Macbook: The ugly
I normally try not to whine too much around here, but hey, it's tech related. So, early this week my battery goes low. Huh? It's plugged in, oh, the LED is off but all else is fine. Hmm, let's have a closer look:
Looks like the insulation literally melted off, which seems like what many have described at Apple Defects. It's one thing that is reasonable to wear out after heavy use but the price tag of $100 for a power adapter (incl. $6 expedited shipping) and 7-10 10-15 days till it get's here is just mean. The money is really the main problem here, I have already spent close to 40% of the original purchase price of the Macbook just to keep it running. (Why again does Gravis have to ship in my entire laptop when the battery is shown to be the defect in-store when I have a plane to catch?)
Yeah, I know, these things break and I could easily have encountered the same problems with any other brand but I don't think my next computer will be from Apple. Since I'm only running Linux on my Macbook, OS X really is not a selling point for me and while I (like everybody else) adore their good design, it just isn't enough. I'm thinking my next one might be from Lenovo, hopefully they do get the rumored Linux product line out.
Getting back to the design principle though, after I had discovered this latest defect, the last thing I wanted to be was a walking billboard for this brand with their illumnated logo. Not really something you can just put a sticker on, it shines through. This made me realize how prominently all my electronic devices are branded. And I really don't care for it. I'd rather have devices that compete on functions and design rather than branding. Yeah, as if. Understandibly companies most of the time do not have an incentive to do so, on the contrary, it's a big part of forming a relationship with the customer and encourages repeat purchases (at least that's what they told me in 'Intro to Marketing').
The logal conclusion would be to somehow remove the logos from the devices or cover them up (or just not care). Laptops can be stickered, sure, but with cell phones and such it get's more difficult. One could try a Dremel and it might work on some but it might result in ugly stains on some plastics. One could go crazy all the way and be a bit more Tyler Durden or Neil Boorman but I think I'll just read some more Make Magazine.
