Apple explains MacBook heating issues

Over at our sister site, ZDNet, Jason O'Grady says Apple Computer has come clean about MacBooks that were coming from the factory with plastic film covering the rear exit vent, which made them run hot. O'Grady was one of the bloggers who had previously written about the problem.

In an article on its support site, Apple acknowledges the problem, adding that the plastic film was meant to prevent dust from getting into the computer, and should be discarded.

The Apple article also says that some MacBooks will run hot after extended periods of use even with the obstruction, and in a linked article adds that the extra heat is normal operating behavior: "With processor and bus speeds in portable computers often matching, if not exceeding, those of desktop systems, increased operating temperatures in portable computing products are common throughout the industry."

O'Grady notes that the second Apple article clearly ends the relationships between the laptop and the lap: "Placing it on a soft surface such as a towel or pillow (or lap) is not recommended because it does not allow air to flow under the computer," Apple warns.