MacBook's "Unremovable" Battery Easy To Remove 476
Slatterz writes "Going just a bit further than your average unboxing, someone has stripped a new 17-inch Apple Macbook Pro to its component parts revealing one or two little surprises. The biggest of which is that the built-in battery is easily accessible, requiring the tinkerer to remove just the 13 Philips screws which hold the bottom cover in place, and the three tri-wing security screws which hold the battery in place."
/sarcasm (Score:5, Funny)
Someone for forgot the <sarcasm> tag in the article summary.
Re:/sarcasm (Score:5, Informative)
Well, PC Authority is dead after just 15 minutes.
Why don't they link to the actual disassembly over at iFixit [ifixit.com]!?
Re:/sarcasm (Score:4, Funny)
4 hrs ought to be enough for anybody.
-- Steve Jobs
Re:/sarcasm (Score:5, Funny)
Re:/sarcasm (Score:5, Funny)
I got about halfway into it after a couple of beers and in the end decided to just live with the 40GB that it came with :)
Excellent (Score:5, Funny)
Replaced the stock hard disk with a larger one
Taken the screen apart and fitted a sheet of overhead transparency paper with the old Apple rainbow colours to make the Apple logo light up like an old Powerbook's
I'm also a big fan of flashing the firmware of anything you can get your hands on whilst under the influence of a 4 pack of beer. Nothing beats the buzz of half-assed hardware hacking!
Re:/sarcasm (Score:4, Informative)
While there are a number of hints when dealing with any laptop tear down, however this is what I learned from more than one iBook (g3) teardown.
Each step, put all the screws in that set up a separate area (not unusual). However with the g3, many steps had a *lot* of multi sized screws. What I did was did a rough sketch of their relative positions and sizes; (xs,s,m,l, etc). You can find tear down instructions with screw sizes, but really, can you tell a 3mm from a 3.5mm?
Also, if you aren't going for immediate reassembly, you can lay out a strip of clear packing tape, and stick them down, separating them by step. Seal them over when disassembly is done, roll-up and store. You can slice them open one step at a time when putting it back together.
Re:/sarcasm (Score:4, Insightful)
I did that whole drawing thing with an iBook. Somehow, I still ended up with extra screws. :-D
As for the question of easily removable vs. unremovable, I don't think anybody expected it to be hard to replace in terms of servicing. I know they say that these batteries should last an order of magnitude longer than what's in other laptops, but they'd have to be crazy not to hedge their bets on something like that. In terms of failure rate over the years, I've had more battery failures in laptops than all other parts put together with the exception of the wire leading to the power supply brick. Most computer manufacturers tend to put parts with higher failure rates in easy-to-reach places to minimize service time. It's just common sense.
That still doesn't cover the question of removability. That mostly affects people who expect to use a laptop while traveling, however, and the set of people who use laptops on long airplane flights and the set of people who use 17" laptops are pretty much disjoint sets, making this something of a moot point, IMHO. Just my $0.02. That said, I do hope that this is not part of a trend towards making batteries unremovable in other laptops. Having multiple batteries when flying is a life saver.
Re:/sarcasm (Score:5, Funny)
When he first noticed he did the big leap (in slow motion of course) yelling "Nooooooooo!!!!!!!"
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:/sarcasm (Score:5, Funny)
I never have problems removing components from Macs. I take great pleasure it taking a sledgehammer to them after they die 2 days after the warranty expires!
WOW (Score:5, Funny)
Re:WOW (Score:5, Funny)
Just 16 screws? How does Jobs do it?
You know some people don't realize how easy it can be to change to a generic power adapter by just soldering a new power connector attachment to the motherboard. Ahh, convenience!
Re:WOW (Score:5, Funny)
Do what I do. Forget about changing the internal battery. Instead, take a deep-cycle lead-acid unit with desired capacity, put in a voltage regulator, and solder on a black and red pigtail with a DC plug matching your laptop on the other side. Secure everything with lots of duct tape, leaving a bit of the pigtail to stick out. Make as many of these as you need.
p.s. these are a real hit on airplanes!
Re:WOW (Score:5, Funny)
Re:WOW (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Yes, because those laptop power points on planes are 100% guaranteed to be working all the time, especially when a flight is full.
