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New MBA Ambient Light Sensor removal

M

mshahnoora

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 28, 2010
18
0
Hi All,
I just bought my new MBA 13.3 in. 128GB from the Apple Store! Really excited about the thin form-factor and performance, especially compared to my previous unibody MBP. However, it seems like Apple removed the Ambient Light Sensor feature as well. Has anyone else noticed this? This is a very helpful feature.

I might as well just return/exchange for a unibody 15" MBP if Apple seemed to take out too many features in the name of weight and footprint.

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
J

jw nyc

macrumors 6502a
Jan 31, 2008
854
0
mshahnoora said:
Hi All,
I just bought my new MBA 13.3 in. 128GB from the Apple Store! Really excited about the thin form-factor and performance, especially compared to my previous unibody MBP. However, it seems like Apple removed the Ambient Light Sensor feature as well. Has anyone else noticed this? This is a very helpful feature.

I might as well just return/exchange for a unibody 15" MBP if Apple seemed to take out too many features in the name of weight and footprint.

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Wow I'd be very surprised if this is true. Can anyone else confirm?
 
lbro

lbro

macrumors 6502a
Jan 22, 2009
537
0
What if you shine a light on an angle on the screen near the camera, if you see a little dot about the size of the camera, that means it does have a sensor.
 
lbro

lbro

macrumors 6502a
Jan 22, 2009
537
0
falconeight said:
The automatic adjust brightness is gone but I think I have seen my screen adjust itself.
Click to expand...

If you want to test that, just put your hand over top of the camera, it should cover the light sensor too, and if the screen doesn't dim, it means there isn't a sensor.
 
J

jw nyc

macrumors 6502a
Jan 31, 2008
854
0
That's a total disappointment. I ordered a custom built MBA but after hearing it's missing a bunch of features that I've become accustomed to, I might have to cancel my order. The backlit keyboard I could live without but if it doesn't have the light sensor for the screen brightness that is pretty much a deal breaker for me.
 
R

r2fa3l

macrumors regular
Oct 8, 2010
208
0
Texas
idk it seems different anyways the light is not bothersome and it looks like my iphone 4 which is a big plus. definitely enjoying my air
 
GeekLawyer

GeekLawyer

macrumors 68020
Jun 2, 2007
2,281
46
The post is coming from inside the house!
jw nyc said:
Try covering it with your hand and see if the brightness of the screen changes!
Click to expand...
No change on mine. If you can't enable and disable the option in System Preferences, I don't think it's there.

jw nyc said:
I think the microphone on the air is on the left of the body near the USB port.
Click to expand...
The ports on the left go MagSafe, USB, Headphones, Microphone, left-to-right.

I covered the FaceTime camera. No change in brightness. Covering the iSight on a MBP results in a change in brightness.
 
lbro

lbro

macrumors 6502a
Jan 22, 2009
537
0
I think we can conclude that there is no ambient light sensor. All the little goodies are gone. No backlit keyboard, no ambient light sensor...
 
motulist

motulist

macrumors 601
Dec 2, 2003
4,235
611
The ambient light sensors react quickly, but not instantly. So get a heavy blanket, turn your overhead room light on high, and then quickly throw the blanket over your head and the computer while watching to see if the screen changes brightness. That way we don't have to guess as to where the light sensor might physically be located on the machine. Assuming that your particular machine isn't broken, then this test will be absolutely definitive.
 
J

jagger27

macrumors member
Feb 16, 2010
53
0
That settles it. Apple gimped the MBA to make the imminent release (I'm betting on May) of completely redone MacBook Pros look better.

It's been a while since they updated the look of the MBPs. I wouldn't be surprised if they omit the optical drive and make them more like the MBA. MacBook PrAir, if you will.
 
B

bolsen78

macrumors regular
Aug 26, 2010
177
0
jagger27 said:
That settles it. Apple gimped the MBA to make the imminent release (I'm betting on May) of completely redone MacBook Pros look better.

It's been a while since they updated the look of the MBPs. I wouldn't be surprised if they omit the optical drive and make them more like the MBA. MacBook PrAir, if you will.
Click to expand...

Well I sat here for a little while watching the Vikings LOSE and my screen did go dim so does that mean the is a sensor somewhere on here? I cannot recall my MB doing that ever. but this MBA did. After I wasnt touching it for a while
 
lbro

lbro

macrumors 6502a
Jan 22, 2009
537
0
bolsen78 said:
Well I sat here for a little while watching the Vikings LOSE and my screen did go dim so does that mean the is a sensor somewhere on here? I cannot recall my MB doing that ever. but this MBA did. After I wasnt touching it for a while
Click to expand...

It could be that you have your MBA set to do that after a few minutes or so to save power.
 
M

mshahnoora

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 28, 2010
18
0
Yes, I can't seem to find any light sensor toggle in System Preferences. I also tried holding my hand over the FaceTime camera for quite a while, but to no avail.

I really think they removed this feature, although it should be easily enabled through a software update (?? maybe ??).

I'm really edging towards returning the unit sometime this week, regardless of how cool and thin the computer is; there's a limit of how many features Apple is eliminating. The original MBA was still very thin, and had several features the new one doesn't.

Any thoughts of how to force Apple to post a software upgrade?
 
Willis

Willis

macrumors 68020
Apr 23, 2006
2,293
54
Beds, UK
mshahnoora said:
Yes, I can't seem to find any light sensor toggle in System Preferences. I also tried holding my hand over the FaceTime camera for quite a while, but to no avail.

I really think they removed this feature, although it should be easily enabled through a software update (?? maybe ??).

I'm really edging towards returning the unit sometime this week, regardless of how cool and thin the computer is; there's a limit of how many features Apple is eliminating. The original MBA was still very thin, and had several features the new one doesn't.

Any thoughts of how to force Apple to post a software upgrade?
Click to expand...

You can't add the senor by software, its a hardware feature. It's not there, never will be.
 
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