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Apple Glitch Mars Birthday

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December 16, 2003
Apple Computer turns 20 in January and its PR machine is already busily cranking out the usual testimonials - among them Advertising Age, which named Apple its 2003 "Marketer of the Year."

But many of Apple's longtime adherents are in no mood to sing "Happy Birthday." They're irate over an apparent hardware glitch that's causing repeated logic-board failures in the dual USB line of iBook protables.

The company has not only not acknowledged the problem, it is reportedly taking draconian steps to stop its customers from talking about it, deleting questions and comments about the problem from the discussion board it maintains for its customers, though consumers are using other forums to air their concerns.

"This morning I posted a message regarding the failure of the logic board in my 14" iBook. The post is no longer online as of this afternoon and my profile now states that only one of the two posts I have made is online!," claims an Apple owner quoted by AppleInsider, a trade publications.

According to the reader, the post contained no profanity or foul language, but simply presented an account of his current situation. Followup postings on the subject were also removed "within a matter of minutes," AppleInsider said.

It's not the first time Apple has removed negative comments from the discussion boards. In 2002 the company removed posts from disgruntled iTools users and did the same earlier this year when customers began complaining about defective Apple power cords.

One ConsumersAffairs.Com reader, Julie of Toronto, complained that the mainboard in her iBook failed five times. Apple upgraded her to new machines twice and they suffered four additional mainboard failures.

"Every month I am left without a computer for at least a week. I have lost important documents. and been extremely frustrated," she said.

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