List your problems with the Macbook Air so wecan track them.
Heat, yellowingof screen, fan noise, uneven legs...whatever!
Heat, yellowingof screen, fan noise, uneven legs...whatever!
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Official Problems List!
- Thread starter Cybergypsy
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Two days and so far so good.... I can't stress the quality of this machine enough. Not like any of the other Apple China made laptops I've bought. MBP or otherwise.
Disk Utilities takes 30+ minutes on my 1.6 - 80 to verify permissions and the only thing to kick my fans up to 6200 rpm.
Battery is claiming 95% charge already with only 5 cycles. Am presently going through full calibration to see if there's more juice than showing.
Battery seems to go 3:45 to 4:30 so far.
Screen even, non yellowed (at the present) and very bright.
Keyboard lighting seems to get confused sometimes but not that much of an anomaly.
Like Gizmodo's initial reports, it took about 7 hours to fully charge my MacBook Air from about 20% battery remaining. Gizmodo ran their test again and was able to fully charge in about 3 hours. Is this just a function of being a new battery? It better not take 7 to 8 hours to charge every time! Other than that, this is a sweet machine. I have not had any fan noise, screen problems, or anything else to speak of.
I dont have any problems thus far either, a much better experience than my santa rosa macbook pro. Expected something to be out of the norm, since rev A products are hated so much on these boards. Overall, a good experience thus far. i have the base model if that matters.
Very strange... Im having the same issue. I ran my battery down to 0 last night and plugged it in about 2 AM. Its now noon, and the MagSafe is still amber. Thats 10 hours! Other than that, this is a dream machine!! Build quality is superb!
FYI, I don't have an MBA but actively considering it...
Maybe it's still too early but I am surprised about the lack of quality issues being brought up in the MR forums. Maybe it's too hard to find amongst all the negative comments about the idea of the MBA.
The one thing I've seen in this thread and the Apple support forums is the issue of the battery taking several hours to charge.
But overall, for a v1 product with a very new design I'd expect to be seeing more build quality issues being reported.
Maybe it's still too early but I am surprised about the lack of quality issues being brought up in the MR forums. Maybe it's too hard to find amongst all the negative comments about the idea of the MBA.
The one thing I've seen in this thread and the Apple support forums is the issue of the battery taking several hours to charge.
But overall, for a v1 product with a very new design I'd expect to be seeing more build quality issues being reported.
FYI, I don't have an MBA but actively considering it...
Maybe it's still too early but I am surprised about the lack of quality issues being brought up in the MR forums. Maybe it's too hard to find amongst all the negative comments about the idea of the MBA.
The one thing I've seen in this thread and the Apple support forums is the issue of the battery taking several hours to charge.
But overall, for a v1 product with a very new design I'd expect to be seeing more build quality issues being reported.
Second charging was only 4 hours from <0%. First charging took a while though. What concerns me is health is showing only 93%, down from 95% before calibrating. Will try and reset SMC and see if that helps.
I think the fact this is a Lithium Polymer battery not Lithium Ion might have something to do with the health meters being off. I wonder if the software made to measure health is adapted to these new batteries.
I am no engineer or chemist, but I think the different composition of the battery as well as the different insides of it that make it work might be producing readings that are inaccurate (ex. a voltage level that would indicate 90% health on lithium ion battery actually is 100% health on polymer).
From what I read about lithium polymer battery last night though it seems like they do have a shorter life span than lithium ion, they are more prone to catching fire and overheating, and have all kinds of other issues. I am getting the Air but I fear that replacing the battery will become a regular chore instead of a once occurring (if even that) event.
EDIT: Nevermind, I did not realize that regular macbooks also use polymer! Excuse my post please. lol.
I am no engineer or chemist, but I think the different composition of the battery as well as the different insides of it that make it work might be producing readings that are inaccurate (ex. a voltage level that would indicate 90% health on lithium ion battery actually is 100% health on polymer).
From what I read about lithium polymer battery last night though it seems like they do have a shorter life span than lithium ion, they are more prone to catching fire and overheating, and have all kinds of other issues. I am getting the Air but I fear that replacing the battery will become a regular chore instead of a once occurring (if even that) event.
EDIT: Nevermind, I did not realize that regular macbooks also use polymer! Excuse my post please. lol.
somebody want to post side-by-side pictures showing the max screen angle vs the MBP's? thanks...
