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Image courtesy of Marklem.com
Some users are reporting that the matte black finish has begun peeling and flaking off on their new MacBooks

Users looking to get their hands on the new matte black MacBook might be in for an unwelcome surprise. It seems that the matte finish on the notebooks is extremely fragile and can be easily damaged. The problem surfaced less than 24 hours after Apple unveiled the new MacBook.

Some users report that the matte black coating on their new MacBook is rather fragile and has begun peeling and flaking off leaving the undercoat exposed. We are not sure yet if the problem is widespread or only occurring on a limited number of black MacBooks but we are looking in to it. Some users may remember that Apple had a similar problem with the black iPod nano being scratch prone. Apple addressed that problem by adding a small lip around the edge of the nano to protect the face of the device.

Some other common complaints that new MacBook owners have are with the keyboard and with the XBrite screen. Users are having issues typing on the new keyboard design and are complaining about the lack of key travel when typing. They are also unimpressed with the new Xbrite displays finding it hard to see the screen while using the MacBook outdoors and other less then optimal lighting conditions.

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Have to do it...
By Aquila76 on 5/17/2006 4:17:33 PM , Rating: 4
Steve Jobs doesn't care about black Macs.




RE: Have to do it...
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 5/17/2006 4:21:46 PM , Rating: 2
You know that wasn't really necessary........ Few people that are technically inclined really care about that anyway....


RE: Have to do it...
By Aquila76 on 5/17/2006 4:32:34 PM , Rating: 2
OK, I'll make up for it here:

It's pretty bad that a new black Mac is flaking only a couple weeks after release when I have some black IBM ThinkPads from almost a DECADE ago that are still in prime condition. Hopefully Apple will do something about this.


RE: Have to do it...
By vodkajello on 5/17/2006 4:44:55 PM , Rating: 2
What are you talking about "a couple of weeks"?

It was yesterday that the MacBooks were released. The MacBook Pro has nothing to do with this.


RE: Have to do it...
By TomZ on 5/17/2006 4:49:28 PM , Rating: 2
It doesn't change the point of the post, if they have been out 1 day or 2 weeks.


RE: Have to do it...
By FrozenCanadian on 5/17/2006 8:07:47 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
It's pretty bad that a new black Mac is flaking only a couple weeks after release when I have some black IBM ThinkPads from almost a DECADE ago that are still in prime condition


Ya but IBM used black plastic and Apple probably used spray paint lol.


RE: Have to do it...
By Samus on 5/18/2006 1:59:54 AM , Rating: 2
Apple doesn't even use plastic, its usually a poly-rubber or magnesium compound. take lessons from the pimp of pc's apple, you know...your original competitor. or was that microsofts original competitor?


RE: Have to do it...
By Samus on 5/18/2006 2:00:13 AM , Rating: 2
Correction, IBM...


Flawed or overexposed?
By Athlex on 5/17/2006 3:46:44 PM , Rating: 2
I've always thought Apple's design direction was pretty good, but it seems that quality issues have cropped up quite a bit in the last couple years (and even the last couple notebooks). Just hard to tell if this is a manufacturing/design issue or just the high exposure that Apple's products get




RE: Flawed or overexposed?
By dice1111 on 5/17/2006 4:38:34 PM , Rating: 2
Mr. Jobs might be slipping in the quality control area as the years press on...


RE: Flawed or overexposed?
By Samus on 5/18/2006 1:57:41 AM , Rating: 2
slipping...quality control...what? we're talking about apple!

they've always had the most unreliable products, but they balance it out with decent customer support. i mean, if you compare the number of flawed apple products to say...the number of patents IBM files annually, you get similar digits ;)


RE: Flawed or overexposed?
By slashbinslashbash on 5/17/2006 6:42:32 PM , Rating: 2
Combined with high exposure, there's just a few models. If Dell had a problem with a particular laptop then it wouldn't be a huge deal because they have a large range of laptops.

Also, Apple's laptops are designed to look pretty, and most people agree that they are indeed pretty. It's almost like buying a shiny new car. I've winced at every new scuff on my PowerBook G4, because it's nice to look at, and sometimes I just stare at it because it's so nice. Not exactly what I do with my other computers! If a line of Dell laptops were to have a problem with the paint chipping or some other cosmetic issue, I doubt anybody would ever notice in the first place!

I do wonder why Apple went such a weird direction with the MacBook keyboard, though. The Apple website claims that it's firmer to the touch.


RE: Flawed or overexposed?
By xit2nowhere on 5/18/2006 9:17:38 AM , Rating: 2
I hope you do not sleep with or make love to your pretty notebook :D

Hahahaha


RE: Flawed or overexposed?
By feebeez on 5/31/2006 12:36:51 AM , Rating: 2
They are pretty and I admire mine as well. They are also tight machines, well made. I have never had one with a flaw, they are all perfect. They run rock solid, I still have an iBook G3 that works fantastic and I did just get a MacBook.

The damage on the matte black looks like it was from a zipper. Like someone put it in a tight fitting neoprene case that zippers shut. The zipper tread rubbing up against it would cause that type of damage. And I am sorry to say the same thing would happen to the most precious IBM STinkPad if shoved in a case it did not fit in correctly.


