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Apple iBook

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Michelle of Los Angeles (10/24/05):
I was having problems with the power button on my Apple iBook G4. Sometimes, it would not power up. I purchased the AppleCare Protection Plan at the same time I bought the laptop. So when I was unable to power up my iBook, I contacted AppleCare. I was told to take my iBook into the Apple Store, since tech support was unable to resolve the problem over the phone.

The technician at the Apple Store checked my iBook and found that the pin from the end of the power cable had broken off. He told me it wouldn't be covered by AppleCare because it was considered 'abuse'. He said this kind of damage never occured on its own, and was always due to the customer. I told him that I had done nothing to 'abuse' the computer, and had no idea that the pin had broken off.

I had to pay for the repair and buy a new power cord. Neither was covered by AppleCare. At the time I purchased this plan, I was under the assumption that it covered all damage, failure, etc. I felt that the technician was making an unfair judgment call. I feel that Apple is selling their AppleCare Plan in bad faith. I feel that any repairs that need to be made should be covered by this Plan. Also, my original problem with the power button was not even addressed!

Wes of Raleigh NC (9/20/05)
I purchased my ibook G4 on August 5, 2005. I had my ibook less than 2 weeks when the lcd screen broke. I shipped the laptop back to Apple after speaking with technical support since I also purchased applecare with the computer. When I called to check on my laptop, they said that it was not covered under any warranty and wanted $800 to repair the lcd screen. So the $300 applecare support is useless.

As an older college student, I know how to take care of my equipment. I did not drop it, lay anything heavy on the top, or put it someplace it wasn't supposed to go. It was broken from the inside out.

I am trying to get through college without a computer now, since I can't afford to replace the Apple. I am going to have to drop at least one of my courses since I am not able to get onto the internet to do research. When I drop the course, my financial aid will drop and they will want a refund on some of the money that I have already received and spent on a computer that is no longer useable.

Jeannine of Dixon IL (9/17/05):
Two years ago, my parents bought me an Apple iBook, 600 MHz Power G3, for Christmas. Two years later, my iBook is unusable because the monitor has died. I spent $140 at CompUSA to discover that the entire MONITOR needs to be replaced! I have only used the computer for some work use (I'm a newspaper reporter) and it's never received rough treatment. So instead of spending upwards of $600 or more to replace the monitor, I purchased a Dell laptop for much less.

I am very angry that my iBook has lasted only about 24 months after spending more than $1,000 on it! I had always worked with Apple systems at my former newspaper job and believed them to be a quality product. Definitely not anymore!

Doug of W. Hartford CT (4/11/04):
I've had problems with my ibook ever since I bought it. I've had software and hardware problems, and since I'm on an applecare plan, there is extensive documentation of the problems. The chronic problems with this computer have cost me a lot of time and money, and my feeling is that Apple should replace the computer. I'm fed up with talking to people on the phone, or in the Apple stores, who only provide temporary solutions. Although the company has replaced the hard drive, the problems persist.

Damage Resulting: many, many lost hours, and considerable deadline stress

Douglas of Bunker Hill WV (1/4/04):
My g4 powerbook cd/dvd combo drive quit working at 54 weeks. The drive now has to be replaced It was a 2400.00 laptop. I bought apple because I thought they had a quality product. My titanium 15-inch g4 powerbook is 876MZ 512ram 40 mb hard drive I orderd it 11/19/2002. The drive broke 11/25/2003. It is out of warranty.

Looking at Apples web site and others it looks like a number of people are having problems with the cd/dvd combo drives. My computer has been in the repair shop for 3 weeks while they wait for more drives. I am going to have an upgraded dvd drive installed.

Julie of Toronto (11/23/03):
I bought a Apple ibook 600 just over a year ago. Within the first 2 months I started having problems. The Rom drive died, the power connection to the mainboard came off, and the mainboard died 5 times. Apple finally replaced the unit and gave me an upgrade to a ibook 700. In a month the mainboard died and did so 2 more times after that. Apple finally replaced it with an ibook 800. Again within a month the mainboard fried and after being fixed died in another month.

While Apple has continued to fix the problems and have been nice about it all. I feel I deserve something more than this crap I have to go through every month. Also on the bottom there are 3 little hex bolts holding the computer together they can give off some nasty shocks.

Every month I am left without a computer for at least a week. I have lost important documents. and been extreamly frustrated.

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