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Apple Files Patent Infringement Suit Over 'Knock-Off' Power Adapters

AidenShaw said:
You are talking in circles.

What's the point of having a three conductor plug, if the third wire is a putz and the female end only has two contacts?

Is there a third copper contact on the female end?
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Do you really think there isn't?? That the metal grounding pin in the adapter is there just for kicks?


http://www.flickr.com/photos/74847775@N00/3928178121/

3928178121_9664d114e4.jpg


In the small channel either side is metal which makes a connection with the earthing pin on the MagSafe power brick. This earths the MagSafe and MacBook Pro.
 
*LTD* said:
Do you really think there isn't??
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Thank you - I was only asking to see how it worked.

But it's interesting to see that the Flickr site that you found is someone complaining that the UK power brick comes with an earthing short plug - but the earth male is not connected. On the long earthed cord the connection is made.

So, if you use the long earthed cord in the US and the UK you are earthed. If you use the short connector or the two prong cord - not earthed.

But, "not earthed" shouldn't be a problem if the adaptor is isolated.
 
AidenShaw said:
Thank you - I was only asking to see how it worked.

But it's interesting to see that the Flickr site that you found is someone complaining that the UK power brick comes with an earthing short plug - but the earth male is not connected. On the long earthed cord the connection is made.

So, if you use the long earthed cord in the US and the UK you are earthed. If you use the short connector or the two prong cord - not earthed.

But, "not earthed" shouldn't be a problem if the adaptor is isolated.
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What that was like 5+ posts?
 
AidenShaw said:
But your third prong isn't connected to anything - it's a putz. (only two contacts on the female end of the cord).

If there's a hidden ground contact on the brick that connects with the earthed plug, please post a picture and accept my apologizes.

And, by the way, Lenovo and Asus adaptors are two prong without any earthing - and they aren't even polarized two prong plugs.

Also, look at the concept of transformer isolation, it's possible to be protected from earthing issues without being earthed.
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what do you mean lenovo adapters are two prong?

i have a lenovo laptop and the wall charger has 3 prongs.
 
cmaier said:
Well this thread has gone off in the weeds.
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All it takes is one uninformed comment by a hackintosh/Windows troll.

I can understand not knowing *how* the MagSafe and cords are grounded, but assuming they are *not* and/or pose a basic safety hazard as a result is insane. Even the two-pronged connector is fine.

And it's really very simple to take cafe of them:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1630
 
*LTD* said:
All it takes is one uninformed comment by a hackintosh/Windows troll.

I can understand not knowing *how* the MagSafe and cords are grounded, but assuming they are *not* and/or pose a basic safety hazard as a result is insane. Even the two-pronged connector is fine.
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I had the same questions. I didn't feel that it was necessary to be redundant though. I also watched you edit your replies too. :p
 
*LTD* said:
You can't treat the adapter or the cable like you would for a generic PC. Apple didn't account for such misuse and mishanding, unfortunately.
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Treating it like that of a generic PC is misuse? Surely an adapter that costs double the value of a generic one should be more robust?
 
jimmyjoemccrow said:
Treating it like that of a generic PC is misuse? Surely an adapter that costs double the value of a generic one should be more robust?
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The adapter was redesigned in Fall 2007.

All the issues you linked to relate to the 2007 model.

EDIT: Indeed the issues pre-Fall 2007 caused quite an uproar in 2008, when the issues began appearing.
 
cmaier said:
More importantly, it's self-selecting. Who is going to spend their time reviewing a power cable unless they have a problem?
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Oh ffs. So all the positive reviews are self-selecting? The World travel adapter seems like an equally trivial item to review yet it has 5 stars, but I suppose those reviews are because the customers had such great experiences?
 
jimmyjoemccrow said:
Oh ffs. So all the positive reviews are self-selecting? The World travel adapter seems like an equally trivial item to review yet it has 5 stars, but I suppose those reviews are because the customers had such great experiences?
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Who knows. I'm not saying these are the greatest things ever, but I've got one at work, one in my laptop bag, and 3 at home (shared by two MPBs), and having had them for a few years I've never had a problem with any of them. That's just anecdotal, but, then, so are the reviews.
 
When there is a sample of over 1000 then it goes beyond anecdotal and looks more like a trend to me. But I expect if the reviews had been glowing you wouldn't be dismissing them so quickly.
 
jimmyjoemccrow said:
When there is a sample of over 1000 then it goes beyond anecdotal and looks more like a trend to me. But I expect if the reviews had been glowing you wouldn't be dismissing them so quickly.
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It's not a sample because it's not randomly chosen, is all I'm saying. I draw no conclusion from them because I believe in math. The adapters my suck. I don't know. But I wouldn't base my decision on self selected sampling.

Many apple things suck. I got bit by the nvidia fiasco. I hate the app store review process. I'm no fanboy. But I never trust message boards and reviews because they both tend to be self selecting.
 
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