Apple’s New Power Adapter
So yeah, Apple Computers came out with their Intel machines. Plenty has been written about that.
What I found most striking wasn’t the increase in performance or sexy casing, but the magnetic power adapter:
From Apple’s site:
The new power adapter with MagSafe connector is designed to magnetically guide your cord into place and disconnect smoothly if someone (else) trips over it.
See their design page for more information about the power adapter.
Wow, of course! It almost seems too obvious that you would want a safety mechanism on any possible point of failure or accident. What’s next, waterproofed keyboards or bump-proof corners? Little things like this make a laptop more durable and more easily integrated into every day lifestyle. It makes the computer less of a ‘computer’ and more of the versatile tool it really is.
Yet another point for Apple and their user-centered design. Bravo.
Though their products are more expensive, they have more research and design going in to their complete experience than just the speed of the processor. A lot of experience designers are sick of hearing about Apple when talking about good design examples, but it can’t be helped. They’re good.
Oh, and that they use Intel now is cool, I guess. Personally I think the power adapter is a better feature.
Neat. My Fujitronic electronic hot water pot has a power adapter like that. (Leave it to the Japanese, eh?) I like how I can easily plug or unplug it at the back of the appliance without having to turn it around or even look back there. I wish it were that easy with my computers, especially the one from before “they” realized it’d be good to put the USB jacks on the front of the tower case rather than in the back.