MagStay turns MagSafe on its oft annoying head
Yes, it is true that the MagSafe power connecter used by Apple has undoubtedly prevented many, many thousands of MacBook none, Pro and Airs from crashing to an untimely death on the floor. Yet, it’s just as true a significant slice of the Mac portable audience have come to despise Apple’s one-size fits all nanny state annoyance.
MagStay is the kind of product you either get or you don’t. Nevertheless, the concept is pretty straight forward—Apple’s MagSafe so easily pulls away from its mount that often the slightest bump or repositioning can unseat it, leaving your MacBook none, Pro or Air without juice. MagStay makes it just about impossible to dislodge your Mac’s MagSafe, keeping the juice flowing without fiddling.
“The MagStay does one thing, and it does it well,” writes Charlie Sorrel, Wired. “The little plastic widget slides into the USB port next to the MagSafe socket on a MacBook Pro, and stops the power plug from disengaging from its magnetic home when on your lap. That’s it.”
This little piece of engineered plastic is made in the US of A (yeah, baby!) and is priced accordingly —$14 — which should put off all but the most needy…
What’s your take?
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July 7th, 2009
Huh? Never had an issue with the MagSafe.
I guess this is good idea for people who keep pulling on their cable but the cable will suffer for it. I think you’ll end up cursing it in the end…
July 7th, 2009
I wish they used MagSafe on other parts, like the connector between the iPod and the cable. But, like the person who commented before me, I’ve never had trouble with the MagSafe connector for power. I’ve only had my PowerBook for about 9 months, though.
July 8th, 2009
Solution to a problem that doesn’t exist, if you ask me.
December 12th, 2009
So, this is a device to prevent the mag safe from doing it’s intended job while depriving you of a USB port? This will be good for Apple because now, people tripping over your power cord will cause your laptop to “Crash to the floor”. This can only be good for Apple sales.
Only in America would someone think of charging $14 for a bit of plastic guaranteed to make things worse.
December 12th, 2009
I’ve got to say, this seems to be a solution in search of a problem.
OK, fine, the magsafe connector comes loose when you’re moving your laptop… If this happens often enough that it becomes annoying it seems to me that you would know it was going to happen ahead of time, and could simply hold the connector in-place while you move things.
I work at a computer repair shop, and you wouldn’t believe the number of laptops that come in after someone has tripped over a power cord and sent them tumbling… Usually with very expensive damage to the screen. There’s no way in hell I’d disable the magsafe connector with something like this – no matter how annoying it got.
January 16th, 2010
i would totally mod a cheap usb connector, charge half of what these guys are, and make a profit. wtf?
and @ephemeriis … solution ISO a problem indeed. much like the swine flu vaccine. i wish i could be that smart.