Battery in my MacBook is lithium polymer and no such gauging issues.
Back when I used to bother with the expense of PBs/MBPs, the backlit keyboard did the same thing. Wouldn't come on, came on when it shouldn't. Sometimes. Sounds like the same thing, light-sensor calibration or software that triggers kb backlight, just hasn't changed. After the wowser effect of the backlit keyboard wore off, I found it useless or annoying or both, even in ultra-low-light conditions; I know my keyboard well enough and keys glowing sort of scrambled my focus from screen to keyboard when working in darkness. So I couldn't see the lighted key labels without staring down at them, anyway, so why bother? If you find the same, you can just turn off kb backlighting and it won't matter it sometimes gets confused. If you like the feature, for me with the Pro models, turning it off and back on in the control panel usually did the trick.
The battery charging issue could be this: Anything north of about 80% is usually trickle-charge. So say on my MB with with same battery tech, above about 80 - 85% charge, it's trickle-charging. This is not a Mac thing or an Apple thing, it's a rechargeable battery thing. The sensor on my MagSafe and charge-indicator in my menu bar both show green and full charge just a while after they show about 85%. No way. Trickle-charging takes much longer. It's "lying". Trickle-charging to full capacity *should* take hours on a battery of these capacities. Maybe the MB Air charge capacity sensors that report in software and on the MagSafe just don't "lie" very well.
Also, it'll charge faster, trickle or otherwise, shut down than in sleep. And who actually shuts down a Mac anymore, ever?
As an aside, this is a big reason a lot people think their iPhone or iPod batteries are wonk. Sometimes they last to rated spec, sometimes noticeably less, even though your use conditions and temp. -- say a single, small playlist on HDD-based iPod in a climate-controlled building -- haven't changed *at all*. But if you charge your iPod or iPhone, when it transitions from full charging power to trickle-charge, it will shortly thereafter show fully charged. It's not. It's still trickle-charging, so if you leave your iPod charging only till the indicator reports charged it will last noticeably less time than if you so happen to leave it charging overnight. Reason people don't see this with laptops so much, it's far, far rarer someone will plug up their laptop then yank it the minute the indicators shows full charge. It'll stay plugged in at least all day or overnight, maybe even days. So no one notices. But I've done it, flopped out somewhere on battery power, away from an outlet, plug in the MB until the MagSafe goes green, then yank it and start using it again. Lasts much less time in that case than using it on battery after it's been plugged in overnight or a couple days straight.
Upshot: The kb backlight think I'd call a "longstanding, known issue". The battery thing I'd call "normal for this battery tech", but the MB Air is just more "honest" about the actual state of charging.
Back when I used to bother with the expense of PBs/MBPs, the backlit keyboard did the same thing. Wouldn't come on, came on when it shouldn't. Sometimes. Sounds like the same thing, light-sensor calibration or software that triggers kb backlight, just hasn't changed. After the wowser effect of the backlit keyboard wore off, I found it useless or annoying or both, even in ultra-low-light conditions; I know my keyboard well enough and keys glowing sort of scrambled my focus from screen to keyboard when working in darkness. So I couldn't see the lighted key labels without staring down at them, anyway, so why bother? If you find the same, you can just turn off kb backlighting and it won't matter it sometimes gets confused. If you like the feature, for me with the Pro models, turning it off and back on in the control panel usually did the trick.
The battery charging issue could be this: Anything north of about 80% is usually trickle-charge. So say on my MB with with same battery tech, above about 80 - 85% charge, it's trickle-charging. This is not a Mac thing or an Apple thing, it's a rechargeable battery thing. The sensor on my MagSafe and charge-indicator in my menu bar both show green and full charge just a while after they show about 85%. No way. Trickle-charging takes much longer. It's "lying". Trickle-charging to full capacity *should* take hours on a battery of these capacities. Maybe the MB Air charge capacity sensors that report in software and on the MagSafe just don't "lie" very well.
Also, it'll charge faster, trickle or otherwise, shut down than in sleep. And who actually shuts down a Mac anymore, ever?
