Visit my new site
Posted: July 22, 2013 Filed under: Apple, LEGO, Other Leave a commentThis website has moved over to legomac.net, hosted by Squarespace. If you enjoy what you see here, stop by and see more recent material!
Beware of MacBook Boxes
Posted: August 19, 2012 Filed under: Apple | Tags: Apple, dent, MacBook Pro, package, Retina, shipping 9 CommentsI just received my brand-new Retina MacBook Pro, and I couldn’t be happier. The insanely crisp screen, speedy SSD, and hours of battery life make my old 2007 MacBook look positively ancient.
Having never ordered a laptop online before, I was sure to check the box for any signs of rough handling when it arrived. I examined both the brown external box and the internal white one for any scuffs, dents, and scrapes and was satisfied with their condition. But then I became so absorbed in transferring my data and playing with the new hardware that I neglected to give the entire laptop a detailed once-over. It wasn’t until the next morning that I noticed a problem: the Apple power adaptor had pressed a nice square dent pattern into the MacBook Pro’s bottom case during shipping.
Four dents in a perfect square – a dead giveaway.
If you aren’t familiar with Apple’s laptop boxes, here’s a photo:
The white power brick is held directly under the laptop’s back corner.
Thankfully, the Genius Bar replaced the bottom case for free, but it’s a little disconcerting to see how far Apple’s trend of minimizing their shipping boxes has gone. There shouldn’t be any way to apply that much pressure to the MacBook during shipping, but the tiny box can’t provide enough protection. I’m curious to know if this is a common issue; both the Genius and Applecare technician claimed they’d never heard of it before. So if you have a Retina Macbook Pro, or possibly a MacBook Air or older Pro, check the bottom! While I can’t be sure, it’s possible that the aluminum bottom case of the Retina MacBook Pro is thinner than the older models.
Interestingly, the Genius did hear of something similar happening to Mac Pros a few years ago. Apparently many customers were coming in with scratches all over one side panel of the Mac Pro, claiming it arrived that way in the box. Upon investigation, the factory worker who lifted the Pros into their boxes wore a large metal belt buckle that scraped against the computers.
Maybe this time a wayward employee in China is sitting on laptop boxes?
UCS Sandcrawler reaches 10,000 on CUUSOO
Posted: August 13, 2012 Filed under: LEGO | Tags: CUUSOO, LEGO, marshal banana, Sandcrawler, Star Wars, UCS Leave a commentCUUSOO is churning out some truly impressive models, the latest of which is marshal banana‘s massive UCS Sandcrawler. This is undoubtedly the epitome of AFOL building, featuring a minifig-scale model with furnished interior, power functions, and light bricks. Not exactly cost-effective to produce, but drool-worthy nonetheless. It’s worth noting that the creator is the first to achieve two successful CUUSOO projects, with his Modular Western Town having reached 10,000 votes earlier this spring.
While I’m not optimistic that LEGO will want to spend so much money on such a huge and detailed set, there’s no reason why they couldn’t scale it down a little and turn a decent profit on another UCS model. I imagine that a halfway-decent Sandcrawler would sell quite well, given the inherent “playset” characteristics of such a large machine.
(I must admit that I have a special fondness for Sandcrawlers due to playing Star Wars: Droid Builder many years ago, in which a lot of time is spent running like crazy through the interior of a Sandcrawler testing new droids.)
LEGO’s 80th Birthday
Posted: August 10, 2012 Filed under: LEGO | Tags: 80, anniversary, cake, exclusive, history, LEGO, video 1 CommentToday marks the 80th anniversary of LEGO’s founding under Ole Kirk Christiansen, although the plastic bricks we know today wouldn’t come until much later. Commemorating the occasion, the LEGO Group has released a short animated video chronicling the company’s history. It’s worth a look – you just might learn something!
LEGO Flash Drives
Posted: August 10, 2012 Filed under: LEGO | Tags: brick, flash drive, LEGO, minifig, usb Leave a commentEver wished you could combine the whimsy of LEGO with technology? Sure, you could go ahead and build your own computer, but an easier way might be to buy a LEGO flash drive. I’m currently in the market for a new USB drive, so I searched around and found a few good options.
First, LEGO has an official minifig flash drive, with 2GB of space for $25. Unfortunately, this little guy isn’t available from the LEGO online store anymore but can still be found on Amazon.
If you want something more creative, Etsy is a good choice. There’s a ton of variety here, but databrick (Stefan Reiling) is one of the best. Unlike the official LEGO version, his minifig drives can store the USB port either in a brick-built stand or inside the body (making them look more like normal LEGO.) Of course, there’s a price for such unique craftsmanship – plan on paying $50 or higher for a decently-sized drive.
Personally, I prefer a more classic look, favoring bricks over minifigs. Stefan has the perfect solution, with drives lodged in both bricks and plates of various sizes. My personal favorites are the 2×1 brick with LED or the tiny plate drives. Again, they aren’t cheap, but the workmanship is top notch.
Ken Segall doesn’t like Apple’s new Genius ads
Posted: July 30, 2012 Filed under: Apple | Tags: advert, advertisement, Apple, genius, Ken Segall Leave a commentFinally, I know what to think about the latest Mac ads.
iPhone 5 and iPad mini event planned for September 12?
Posted: July 30, 2012 Filed under: Apple | Tags: iMore, iPad mini, iPhone 5, release, rumor, September Leave a commentNow it’s basically official: iMore broke the story, Dalrymple confirms.
Still not going to be called the iPhone 5.
legomac gets an upgrade
Posted: July 30, 2012 Filed under: Apple, LEGO, Other | Tags: legomac, new, Squarespace Leave a comment
Today I’m re-launching as a “real” website at legomac.net! It’s hosted on Squarespace 6, so that means I’ll also be leaving WordPress behind. Feel free to peruse the new site and offer any suggestions, and I hope you come with as I transition over to a new platform. Since Squarespace 6 is very new, there are still a few bugs to work out; only once everything is working perfectly will I start redirecting to the new site and retire this one. So fear not, all the archived posts are still available at the new site, and I’ll be keeping up with both sites over the next few weeks until everything’s settled.
legomac 