歐盟 2024 年年底強制使用 USB-C 充電頭 (終於,iPhone...)

Hacker News Daily 上看到「EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024」,裡面指到了歐盟的新聞稿:「Long-awaited common charger for mobile devices will be a reality in 2024」。

2024 年年底 (所以是 2025 年) 將強制手機與平板都使用 USB-C 充電頭,2026 年則是延伸涵蓋到筆電:

By the end of 2024, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port. From spring 2026, the obligation will extend to laptops.

終於定案公告了,之前傳言好久了...

Framework 筆電也遇到缺料問題,換了音源晶片

Framework 的筆電最近在社群很紅,模組化設計讓維修變容易,而且也有許多規格上的客製化空間。在「Marketplace」這頁可以看到很多東西可以換,除了比較常見的無線網卡、SSD、記憶體以外,像是主機板、鍵盤甚至連 USB、HDMI 接口都是模組。

不過這邊要提到的是 audio chip 也在這波 supply chain 的供貨問題而中招了:「Solving for Silicon Shortages」,Hacker News 上的討論「Framework: Solving for Silicon Shortages (frame.work)」也可以看一下。

從文章裡看起來是 Realtek ALC295 的交期爆炸了:

Chips that would normally have 16-20 week lead times (meaning we’d place typically binding orders that far ahead of needing parts in our hands) went up to 52 weeks. In one case, we even got notified of a 68 week lead time on a chip!

We were able to get enough Realtek ALC295 audio CODECs to develop the Framework Laptop and get through the first few months of production, but nowhere near enough to fulfill ongoing demand from the US and Canada, let alone the additional countries we’d like to ship to.

所以決定換到 Tempo 92HD95B

Luckily, we were able to find an alternative CODEC that lets us stay in production: the Tempo 92HD95B.

查了一下 datasheet,本來的 Realtek ALC295 是 QFN-48,而 Tempo 92HD95B 是 QFN-40,看起來得改不少東西... 應該是連 open market 上都翻不到而被迫換設計,跟我們家的情況也很像,看起來最近大家都哭到爆炸了 :o

Apple 提供蝴蝶鍵盤免費維修 (全球性)

翻到文章的最後面可以看到「Information as of 2019-05-21」,不過剛剛才在 Hacker News 上看到這則消息:「Apple's service program for butterfly keyboard MacBooks, even out of warranty (support.apple.com)」,官方網站的說明在「Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro」這邊:

Apple has determined that a small percentage of the keyboards in certain MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models may exhibit one or more of the following behaviors:

  • Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly
  • Letters or characters do not appear
  • Key(s) feel "sticky" or do not respond in a consistent manner

Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will service eligible MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro keyboards, free of charge. The type of service will be determined after the keyboard is examined and may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard.

機型從 MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, Early 2015) 到最近的都有,可以從系統選單上面看到。時間上只要是售出四年內都包含在內,而且先前如果有因為鍵盤維修的也可以試著申請退費:

This worldwide Apple program does not extend the standard warranty coverage of your Mac notebook.

If you believe your Mac notebook was affected by this issue, and you paid to have your keyboard repaired, you can contact Apple about a refund.

The program covers eligible MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models for 4 years after the first retail sale of the unit.

謠言說蘋果要將蝴蝶鍵盤退役...

9to5Mac 的報導說 Apple 要改用剪刀式的設計:「Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in 2019 MacBook Air and 2020 MacBook Pro」。

取自「File:Scissor switch mechanism.svg」這頁。

Apple is apparently set to ditch the butterfly mechanism used in MacBooks since 2015, which has been the root of reliability issues and its low-travel design has also not been popular with many Mac users.

In a report published today, Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple will roll out a new keyboard design based on scissor switches, offering durability and longer key travel, starting with the 2019 MacBook Air. The MacBook Pro is also getting the new scissor switch keyboard, but not until 2020.

還沒真的放出來前都不能確認...

