Now, we know that the
MacBook Air is one thin laptop, but some Apple forum members in Germany are claiming that the edge of the laptop is not only sharp -- but downright dangerous. According to "Apple Talk" reader Bajuware, his MBA went kill-crazy all over his elbow while he was cold-chillin' on his couch. The details are a little hard to suss out due to the language barrier (and machine translation), but it would appear the Air's bottom edge made nasty work of the human flesh like someone had insulted its mother. Another MBA owner claims his computer is sharp enough to slice bread, though we assume it's not used for buttering. Honestly, we're not sure what kind of danger an innocent MacBook Air could really pose besides causing you to throw out your back constantly plugging in the AC to charge that not-quite-as-advertised battery.
posted May 27th 2008 8:39AM
Now that's thin! Take that, Lenovo X300!! Can't wait to see the new MBA ads...
Uh, for the picture can we not have a big cut?
It's 8:54 in the morning and I don't really feel like having a fresh cut to look at when I click engadget.
when will Jobs start to sell cookware like Ron Ponpeil? "set it and forget it"
@Isaac:
HTFU !
I can see it now.
Jihadists hijacking airplanes armed with nothing more than MacBook Airs.
-slitting throats and cutting heads off.
Thin but still fat like a cleaver knife.
@Flashpoint:
I remember a while back, didn't the airport security have some problems with the MBA's laptop screening procedure (regarding the SSD), and further back there was a ban of Apple/Dell laptops (exploding batteries)? Oh well, laptop these days, says me who is typing this on a macbook.
flashpoint,
you really do say some of the dumbest things ever on this site
the iPod classics have a sharp edge as well. Ive papercut myself a few times on it
@Flashpoint:
but the TSA won't allow them on airplanes :P
I have a No.2 pencil that can poke eyes out.
I use it to write on paper that...well...you know...regularly gives amazingly painful paper cuts.
Who do I sue?
I believe that's Dixon / Ticonderoga, and I want in on that action.
Paper maker, for not warning you its dangerous for your life :)
You are such a fucking idiot! I doubt that this story is legit, but if it is, then Apple definitely has a problem on it's hands. There is absolutely no need for the computer to have a sharp edge, and it is definitely something they should be sued for.
Wow lots of people obviously aren't picking up on the blatant sarcasm here >.
0megapart!cle, it is completely unnecessary to either use profanity or flame someone for having a perfectly acceptable opinion. Grow up for goodness sake.
Swearing on the internet to someone you don't even know is rude.
Swearing on someone stating something that you failed to comprehend is called stupidity.
Reading comprehension needs to be at high school level before using F-bombs on people... at least then you'll understand what you said was totally uncalled for, and in short, makes you look like a troll.
Trolls belong under a bridge, not on Engadget.
maybe instead of cutting bread that person should go outside and get their freakishly white hands some sun
It could be the sunlight comign that makes it seem like that.
But still. I initially thought the dude was wearing a glove.
Why hate? Casper never made fun of your hands.
:)
lol i thought it was white gloves untill i saw your post
The autor of the linked page says that he was not able to cut his bread with the MBA.
Yeah... I don't have one, but the MBA at our Apple store doesn't seem sharp at all.
I have a late-2006 MacBook that has a sharp 90 degree edge... I don't like that very much... but it never actually cut me.
Please, Engadget - do not again post posts you don´t understand. As a german native speaker i can translate for you some sentences in which he abstracted his post:
1. It was a MacBook with which he had this accident, not a MBA
2. Cutting the bread was merely a "dramatizing demonstration"
3. Many things do have sharp edges and can lead to accidents.
That's he's even able to attempt it is impressive. Just try holding your MacBook like that.
The only laptop I've seen (and held in my hands) that beats the Air in terms of weight, robustness, and handling is the Panasonic Toughbook, which is a few hundred dollars more expensive than the Air. Either laptop is ideal for those who carry their laptops around wherever they go (e.g., students).
@PrimoLevinas
Wait, but how does he make a cut like that with a "Macbook"? Pretty much the only way he could have injured himself that way was if the macbook was "thrown" or "dropped" from a pretty far distance (being that it's so thick). If that's the case than pretty much any laptop could have done that don't you think?
@Laron
The update on the story says:
"Sorry for the confusion, to clear things up:
The cut was due to the sharp edge of the palm rest of a MacBook!"
And yeah, these things are sharp. With the right angle and enough speed I can see how one might be able to cut himself.
The bun looks tasty though
That elbow looks pretty tasty as well...
