“In these days of countless stories of exploding Dell notebooks and massive Dell power adapter recalls, Apple has seemed relatively immune to these sorts of problems. Every once in a while, some odd thing came along, but it seemed like relatively calm waters. I fear, however, the sense of safety for Mac notebook users may be coming to an end,” Galen Zink writes for Zink Consulting.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “TJS” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: Why Zink fears that “the sense of safety for Mac notebook users may be coming to an end” is beyond us when the adapters he’s implicating are old PowerBook adapters and not Apple’s currently shipping MacBook ad MacBook Pro adapters. By the way, our last batch of Apple 15-inch Titanium PowerBooks used the adapters Zink is so worried about for 3+ years and had zero problems. If we still had the units, we guess we could post photos of the adapter working perfectly today, too. Like millions of other adapters.
Maybe under certain conditions, the PowerBook adapter used by Zink could fail, maybe not. Zink himself claims no knowledge of a widespread problem. Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Pro adapters are of different design, so the use of both the phrase “the sense of safety for Mac notebook users may be coming to an end” and the title of Zink’s piece, “Apple Notebook Power Adapters: Dangerous By Design?” are highly questionable. Allow us to employ logic for a moment: if – and that’s a big “if” – there was an issue at all, then “this safety concern for Mac notebook users has come to an end” as Apple no longer ships such adapters with their notebooks and now ships new MacBook and MacBook Pro MagSafe adapters instead.
An anecdote is not necessarily evidence, even if it is on the WWW with some photos accompanied by nonsensical statements.
We now return you to the rest of the online and other media who either can’t read and/or have an agenda and who will now attempt blow Zink’s article completely out of proportion.
How many of these idiots keep the “Remove This Plastic” wrapping on their power bricks?
How many of them are keeping the extension cord wound around the adapter while it’s plugged in?
How many are stacking stuff on top of the power brick?
How many have the power brick sitting on a couch cushion, bed or pillow, like they shouldn’t be? (Soft surfaces trap heat).
I have two, no problems ever. ::shrug:: But I’ve seen plenty of people treat their portable computers like absolute sh1t and expect it to keep ticking.
People are more motivated to complain than praise, so typically only the gripers are disproportionally represented on web boards.
An article written with intent to be dugg and built hits for some snake oil sugar subsitute and food enhancement looks like to me
Kinbaku:
Based on the number of issues with adapters I don’t think you can blame it on idiot users. I resent you lumping us all in a category of people that don’t know better and deserve what we get for somehow by using our laptops incorrectly or somehow making corrupting our power adapter. When I spend #k for a laptop, I expect that the company that makes it will make a product that can hold up to EVERYDAY use. I have been an loyal Apple user since 1984. So I can understand your blind loyalty to the Church of Apple. But, give me a break! Once in a while you have to stop being an apologist for the multi BILLION dollar company and help them improve their quality control by actually admitting that, yes, Apple is capable of making defective products. Stop protecting Steve Jobs and start demanding some better quality from the man we have made very rich by our loyalty!!!
My fiancee had TWO go out. I had one go out so far. The end by the power brick just burns through and then sparks start flying. She bought two more for herself, just in case it happens again. They really ARE dangerous. MDN’s flippant take is totally uncalled for. It could have easily started a fire had we not caught them right away. And it does NOT have anything to do with rolling them up. We never roll ours up at all. Our machines are pretty much just used at home, and the cords get very little wear. We try to always keep them unplugged when we aren’t home due to this issue. The guys at the Apple store took absolutely no action, even though I had 2 of them right there that were obviously garbage. I never took it further than that, I just got out my credit card. Look at the reviews of the thing on the Apple Store on apple.com. Horrible reviews. This is just a BAD design and makes Apple look horrible. I hope the new ones are better.
@Kinbaku:
No to none of the above. We are extremely careful with our things, to a fault. This is a bad design, period. Amazing it went so long or even made it out the door. That some don’t have issues? Just dumb luck I suppose.
Magic Word: Response – as in, NONE from Apple.
If you wind the cord around the two cord holders too tight the first time then it will pull on the rubber boot and the internal wire connection.
Wrap it loose the first time around the cord holder will some slack to prevent the pulliing. Then wrap tightly the remaining times around the cord holders.
prevents the sparks from developing from stress.
Just remember not to stress the rubber boot when wraping!!!
I have an adapter that did the same thing. It is from a 667 MHz Titanium Book. The cord does not have the reinforced rubber and the plastic cover has an inset where the cord attaches. My new aluminum powerbook has the same type of brick as Mr. Zinc.
I bought a new adapter when I sold the Ti Book and still have the damaged one.
Don’t lick 9 volt batteries either.
There, am I Duracell Apologist now, too?