Burning a CD? Absolutely Not!!!
If you want me to video this again with putting a CD in & take it out, and then demonstrate the noise problem. I am happy to do it. The noise is coming from the upper left hand side of the computer.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Bummer + Lame + Capitalism = Apple Inc. (Video & Pics)
- Thread starter powermac_daddy
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
Burning a CD? Absolutely Not!!!
If you want me to video this again with putting a CD in & take it out, and then demonstrate the noise problem. I am happy to do it. The noise is coming from the upper left hand side of the computer.
well, thats where one of the fans is, and the power supply, i think the CPU might be there too...
And yet if you search through any notebook forums, or Dell's forums, you'll find plenty of complaints about the Inspiron.
Even the new Inspiron 1520 is getting reports of tons of problems; grainy screens, crappy screens, bad headphone jacks, etc. etc. etc.
And it's not just Dell.
Go check out a forum devoted to the IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad. The new X61t tablet, a premium priced machine, has a widespread problem that many owners are experiencing where the LCD screen comes loose from the bezel when opening the lid, which they have chalked up to the glue that keeps it together heating up.
The funny thing is, I don't see a bunch of ThinkPad owners complaining about quality control, threatening to sue Lenovo, returning their ThinkPads, etc. Same with the Dells actually.
Those users, for the most part, seem to just accept the various faults their machines have, for the most part, and call it a day.
I don't know what the difference is exactly. It's not just cost. The ThinkPad x61t can cost well over $2000.
And it's not expectations either; the ThinkPads have a reputation for excellent build quality.
But somehow it's like people think Apple is somehow now the worst in the industry when it comes to quality control.
Seriously, imagine if the MBP had a problem where the LCD screen came loose because some glue that kept it connected to the bezel heated up. There'd be a 200-page thread here about it, easily.
And yes, you may find more "hits" for MacBook Pro Problems than Dell Inspiron Problems, but the question there is "why". I suspect it's because a lot of Inspiron owners seem to just accept the flaws, etc.
Or Asus as another example; some of their models have some really notorious problems, yet I also see much more "acceptance" for them, rather than people sending them back again and again.
It seems like that's the big difference here; people are upset when their MBP isn't perfect - yes, there are some serious flaws, but honestly, people are lumping those serious flaws in alongside stuff like the lid closure not lining up perfectly, etc.
What you end up with is tons of people complaining about having to return MBP's over and over again, yet Apple owners seem to hold their machines to a standard that no PC owners seem to hold their laptops to (even the premium ones), so it causes a distorted perception.
-Zadillo
I don't think we should be comparing macs with other manufacturers. If we do, and they are suffering from the same problems, where does that get us? The quality doesn't increase because others have the same issues!
I think it's the strength of the mac community that we don't tolerate being sold crappy quality products. If apple wants to produce poor quality, then I'm sure eventually it will find a market for it that doesn't include a lot of old mac users like myself. I don't buy Apple to get mediocre quality; I buy them because I want a better experience/quality and I think it's worth paying a little extra for that. If a little extra doesn't get me that, then I won't buy their products.
The 'distorted perspective' comes when people start using other companies' poor products as an excuse for apple's poor poor quality - when bad quality control is normalised and made into the norm by which we evaluate everything. There are of course many other examples of this in other areas of consumer products and services.
In any case, everybody should be happy that people are returning defective macbook pros. It showes apple that we're not about to accept poor quality, and that it will be more expensive for them to give us bad quality and keep replacing, than simply trying to ensure better quality control from the start.
Right. The reason I said what I said though is because I have seen plenty of people make these comparisons. You'll notice that the part I quoted was someone arguing that there are "less hits" for Dell Inspiron Problems, meaning the MBP has more problems than the Inspiron.
It's this attitude that seems prevalent now, that Apple's quality is WORSE than PC laptops (I've seen plenty of people say "Oh, I'm going to go buy a Dell, or a ThinkPad, because of these problems"), that I take issue with.
And again, I don't have a problem with people returning these machines for whatever reason they want. And if that means they consider their machine defective because it doesn't line up perfectly when they close the lid, that's fine too.
And I'm not discounting the serious issues people have had either; I put those in a different category.
I just wish people would stop spreading this idea that Apple's quality control is so terrible relative to everyone else in the industry.
-Zadillo
You know how i found out about the noise?
When I picked it up the first time. I am going to Video this again. It will be on YouTube within an hour. I will post the link here.
