The Tech Bench

This looks like the work of a professional.

This MacBook screen was “pierced” straight through the LCD and right through the display cable.

We have no idea what could have caused this type impact (bullet, spear, rail gun?) but the accuracy and location of the hit suggests someone that has familiarity with Mac anatomy.

Suspects include Steve Balmer, Mark Wahlberg or perhaps a disgruntled Mac technician (if such a person even exists.) Hmmm???

White 13-inch MacBook. Back shown left. Front shown right.

1. Pricing & Availability

Wi-Fi models are shipping worldwide in 60 days.

3G models are shipping in 90 days.

Get notified when available for order.

2. Connectivity

Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + 3G. Both models include Bluetooth 2.1 and and EDR. 3G access will only be available for Wi-Fi + 3G iPad models ($130 extra.) The U.S. 3G data plan will be through AT&T. $14.99 per month for 250MB of data, and $29.99 per month for unlimited data. Both plans will also come with access to AT&T’s Wi-Fi hotspots. 3G model will also support GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA. International data plans are scheduled for the summer.

3. Expandability

There is a standard 30-pin dock connector. The iPad will ship with a dock to USB/Power adapter. Accessories available at launch will include; iPad Dock, iPad Camera Connection Kit, iPad USB Power Adapter, iPad Case, iPad Keyboard dock.

4. New Features

First Apple product to use the 1GHz Apple A4 chip. iBooks ebook storefront for iTunes.

5. What’s Missing?

GPS. Camera. Audio Input. USB.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the hardware specs for the new iPad:

The New Apple iPad (showing the touch screen layers)

802.11n
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Accelerometer & Compass
Speaker & Microphone
30-pin Connector
16GB – 64GB Flash Storage
9.7 inch IPS LED Display with 178-degree viewing angle and 1024 x 768 pixel resolution.
1/2″ Thin
1.5 Pounds
10 Hours of Battery Life (video)
1 Month Standby Charge
1Ghz Apple A4 Chip

White 32GB iPhone 3GS in for Service

We see a lot of cracked iPhone screens but this one in particular is worth a look.

The screen and glass digitizer have been severely cracked. This may be the most cracked, in tact screen shatter we’ve seen.

Usually with damage of this type, more of the screen and glass would fall away completely.

You can make out what we believe are the initial cracks on the screen running from the top right corner down to the the lower center and then back to the right.

It’s possible that the high density of cracks throughout the glass (especially to the upper right of the home button) were caused by repeat pressure or rolling on the glass surface.

The plastic backing was in good shape with no cracking or other visual damage which is rare for this level of display cracking. Usually when we see iPhones in this shape, it’s because they were run over.

We can replace the screen and digitizer in cases like this, though removing the glass shards can be quite time consuming. The main concern is protecting the cables or components that lie underneath.

[ MyService iPhone Repairs ]

USB 3.0 hard drives have been popping up at CES this week and the question for Mac users is when will we get 3.0 support?

Intel has dragged their feet a little on releasing USB 3.0 chipsets and has stated that they will not support the standard until 2011. We may see PCI cards for Mac Pros before we see native support in iMacs and portables. With the standard in place and peripherals on the market, we should see OS X support (or 3rd party drivers) by the end of the year.

So what’s so great about USB 3.0?

USB 3.0 runs about 10 times faster than USB 2.0 or FireWire 800 (up to 4.8 Gbit/s but usually runs at 3.2Gbit/s.) It uses an new cable which can supply more power to devices (one of the former advantages of FireWire over USB) yet is still backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices.

One of the reasons FireWire has been on the decline is that they completely changed the form factor of the port and cable when moving from FireWire 400 to 800. There are two new FireWire standards (FireWire 1600 & 3200) coming out that will use the same port and cables as FireWire 800. The new 3200 spec will run at 3.2Gbit/s and is designed to compete with USB 3.0.

Apple has always been a big proponent of FireWire (they helped develop the standard) and have kept the ports in their pro line. With USB 3.0 providing more power and speed, it’ll be interesting to see if Apple continues to support the standard or if everything will just mover over to USB. Time will tell.

Check out this augmented reality app from Orange wireless. Not only is this a virtual iPhone, you can actually control the iPhone from inside the app. The more I see of augmented reality applications, the more I like.

[ Ogmento via Gizmodo ]

It’s cold in sunny California and that means playing with the thermostat. How cool would it be to be able to control the heater from the warmth of the bed? Or turn the heater on 10 minutes before we get home? Well it turns out, we can.

Ecobee sells a full color wifi enabled touch screen thermostat that can be remotely accessed via web or iPhone app.

Most newer thermostats are compatible with the majority of existing heating/cooling systems so the the upgrade should be pretty straightforward.

Setting schedules on older units can be a real nightmare and having the heater automatically heat an empty house when you go catch a movie is a total waste.