Re:WOW (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, obviously, but I think it's still a valid design criticism given that battery swapping was trivially easy before - all you needed was a coin or a strong fingernail - and now you need to do all this.
Re:WOW (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:WOW (Score:5, Interesting)
I think you're on to something there.
I've never owned a laptop without buying spare batteries for it sooner or later. With a battery in the docking bay, you can swap the main battery without shutting down. (Too bad they don't build in a capacitor to run the laptop for 30 seconds while swapping batteries).
Plus, the batteries go bad after a couple years.
I would understand if there something to gain by not having a removable battery. But really, does it save any space at all? Usually the bottom of the battery is the exterior of the laptop, so it doesn't have to fit "inside."
I guess you can't make any compromises if you're dead set on being the very thinnest or lightest. But count me in for something a little thicker with a lot more functionality.
Re:WOW (Score:5, Interesting)
But really, does it save any space at all?
Almost certainly. It saves both size and weight, since you no longer need to reinforce the walls of the laptop to handle the battery connection, and you of course eliminate any casing around the battery itself. You also get rid of the fairly heavy-duty external connector, and at least the iBook batteries were fairly complicated - they had a button and lights to indicate charge.
Now, is it a worthwhile tradeoff? I suppose the market will decide. Personally, I've never removed the battery from any of my laptops (except to replace) so it doesn't affect me. But if I routinely swapped out batteries, I'd have to consider another laptop. Or, more likely, I wouldn't waste money on a new OEM battery and instead I'd get one of those universal external batteries - if only because then you could charge both at the same time.
Re:WOW (Score:5, Insightful)
If the thing is still in warranty, why the heck would you be replacing the battery?
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Because the battery doesn't need to fail for the laptop to benefit from replacing the battery.
Typical batteries lose maximum energy storage over time. So if a new battery lasts 4 hours, an old one might "need replacing" 3 years later when it only lasts 2 hours (but this isn't covered by warranty because the laptop still 'works').
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I've never owned a laptop without buying spare batteries for it sooner or later. With a battery in the docking bay, you can swap the main battery without shutting down. (Too bad they don't build in a capacitor to run the laptop for 30 seconds while swapping batteries).
They don't need to do that anymore. They've implemented something called "Safe Sleep", i.e. hibernation. When the laptop goes to sleep it writes out the contents of RAM to the hard drive. If it loses power completely while it's asleep, like during a battery replacement, it will boot up just fine and reload the RAM contents from disk. And it actually works reliably.
You can download a preference pane called Hibernate to choose whether the system will just do sleep, sleep + safe sleep (hibernate), or just hibe
Just to let you know, Macs do support hotswap... (Score:3, Informative)
I've never owned a laptop without buying spare batteries for it sooner or later.
But because the batteries needed to be replaced, or because you needed more power?
In the case of replacement, as this article shows a user can easily do this after the three or four year battery life is up. Or you can have the Apple store do it for free (just the cost of the battery).
If it's for more power, there are external battery packs not much larger than the extra battery you'd buy.
I bought an external battery for my Macb
Re:WOW (Score:5, Funny)
Re:WOW (Score:5, Informative)
"... you can squeeze more cells in your laptop design if you don't put them in a neat, removable package."
Most manufacturers use sets of standard round AA-sized and shaped cells all wired together within the plastic case you think of as "the battery". This means that a good portion of the internal space is simply dead air. (Picture 4 AA's side-by-side.)
Apple, on the other hand, is having the cells custom sized and formed to fit the exact dimensions available to the battery, even to the extent of having the individual cells pressed into rectangular shapes in order to maximize the amount of the space actually dedicated to batteries.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
by making the battery completely internal they save enough space to increase the battery size by 40%
Citation please.
I would believe 10%. 40% sounds like a bunch of crap.
For example, the amount of space used by the casing and connector on my cellphone battery is miniscule.
This design choice sounds like removing the ability to change the wiper blades from a car as a "weight reduction" measure.
Re:WOW (Score:5, Insightful)
The 40% number comes from Apple's product announcement, and is a direct comparison of the battery size in the new 17" Macbook Pro to the battery size in their previous 17" Macbook Pro.
> For example, the amount of space used by the casing and connector on my cellphone
> battery is miniscule.
