Live data from Hacker News

Macbook screen coating issues

staingate.org

31–40 of 190 posts

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#31

The coating on a MacBook Pro is similar to the anti-reflection coating you can get on glasses. Chlorine and heat will affect glasses, I bet the same can be said for these laptop screens. I have a feeling that with a database of 258 people, you should be able to find out what people are using to clean their screens and damaging them. Cleaning your screen using those bleach wipes is a sure fire way to damage it!

I've never used anything but water and a paper towel to clean my screen, and frankly I resent the fact that you and people like you keep assuming that it's user error. The coating is clearly defective. There is very clearly a problem with the screen coating on a (in my case) $3500 machine, and Apple needs to be called out on this one. Bravo to the OP for bring this to light.

> The coating is clearly defective.

The problem is that 258 some-odd people, out of the what, several tens of thousands of people who have experienced this issue is not a "clearly" situation.

That's, conservatively, about .1% of owners experiencing a problem, and it is entirely within reason to believe the issue is user-caused, baring some reproducible test case.

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#32
post #29

My 15" rMBP has this problem, and Apple told me it would be $300 to fix it at the depo, or $600 at the store. I wrote a blog post about it[1]. Glad to see it's getting some coverage, and I've added myself to the database. BTW who's doing this and what are you doing with the data/with Apple? [1] http://blog.javajosh.com/2015/02/when-apple-screws-its-custo...

Good post, I especially liked the closing phrase: > It's not like Apple is hurting and can't afford to do the right thing: Apple Computer has 40% profitability, $75B in cash reserves (more than the US Government) and here they are nickel-and-diming the people who are critical to their success.

I heavily dislike the whole "they have money!" thing.

Apple has been more than willing to extend warranties and repair issues once they're sure the problem is a defect.

Until they're sure, it's not "nickel and diming". It's charging people for a service.

Paying 4 grand for a laptop doesn't magically mean Apple is obligated in anyway to make you happy, costs be damned.

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#34

Enough with the gates. Please. Anything else. I'd even accept stainghazi. That said, my MBPR has some screen coating issue. But I'm not sure if I scratched it or not, so I won't join their database.

> Enough with the gates. Please. Anything else. I'd even accept stainghazi I won't accept Stainghazi. RIP Sean Smith / Vile Rat. We miss you, buddy.

Mac -> problem with mac -> problem with title -> change title -> reference to eve on line .. and to a goon (therefore SA)

How deep does the rabbit hole go?

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#35
post #7

My 13" MBPr has this stain pattern. Here's my guess, I used an alcohol-based solvent to clean my keyboard and then closed the machine. Now I have stains of the oleophobic coating coming off in the places you'd expect it ... where the keys manage to come in contact with the screen. So I suppose it's my fault, but I have a Lenovo T440s here with a beautiful matte screen that has no need for a fancy oil-resistent coatin…

So Apple has to figure out how to stop people from using abrasive cleaners on their computers that would also cause issues if it came in contact with switches/circuitboard or anything else in a laptop?

Stopping small amounts of fluid is a solved problem for laptops - the keyboard sits in a tray, and ports and speakers are reasonably sealed. You have to spill a lot of fluid to make it past these basic protections.

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#36
post #7

My 13" MBPr has this stain pattern. Here's my guess, I used an alcohol-based solvent to clean my keyboard and then closed the machine. Now I have stains of the oleophobic coating coming off in the places you'd expect it ... where the keys manage to come in contact with the screen. So I suppose it's my fault, but I have a Lenovo T440s here with a beautiful matte screen that has no need for a fancy oil-resistent coatin…

Don't be so quick to blame the cleaning method. I've never used anything but water and got the same damaged screen coating.

if you're using anything other than distilled water, who knows what kind of minerals you're rubbing on your screen.

it's still inexcusable from apple, but don't be surprised if rubbing tap water on your glossy screen screws it up.

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#37
post #7

My 13" MBPr has this stain pattern. Here's my guess, I used an alcohol-based solvent to clean my keyboard and then closed the machine. Now I have stains of the oleophobic coating coming off in the places you'd expect it ... where the keys manage to come in contact with the screen. So I suppose it's my fault, but I have a Lenovo T440s here with a beautiful matte screen that has no need for a fancy oil-resistent coatin…

This is the reason I won't buy anymore Apple products. I simply cannot trust them to make a device which is practical.

I have the same problem, it was caused by my (then) 12-month-old toddler touching the screen.

I cleaned the screen with a slightly damp microfiber cloth, the same one I use for my glasses.

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#38
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good post, I especially liked the closing phrase: > It's not like Apple is hurting and can't afford to do the right thing: Apple Computer has 40% profitability, $75B in cash reserves (more than the US Government) and here they are nickel-and-diming the people who are critical to their success.

I heavily dislike the whole "they have money!" thing. Apple has been more than willing to extend warranties and repair issues once they're sure the problem is a defect. Until they're sure, it's not "nickel and diming". It's charging people for a service. Paying 4 grand for a laptop doesn't magically mean Apple is obligated in anyway to make you happy, costs be damned.

No-one said 'costs be damned'; no-one suggested that Apple should spend the cost of the laptop or more on warranty repair. The costs mentioned are less than 10% of your stated price.

And without 'costs be damned', your final line does not work - if you sell a product for a premium price, you do have an obligation to make your customers happy.

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#39
post #7

My 13" MBPr has this stain pattern. Here's my guess, I used an alcohol-based solvent to clean my keyboard and then closed the machine. Now I have stains of the oleophobic coating coming off in the places you'd expect it ... where the keys manage to come in contact with the screen. So I suppose it's my fault, but I have a Lenovo T440s here with a beautiful matte screen that has no need for a fancy oil-resistent coatin…

My 13" MB Air does not have this pattern. I've used a microfiber cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol (no smears / spots) to clean the screen quite a few times without any problems. I don't think the alcohol is a problem (though the solvent could be -- I used lab-grade isopropanol).

Re: Macbook screen coating issues

#40
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good post, I especially liked the closing phrase: > It's not like Apple is hurting and can't afford to do the right thing: Apple Computer has 40% profitability, $75B in cash reserves (more than the US Government) and here they are nickel-and-diming the people who are critical to their success.

I heavily dislike the whole "they have money!" thing. Apple has been more than willing to extend warranties and repair issues once they're sure the problem is a defect. Until they're sure, it's not "nickel and diming". It's charging people for a service. Paying 4 grand for a laptop doesn't magically mean Apple is obligated in anyway to make you happy, costs be damned.

>> Apple has been more than willing to extend warranties and repair issues once they're sure the problem is a defect.

The problem is that this can take a long time. So long, in fact, that it can be too late to get any benefit from these repair/warranty programs.

Some people who had the problematic 2011 Macbook Pro had already sold their laptops for parts at a loss before Apple finally acknowledged the issue (check out the huge thread on the support.apple.com forums).

I was lucky that I kept mine (it bricked itself a few months before the repair program was announced) because I had a feeling a replacement program might come out of the class action lawsuit related to the defect.

I ended up buying a new laptop when my 2011 Macbook Pro died because I wasn't going to fork out $500 for another defective logic board. I had already replaced it once while it was still under AppleCare, and it developed the same problems as the original within 6 months. Some people replaced their motherboards as many as 5 times with the same results.

>> Paying 4 grand for a laptop doesn't magically mean Apple is obligated in anyway to make you happy, costs be damned.

They don't have to make you happy "costs be damned", but they should be obligated to at least fix a product that is defective.

Post reply on HN