Question for 15" T42 owners

[Kenn]

Just noticed something weird. On the 14" T42, unlatching the LCD cover will lock the mechanism in the "open" position until the LCD is lifted. So you can lift the LCD cover without having to hold the latch in the "open" position at the same time. On a friend's X31 (with 2 latches) this happens for both latches as well.

On my 15" t42 the latch acts like a regular "spring-loaded" latch when the LCD cover is down. If you let go of the latch it will simply spring back shut. Does this happen for other 15" owners, or is this a minor quirk with my particular machine?

[Humpa]

On my 15" I do not have to hold the latch in the open position. Once I slide the latch to the open position, I can let it go and it stays in the locked open positon. My X21 does the exact same thing (except, of course, with 2 latches).

I can't believe I used that X21 for 3 years without noticing that!

[Humpa]

Here's how it works ...
The left latch mechanism is what holds it in the "locked open" position.
The back of the left latch hook has a vertical notch in it. The left latch hole has a small flexible piece with a protrusion on the end. When you slide the latch lever, that protrusion catches in the ridge on the hook and holds it there (until the lid is raised).

[Kenn]

On my 15" I do not have to hold the latch in the open position. Once I slide the latch to the open position, I can let it go and it stays in the locked open positon. My X21 does the exact same thing (except, of course, with 2 latches).

I can't believe I used that X21 for 3 years without noticing that!

Ah, thanks! That's what I was afraid of. Of course, it's of such inconsequence that I'm not going to do anything about it, but still

I could actually see the feature being somewhat useful on the 2-latch TPs, in case you wanted to open the cover with only one free hand, but with the 1-latch systems and the 15" hinge being so tight as to lift the entire laptop if I don't hold down the palm rest, the holding latch doesn't really help either way.

[Humpa]

I could actually see the feature being somewhat useful on the 2-latch TPs, in case you wanted to open the cover with only one free hand, but with the 1-latch systems and the 15" hinge being so tight as to lift the entire laptop if I don't hold down the palm rest, the holding latch doesn't really help either way.

I guess I did know about this on my X21. I would frequently open it with one hand, I just never realized it was a feature. I think that I thought the lid was raising enough so that the hook was clearing the latch. Or, maybe I never thought about it at all. DOH!