Quick tech question.
Does the battery below qualify as a #SpicyPillow?

Just opened up my #Framework16 for something unrelated and noticed this.

Touchpad module used to show the ballooning.

#FrameworkLaptop

We bought a bunch of framework 13 at work, before the DHH/Omarchy “Big tent means we can pretend Nazis in our community aren’t a problem” debacle. All of the laptops have a spicy pillow.

If you own a framework, check the battery today! Also limit max charge percentage to 70% or 80%, and then drain the battery if it’s above the configured threshold.

#psa #FrameworkLaptop #SpicyPillow #FireHazard

Just finished disassembling a late-Intel-era Macbook Pro to remove the spicy pillows from it, and I gotta say, I am not impressed with Apple's hardware engineering on it.

I'm not talking about them gluing the cells of the battery to the case - that's been discussed to death, and was unnecessary. I'm talking about some other rather bad choices made during design.

Specifically: fasteners. In general, you want the fewest different types of threaded fasteners possible in your design. Fewer parts to keep in stock, fewer possible mistakes when assembling and disassembling units, etc. And Apple utterly failed this design rule.

It's like each separate part in this machine is held in with 3 different fasteners. Sometimes that's unavoidable in a design; you're using machine screw #1 for most things, but there's one that has to go into this particular place where it can't be as deep/long or there isn't room for the same head or something. But in this case, most of the fasteners are different for no very good reason. There's room for them to have used a common screw for many of the cases where they just ... didn't.

Paying the Apple tax for this kind of janky design (and user-hostile repairability) is just insulting.

"Designed badly in California, manufactured in China".

#Apple #AppleTax #Macbook #MacbookPro #glue #SpicyPillow #design #BadDesign #hardware #janky #UserHostile #CaptiveMarket #AppleMac

For my second entry in #marchintosh is this #spicyPillow in a 2012 Mac Pro. IIRC I picked this up at #EFM #electronicsFleaMarket on the cheap, fully intended for a project but was packed up from the move. Unpacked the box this weekend, and noted the lid being pushed out – and upon opening noted the touchpad broken in half.

I opened it up & pulled out the spicy pillow, installing a spare battery I had on hand. Connected power, and it booted! The touchpad works, but to click/double click you have to push down to make the touchpad level while clicking/double clicking. Time to find a replacement touchpad, and when I do then also max out the RAM while installing an SSD.

#siliconValley #SillyValley #sanfrancisco #sanfran #sanfranciscocomputers #sanfrancomputers #sanfranciscovintagecomputers #sanfranvintagecomputers #sanfranciscovintagehardware #sanfranvintagehardware
#vintagecomputing #vintagecomputint #vintagecomputer #vintagecomputers #vintagecomputalk
#vintagehardware #computerHistory #VCF #vintageComputerFestival #retro #retrocomputing #retroComputers #WallOfRetro
#retroTech #retroTechnology #nerdsOfVintage #happyNerding
#computer #tech #computerHardware
#apple #VintageApple #VintageMacintosh #macintosh #mac #mac_pro #mac_osx #MacintoshPr0n
#RetroApple #retroMacintosh
#upcycle #restore #TechnologyRepair #WasteNotWantNot #reuse #RepairReuseRecycle
#IT #ITsupport #hardwaresupport #computerrepair
#makeShitMonday #showmewhatyougot

Gah!

I opened an old laptop that I'm repurposing into a server so I could add some storage. Found this lovely spicy-pillow inside

I guess it's not going to have a built-in UPS after all.

The good news is it still boots without a battery, so my plan continues...

#spicypillow #homelab #wastenotwantnot