Is there a particular reason you're putting this on YouTube? Is Apple not listening to you to fix or replace it?
Is it part of some attempt to warn people away from buying MBP's?
Also, regarding the noise; why do you need to shake the MBP around so much to have it make the noise? More specifically, what is the actual issue here in that case (I mean, do you regularly move your MBP around like this, or what?)?
Either way, why not just return it to Apple? What specifically is the point of uploading these videos to YouTube, blogging about them, etc.?
I can understand it if is it to try and get back at Apple, or maybe because you think this will force them to change something, or to force Apple to repair it.
-Zadillo
I want people to know the issues. It's that simple. Second video is coming. I didn't shake the computer as much as the first time. I am not using a professional video camera. I am using a DSC-P200 Song Cyber-Shot. If that little camera/mic can pick the noise from the computer, let me ask you how loud do you think it is?
I guess I still don't understand the problem.
Does it make this noise when you don't shake it around?
If it only makes the noise when you shake it around, how exactly does this issue affect your everyday use of the machine? Do you regularly need to move your laptop around like this while it's operating?
Also, is Apple going to replace it/fix it for you?
How does other people knowing about your issue specifically help you?
-Zadillo
I would take it back. But as for the screen gap when the lid is closed...I think that most MBP's have this issue. Mine does and I went out and checked the display models at the store and they all have this. I did order a product from RADTECH that will fix this issue called wildeepz.. its little cushions that fill the gap.
Gyroscopic forces.
Take a spinning object and turn its axis, the inertia of the spinning object will try to keep itself level and if there is a close-fitting housing it will rub.
XBox-360 spins the disc so fast that if you turn the unit from laying down to upright while reading the disc it will grate and scratch!
Could this be what's going on?
Take a spinning object and turn its axis, the inertia of the spinning object will try to keep itself level and if there is a close-fitting housing it will rub.
XBox-360 spins the disc so fast that if you turn the unit from laying down to upright while reading the disc it will grate and scratch!
Could this be what's going on?
Apple sent me the Fedex return label this morning. I really appreciated their service.
Because youTube is there?
I'm sorry, I don't think any of us realized that you were the designated arbiter of what was permissible content on YouTube. I had foolishly assumed that as long as the content wasn't obscene or violating any laws or copyrights, it was fair game and you could largely speak your mind or demonstrate what you chose to. I certainly didn't know that being critical of Apple for any reason was not apropos. Silly me.
This is Ding's second MacBook Pro with issues. I've been graced with ordering two in the past three months, one SR and one just before SR, and have been VERY lucky in that I so far have no issues with both *crossing fingers*. But if I were in Ding's shoes, I'd be really angry that no only is Apple having these build issues, but they can't seem to fix the problem and make it right the first time.
I MIGHT let such problems slide on an HP $500 back to school special laptop. Not on a base-$2,000 machine.
There is no editorialization in Ding's video. Ding is only showing what's there, and making no comments. If it offends you that Apple is sending Ding bad MBPs and that he dares to display it for all the world to see, maybe you should complain to Steve Jobs.
Because youTube is there?
I'm sorry, I don't think any of us realized that you were the designated arbiter of what was permissible content on YouTube. I had foolishly assumed that as long as the content wasn't obscene or violating any laws or copyrights, it was fair game and you could largely speak your mind or demonstrate what you chose to. I certainly didn't know that being critical of Apple for any reason was not apropos. Silly me.
This is Ding's second MacBook Pro with issues. I've been graced with ordering two in the past three months, one SR and one just before SR, and have been VERY lucky in that I so far have no issues with both *crossing fingers*. But if I were in Ding's shoes, I'd be really angry that no only is Apple having these build issues, but they can't seem to fix the problem and make it right the first time.
I MIGHT let such problems slide on an HP $500 back to school special laptop. Not on a base-$2,000 machine.
There is no editorialization in Ding's video. Ding is only showing what's there, and making no comments. If it offends you that Apple is sending Ding bad MBPs and that Ding DARES to display it for all the world to see, maybe you should complain to Steve Jobs.
Umm, whoa, calm down.
I didn't say he shouldn't be posting it, or what content was acceptable, or that it offended me that he was posting it.
I was merely asking what the particular motivation was. That is, I assume there is some reason he's going to the trouble of making these videos and posting them.
I was thinking perhaps that maybe Apple was refusing to fix these issues, so he was posting them to show.
Or he was posting them because he is upset with Apple, and wants to spread these videos around as a way of cautioning others against buying them.
