Just Received Repaired Powerbook
I finally sent in my 1.25 Ghz Powerbook for White Spot repair, latch repair and battery life. I just picked it up and the following are my observations for anyone who hasn't sent there's in yet.
1. I asked them to check the battery becasuse I have never gotten over 3 hours use with everything turned down and I would really like to get the 4.5 hours that Apple suggests is possible. Unfortunately, they returned it to me with a note saying that my battery status fell within "normal ranges". I am a little dissapointed, but I got the response that I expected.
2. The latch seems to work better now. It actually closes tight when the computer is at an angle, something it wouldn't do before. I can't tell exactly what they did.
3. The white spots are gone and the screen seems much brighter and has a uniform brightness as well. It feels a bit heavier, but very solid.
I will post if the white spots begin appearing again, but my feeling is that it is safe to send in your powerbook if you have not already.
1. I asked them to check the battery becasuse I have never gotten over 3 hours use with everything turned down and I would really like to get the 4.5 hours that Apple suggests is possible. Unfortunately, they returned it to me with a note saying that my battery status fell within "normal ranges". I am a little dissapointed, but I got the response that I expected.
2. The latch seems to work better now. It actually closes tight when the computer is at an angle, something it wouldn't do before. I can't tell exactly what they did.
3. The white spots are gone and the screen seems much brighter and has a uniform brightness as well. It feels a bit heavier, but very solid.
I will post if the white spots begin appearing again, but my feeling is that it is safe to send in your powerbook if you have not already.
Comments
AMAZING SERVICE!!! Screen is great, all my data is here, and it only took 1 BUSINESS DAY TO GET BACK TO ME!
From a guy that's had a few disappointments with Apple, (2 Newtons, among others) this was a brilliant experience.
Thanks guys! you rock.
Charlie
After a few days of using this screen I can see what I was missing. The original screen was not nearly as vivid as this one and of course it had the spots.
I am still rather dissapointed in the battery life I am getting and I wish Apple would acknowledge it. If I even got 3.5 hours once in a while I would be happy, but 4.5 is never under any circumstances going to happen.
Originally posted by HHansen726
I got my powerbook back today, after being told by a technician to send in for the second time with a gap issue and trackpad issue. The first time, they did nothing and said nothing. This time they put a note in telling me that the gap on the right is withing apple specifications as was the trackpad. The trackpad is still fritzy as the cursor jumps from line to line which is frustrating when typing and it starts making boxes. I put the controls originally as I had been told to. I hope you all have better luck. This is my first lemon from apple. Oh well.
I know you won't get anywhere with the gap complaint, but if there is something wrond with the trackpad, send it in again. 3 times should get you a replacement machine.
not to ask a stupid question, but are you sure your thumbs aren't interfering with each other over top of the track pad? I have had to train myself to not have my left thumb hanging around the track pad when I am mousing with my right. That causes the cursor to go crazy or not work at all.
In Canada all repairs are now being handled by authorized Apple shops.
When you call in, they will provide you with a list so you can choose which one you want to use.
And since i always bought my macs from one place i got to know people there pretty well. I called them on Wednesday , new part was delivered on Thursday morning, and they replaced my lcd in 3h. How's that for service?
But the most important part is that they do not just replace LCDs, entire top assembly is being replaced. So if you have white spots, send it in.
Also how much firmer are the backs of the screens, can you close it without the LCD going wacky?
Funny thing I noticed just now, if i push anywhere on the right back side of my screen, top or bottoms it makes the LCD weird at the same spot in the middle of the right hand side, and the same goes for the left only weird in the left hand side.
I have to push pretty hard on the back of my screen to see any reaction on the front... I think the parts list on the "proof of repair" doc showed some type of screen support part... don't quite remember.
I know I'm quite stoked about the look now... nice to be worry-free again about it....
Good luck!
It also feels very solid. You would have to press pretty hard on the back to get a reaction out of the screen.
Interestingly I had a stuck pixel yesterday and I got a little worried, but this morning it was gone.
Originally posted by kyogen
AMAZING SERVICE!!! Screen is great, all my data is here, and it only took 1 BUSINESS DAY TO GET BACK TO ME!
My PowerBook Replacement: 20 BUSINESS DAYS (28 DAYS TOTAL). Completely unacceptable product supply in the UK
I have a unusual situation with my 17", I have blue spotting on the laptop where my palms rest while typing. I have a round spot pattern on the left and a narrow rounded rectangle pattern on the right. Basically the spots are where my palm rests as I type. I am guessing it is from sweat. I cannot get the marks off with anything I have around the house, including a cleaning kit I bought from the apple store. I brought it in to have the feet replaced on the bottom and showed it to them a few months back and they told me they didn't know what it was, or what could cause it... and told me to bring it back in later. Now I need a new foot again and will bring it in tomorrow hopefully and bring it up again.
Anyone else heard of this?
I remember commenting to a friend of mine when I got mine about how TOUGH the whole computer felt, everything about it is SOLID, I especially noted how the back, even when I depressed on it HEAVILY, wouldn't go all LCD whacked, which is something that his TiBook does even if you lightly touch the back.
there is a thick slab of aluminum back there!
the only gripe I have with that is, the trade-off for having such a rigid screen, is that it rocks back and wobbles when I set it down, feels like too much stress is going on the hinge. but I dunno, that's better than white spots!
I asked them to check Airport reception. They said it was within specs but it is working better than before. Maybe they just seated the cables and card better. Previously it would wander between two and three bars. Now it is a steady three bars. In Macstumbler it used to bounce around, now I get a near steady value.
I am very happy I sent it in for repair.
Of course, I backed up my HD before sending it in. However, I was worried about someone else getting into the HD. Not so much at Apple as some third party in case it got lost or stolen during shipping. I turned on filevault before shipping and created a separate account for the technicians to use for testing. I felt somewhat secure this way. Even if someone could create a new password for my account they couldn't decrypt my home directory.
I have had six different PBs going back to the PB140. This is by far the best, most capable PB I have ever used.