News Bits: Apple Admits MacBook Battery Problems, Phillips Longneck Laptop, Recycling Battery Video

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Apple admits to battery problem on MacBook notebooks, issues software update

Apple today issued a statement saying there are some known problems with MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks in which the battery might have poor performance, but there are no safety concerns. These performance problems include:

• Battery is not recognized causing an &quot;X&quot; to appear in the battery icon in the Finder menu bar
• Battery will not charge when computer is plugged into AC power.
• Battery exhibits low charge capacity/runtime when using a fully charged battery with a battery cycle count (as shown in System Profiler) of less than 300.
• Battery pack is visibly deformed.

Apple has a support site up and if your battery experiences any of these symptoms you should download the software to try and correct the problem. If the issues with the battery persist, Apple has a replacement program in place. Information on their site will guide you through this.

The Apple MacBook 13.3&quot; widescreen notebook (view large image)

 

Phillips introduces X200 &quot;Longneck&quot; laptop

Image courtesy TrustedReviews

We have seen similar laptops before, but Phillips has now launched its own version. The X200 &quot;Longneck&quot; has a 12-inch expandable widescreen display and is available as we speak. The X200 has the following specifications:

• Intel Core Duo U2500 (1.2GHz) Ultra Low Voltage processor
• Intel GMA950 integrated graphics
• 1GB DDR2 RAM
• 100GB hard drive
• DVD DL burner
• 1.3 megapixel integrated webcam
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• 12.1-inch expandable widescreen display

The X200 retails for a reasonable £849.99 (about US$1,699).

Read More (TrustedReviews.com)

 

OLPC project attracting US schools

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative has caught the eye of a new potential market: U.S. schools. The OLPC project said on April 26 that it may sell versions of its XO laptop to the United States. Previously, the project only aimed to ship to the world's poorest nations.

Currently, the XO laptops run for $176 per unit. They would be sold at a higher price to U.S. schools according to Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the OLPC project. Some U.S. schools could receive laptops by the end of the year; 19 governors have already shown interest.

Read More (Reuters.com)

 

Quants sets Q2 notebook shipment goal at 7 million units

Quanta Computer expects to ship seven million notebooks in Q2 this year, a 10 percent sequential increase. The company is confident that they can reach their 25 million shipment goal for 2007 according to company president Michael Wang.

Non-notebook products, such as servers and auto electronic parts, will account for 25 percent of Quanta's total revenues in 2007. Wang claims that Quanta will be ranked as the largest ODM notebook maker in 2007 and 2008.

Read More (DigiTimes.com)

 

How to recycle batteries

Don't throw those old notebook batteries in the trash - rechargable batteries need to be recycled. See this &quot;Battery Recycling Crash Course&quot; video on YouTube to learn how.

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What's the purpose/advantage of a "long neck" notebook I wonder? I don't see any, and it looks kinda stupid too, IMO.

 

I guess if you are in a plane, and the person in front of you wants to recline, you could push it forward... That is literally the ONLY situation where it would actually be good, that i can come up with. On the con side, you now have 3 pivoting points/hinges that can wear out, and a weaker connection between the screen and the keyboard.

I sure wouldn't pay a premium for this.

 

Is it really fair for our children in the US to be charged more? I'm really tired of people expecting us to subsidize developing countries through hidden costs like this. As if we don't already spend the bulk of research and development costs for technologies that they get for free or cheap. For example, in a lot of developing countries they are skipping directly to cell phones and not even installing landlines - because companies and citizens in the US spent the $$$ to develop the technology to where it would be available for them.

 

Good to c there r places where we can recycle our "dead" batteries instead of ending up in bin or ocean

 

It raises the screen to eye level so it's more comfortable to work with. I agree it does look odd.

 

Yes. Thanks to Chaz for sharing that video and helping to support good environmental practises.

 

I wonder how a software update fixes battery deformity...

 

hahahahaha. it certainly doesn't.

 

A cautionary word to anyone who thinks that Philips (note, only one 'l' in the name) is making notebook computers. These "Philips" branded notebooks are being sold only by one UK company, the DSG group (PC World, Currys, Dixons). There have been a number of Philips notebooks come and go during the past 6 months or so. Someone had identified a previous model as being the same as Averatec (Twinhead?). I wait to see whether Trusted Reviews give that model a proper review.

I also can't see the need of the funny hinge (an obvious cause for concern about long-term durability) because I like my displays to be low down. Yes, all the ergonomics diagrams show the need to sit upright and look horizontally at the display, but who reads a book like that?

John

 

I kind of like the longneck laptop idea. I'd like to see one in person. I like the flexibility of screen placement.

I completely agree. I don't think it's fair to charge us more especially with all the money this country donates out of pocket to others and all the money our government sends over to other countries.