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Posted by normanvalentine 1 day ago

Filing the corners off my MacBooks(kentwalters.com)
1305 points | 612 commentspage 6
barrkel 1 day ago|
I've done this to my MacBook around the sharp and unpleasant corners near the touchpad. I had the laptop a few weeks before I couldn't take how unpleasant it was to touch any more.
tlb 1 day ago||
Cool, but why is the most rounded-off part in the center? My wrists cover the edge at 5-25% and 75-95% when typing. When mousing, my right hand fleshy pad covers the edge at 65-80%.
sillysaurusx 1 day ago|
I think because they had to. The rounded-off center part is actually the part you usually stick your finger into to lift up the lid. So it wasn't done for wrist ergonomics, but rather because it would've otherwise been sharp. The result is a big hole in the center.

It looks a bit strange, but to each their own, I suppose.

EDIT: this thing, below the trackpad https://imgur.com/a/DVzlDOj (What’s that even called? And is there a better image hosting service than Imgur?)

lokimedes 19 hours ago||
To my great dismay, I discovered the physical incompatibility of two Apple products recently: The sharp edge of my MBP and my Apple Watch’s magnetic strap. It seems that the magnets are an effective abrasive, resulting in a ruined strap and a rounded edge.

Thank you Apple, you have taken designed obsolescence to a new level.

abujazar 1 day ago||
Yea, that's ugly. I'm sure it could've been done more gracefully with 15 minutes more effort. But judging from the general wear and tear on this poor Mac I guess they don't even consider the resale value.
kibwen 1 day ago||
I can't even imagine prioritizing resale value here over one's own comfort. The purpose of a tool is to be used, not to serve as an asset class.
abujazar 1 day ago||
Sure, but comfort != abuse :D Apart from the filing, I can't think of ways to make such a recent Mac look like this. Did it suffer a plane crash? Acid attack? Thermite fire?

I appreciate the customization, but would probably make an effort to make it not look like (another) accident.

bee_rider 1 day ago|||
I think he is not worried about the resale value.

> This was on my work computer. I expect to similarly modify future work computers, and I would be happy to help you modify yours if you need a little encouragement.

I don’t understand the actual decision but I appreciate the gusto with which it was made.

hk1337 1 day ago||
The main reason to consider resale value is 1-2 years later you may want to upgrade and selling it to another person typically yields you more money than trading it in with Apple. Doing something like this may decrease how much you could sell it for later.

If you’re not planning on doing that then it’s not really a factor for you.

dazilcher 1 day ago||
> work computer
windowsrookie 1 day ago||
Seriously, I have several mac laptops dating back to 2004 and they all have less wear than that.
estetlinus 22 hours ago||
Mac users since 2010. Never noticed the sharp edges. I am just keen on not having that little red ball in the middle of the keyboard á la Elitebook.
RadiozRadioz 21 hours ago|
Give the TrackPoint a go. If you configure the sensitivity and acceleration properly, it can be an extremely productive way to move the mouse.
dryadin 17 hours ago||
Nice initiative but I would personally prefer adding some kind of padding, which is an easier solution to the problem, not as drastic, reversible, and less controversial. Unless doing something controversial is one of the goals here, which is also fair.
thenthenthen 15 hours ago|
How are you gonna close the lid when there is padding in the way?
dryadin 14 hours ago||
Thin padding? Removable padding? Squishable padding? (Is that a word?) I assume that filing the edge leaves an ugly gap when closing the lid, so that is not ideal either.
jxramos 19 hours ago||
It’s not only more comfortable to file off those sharp edges but also makes the laptop less dangerous to carry around. Those sharp edges not only cause discomfort but can chip paint, damage furniture, and inflict damage in general. If you had to you could use it as a weapon I suppose.
DannyBee 20 hours ago||
Probably don't do this if you have a magnesium-aluminum alloy laptop.

Depending on exactly how much magnesium is in the alloy, metal shavings can be highly flammable and otherwise hazardous.

I think it's fine to mess with stuff like this, just make sure you know what you can do safely to the materials.

ardline 20 hours ago||
This reminds me of a problem we hit at work. Ended up going a different direction but same root issue.
jwlake 10 hours ago|
my m1 max macbook pro 14 has small little divots out of the edge on the right side (not on the left) presuambly because of where my wrist sits when using the track pad. It would be nice it there was some radius on it to not cause that.
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