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Apple Confirms $179 Battery Swap Cost for 17" MacBook Pro
The Story Behind the 17" MacBook Pro's Amazing Long-Lasting Battery
17" MacBook Pro Unibody First Hands On
Choose Your Own Apple CEO Adventure

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RedBackFur
01/06/09

In reply to 17" MacBook Pro Unibody First Hands On
So again Apple says, "Fuck the Corporate User". Yea, our computers never break. Uh....until they do.

I can't get On-Sight AppleCare Service.

I can't pull a Hard Drive out and swap it into a loaner computer.

I can't pull CD/DVD Drive out and swap it with a working one.

I can't pull out a fucking BATTERY and swap in a working one.

I can't replace a Keyboard when someone spills some of their fucking StarBucks® Latté into it.

We can do that with our Windows Laptops, and we have on-sight service as well.

So my traveling users with MacBookPro 17" laptops have to wait a week while they send the computers off to Texas, or have to make an appointment with the Mac Gurus at the Apple Store and wait around till their name gets called, while paying a fortune to park in San Francisco (usually) just to have them say they might have time to try to fix it.

Wake the fuck up, Apple!
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Kaiser-Machead
01/07/09

@RedBackFur: I understand your argument, but I just find it odd that people would buy this, considering that they'd need to do things like swap drives and batteries and optical drives on the fly. The 15" allows for the battery and drive swap, but Macbooks, and even the iBooks and Powerbooks have not allowed swapping of the optical drive for as far back as I can remember.

Really at this point, even if you think it's stupid, if you really need things like on-site service and lots of hot-swappable parts, you should just consider getting something else.
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Kaiser-Machead
01/06/09

In reply to 17" MacBook Pro Unibody First Hands On
The thing that bugs me the most about this computer, other than the lack of access panels, is the fact that there's only ONE extra USB port for all this expanse of aluminum. The whole thing about the 17 that's supposed to keep it desirable is that it's port-happy. They should've at least thrown in an extra firewire port. I know you can daisy chain, but c'mon.
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ishred
01/06/09

In reply to Apple Confirms $179 Battery Swap Cost for 17" MacBook Pro
did anyone actually read the fine print next to where it says *8 hour battery life?

it'll get 8 hours running in some power save mode, the kinda that reduces performance and dims the screen.
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Kaiser-Machead
01/06/09

@ishred: I'd recommend a power-safe mode for any laptop while on the go. It just doesn't make sense to reduce mobility by doing anything that requires a lot of taxing out of the processor, and requires that the display be lit to full.
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twoeightnine
01/06/09

@Kaiser-Machead: Like editing or displaying photos out in the field? When I shoot tournaments we dump all our photos onto our laptops so that parents and kids can see their photos immediately and make any purchases. Rarely have enough power for 6-8 laptops and a desktop for purchases plus everything else we require. I go through two batteries everyday.
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Adisah
01/06/09

In reply to Apple Confirms $179 Battery Swap Cost for 17" MacBook Pro
200 cycles a year?? Please. I got my macbook in may and I've already hit 310. That thing does not last for 5 years, it's probably honestly like 2.
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twoeightnine
01/06/09

@Adisah: Same here. I got mine in May and I'm at 321.
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plyhard13
01/06/09

In reply to Apple Confirms $179 Battery Swap Cost for 17" MacBook Pro
Apple: Hey everyone, Apple here. We decided to make the battery last way longer than you'll need it during the day. Only one catch. To make it big enough and powerful enough, we didn't have enough space to make it removable.

Morons Who Will Never Even Own One: Fuck you Apple! I want the extra large battery AND it better be removable. You are the worst company ever! Don't worry, I'll still hang on every little announcement you make though.

Please stop being jackasses.
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ZombieRace
01/06/09

@plyhard13: Wait, I see what you did... You took what the said at face value and refuse to see the downsides.

Nevermind then...
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plyhard13
01/06/09

I can see the downside. The seven people who want to carry around a 17" laptop from one side of the country to the other, by way of donkey, while live blogging from said donkey, might want to consider another computer.
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OMG! Ponies!
01/06/09

@plyhard13: No. Jim Goldman will always use the PowerBook that Steve Jobs gave him in 2007.
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OMG! Ponies!
01/06/09

In reply to Apple Confirms $179 Battery Swap Cost for 17" MacBook Pro
$179 isn't all that bad considering they're tossing in the labor. If the battery is as good as Apple says it is, it's not too shabby.
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ZombieRace
01/06/09

@OMG! Ponies!: It's nice they included the labor but, seriously, a labor charge for something you should be able to do yourself?

