>have a hard to find mems accelerometer managed by the sensor processing unit
How did OP even know that an accelerometer exists in the first place?
rustyhancock 28 minutes ago [-]
The presence of the sensor is well documented as part of Apples Sudden Motion Sensor hard drive protection system.
How to access it is undocumented.
future10se 15 minutes ago [-]
Aaackshually, the Sudden Motion Sensor was introduced on 2005 in the PowerBook G4, and continued through the intel MacBooks with hard drives.
While officially undocumented, people figured out how to access it back then, with novel uses like smacking your MacBook to change spaces (virtual desktops) or swinging the Mac around to make lightsaber noises.
(I should know, I was in university back then and swung my Mac around like an idiot, lol.)
On the first Retina MacBook Pro 15" in 2012, and moving forward with all MacBooks that were SSD-only, they removed the SMS as it was not needed.
To my knowledge, this is the first time we're hearing that Apple Silicon machines have an accelerometer on the SoC, officially or otherwise. It's also certainly not branded or marketed as the SMS was. (https://support.apple.com/en-us/100871)
Happy to be corrected on this!
nerdsniper 7 minutes ago [-]
Given that current drives don't have moving parts, what function is this serving today?
seductivebarry 21 minutes ago [-]
Way back in ~2008 I wrote the Newton Virus https://www.everita.com/how-the-newton-virus-was-made + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh75j6OHhRc (sorry for the broken images, need to update that site). Between that and using a hidden API to take screenshots of each individual element on your desktop (from icons, to taskbar, to windows) the effect was pretty believable. One of the most fun (and frustrating) projects I ever worked on.
userbinator 44 minutes ago [-]
undocumented
The one thought that comes to mind is this: "Your warranty claim was denied because we determined that the laptop was subjected to a sudden shock."
consp 36 minutes ago [-]
Back in the days this was to lock up the hard disk read/write head. Maybe a relic from those times instead?
userbinator 24 minutes ago [-]
Apple is not known for backwards-compatibility, and they were already using SSDs in their laptops long before switching to ARM.
sysguest 39 minutes ago [-]
idk you can just use simple liquid-container or sticker?
maybe apple was preparing for "carrying-around laptop experience"?
XorNot 33 minutes ago [-]
That's an entirely different product build path compared to the electronics production line though.
If a pick and place machine can drop it on and reflow it, that's what you want.
sysguest 13 minutes ago [-]
well it would be hardened when contact with air or something
How did OP even know that an accelerometer exists in the first place?
How to access it is undocumented.
While officially undocumented, people figured out how to access it back then, with novel uses like smacking your MacBook to change spaces (virtual desktops) or swinging the Mac around to make lightsaber noises.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uvQTTPr9Rw
- https://osxdaily.com/2006/12/06/macsaber-turn-your-mac-into-...
(I should know, I was in university back then and swung my Mac around like an idiot, lol.)
On the first Retina MacBook Pro 15" in 2012, and moving forward with all MacBooks that were SSD-only, they removed the SMS as it was not needed.
To my knowledge, this is the first time we're hearing that Apple Silicon machines have an accelerometer on the SoC, officially or otherwise. It's also certainly not branded or marketed as the SMS was. (https://support.apple.com/en-us/100871)
Happy to be corrected on this!
The one thought that comes to mind is this: "Your warranty claim was denied because we determined that the laptop was subjected to a sudden shock."
maybe apple was preparing for "carrying-around laptop experience"?
If a pick and place machine can drop it on and reflow it, that's what you want.
see "Shipping Damage Indicators"