more interesting than the story.
If I was the guy that got burned I'd make sure to sue Apple. When an IT piece of equipment blows in your face or threaten to burn your house you have to take action.
:p
Good question, although if there was a short there's a good chance the whole cable was hot. I wonder why they have enough juice going through the charging cable to melt it when laptops generally run on 12 volts or less. I could understand the heat if it was the lead going from the wall to the brick.
12V - 4 Amps, that's a lot of juice
Really? How do you figure?
Really? How do you figure?
I'd say because it's the battery itself, and because it was more frequent. I'd rather have my charger catch fire than my battery explode... though, to be fair, I'd still rather have neither.
It could be possible that some form of debris that was caught between the contacts on the laptop and the adapter. You add electricity to that debris, and it could easily catch on fire. And, it also could be a problem with any form of plug.
It could be possible that some form of debris that was caught between the contacts on the laptop and the adapter. You add electricity to that debris, and it could easily catch on fire. And, it also could be a problem with any form of plug.
I'd 2nd that.I mean things happen...
It could be possible that some form of debris that was caught between the contacts on the laptop and the adapter. You add electricity to that debris, and it could easily catch on fire. And, it also could be a problem with any form of plug.
I'd 2nd that.I mean things happen...
Like exploding batteries?
It could be possible that some form of debris that was caught between the contacts on the laptop and the adapter. You add electricity to that debris, and it could easily catch on fire. And, it also could be a problem with any form of plug.
I hereby propose that from now on every Apple malfunction will be deemed as an act of God. And since Jobs is fit for the role we might as well call them acts of Jobs.
Does that mean that Steve Jobs is responsible for some house fire caused by an overloaded powerstrip? Or that wire that gets frayed and causes a short or a fire?
From Ken:
"So the story is that I was doing an initial backup over my network to a time capsule. It needed to copy over 100GB of data and, as the manual states, "you may need to plug your computer in and leave it on overnight to complete the first backup". And that's what I did. I woke up an hour and a half later with it burning. I'm sure it wouldn't be as bad if I caught it early, but I was asleep. There was smoke coming out of the keyboard, around the edges and out the ports on the left side. It wasn't a black smoke really, it seemed like a lighter, grayer smoke. The magsafe, though, was completely engulfed. There were green flames coming off of it. I had a folder underneath the computer too and that burned as well.
Another thing, I believe it's the computer not the magsafe. This laptop has broken two other power supplies, granted not to this extent. Yesterday, I just got the laptop back from the Apple Store again because the logic board and fan assembly needed to be replaced, I think due to the same issue. I was so happy to get it home only to find 6 hours later it was on fire.
I am a perfectionist when it comes to my Apple products. I always utilize safe operating procedures when it comes to the magsafe.
I just got back from the Apple Store today and they're replacing it, no charge. The head genius wasn't there though and I'm told I'll need to talk to him."
Brainwashed, or mental illness, I'm not sure. But if that is the typical mentality from that subset of niche computer owners, no wonder Apple scores so well on customer satisfaction polls. As long as they aren't burnt, everything is a positive! Then again, with an article currently on Gizmodo about a girl that jumped in front of a truck to save her iPod, I'm starting to lean towards 'mental illness'.
Where in the post does it say he thinks its good of Apple to not charge? He simply states the fact that they are replacing it. Perhaps he's seeking legal advise, and has been advised not to mention that fact, but wanted to post a status update?
Also, I've heard stories about kids who jump in front of cars/trucks for footballs (ACTUAL footballs, that you kick with your foot, not those hand-egg things americans use), does that mean that we should stop buying footballs? All owners of footballs are mentally ill?
Since you're paying two arms and one and a half legs for any of their products, you might as well throw your life to them anyway...
Tragic case though.
Laptops on fire? Not that boring if you ask me
As above:
"So the story is that I was doing an initial backup over my network to a time capsule. It needed to copy over 100GB of data and, as the manual states, "you may need to plug your computer in and leave it on overnight to complete the first backup"
Regardless, you shouldn't have to worry about leaving a laptop connected to an external power source overnight.
!?!?!??!
That's like saying "Well it's his fault for keeping the car in his garage" if the ceiling were to collapse. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. It's supposed to be plugged in!
And i know PCs have this same issue...the problem is PC users dont brag about how they pay so much more money for a higher quality product and great customer service. And PCs dont have MAG connectors...at least I havnt seen any on a PC. Looks like Apples innovation has bit them in the ass.
It could be possible that some form of debris that was caught between the contacts on the laptop and the adapter. You add electricity to that debris, and it could easily catch on fire. And, it also could be a problem with any form of plug. افلام
C'mon, it happens with PC's too, so no worry
*_*
Here goes the "superior quality parts" argument.Does anyone remember some years ago the problems with the paint job on the macbook?
The paint would fade away due to macbook's overheating.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/27/survey-...are-discolored/
http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/13/white-m...-discoloration/
Good OS - Crappy hardware
So Apple is pwned.
When you tightly regulate your suppliers and are not under the scrutiny of the world for bundling software you get more things built in the OS and you have more control over hardware. Guess what results? Less problems, more perceived value in software and higher prices.
The people who are spouting off idiotic comments such as why did he leave it plugged in. Well he explained it, apple authorized it and technology can allow for it. Most adapters and battery's have built in sensors to trickle the charge when it hits capacity. It's not HIGH TECH its a low tech solution that has been around for ages.
I have always left my DELL laptops charging overnight for well over 10 years and have not had a single issue. My new DELL PRECISION M6400 outside of the size blows the doors off the best Mac Pro they have and was $1400 less.
When you are comparing Apple Mac Book's to top manufactures laptops. Give it a fair comparison. You can't compare a Costco HP Laptop offering to a Mac Book Pro but you can compare an HP 8300 series, DELL Latitude/Precision series to it and the build quality and less expensive price tag will have you rethinking about the Apple MBP's.
I can respect the innovation that goes into many of the Apple products but I haven't accepted the price tag due to it.
The Saga continues..
Yeah whats the big deal anyway??PC users suffer these kind of things everyday.BTW it's first time I"ve heard abt such case.
And whats with posting this story in neowin's front page??Why haven't anyone posted thousands of battery exploding cases on PC?
PC laptop exploding stories usually make front page. It's not something to casually shrug off in order to maintain some perceived perfect record for a certain company's products.
Newsflash: MacBook = computers. "PC laptop" = computers. Machine blowing up = news.
Seriously if Neowin would publish every stories of computer burning (including mac) the front page would be filled with those.
So far in my life i had 2 power suply burning and taking my computer with them. Luckily each time the surge protector did cut the power before things got bad. But each time it did burn enough to trigger the fire alarm in my house.
I also had a 360 red ringing on me but that's another story weird i never see them on neowin front page even if RRoD happens every time.
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.