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the problem with airplanes and the MBP

I'd be interested in whether people think this problem is specific to my machine, or general.

I do too much travel on planes. I therefore couldn't begin to use my MPB until I could buy 3 batteries (about a month after I got the machine), and I also had to buy an inverter, since I couldn't find any iGo like tip to connect to the new magnet connection.

The first inverter I got was a Targus. It promised 90w - above the reported 85w drawn by the machine. Four flights, never would it work. Everytime, it would trip because too much power was demanded. I then bought a "CyberPower" inverter, promising 120w. That worked for a good 3 hours on an internatinoal flight, but then it began flaking as well. I then discovered that if I had a fully charged battery (so it wasn't trying to charge), it worked fine. So the obvious "solution" is either to have a fully charged battery, or to remove the battery -- though that's obviously a bit dangerous, since the cord disconnects from the laptop so easily.

This is a big problem with the machine. Is it just mine, or is it general? And is there any useful way to control how much power the unit draws? Notice, the processor speed control has been removed from the Energy Saver panel.

MBP Mac OS X (10.4.5)

PB G4, Mac OS X (10.3.6)

Posted on Mar 29, 2006 3:55 PM

82 replies

Network 23

Level 6

12,333 points

May 20, 2006 8:06 PM in response to Kale Browne

There used to be two ways to get full-time use of a Mac on a long flight. With the PowerBook G3, you put batteries in both bays and you could work for up to 8-10 hours, or you could use an airline adapter.

With the PowerBook G4, you could no longer keep a second battery within the computer.

With the MacBook Pro, you can no longer use an airline adapter.

This is progress?

J Michael

Level 3

660 points

May 21, 2006 9:09 AM in response to Network 23

Relax. You can bring an extra battery and just swap them. That helpe provide the smallest form factor of any 1440 or 1680 resolution computer (15.4 and 17"). Anyhow, the 17" goes for a solid 4 hours. If you have to work more than that on our flight, I might suggest delaying your business trip by a day 🙂

May 21, 2006 9:30 AM in response to Lawrence Lessig

I still want to use my iGo power supply with a new 17" MBP. As a photographer, the iGo has worked for me around the world - and in some almost impossible shooting locations. Boosting 12VDC to 110 VAC with an inverter - and then back to low voltage DC with the Mac power brick will NOT work for me - especially when I'm runing the Mac on a jeep battery - a few hundered miles from a AAA tow service. Why turn my limited car battery power into heat for the environment?

If you want to get iGO to find a way to use a MagSafe connector, do what I did:

Send an email to sales@igo.com and tell them that we need it NOW.

And - send the same message to Steve at sjobs@mac.com

Maybe we can let them know that there is a real problem here.

Dual 2.7 G5, intel iMac, 3 G4 Macs, 2 iPods Mac OS X (10.4.6)

juleyah

Level 1

0 points

May 21, 2006 9:49 AM in response to Richard Sjolund

Thanks - I've been wanting to email them for a while, but didn't know where to send my message.

Have emailed both now.

Network 23

Level 6

12,333 points

May 21, 2006 12:34 PM in response to J Michael

Relax. You can bring an extra battery and just swap
them. That helpe provide the smallest form factor of
any 1440 or 1680 resolution computer (15.4 and 17").
Anyhow, the 17" goes for a solid 4 hours. If you
have to work more than that on our flight, I might
suggest delaying your business trip by a day 🙂

Well, a portable is good for more than working! With all my photos, music, and downloaded video podcasts onboard, a portable often beats in-flight entertainment, and on a better screen too. My universal adapter cost me less than an extra battery, saved me the expense of an extra battery (Apple batteries are not cheap) and yet it could do so much more, like power my portable in my vehicle, and power my other laptop with its alternative tip.

The other problem with not having airline power access is that if you drain your battery on flight A, and you can't get a free outlet in the airport (yes, this is a growing problem), then you're screwed on flight B. Plus, even if you do find an outlet in the airport, you probably won't have enough time to get charged enough to last for much of flight B.

