The MacBook Pro’s future’s so bright, we’re gonna have to wear shades
Posted by Igor
Fresh on the heels of the recent news that Apple’s iPod is likely causing hearing loss in millions of music fans across the globe, comes reports of yet another threat to our 5 senses by Apple, this time, “sight�.
Apple’s website claims the new MacBook pro’s display is 67% brighter than the last generation of PowerBooks. This is of course great news. However, if one looks at the specs for the previous generation of PowerBooks, we see those were 46% brighter than the generation before those. If one extrapolates this data, we find that users of portable Macs will go blind mid-way through 2007, and die in 2008 due to severe retinal damage (see graph).
Dr. Elijah Coren of the National Eye Institute explains “ In cases of solar retinopathy, the retina can become damaged by heat caused by solar radiation passing through the lens of the eye, similar to using a magnifying glass to light a fire. As computer displays become brighter and brighter, the risk of ‘Apple retinopathy‘ becomes quite real.â€?
Jeff Kirsch, a recent attendee of the MacWorld conference in San Francisco this week, reported a “slight headache� after testing out the MacBook pro at Apple’s booth. “At first I thought it was due to the Avian Bird Flu, which I have, “ he said. “Now I’m not so sure…�
I’ll risk the eye damage.
I have a 3 year old PowerBook, and that screen is DIM.
Looking forward to the MacBook.
I have a Pismo. I only use it at full brightness when I’m doing graphics work or working in bright, directly light or sunlight. At all other times, it’s at a very dim setting. Brightness is a bad thing, especially in low-light situations.
I always use my PowerBook at around 50% brightness, there’s just no need for the 100% brightness because it’s a killer.
Can’t wait till we get a huge selection of designer anti-radiation suits to protect us from the overly bright screens of our 2012 macbook pros
The Macbook pros dim the screen automatically when it senses that there is low light so the light WON’T damage your eyes.