I was just curious what the particular motivation was.
Normally when I get something that has a defect or problem, I send it back for repair or return it altogether. I was kind of curious exactly what the benefit is of posting videos to YouTube for public consumption.
Obviously he's free to do whatever he wants. I was just asking "why".
-Zadillo
Huh. This is interesting: my Merom (pre SR) MBP does NOT have this gap problem. But the SR MBP does.
Well scratch my previous statement: looks like I DO have a minor problem after all.
Well, I'll ignore it. I already waited forever for this thing to arrive, and I'd hate to have to send it back after it being here only three weeks. Unless something else happens, or the structural integrity of the MBP becomes compromised, a gap is not worth the downtime.
Your tone suggested otherwise.
I reiterate: the only reason he needs is "because he can."
Huh. This is interesting: my Merom (pre SR) MBP does NOT have this gap problem. But the SR MBP does.
Well scratch my previous statement: looks like I DO have a minor problem after all.
Well, I'll ignore it. I already waited forever for this thing to arrive, and I'd hate to have to send it back after it being here only three weeks. Unless something else happens, or the structural integrity of the MBP becomes compromised, a gap is not worth the downtime.
Most MBPs I've seen have the gap, as did the powerbook G4s before it. The issue has been discussed for many years now and Apple has just not been able to fix it.
OK, fair enough. Although honestly, I'm re-reading my post, and I still don't see where I was saying I thought he shouldn't be posting it, couldn't post it, etc.:
Really I was just trying to get at what the motivation was. I.e. if Apple was refusing to repair it, and he needed to show other people, or if it was just because he was fed up and wanted to show people the problems he was having, etc.
If my tone there indicated I thought he shouldn't be posting it at all, I apologize for that. It wasn't my intention.
I guess I was asking about it because I see so many of those kinds of videos on youtube, and I've never understood the motivation exactly (i've seen people post videos of their problems with thinkpads, inspirons, vaios, etc. etc.), but the one that is most understandable to me is as some form of revenge perhaps - that is, "This company sent me a product that has a problem. I'm going to get back at them by putting it on youtube so anyone who searches for said product will see it, and maybe not buy it, or at least think twice about it".
-Zadillo
OK, I watched the video, and hear the noise.
Can you still explain how this problem affects you in normal situations though? I mean, at least from the video, it sounds like this only occurs when you are shaking the MBP around while it is on and operational.
When exactly does this come up as an issue that affects your use of the machine?
That's the part I'm having trouble wrapping my head around. I'm trying to think of different scenarios for using any laptop, but none of them involve shaking it around like that while it's on.
-Zadillo
Not sure what the fuss is about.
Why are you wobbling your MBP so furiously like that? Reminds me of a TV show in Scotland called Chewin' The Fat where one character thinks he's invisible and picks up spoons and wobbles them in the exact same way as you - couldn't help but smile at that video!
My MBP closes fine, but does it matter that there is a slight gap there? No. Does it affect performance? No. Can you see it when it is closed? No. Is there only a problem because you push one side? Yes.
Do you have a cd in the drive slot? It sounds like there is, and this is a problem for all slot drives. Since the disc doesn't get surely locked into the drive, it can move slightly and if you are rotating the laptop furiously like you are then you are obviously going to get it moving slightly hence the noise.
If you take the disc out of the drive, then you won't have that problem. I've never met anyone who puts a disc into a computer then starts shaking it and moans about how it is making a strange noise. I'm sure if we shook your head enough you'd start making a strange noise.
If there isn't a disc in the slot drive, then I appologise for the above comments.
Why are you wobbling your MBP so furiously like that? Reminds me of a TV show in Scotland called Chewin' The Fat where one character thinks he's invisible and picks up spoons and wobbles them in the exact same way as you - couldn't help but smile at that video!
My MBP closes fine, but does it matter that there is a slight gap there? No. Does it affect performance? No. Can you see it when it is closed? No. Is there only a problem because you push one side? Yes.
Do you have a cd in the drive slot? It sounds like there is, and this is a problem for all slot drives. Since the disc doesn't get surely locked into the drive, it can move slightly and if you are rotating the laptop furiously like you are then you are obviously going to get it moving slightly hence the noise.
If you take the disc out of the drive, then you won't have that problem. I've never met anyone who puts a disc into a computer then starts shaking it and moans about how it is making a strange noise. I'm sure if we shook your head enough you'd start making a strange noise.
If there isn't a disc in the slot drive, then I appologise for the above comments.
- Status