As of yet, no one has managed to design a machine/OS combination that is capable of fending off all sorts of user abuse. From geeks to lemmings all users use their machines beyond manufacturer's specifications. The multivariate equation of laptop abuse however, has a common term - coffee/tea. Virtually all people sit in front of their laptops with a drink and/or snack and interact with the device using the trackpad/keyboard. A slight beverage spill is handled well by most modern keyboards. The same can not be said for Apple's trackpad: beautifully designed with "invisible" clickable corners, which sink a fraction of a millimeter when pressed. This design leaves tiny crevices, which will "suck in" (under capillary action) any liquid that finds its way near the edges of the trackpad.
The other day I was drinking tea and a tiny drop landed at the center of the trackpad. As a responsible person I used my sleeve to wipe the liquid off, which only moved most of it to the edge of the clickable area and disappeared in the gap. Unsurprisingly, seconds later the whole hell broke loose: the cursor started to dance around, various icons were being selected at random and I lost control of the laptop. Needless to say the keyboard in OSX is useless if you can not click. After a brief battle of the fingers I managed to shut the machine down.
How to remove moisture contamination from the trackpad.
The answer is short and nutritious - rice. The grains have the ability to absorb moisture from the air. Just spill decent amount of rice on the entire trackpad as shown in the picture below. Use one napkin to protect the keyboard and cover the rice with another one. You are creating an extremely dry environment, thus facilitating the evaporation of the water that has found its way into the trackpad.
The other day I was drinking tea and a tiny drop landed at the center of the trackpad. As a responsible person I used my sleeve to wipe the liquid off, which only moved most of it to the edge of the clickable area and disappeared in the gap. Unsurprisingly, seconds later the whole hell broke loose: the cursor started to dance around, various icons were being selected at random and I lost control of the laptop. Needless to say the keyboard in OSX is useless if you can not click. After a brief battle of the fingers I managed to shut the machine down.
How to remove moisture contamination from the trackpad.
The answer is short and nutritious - rice. The grains have the ability to absorb moisture from the air. Just spill decent amount of rice on the entire trackpad as shown in the picture below. Use one napkin to protect the keyboard and cover the rice with another one. You are creating an extremely dry environment, thus facilitating the evaporation of the water that has found its way into the trackpad.
Leave the laptop in the company of the rice for at least 24 hours. The amount of time to wait is of course proportional to the extent of the spill. Hopefully you did not spill more than a couple of drops on the trackpad. Otherwise, you must drain the liquid by disassembling the device.
That's all - no four-finger key combinations to press while holding the power button, no black apple magic. Simply try not to get your trackpad wet! Stay dry my friends.
That's all - no four-finger key combinations to press while holding the power button, no black apple magic. Simply try not to get your trackpad wet! Stay dry my friends.
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