EFF Bad Patent-Busting Project Scores Another Re-Exam

Apple's New Laptops Not Intended For Use On Laps

from the hotter-hotter-fuego-fuego dept

Fri, May 19th 2006 1:38pm — Carlo Longino

There have been a lot of reports about how hot the bottoms of Apple's new MacBook Pro laptops get, but apparently the high temperature isn't the problem -- rather that the laptops aren't actually supposed to be used on your lap. The computer's manual warns that "prolonged contact with your body could cause discomfort and potentially a burn", saying the machines should instead be used on a desk or flat surface. A computer to be used on a desk -- wouldn't that make it, um, a desktop?

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29 Comments

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drkkgt, 19 May 2006 @ 1:51pm

No Silly, a desktop is a computer you put in those cabinets on the side of the cheap desks or on the floor.
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- mekdim, 25 Sep 2008 @ 2:10pm
  
  Re:
  I recently bought my Macbook and stupid me, it never cross my mind it has a health impact or side effect. most of the time I was working on the laptops by putting it on my laps. Now I realized the I'm having a pain on my bladder and kidney side. I kinda freaked out it might be the laptops because i 'm a very health young man with no medical problem history. Guys, besides burning skin it may affect internal organs too.
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Aaron, 19 May 2006 @ 1:58pm

This came up a few months ago
I remember reading somewhere that Apple tech support was aware of the problem, but the computers were specifically being marketed as "notebooks" rather than "laptops" for a reason.
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- robert, 19 May 2006 @ 4:01pm
  
  Re: This came up a few months ago
  When computer companies started coming out with portable machines there was a differentiation between “notebooks” and “laptops”. The difference was one had a battery and one required a cord respectively. As the years flip, notebooks have kept more portable then their beefy sibling the notebook at the cost of functionality. Each has their place in the computing commuting world. It’s all about what you need.
  
  I agree I haven’t used either that has not been uncomfortable warm on the lap after more than 30 minutes.
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Colin LeMahieu, 19 May 2006 @ 2:04pm

Ok...
Call it whatever you want; laptops get hot and unless you want your sperm count to drop, you should probably put them on a desk to use them.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 May 2006 @ 2:23pm

Good lap protector
I highly recommend one of these for you toasty laptop users:

http://www.raindesigninc.com/ilap.html
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csaturn, 19 May 2006 @ 2:28pm

I have seen the same warning in many manuals including my Thinkpad's. It's there for legal reasons.

The question though is: How hot is it? Like summer in Norway or Greece?
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- Joshua Martin, 2 Dec 2008 @ 12:49pm
  
  I love it.
  On a cold winter night, you cant beat sat in bed with one of these babies on your lap. And turning up the heat is a easy as turning on a load of useless, CPU draining app's. Its awesome. Plus, in college, I find that a fun game to play with your mates/ colleagues is to see how long you can keep your finger on the strip of metal above the keyboard when its at its hottest.
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Hannibal Lecter, 19 May 2006 @ 2:36pm

is it going to ruin my flesh-covered desktop?
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- Don Gray, 19 May 2006 @ 3:24pm
  
  Re:
  that the funniest damn comment I have seen in a long time!
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- Jeff, 19 May 2006 @ 11:43pm
  
  Re:
  I agree with Don. We need more guys like Hannibal Lecter in the world! :-)
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Anonymous Hero, 19 May 2006 @ 2:39pm

It's just a legal thing, I bet it's in every single manual, that way they wont get sued. Thats the good old USA for you.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 May 2006 @ 3:16pm

That's why...
I bought a fan cooler to place under my notebook. The first time I used my computer on my lap was the last time. I take it as a fact of life, computers will be hot! Then again, I didn't buy a Macbook Pro, or even a Core Duo Machine.
In fact I bought a Toshiba A105 with a 2Ghz Pentium. Better bang for my buck when I bought it on clearance, and it doesn't have that pesky USB power draw issue that the Windows Core Duo machines have.
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computer girl, 19 May 2006 @ 3:52pm

hmm
who cares.
its not surprising.
apple sucks!!
duh
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- Inso, 21 May 2006 @ 5:49am
  
  Re: hmm
  typical windows user....
  
