Okay, normally Apple products are extremely polished and well thought-out. But this airline power adapter they came out with today is just plain stupid.
I bought one today when I ordered one of Apple’s new MacBook Pro laptops at the same time. Well I just noticed some fine-print on it…
Important notes:
- Using the MagSafe Airline Power Adapter provides power for your computer but does not charge the battery.
- The MagSafe Airline Power Adapter is not compatible with automobile power ports.
Well isn’t that lovely… there is no technical reason why they couldn’t have made both of those things happen, that’s just plain stupid IMO.
//store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=MA598Z/A
I think they are actually being “smart” so that you buy a separate adapter for the car.
[Quote] Using the MagSafe Airline Power Adapter provides power for your computer but does not charge the battery. [/Quote]
Now, this is stupid.
Could it be that the type of voltage (isn’t it 12V for a car? What is it for a plane?) simply doesn’t supply enough juice for both the MBP and the battery?
BTW, I got a MacBook Pro last March and it’s AWESOME!
I don’t think that it’s the fault of Apple that it won’t power/charge at the same time. The standard for airline outlets is 16V… the Macbook Pro requires 18.5V to power/charge. So, most airline outlets just don’t have enough juice to handle the MBP.
$50 says it has to do with the asploding laptop batteries.
They don’t HAVE a car adapter though (that I know of).
A Powerbook G4 actually makes it through an entire Transatlantic flight on a single charge 😉
Even the iBook G4 made it through a 5 hours flight for me. Sadly, I couldn’t get any good games that were Mac compatible (silly, me I thought I could buy Mac games in a store a day before we left) and I had to buy PC games for Stefans laptop, which went dead 1.5 hours into it…Luckly, the cocktails were free flowing in 1st class, otherwise I would have been pissed (instead I don’t remember some of it…)
The batteries get to hot for a serious flight that way, and there is only a limited current anyway.
Charge and use your Macbook Pro anywhere! Car, house, boat, Airplanes.
Mikegyver.com