The new innovative MacBook Air AKA MacBook Pocketknife
the new completely non innovative troll
In the UK we joke about our stupid Health & Safety policies, so I won't be surprised if the MacBook Air gets banned unless they cover the edges with rubber.
I never heard somebody from the UK joking about their Health & Safety policies, but damn, that must be hilarious.
@TubeTop100: watch a few episodes of BBC's "Top Gear" and you'll know what I mean - Jeremy Clarkson stabs the H&S authority on a regular basis. The last 2 or 3 seasons are the best, and a new one is coming this summer.
Speaking of which, any "The Totally Rad Show" viewers here? They'll be reviewing "Top Gear" in the next show (thanks to Jeff).
"The Office" (UK, sweet and original) also does a good demo on H&S: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kYWhhEiQ9kI
Yay, Office UK FTW. But I enjoy both versions, the US version is a whole different breed, yet good in it's own way.
LMAO.
Apple MacBook Air
- Sad, angry, and frustrated with thoughts your officemate ruining your life; or annoyed some FBI agent nagging you to come with him? Now with razor sharp edges for all those dice and slice moments you've always dreamed of! Now you can 'swish and swoosh' to death with the MBA!
Another reason not to buy one, now they will ban them from airplanes.
They wont't ban it in airplaines if you put it into a plastic bag along with your liquids :-)
It'll cut open the bag.
"his MBA went kill-crazy all over his elbow while he was cold-chillin' on his couch."
I forgot how awesome the saying, cold chillin' sounds. I'm going to start using that more often.
I'm just loungin, cold chillin' at my desk at work reading engadget on the Man's dime.
That defines my day at work..
"I'm just loungin, cold chillin' at my desk at work reading engadget on the Man's dime."
+1 to that.
i was just chillin' maxin, relaxin' all cool, playin' some b-ball outside of the school when some macbook airs that were up to no good, started cuttin people in the neighbourhood! i got one little cut and my mom got scared, she said 'you're getting a lenovo and tossing the mac air!'
The first one was a classic but this one.....
"i was just chillin' maxin, relaxin' all cool, playin' some b-ball outside of the school when some macbook airs that were up to no good, started cuttin people in the neighbourhood! i got one little cut and my mom got scared, she said 'you're getting a lenovo and tossing the mac air!'
You sir get a +10 for that one!
True.
Bread knife and weapon?
I knew the cost would eventually be justified.
Added bonus: it slices and it toasts!
Now, with more DEATH.
That's right, check out that EDGE... with more... slice!
Now for a product demonstration!
I have harpooned a pod of whales with my MBA.
Sorry if I offended anyone. (not really).
in germany, air kills you?
fanboys... what would we do without them. Who needs a marketing department ey?
you
chickenface,
i think you're setting a record for unbroken stream of low ranked comments. good job.
http://comic.socksandpuppets.com/comics/amddp.jpg
A for effort.
That's a pretty old comic. :)
I'm thinking the new bond Odd Job should throw his mac air at stuff...
Friendly reminder: Don't place your MBA on your laps while you are naked, especially when you are watching p0rn.
Now there's a lawsuit!
ROFL
Now it's only a matter of time till someone makes a YTMND about this with a background song none other than...
"How could this happen to me... I've made my mistakes...."
etc... etc...
the first guy cut his elbow on a macbook, not a macbook air. he had it lying on the couch table and as he turned around to do whatever, he slid his elbow along the macbook's edge and got that cut.
as for the cutting bread pic, that's just a staged photo, the text said they failed to cut bread with the macbook air
Ha. Yeah, they do kind of specifically mention that it can't in fact cut bread. But it's ok, cos looking at the pictures is a legitimate way to read the article before posting it on a widely-read blog - right?
MacBook Air... So thin that can cut you! or Make your breakfast!
*groan*
can it help your post be funny?.....please?
The MBA can cut BREAD.
Hands down the stupidest thing I have seen Engadget post in months. Maybe ever. Bravo.
Apple starts a new add campaign to branch out into the Emo markets.
the keyboard is already in black, now apple just need to make everything else black.
How about a video of it cutting the bread?
My 1" thick MacBook may not slice bread, but it's still good for inflicting blunt force trauma.
The top front edge of my MacBook (the spot your tender wrists rub against) is also sharp. I wonder how Apple let such a design flub slip through. It's the only real flaw I've found in an otherwise truly enjoyable machine.
"Form Before Function"
That's what you signed up for when you bought a mac, so stop whining...
Another feather for Apple. Now they are looking at Ginsu for competition.
the Air would be great in kitchen....
you dont need a knife...it can slice
you dont need a stove...it can heat :)
Now I'd like to see a picture of a guy with a cut lip, after trying to gnaw the Air's case to feel for gold. Yip yip! Gold! Beautiful Gold!