I'm going to assume that you've actually opened up the battery to verify this, right? Do you mind posting the numbers for the casing and connector, on both the battery end and the phone end (note that there's extra material in the phone so that it doesn't just collapse when the battery is removed).
But on a more serious note, it really doesn't take much of a difference in linear dimensions to make a big difference in volume, especially if some of the linear dimensions are pretty small (e.g. the thickness of the battery).
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Well, the size comparison is correct; it's been verified independently by just x-raying the laptops. The new battery really is 40% bigger, and there is no way to have fit that battery in the old laptop. It's weirdly shaped (which is hard to impossible to do with a user-removable battery) and really does take advantage of just that much extra space.
Or were you blanket-accusing Apple of lying without having done your homework?
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The entire capacity increase is due to an increase in volume as far as I can see, yes. They changed the battery tech too, but that was to increase number of cycles the battery can handle, since it's not as easy to replace.
The new machine is more rigid than the old one.
Re:WOW (Score:5, Funny)
Except to "fix your car analogy, "tires" are a commodity that will be replaces at most once or less in 95% of cases over the useful expected life of the car, and that 50% increase in mileage lowers the expected replacement rate to zero.
Here's a thought, how about comparing it to a car's BATTERY?
Your options to Australia include external power (Score:5, Insightful)
So for the 1% of the population who take plane trips long enough that the Macbook Pro 17" 8 hour life is not quite enough computing time for you, you have these options:
1) You don't use the laptop at all - basically true of anyone not flying business class. I gave up working on even a 15" laptop in economy a long time ago. Plane seats are simply too close together to work much at all, let alone eight hours. Get a netbook or something and sync it to a larger laptop (or just use that if it's enough), would be one solution...
2) you use in-flight power, which you have if you sprung for business, which you did if you are in fact so very busy you simply must compute in-transit
3) For those of us on the fringes who simply WANT to compute in-transit as long as possible even if we really don't have a need, there are external battery packs [geardiary.com]. For the life of me I've never seen why people consider any sealed device unable to run longer than just the internal battery will allow, since these external packs are not much larger than the equivalent extra battery would be and thus are no more trouble to carry. Same goes for the iPhone, or the Air. People who have an issue with sealed batteries are people who really have a grudge to bear against the company they are complaining about (see: Apple Hater).
Re:WOW (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:WOW (Score:5, Insightful)
They made me throw my nail clippers away once, but let me keep the knife that was right next to the nail clippers. It's not so much that you're getting lucky as TSA is staffed by idiots.
Re: (Score:2)
I know you're being funny, but isn't it possible to run a MBP off the power socket in the seat? What airline do you go on? I haven't flown Qantas on that route, but I'd imagine United are too shit for the sockets, but Air Canada's planes are beautiful. My work laptops though... my Dell M6300 has a 130W power adapter that immediately overloads those 65W sockets. My older Dell M60 (90W adapter) didn't overload it if the battery was already charged, or I removed it.
Re: (Score:2)
isn't it possible to run a MBP off the power socket in the seat?
Yes, but only if you pay extra for a seat with a power socket at the correct voltage.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
isn't it possible to run a MBP off the power socket in the seat?
Yes, but only if you pay extra for a seat with a power socket at the correct voltage.
Yeah, you could be in big trouble if they put you on a 390V socket.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:WOW (Score:5, Funny)
Here's someone who doesn't work for a software company.
have you ever removed an iBook hard drive? (Score:5, Informative)
Just 16 screws?
Hell yes. Ever removed the hard drive from an iBook?
I have, about a dozen times. It requires nearly complete dis-assembly. I had about sixteen PILES of different screws. When I took one apart that was for parts, the screws could have filled about a third of a shot glass. You need a large table, mostly to hold sheets of paper with areas marked out for keeping track of where the screws came from (not terribly hard to remember, but better safe than sorry.)
Total time to disassemble, swap drives, and re-assemble, after you've had practice? I think the fastest I ever did it was a little under an hour. Add extra if you refresh the loctite coatings on the screws that have it (recommended for machines which are young and will be kept for a while; the screws loosen up quite a bit with age.)
