4 ms·

Don't use Macs but I'm surprised Apple apparently didn't give an earthed power adapter by default on a metal skin product. This seems like negligence. Now that

by sfifs 10y ago

Don't use Macs but I'm surprised Apple apparently didn't give an earthed power adapter by default on a metal skin product. This seems like negligence. Now that I think about it, my iPad's the same when charging.

x0x0 10y ago
There's also a good chance that, at least in part due to Apple's greed and extravagant prices for chargers / fragile power cords, many people are using knockoff chargers and don't know it. See also Amazon happily selling knockoffs as real -- Apple claims 90% of chargers it recently bought on Amazon are fake and is suing the supplier, though unfortunately is not suing Amazon [1], which might help Amazon find the will to stop people selling fakes. [1] https://9to5mac.com/2016/10/19/amazon-fake-apple-chargers-cables/ https://9to5mac.com/2016/10/19/amazon-fake-apple-chargers-ca...
- hinkley 10y ago
  Have you seen a tear down of the authentic chargers? There's a lot going on in there.
  - disillusioned 10y ago
    Right, but even still, you don't think Apple's commanding actual profit from them? They're up to $90...
    - forgettableuser 10y ago
      This was a really good teardown. http://www.righto.com/2015/11/macbook-charger-teardown-surprising.html http://www.righto.com/2015/11/macbook-charger-teardown-surpr... The author also does consider the cost of the components.
  - x0x0 10y ago
    As mentioned below, a reasonable estimate of the cost is $30. They could also sell replacement user swappable magsafe cords and defang many of the complaints. But then they couldn't effectively charge $90 for a replacement cord.
    - hinkley 10y ago
      I have wanted that cord to be replaceable forever. At least it finally is now. Given how many the kids and dog destroy I consider it an improvement. I have wondered if the degradation of the cord wasn't some sort of safety guarantee rather than planned obsolescence. When the cord wears out you buy a new one instead of using the ancient one from eight years ago.
an_account 10y ago
They do give one by default, but you can disconnect it if you so choose. FWIW, I have never had a problem using the two pronged plug in the US. It's interesting to see all this preexisting problems with MacBooks surfacing after the recent release of the MBP
- nunofgs 10y ago
  They don't include them anymore in the 2016 MacBooks
- ClassyJacket 10y ago
  They stopped as of the new MacBooks this month :/
  - Keverw 10y ago
    Wow. More expensive and includes less... I don't know what they are thinking... I never even though of Mac's shocking people under normal use. wow.
stillworks 10y ago
In the U.K. they come with earthed plug. However I still noticed "buzzing" in the MBP, MBA and even iPad when I would touched them. Took the MBP in to the store. It didn't buzz there. They gave me a new power supply anyways and recommended I connect the plug directly into the wall socket. Turned out that the power strip I was using is not grounded even though it has three pin sockets ! When I plug Apple devices directly into the wall socket I don't notice any "buzzing". So now I don't connect the Apple devices via a power strip.
- nicky0 10y ago
  Throw away that power strip.
  - mnw21cam 10y ago
    As in, right now. It violates every electric safety law around.
  - elcct 10y ago
    I would rather at least try to disassemble it before throwing away - otherwise it is likely that someone will pull it from the bin and use it or sell it.
- rogual 10y ago
  My UK MacBook came with two plugs; one with a long cable and an earth connection, and one "short" one that's just the plug head, with no earth connection (the slot that the earth ring from the transformer connects to is just plastic inside). I get the shocks when using the short connector, and always have. Here is a DIY guide by someone who figured out how to fix the issue (danger, electricity, don't kill yourself) http://garethhayes.net/apple-power-plug-not-earthed/ http://garethhayes.net/apple-power-plug-not-earthed/

by sfifs 10y ago

x0x0 10y ago

There's also a good chance that, at least in part due to Apple's greed and extravagant prices for chargers / fragile power cords, many people are using knockoff chargers and don't know it. See also Amazon happily selling knockoffs as real -- Apple claims 90% of chargers it recently bought on Amazon are fake and is suing the supplier, though unfortunately is not suing Amazon [1], which might help Amazon find the will to stop people selling fakes. [1] https://9to5mac.com/2016/10/19/amazon-fake-apple-chargers-cables/ https://9to5mac.com/2016/10/19/amazon-fake-apple-chargers-ca...

hinkley 10y ago
Have you seen a tear down of the authentic chargers? There's a lot going on in there.
- disillusioned 10y ago
  Right, but even still, you don't think Apple's commanding actual profit from them? They're up to $90...
  - forgettableuser 10y ago
    This was a really good teardown. http://www.righto.com/2015/11/macbook-charger-teardown-surprising.html http://www.righto.com/2015/11/macbook-charger-teardown-surpr... The author also does consider the cost of the components.
- x0x0 10y ago
  As mentioned below, a reasonable estimate of the cost is $30. They could also sell replacement user swappable magsafe cords and defang many of the complaints. But then they couldn't effectively charge $90 for a replacement cord.
  - hinkley 10y ago
    I have wanted that cord to be replaceable forever. At least it finally is now. Given how many the kids and dog destroy I consider it an improvement. I have wondered if the degradation of the cord wasn't some sort of safety guarantee rather than planned obsolescence. When the cord wears out you buy a new one instead of using the ancient one from eight years ago.

an_account 10y ago

They do give one by default, but you can disconnect it if you so choose. FWIW, I have never had a problem using the two pronged plug in the US. It's interesting to see all this preexisting problems with MacBooks surfacing after the recent release of the MBP

nunofgs 10y ago
They don't include them anymore in the 2016 MacBooks
ClassyJacket 10y ago
They stopped as of the new MacBooks this month :/
- Keverw 10y ago
  Wow. More expensive and includes less... I don't know what they are thinking... I never even though of Mac's shocking people under normal use. wow.

stillworks 10y ago

In the U.K. they come with earthed plug. However I still noticed "buzzing" in the MBP, MBA and even iPad when I would touched them. Took the MBP in to the store. It didn't buzz there. They gave me a new power supply anyways and recommended I connect the plug directly into the wall socket. Turned out that the power strip I was using is not grounded even though it has three pin sockets ! When I plug Apple devices directly into the wall socket I don't notice any "buzzing". So now I don't connect the Apple devices via a power strip.

nicky0 10y ago
Throw away that power strip.
- mnw21cam 10y ago
  As in, right now. It violates every electric safety law around.
- elcct 10y ago
  I would rather at least try to disassemble it before throwing away - otherwise it is likely that someone will pull it from the bin and use it or sell it.
rogual 10y ago
My UK MacBook came with two plugs; one with a long cable and an earth connection, and one "short" one that's just the plug head, with no earth connection (the slot that the earth ring from the transformer connects to is just plastic inside). I get the shocks when using the short connector, and always have. Here is a DIY guide by someone who figured out how to fix the issue (danger, electricity, don't kill yourself) http://garethhayes.net/apple-power-plug-not-earthed/ http://garethhayes.net/apple-power-plug-not-earthed/