[P1] ibook closure mechanism

[Charles Pearce]

On Jun 23, 2004, at 7:12 PM, Linda L. Rowe wrote:

> Hi All-
> Someone thought the listserv was too quiet so I'm giving you all my 
> questions that have been piling up since I bought this little (GREAT 
> little) ibook in Feb. of this year.  It's a G4 12-inch 800Mhz, snow 
> white .
> Well, the cover lock has got progressively loose.  It still clicks 
> closed, but the two front ends kind of bow up a little and there is a 
> fair amount of  "give" in the lock.  Is there some neat little tool to 
> tighten it up or must I send it back??  I do move about with my laptop 
> (taking it from office to studio, closing and opening it anywhere from 
> 4 to 10 or so times per day.  I never force the lock and and don't 
> push the cover or move it too fast.
> Thanks for any insight.
> Linda

The iBook lid-bowing problem is common, from what others on this list 
have posted previously. The latch issue is probably something that 
can't be fixed easily. I've been looking into that because my latch 
broke about a year-and-a-half ago when it slid off my car seat onto the 
floor as I was making a quick stop. Since then, I've used a variety of 
devices to keep the lid closed--as opposed to paying hundreds to have 
it fixed. First, I got some Velcro® strips with the adhesive back, and 
while that worked, the "bumpy" part of the Velcro® kept rubbing my arm 
while I moused, so I removed it. Next, I tried some duct tape (yes, 
duct tape) and while that kept it firmly closed, it had to be replaced 
periodically and left a gummy residue. Third, I have had good luck with 
a hefty rubber-band. I found one that held some asparagus in a bunch 
from the market, that is in a pretty sky-blue and contrasts nicely with 
the white of the lid. Whenever I take it off to use the iBook, I make 
sure to put it in my pocket or in my iBook bag, so that I'll have it 
again when I need it. I'm thinking of going to Staples to look around 
for a selection of colored rubber-bands so that when this one breaks 
(as I am certain that it will, eventually), I'll have something as 
pretty to replace it with.

Others give me quizzical looks when I remove the rubber-band to use my 
iBook in public, but when I explain that the latch broke when I 
accidently dropped the thing on the floor and they note that the 
computer still works, then the rubber-band is a mark of the machine's 
strength, not a sign of weakness. You'll have to come up with your own 
story if you choose to go this route. However, as long as it's still 
closing, I wouldn't worry about a little play in the mechanism.

Charles Pearce (not, as far as we know, related to Brian) 
<charlesp at ksu.edu>