33 ms·

Preserving Laptop Stickers on MacBooks

612 points by graystevens 7y ago

sascha_sl 7y ago
this is essentially why i have a dbrand skin (aka a piece of textured vinyl) on my macbook pro
- jhinra 7y ago
  But that's almost a harder decision - you can certainly buy a bland colored skin to put stickers on, but if you're going to the effort of skinning your laptop, why not pick an interesting skin?
  - sascha_sl 7y ago
    I currently have the Hex skin. They have a pretty big selection. https://dbrand.com/shop/apple-macbook-pro-13-skins-touch-bar https://dbrand.com/shop/apple-macbook-pro-13-skins-touch-bar
JoshTriplett 7y ago
I'd love this for a non-Mac laptop, as well.
- graystevens 7y ago
  I think that might work for certain popular brands - Dell XPSs certainly crossed my mind, as well as the Lenovo Thinkpads. Both are likely to have a vinyl equivalent available that could be used, although I'd want to thoroughly QC how the Thinkpad lid holds-up with the residue on removal.
  - tonylemesmer 7y ago
    https://www.vinylrevolution.co.uk/services/macbook-and-laptop-branding-services/custom-laptop-wraps/ https://www.vinylrevolution.co.uk/services/macbook-and-lapto...
dudul 7y ago
Maybe I read a little fast, but why only mention "MacBooks"? Wouldn't this system work for any laptop?
- miloignis 7y ago
  A similar system, I'm sure, but he got the material specifically to match the metal of the MacBook and is gauging if other people are interested in it.
- jkmcf 7y ago
  MacBooks are fairly limited in external sizes. Other laptops probably vary by tiny dimensions. OTOH, a 2013 MBP lid is slightly different from a 2015.
- Sendotsh 7y ago
  You could just use a clear vinyl and trim it to size before sticker bombing your laptop. Matte or gloss depending on your taste, and stick to the automotive ones for UV-resistance and lasting quality. I’ve been doing this for years on work laptops using a 3M clear vinyl wrap.
- futureastronaut 7y ago
  I think there's a large overlap between image-conscious Mac users and image-conscious developers, for whom laptops are an expression of self or something like that.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
bootlooped 7y ago
There is a brand that makes screen (or body) protectors for phones, tablets and laptops. I have used their phone protectors and have always been happy. I don't agree with the downsides listed for this approach, they offer matte finish, I have never had an issue with the protectors yellowing, and I can source (buy) them right now. https://www.bestskinsever.com/laptop-skin https://www.bestskinsever.com/laptop-skin
- ValentineC 7y ago
  I had one of these on a 2008 MacBook, and it started yellowing and flaking around 2–3 years later, most noticeably on parts that had considerable heat (like the bottom case and removable battery). If it was just used for the top case, I think it should be fine. Mine has yellowed, but was autographed by my favourite author. :)
PTRFRLL 7y ago
Love this. My old MacBook was covered in stickers but I grew out of most of them and removing them was a giant pain. Plus, like you mentioned, resale value took a hit. On my new MacBook, I've kept it sticker-free due to my past experience. This would give me the freedom to slap some new stickers on there knowing they're easily removable down the line.
- rootusrootus 7y ago
  As a couple others have mentioned, if you keep the stickers carefully contained to the aluminum surfaces of the computer, acetone will take them right off and will not damage the metal.
tragic 7y ago
> * Resale - By putting stickers on my laptop, I am either going to have to try to remove them again once I come to selling it, lowering my resale price because the laptop isn’t in near pristine condition. > * Damage - There is a worry that some stickers may leave a horrible hard-to-remove residue, or maybe leave a discolouration to the aluminium. To which may be added a third - your Mac gets sent off for repair, but repair nowadays means "we take the hard drive out and put it in another Mac because even we can't fix them"
- AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
  Or the repair person might helpfully "clean" the case. Like what happened to this poor guy and his autographed XBOX 360 case: https://web.archive.org/web/20080302171919/http://hawtymcbloggy.com/2008/02/28/another-gamer-screwed-by-microsoft/ https://web.archive.org/web/20080302171919/http://hawtymcblo...
  - Mathnerd314 7y ago
    That one ended up with Bill Gates autographing a case: https://www.engadget.com/2008/03/22/even-happier-ending-for-cleaned-xbox-360-owner-gates-signed-c/ https://www.engadget.com/2008/03/22/even-happier-ending-for-... I guess the takeaway is that if you document everything and complain loudly when something goes wrong you might actually get decent customer service.
  - derrikcurran 7y ago
    I'm still trying to figure out how it happened. Did they have some kind of automated case cleaning system or something?
    - qplex 7y ago
      Most likely it's standard procedure to clean every unit that comes in for repairs.
  - RandomBacon 7y ago
    > Taking it apart would have voided the warranty Rrr... We must extinguish this lie! It is illegal in the US for companies to do this.
obenn 7y ago
I just put a hard shell case on my MacBook and cover that with stickers. The MacBook stays pristine and unaffected underneath.
- Double_a_92 7y ago
  Are you sure? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjOpnFmFfys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjOpnFmFfys
Waterluvian 7y ago
I bet Louis Rossman would have some thoughts on this. He had a customer who became a local meme after having a tantrum about sticker residue. These things can be trivial or impossible to remove depending how much you know about the adhesive and removal methods.
- Someone1234 7y ago
  And you have to be thoughtful with removal methods too, some like rubbing alcohol for example, can damage certain surfaces.
the_arun 7y ago
May be we need to fix the gums in stickers to peel off easily - then it could work for all laptops/devices. Another option could be put an easily peelable tape and then sticker on top of it.
- bdamm 7y ago
  The technology already exists, but not all stickers you might want to stick to a laptop has that good type of sticky chemistry. So the implication is that the achieve such a "fix" would require regulation to limit the types of stickers that are generally available. It would potentially be global as well, since people travel and put stickers from travel on their gear. Also, sometimes people put bumper stickers on laptops. Should we limit the chemistry of bumper stickers? Obviously this leads to madness, and I would not want such burdensome regulation.
ryukafalz 7y ago
I use a hard case on my work laptop for similar reasons - it's not my laptop, and when I give it back I want to keep the stickers! (I get a bit attached after using a stickered-up machine for a while.) The framed set of stickers at the bottom is kinda what I have in mind.
lttlrck 7y ago
3M adhesive remover is amazing stuff. It beats Goo Gone by a wide margin, I recently used it to remove PETG residue from my 3D printer bed and that stuff is gnarly. 3M 38983 General Purpose Adhesive Remover - 12 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EBNTYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cULjDb3Q4N1XR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EBNTYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cU...
- Causality1 7y ago
  Does it have the same plastic-eating properties as Goo Gone?
  - rootusrootus 7y ago
    Goo Gone isn't all that strong, are you sure you're not thinking of Goof Off? Goo Gone is a fairly average citrus-based cleaner, where as Goof Off is based on acetone. It'll melt many paint and plastics on contact. Certainly has it's moments, though, and it's far stronger than Goo Gone.
    - Causality1 7y ago
      Indeed I was, or rather I assumed they were both maker-specific names for the same thing. Thank you for the explanation.
  - lttlrck 7y ago
    Yeah that’s a good point. It’s pretty strong stuff. I’ve used it to remove decals from cars and it hasn’t damaged the clearcoat but modern clearcoat is an epoxy anyway so it’s not all that surprising. It will destroy polystyrene based plastics and I’d be careful around others. Having said that it works fine applied via a rag so you can avoid overspray issues.
- tomkinstinch 7y ago
  Helpful tip, thanks. Here's the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) in case anyone is curious what's in 3M 38983 General Purpose Adhesive Remover[1]: Mostly methyl acetate, with some naptha, xylene, and a small amount of ethylbenzene. Definitely worth heeding the precautionary statements... For contrast, "Goo Gone" is mostly naptha-like light petroleum distillate with small fractions of limonene and orange extract[2]. 1. https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuUn_zu8l00xM8mGm8mUPv70k17zHvu9lxtD7SSSSSS-- https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuUn_... 2. https://googone.com/mr_sds/data/2018-06-14%2013:44:51/GG_Original_SDS_U0618.pdf https://googone.com/mr_sds/data/2018-06-14%2013:44:51/GG_Ori...
aripickar 7y ago
I used to put stickers on my laptop, but I lost them all when I had to bring them to the genius bar for some work. Would this be re-aplicable? I would think no, right?
- graystevens 7y ago
  So it remains sticky when removed, but I certainly wouldn't expect it to fit quite as snuggly the second time around. Interesting idea though, but my initial reaction would be no, not re-applicable.
rhizome 7y ago
AKA "Cloud flair"
- crazysim 7y ago
  Cloudflare Cloud flair
- jiveturkey 7y ago
  aka nerd tats. (mine has about 90% coverage.)
valbaca 7y ago
Or just buy Goo Gone https://googone.com/ https://googone.com/
- dmix 7y ago
  Agreed. I really don’t see how removing stickers off an aluminum case is really that difficult. Even for the “bad” ones that leave residue there are plenty of products for this purpose that won’t damage the metal.
  - geoah 7y ago
    The idea is to keep the stickers when you have to change laptops or something, not keep your laptop clean when removing them
snek 7y ago
does anyone know of vinyl skins for the thinkpad x1 extreme?
- elif 7y ago
