One of the simplest to follow pieces of advice I give to computer users is this: Don’t drink or eat near your computer! You spill your drink, that’s big trouble! Eating can spill crumbs onto your keyboard, effecting the throw of the keys and not to mention making it just nasty! BUT, snack eaters have won with a complaint against Apple and as a result, Apple is issuing replacements for those who’ve had issues with the keyboards on the newer generation MacBook Pro’s.
Crumbs gotta me mighty small to get in there…
Keyboard Service Program for MacBook and MacBook Pro
The chorus of snack eating users became so loud Apple issued a Service Program for the following machines:
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
For 4 years after purchase, Apple will repair the following issues:
- Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly
- Letters or characters do not appear
- Key(s) feel “sticky” or do not respond in a consistent manner
All you have to do is book an appointment with the Genius Bar or find an authorized dealership.
Design Blamed
I’m not a big fan of the very short throw keys on the latest MacBooks, but I’m an old curmudgeon who loved the giant sugar cube sized clickity-clack keys on my Apple Adjustable Keyboard. But the future is now, and just before we go to nothing but touch surface keyboards, this is the last stage design. But, I guess the numbers don’t lie, data shows the new butterfly mechanisms are failing twice as much as the older scissor design. Now, the question is how much of their failures are due to errant crumbs getting in and gunking up the works? I can certainly see how these new super short throw mechanisms can be more susceptible to contaminants.
My suggestion is simply DO NOT EAT near your computer and make sure your hands are clean when using it. “What about those rubber keyboard covers?” NO. MacBooks and many other computers release some heat through the spaces around the keys, stifling that venting can cause your cooling system to have to work harder.
It’s good that Apple is doing the right thing, so take advantage while you can!
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