Yes, it is a possibility that we could just "relax and take what you're gonna get" but people usually find that attitude to be offensive. The bigger question is why we need to put up with getting less in this area with each generation.

smokeonit

Level 2

220 points

May 21, 2006 2:18 PM in response to Lawrence Lessig

i think the blame is on the airlines that cap the power outlets @ 75w... a lightbulb draws more power then that...

the airlines need to address this problem ASAP and need to put new limits which should be more like 150watts per seat, not 75w...

apple would do good in talking to dell and the other big notebook companies and talk to the airlines that this is a huge prblem for travellers...

i had just turned on my mbp, purchased full flight wifi from north america to europe, and then discovered that i will not be able to charge my mbp because of the 75w limit... everybody can imagine how i felt after discovering that i won't be able to work, watch my TV series or whatever on that 11h flight....

J Michael

Level 3

660 points

May 21, 2006 3:31 PM in response to Network 23

Sounds like you need an entertanment PC. You can can extra battery bays on lots of the larger PC notebooks, if that's what you want. Another option is the 12" PowerBook, which gets about six hours.

There is such a plethora of choices out there, it all depends on what you want. However, one computer can't be everything for everyone. The MacBook Pro is clearly not for you, if you can't be bothered to switch spare batteries.

May 21, 2006 4:20 PM in response to smokeonit

Wow. $19.95 right down the tubes. Or, I guess, 7/11 of $19.95. You must have been humiliated.

J Michael

Level 3

660 points

May 21, 2006 5:28 PM in response to smokeonit

Of course you can work on a long flight. You shelled out $3,000 for a computer; the extra batteries are only $100 each.

Network 23

Level 6

12,333 points

May 22, 2006 2:40 AM in response to J Michael

Sounds like you need an entertanment PC. You can can
extra battery bays on lots of the larger PC
notebooks, if that's what you want. Another option
is the 12" PowerBook, which gets about six hours.

There is such a plethora of choices out there, it all
depends on what you want. However, one computer
can't be everything for everyone. The MacBook Pro is
clearly not for you, if you can't be bothered to
switch spare batteries.

You're right, the MacBook Pro in its current form is not for me. The point is that Apple used to provide a choice at my form factor and level of power and display quality. They have pulled back from that, so now I'm getting suggestions to use inappropriate types of computers that I never had to consider before, when Apple provided portables that certainly did what you are trying to justify as now impossible.

As for suggesting an "entertainment" computer, I use it to run my creative business, and since Apple doesn't skimp on the multimedia and bases much of its business plan around that, its usefulness in this area can't be ignored.

J Michael

Level 3

660 points

May 22, 2006 7:33 AM in response to Network 23

As I said, a couple of extra batteries will solve your problem. I've got the 17" and it works fine, even in coach class. At 4 hours continuous running time, it's the perfect computer for my needs. And I'm picky. I grew up on Thinkpads. But I'll never go back.

May 24, 2006 12:56 PM in response to smokeonit

You have to be CRAZY to think that Boeing and Airbus are going to retrofit their entire fleet to increase the power to accomidate the Apple MBP.

Its POOR engineering on Apples part to release their top of the line laptop that will not work on a airplane. They should be aware of this when they designed it.

Im looking for a FREE fix from apple to this problem!

moretti

Level 1

5 points

May 24, 2006 3:06 PM in response to smokeonit

I checked with American Airlines, and they said they have no immediate plans to upgrade the power capacities. I really think it's on them to resolve this, not the computer manufacturers.

May 24, 2006 4:03 PM in response to Craig Steiger

Don't look to Apple for a "fix". Many notebook vendors are moving to dual core processors with good graphics cards. That means more power at maximum use.

Apple is not going to reduce the battery capacity or limit processor and other component power requirements in the MBP just to allow one to use an inverter that will not trip off airliner power plugs. Users would revolt.

Between the airlines, Apple and third party products there will be solutions. In the meantime carry along an extra battery or two, fully charged. Or -- I haven't confirmed this -- a MacBook might work on an inverter (it uses a lower-capacity battery and draws less power for the video card).

May 24, 2006 4:09 PM in response to Bill DeVille

This thread has officially become too long. The whole of its beginning was about whether inverters work -- they don't.

the problem with airplanes and the MBP