  Any vinyl skin will do. Use a razorblade around the edges like it's a skateboard. If you try to size it perfectly, you'll get lifting eventually.
  - rzzzt 7y ago
    And then a little sandpaper to smooth it down...
cardamomo 7y ago
Bonus feature: You can apply one of these to the back of your non-Mac laptop and pretend you have a Mac!
- MartinCron 7y ago
  The right term for that would be MockBook.
timvisee 7y ago
This is brilliant! Kind of a coincidence, I've been thinking about something like this a week ago. I wonder how well this would work on a ThinkPad.
thelonelygod 7y ago
This is nifty, but I don't really see why this beats using a case. I've been switching laptop cases for a while (actually need to get a new one) and I put them up on my wall when I'm done. Checkout a photo - https://imgur.com/a/nWz95Ex https://imgur.com/a/nWz95Ex They're like $15 on Amazon and I honestly don't mind that people can see them since the laptop is going to be covered in stickers and won't be looking like something off the shelf anyway.'
- geoah 7y ago
  I tried this with a transparent case but the result was kinda meh, made the macbook feel weird due to the way the case wraps around the screen to clip
- PascLeRasc 7y ago
  Were you in the HH facebook group back around 2016? When I read this article I was thinking of some guy there who said he got a new case every year and preserved the old ones as a memento.
- WC3w6pXxgGd 7y ago
  Nice! However, imo cases add too much bulk - hence why I've never used them. The whole point of the MacBook (especially the Air) is to be sleek.
- amelius 7y ago
  You didn't leave any room for the Apple logo to shine through ...
  - garmaine 7y ago
    Why would you want that?
  - awinder 7y ago
    I miss MagSafe from a practical standpoint but the non-lit new MacBooks pro was a real heartbreaker. It looked great / was iconic on its own but there were great mods over the years
Fnoord 7y ago
Oil, peanut butter, or what I used is "HG stikkerverwijderaar" (I don't know the English word or brand name) which I bet is just turpentine.
neilv 7y ago
Has anyone ever tried this with ThinkPads, with the rubberized matte coating? I was looking at the skins sold on eBay, and wondering whether they'd mar the coating. The old coatings hold up very nicely for over a decade, and I don't want the skin to react with the coating, nor to later leave behind an adhesive that can't be removed without ruining the coating. I'm also wondering whether the skins could be transplanted, like if one laptop breaks in a hard-to-repair way, so you move your SSD and skin full of decals to the replacement laptop. (I have an unapplied backlog of nerdy decals, to make the perfect social nerd cafe laptop out of a spare Coreboot X200. So long as being social doesn't mar the coating, because priorities.)
- linsomniac 7y ago
  I've pretty much had a ThinkPad with me since the mid '90s, and, and used to carry them everywhere with me, usually one or more trips a day. One of them I got a custom printed skin, it wasn't that expensive, maybe $50... I peeled that skin of ~3 years later when I got a new laptop, and the top looked PRISTINE. I realized at that time: While the normal finish wears pretty well, it does wear. The skin totally protected it.
css 7y ago
I used a flat white Dbrand skin and put my stickers on top. My stickers have 100% coverage: https://twitter.com/rxcs/status/888214143097987072 https://twitter.com/rxcs/status/888214143097987072. No problems after 2 years aside from some slight fading of the colors on the reflective stickers. If OP is in this thread, check out 3M 1080 (or newer) series. It is used on cars, designed to not bubble or leave residue, and comes in clear.
- vcavallo 7y ago
  wow, i find that amazingly stupid-looking
- graystevens 7y ago
  3M 1080 is great stuff - I avoided clear vinyls however as i found they lost the metallic look due to them being a little too glossy, even with the matte ones.
- pimlottc 7y ago
  Nice, how do you keep the Apple logo clear? You just cut the stickers carefully before applying? The shape is still quite well defined.
  - css 7y ago
    The Apple logo is recessed enough that I could trace it easily with an x-acto knife. The stickers I used didn't stick to it very well, interestingly, and just peeled right off.
    - donkeyd 7y ago
      Are you not afraid to damage the logo with the knife?
- hknd 7y ago
  That looks absolutely amazing!
- slantyyz 7y ago
spilk 7y ago
I've been doing this for years with easy-to-acquire clear protective films that are specifically cut for laptops.
fredley 7y ago
Acetone (nail polish remover) will easily and harmlessly remove almost any sticker residue.
- rootusrootus 7y ago
  Harmless on aluminum, for sure, but it will melt plastic, so avoid splatter on apple logos, keyboards, etc.
- velp 7y ago
  And easily remove plastic stuff
- astura 7y ago
  It's not harmless if your laptop is plastic.
juandazapata 7y ago
Or buy a $10 case. Or buy a $4 3M sticker remover.
apazzolini 7y ago
Small nitpick, but "orange peel" refers to the texture of clearcoat resulting from not spraying it properly, not anything to do with an orange hue. Example: https://cl.ly/f5e28bc2db85 https://cl.ly/f5e28bc2db85
- MH15 7y ago
  TIL
- jiveturkey 7y ago
  small nitpicks on your nitpick, but - orange peel refers to any paint layer, not just clearcoat. (almost all, if not all, cars today are shot with at least 2 stage, but older and maybe some cars may be a single paint coat, where orange peel can still be exhibited). - it's not from spraying it improperly, which can be a cause, but more typically that the spraying conditions (from paint mix to atmospheric conditions, even inside a booth) aren't "ideal". most new cars are robot sprayed with perfect spray control, and almost all new cars exhibit a small degree of orange peel. even ferraris have orange peel from the factory. this is why high dollar detailers do a "paint correction" as part of their work, even on a brand new car.
vcavallo 7y ago
TIL people really care about dumb stickers
- torgian 7y ago
  Each sticker adds 5MHz to your speed!
  - fencepost 7y ago
    Hmmm.... Stickers in the style of video game powerup pops, but with MHz, GB, etc units....
BLanen 7y ago
I mean... There's many many products like this already and I don't understand the point of this article.
duxup 7y ago
Are people often reselling their laptops? I wanted to downsize my laptop recently and found that the places to sell hard to find amounts offered ...not worth it. One thing I found amusing is that they sell whole packs of "laptop stickers" on Amazon. I just sort of assumed they were like travel stickers you gather over time but.... I guess not.
- fossuser 7y ago
  If you live in a place that has a strong tech market, then reselling is worth it (on craigslist). Apple gear resells really well, in Palo Alto I usually get 60-70% of the cost on resale. In some instances this makes it worth it to buy new gear every year (particularly with phones) to maximize the resale value and keep new hardware. When I lived in Buffalo I couldn't sell anything.
  - duxup 7y ago
    Ah that makes sense.
Theodores 7y ago
I like the idea of using the wrap plastic used for cars, maybe with fancy colours, skipping the stickers. When I am done with the machine I could remove the wrap and have a brand new looking case. Actual hard shell covers do protect the machine but they do get dirt inside that does add wear patterns. Has anyone done anything really cool with automotive wraps and laptops? Not necessarily on Apple products but on PCs that don't have a tough aluminium shell?
- jaclaz 7y ago
  See my comment above, about a couple of pre-made (and customizable) resources: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20410335 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20410335
jimmcslim 7y ago
I’m disappointed more laptop stickers don’t adhere to this standard... https://github.com/terinjokes/StickersStandard https://github.com/terinjokes/StickersStandard
- deadbunny 7y ago
  That really seems like a solution to a problem that no one has/cares about.
elif 7y ago
None of those stickers are sentimental or novel... You could probably get them all at the same conference for free
- citeguised 7y ago
  Those stickers match pretty much the product-tester-pack you get from sticker-mule for 1€.
gravypod 7y ago
If you're looking for something like this that also includes a texture or color change then the company dbrands makes a nice product. They're not really over priced, they apply easily, and it is very easy to remove.
jiveturkey 7y ago
Lot of effort for something you can buy pre-cut, off the shelf at many places. you can get matching color, or any number of background designs. his only covers the top. i have top, bottom, keyboard surround, and trackpad covered. i'm most ambivalent about the trackpad. the silky smooth texture of a naked pad is amazing. but i really hate how it picks up rub marks after a relatively short period.
seanlane 7y ago
My alternative to slapping them on a laptop or laptop case: https://imgur.com/gallery/TTlSdKK https://imgur.com/gallery/TTlSdKK Grab some magnet sheets, place sticker, and cut out. Makes them a bit more durable in that you can move them around, rather than only being able to stick once.
- thinkingemote 7y ago
  Do magnets do horrible things to computers? Or was that only CRT screens?
  - deadbunny 7y ago
    Could possibly fuck with a HDD if your laptop has one.
torgian 7y ago
That's cool. It's a nice idea, but I think cases are just a better, easier way to do it. That said, I use a case and have no stickers. Everyone else I see has tons of stickers on their MacBooks, though nobody seems to put stickers on their Windows laptops.
nullorundefined 7y ago
anyone else think stickers are super gaudy?
- amiga-workbench 7y ago
  Yeah, but I have an immense distaste for branding anyway. If my ThinkPad didn't have a badge on the lid it would be perfect.
meerita 7y ago
Call me weirdo but I never jumped on the sticker wagon. I don't see the point of advertising companies for free. My support would be more in terms of using their services (paying, yes) than paying and also putting stickers on my laptop. Is just because fanatism or feeling proud of using something? I'm not trying to be jerk, but I never understood that movement.
- mattschmulen 7y ago
  How else do you identify your mbp going through TSA. Call me laptop roulette paranoid.
