Magnet madness to hit Intel iBook line

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 92
    "Several months later in January, Apple unveiled that its first Intel- based notebook, the 15-inch MacBook Pro, would also sport a new magnetic technology, dubbed MagSafe."



    Uh "NEW" ? my deep fryer has had a magnetic power connector for 4 years.
  • Reply 22 of 92
    The clamshell color ibooks Lids were magnetically held shut - i dont know why they killed it with the icebooks and ibook g4s, it seemed like a wonderful innovation. I also loved the built in handle on the clamshells. They really need to add that kind of stuff back to the new macbooks as durability is VERY important in education markets which is one of the major target markets of the ibook/macbook.
  • Reply 23 of 92
    Quote:

    Originally posted by the_snitch

    The clamshell color ibooks Lids were magnetically held shut -



    I believe that was some sort of dual-action hinge, not a magnet.
  • Reply 24 of 92
    ringoringo Posts: 329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ra

    She left them lying right over the hard drive.



    But that's ok, don't believe me.




    You've obviously never opened a hard drive. There are some extremely strong rare earth magnets sitting right inside every hard drive. It's more likely that a drive error occurred around the same time or the drive was bumped.
  • Reply 25 of 92
    rara Posts: 623member
    Well, its a marvelous coincidence then, that the hard drive failed the same day. *shrug* whatever...
  • Reply 26 of 92
    Only Appleinsider could take an innovation as ancient and rudimentary as magents on a Mac and make it seem so newsworthy.





    Why is AI making this wide and sweeping statement that Apple has a newfound love for magnets? Powerbooks have had this latch tech for years... and really... it's just an innovation in latches...
  • Reply 27 of 92
    ringoringo Posts: 329member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ra

    Well, its a marvelous coincidence then, that the hard drive failed the same day. *shrug* whatever...



    Hard drives fail all the time.
  • Reply 28 of 92
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ringo

    You've obviously never opened a hard drive. There are some extremely strong rare earth magnets sitting right inside every hard drive. It's more likely that a drive error occurred around the same time or the drive was bumped.



    I can't believe I'm keeping this argument going... :-)



    My two cents...



    Yes, there are magnets in the motor that rotates the magnetic recording surface(s), but they are arranged so as to be opposing. This keeps the magnetic lines of force in check, so to speak.



    As far as the urban myth of magnets erasing (or corrupting) magnetic media, this is of course possible. But it is much, much less prevalent than the "common hysteria" would claim. If an unprotected media like a diskette is directly exposed to a magnet, then it may be rendered partially or completely unreadable. But, a rotating hard disk device is a much more substantial collection of metals and is much less likely to be affected. In the presence of a strong magnet, like the iSight magnetic mount, problems may result if the magnet is applied directly to the cover above the disk surface. The reason is that plate aluminum is commonly used to reduce weight, but aluminum is magnetically semi-permeable. Because Al is weakly affected, then the magnetic lines of force are able to penetrate the housing and affect the stored data on the disk. If the housing were highly mag permeable, then the lines of force would again be held in check, or conducted, so as to have much less affect on the media.



    Actually, I'm just kidding. I don't know anything about the subject... :-)
  • Reply 29 of 92
    Quote:

    Although processor specifications for the upcoming iBook line remain largely unconfirmed, logic would point to the notebooks adopting a 1.67GHz Intel 1.67GHz Core processor, either Solo or Duo.



    Emphasis added.



    Uh, big difference there. Be nice to have some recon on this. More important than a magnetized latch, me thinks.
  • Reply 30 of 92
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider



    If reports are accurate -- and they are believed to be -- Apple's forthcoming line of Intel-based iBook consumer notebooks will use magnetic technology in yet another fashion.



    In addition to adopting the MacBook Pro's MagSafe power connector, the notebooks will also shed their traditional latch technology in favor of a purely magnetic latch system, people familiar with some of the Intel iBook's design elements have told AppleInsider. Instead of using a magnet to capture a small metal latch when the notebook is close, the new iBooks will use a stronger magnetic system that will adhere the notebook's display component to its base without the need for a movable latch, these people say.





