BlowBook, CrackBook

New reports of malfunctioning Apple notebooks are doing the rounds, none of which tell stories any different than what we've heard so far. Yet another notebook battery shot off flames and sparks in an office somewhere, while a user is currently at his eighth replacement MacBook – evidently, the crack-plagued polycarbonate 13-incher.


The BlowBook, pictured just below, reportedly “shocked office-workers in a London marketing agency when it unexpectedly burst into flames, melting keys on the keyboard and spewing acrid smoke into the room.” The victim-company allowed pictures of the laptop to be published, yet asked to remain anonymous.

"Suddenly flames flew up about six foot [sic] in the air and there were sparks flying everywhere. There was a popping sound and more smoke. At that point I just hit the fire alarm and scarpered," one employee declared. Another witness claims the flames arising from the malfunctioning PowerBook shot up so high they had reached the ceiling.


Comment: PowerBook explodes in London marketing agency (cropped)
Credits: The Inquirer
The same report, however, also takes into account the possibility that the company itself is also to blame for the PowerBook that thought it was the 4th of July. According to the story, “it is possible that the battery in question had been the subject of a recall from Apple, but that the marketing company had failed to act.”

The “CrackBook” is probably the most commonly spread issue with Apple's portable computers. Virtually, hundreds, if not thousands, of users have experienced issues with the polycarbonate shell on the White 13-inch MacBook, some reporting cracks, others reporting stains / black lines appearing under the glossy finish out of nowhere. Giles Turnbull, reporting for Cult of Mac, claims he's at his second MacBook, having sent one back to Apple for similar problems (picture available below). However, user Derek C., posting his story over at Macintouch, is allegedly waiting for his eighth replacement from Apple.


Comment: MacBook cracked keyboard, a truly widespread issue common to White polycarbonate MacBooks
Credits: Cult of Mac
“I had the splintering keyboard problem,” Derek writes. “I replaced mine 7 times and was approaching the 8th as the problem began to develop. I normally just go to the authorized repair center and get it replaced, but this time I decided to call Apple. They are now sending me a brand new model MacBook. Might be worth a try for others facing continual problems,” Derek C. concluded.

These cases aren't by far isolated, nor any fresh news to Apple, yet the company has stubbornly continued to ship replacement MacBooks to users experiencing issues with the systems, while scientists are still struggling to come up with batteries that aren't so unpredictable.