  - thatswrong0 7y ago
    Precheck saves that hassle.
  - PhasmaFelis 7y ago
    It's the one next to my shoes and my wallet.
    - raverbashing 7y ago
      I think that's how pretty much everybody does it Though every MacBook has some small details that can be picked up even if "identical"
  - deathanatos 7y ago
    I usually put my carry on (a rolling bag) and personal item (backpack) on the bookends of other bins/belongings on the belt, s.t. all the bins are between two large, distinctly-mine items. It also makes pointing out the items which are mine to a TSA agent significantly easier.
  - pvarangot 7y ago
    Mine is the one with no stickers
    - 7y ago
spurmboy 7y ago
Laptop stickers are a cancer
- dang 7y ago
  Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments to Hacker News? We're trying for something a little better than that here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
fmakunbound 7y ago
No, fuck you I don't want your stickers or your bullshit laptop.
nautilus12 7y ago
I became disenfranchised with the whole sticker thing, just another one of the many cultural distractions that companies use to make us feel like we are part of something and in exchange pay us less.
abootstrapper 7y ago
Putting stickers on my laptop is the closest I’ve come to getting a tattoo.
xivzgrev 7y ago
IT departments at larger tech companies may be interested in this. Every time an employee leaves or they recall equipment they need to remove stickers, a manual and time consuming process. The key question is whether the amount of time to apply this coating is significantly less than removing individual stickers later?
ayeung 7y ago
Fun fact: a razor blade from a box cutter, and some rubbing alcohol will remove any sticker off a MacBook’s aluminum case without scratching the MacBook.
zrail 7y ago
So maybe a silly question, but is there some reason clear contact paper wouldn't work? Is the sheen not quite right?
veritas3241 7y ago
I have 12 small whiteboards (14x14 in) mounted on my wall that I add stickers to now. The only stickers on my laptop are ones I have duplicates of. It's a nice collection and it's scaled more than the back of my laptop has.
killjoywashere 7y ago
License this to Sticker Mule. Sell it with framing options.
PhasmaFelis 7y ago
I can honestly say this is the first time I've ever heard of someone worrying about the resale value of their computer.
Stratoscope 7y ago
I have devoted my life to removing stickers from all my computers. The first thing I do with a new ThinkPad is remove the Intel and Lenovo stickers from the palmrest. (Tip: If you have a Swiss Army knife with the plastic toothpick, the flat point of that toothpick is a perfect tool for lifting a corner of a sticker.) The one exception was when I realized I was using my late 2013 MacBook Pro in Windows more than in OS X. I thought it would be fun to turn it into a WinBook Pro, so I got a Windows 10 decal for it: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B014I1ICX8/ https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B014I1ICX8/ I lined it up just right so the machine lights up the Windows logo as if it had always been there. I guess this wouldn't work so good on the new MacBooks...
- darkerside 7y ago
  I have found it similarly satisfying to remove the dealer decals from every car I buy. Although it's probably easier just to make them remove it as a condition of sale.
  - function_seven 7y ago
    I have a prediction to make. Let me know if I'm right or wrong: These cars with dealer decals are all from dealerships located outside of California, yeah? I ask because I have a suspicion that CA law bans them. Either that, or our culture is so anti-dealer-decal that none dare try to add them. (Every decal I've ever seen has been from out of state)
    - AceyMan 7y ago
      You got that right. I'm from Georgia and when I bought a new car I had to get firm with the sales guy wrt no stinking stickers. But I'm in CA now and no one has stickers; the tactful substitute is a "complementary" plate bezel with some dealer details on it (name, city). Those are subtle and I kind of like seeing where people are from. Back in GA we have very legible county (2cm font) stickers on all the plates so that's how to geo-locate other cars there.
      - 7y ago
finnjohnsen2 7y ago
i would like to see some proper psychological research on why we put stickers and brands on our pretty and expensive laptops. Some keywords cones to mind based on my own feelings; - software tribalism and identity signaling to peers. like a mini resumé. - idealism and dreaming, the cool stuff I wish I was using (Who sticks a .NET logo there, right?) - added uniqueness, my laptop is mine, my special tool, it is set up as an extention of my unique set of skills
- doyoulikeworms 7y ago
  It reminds me a lot of bumper stickers on cars or tattoos on skin
- asark 7y ago
  Yeah, I think you mostly got it. Same reason people wear clothes with large, prominent brand names on them, or movie references, or whatever. Legible clothing generally. Bumper stickers. Same stuff.
- paranoidrobot 7y ago
  Easier to spot/identify. I can spot mine easily at a distance, and it's very unlikely that someone else will have theirs marked similarly. Useful in situations like security lines at airports (Please step to the side sir, while we pat you down and someone nicks your laptop from the baggage scanner), or even in an office where everyone has the same laptop.
- citeguised 7y ago
  My hobby project is collecting photos of stickered laptops [1] From my impression and experience, it‘s like saying „I am root. This is MY device“ more than anything else. So I‘d say your last point applies in most cases. Although Salesforce-people seem to have a special relationship with their stickers [2]. They have tons of them, but usually none from other companies. They seem to be achievment-badges. [1] https://devlids.com https://devlids.com [2] https://devlids.com/all/tag:salesforce https://devlids.com/all/tag:salesforce
- TeMPOraL 7y ago
jaakl 7y ago
I used screen cleaner gel to clean up some old macbooks with pile of years old stickers and it worked without any trace left I can notice. And I guess it is already safe for electronics. No special formulas needed.
SenHeng 7y ago
Here in Japan, we have anime girls. (mostly) SFW google image search. https://www.google.com/search?q=%E7%97%9B%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88pc&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY_ufchazjAhWPyYsBHZ_BCMQQ_AUIECgB&biw=1920&bih=1114 https://www.google.com/search?q=%E7%97%9B%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%...
- Jaruzel 7y ago
  Are these acceptable in the workplace?
numlock86 7y ago
In my company I introduced stickers on working machines. We have a lot of developers with different skillsets spread over the entire campus. There are many departments sharing similar technology stacks and needed skills. This helps people to get together if they have questions or ideas they want to verify or share with others not in their department for example. Got a problem with a particular thing in Erlang, Redis, Yocto, NodeJS, Go, Linux or something else? Just approach the guys that have appropriate stickers and get together and exchange some of that sweet knowledge. While on it they might notice yours and do the same.
- esmi 7y ago
  Reminds me of Merit Badges. :) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_badge_(Boy_Scouts_of_America) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_badge_(Boy_Scouts_of_A...
  - cruano 7y ago
    Only those are earned
  - magduf 7y ago
    Not exactly. The nice thing about Merit Badges is that they're standardized: they're all the same size and shape, and they're not very large (around 1.25" in diameter IIRC). Also, when you put your merit badges on your sash, they're placed in an orderly fashion, 3 per row. They aren't just slapped on there randomly, some partially covering others, oriented in different directions, etc. With stickers on laptops, they always just look like a big jumble. If this company came up with merit badge-like stickers for all these technologies and had people place them on their laptops in even rows, oriented the same direction, then I would be for it. But the way I see people use stickers on laptops now, it just looks trashy.
FluffyKitty 7y ago
It's weird that this is being talked about as if it's not something that companies/sellers have been offering for ages. This "special" car vinyl with the air channels is 3M's Controltac product. You can find many sellers on eBay/AliExpress [1] or the myriad of other Chinese web stores offering this product. [1] https://www.ebay.com/itm/Surface-3M-Skin-Decal-Sticker-Cover-Protector-fr-MacBook-Air-Pro-13-15-Touch-Bar/262903624585 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Surface-3M-Skin-Decal-Sticker-Cover...
_cerv 7y ago
I used to be in the anti sticker camp, but then someone nearly walked off with my identical MacBook Pro at Newark. After that, I've gone through three laptops and each one ends up caked in stickers from various customers and conferences. I don't have to risk someone picking up my MacBook unless they have the same arrangement IP video tech and Seattle sports stickers.
b123400 7y ago
Wonderful idea! My friends drew some brilliant illustrations on my Macbook Pros ( https://i.imgur.com/O4mGZqZ.jpg https://i.imgur.com/O4mGZqZ.jpg ) using marker, directly on the case. Not soon afterward, the anti-reflective coating went bad and I tried to took it to Apple Store and was predictably told it's not possible to repair the screen without swapping out the entire screen. So 4 years later I am still using a never paired machine. I wish I knew about this kind of wrapping earlier.
want2know 7y ago
It's sad to see that in this thread most people jump in conclusions because they only assume there is only one reason why people put stickers on laptops. Without giving it much thought you place people in a 'category' that only exists in your mind. There are a million reasons why people put stickers on laptops. And also a million why people don't. I guess it's best to keep an open mind and don't think you know why people sticker.
- panpanna 7y ago
  Maybe this is a reaction towards the people who often do this? After all, we have seen both kinds in our workplaces and they sometimes have certain attributes?