  I personally use windows and mac os x (tiger)......windows for gamming only....mac for my djing....
  
  my mac os x has never crashed on me, period....my windows xp pc crashes every now and then...
  
  for a long time i have always thought apple products suck, why you ask? Because it's proprietary, and way over price...
  
  Well, after using the same programs on both windows and mac os x (tiger)....my conclusion is apple is better for what i do...
  
  windows is good for my gaming, and mac is good for my djing...
  
  remember mac is designed for artistic reasons example: graphic designing, music, photography
  
  my father in-law uses apple because apple products are best for photography..he teaches photography at a community collage.....he uses 35mm and digital
  
  so don't sit there hiding yourself behind a keyboard and mouse stating apple sucks and not explain yourself why it sucks....
  
  besides, your comment had nothing to do about the topic in the first place....
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- unknown, 3 Dec 2008 @ 6:22pm
  
  Re: hmm
  What do you have against apple
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Andrew Baker, 19 May 2006 @ 4:07pm

Averatec
I bought a Averatec 10" screen apple wanna be. (white case and all that)

in the firmware it states the normal operating Temp to be 165 degrees F. and the "critical" shutdown temp to be 209 degrees F. Thats hotter then I want near my boys. I dont think it ever gets that hot, but shesh.
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Ross, 19 May 2006 @ 4:09pm

Laptop
More like a Notebook? All I need is something luggable.... Most "desk tops" are Under desk anyway
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Some like it Hot, 19 May 2006 @ 4:10pm

Buy a Chillpad. It's a handy little device that cools the bottom of your laptop with fans.
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Planet Smasher, 19 May 2006 @ 4:17pm

Apple only has itself to blame
Apple could probably avoided the Lap Hot - er... I meant Lap Top too hot issue if they had gone with these guys instead of Intel..... 7 Watts (cool) compaired to 21 Watts (hot, hot, hot!)....

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/05/19/pasemi_apple/
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Jack, 19 May 2006 @ 7:18pm

pfffftt...who cares
every laptop i have evr used gets quite hot on ur lap. it would have to be a pretty shitty computer not to get hot, or it would have to be massive and have lots of fans and heatsinks

its not as if its touching ur bare skin anyways, unless ur wearing really short shorts or ur naked or something.

all the thnkpads i use get hot, apples gets hot, and theyre the only laptops i would use, so its sorta a fact of life for me
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Damon Alexander, 20 May 2006 @ 12:40am

Dells have been this way for years
I used to work in Dell's Major Accout Laptop support and we have been telling our customers to put there laptops on flat surfaces for years. It has been this way for awhile. I have an old CP laptop and it gets really hot. This is old news guys.
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China Law Blog, 20 May 2006 @ 7:58am

Cop out
This is a cop out by Apple. Everyone I know (myself included) puts their notebook on their laps at times.
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SOAP, 20 May 2006 @ 8:54am

not all laptops are hot
I have 2 laptops from dell, 1 pentium m and 1 core solo. Both run for several hours (upwards of 4) on my lap and never get more that mildly warm. So, while this may not be an Apple specific problem it doesnt mean that it hasnt been solved by other manufacturers
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markb in nj, 20 May 2006 @ 4:54pm

laptops and other consequences.
Hey. other things can happen on your lap.

I personally was irradiated from a low sperm count to a ZERO sperm count by sitting in front of a UPS system for 18 months.

I now do use my laptop (IN bed!) and it only gets warm.
but I know I shoot blanks now, and dont care about irradiated testicles
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Rey M, 20 May 2006 @ 8:09pm

well you can always use Laptop Desk: http://www.laptopdesk.net/
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Jennifer, 21 May 2006 @ 3:27pm

Not all that novel
Heat problems have always been an issue with laptops. Why does this seem surprising?
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jp, 29 Jun 2006 @ 6:25pm

permenant effects?
I realize that the heat from a laptop can cause a decrease in sperm count, but is this effect permenant? If one were to quit using the laptop on his lap, would it fix itself in time? Also are there any other side effects of such a use?
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Softmod Wii, 29 Nov 2010 @ 7:30am

More like a Notebook? All I need is something luggable.... Most "desk tops" are Under desk anyway
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