I don't know which was worse: the numerous (and continued, throughout the life of the series) major defects, or how badly it was designed WRT servicing. It's almost like they intentionally designed it to be a bitch to service to make up for thinner sales margins so they could nail people (mostly students and teachers) on labor after the glorious one-year warranty expires.
"Easy"? (Score:5, Insightful)
A total of sixteen screws. To change the battery. And that's "easy"?
My laptops require zero screws to remove. What does that make them?
Re:"Easy"? (Score:5, Funny)
> What does that make them?
Over designed...?
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Idiot^WZombie-proof.
Re:"Easy"? (Score:5, Insightful)
Removeable
Re:"Easy"? (Score:5, Insightful)
A total of sixteen screws. To change the battery. And that's "easy"?
To change a battery that is not designed to be removed by the end user? Yes. That's easy. Especially compared to the effort required to change the hard drive in an original clamshell ibook, for example.
My laptops require zero screws to remove. What does that make them?
It makes them laptops designed to have the battery removed by the user.
Hint: Glibly comparing the difficulty of removing parts 'designed for end user removal' and removing parts 'not designed for end user removal' leads to a FAIL. What do they teach kids in school these days?
Re:"Easy"? (Score:5, Insightful)
>Especially compared to the effort required to change the hard drive in an original clamshell ibook, for example.
Yes, two wrongs make a right. Apple still hasnt learned. Dont compliment them by saying "Oh its not as bad as it used to be!"
Re:"Easy"? (Score:4, Insightful)
Yes, two wrongs make a right. Apple still hasnt learned. Dont compliment them by saying "Oh its not as bad as it used to be!"
Quite frankly, most people don't change their laptop battery EVER. After 2+ years when the original one dies, most people STILL don't even do a one time replacement... they just use it plugged in or buy a new one.
Yes, there are road warriors out there that do buy 2 or 3 batteries and rotate them daily. They aren't most people, they are a niche. And they won't buy a MacBook now.
So it doesn't really matter, those of us who never change the battery will be unaffected by the fact that they now can't; and they benefit from a smaller lighter laptop.
Those of us who do actually buy a new battery after 2+ years to replace the old one that no longer holds its charge well, will find the process for changing the mac battery un-daunting. Spinning 16 screws once every couple years simply isn't an issue.
So, why exactly should Apple go out of their way to make batteries more user removable?
Most of their customers are quite happy to give up the option of switching them on the fly, in exchange for a battery that's smaller, lighter, and lasts a bit longer.
Re:"Easy"? (Score:5, Informative)
So, why exactly should Apple go out of their way to make batteries more user removable?
Because MacBook batteries have a history of dying? An alarming number of the MacBook and MacBook Pros in our office needed replacing around the 1-year mark. Yes, we did the MacBookPro battery recall. Yes, we installed the OS update that fixed what was killing some batteries. Several needed replacing anyway, most of them just out of warranty.
I'm sure nothing will go wrong this time though. Good call!
Re:"Easy"? (Score:4, Insightful)
just out of warranty
I'm sorry you got burned. Cases like this are why I always recommend extended warranties (such as AppleCare) for any brand of portable computer. Desktops rarely need it, but portables take enough jostles and have such tight manufacturing and operating tolerances that the extra cost often ends up paying off.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
>I always recommend extended warranties (such as AppleCare)
Wait. So they are already paying a premium (2800+ dollars) for Apple quality. Now "Apple Quality" turns out to be a myth so they now have to spend even more for an extended warranty? Wow.
Thats like buying a new car and being told "Well, you need the rust undercoating for this. It'll fall apart in a week!" Its a borderline scam.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:"Easy"? (Score:5, Insightful)
It certainly could be. A non-removable battery doesn't need as tough a shell (since it's protected by the laptop itself), doesn't need a latch mechanism, doesn't need a nice-looking exterior, doesn't need a special connector, and doesn't need to be shaped in such a way that it can slide in and out. I'm guessing the difference could be 10% or more rather than 0.1%.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Only if you're buying a 17" or a Macbook Air.
Of course, you were trolling, but I figured I'd throw that out there anyway.
Re: (Score:2)
You seem to be confusing "making a product I don't want" with "a wrong".