  - sq_ 7y ago
    In all seriousness, what attributes are you talking about? Pushing hard for certain software/tech/orgs that they like?
    - weego 7y ago
      'Obnoxious zealots' is probably a more common perception of these people
      - indalo 7y ago
        what a weird thing to get hung up about
        yakshaving_jgt 7y ago
        At face value, yes, but the obnoxious zealotry often has further implications. I mean, how much of the technology baked into your average web project these days is chosen out of fashion rather than utility? Definitely too much.
        7y ago
rcarmo 7y ago
When I had a black Lenovo X1, I glued a single sticker in the center (a silver cutout of the Imperial Sigil from Star Wars) and stuck all the “other” stuff (conference logos, mementos, etc.) to the underside. This was part of a long-running joke about my joining the Dark Side (I work for Microsoft), and was all the individuality my laptop really needed. My last work MacBook had the same sigil stuck under the Apple logo (back when it was lit) and a couple of other stickers on the underside as well, just so I could single it out, but I never really went for glueing lots of stickers to my machines, and these days I carry a Surface Pro (which folds at the back) or a Surface Laptop (which I like for its clean looks), so stickers are mostly out (I make do with a big high-res Stormtrooper close-up photo on my login screens, which are usually the first thing people see when I set up for a presentation :)) I like the idea, though, and wonder if I will end up combining it with a large decal of some kind. Printing a partially opaque monochrome image on that big a Surface (pun not intended) is... interesting.
gadgetoid 7y ago
I’ve peppered my laptop with stickers. Not out of some desire to promote the services they embody, but rather because it makes my laptop look less appealing to a would-be thief.
theon144 7y ago
Man, I wish I had done that with my last laptop! There were some stickers that I will never get again, because the communities have since been extinguished, some were personal gifts, some were mementos of specific events... Not too optimistic about getting them off undamaged, seeing as they've been caked into the ThinkPad plastic for a couple years, and some have even took some scratches and tears...
systematical 7y ago
If I were to get any sticker, it would simply say "Burn Your JavaScript Stickers." That sums up my opinion of stickers.
elasticrash 7y ago
the most interested part of this article was that, people are actually worrying about sticking a sticker on their laptop. I would never resale a laptop with my hard drive on it, and nowadays most laptops (and definitely all macbooks have soldered hard disks)
znpy 7y ago
This article could be the definition of "first world problem"
nobrains 7y ago
This car wrap vinyl material is the same stuff that Zagg Invisible Shield (https://www.zagg.com/eu/en_eu/invisibleshield https://www.zagg.com/eu/en_eu/invisibleshield) and others use for mobile scratch protection wrapping.
_pmf_ 7y ago
That's one nice looking blog theme.
quickthrower2 7y ago
Love The Bourne-Again Shell sticker. I'd love a COBOL sticker! Or https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.627087627.9542/sss,small,wide_portrait,750x1000.jpg https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.627087627.9542/sss,small,wid...
gaebn 7y ago
That's truly amazing how many people have difficulties differentiating their laptops from the others. It would be a pity if they were just covering up their need to signal the world how special they are and how important their interests are. Glad that it's not the case, it would be pretty stupid to do this on the internet, right?
- hk2001 7y ago
  > their need to signal the world how special they are and how important their interests are Honestly, the compulsion to accuse others of narcissism for something as harmless as putting stickers on their personal property screams "LOOK AT ME, I'M SPECIAL" much more.
  - gaebn 7y ago
    I was accusing others for being insincere, not narcissistic. Guess you've read only the quoted part of my message, hope the reason is not some sticker on the inside blocking the view.
    - hk2001 7y ago
      You were accusing them of being both. Now who is being insincere?
      - gaebn 7y ago
        I have nothing against being narcissistic, provided you are honest about it. If I say that you are trying too hard with your "No u!" game, will you accuse me of trying too hard?
jaclaz 7y ago
Only for the record, there are already people selling laptop wraps. leather and wood: https://www.rvinyl.com/Laptop-Wraps https://www.rvinyl.com/Laptop-Wraps Various skins, already tailored for specific models: https://mightyskins.com/pages/laptop https://mightyskins.com/pages/laptop And you can even create your own design: https://mightyskins.com/collections/custom-laptop https://mightyskins.com/collections/custom-laptop Another one (Macbook): https://dassidecal.com/collections/macbook-skins-cases https://dassidecal.com/collections/macbook-skins-cases And yet another one: https://www.decalgirl.com/skins/laptop-skins https://www.decalgirl.com/skins/laptop-skins
- archagon 7y ago
  Any transparent ones, or ones that match the color of the laptop exactly?
  - jaclaz 7y ago
    Hmmm. Like: https://www.bestskinsever.com/laptop-skin https://www.bestskinsever.com/laptop-skin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGGWWIwio-4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGGWWIwio-4
Razengan 7y ago
Another way is to just use a body case or "shell" and applying the stickers to that. It may not perfectly match the original aluminum look but it provides more protection and personalization. I got an Incase one from the Apple Store: https://www.apple.com/shop/mac/mac-accessories/cases-protection?page=1&f=shell&fh=4592%2B463f https://www.apple.com/shop/mac/mac-accessories/cases-protect... https://www.incase.com/devices/macbook/mackbook-pro-2016-with-touch-bar https://www.incase.com/devices/macbook/mackbook-pro-2016-wit...
- tapland 7y ago
  Aren't these transparent film like the vinyl that one can use? https://www.bestskinsever.com/macbook-pro-15-inch-with-touch-bar https://www.bestskinsever.com/macbook-pro-15-inch-with-touch...
jimnotgym 7y ago
Am I the only person who is sick to death of Macs on their network? My mac users take up so much more time than the Windows majority for their overpriced hipster-books. The ones that really get me are the ones that use MS Office all day. Wrong computer for the job.
beezischillin 7y ago
I just buy some dbrand skins for mine. I have no idea if other manufacturers' stuff is good, probably is but I've had the best experience with them so far. I buy and apply whichever skin I like the most at that time and put stickers on it to my heart's content. Plus the skins are pretty tough so I get scratch protection and it comes off without leaving a mark in case I need to sell it. The guy who bought my old MBP didn't have anything to complain about.
NietTim 7y ago
> Resale - By putting stickers on my laptop, I am either going to have to try to remove them again once I come to selling it, lowering my resale price because the laptop isn’t in near pristine condition. Small remark, I've been rocking stickers on my macbook for years now and have "clean" periods in between, you can take stickers off the aluminum without any issue, and the few times I've had residue left it's easy to take it off with some alcohol or iso. After this it's 100% clean and you can't see there have been stickers on it, it's no issue at all
ratsimihah 7y ago
You could even not bother showing the Apple logo and have more sticker surface.
Mikho 7y ago
There is a company that serves precisely cut skins of different colors for most popular tech. The author basically reinvented DBrand. Here is a section for MacBook Pro on the site: https://dbrand.com/shop/apple-macbook-pro-15-skins-touch-bar https://dbrand.com/shop/apple-macbook-pro-15-skins-touch-bar
izzydata 7y ago
Stickers are casual. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-whrWIGJes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-whrWIGJes
deleted 7y ago
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reiichiroh 7y ago
What about stickers for various causes leading to profiling, targeting and harassment by security thugs?
sswaner 7y ago
Page said you are looking for a name: LapWrap
habosa 7y ago
When it was time for me to get a new laptop I put my old macbook in the office scanner, got a high-dpi scan of the whole thing. Then I ordered a custom full-size sticker for my new macbook that has all the stickers of my old macbook. Then I kept stickering on top. Final result: https://photos.app.goo.gl/VQ75mPshvzs6ubf87 https://photos.app.goo.gl/VQ75mPshvzs6ubf87 I am very happy with it, even though it doesn't look half as nice as what this person did. The combination of old and new stickers on the laptop is fun, and the whole thing took me 30 minutes to do.
deleted 7y ago
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archagon 7y ago
Serendipitous! I've been agonizing over this very question for the last few months. I have a few rare and interesting stickers that I'd love to stick on my Macbook, but I haven't been able to find any transparent/color-matching covers that would let me keep them after I switch computers. Really hope this product gets sold! (Or that Graham makes a one-off for me. ;)
mikeymop 7y ago
I was on the same search and ultimately gave up and applied them directly to my lid after finding Isopropyl gets the residue off nice. I would love to know how they cut it so clean so I can attempt to make one for the XPS 13.
jrslv 7y ago
Once I decided to remove all stickers from my 2013 mbp. A piece of cloth and small quantity of vodka did the job surprisingly well. No residue at all. (Disclaimer: I’m from Eastern Europe)
betandr 7y ago
I like this idea although I use vinyl stickers on my MacBook and then, before needing to sell it, I peel them off again. They leave very little residue which I clean with some isopropyl alcohol and they prevent the case from being scratched because they're covering it. For me there's not much difference between a vinyl sheet then stickers or just the stickers themselves.