    We don't know the details, but this seems like a bad choice. What about if accidental opening of the display is much more easy than before? This could ruin the hard drive while in move, if the computer is sleeping and the display just pops up by accident.
  • Reply 31 of 92
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Re: magnets and storage media,



    you forget what your host has to say about this. Look at page 43.
  • Reply 32 of 92
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rpm16601

    Uh "NEW" ? my deep fryer has had a magnetic power connector for 4 years.



    You missed the memo, it is new because steve says so, take off your tin foil hat, it is minimizing the RDFs effect on you!!!</sarcasum>



    It is still a first for a laptop, I think that is what everyone means.
  • Reply 33 of 92
    msanttimsantti Posts: 1,377member
    A $999 Mac Book with a built in iSight and 13" Widescreen LCD makes the Mac Book Pro at $1999 look expensive, even if it has a Core Duo and the Mac Book does not.



    Won't even get into the $2499 model.
  • Reply 34 of 92
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PB

    Re: magnets and storage media,



    you forget what your host has to say about this. Look at page 43.




    They're required to write this to avoid getting sued.
  • Reply 35 of 92
    Agreed.



    I think the 999 range will be a 12" or smaller... the 13" wide would roll in at 1199 or 1299. Of course, I could be wrong, in which case ignore the fact that I said this and hurry down to your local Apple Store. See if you can get there before I do!



    999 will have iSight and a 60 HD as well as Intel something (sorry, couple too many beers tonight is hindering my thoughts)... 1299 will have a better Intel something, an 80 HD, with a wide screen . Both will have SuperDrives.



    Don't forget both will have Front Row. Hopefully one would have a rotating screen and pop-out speakers so it could be mounted like a picture for TV an movie viewing. Perfect for a dorm room. Or library. Or oval office; they do so little real work there they might as well watch TV. Duck! Cheney's coming.



    MagSafe on all portables. Wish the brick were smaller (or no broick at all); that would make the portables MORE portable. Also I would like to see a battery charger... I like to carry two batteries with me for presentations but hate habving to swap batts to charge both. In years past there was a charger, but I believe it was made by a 3rd party.



    The new MagSafe thingy has been standard on kitchen appliances in Japan for over 12 years; nothing new, just wonder why it took so long (and so many destroyed laptops) before someone thought to put it on a notebook.



    Magnet madness ... event madness ... 3 days ... argh!



    May your Mac be with you... Always!
  • Reply 36 of 92
    I want to know if they're going to have backlit keyboards! I hope they don't limit that to the pro option
  • Reply 37 of 92
    Here's what I'm hoping for



    MacBook

    $1199.00

    13-inch Widescreen

    1.67GHz Intel Core Duo

    512MB memory

    60GB drive

    SuperDrive

    backlit keyboard

    built in iSight



    compared with



    MacBook Pro

    $1,999.00

    15-inch Widescreen

    1.83GHz Intel Core Duo

    512MB memory

    80GB drive

    SuperDrive

    backlit keyboard

    built in iSight



    So basically, replace the 12inch powerbook with a 13 inch widescreen and put it in a white ibook shell
  • Reply 38 of 92
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Matthew Yohe

    Only Appleinsider could take an innovation as ancient and rudimentary as magents on a Mac and make it seem so newsworthy.





    Why is AI making this wide and sweeping statement that Apple has a newfound love for magnets? Powerbooks have had this latch tech for years... and really... it's just an innovation in latches...




    It seems everyone else in this thread is all about knowing every molecule change that will be found in the new iBooks. So I guess that is why they report the smallest things ever about Macs. That is why we are here...
  • Reply 39 of 92
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PB

    We don't know the details, but this seems like a bad choice. What about if accidental opening of the display is much more easy than before? This could ruin the hard drive while in move, if the computer is sleeping and the display just pops up by accident.



    I am sure Apple has thought about this scenerio and has a resonable latch force in place. Let's hope...
  • Reply 40 of 92
    zengazenga Posts: 267member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by mynamehere

    Didn't the iSight (the regular one) have some way of sticking magnetically to the top of a monitor/iMac even before this?



    Yes! I have an iMac G5 20" (pre-isight built in) and it does have a metal right in the top middle, but the magnet is on the iSight not the iMac.
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