Re: (Score:2)
Re:"Easy"? (Score:5, Funny)
No, that's different. Think different, remember?
non-removable batteries (Score:5, Insightful)
the mounting hardware for clip-in hardware uses up a fair amount of space that you could use for a larger battery. While Apple's decision is inconvenient for travelers that like to switch to spare batteries. It is probably a useful change for most customers who would rather have 10% more battery capacity, and to Apple who probably saves a little money on build costs. The third party battery market probably won't even hiccup at the difference, eventually providing users the ability to buy a battery (and throw in a couple of screw drivers as a "kit"). How often do you replace a weak/broken battery? Once every couple of years and hopefully not more often than that.
Given that Apple assumes you need to take it to a certified apple tech to replace the battery, they will either have to eat the cost of replacement or bundle the price in with the battery part cost. But overall it is probably a net savings for Apple.
How often do you replace a weak/broken battery? (Score:5, Interesting)
In a Macbook Pro? Once, so far, but it wasn't because it wasn't holding a charge... it was because it was visibly swelling in it case. If I'd had to wait until it had distorted the laptop case before I noticed it was swelling and replaced it... well, replacing that battery would have taken a week or more while I waited for Apple to repair or replace my laptop and ship it back to me.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Yah, I just wonder how you'd tell what the problem was before it trashed your laptop if it was a current 17" Macbook Pro... since the battery's completely internal with no way to relieve the pressure without removing 16 screws.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
It's not a 10% difference, the battery life is at least double what it would have been.
I think it's obvious that the battery isn't "non-removable", just that it requires removing a few screws rather than a simple sliding latch.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
According to TFA (but I can't see any mention of it on the ifixit site) the screws are tri-wing. If so that seems like a deliberate attempt to make things more awkward for those who want to swap it themselves.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
If so that seems like a deliberate attempt to make things more awkward for those who want to swap it themselves.
"It was pretty easy to get into with just philips head screws and I was just trying to prise the connector out with a pair of scissors, and they kinda got stuck across the wires and started glowing and it looked really cool so I got my camera and tried to take a picture but the flash was too bright so I turned it off and turned the macro on and got reeeeeal close to it and it went BANG and my eyeb
Re: (Score:2)
Do you actually want to do business with a company that uses tactics designed to get you to use their tech and their battery simply to replace a battery? I sure don't!
Re:non-removable batteries (Score:5, Informative)
My guess is that Apple is banking on the fact that when it comes time to replace the battery, they can:
Either way, Profit.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The cost is $179. [apple.com]
As for whether it's 10% or not, [citation needed]. My previous-generation MacBook Pro has quite a bit of plastic and latches and such to make a quality battery compartment. In addition, it's a big block out of the bottom of the case that undoubtedly weakens the torsional rigidity. Considering the new one's core is made out of a solid block of aluminum, I think it's pretty cool they made the decision not to cut it up for a battery.
Count me as one of the ones for whom this decision is perf
That'll show 'em! (Score:5, Insightful)
Now all you have to do is make your own replacement battery.
What a relief... (Score:4, Interesting)
If your Macbook Pro battery starts swelling to the point where it's likely to damage the laptop, as mine did, you'll be able to pop out the battery as soon as you notice it, and get an advance replacement from Apple overnighted to you the way I did, and run your laptop off AC in the meantime.
Right?
"Security screws" = no (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:"Security screws" = no (Score:4, Insightful)
Then you probably shouldn't be replacing a MBP 17" battery.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I have a screw driver kit (one handle with 30 something bits) I picked up over 10 years ago with these three way phillips bits. These have been around for a while just not many people have been using them. I picked this kit up for $20.
Non Removable Again? (Score:4, Interesting)
I thought Apple learned the lesson with the IPOD with how it pisses people off.
Guess not.
Re:Non Removable Again? (Score:5, Insightful)
What lesson would that be? The one where they corner the portable music market and become a pop culture icon? Oh...
Re:Non Removable Again? (Score:5, Informative)
the ipods are a little different story. Apple would like you to occasionally buy a new product from them. They make very little on upgrades, if anything at all. iPods are meant to be replaced every 2-3 years, and computers every 3-5 years. We replace batteries for iPods here all the time. Or you can go to one of several web sites and buy replacement battery kits. FastMac and iFixIt are our two biggest suppliers for ipod batteries, screens, etc.