612 points by graystevens 7y ago

sascha_sl 7y ago

this is essentially why i have a dbrand skin (aka a piece of textured vinyl) on my macbook pro

jhinra 7y ago
But that's almost a harder decision - you can certainly buy a bland colored skin to put stickers on, but if you're going to the effort of skinning your laptop, why not pick an interesting skin?
- sascha_sl 7y ago
  I currently have the Hex skin. They have a pretty big selection. https://dbrand.com/shop/apple-macbook-pro-13-skins-touch-bar https://dbrand.com/shop/apple-macbook-pro-13-skins-touch-bar

JoshTriplett 7y ago

I'd love this for a non-Mac laptop, as well.

graystevens 7y ago
I think that might work for certain popular brands - Dell XPSs certainly crossed my mind, as well as the Lenovo Thinkpads. Both are likely to have a vinyl equivalent available that could be used, although I'd want to thoroughly QC how the Thinkpad lid holds-up with the residue on removal.
- tonylemesmer 7y ago
  https://www.vinylrevolution.co.uk/services/macbook-and-laptop-branding-services/custom-laptop-wraps/ https://www.vinylrevolution.co.uk/services/macbook-and-lapto...

dudul 7y ago

Maybe I read a little fast, but why only mention "MacBooks"? Wouldn't this system work for any laptop?

miloignis 7y ago
A similar system, I'm sure, but he got the material specifically to match the metal of the MacBook and is gauging if other people are interested in it.
jkmcf 7y ago
MacBooks are fairly limited in external sizes. Other laptops probably vary by tiny dimensions. OTOH, a 2013 MBP lid is slightly different from a 2015.
Sendotsh 7y ago
You could just use a clear vinyl and trim it to size before sticker bombing your laptop. Matte or gloss depending on your taste, and stick to the automotive ones for UV-resistance and lasting quality. I’ve been doing this for years on work laptops using a 3M clear vinyl wrap.
futureastronaut 7y ago
I think there's a large overlap between image-conscious Mac users and image-conscious developers, for whom laptops are an expression of self or something like that.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

bootlooped 7y ago

There is a brand that makes screen (or body) protectors for phones, tablets and laptops. I have used their phone protectors and have always been happy. I don't agree with the downsides listed for this approach, they offer matte finish, I have never had an issue with the protectors yellowing, and I can source (buy) them right now. https://www.bestskinsever.com/laptop-skin https://www.bestskinsever.com/laptop-skin

ValentineC 7y ago
I had one of these on a 2008 MacBook, and it started yellowing and flaking around 2–3 years later, most noticeably on parts that had considerable heat (like the bottom case and removable battery). If it was just used for the top case, I think it should be fine. Mine has yellowed, but was autographed by my favourite author. :)

PTRFRLL 7y ago

Love this. My old MacBook was covered in stickers but I grew out of most of them and removing them was a giant pain. Plus, like you mentioned, resale value took a hit. On my new MacBook, I've kept it sticker-free due to my past experience. This would give me the freedom to slap some new stickers on there knowing they're easily removable down the line.

rootusrootus 7y ago
As a couple others have mentioned, if you keep the stickers carefully contained to the aluminum surfaces of the computer, acetone will take them right off and will not damage the metal.

tragic 7y ago

> * Resale - By putting stickers on my laptop, I am either going to have to try to remove them again once I come to selling it, lowering my resale price because the laptop isn’t in near pristine condition. > * Damage - There is a worry that some stickers may leave a horrible hard-to-remove residue, or maybe leave a discolouration to the aluminium. To which may be added a third - your Mac gets sent off for repair, but repair nowadays means "we take the hard drive out and put it in another Mac because even we can't fix them"

AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
Or the repair person might helpfully "clean" the case. Like what happened to this poor guy and his autographed XBOX 360 case: https://web.archive.org/web/20080302171919/http://hawtymcbloggy.com/2008/02/28/another-gamer-screwed-by-microsoft/ https://web.archive.org/web/20080302171919/http://hawtymcblo...
- Mathnerd314 7y ago
  That one ended up with Bill Gates autographing a case: https://www.engadget.com/2008/03/22/even-happier-ending-for-cleaned-xbox-360-owner-gates-signed-c/ https://www.engadget.com/2008/03/22/even-happier-ending-for-... I guess the takeaway is that if you document everything and complain loudly when something goes wrong you might actually get decent customer service.
- derrikcurran 7y ago
  I'm still trying to figure out how it happened. Did they have some kind of automated case cleaning system or something?
  - qplex 7y ago
    Most likely it's standard procedure to clean every unit that comes in for repairs.
- RandomBacon 7y ago
  > Taking it apart would have voided the warranty Rrr... We must extinguish this lie! It is illegal in the US for companies to do this.

obenn 7y ago

I just put a hard shell case on my MacBook and cover that with stickers. The MacBook stays pristine and unaffected underneath.

Double_a_92 7y ago
Are you sure? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjOpnFmFfys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjOpnFmFfys

Waterluvian 7y ago

I bet Louis Rossman would have some thoughts on this. He had a customer who became a local meme after having a tantrum about sticker residue. These things can be trivial or impossible to remove depending how much you know about the adhesive and removal methods.

Someone1234 7y ago
And you have to be thoughtful with removal methods too, some like rubbing alcohol for example, can damage certain surfaces.

the_arun 7y ago

May be we need to fix the gums in stickers to peel off easily - then it could work for all laptops/devices. Another option could be put an easily peelable tape and then sticker on top of it.

bdamm 7y ago
The technology already exists, but not all stickers you might want to stick to a laptop has that good type of sticky chemistry. So the implication is that the achieve such a "fix" would require regulation to limit the types of stickers that are generally available. It would potentially be global as well, since people travel and put stickers from travel on their gear. Also, sometimes people put bumper stickers on laptops. Should we limit the chemistry of bumper stickers? Obviously this leads to madness, and I would not want such burdensome regulation.

ryukafalz 7y ago

I use a hard case on my work laptop for similar reasons - it's not my laptop, and when I give it back I want to keep the stickers! (I get a bit attached after using a stickered-up machine for a while.) The framed set of stickers at the bottom is kinda what I have in mind.

lttlrck 7y ago

3M adhesive remover is amazing stuff. It beats Goo Gone by a wide margin, I recently used it to remove PETG residue from my 3D printer bed and that stuff is gnarly. 3M 38983 General Purpose Adhesive Remover - 12 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EBNTYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cULjDb3Q4N1XR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EBNTYK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cU...

Causality1 7y ago
Does it have the same plastic-eating properties as Goo Gone?
- rootusrootus 7y ago
  Goo Gone isn't all that strong, are you sure you're not thinking of Goof Off? Goo Gone is a fairly average citrus-based cleaner, where as Goof Off is based on acetone. It'll melt many paint and plastics on contact. Certainly has it's moments, though, and it's far stronger than Goo Gone.
  - Causality1 7y ago
    Indeed I was, or rather I assumed they were both maker-specific names for the same thing. Thank you for the explanation.
- lttlrck 7y ago
  Yeah that’s a good point. It’s pretty strong stuff. I’ve used it to remove decals from cars and it hasn’t damaged the clearcoat but modern clearcoat is an epoxy anyway so it’s not all that surprising. It will destroy polystyrene based plastics and I’d be careful around others. Having said that it works fine applied via a rag so you can avoid overspray issues.
tomkinstinch 7y ago
Helpful tip, thanks. Here's the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) in case anyone is curious what's in 3M 38983 General Purpose Adhesive Remover[1]: Mostly methyl acetate, with some naptha, xylene, and a small amount of ethylbenzene. Definitely worth heeding the precautionary statements... For contrast, "Goo Gone" is mostly naptha-like light petroleum distillate with small fractions of limonene and orange extract[2]. 1. https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuUn_zu8l00xM8mGm8mUPv70k17zHvu9lxtD7SSSSSS-- https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=SSSSSuUn_... 2. https://googone.com/mr_sds/data/2018-06-14%2013:44:51/GG_Original_SDS_U0618.pdf https://googone.com/mr_sds/data/2018-06-14%2013:44:51/GG_Ori...

aripickar 7y ago

I used to put stickers on my laptop, but I lost them all when I had to bring them to the genius bar for some work. Would this be re-aplicable? I would think no, right?

graystevens 7y ago
So it remains sticky when removed, but I certainly wouldn't expect it to fit quite as snuggly the second time around. Interesting idea though, but my initial reaction would be no, not re-applicable.

rhizome 7y ago

AKA "Cloud flair"

crazysim 7y ago
Cloudflare Cloud flair
jiveturkey 7y ago
aka nerd tats. (mine has about 90% coverage.)

valbaca 7y ago

Or just buy Goo Gone https://googone.com/ https://googone.com/

dmix 7y ago
Agreed. I really don’t see how removing stickers off an aluminum case is really that difficult. Even for the “bad” ones that leave residue there are plenty of products for this purpose that won’t damage the metal.
- geoah 7y ago
  The idea is to keep the stickers when you have to change laptops or something, not keep your laptop clean when removing them

snek 7y ago

does anyone know of vinyl skins for the thinkpad x1 extreme?

elif 7y ago
Any vinyl skin will do. Use a razorblade around the edges like it's a skateboard. If you try to size it perfectly, you'll get lifting eventually.
- rzzzt 7y ago
  And then a little sandpaper to smooth it down...

cardamomo 7y ago

Bonus feature: You can apply one of these to the back of your non-Mac laptop and pretend you have a Mac!