It's like paying $10 to save $1.50.
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N@tedog
01/06/09

@OMG! Ponies!: Remove this Ponies blinders!
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OMG! Ponies!
01/06/09

@ZombieRace: @milrtime83: @getz76: @N@tedog:

Goddamn! You guys are hard to please!

It's not often that I praise Apple. iWork '09? As I've said, OpenOffice has a wider user base. iLife '09? Now with features from iLife '07. iPhoto '09 - for the discerning stalker.

My old MacBook battery lasted about 2 years. It cost $129 to replace with another battery that will last about 2 years. If this battery lasts 4 years, it's worth it.
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LindsayJoy's MBP is into S+M
01/06/09

@OMG! Ponies!:

Matt you are just talking like a lawyer. I mean you statement had a built in disclaimer in it: "If the battery is as good as Apple says it is"

Ramp up the snarky! Remember, we live in the land of FB/noob comments.
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OMG! Ponies!
01/06/09

@LindsayJoy's MBP is into S+M: There's just no pleasing some people.

Listen up, honeytits - I think my commenting was pretty damned good today. I offered up a whole smorgasbord of post-modernist comedy gold.

There's a photo of Charlton Heston from Planet of the Apes, call-backs to Jesus' little spat with Jim Goldman (aka Dobby the House Elf), tasteless remarks about El Jobso, stalker humor, drug references, obscure Tolkien references, even more obscure HG2TG references, YouTube jackassery, and numerous references to bestiality.

If you're still hungry for more after that, come up here to Brooklyn...
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Kaiser-Machead
01/06/09

In reply to Apple Confirms $179 Battery Swap Cost for 17" MacBook Pro
My laptop's battery is finally in some need of replacement, though it lasts long enough for me to walk around the apartment with it while web browsing, but it's been over 3 years with that same old cell. After 3+ years, if this thing gets at least 3-4 hours, I'd say that's pretty damn good for that span of time, and by then, $179 for a replacement is decent.
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Xeno
01/06/09

@Kaiser-Machead: The price is fair, it's just regrettable that it is necessary in the first place.
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Kaiser-Machead
01/06/09

@Xeno: I agree. This will be a far bigger issue to people who may get a wonky battery but don't want to stand on line at the Genius Bar to have it swapped.
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daftrok
01/06/09

In reply to Apple Confirms $179 Battery Swap Cost for 17" MacBook Pro
I just have to say this: Fuck Apple. Fuck their OSX being only operating their hardware. Fuck their closing of hardware so that we can't personally change what we want, fuck their ridiculous overpricing, FUCK 'EM!
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Shooting a monkey is now a hate crime
01/06/09

@daftrok: Why? Cause they make a product you can't afford? What are your views on Rolex, Mercedes, and Williams - Sonoma? If you're an informed consumer, you know what you want, what you need, and the right price point to get it. People who purchase products that are exorbitantly priced are people you can mock and ridicule.
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N@tedog
01/06/09

@DeadhousepIants: Come ON man. That rolex, merc, luxo argument is old hat. Closed systems are not good for consumers. I can afford the MB Pro and I don't want it for a few reasons this being one of the main. I had an MB Pro in college and hated it because there were so many other PC applications that I could not use on my MB. And the closed Apps for Apple were almost all available for Windows too. They weren't as beginner level user intuitive though. You needed to know what you were doing. The learning curve for PCs is greater but the closed system stuff just irks me. Apple is for play. PC is for Pro. That's just the way it is.
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Hello Mister Walrus
01/06/09

@daftrok: Well, standardization is the point of Apple products. Some people are willing to sacrifice some of the ability to customize their OS and hardware and to pay a price premium. In return, they get a more accurate expectation of performance and reliability. Although I prefer PCs, I can rationalize someone choosing a Mac for this reason.

The most productive way for you to express your dislike for Apple products is to not buy them. Ranting on the internet just makes PC users look bad. In fact, you probably made some people more likely to buy Macs in the future. Good job.
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Kaiser-Machead
01/06/09

@daftrok: Isn't it a shame that we can't say 'Fuck' (what??). Fuck's just a word and it's all fucked up!

In the strictest technical sense, this new Macbook pro is actually EASIER to service than the previous 17" model. The previous model had terrible flimsy panels and lots of screws to go through. this at least has a single panel that's easy to unscrew.