As previously mentioned several times, Apple is installing a battery with very long runtime and is adding a little capacity by not installing a latch. There's extra space savings by not having a hinged latch or cover too. Not a lot, but every bit helps.
If your battery does get used a lot and wears out (high cycle count) Apple will replace it for a reasonable cost. Or you will soon be able to get replacement battery kits same as the iPods.
My wristwatch requires a special tool to open up because it's a diving watch. I can't change the battery myself. I've been in twice since I bought it to get a replacement battery. At wal-mart of all places. I don't want to sacrifice what it takes to make my battery replaceable.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Non Removable Again? (Score:5, Informative)
1 - They want you to upgrade your laptop too.
2 - You can easily purchase the tool to open your watch. its designed to be water proof, not replacement proof. Nor is it designed to be 'obsolete' once the battery dies.
Sure, you can find replacement batteries for ipods and 'break the seal' to do it yourself, its all about intent.
It pissed so many folks off they lead the market (Score:2)
Maybe the average consumer isn't a poweruser like you and me?
Ewww... I usually don't defend Apple choices (Score:5, Interesting)
but honestly what are we losing? While I won't purchase one on the simple grounds is that it is hilariously overpriced. I mean, people on Apple forums deride gamers who buy silly cases or pay extra for AW yet turn around and go all ga-ga over the new macbook cases. Hell they feel honored to pay $50 extra for a matte screen surface!
No, in this case there is no net loss for consumer or Apple. Face it, the majority of those who might take one on a long flight are going to be in the class that allows them to plug it in. Even then most who do fly usually are well prepared enough to not need to do extensive work in flight. Short hops on trains don't even raise an eye with a battery that can last as long as this one is. Let us also toss out the fact most travelers don't use 17" laptops in the first place, the size is annoying.
So, comparing it to the iPod issue. The iPod is something you could likely keep and not need or want to replace after killing the battery. Early ones had streaks of bad batteries but for the most part that isn't an issue now.
Last point, how could they or anyone have learned? Who else has made a laptop that the battery isn't easily removable? Let alone one as capable? Time will tell if the decision is bad. From what I read on the forums the biggest issues that come up is the obnoxious cost, not the battery.
Can you imagine the hell that would be raised if it didn't support fire wire? Now that would get the masses in an uproar :P
Link to the tear-down (Score:5, Informative)
How about a working link [ifixit.com] to the tear down instead of a slashdotted page that just links to it anyway.
Scotty Need more power (Score:4, Funny)
If only.... (Score:3, Funny)
I've been up all night trying to find a way to design such a battery, but so far all I've been able to do is marvel at the shear ease of the Apple battery removal. My designs required 20 screws be removed!
Re:If only.... (Score:5, Insightful)
Now if only someone could design a laptop battery that is removable without opening the case. I know, I know, this is WAY too futuristic in this day and age, even for a company like Apple with the appropriate vision.
You mean, like the battery on the bottom of my macbook, that pops out with the turn of a coin? Apple is more than capab^w^w^w^w has already designed laptops with removable batteries. If they didn't on the new macbook pros, then they made that choice for a reason. You may not like that reason, but that's fine.
I, for one, am glad I didn't wait for the new macbooks to come out before I bought mine.
Only 13 screws? (Score:2)
Huh? (Score:3, Funny)
Ah, this is obviously some strange new meaning of the phrase easy to replace.
only 13 screws TOTAL (Score:5, Informative)
it appears that nobody, including the submitter, read the actual source article (I know: I must be new here).
In fact, there are 10 screws that hold the bottom plate on the machine, not 13 as indicated in the summary, then three screws that hold hold the battery in place.
Yes, the three screws that hold the battery in place are weird, tamper-resistant screws, but you can easily make a driver for them by filing down three points on a torx driver of the appropriate size (I did this about 15 years ago in order to open my first Gameboy, which used similar tamper resistant screws).
If you're not up for filing down a few points on a torx driver, you have no business fiddling around inside a laptop anyhow.
Re:only 13 screws TOTAL (Score:4, Insightful)
While I have replaced the hard drive in a TiBook before (and I don't recommend that for anyone, anytime), I've got to say. Big difference between 10 phillips-head and 3 security screws and the little plastic sliding latch on my Dell.