MartinCron 7y ago
The right term for that would be MockBook.

timvisee 7y ago

This is brilliant! Kind of a coincidence, I've been thinking about something like this a week ago. I wonder how well this would work on a ThinkPad.

thelonelygod 7y ago

This is nifty, but I don't really see why this beats using a case. I've been switching laptop cases for a while (actually need to get a new one) and I put them up on my wall when I'm done. Checkout a photo - https://imgur.com/a/nWz95Ex https://imgur.com/a/nWz95Ex They're like $15 on Amazon and I honestly don't mind that people can see them since the laptop is going to be covered in stickers and won't be looking like something off the shelf anyway.'

geoah 7y ago
I tried this with a transparent case but the result was kinda meh, made the macbook feel weird due to the way the case wraps around the screen to clip
PascLeRasc 7y ago
Were you in the HH facebook group back around 2016? When I read this article I was thinking of some guy there who said he got a new case every year and preserved the old ones as a memento.
WC3w6pXxgGd 7y ago
Nice! However, imo cases add too much bulk - hence why I've never used them. The whole point of the MacBook (especially the Air) is to be sleek.
amelius 7y ago
You didn't leave any room for the Apple logo to shine through ...
- garmaine 7y ago
  Why would you want that?
- awinder 7y ago
  I miss MagSafe from a practical standpoint but the non-lit new MacBooks pro was a real heartbreaker. It looked great / was iconic on its own but there were great mods over the years

Fnoord 7y ago

Oil, peanut butter, or what I used is "HG stikkerverwijderaar" (I don't know the English word or brand name) which I bet is just turpentine.

neilv 7y ago

Has anyone ever tried this with ThinkPads, with the rubberized matte coating? I was looking at the skins sold on eBay, and wondering whether they'd mar the coating. The old coatings hold up very nicely for over a decade, and I don't want the skin to react with the coating, nor to later leave behind an adhesive that can't be removed without ruining the coating. I'm also wondering whether the skins could be transplanted, like if one laptop breaks in a hard-to-repair way, so you move your SSD and skin full of decals to the replacement laptop. (I have an unapplied backlog of nerdy decals, to make the perfect social nerd cafe laptop out of a spare Coreboot X200. So long as being social doesn't mar the coating, because priorities.)

linsomniac 7y ago
I've pretty much had a ThinkPad with me since the mid '90s, and, and used to carry them everywhere with me, usually one or more trips a day. One of them I got a custom printed skin, it wasn't that expensive, maybe $50... I peeled that skin of ~3 years later when I got a new laptop, and the top looked PRISTINE. I realized at that time: While the normal finish wears pretty well, it does wear. The skin totally protected it.

css 7y ago

I used a flat white Dbrand skin and put my stickers on top. My stickers have 100% coverage: https://twitter.com/rxcs/status/888214143097987072 https://twitter.com/rxcs/status/888214143097987072. No problems after 2 years aside from some slight fading of the colors on the reflective stickers. If OP is in this thread, check out 3M 1080 (or newer) series. It is used on cars, designed to not bubble or leave residue, and comes in clear.

vcavallo 7y ago
wow, i find that amazingly stupid-looking
graystevens 7y ago
3M 1080 is great stuff - I avoided clear vinyls however as i found they lost the metallic look due to them being a little too glossy, even with the matte ones.
pimlottc 7y ago
Nice, how do you keep the Apple logo clear? You just cut the stickers carefully before applying? The shape is still quite well defined.
- css 7y ago
  The Apple logo is recessed enough that I could trace it easily with an x-acto knife. The stickers I used didn't stick to it very well, interestingly, and just peeled right off.
  - donkeyd 7y ago
    Are you not afraid to damage the logo with the knife?
hknd 7y ago
That looks absolutely amazing!
slantyyz 7y ago

spilk 7y ago

I've been doing this for years with easy-to-acquire clear protective films that are specifically cut for laptops.

fredley 7y ago

Acetone (nail polish remover) will easily and harmlessly remove almost any sticker residue.

rootusrootus 7y ago
Harmless on aluminum, for sure, but it will melt plastic, so avoid splatter on apple logos, keyboards, etc.
velp 7y ago
And easily remove plastic stuff
astura 7y ago
It's not harmless if your laptop is plastic.

juandazapata 7y ago

Or buy a $10 case. Or buy a $4 3M sticker remover.

apazzolini 7y ago

Small nitpick, but "orange peel" refers to the texture of clearcoat resulting from not spraying it properly, not anything to do with an orange hue. Example: https://cl.ly/f5e28bc2db85 https://cl.ly/f5e28bc2db85

MH15 7y ago
TIL
jiveturkey 7y ago
small nitpicks on your nitpick, but - orange peel refers to any paint layer, not just clearcoat. (almost all, if not all, cars today are shot with at least 2 stage, but older and maybe some cars may be a single paint coat, where orange peel can still be exhibited). - it's not from spraying it improperly, which can be a cause, but more typically that the spraying conditions (from paint mix to atmospheric conditions, even inside a booth) aren't "ideal". most new cars are robot sprayed with perfect spray control, and almost all new cars exhibit a small degree of orange peel. even ferraris have orange peel from the factory. this is why high dollar detailers do a "paint correction" as part of their work, even on a brand new car.

vcavallo 7y ago

TIL people really care about dumb stickers

torgian 7y ago
Each sticker adds 5MHz to your speed!
- fencepost 7y ago
  Hmmm.... Stickers in the style of video game powerup pops, but with MHz, GB, etc units....

BLanen 7y ago

I mean... There's many many products like this already and I don't understand the point of this article.

duxup 7y ago

Are people often reselling their laptops? I wanted to downsize my laptop recently and found that the places to sell hard to find amounts offered ...not worth it. One thing I found amusing is that they sell whole packs of "laptop stickers" on Amazon. I just sort of assumed they were like travel stickers you gather over time but.... I guess not.

fossuser 7y ago
If you live in a place that has a strong tech market, then reselling is worth it (on craigslist). Apple gear resells really well, in Palo Alto I usually get 60-70% of the cost on resale. In some instances this makes it worth it to buy new gear every year (particularly with phones) to maximize the resale value and keep new hardware. When I lived in Buffalo I couldn't sell anything.
- duxup 7y ago
  Ah that makes sense.

Theodores 7y ago

I like the idea of using the wrap plastic used for cars, maybe with fancy colours, skipping the stickers. When I am done with the machine I could remove the wrap and have a brand new looking case. Actual hard shell covers do protect the machine but they do get dirt inside that does add wear patterns. Has anyone done anything really cool with automotive wraps and laptops? Not necessarily on Apple products but on PCs that don't have a tough aluminium shell?

jaclaz 7y ago
See my comment above, about a couple of pre-made (and customizable) resources: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20410335 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20410335

jimmcslim 7y ago

I’m disappointed more laptop stickers don’t adhere to this standard... https://github.com/terinjokes/StickersStandard https://github.com/terinjokes/StickersStandard

deadbunny 7y ago
That really seems like a solution to a problem that no one has/cares about.

elif 7y ago

None of those stickers are sentimental or novel... You could probably get them all at the same conference for free

citeguised 7y ago
Those stickers match pretty much the product-tester-pack you get from sticker-mule for 1€.

gravypod 7y ago

If you're looking for something like this that also includes a texture or color change then the company dbrands makes a nice product. They're not really over priced, they apply easily, and it is very easy to remove.

jiveturkey 7y ago

Lot of effort for something you can buy pre-cut, off the shelf at many places. you can get matching color, or any number of background designs. his only covers the top. i have top, bottom, keyboard surround, and trackpad covered. i'm most ambivalent about the trackpad. the silky smooth texture of a naked pad is amazing. but i really hate how it picks up rub marks after a relatively short period.

seanlane 7y ago

My alternative to slapping them on a laptop or laptop case: https://imgur.com/gallery/TTlSdKK https://imgur.com/gallery/TTlSdKK Grab some magnet sheets, place sticker, and cut out. Makes them a bit more durable in that you can move them around, rather than only being able to stick once.

thinkingemote 7y ago
Do magnets do horrible things to computers? Or was that only CRT screens?
- deadbunny 7y ago
  Could possibly fuck with a HDD if your laptop has one.

torgian 7y ago

That's cool. It's a nice idea, but I think cases are just a better, easier way to do it. That said, I use a case and have no stickers. Everyone else I see has tons of stickers on their MacBooks, though nobody seems to put stickers on their Windows laptops.

nullorundefined 7y ago

anyone else think stickers are super gaudy?

