iFixed it!

I found that my 6-year-old MacBook Air was dying on me — or that the battery was dead. The obvious solution: time for a new Mac laptop. After all, 6 years is getting my money’s worth — that’s just plain old for any computer, if not exactly ancient. But I looked into it at iFixit.com — a very impressive website — and found that replacing the battery would be, or should be, straightforward and easy.

I’ve always approached Apple tech products as a modern-day Lost Ark of the Covenant: just don’t open them — except in the case of minor surgery: Apple-sanctioned addition of RAM in a couple older iMacs. But my mid-2013 MacBook Air has been an absolute workhorse, as snappy and functional for my portable computing needs as any new machine. A stalwart companion on all my travels near and far. So why chuck it?

So I put faith in buying the kit directly from iFixit (approx $100 including shipping and tools) and followed the repair guide — and all seems, a couple days later, to be perfect. There were no unforeseen snags, and now I’ve breathed new life into the old machine. I don’t see any reason that I can’t get another 5 or 6 years out of it. And I’m amused at the idea of continuing to use it and use it and use it, instead of leaping to the next, newest machine as I normally advocate.

And besides, I like the traditional, non-butterfly keyboard, the Mag Safe charger, and the glowing apple on the lid that for some reason Apple abandoned.

Not exactly a Herculean effort like rebuilding a 57 Cadillac, but I’m happy about it.

Oh — and for those wondering why I’m posting this on my movie blog, 2 reasons: 1) Almost all of my blog posting is done on this machine, and 2) It’s my blog and I’ll post what I want to.

P.S. I LOVE the spirit of iFixit.com, and the careful engineering approach they take.  And the box is so cool! — I want more of these boxes!