Yes, the water-carved-from-a-single-block-of-unobtanium is cool, but usability is higher on my list.
Re:only 13 screws TOTAL (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
"If you're not up for filing down a few points on a torx driver, you have no business fiddling around inside a laptop anyhow."
True, and if you have a Dremel and a fine abrasive bit you can trim the torx even more easily.
Re:only 13 screws TOTAL (Score:4, Insightful)
If you're not up for filing down a few points on a torx driver, you have no business fiddling around inside a laptop anyhow.
Fuck the filing. If the battery were removable, you wouldn't be fiddling around inside a laptop to begin with. Something simple and routine has been made needlessly complex. People can argue "but road warriors are a niche!" and such all they want - 1.5 years out, ordinary people who like using laptop computers as laptop computers suddenly finding themselves having to go to the damned Genius Bar to change out a battery are going to be pissed.
Oh, so it's easy! (Score:3, Funny)
Cross the chasm of doom, fight the dragon, and then just pick up the crystal of enchantment.
Simple.
Best news ever... (Score:4, Insightful)
Best news ever...
Why? Because there are just 13 screws to remove and they're all on the outside! Sounds like a lot but it's dead simple compared to every model that came before!
All previous generations of MacBook Pros, PowerBooks and iBooks required major surgery internally and the removal of dozens of different screws from different areas just to do something simple like a hard drive upgrade. MacBooks and the newest 15" MacBook Pro models have FINALLY changed that and made the hard drive accessible just by removing the battery. I was afraid that this new unibody 17" model was the last holdout and would still be a major pain to upgrade, but this changes everything.
Now I'm going to go buy one, whereas before seeing this I would have bought the 15" model just for the ability to easily upgrade the hard drive. This is truly major news, but it should have been all about the hard drive, not the battery that almost nobody will ever need to replace. The hard drive is something that almost everyone will eventually want to upgrade on this machine.
Simply awesome news. This really makes my day. I can't believe it's so easy to get inside it and upgrade everything. It's amazing how few items are in the breakout photo at the top of the page. A child could put it back together.
How do you power down? (Score:5, Insightful)
To those of you saying that an irremovable battery is OK, what do you do if the laptop freezes up and the power button doesn't work? On my laptop I just slide out the battery (assuming no AC). I once had my mom's Thinkpad do that, and I just had to wait for the battery to die, as I did not wish to break a seal (the battery is external).
Forget the battery - what about the hard drive? (Score:4, Insightful)
What about the hard drive? I will not turn over a laptop for service without removing the disk. On my ThinkPad, that takes removing one screw. Apparently it takes 13 on the new 17" MBP.
Things I can replace on the ThinkPad with 6 screws or less:
- Keyboard
- Memory
- Touchpad
- Hard drive
- Optical drive
- WLAN card
- WWAN card
- Modem
- Clock battery
- DC power connector (it's on a separate PCB, not soldered to the system board)
- Battery
Keyboards break when you dump Diet Coke on them. Hard drives crash. Clock batteries die. Batteries get recalled.
What do you do when your ThinkPad is out of warranty and something breaks? You buy the part for cheap on eBay, download the service manual for free, and spend 20 minutes replacing the part. Or, if you're not savvy, you pay someone to do it for you - and it's relatively cheap.
What about when your MacBook breaks and isn't under warranty?
Re: (Score:2)
Loading up with dual Dell batteries, which is about the same power capacity cost the same. Not much of a tax if you ask me.
The Apple tax is a myth. If you want a tax try Alienware.
Re: (Score:2)
The so called Apple Tax comes with second-to-none customer support. My MBP is just over a year old. My battery started playing up a fortnight ago. I called Apple, and in no time whatsoever they had a brand new replacement battery in the mail to me. Oh, and I bought the laptop in the US, I live in Canada, but I'm currently visiting Australia. Try getting that level of service out of Dell.
Re: (Score:2)
#0 philips a and the occasional T6 torx. Found at pretty much any hardware store. Sorry probably not wal-mart.
Re: (Score:2)
"I got one that is so small it is invisible to the naked eye!"
I see, own a Hummer and an assault rifle do you?
Oh wait you mean a screwdriver......