amiga-workbench 7y ago
Yeah, but I have an immense distaste for branding anyway. If my ThinkPad didn't have a badge on the lid it would be perfect.

meerita 7y ago

Call me weirdo but I never jumped on the sticker wagon. I don't see the point of advertising companies for free. My support would be more in terms of using their services (paying, yes) than paying and also putting stickers on my laptop. Is just because fanatism or feeling proud of using something? I'm not trying to be jerk, but I never understood that movement.

mattschmulen 7y ago
How else do you identify your mbp going through TSA. Call me laptop roulette paranoid.
- thatswrong0 7y ago
  Precheck saves that hassle.
- PhasmaFelis 7y ago
  It's the one next to my shoes and my wallet.
  - raverbashing 7y ago
    I think that's how pretty much everybody does it Though every MacBook has some small details that can be picked up even if "identical"
- deathanatos 7y ago
  I usually put my carry on (a rolling bag) and personal item (backpack) on the bookends of other bins/belongings on the belt, s.t. all the bins are between two large, distinctly-mine items. It also makes pointing out the items which are mine to a TSA agent significantly easier.
- pvarangot 7y ago
  Mine is the one with no stickers
  - 7y ago

spurmboy 7y ago

Laptop stickers are a cancer

dang 7y ago
Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments to Hacker News? We're trying for something a little better than that here. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

fmakunbound 7y ago

No, fuck you I don't want your stickers or your bullshit laptop.

nautilus12 7y ago

I became disenfranchised with the whole sticker thing, just another one of the many cultural distractions that companies use to make us feel like we are part of something and in exchange pay us less.

abootstrapper 7y ago

Putting stickers on my laptop is the closest I’ve come to getting a tattoo.

xivzgrev 7y ago

IT departments at larger tech companies may be interested in this. Every time an employee leaves or they recall equipment they need to remove stickers, a manual and time consuming process. The key question is whether the amount of time to apply this coating is significantly less than removing individual stickers later?

ayeung 7y ago

Fun fact: a razor blade from a box cutter, and some rubbing alcohol will remove any sticker off a MacBook’s aluminum case without scratching the MacBook.

zrail 7y ago

So maybe a silly question, but is there some reason clear contact paper wouldn't work? Is the sheen not quite right?

veritas3241 7y ago

I have 12 small whiteboards (14x14 in) mounted on my wall that I add stickers to now. The only stickers on my laptop are ones I have duplicates of. It's a nice collection and it's scaled more than the back of my laptop has.

killjoywashere 7y ago

License this to Sticker Mule. Sell it with framing options.

PhasmaFelis 7y ago

I can honestly say this is the first time I've ever heard of someone worrying about the resale value of their computer.

Stratoscope 7y ago

I have devoted my life to removing stickers from all my computers. The first thing I do with a new ThinkPad is remove the Intel and Lenovo stickers from the palmrest. (Tip: If you have a Swiss Army knife with the plastic toothpick, the flat point of that toothpick is a perfect tool for lifting a corner of a sticker.) The one exception was when I realized I was using my late 2013 MacBook Pro in Windows more than in OS X. I thought it would be fun to turn it into a WinBook Pro, so I got a Windows 10 decal for it: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B014I1ICX8/ https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B014I1ICX8/ I lined it up just right so the machine lights up the Windows logo as if it had always been there. I guess this wouldn't work so good on the new MacBooks...

darkerside 7y ago
I have found it similarly satisfying to remove the dealer decals from every car I buy. Although it's probably easier just to make them remove it as a condition of sale.
- function_seven 7y ago
  I have a prediction to make. Let me know if I'm right or wrong: These cars with dealer decals are all from dealerships located outside of California, yeah? I ask because I have a suspicion that CA law bans them. Either that, or our culture is so anti-dealer-decal that none dare try to add them. (Every decal I've ever seen has been from out of state)
  - AceyMan 7y ago
    You got that right. I'm from Georgia and when I bought a new car I had to get firm with the sales guy wrt no stinking stickers. But I'm in CA now and no one has stickers; the tactful substitute is a "complementary" plate bezel with some dealer details on it (name, city). Those are subtle and I kind of like seeing where people are from. Back in GA we have very legible county (2cm font) stickers on all the plates so that's how to geo-locate other cars there.
    - 7y ago

finnjohnsen2 7y ago

i would like to see some proper psychological research on why we put stickers and brands on our pretty and expensive laptops. Some keywords cones to mind based on my own feelings; - software tribalism and identity signaling to peers. like a mini resumé. - idealism and dreaming, the cool stuff I wish I was using (Who sticks a .NET logo there, right?) - added uniqueness, my laptop is mine, my special tool, it is set up as an extention of my unique set of skills

doyoulikeworms 7y ago
It reminds me a lot of bumper stickers on cars or tattoos on skin
asark 7y ago
Yeah, I think you mostly got it. Same reason people wear clothes with large, prominent brand names on them, or movie references, or whatever. Legible clothing generally. Bumper stickers. Same stuff.
paranoidrobot 7y ago
Easier to spot/identify. I can spot mine easily at a distance, and it's very unlikely that someone else will have theirs marked similarly. Useful in situations like security lines at airports (Please step to the side sir, while we pat you down and someone nicks your laptop from the baggage scanner), or even in an office where everyone has the same laptop.
citeguised 7y ago
My hobby project is collecting photos of stickered laptops [1] From my impression and experience, it‘s like saying „I am root. This is MY device“ more than anything else. So I‘d say your last point applies in most cases. Although Salesforce-people seem to have a special relationship with their stickers [2]. They have tons of them, but usually none from other companies. They seem to be achievment-badges. [1] https://devlids.com https://devlids.com [2] https://devlids.com/all/tag:salesforce https://devlids.com/all/tag:salesforce
TeMPOraL 7y ago

jaakl 7y ago

I used screen cleaner gel to clean up some old macbooks with pile of years old stickers and it worked without any trace left I can notice. And I guess it is already safe for electronics. No special formulas needed.

SenHeng 7y ago

Here in Japan, we have anime girls. (mostly) SFW google image search. https://www.google.com/search?q=%E7%97%9B%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88pc&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY_ufchazjAhWPyYsBHZ_BCMQQ_AUIECgB&biw=1920&bih=1114 https://www.google.com/search?q=%E7%97%9B%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%...

Jaruzel 7y ago
Are these acceptable in the workplace?

numlock86 7y ago

In my company I introduced stickers on working machines. We have a lot of developers with different skillsets spread over the entire campus. There are many departments sharing similar technology stacks and needed skills. This helps people to get together if they have questions or ideas they want to verify or share with others not in their department for example. Got a problem with a particular thing in Erlang, Redis, Yocto, NodeJS, Go, Linux or something else? Just approach the guys that have appropriate stickers and get together and exchange some of that sweet knowledge. While on it they might notice yours and do the same.

esmi 7y ago
Reminds me of Merit Badges. :) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_badge_(Boy_Scouts_of_America) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merit_badge_(Boy_Scouts_of_A...
- cruano 7y ago
  Only those are earned
- magduf 7y ago
  Not exactly. The nice thing about Merit Badges is that they're standardized: they're all the same size and shape, and they're not very large (around 1.25" in diameter IIRC). Also, when you put your merit badges on your sash, they're placed in an orderly fashion, 3 per row. They aren't just slapped on there randomly, some partially covering others, oriented in different directions, etc. With stickers on laptops, they always just look like a big jumble. If this company came up with merit badge-like stickers for all these technologies and had people place them on their laptops in even rows, oriented the same direction, then I would be for it. But the way I see people use stickers on laptops now, it just looks trashy.

FluffyKitty 7y ago

It's weird that this is being talked about as if it's not something that companies/sellers have been offering for ages. This "special" car vinyl with the air channels is 3M's Controltac product. You can find many sellers on eBay/AliExpress [1] or the myriad of other Chinese web stores offering this product. [1] https://www.ebay.com/itm/Surface-3M-Skin-Decal-Sticker-Cover-Protector-fr-MacBook-Air-Pro-13-15-Touch-Bar/262903624585 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Surface-3M-Skin-Decal-Sticker-Cover...

