E-Scrap News Magazine: Repairability in question for new class of notebooks

## Repairability in question for new class of notebooks


_By Jake Thomas, Resource Recycling_

With a new school year coming up, the Electronics TakeBack Coalition has released a report criticizing thin laptops, often referred to as "ultrabooks," for not only being a hassle to repair and refurbish, but also for being "ultra-inconvenient" for consumers.

The [report][1] criticizes a type of laptop that is very thin and light, uses second or third generation Intel chips, solid state storage and includes a long-lasting battery. Although "ultrabooks" are an Intel trademark, the report also takes issue with the new Apple MacBook Pro, which [has been criticized][2] for its un-recyclability and other design choices that made it difficult to repair or upgrade.

The biggest problem the report finds with this breed of laptop is that they are built in a way that makes extending their usefulness a hassle and refurbishing them difficult. Specifically, the ETBC, which is comprised of organizations advocating for more recycling of electronics, faults these laptops because the battery is so difficult to replace, especially by consumers. According to the ETBC, repair is not only more technically challenging, but also more inconvenient for consumers who must ship their laptop to the manufacturer to have the battery replaced.

"Most ultrabook laptops are designed so consumers can't change our own batteries. Instead, they want us to ship our laptops off to the service depot for a week," said Barbara Kyle, the national coordinator for the ETBC, in a prepared statement. "This is ultra inconvenient, plus it also ultimately discourages reuse."

"If we are serious about wanting to extend the life of these products, then it should be as easy to replace their batteries as it is to replace the batteries in a flashlight," she said.

According to the report, both Sony and HP make ultrabooks designed in such a way where a savvy consumer with the right tools could theoretically replace the batteries. Other OEMs include a replaceable battery, but the warranty on the machine becomes void if the consumer tinkers with it.

According to the report, this design trend highlights the need for greater use of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), rating system for green electronics. EPEAT is about to undergo a revision of its standards, according to the report, and the ETBC recommends that the revised criteria include a means to reward manufacturers for prolonging the life of their products.

[![Microsoft Banner][3] ][4]

[![ESC 2012 Banner][5] ][6]

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[1]: http://www.electronicstakeback.com/wp-content/uploads/Ultrabook-report-Aug-2012.pdf
[2]: http://resource-recycling.com/node/2835
[3]: http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/e-newsletterimages/microsoft_banner.jpg (Microsoft Banner)
[4]: http://www.microsoft.com/refurbishedpcs/
[5]: http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/e-newsletterimages/ESC2012Banner.jpg (ESC 2012 Banner)
[6]: http://www.e-scrapconference.com/
[7]: http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/e-newsletterimages/ESNe-news082312.html

URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3038