All hail the mighty MagSafe connector - Macenstein

All hail the mighty MagSafe connector

My MacBook is my first laptop in over 10 years, and while I have vicariously kept up-to-date on Apple’s portable offerings through the years via friend’s portables, somehow the awesomeness of the MagSafe power connector didn’t really register with me. However, after owning the MacBook these last 3months (and having accidentally pulled the power cord out about 40 times) I just thought I had to take a moment to give a shout out, mad props, and a shiznit or two to whoever at Apple thought to make this a priority.

While purposely putting a magnet near a computer might sound like a bad idea, I think it has saved me $1400 so far. Perhaps it’s because I have kids, perhaps it’s because I am a messy slob, or perhaps I’m just a spaz, but somehow my power cord gets pulled out seemingly on a daily basis. In fact, just 10 minutes ago the blanket I was using fell off the couch and pulled the cord out of the MacBook’s MagSafe power plug, inspiring me to write this article. I have no doubt my MacBook would have been pulled to the floor at least 5-10 times in the last 3 months if it hadn’t been for the MagSafe’s chameleon-like ability to permit my MacBook to shed its “tail” at the first sign of danger. I know my friend’s banged-up PowerBook has had its bent power plug replaced twice, and he could use a third.

I suppose as time goes on and I become more used to laptop life, these accidental power cord pulls will become less frequent. But I must say, despite loving almost everything about my MacBook, the MagSafe is likely the unsung hero most responsible for my positive experience with my new laptop. After all, how much can you enjoy a laptop that was smashed on the floor 4 days after buying it?

Comments
8 Responses to “All hail the mighty MagSafe connector”
  1. Thomas W says:

    Couldn’t agree more, I never noticed how many things are out to get my Macbook!

    And yes, props to whoever pushed for these.

  2. Matthew says:

    My step-mom runs the curriculum for her entire school district, and one day my dad tripped over her power cord and broke her screen… The bad part was the iBook was less than a week old…

    Matthew

  3. Oli says:

    I definately agree with you 110%. I first got to work with Macs at a scientific institute. On my 2nd day or so, my chef pulled a MBP from under his desk and told me, that this would be my machine for the next few weeks to work on; my first thought when seeing the package was “Oh f*ck, that baby had to be quite expensive!”. When looking closer I noticed the little magnetic hooks that fold out when the lid is about to close and i was just blown away. Then I found out, that the keyboard is backlit and that the trackpad is multi-touch, my excitement could’t grow much further, but then, the MacSafe power adapter revealed itself to me and then I thought “man, you need that laptop.”
    I can’t recount how often I just walked away with the machine to show something to a collegue, totaly forgetting, that the power cord was still plugged in, but hey, i didn’t care, because it just fell off.

    What else to say? I bought myself a MBP 2 weeks after my work there 😉 and now I am a very happy Leopard using Mac-user.

  4. Robert says:

    My first iBook G3 suffered a drop on the SECOND day after I bought it. I accidentally dropped the iBook after trying to jump over the power cord and miscalculated my trailing foot, knocking the iBook off my desk. Luckily, the only thing that broke was the ethernet port (ethernet cord will “clip” in).

  5. Evan says:

    The key is when your not tripping over your power cord, etc. to disconnect the power cord right at the connector rather than pulling on the cord (it’s so easy and you barely notice, but DONT!!). My cord started fraying after about a year and had to replaced (smoking power cords are generally a bad thing). Kudo’s to Apple for saving your laptop from the inevitable bumps and falls that occur from getting dragged around by the power cord but I wish they’d strengthen the cord itself further but again you should have no problem if you treat it right.

  6. JohnN says:

    My 1 yr. old Mac Book Pro is my first laptop computer and I too never realized how clumsy I (and my 3 dogs) can be. The power cord system on this computer is a work of genius and I hope it spreads to the desktop models as well.

  7. Ross Graham says:

    I don’t have a MacBook that features one of these yet, but the deep fry cooker I picked up over the weekend for $40 had one. And I gotta say, that’s a great place for a magsafe connector too.

    If the kid/dog/me accidentally pulls the power cord on the cooker filled with boiling oil, all that’s going to happen is that the cord unplugs from the magnetic connector on the back of the cooker. Pure genius application.

    Here cost of repairs or damage to the equipment wasn’t the driving factor, but rather the medical problems from getting boiling oil dumped on you.

  8. G0nz0 says:

    Also, props to the MB Pro metal casing!

    When partial tragedy DOES strike, and the ‘Book takes a tumble, you get nice, venerable dents on corners instead of shattered plastic.

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