New MBP owner - some questions

[lordcommander]

So I bought a new MBP 13 2015 a few days ago (I know that new ones are coming this fall, but thats too late for me and this one was discounted) and I like it a lot, but I have some questions and I thought that this is the best place to get answers.

1. When I search something in Safari, sometimes the page just doesn't load. If I type the whole website address it works well, but if I just type words into search bar the page often stays blank. Is this problem with Google search in Safari? This does not happen in Chrome... I also had problems with youtube in the first two days - it either loaded without words or not at all - but now it seems fine.

2. When my MBP is charging, I can feel that aluminum somehow vibrates/buzzes when I touch it - can this damage it? I couldn't find the solution online :/ I am using the original charger with UK adapter + eu adapter (macbook is from UK but in Europe we use eu sockets) - could this be the problem? The charger and magsafe connector also get very warm, but I suppose that's normal...

3. This is not really important, but I want to know anyway I can't hear that start up sound when I turn on the MBP anymore, but I remember that it was there when I turned it on for the first time, is this ok? I think that my friends mac always plays that sound when its turned on. Also, I just close the lid when I am not using it and I turn shut it off before I go to sleep, I suppose that this is the best?

And lastly, I am wondering what's the best way to protect it. I saw that those plastic cases can scratch it but can this be avoided if I remove it every once in a while and clean the dust that came in between it? Or would some kind of skin sticker + sleeve be better? I also found palm and keyboard guards online, but they seem kinda weird and useless :S

Sorry for the long post, I would be grateful for any help

 

[UndercoverDotNetGuy]

1. Happens to me on random times. Mostly behind LTE connection.

2. Use the long extension with earth pin instead of the duckplug one.
It is static electricity you are feeling.


3. You hear the chime only when booting from a shutdown.
Not from sleep.

As protection goes... Just use it as is.

 

[BrettApple]

Yeah, I blame safari on that one. Often times I have to hit enter a couple of times to get things to load. This happens on multiple Macs even on different versions of OS X. Started doing that in Yosemite for me. I think it has something to do with the search function, usually putting a whole address in is fine.

Yup, make sure it's grounded if possible. I use the duck plug with my MBA and haven't noticed any odd vibes, but I use the full three prong US one on my rMBP.

One thing to add, the volume has to be turned up for the boot chime to occur on start up. Just something to check.

 

[lordcommander]

Thank you both for the replies Yeah the volume level was too low, I can hear it now. I tried charging with extension cable and I could still feel static electricity, so the problem is something else I guess...

 

[curmudgeonette]

2. Use the long extension with earth pin instead of the duckplug one.
It is static electricity you are feeling.

It is not static electricity. Instead, it is leakage from the mains voltage.

The power brick undoubtedly has an RF filter on the AC lines. This filter will include capacitors across all combinations of the three pins. In other words, there's a capacitor from the mains voltage to earth/ground. Further, it is customary that the case of your computer is wired through to the earth/ground input. If you plug your device in without a connection to earth/ground, the RF filter's capacitors will leak a fraction of the mains voltage onto the computer case.

 

[T5BRICK]

1. When I search something in Safari, sometimes the page just doesn't load. If I type the whole website address it works well, but if I just type words into search bar the page often stays blank. Is this problem with Google search in Safari? This does not happen in Chrome... I also had problems with youtube in the first two days - it either loaded without words or not at all - but now it seems fine.

I don't recall this happening on my 2015 13" rMBP, but maybe I just don't notice it. Do you have any plugins installed?

2. When my MBP is charging, I can feel that aluminum somehow vibrates/buzzes when I touch it - can this damage it? I couldn't find the solution online :/ I am using the original charger with UK adapter + eu adapter (macbook is from UK but in Europe we use eu sockets) - could this be the problem? The charger and magsafe connector also get very warm, but I suppose that's normal...

Does your plug have 2 or 3 prongs? I don't know what the standard UK plug looks like...

3. This is not really important, but I want to know anyway I can't hear that start up sound when I turn on the MBP anymore, but I remember that it was there when I turned it on for the first time, is this ok? I think that my friends mac always plays that sound when its turned on. Also, I just close the lid when I am not using it and I turn shut it off before I go to sleep, I suppose that this is the best?

The startup chime is silenced if you turn the volume all the way down before shutting the computer off.

And lastly, I am wondering what's the best way to protect it. I saw that those plastic cases can scratch it but can this be avoided if I remove it every once in a while and clean the dust that came in between it? Or would some kind of skin sticker + sleeve be better? I also found palm and keyboard guards online, but they seem kinda weird and useless

I don't use a case or a sleeve. When I transport it, I place it into my backpack which has a padded pocket for a laptop.

 

[lordcommander]

It is not static electricity. Instead, it is leakage from the mains voltage.

The power brick undoubtedly has an RF filter on the AC lines. This filter will include capacitors across all combinations of the three pins. In other words, there's a capacitor from the mains voltage to earth/ground. Further, it is customary that the case of your computer is wired through to the earth/ground input. If you plug your device in without a connection to earth/ground, the RF filter's capacitors will leak a fraction of the mains voltage onto the computer case.

Thank you for the explanation, I dont know much about this
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I don't recall this happening on my 2015 13" rMBP, but maybe I just don't notice it. Do you have any plugins installed?



Does your plug have 2 or 3 prongs? I don't know what the standard UK plug looks like...



The startup chime is silenced if you turn the volume all the way down before shutting the computer off.



I don't use a case or a sleeve. When I transport it, I place it into my backpack which has a padded pocket for a laptop.

Nope, no plugins except flash player. UK plug has 3 prongs, but the EU adapter I use with it has 2. I will probably get a sleeve for it, I dont want to get too much scratches on it :/

 

[Schranke]

2. When my MBP is charging, I can feel that aluminum somehow vibrates/buzzes when I touch it - can this damage it? I couldn't find the solution online :/ I am using the original charger with UK adapter + eu adapter (macbook is from UK but in Europe we use eu sockets) - could this be the problem? The charger and magsafe connector also get very warm, but I suppose that's normal...

This happens on all the aluminium MBP i have ever used in certain situations (I always use 3-pin ground eu socket). it does often happen when i am in contact with another metal which is grounded. so the other explanations sounds reasonable. you are not to worry

And lastly, I am wondering what's the best way to protect it. I saw that those plastic cases can scratch it but can this be avoided if I remove it every once in a while and clean the dust that came in between it? Or would some kind of skin sticker + sleeve be better? I also found palm and keyboard guards online, but they seem kinda weird and useless :S

Just get a nice sleeve for transporting.

 

[curmudgeonette]

Thank you for the explanation, I dont know much about this

UK plug has 3 prongs, but the EU adapter I use with it has 2.

There's the problem.

Years ago I took a Powerbook abroad (out of the USA.) At home, running on 120VAC, even using a 2 prong plug, I had never felt electric current when touching the computer. During the trip, in a country with 240VAC, I did feel current. If I made sure I wasn't touching anything earthed, the tingling would go away.

Running on 120VAC, the leakage would be expected to measure 60VAC. On 240VAC, it would be 120VAC. Perhaps the difference 60 versus 120 is enough to move between not-felt and felt.