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Power Switch Glitch Hitch (11/15/00)
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Hey, remember the hubbub over how Apple chose to omit the power key from its new Pro Keyboard? How much do you want to bet that whoever made that decision is having second thoughts about that move? Because a keyboard-mounted power key would be awfully handy in the unlikely event that, say, the power buttons on a slew of Power Mac G4 systems started to fail... as, indeed, seems to be the case. The halls at One Infinite Loop are probably ringing with a chorus of Homer-like "D'oh!"s right about now.
As faithful viewer Ryan Kester pointed out, a ZDNet article covers the "Power-Switch Glitch" which threatens to be the latest in an increasingly long line of Apple quality "issues." Without reaching back too far, we'll briefly mention the last two well-known problems with the Cube: overly-visible mold lines and a faulty touch-sensitive switch that would start up and shut down the system at random times. Well, this time it's the full-size Power Mac's turn to suffer from power switch woes. Reportedly a "defective panel" behind the switch is "burning out" on some G4s in the field, in each case leaving behind 1) the "smell of burning circuitry, 2) a power switch that no longer works, and 3) one seriously peeved G4 owner. In some cases the failure is even accompanied by a puff of smoke, which is just about the last thing anyone wants to see coming out of his or her Mac. (We'd put it near the top of the list, just under "visible flames" and "that fog that turns people inside out.")
Apple states that the problem is "extremely isolated and extremely rare," but nonetheless has redesigned the failing panel-- though the replacement won't be available until next month at the earliest. In the meantime, irony of ironies: as a workaround, Apple's support staff recommends getting hold of an older, non-Pro USB keyboard that includes a power key. Hmmm... maybe a minor redesign of the Pro Keyboard as well wouldn't be a bad idea, while they're at it...
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SceneLink (2680)
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And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 11/15/00 episode: November 15, 2000: Apple denies that it runs a server called "littlebuddy.apple.com"-- so why is Mac OS 9 sending information to that supposedly nonexistent entity? Meanwhile, some Power Mac G4s are suffering from power switch burnout, and AtAT reveals the one thing that might finally prompt Apple to ship its long-rumored handheld unit...
Other scenes from that episode: 2679: "Skipper!" "Little Buddy!" (11/15/00) Rule number one of successful television production: give the rabble what it wants. We've received a staggering volume of mail from viewers demanding that the "Little Buddy" mystery be added to the AtAT script, many of whom have already concluded that our failure to pounce upon such suitable soap fodder so far is damning proof of our own involvement in the cover-up... 2681: The Apple PDA At Last (11/15/00) Heads up, everyone; it's been over two months since our last mention of the long-rumored and exquisitely vaporous Apple PDA, so we figure we're due for an update. When we saw an article at Go2Mac titled "Apple PDA Rumors Persist," our hearts soared with joy-- not because we still entertain any real hopes that Apple will ever make good on its promise to replace the ill-fated Newton with a Mac OS-based handheld (even we aren't that irrationally optimistic), but rather because we love a good rumor with legs...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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