My MacBook under load runs up to 95 degrees celcius, or 203 degrees fahrenheit. It isn’t rocket science to understand that is extremely hot, easily hot enough to inflict a wound. Those of us who have complained to Apple about the heat and discomfort it causes typically receive this snotty answer “The MacBook is a notebook, not a laptop, refer to your user manual.”

They are correct in that the MacBook user manual suggests against using the MacBook on your lap, but there’s a slight discrepancy: their sales, advertising, websites, and literature.

Welcome to Apple’s Education Student Orientation web page. Here they have snazzy pictures of hip kids listening to their ipods, and, weird: someone using a MacBook on their lap… Ok let’s be fair maybe Apple just wants to show you that it’s possible (but not recommended), but they aren’t suggesting to actually use the MacBook on your lap… oh wait, that’s wrong too, quote from Apple’s site: “On your lap. In your dorm room.”

Nice discrepancy Apple. It appears the MacBook is a laptop when Apple wants to sell it to someone, but once it’s sold and it’s causing them physical discomfort or machine instability due to heat, it is no longer a laptop.

Interesting, huh?

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