_cerv 7y ago

I used to be in the anti sticker camp, but then someone nearly walked off with my identical MacBook Pro at Newark. After that, I've gone through three laptops and each one ends up caked in stickers from various customers and conferences. I don't have to risk someone picking up my MacBook unless they have the same arrangement IP video tech and Seattle sports stickers.

b123400 7y ago

Wonderful idea! My friends drew some brilliant illustrations on my Macbook Pros ( https://i.imgur.com/O4mGZqZ.jpg https://i.imgur.com/O4mGZqZ.jpg ) using marker, directly on the case. Not soon afterward, the anti-reflective coating went bad and I tried to took it to Apple Store and was predictably told it's not possible to repair the screen without swapping out the entire screen. So 4 years later I am still using a never paired machine. I wish I knew about this kind of wrapping earlier.

want2know 7y ago

It's sad to see that in this thread most people jump in conclusions because they only assume there is only one reason why people put stickers on laptops. Without giving it much thought you place people in a 'category' that only exists in your mind. There are a million reasons why people put stickers on laptops. And also a million why people don't. I guess it's best to keep an open mind and don't think you know why people sticker.

panpanna 7y ago
Maybe this is a reaction towards the people who often do this? After all, we have seen both kinds in our workplaces and they sometimes have certain attributes?
- sq_ 7y ago
  In all seriousness, what attributes are you talking about? Pushing hard for certain software/tech/orgs that they like?
  - weego 7y ago
    'Obnoxious zealots' is probably a more common perception of these people
    - indalo 7y ago
      what a weird thing to get hung up about
      - yakshaving_jgt 7y ago
        At face value, yes, but the obnoxious zealotry often has further implications. I mean, how much of the technology baked into your average web project these days is chosen out of fashion rather than utility? Definitely too much.
        7y ago

rcarmo 7y ago

When I had a black Lenovo X1, I glued a single sticker in the center (a silver cutout of the Imperial Sigil from Star Wars) and stuck all the “other” stuff (conference logos, mementos, etc.) to the underside. This was part of a long-running joke about my joining the Dark Side (I work for Microsoft), and was all the individuality my laptop really needed. My last work MacBook had the same sigil stuck under the Apple logo (back when it was lit) and a couple of other stickers on the underside as well, just so I could single it out, but I never really went for glueing lots of stickers to my machines, and these days I carry a Surface Pro (which folds at the back) or a Surface Laptop (which I like for its clean looks), so stickers are mostly out (I make do with a big high-res Stormtrooper close-up photo on my login screens, which are usually the first thing people see when I set up for a presentation :)) I like the idea, though, and wonder if I will end up combining it with a large decal of some kind. Printing a partially opaque monochrome image on that big a Surface (pun not intended) is... interesting.

gadgetoid 7y ago

I’ve peppered my laptop with stickers. Not out of some desire to promote the services they embody, but rather because it makes my laptop look less appealing to a would-be thief.

theon144 7y ago

Man, I wish I had done that with my last laptop! There were some stickers that I will never get again, because the communities have since been extinguished, some were personal gifts, some were mementos of specific events... Not too optimistic about getting them off undamaged, seeing as they've been caked into the ThinkPad plastic for a couple years, and some have even took some scratches and tears...

systematical 7y ago

If I were to get any sticker, it would simply say "Burn Your JavaScript Stickers." That sums up my opinion of stickers.

elasticrash 7y ago

the most interested part of this article was that, people are actually worrying about sticking a sticker on their laptop. I would never resale a laptop with my hard drive on it, and nowadays most laptops (and definitely all macbooks have soldered hard disks)

znpy 7y ago

This article could be the definition of "first world problem"

nobrains 7y ago

This car wrap vinyl material is the same stuff that Zagg Invisible Shield (https://www.zagg.com/eu/en_eu/invisibleshield https://www.zagg.com/eu/en_eu/invisibleshield) and others use for mobile scratch protection wrapping.

_pmf_ 7y ago

That's one nice looking blog theme.

quickthrower2 7y ago

Love The Bourne-Again Shell sticker. I'd love a COBOL sticker! Or https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.627087627.9542/sss,small,wide_portrait,750x1000.jpg https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.627087627.9542/sss,small,wid...

gaebn 7y ago

That's truly amazing how many people have difficulties differentiating their laptops from the others. It would be a pity if they were just covering up their need to signal the world how special they are and how important their interests are. Glad that it's not the case, it would be pretty stupid to do this on the internet, right?

hk2001 7y ago
> their need to signal the world how special they are and how important their interests are Honestly, the compulsion to accuse others of narcissism for something as harmless as putting stickers on their personal property screams "LOOK AT ME, I'M SPECIAL" much more.
- gaebn 7y ago
  I was accusing others for being insincere, not narcissistic. Guess you've read only the quoted part of my message, hope the reason is not some sticker on the inside blocking the view.
  - hk2001 7y ago
    You were accusing them of being both. Now who is being insincere?
    - gaebn 7y ago
      I have nothing against being narcissistic, provided you are honest about it. If I say that you are trying too hard with your "No u!" game, will you accuse me of trying too hard?

jaclaz 7y ago

Only for the record, there are already people selling laptop wraps. leather and wood: https://www.rvinyl.com/Laptop-Wraps https://www.rvinyl.com/Laptop-Wraps Various skins, already tailored for specific models: https://mightyskins.com/pages/laptop https://mightyskins.com/pages/laptop And you can even create your own design: https://mightyskins.com/collections/custom-laptop https://mightyskins.com/collections/custom-laptop Another one (Macbook): https://dassidecal.com/collections/macbook-skins-cases https://dassidecal.com/collections/macbook-skins-cases And yet another one: https://www.decalgirl.com/skins/laptop-skins https://www.decalgirl.com/skins/laptop-skins

archagon 7y ago
Any transparent ones, or ones that match the color of the laptop exactly?
- jaclaz 7y ago
  Hmmm. Like: https://www.bestskinsever.com/laptop-skin https://www.bestskinsever.com/laptop-skin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGGWWIwio-4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGGWWIwio-4

Razengan 7y ago

Another way is to just use a body case or "shell" and applying the stickers to that. It may not perfectly match the original aluminum look but it provides more protection and personalization. I got an Incase one from the Apple Store: https://www.apple.com/shop/mac/mac-accessories/cases-protection?page=1&f=shell&fh=4592%2B463f https://www.apple.com/shop/mac/mac-accessories/cases-protect... https://www.incase.com/devices/macbook/mackbook-pro-2016-with-touch-bar https://www.incase.com/devices/macbook/mackbook-pro-2016-wit...

tapland 7y ago
Aren't these transparent film like the vinyl that one can use? https://www.bestskinsever.com/macbook-pro-15-inch-with-touch-bar https://www.bestskinsever.com/macbook-pro-15-inch-with-touch...

jimnotgym 7y ago

Am I the only person who is sick to death of Macs on their network? My mac users take up so much more time than the Windows majority for their overpriced hipster-books. The ones that really get me are the ones that use MS Office all day. Wrong computer for the job.

beezischillin 7y ago

I just buy some dbrand skins for mine. I have no idea if other manufacturers' stuff is good, probably is but I've had the best experience with them so far. I buy and apply whichever skin I like the most at that time and put stickers on it to my heart's content. Plus the skins are pretty tough so I get scratch protection and it comes off without leaving a mark in case I need to sell it. The guy who bought my old MBP didn't have anything to complain about.

NietTim 7y ago

> Resale - By putting stickers on my laptop, I am either going to have to try to remove them again once I come to selling it, lowering my resale price because the laptop isn’t in near pristine condition. Small remark, I've been rocking stickers on my macbook for years now and have "clean" periods in between, you can take stickers off the aluminum without any issue, and the few times I've had residue left it's easy to take it off with some alcohol or iso. After this it's 100% clean and you can't see there have been stickers on it, it's no issue at all

ratsimihah 7y ago

You could even not bother showing the Apple logo and have more sticker surface.

Mikho 7y ago

There is a company that serves precisely cut skins of different colors for most popular tech. The author basically reinvented DBrand. Here is a section for MacBook Pro on the site: https://dbrand.com/shop/apple-macbook-pro-15-skins-touch-bar https://dbrand.com/shop/apple-macbook-pro-15-skins-touch-bar

izzydata 7y ago

Stickers are casual. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-whrWIGJes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-whrWIGJes

deleted 7y ago

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reiichiroh 7y ago

What about stickers for various causes leading to profiling, targeting and harassment by security thugs?

sswaner 7y ago

Page said you are looking for a name: LapWrap

habosa 7y ago

When it was time for me to get a new laptop I put my old macbook in the office scanner, got a high-dpi scan of the whole thing. Then I ordered a custom full-size sticker for my new macbook that has all the stickers of my old macbook. Then I kept stickering on top. Final result: https://photos.app.goo.gl/VQ75mPshvzs6ubf87 https://photos.app.goo.gl/VQ75mPshvzs6ubf87 I am very happy with it, even though it doesn't look half as nice as what this person did. The combination of old and new stickers on the laptop is fun, and the whole thing took me 30 minutes to do.

deleted 7y ago

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archagon 7y ago

Serendipitous! I've been agonizing over this very question for the last few months. I have a few rare and interesting stickers that I'd love to stick on my Macbook, but I haven't been able to find any transparent/color-matching covers that would let me keep them after I switch computers. Really hope this product gets sold! (Or that Graham makes a one-off for me. ;)

mikeymop 7y ago

I was on the same search and ultimately gave up and applied them directly to my lid after finding Isopropyl gets the residue off nice. I would love to know how they cut it so clean so I can attempt to make one for the XPS 13.

jrslv 7y ago

Once I decided to remove all stickers from my 2013 mbp. A piece of cloth and small quantity of vodka did the job surprisingly well. No residue at all. (Disclaimer: I’m from Eastern Europe)

betandr 7y ago

I like this idea although I use vinyl stickers on my MacBook and then, before needing to sell it, I peel them off again. They leave very little residue which I clean with some isopropyl alcohol and they prevent the case from being scratched because they're covering it. For me there's not much difference between a vinyl sheet then stickers or just the stickers themselves.