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Comment by jacknews | Hacker News Reader

How about a recall of the entire adapter.

I have 4 or 5 of them, all which have disintegrated cables.

Either the famous problem where the cable/sleeve detaches at the adapter or the plug end, or on a couple of them, the entire plastic cable housing has disintegrated and sloughed off, leaving bare shield wire. This after just a year or so in every case.

Absolute disgrace, Apple.

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Maybe I'm the exception here, but in a decade of using MacBooks, I've never experienced the power adapter falling apart.

I remember this a lot back in the PowerBook days, especially those clearish gray translucent adapters.

Apple has a fetish for putting weak boots on their cable ends, so if you tension them too much, the jacket of the cable will fail.

Personally, I've only had it happen to iPhone cables that get abused in the car. Still, it's a ridiculous problem to have when almost no other quality cord is so fragile.

Same. I still have an adapter from a 2006 MacBook Pro which is used daily and not a hint of damage on it bar scuff marks.

I've had frayed insulation with multiple MacBook adapters and Lightning cables. I wonder if it is climate related; I live in a hotter and more humid place than Cupertino. In any case there is no excuse for the insulation being so fragile when $5 USB cables never have this problem.

Yes, me too, I'm sure the heat and humidity is a factor, but for the insulation to actually decompose in this way just from the climate is absolutely unacceptable.

I just replaced an Apple power brick from 2008, because the MagSafe plug wore out. The cable and attachment point at the brick were as good as new.

I've only had one iPhone cable come apart on me and my power cable from my Thunderbolt Display shows some wear but I've never had a cord for any of my MBPs get loose or breakdown in any way. I've got at least two bricks/cords from 2008ish that I still use with an adapter.

The Apple ones are trash, I gave up and went with the Monoprice flat ribbon lightning cables. Last forever, flexible, cheap, and work. http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=12859

If only their international shipping rates were more reasonable, like Amazon.

I haven't experienced this, and I wonder which of these is the reason:

1) I don't wrap/unwrap the cable around the plastic clips each day.

2) When I do wrap the cables, I'm careful to (i) leave a little slack before I start winding, and (ii) grip loosely so as not to cause twisting stress

3) I remove the magsafe by pulling the outer edge upwards, rather than pulling outwards in the opposite direction to the magnetic force.

If the reason is mainly (1), then this would indicate poor design. If it's some combination of (2) and (3), then it seems like more prominent instructions would help many people.

I suspect you're correct about it being 2 and 3. I've never had a failed iPhone, iPad, or MacBook power adapter that was apple manufactured.

My wife on the other hand goes through about one phone charger every 6 months. Absolute disregard for how the cable is positioned (like if the cable is being crushed or snagged by an object).

I guess growing up with those brittle NES controller cords taught me something.

Same as. 3x MagSafe connectors in 10 years (3 laptops). All still working perfectly and in good condition despite daily use.

I do 1,2 and 3 as well. My cables routinely perish and disintegrate. I have been using mac laptops for the past 15 years.

I agree that the fragile cables on Apple chargers suck, but I've had chargers replaced at the Genius bar for that reason (free), so you could try too if it's worth your time.

Just another anecdotal datapoint: I've tried to do that both in Switzerland and Japan, and they wouldn't replace adapters I brought with broken down cable shielding.

tip: call apple and tell them you have a cord that looks like it's a serious fire hazard. Each time I've said "fire hazard," they've replaced it without question.

Good hint, thank you!

JP here too. This was in ~2011, the staff then Really Liked Macs. Now it's the "my iPhone screen broke" bar, and they have way more staff.

The service for my Mac last time was actually pretty hideous. I can't remember what he said, but he used some amazing jargon to explain the difficult act of booting off an OS on a USB hard disk. Then tried to say that the broken hinge (the hinge part of the stand on 2014 skinny iMacs is prone to fail without warning, tipping the screen forward) and bad RAM on my iMac might not be covered under Applecare (it was).

The genius bar has never been a fun experience (our sensors indicate you used your laptop! Sorry, but Applecare doesn't cover oxygen damage), but that was super unpleasant.

I also had very mixed experience. In Switzerland I now avoid them like the plague and I go to certified service partners instead. Problem there is that there's always an issue, like screws not sitting tight and falling out after service, or some non essential component not being reconnected again, like keyboard backlight.

Lately my position on Apple is: I buy their iPhones and their iMacs. One has comparatively good service, the other rarely needs service because it isn't carried around and doesn't contain a battery. For laptops I was hoping that Windows 10 tablets would be any good, but was severely disappointed again, especially by the software side, Windows is a total mess. Right now I'm at a loss at what my next portable computer is supposed to be. Maybe Lenovos upcoming classic thinkpad line with Ubuntu?

I have been dual booting Ubuntu for awhile now on my Macbook.

Unless Apple comes out with something really special this year (early 2011 13" MBP →　late 2013 13" Retina MBP was an impressive upgrade), I am considering building a Linux desktop and a pairing it with a really nice monitor. 1TB SSD is only $400 now, which seems like a really nice deal compared to even last year.

I'll keep my Macbook around for using Adobe apps, I guess. Other than that I can't think of a pressing reason to stay on OSX.

This happens with Lightning cables too.

lol, Dont get me started on the magsafe and its easily breakable pins. it can also destroy the plug on the macbook itself. And there is the heat ... It ruined 2 computers I had and Apple refused to fix them for free ...

Easily breakable pins? I honestly can't imagine what I'd have to transport an adapted beside to break those pins. Any hints?

the pins on the magsafe plug side.

This is planned obsolescence, when the cables break like this the chargers normally simply stop working. And that cable doesn't carry 110VAC so it's safe to assume even if you touch it you can't really get hurt.

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