Apple

the junky old spare power supply that I got from a guy with a big box full of laptop power cords ($5 each yo!) fell apart recently.

first, I lent it to my sister, who has a macbook *pro* which requires a big meaty 65w brick to charge and run at the same time. so this little guy apparently takes a long time to charge her battery. anyways, long story short, it got kinked and is now held together with tape, that promptly melted. real ul-listed electrical tape, apparently

but the thing I really wanted to show was inside the magsafe connector itself. As if to say "oh god just let me die" today, when I pulled the cord out of my bag, the cover was missing. but it still works there's a little id chip in there (mainly so your 15-pound macbook pro supercomputer with three graphics cards and an octocore processor doesn't fry a cigar lighter adapter) and also a serial number. This is why you can't just replace the cord north of the brick, but have to replace the whole power supply when they break down. Otherwise, you could get your id chips mixed up and overload a tiny power supply. I might do some more prying and pulling later on to get more of that flex pcb exposed

comparing the old magsafe to the new (well, newer, a 2010 model) that came with my net book. I like having a couple spares about but I only have two in 45 watt variety. the most popular are the 65w IME, but I like the tiny ones!

This seems like a good time to mention that if you have a MagSafe adapter that is three years old or less and is frayed at the MagSafe connector because of strain, there are a few weeks left to bring it to an Apple Store for a replacement (USA only) - http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4127 or https://www.adaptersettlement.com/default.aspx for more info. The replacement program ends on May 21, 2012. (I've had a couple of those adapters replaced for this reason.)

hmmm... good deal, thanks. I don't know if they will replace it since I didn't buy my computer when I was living in the USA, and this particular cord I found at the airport (it is the exact same model number, so that shouldn't matter). It can't hurt to ask... the cover for the magsafe should still be in my bag, hopefully I can glue it on or it will clip on.

Where the cord is taped it occasionally open circuits and I have to twist or shake the cord to get it to connect, rather annoying..

It worked for me in Japan a couple months ago, I went to Apple Store in Tokyo with mine (frayed at the end), they checked serial number of my 5.5 years old mac, said it's not supported anymore (out of warranty for so long etc), but replaced the magsafe anyway, now I have brand new 85W brick that is smaller than the previous one, good for travel.
On the USA only note - I could swear when I read article at the KB, it didn't mention that...

Nice pictures, guardian. I especially like the one with the two unplugged ones.

Well, I went to the apple store today. The guy saw my laptop and the power cord a mile away and said flatly "yes the replacement program is still going on, but that cord did not come with that computer". But if you don't ask, you'll never know.

duck: yes, apple kit is quite photogenic even when broken

fixed. getting these suckers is open is a pain in the ass.