In Soviet Russian,
Computer give you virus!
*throws peanuts*
"throws sharp metal objects*
*Throws sharp-edged MBA*
CLARIFICATION (TRANSLATION):
So, he cut himself on a MacBook, NOT a MBA, on the lower edge of the chassis. The MB was on the couch, he as well (so I presume...he wasn't explicit), he turned, and managed to swipe on the lower edge of the chassis. He said that the wound is probably not that bad, but that the couch is ruined, as it is full with blood stains.
As for the MBA, ... well, it just got into the picture as the blogger reporting about the dude who cut himself was trying to find a parallel to other macs. He also tried to see if it can cut bread at least, but failed, in contrast to the, what he calls, "dramatized picture" of a MBA slicing through bread.
Could you guys stop linking to the Google translation on Read? Being trilingual I rather read the foreign page link, especially since I understand German.
If you insist on doing that, than post both links, Original and Translated.
Seeing as about 1% of us understand German (me and you for starters), I don't think it's too hard to click the link, then click the "original version" link in the top frame. It took me about 1 second to pull it off.
@pundit
You Sir, are dumb. There is no connection between the number of readers speaking german and how hard it is to click a link.
...and Microsoft Vista can kill my appetite for web browsing and using the computer. Sure... if I flung my Mac Pro at his face he'd teach me a few four letter words in english!
Those are a few of the extra features that Apple computers offer. Now we just have to wait and see how many lawsuits are filed by careless users.
I wonder how well the Air cuts thick steaks or pizza.
The post states:
-A user has cut himself on a MacBook (not a Mac Book Air)
-MacBook Air CAN´T slice bread, even if a user staged a picture...
German is fun ;-)
yeah, und ich lese das aus meinem macbook.
oh well, and I am typing this with my palms resting on the sharp ledge.
While i'm not sure how you get your 'elbow' cut by a laptop (aren't you meant to use your hands?) or why you'd want to cut bread with it i do have a problem with the edge between the palm rest & base of my regular black macbook.
It is somewhat sharp, not enough to draw blood but enough to cause significant discomfort. I think the difference between the MacBook lines is that the MBP uses a plastic rim at the edges whilst the others...well dont.
This brings up something very similar that happened to me - I had placed my iPhone in my pockets when I put my left hand inside to retrieve it and then *slice* a chunk of my ring finger came off. After controlling the bleeding, I took out my iPhone to find the chunk in the recessed headphone jack of the iPhone. If you feel the edge, it is extremely sharp - in fact, sharp enough for me to cut a piece of thin string with.
I called up Apple iPhone Care and they were surprised to hear it at first, but apparently after the tech support guy found an iPhone to feel, he confirmed the sharp edge and immediately informed engineering about the problem. Has anyone else had this problem? If you haven't, I suggest you feel the edge of the iPhone recessed jack on the outside by running your finger lightly over the edge to feel it (it's sharp on nearly all the iPhones i've ever played with).
Seems like sharp things are part of Apple's new designs as well huh?
They should have called it the "Mac Ginsu".
When the MBA actually becomes a blender, then I'll be impressed.
...and you were wondering why the MacBook Air is Al Qaeda's #1 choice of laptop.
As far as I'm aware (my German might be getting a bit rusty!) The guy says he cut himself with a standard MacBook (not an MBA) - the picture of the MacBook Air is from some other guy who sent in a picture of himself cutting bread with his MBA
That's what you get for "cutting edge" design :)
Crap, it tasted human blood!
Quick, somebody put it down!
OMG, I thought Germans were tough. It turns out they're a bunch of nanny state wusses. They're like those people who sue McDonalds because they spill coffee on themselves.
If he was chillin' on the sofa, what was he doing using his MBA as an armrest in the first place? What, no pillows to rest your elbow on that you have to put your MBA on it's end and rest your elbow on the edge?
My el cheapo Toshiba laptop isn't that pointy on the front edge, but I think if I pressed down hard enough, I'd be able to cut bread with it.
Knowing these nanny-state types, they'll sue Apple for making a product that is dangerous if used improperly/stupidly. They'll require a 5-day waiting period, as well as registration and licensing of MBA owners.
So many engadget readers think they're funny :(
seriously, it's the Anti-funny Convention here today
"seriously, it's the Anti-funny Convention here today"
...that wasn't funny...
touche
Swiss Mac, the thin version, not the big one with the spoon and fork.
Swiss Mac