His MacBookPro shorted out again

[maureenreynolds]

I couldn't help blanche as I saw the pictures from San Antonio, with all the drinks on those crowded tables. I say blanche because my dh took his MBP into NASA this week and someone walked by, bumped the table, and a splash came out of another person's coffee mug, and dh's laptop shorted out ...again. No one at Apple was surprised (and this is the 2nd time it's happened this summer...) but I still cannot believe that this is such an issue. ( a $$issue which will be a work related deductible but still...)

Come on. Are you telling me the geeks who are the hard core users of Macs never spill stuff on the keyboard of their laptops? Seriously??? DH is getting one of those skins to cover the keyboard but he is thinking long and hard about returning to the dark side if his Mac is going to be so sensitive. While I would inherit it, (Wheee!), no splash I would incur would be a deduction. I have never in getting close to 20 yrs of computer use, never ever spilled anything near my keyboard or his Thinkpad on our recent cruise. Does everyone have a skin for their Mac laptops???

It's been a hard week on the boy as his car's cruise control went out the same day the splash occured. I hesitate to let him out the door now!

Your thoughts?? on the MBP, not on keeping my dh locked in. ;-)

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Well, I hate to say it, but it's not the MBP's fault. I'm thinking coffee spills are not part of the standard wear and tear on a laptop. I'm sorry to hear that it's happened twice though. That really stinks!

You might consider tripping next to him with your next cup of coffee if that will mean that it belongs to you.

[digigrandma]

Sorry, this happened, Maureen. Very frustrating, I'm sure.

I have heard so many stories about the damage spilled drinks can cause on computers....macs or pc's!

[farabee]

And yes, several at our table thought about that as we had our various beverages at the tables with the computers. We "KNOW" we shouldn't, but...we're adults, after all, and .... ;-)

[dorah]

That must be tough on him to have had that happened twice. But I would think liquid spilled in any computer, mac or pc, would be the same. I know I always sit my beverage on a stand and not on the laptop stand.

[maureenreynolds]

That's kind of what I would have said to him but then again I 'know better' than to be a smart*ss...most of the time. It really is amazing tho that as much as we see people sitting with drinks RIGHT next to the laptops that we're not seeing it all the time.

btw, I also have learned not to criticize his 'stupid' habits because sure enough, I end up with the same issue myself in very short time. I'm not saying you are criticizing but I do have a ...mouth...I need to watch! ;-) It will be interesting to see how he copes with his keyboard 'condom.'

Thanks for chiming in.

[GoingtotheSun]

Until recently, I was solely at laptop girl (I finally bit the bullet and bought a desktop system and I love it). However, in my 8+ years of toting my laptop around (and probably drinking all kinds of stuff within close proximity of it), I never had an issue. . . until about 6 months ago. Coffee + Keyboard = Dead keyboard. The computer techs were SURE I had killed the motherboard and not just the keyboard, but fortunately, it was just the latter. I say all this because I think Merrilee and the other posters are right - no laptop stands much of a chance against liquid. Coffee and other things just don't play nicely with circuit boards!

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's laptop. I'm sure this is immensely frustrating. But I don't think it's a Mac-exclusive problem. Oh, and the computer techs told me that they have seen it all when it comes to spills vs. laptops (both Macs and PCs) - particularly from the college students! Too funny!

[mugsbigsis]

FYI - my home insurance has a computer add-on that is like $6. It covers EVERYTHING even spills (and they don't care what the letters are that describe it) :O)

[Cassie Jones (1gr8muggle)]

Originally Posted by maureenreynolds

btw, I also have learned not to criticize his 'stupid' habits because sure enough, I end up with the same issue myself in very short time. I'm not saying you are criticizing but I do have a ...mouth...I need to watch! ;-) It will be interesting to see how he copes with his keyboard 'condom.'

That is SO true! Words to live by!

Of course your description of his keyboard cover has me cracking up!

[artmidget]

Originally Posted by mugsbigsis

FYI - my home insurance has a computer add-on that is like $6. It covers EVERYTHING even spills (and they don't care what the letters are that describe it) :O)

I have something similar. For about $36 a year my computer, camera and lenses are all covered. Makes taking them to school with me less worrisome (well, as long as I have backed everything up).

[JALong]

At the SLC Crop our table all had our drinks on the floor. Not very convenient, but safe. I am going to have to get the insurance. It would be so worth it!

[oldvwblues]

I still haven't gotten used to my laptop...just old fashioned I guess...but I have replaced my keyboard with my desktop...who knows how many times from spilling coffee on it. And I still have it sitting right here! Even got my I Pod once..when I spilled the whole cup right in my purse and it drowned!

[maureenreynolds]

Told my dh about the insurance bit which somehow I suspect we don't have by the look on his face. I know I'll hear about it after he ponders it for a day or so...he is so darn introspective!

[LauraBean]

Dh had to replace his keyboard last week after spilling coffee on it. I'm surprised it hasn't happened before!

[anke]

never heard of that insurance, but it sure sounds like a good deal, especially if you can include your camera! I have to look into that. Maureen, I am sorry for hubby's dilemma, at least it's covered by work Maybe they will learn ?! Nah!!!

[katrinak]

In San Antonio I stood in the hallway with my drink because even though my laptop is a big piece of &#$!! I wasn't about to spill on it (I am a clutz by nature!)

[dorah]

Originally Posted by katrinak

In San Antonio I stood in the hallway with my drink because even though my laptop is a big piece of &#$!! I wasn't about to spill on it (I am a clutz by nature!)

LOL. That is exactly the reason I always sit my drink somewhere else. Well and the fact that I have a tendency to "talk" with my hands.

[Chris]

Is that NASA, Greenbelt, Maureen? I remember taking a group of college students there in the 70's, before they had the visitor's center, and we had to leave everything at the door - no drinks etc. The whole building seemed like one big computer, and I can't imagine drinks being allowed close to the equipment! Tell your dh he can't go blaming Apple. It's NASA's fault for having wonky tables!!

[maureenreynolds]

Yep, Greenbelt Chris. Wonk city. ;-) btw, you should see the new badges. Kind of a dna+ database on those cards.

I think it's just cause he's such a ...shhhh!!...slob about his work area at home. Sort of karmic payback for the times he's rolled his eyes at me when I suggested (!) he not put a mug on top of his crapola at home. I see the coffee stains all over the tables and papers!! I've stopped mentioning it.

I do believe he's spilled coffee on his older laptops w/o such an issue so he had to have 'something' to blame. (Men!) I seriously doubt he will be willing to go back to the security issues he is free of with his Mac tho.

I hope he has checked with our homeowners' insurance while I was out tutoring this am!

[sawdust]

Being the klutz I am...NOTHING liquid goes near my lap OR my PC without a screw-on lid. I just am too much of a klutz to risk it. I mean really. So I dump everything into my bottle and go with that! And my DD got me both my lap and PC and there is no way I would chance anything happening to them.

LOL I know past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior...BUT...let's give him a wee break this time. It wasn't HIS coffee and NASA could surely buy some tables that would take a bump by somebody walking by!!! Oh. I forgot. They always buy from the lowest bidder!!! LOL LOL Enough said!!! LOL

[audrey77]

I have spilled stuff on my lap top and key boards so many times... I even washed a keyboard int he sink (not the board...)

[Scrapbird]

I have a Lenovo laptop (which I love, BTW!) and even though I fortunately have not had to test it, the keyboard supposedly has channels built in under it to funnel liquids away from the electronics.