As an aside, this is a big reason a lot people think their iPhone or iPod batteries are wonk. Sometimes they last to rated spec, sometimes noticeably less, even though your use conditions and temp. -- say a single, small playlist on HDD-based iPod in a climate-controlled building -- haven't changed *at all*. But if you charge your iPod or iPhone, when it transitions from full charging power to trickle-charge, it will shortly thereafter show fully charged. It's not. It's still trickle-charging, so if you leave your iPod charging only till the indicator reports charged it will last noticeably less time than if you so happen to leave it charging overnight. Reason people don't see this with laptops so much, it's far, far rarer someone will plug up their laptop then yank it the minute the indicators shows full charge. It'll stay plugged in at least all day or overnight, maybe even days. So no one notices. But I've done it, flopped out somewhere on battery power, away from an outlet, plug in the MB until the MagSafe goes green, then yank it and start using it again. Lasts much less time in that case than using it on battery after it's been plugged in overnight or a couple days straight.
Upshot: The kb backlight think I'd call a "longstanding, known issue". The battery thing I'd call "normal for this battery tech", but the MB Air is just more "honest" about the actual state of charging.
Most Li+ batteries now days are of the polymer type, as opposed to older cells in which the electrolyte was a organic solvent. This has several benefits as well as limitations, for one, Li polymers have a greater life cycle degradation rate compared to there Li-organic based counterparts. However, this comes at the cost of longer charge times. Without knowing the exact type of Li poly used, I cannot draw anymore conclusions as type does matter. If anyone can get me the exact type, I can do some more research on this issue.
are you asking if it fits? or charge times?
i believe gizmodo or other reviews sites have tried it and it does fit but only if the air is on a ledge or sideways casue once you put it flat on the table the macbook charger disconnects
Yes, I understand that it needs to be on a ledge to stay plugged in. I'm just wondering if it will charge faster with a higher wattage power adapter.
If it charges faster with a MB charger I wouldn't use it. It may burn up the AIR's battery and cause severe damage.
P
Petrogk
Guest
I think that's an individual problem with your MBA, plenty of people have already enjoyed their backlit keyboard with no problems.
I just hope mine dosen't do anything crazy like that once I finally get it....
Right....I wasn't implying that they were all that way. Just something I noticed about mine. However, I bet mine is not the only one with this issue.
I have theory about the backlit keyboard... I've never experienced this problem first hand, so it's just a theory. But could it be that the light from the LCD is bright enough to trigger the light sensor to indicate that there is enough ambient light?
A way to test this would be to reproduce the problem, then dim the LCD to a lower level and see if the keyboard backlight kicks on.
A way to test this would be to reproduce the problem, then dim the LCD to a lower level and see if the keyboard backlight kicks on.
The solution was posted in another thread. You need to cover the sensor with your hand and adjust the brightness in the control panel. Another poster says that turning keyboard lighting on and off in the CP will also solve the problem. These solutions are being reported by MBP users who also suffer from the same problem.
Yes. It works but the computer must be elevated a bit because the plug isn't at an angle like the Air's.
The solution was posted in another thread. You need to cover the sensor with your hand and adjust the brightness in the control panel. Another poster says that turning keyboard lighting on and off in the CP will also solve the problem. These solutions are being reported by MBP users who also suffer from the same problem.
Yep. Goes back to the first PB G4s 17 and 15 with the backlit keyboards. Covering the sensors, which are left and right off the kb, in the speaker grilles on the PBs and MBPs, and then adjust brightness will do it, too. (Since the single speaker is under the kb on the MB Air, I don't know where they put in the light sensor(s).)
Waiting for a software fix, there likely is a way to fix it in software. But I wouldn't wait under water. Were I still using my PB G4, I would have been waiting since 2004 for that fix.
You'd be surprised how many people quickly tire of the backlit keyboard, after the honeymoon period. (When I switched from an MBP line to MB line, mainly on point of smaller, somewhat lighter, ditching the aluminum case I never liked, magnetic lid latch, keyboard itself, and of course cheaper, graphics weren't an issue, PC-Card slot wasn't an issue, FW800 not an issue, performance for my uses was comparable, the backlit keyboard came down to being the only real feature I'd really lose. I didn't even give it a second thought.) If you still like it after a bit, you may just have to live with regular "calibrations" of the sensors by the above reference methods.
You'll have to determine for yourself. But save sleep, we're creatures of light. In almost any kind of even obtuse, unusual work environment, there's usually enough direct or ambient light to type. I found on my PBs and MBPs, the ambient light from the LCD display, not as bright as the MB, the MBPs or the MB Air, was plenty for typing, especially if I was plugged into power and could crank it up all the way.