I have been a PC guy as far as I can remember. Recently, with the change of Apple to the Intel platform I have been seriously considering moving to a Mac. I have been particularly looking at the Mac Book Pro. Well, I finally decided to go for it and I posted on the Technology Forum to ask if there was any issues. It seems that the Mac Book Pro has a problem with plane's power . Which means that it would have a problem with United's Empower. That is really unfortunate I really like and I want the new Mac Book Pro. I will have to wait until Apple releases a solution for this.
Moderator please free to move this but I thought that since some don't read the Technology Board and this is particular to United's empower that I decided to post it on the UA forum.
I have been a PC guy as far as I can remember. Recently, with the change of Apple to the Intel platform I have been seriously considering moving to a Mac. I have been particularly looking at the Mac Book Pro. Well, I finally decided to go for it and I posted on the Technology Forum to ask if there was any issues. It seems that the Mac Book Pro has a problem with plane's power . Which means that it would have a problem with United's Empower. That is really unfortunate I really like and I want the new Mac Book Pro. I will have to wait until Apple releases a solution for this.
Moderator please free to move this but I thought that since some don't read the Technology Board and this is particular to United's empower that I decided to post it on the UA forum.
a good answer is in one of the link you've mentioned
Quote:
Chris Barker (I...
Posts: 2
Registered: Mar 4, 2006
Re: the problem with airplanes and the MBP
Posted: May 5, 2006 9:13 PM in response to: jim farley
Don't forget, you can install the CHUD processor tools (look for it on versiontracker.com) and turn off one of the cores in your dual core macbook pro. that should drop processor use substanstantially, and still give you a single 2 ghz or so core to do work precessing or dvd playback.
problem is the system demanding lot more power and empower
sockets can't provide that. cutting the usage seems to be
a good solution.
I'm not very familiar with the Macs, but there might be an
inbuilt feature to slow the CPUs down to conserve power.
If its there.. it should help.
Thanks for the heads up. I've been debating upgrading my PowerBook G4 to a Mac Book Pro now that the availability of BootCamp would streamline some of my workflows. However, I'd not considered that Apple wouldn't have a solution for portable power, as I've become acustomed to with the PB.
Now it looks like I'll have to wait until someone devises a solution.
It's unfortunate that airlines have limited the amount of current available at seat power outlets, but I guess back when these outlets began showing up on airplanes, most laptops had less current demands than what is considered "normal" at present. I'm sure this problem is the same on other airlines as well, and not just limited to the latest Mac laptops, there are a lot of windows laptops that require 85 watts or more!
I think the only near term solution for MacBook Pros as well as any Windows laptop that draws a lot of current is to carry along spare batteries, or as suggested in the link above, charge the battery up full before using it on the plane with on board power.
Now if only Kensington would come out with a MagSafe SmartTip really soon!
I really wish UA would just have standard AC outlets like other airlines do (SAS comes to mind).
Having standard AC outlets would be a really nice step in the right direction, however on many planes the AC outlet has a breaker on it, and if crippled the same way as our empower outlets are in terms of current capacity, we are no further ahead than where we are now with empower. Any way you slice it, 85 watts is 85 watts. If the outlet could handle 150 watts, then no problem, if only 80 watts, we have a problem!
I can see the recommended inverter not working well on airplanes, they take a bit of current just to generate the AC waveform, then add to it the amount of current the computer will require, and you're in a worse situation than trying to make a DC to DC converter work. It's use would be limited to automobiles or boats where there's plenty of current available at the 12 volt receptacle.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arthurrs
Having standard AC outlets would be a really nice step in the right direction, however on many planes the AC outlet has a breaker on it, and if crippled the same way as our empower outlets are in terms of current capacity, we are no further ahead than where we are now with empower. Any way you slice it, 85 watts is 85 watts. If the outlet could handle 150 watts, then no problem, if only 80 watts, we have a problem!
Indeed the inverter is not the problem, and neither is Empower. It's the limiter for each seat, supposedly around 70 Watts. Even the 110V outlets (like on NW's J seats) seem to max out around 65 or 70 watts. When I noticed the MBP was rated around 85 Watts, that was the deal-breaker -- I took the MacBook instead. Now I'm just waiting for iJuice to make a plug to fit the new interface -- I refuse to carry around two adapters.
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This is not limited to the macbook, but as people have mentioned, the total juice your setup uses. I bought an inverter a few years back, and it is designed for empower, yet it trips the circuict every time and the green light turns off. I ended up buying a standard empower type adaptor for that laptop and it works. Now if the macbook pro itself uses more juice, then OUCH.
I had this problem with an old Acer Ferrari laptop of mine as well - its wattage requirement was too steep for in-seat power.
The solution: run it without the battery in the actual computer (ie. on AC power only). Not sure if that's workable for the MBP, but it's worth a shot.
In another situation, my seatmate and I could not both be connected to the power supply at the same time. We simply alternated.
This is one big reason why I still lug around my Powerbook 17. Plus, it doesn't crash 5x a day.
grrr
The other big reason is my Verizon & Cingular cards aren't Express cards yet. bah. dang bleeding edge.
Interesting. My MBP 17 has been is sitting in LAX for many weeks, as I didn't have the time to convert all the software and because of the problem of non-existing Express cards for UMTS/HSDPA/GPRS/EDGE. I bought the Kensington and I'm quite unhappy to hear that it doesn't work on UA planes, especially since weero always claimed that UA's Empower provides more watts that LH's 110V outlets. I'll certainly give it a try on LH metal (new C/F) when I'm flying LAX-MUC end of August.
Until then, I'm very happy with my latesr model PB17. It may be slow, but at least it works all the time and everywhere, no matter what.
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Until the power adapter companies come out with the magnetic AC connector, it's a moot point, anyway.
That being said, I did buy a MacBook for travel to replace my 17" HP behemoth which could charge the battery while on emPower, but not run on it. Fortunately, my MacBook runs longer on one battery then my HP could with three (larger) ones.
