[OniDavin]

Recently (for the past few months now) My AlBook has been losing paint to the left of the trackpad, where my left hand rests. It looks as though it is simply dirt, but on closer inspection paint is actually missing. I'm not sure what's causing this, as the right side is pristine - the shape seems to match the bottom of my hand. It doesn't cause any problems, but it does look unsightly. Anyone else having this problem? Anyone know of a paint color that matches this paint?

[Halfloaf]

Well, I don't think the Albooks are painted, though they do suffer from a form of "rust". What you're probably seeing are slight indentations like craters, quite a few of them. This happens when the sweat from your palm/hand corrodes the aluminium surface.

There is very little you can do about this except to keep your hands dry and clean. Have you tried contacting Apple?

-HL

[nate_02]

It you want to try touch up paint, this stuff is made for the Al PowerBooks:

http://www.buyconceal.com/

[X-Ray]

Actually there is something that you can do about it before the corrosion happens. I just went up to Staples and bought some small screen protectors (ie some intended for palm, etc.) and placed one on each side of the trackpad. When they get mungy just peel them off and put new ones on.

[Halfloaf]

One has to question Apples choice of materials...Once again. First the "Titanium" Powerbook with its painted magnesium surface, then the aluminium powerbook that suffers from corrosion...And the new iBook that suffer from hairline cracks in the 'plastic' shell.

Then ofcourse there was the little crack at the trackpad on the pismo.

How much design research goes into these products?

I have a Tibook and I REALLY look after my pbook. I clean it once every 2 weeks and wash my hands before I sit down to work (or play). I can quite honestly say my Tibook looks EXACTLY like the day I bought it just over a year ago. To be honest though, I only use it in and around the house, and I don't take it anywhere with me. I just like being able to sit in bed and use it.

Enough of a rant!

-HL

[kafoochy]

Originally posted by Halfloaf:
One has to question Apples choice of materials...Once again. First the "Titanium" Powerbook with its painted magnesium surface, then the aluminium powerbook that suffers from corrosion...And the new iBook that suffer from hairline cracks in the 'plastic' shell.

Then ofcourse there was the little crack at the trackpad on the pismo.

How much design research goes into these products?

I have a Tibook and I REALLY look after my pbook. I clean it once every 2 weeks and wash my hands before I sit down to work (or play). I can quite honestly say my Tibook looks EXACTLY like the day I bought it just over a year ago. To be honest though, I only use it in and around the house, and I don't take it anywhere with me. I just like being able to sit in bed and use it.

Enough of a rant!

-HL

Ah...The price to pay for having a product that looks like nothing else. Apple could make everything out of black plastic, but that wouldn't do. The pismo wasn't a bad machine (and our half a decade old model has been dropped and doesn't have any cracks that you mention) but it wasn't very stiff and could be made smaller. There's a great deal of design that goes into Apple products, but it is hard to test what the durability of a product will be years down the line.

[ibook_steve]

Originally posted by Halfloaf:
One has to question Apples choice of materials...Once again. First the "Titanium" Powerbook with its painted magnesium surface, then the aluminium powerbook that suffers from corrosion...And the new iBook that suffer from hairline cracks in the 'plastic' shell.

Then ofcourse there was the little crack at the trackpad on the pismo.

How much design research goes into these products?

I have a Tibook and I REALLY look after my pbook. I clean it once every 2 weeks and wash my hands before I sit down to work (or play). I can quite honestly say my Tibook looks EXACTLY like the day I bought it just over a year ago. To be honest though, I only use it in and around the house, and I don't take it anywhere with me. I just like being able to sit in bed and use it.

Enough of a rant!

-HL

OK, smarty, so what type of material would you use that wouldn't have issues? Are you an industrial design, mechanical, or materials science engineer who might know of a material that could better dissipate heat, yet still look good and make for easy molding, shaping, and assembly? I'm pretty sure Apple does *tons* of "design research" before they release a product, much more than anybody else. Congratulations on your perfect Powerbook that really doesn't need to be portable because you don't take it anywhere. Enjoy it. I can't wait to hear when the first fleck of paint comes off.

Steve

[Halfloaf]

I would have made it out of a better grade aluminium...Aircraft grade?, yeah...hmm, sales pitch if you ask me....

As for my Powerbook...Thank You! Ever try lugging a monitor and G5 around the house...No...Thought not...And if the paint comes off, doubt it...Then there is always insurance.

I'm not here to fight mate...If you wanna hurl abuse and be insulting then take it elsewhere.

I'm sorry for those who have had a bad experience with their Alubooks, because sometimes nothing you do can stop the corrosion. It sometimes happens as a result of the humidity in the air.

Maybe cleaning the casing every week with iClear will help get rid of any sweat?

-HL

[kafoochy]

Originally posted by Halfloaf:
I would have made it out of a better grade aluminium...Aircraft grade?, yeah...hmm, sales pitch if you ask me....

Well the Titanium PB was advertised as being 99.9% Commercially pure CP1 Titanium, but it was actually not a very high quality titanium. Powerbooks don't really need aircraft grade anything. Airplanes have problems too, and sometimes there is just nothing that can be done just as you said:

Originally posted by Halfloaf:
I'm sorry for those who have had a bad experience with their Alubooks, because sometimes nothing you do can stop the corrosion. It sometimes happens as a result of the humidity in the air.
-HL