The obvious and most fatal caveat is, of course, the warranty.
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SEJerome
01/06/09

In reply to Apple Confirms $179 Battery Swap Cost for 17" MacBook Pro
Not bad, but still doesn't fix the problem of extended road trips without an available power source. An external battery pack with a magsafe cord would solve this problem. But of course apple won't make it and won't license magsafe to third parties. Dumb.
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Monty
01/06/09

@SEJerome: If these laptops were for business purposes, I would say not being able to swap out the battery is a big disadvantage. However, Apple makes consumer products, and this issue will effect such a small minority that I think it is somewhat irrelevant.
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madog
01/06/09

In reply to 17" MacBook Pro Unibody First Hands On
Have fun NOT removing the HDD...
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madog
01/06/09

@madog: Damned edit.....

This design is again following Apple's current model: 1 huge step forward, and 1 giant leap towards stupidity and ignorance by telling the consumer what they want and what they need.

Don't get me wrong, I love Apple, but I just hate these new laptops and think they are pretty worthless. The previous MB's and MBP's are better from a realists point of view. No amount of shiny aluminum will change that.
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madog
01/06/09

In reply to The Story Behind the 17" MacBook Pro's Amazing Long-Lasting Battery
Also, I must say that with new technology comes new problems.

"Hey, we've got this really cool and fast graphics card that is small enough for laptops!"

"Well has it been tested?"

"No, but what could go wrong? Let's toss it in our Macbook Pros..."
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Windhawk
01/06/09

In reply to The Story Behind the 17" MacBook Pro's Amazing Long-Lasting Battery
And if you are traveling trans-Atlantic, Apple just assumes you will purchase an upgrade to first class so you can power the damn thing.

Seriously, noone is going to use a 17-inch Mac on a plane unless they are in first class.
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Kaiser-Machead
01/06/09

@Windhawk: If you're in anywhere but coach, I can't imagine the seating allotting much room to open a 17" laptop comfortably, but yeah, your point stands.
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Christos Karabelas
01/06/09

In reply to The Story Behind the 17" MacBook Pro's Amazing Long-Lasting Battery
I am no math magician, but 8 hours x 1000 charges / 24 hours = 333.3 days, which in turn = under a year. Now I am aware that nobody should leave their computer on for a year straight,,, but for a battery that isnt removable, in a product that cost $3000,, I am a little underwhelmed... anybody else?

though 8 hour charge does seem pretty sweet....
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vrdabomb5717
01/06/09

@Christos Karabelas: Is it just me, or do those units make no sense? Correct me if I'm wrong, but hours divided by hours times charges leaves you with charges, not days. You've already canceled out the time units. In other words, your math is meaningless.
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ripfire
01/06/09

@vrdabomb5717: He forgot to add 1 day over 24 hours, otherwise dividing by 24 hours out of nowhere wouldn't make sense.
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Aaron Fogel
01/06/09

In reply to The Story Behind the 17" MacBook Pro's Amazing Long-Lasting Battery
A. Most batteries in laptops have an estimated battery drain cycle of approximately 1000 charges, nothing new.

B. So after two years you need a new laptop since its a unibody design, right? Great...

C. This is probably on the max battery life setting, and my lenovo gets 6.5 hours with that setting. On this setting the laptop is so dim and slow its unusable. I want to know what the real battery life is.
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Kaiser-Machead
01/06/09

@Aaron Fogel: No, you'd likely just pay for the new battery, which is pretty much the deal for laptops in general. If swapping is a free service, then that can actually work out OK.
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madog
01/06/09

In reply to The Story Behind the 17" MacBook Pro's Amazing Long-Lasting Battery
At the risk of being crass,

"We here at Apple are always trying to advance the performance in our portable products. So when I asked Dave about all this extra space next to the previous battery we were using, it immediately struck me on what steps to take in order to improve this product."

"Why don't we just make the fucking battery bigger?"

"Genius! Genius! Holy shit that's amazing! We've done it again and this will totally blow people's minds!"
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Mark 2000
01/06/09

@madog: That's too simplistic. They made it bigger, they filled the space between cells with more cells, AND they've made the charge process so smart it can recharge 1000 times. My current laptop and yours too will only charge 350 times before it goes to shit.
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madog
01/06/09

@Mark 2000: I know, but that doesn't sound as ridiculous when you mention that. Be quiet. Persuasion 101, downplay and intensify.

Johnson! We've made a huge breakthrough! A BIGGER BATTERY! OMG!
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