Hello,

I just unpacked my new Efika MX Smartbook and I already have a problem (well, one major, there are some other things which I can live on or solve, I hope):

Smartbook, when on, produces really annoying high pitched noise. When there is sound source in the room, I can barely hear it, but if I put my head near the Smartbook or in the silent environtment it is really annoying.

Is there anyone else experiencing this issue?

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Little update ... the noise is produced only on battery. With power adapter plugged in, the computer is completely silent.

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Hi.

Change the brightness level to full when on battery, and check if the noise is gone. Then, try to change the brightness down step by step until it's at its lowest.

At which intervals (from full brightness till lowest) do you hear the high frequency pitch?

Johan.

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Johan Dams, Genesi USA Inc.
Director, Software Engineering

Yep, I have a blog... PurpleAlienPlanet

Thanks for a reply.

On brightness levels below 70% (three quarters of the gnome brightness bar) the noise seems to be louder and it is continuous. On full brightness is it is more like high pitched ticks than single tone.

While "measuring" this I also changed (physical) keyboard to czech (which I bought with Smartbook) and I discovered that this noise is comming from the middle of motherboard, definitely from somewhere on the left of Huawei 3G modem.

Does that help?

Thanks.

Martin

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Hi.

Still trying to replicate the issue here. Will keep you informed.
In case it turns out to be a manufacturing issue, contact sales and we will replace it.


Johan.

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Johan Dams, Genesi USA Inc.
Director, Software Engineering

Yep, I have a blog... PurpleAlienPlanet

Yes, my friends say the same thing when I show them the smartbook. A very high pitch tone, that they found very annoying. I myself must have damaged my hearing a bit, because I simply can't hear it, it's too high pich. Maybe something "positive" finally came from listening to loud music through headphones for many years... ;-) :-P

The only machine I have here (smartbook) that has any high pitched tone, is the one where I replaced the screen with a 1280x720 lcd and it's shielding isn't as good as the standard 1024x600. I put up with it though because, well, it's 1280x720 :)

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Steev Klimaszewski, Genesi USA Inc.
Senior Software Engineer

Starting today, I will just presume that I am the most unlucky Efika SmartBook owner.

On friday I bought prepaid Vodafone CZ SIM card just for Efika. Yesterday I tried to make it work with this result: Whenever I enter PIN to dialog window, system freezes. I can move mouse pointer, but I cannot click a thing. I can switch (ctrl-alt-fn-F1) to fisrt console and this console is full of hda1 hardware errors and ATA command timeouts. Without SIM card Efika works like marvel.

I closed Efika in the evening, went to bed and I when I opened it in the morning I immediately discovered that around power button the top plastic part which is around keyboard, touchpad and power button is broken on several places. I did not see those before, but I had not much time to play with Efika during the week, so it was lying on the table with no physical threats to it. Since I got it only last week (my friend bought two and one sold to me, in never opened box), I blame the shipping, but this seems like warranty-stopper for me.

As I still love this device, I have just one question for the start - can the the plastic part covering the top of SmartBook body be bought separateluy as a part?

I can live with noise, I can live without the modem, at least for some time, but broken enclosure can really break my mood for the rest of the month.

Thanks a lot.

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Please contact sales@ and we can talk about getting you a replacement Smartbook (under warranty).

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Matt Sealey