What is wrong with you?
By Milliamp on 5/17/2006 4:38:39 PM , Rating: 2
Just because a couple black ones here and there are bad does not mean you need to be making sweeping generalizations about them as a whole.




RE: What is wrong with you?
By TomZ on 5/17/2006 4:50:19 PM , Rating: 1
Did you read the article?

quote:
We are not sure yet if the problem is widespread or only occurring on a limited number of black MacBooks


RE: What is wrong with you?
By gooser on 5/17/2006 4:54:22 PM , Rating: 2
nope


RE: What is wrong with you?
By Milliamp on 5/17/2006 5:14:08 PM , Rating: 2
You don't get it.


RE: What is wrong with you?
By McTwist on 5/17/2006 6:38:40 PM , Rating: 2
Some people just take life too seriously.


RE: What is wrong with you?
By stephenbrooks on 5/17/2006 6:47:33 PM , Rating: 2
LOL


Why didn't they go with the old style?
By Trisped on 5/17/2006 3:46:12 PM , Rating: 2
They could have used the same color system as the white ones, just make it black. Maybe they used the same system with the black iPod and they wanted to avoid that disaster.

Maybe people should focus less on looks and more on functionality and durability.




By The Cheeba on 5/17/2006 3:47:20 PM , Rating: 2
Careful, they might hear you.


By gooser on 5/17/2006 4:52:46 PM , Rating: 2
AHH hahahha..ha


RE: Why didn't they go with the old style?
By TheBaker on 5/17/2006 6:54:27 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Maybe people should focus less on looks and more on functionality and durability.


You have got to be kidding. You really think people shouldn't be upset when they drop a grand on something that "just works" and find out the protective coating comes off with a fingernail scratch? Doesn't that qualify as being a problem with "durability"? Apple has made a large chunk of their money by capitalizing on looks. One of the reasons I like my iBook is because it doesn't look like a windows laptop. it's very simple and clean. If the finish were coming off all over the place, that wouldn't be the case. Get off the soapbox.


By Oscarine on 5/18/2006 10:42:12 AM , Rating: 2
Eh.. I think the implication was to have not made a black version in the first place.


Flakey for flakes
By iamright on 5/17/2006 6:47:09 PM , Rating: 2
If anyone pays the extra $$ 200 or so for the black they are a flake anyhow. I was questioning if the black macbooko would scratch like my nano but I guess its just flakin instead.




RE: Flakey for flakes
By iamright on 5/17/2006 6:47:48 PM , Rating: 2
I guess I might be a flake for not checking my spelling too :)


Inevitable
By mindless1 on 5/23/2006 7:43:59 AM , Rating: 2
IMO, they will all do this eventually because Apple does not care. Product finishes are not a hit-or-miss deal in this era, they made a choice and it wasn't durability.




RE: Inevitable
By bldckstark on 5/23/2006 12:40:47 PM , Rating: 2
Jesse Jackson has launched a sit in on MAC until the black Macbooks get the same treatment as the white ones. The NAACP is suing to get APPLE to create trust fund for educational purposes of flaky black Macbooks created by Mr. Jobs actions. Thomas Jefferson's family denies that they have had any involvement in the creation of the gray Macbook.


all for the low low price of $200
By Quasmo on 5/17/2006 4:09:44 PM , Rating: 2
Rediculous, you pay $200 EXTRA dollars for a black paint job and 20GBs of storage, and the paint peels. I hope my roommate wasn't dumb enough to buy a black one.




One swallow doesn't make a summer
By Rod Hagen on 5/18/2006 3:27:08 AM , Rating: 2
One thing that the article doesn't really tell you here is that the only computer on which this problem has so far been reported is a single demo model in a dealership. "Some" so far means "one". Every media piece and discussion board item that I have seen today discussing the matter (and there are quite a few!) leads back to this single computer!

Its hard to tell from the photos , but they look to me rather like the sort of thing that you see in some automotive plastics when there has been some impact or abrasion damage (maybe a parking lot bump) and the owner has then tried to patch up the damage with a bit of polish or other chemical based remedy. I can just imagine a nervous employee in an Apple dealership trying something like this to hide the damage when one of the new prize "exhibits" fell off his lap!

Lets not get too worked about this story until we find out whether it has any real substance.

Cheers

Rod





imperfect coating
By ModularGrey on 5/18/2006 4:21:25 PM , Rating: 2
I just got my black one and the paint has some small rough spots, like dirt got under the coating when it was being applied, it may be fine, but could cause problems down the line




By Rod Hagen on 5/19/2006 8:10:18 PM , Rating: 2
It should be noted that the original source of this story has now posted a clarification. See http://marklem.com/mlem/?p=12

Cheers

Rod




.
By albundee on 5/17/2006 3:53:30 PM , Rating: 1
where's the blackbook pro




bells peal, macbooks peel
By Athlex on 5/17/06, Rating: 0
RE: bells peal, macbooks peel
By KristopherKubicki (blog) on 5/17/06, Rating: 0
RE: bells peal, macbooks peel
By latrosicarius on 5/17/06, Rating: 0
RE: bells peal, macbooks peel
By Samus on 5/18/06, Rating: 0
"Intel is investing heavily (think gazillions of dollars and bazillions of engineering man hours) in resources to create an Intel host controllers spec in order to speed time to market of the USB 3.0 technology." -- Intel blogger Nick Knupffer

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