w00t!! But a few questions....

[Leeds]

Ok, I'm sure you're all sick of those "Just bought my first Mac" threads... but tough, here's another one!

I was the biggest advocate of PC's up until about 6 months ago, when I finally took someone's advice to try a Mac (I'm a photographer, so I wanted to try Aperture anyway) and I loved it...

Finally, I bought a shiny new MacBook the other day, yay for me. I was considering the MacBook Pro, but you lot on here convinced me that the screens are dodgy... (I'll buy one when the LED screens come out or whatever, and then the g/f can have this one)

I have to say, I LOVE it... LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE...

But I do have a couple of questions tho:

1. Do all slot loading drives make a funky, clicking/grinding noise when a CD is inserted? The first time I loaded a CD I was almost in tears because I thought it was going to spit out my Led Zeppelin DVD in shreds lol

2. Am I going to destroy my battery if I plug in the charger a lot between uses? I've been using it so much that I've killed the battery usually twice a day, and I'm afraid that I'm going to destroy something...

3. Are they all a bit warm? This is also my first laptop, so I don't know how they usually are, but when I have the power cord plugged in, it seem that there's an awful lot of heat in that back left corner... and the fans are going like mad too...

But I do love it though!!!

Thanks for suffering through another useless thread

 

[j26]

1. Do all slot loading drives make a funky, clicking/grinding noise when a CD is inserted? The first time I loaded a CD I was almost in tears because I thought it was going to spit out my Led Zeppelin DVD in shreds lol

That's pretty normal from my experience. Scared the hell out of me the first time too.

2. Am I going to destroy my battery if I plug in the charger a lot between uses? I've been using it so much that I've killed the battery usually twice a day, and I'm afraid that I'm going to destroy something...

It will eventully kill the battery, so if you're using it in the same spot, why not work with it plugged in. Check out about calibration and battery health on the Apple website. Turning down the backlight a bit, and turning off Airport and Bluetooth when not needed will reduce battery usage too, meaning less charge cycles.

3. Are they all a bit warm? This is also my first laptop, so I don't know how they usually are, but when I have the power cord plugged in, it seem that there's an awful lot of heat in that back left corner... and the fans are going like mad too...

Think of it as a free replacement for central heating They do get warm.

Enjoy your new mac

 

[Leeds]

It will eventully kill the battery, so if you're using it in the same spot, why not work with it plugged in. Check out about calibration and battery health on the Apple website. Turning down the backlight a bit, and turning off Airport and Bluetooth when not needed will reduce battery usage too, meaning less charge cycles.

I just like to sit on the settee when I'm using my computer, and the nearest socket is miles away... But I should probably move my lazy butt and plug it in lol

Thanks for the response

 

[BlackMax]

Finally, I bought a shiny new MacBook the other day, yay for me.

Congratulations!!!

1. Do all slot loading drives make a funky, clicking/grinding noise when a CD is inserted?

Mine does. Made me cringe when I inserted my first CD into my MacBook. It appears to have gotten a little better with time, but it still sounds terrible.

2. Am I going to destroy my battery if I plug in the charger a lot between uses? I've been using it so much that I've killed the battery usually twice a day, and I'm afraid that I'm going to destroy something...

Batteries in general only have so many cycles in them before they begin to loose their efficiency and capacity. If you can use your power cable, then use it. If you have to use your battery, then use your battery. Don't worry about it. My PowerBook 12" battery has over 500 cycles on it and it still holds above 50% of its original capacity. Not bad for over 500 cycles. When it gets to around 50% I'll replace it with a new one for around $100.

3. Are they all a bit warm? This is also my first laptop, so I don't know how they usually are, but when I have the power cord plugged in, it seem that there's an awful lot of heat in that back left corner... and the fans are going like mad too...

During normal use my MacBook gets warm on the back left side where the power connects. Warm, not hot. Normal use for me is word processing, web browsing and coding. During this time I cannot hear any fans; my MacBook is virtually silent. If I watch a DVD on my MacBook it begins to warm up to what I would call very warm/almost hot on the back left corner (I can still touch it). During this time I can hear my fans running.

What are you doing when your MacBook is getting "a bit warm" and your fans are "going like mad"?

 

[kiwi-in-uk]

About the battery

2. Am I going to destroy my battery if I plug in the charger a lot between uses? I've been using it so much that I've killed the battery usually twice a day, and I'm afraid that I'm going to destroy something...

You can check the current state of your battery by clicking the blue apple at the top left of your screen, then "About this Mac" then "More info ..." then select Power (under hardware). You will see that it keeps track of the number of full charge cycles, the current (remaining) charge, and the full charge capacity (the maximum battery charge capacity at this point in its life - this will reduce over time depending on battery age and the number of full charge cycles).

As J26 said, check out the battery calibration & care information on the Apple website, here.

Also check out the Wikipedia page on Lithium Polymer batteries. Here