Smart, easy to use setups like this are what the whole smart grid movement is all about. While not cheap (around $350 – $450 for the unit) the iPhone app is free and hopefully the energy savings will be able to pay for itself over time. The novelty factor of a color touch screen and iPhone control are not lost on me. Could make a good holiday gift for your Tony Stark wannabe.

[ ecobee ] [ On Sale Here for $350 ] [ ecobee Smart Thermostat App ]

Here is a list of 5 of our favorite Mac accessories that any Mac user is sure to love.

Sonos ZonePlayer S5 (S5)

$399 w/ Free Shipping from Sonos

Sonos is provider of premium mulit-room audio equipment that works great with iTunes. The ZonePlayer S5 is a wireless speaker system that can be controlled with your iPhone or iPod Touch to deliver great sound to any room in your house. Sonos equipment can be expensive and the ZonePlayer is probably the best value in their line.

Apple World Travel Adapter Kit

$39 at the Apple Store

This a great gift for the Mac world traveler.

Apple’s power adapters can handle most world voltages so all you need to do is swap out the end tip (duckhead) to fit the physical plug for the country you’re in. This kit comes with lots of different tips that connect to almost any wall plug. The tips work with existing power adapters for iPhones, iPods and Mac laptops.

Apple Magic Mouse

$69 at the Apple Store

The latest Apple mouse brings multi-touch gestures and enhanced tracking. This mouse has proven to be very popular with stock outs seemingly common. If this is on your list, you may want to pick it up early.

The mouse is wireless only, so make sure that the Mac you’re getting this for has bluetooth and is running 10.5.8 or later.

Brand new iMacs already come with this mouse included.

Bose Companion 2 Speaker System

$99 w/ Free Shipping on Amazon

This tried and true set is our pick for best computer speaker set for under $100. This set features rich bass without the need for a separate bass module (less space and less cable clutter.) Setup is super easy and the standard mini-jack can easily connect to iPhones and iPods as well.

The design isn’t that exciting but it blends in with most Apple products nicely.

Road Tools PodiumPad

$29.95 at the Apple Store

The design of the PodiumPad hasn’t changed much since it first was released over 6 years ago.

There are a lot of gimmicky and cheap laptop stands out there but the PodiumPad is simply a solid, low profile stand that fits any laptop and works great.

The adjustable stand elevates the laptop and reduces heat while the laptop is in use. The height also helps keep the laptop safe from liquid spills (saved mine form a coffee spill.) Every MyService technician has one of these under their laptop.

The Apple Hardware Test (AHT) is a limited but useful hardware diagnostic tool that comes preloaded on all new (2008 and later) Macs.

The folder containing the AHT is located in /System/Library/CoreServices/

Note that the .diagnostics folder and contents are invisible so you may need to run a program like InVisibles to view the folder.

While the software will stay intact when upgrading to a new OS like Snow Leopard, the AHT is machine specific and does not come with stand alone versions of OS X. In other words, if you format your hard drive and install OS X from a retail copy, AHT will not be included.

To insure that AHT is installed, you’ll need to restore your OS from your original restore disks if you format your drive. AHT will be carried over if you do a clone upgrade but not if you just do a data migration.

You can also run AHT directly from your restore disks by holding down the “D” key with the disk installed on boot.

When you hold down the “D” key on boot, the EFI will first scan the optical drive, then hard drives to look for the .diagnostics folder.

You can read more about how to use AHT here.

Excessive liquid damage and corrosion.

What do you do when you spill liquid on your MacBook?

The first step is to turn off the unit, unplug from power and remove the battery (if possible.)

Next of course is to dry off/wipe up as much of the liquid as you can.

The main enemy with liquid damage is corrosion. Most components on the logic board are highly susceptible to corrosion and over time, this will destroy chips and break connections.

Often, the Mac will work for a few days after the spill and then stop working. This is due to the metals oxidizing and slowly corroding.

The best way to minimize the damage is to clean the board and components ASAP.

We use a lot of specialized solvents, but isopropyl alcohol works well and is widely available.

MyService technicians see a lot of liquid spills and neutralizing the liquid corrosion is one of the first steps in the repair process.

Minor hot chocolate spill. Logic board is fine.

Most liquid spill repairs are successful. MyService technicians can repair or replace components and chips that have been damaged. In some cases (see pic) the logic board is so heavily damaged that it will need to be replaced.

MyService offers both logic board repairs and new logic board replacements for laptops that have been damaged by liquid.

Many times, the liquid may not reach the logic board and may only affect the keyboard (keys not working, loss of backlight.) MyService stocks new keyboards and top cases for all models of Mac laptops.

If your Mac has been affected by a liquid spill, you can order a free diagnostic or contact one of our Service Advisors.