When we recently brought up the disturbing trend of PowerBook G3's arriving at dealers and customer homes just rattling around loose inside their big cardboard boxes, we drew a comparison to the inexplicable phenomenon of giant stocking ladders sitting in the middle of the Apple sections in CompUSA stores all across the country, blocking access to the display computers and/or software. Occurrences of both scenarios were widespread, as determined by dozens upon dozens of "regular joe" field reports, yet there was no official acknowledgement from any concerned party that the bizarreness was even happening, let alone any assurance that the problem would be fixed.

However, we're pleased to note that at least the PowerBook packaging mystery has been remedied. According to an article last week in Computer Retail Week, Apple has acknowledged the problem with the "two foam end blocks" packaging design, and has now changed to a new polystyrene case that sounds more like what Apple used in the past when shipping PowerBooks; you pull the top half off, and there's your new laptop, nestled happily in the center. That's a much less gut-wrenching experience than the previous packaging provided, which involved opening the cardboard box, noting the loose foam blocks with an air of questioning tentativeness, and finally letting out a horrified shriek upon realizing that the PowerBook is protected only by the plastic bag in which it's been wrapped.

It's a testament to the durability of the new PowerBooks that "very few" of the "freeboxed" laptops were returned to Apple because of damage. The very fact that most PowerBooks can survive a cross-country trip while rattling around inside a cardboard box is pretty damn impressive, if you ask us. Still, when it comes to laptop computers, mileage counts for a lot; if a freeboxed PowerBook is going to need repair after one year's worth of heavy travel instead of three years for a well-packaged one, we're glad to see that Apple has fixed the problem. But we still haven't heard from anyone why Apple changed the original PowerBook packaging, which consisted of a cool alienesque inflated plastic tube thing that wrapped all around the laptop and cushioned it on all sides. The CRW article only mentions that that packaging was changed "after a short time," without explaining why. The few PowerBooks we saw protected by the inflated thingy arrived perfectly cushioned and ready to rock. Oh well; presumably Apple had its reasons. Now perhaps someone can shed some light on what the deal is with the CompUSA ladders?