在 ThinkPad T530 上跑 FreeBSD 的介紹

作者在「FreeBSD on a Laptop」這邊寫下了在 ThinkPad T530 上跑 FreeBSD 的完整攻略。

查了一下 ThinkPad T530,這應該是 2012 年就推出的筆電了 (五年多前),所以文章的重點在於要去那邊找解法 (i.e. 方向性)。另外作者有提到文章是假設你已經對 FreeBSD 生態算熟悉 (像是 Ports 以及 /etc 下設定檔習慣的格式與設定方式):

Unlike my usual posts, this time I'm going to assume you're already pretty familiar with FreeBSD.

然後有點無奈的地方... 即使是 2012 年的電腦,為了 driver 問題他還是得跑 -CURRENT

In my case, I run 12-CURRENT so I can take advantage of the latest Intel drivers in the graphics/drm-next-kmod port.

這有點苦 XD

Intel CPU + AMD GPU 合一的的系統

先前就有看到 Intel 要與 AMD 合作,將 Intel CPU + AMD GPU 整合在一起以對抗 Nvidia,現在看到 HP 推出對應的筆電了:「HP’s new 15-inch Spectre x360 uses the hybrid Intel/AMD processor」。

不過名字剛好跟最近的安全漏洞撞到了 XDDD (所以才想寫 XDDD)

The new Spectre x360 15 is one of the first systems to be announced that uses the new Kaby Lake-G processors from Intel. These processors combine an Intel CPU (with its own integrated GPU) with an AMD GPU, all within a single package.


出自「Kaby Lake-G unveiled: Intel CPU, AMD GPU, Nvidia-beating performance」。

這種合作的仗打不打的動呢... 不怎麼看好就是了 :o

Lenovo 開始出 Microsoft-only 機了,其他的 OS 都會被鎖住不能用

有人在 Reddit 上抱怨買了一台 Lenovo 的機器卻不能裝 Linux,因為會抓不到硬碟:「Warning: Microsoft Signature PC program now requires that you can't run Linux. Lenovo's recent Ultrabooks among affected systems.」,官方回覆是:

This system has a Signature Edition of Windows 10 Home installed. It is locked per our agreement with Microsoft.

取自這邊:

喔耶...

聯想的 BIOS 會自動安裝軟體,即使你整台重灌...

這家公司與這類事情,好像不怎麼意外:「Lenovo used a hidden Windows feature to ensure its software could not be deleted」。

每次開機時 BIOS 會檢查是不是 Windows 7 或 Windows 8,如果是,而 C:\Windows\system32\autochk.exe 不是 Lenovo 所簽名的版本,那麼就會蓋掉變成自己版本:

If Windows 7 or 8 is installed, the BIOS of the laptop checks ‘C:\Windows\system32\autochk.exe’ to see if it’s a Microsoft file or a Lenovo-signed one, then overwrites the file with its own.

接著這個 autochk.exe 在開機被執行時就會建立 LenovoUpdate.exe 以及 LenovoCheck.exe,然後透過網路下載程式回來跑:

Then, when the modified autochk file is executed on boot, another two files LenovoUpdate.exe and LenovoCheck.exe are created, which set up a service and download files when connected to the internet.

影響的範圍包括了:

A wide range of Lenovo laptops are affected by the issue: Flex 2 Pro-15/Edge 15 (Broadwell/Haswell models), Flex 3-1470/1570/1120, G40-80/G50-80/G50-80 Touch/V3000, S21e, S41-70/U40-70, S435/M40-35, Yoga 3 14, Yoga 3 11, Y40-80, Z41-70/Z51-70 and Z70-80 / G70-80.

如果已經買了這批電腦,請依照官方提供的新 BIOS 更新:「Lenovo Service Engine (LSE) BIOS for Notebook」。

如果還沒買的話,以後也請不要買,像是「My dream machine: Lenovo may build a new “classic” ThinkPad」這種消息看看就好...