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Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

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Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#821

Post by Razengan »

bloody-crow wrote: post #648

This statement has a number of issues. First, you have to trust Apple that the indicator _really_ can't be disabled. You also have to trust that there isn't a vulnerability Apple is not aware about that could allow rolling the camera without the light coming on. This has happened in the past [0] and there are known Apple products that are vulnerable, yet the statement never mentions this making you believe it's impos…

> First, you have to trust Apple that the indicator _really_ can't be disabled.

Or anyone with a basic knowledge of electronics who could verify it.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#822

Post by maigret »

zumu wrote: post #810
soulofmischief wrote: post #160

If you close your Mac notebook with a camera cover installed, you might damage your display because the clearance between the display and keyboard is designed to very tight tolerances. Doesn't this sound like an engineering oversight and not a user error? Why are camera covers not just part of the design? My phone camera physically retracts when not in use.

More design oversight than engineering oversight.

Design covers user experience, and user experience includes people feeling safe and trusting their product. I think this goes rather as different prioritising. So it is a matter of product management, not design. Not that I agree with this camera choice, but Apple has been pretty successful with their strategy so far of simplifying to the extreme - removing ports and options, so I don't see them changing course much.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#823

Post by edeion »

agsamek wrote: post #803
harha wrote: post #747

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regarding B: I’m wondering if the camera or the led typically break Would first with a higher probability

It is extremely unlikely (in the human terms - not possible) that LED would break in such a way that it transmits the power and not emit light at the same time. Of course the LED can be installed in a parallel connection on the circuit, but I read the op statement as it is not the case.

"Let's devise a way to purposefully burn the LED in such a way that current can go through." We have to keep in mind that not everything has to be by accident :) I have no idea how likely it is to be possible, though, you've got a point.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#824

Post by mytailorisrich »

Huawei laptops have the camera fitted in a dummy key on the keyboard.

You have to push the key for the camera to pop up.

This solves the issue of privacy nicely and frees space around the screen.

The slight downside is that the camera is obviously lower.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#825

Post by aloer »

johne20 wrote: post #606

This happened to me. Twice. I bought a 16" mbp when it was released because the keyboard of the previous mbp gave me carpal tunnel. I immediately added a camera cover like I always had done on macs. My screen stopped working a few days later, but mbp still worked on my external monitor. I took it in and they replaced the display for free via applecare. Once I got my mbp back, I added the camera cover again (stupidly)…

What kind of cover was this?

My company provides a ~1.2mm thick plastic cover with a little slider inside. I didn't even trust it enough to be used on a thinkpad, much less a macbook

What I do now is either ripping off a small piece of the sticky top of sticky notes (keep the remainder for later reuse) or a piece of washi tape.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#827

Post by ObsoleteNerd »

swyx wrote: post #728
ObsoleteNerd wrote: post #306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife uses a tiny speck of Blu Tak. It’s soft so just gets squashed flat when the lid closes and it’s designed to be infinitely reusable and come off things without leaving a mark. She just pulls it off and sticks it a few cm to the side of the camera when she wants to use it. She’s been doing it for 3+ years (same piece) and it’s genius.

how does it not lose stickiness over 3 years?

I’ve got some a lot older than that that’s still sticky. I have no idea what wizardry it’s made of but it’s incredible stuff. Probably involves actual magic (aka Materials Science, the closest thing we have to real magic). I use it every day to hold wires in place while soldering, or temporarily positioning components to decide on layouts, etc etc.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#828

Post by boudin »

bloody-crow wrote: post #648

This statement has a number of issues. First, you have to trust Apple that the indicator _really_ can't be disabled. You also have to trust that there isn't a vulnerability Apple is not aware about that could allow rolling the camera without the light coming on. This has happened in the past [0] and there are known Apple products that are vulnerable, yet the statement never mentions this making you believe it's impos…

I agree, the official statement is comparing pears and apples. A led gives you no control.

The real alternative to a cover would be a physical on/off button next to the camera which would physically connect/disconnect the camera behind the hood.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#829

Post by minerjoe »

JMTQp8lwXL wrote: post #712
foolfoolz wrote: post #703

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i don’t understand the argument that you trust apple enough to use their os but not be enough to believe their green light

You have to use some operating system at the end of the day, and vulnerabilities can impact any of them. You might as well trust Apple as much as the next company, since all of them are liable for millions of lines of code, and it's likely they all presently have undiscovered vulnerabilities.

Why trust a company at all when you don't have to? Linux, the BSDs, etc.

Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

#830

Post by Broken_Hippo »

mjevans wrote: post #817
dwd wrote: post #664

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had to switch on my camera for a video call for the first time yesterday. (I can usually get around it and do audio only) Removed the piece of electrical tape I had over the camera to find the image was completely blurry from the glue. Good to know if it ever falls off and I don't have tape to replace immediately.

This is why I use a smaller piece of normal clear tape UNDER the outer layer of tape to protect the lens from the glue.

A small piece of paper works well also.
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