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Portables (Apple) Businesses Hardware Apple

Apple Replaces Some 15" PowerBook Displays 53

Posted by pudge from the get-it-while-it's-hot dept.
boredMDer writes "Apple up until now has been replacing G4 15" PowerBook displays on a case-by-case basis, but has now implemented a worldwide repair program to machines that exhibit these white spots. Affected machines are 867 MHz or 1 GHz TiBooks, and the 1 or 1.25 GHz 15" AlBooks. Serial numbers are QT331xxxxxx to QT339xxxxxx and V7334xxxxxx to V7345xxxxxx."
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Apple Replaces Some 15" PowerBook Displays More

Apple Replaces Some 15" PowerBook Displays

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  • White spots on powerbook screens? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Sevn ( 12012 ) on Tuesday September 28, 2004 @03:04PM (#10377045) Homepage Journal
    Too easy.
  • Has number QT314159265 already gone?

  • Wow. It took them this long. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by mewyn ( 663989 ) on Tuesday September 28, 2004 @03:21PM (#10377240) Homepage
    There has been a fix under warranty repqir for quite some time, but I find it very unbelievable and frustrating that it took them this long to publically announce the problem.

    I have a 15" AlBook that suffered from this problem. Trust me, they lost money on mine. I went through 3 different PowerBooks, hoping to get one that didn't have the spots, no luck there.

    Then the first time I tried to get the spots repaired, they did not have any screens in stock (even though they told me they were in stock), and I needed the machine for school (it is my only computer that has a physical console). A week later, two missed deadlines, and many angry phone calls (they had botched sending the unit back to me too).

    I then sent it in over xmas break, and got it repaired (again there was a small hitch since it got scheduled to be sent to me on a Friday, and I was at work, and there was NO way I was about to leave my $2.6k PB sitting at a shipping deopt).

    No further problems with the machine. I see a few faint weak pixels, but I never notice them while using the machine.

  • Begining to Wonder About Apple's QA (Score:5, Interesting)

    by TechnoPope ( 516563 ) on Tuesday September 28, 2004 @03:21PM (#10377242) Homepage
    Now, I understand that there will always be the possibility of defects in manufacturing. But I'm beginning to wonder if getting an Apple power book (in the next week) is such a smart idea. Beyond the whole Mac vs. PC flame-war, I'm now a bit worried about the QA on Apple's laptops. Major recalls on virtually all of the iBooks, and battery and screen issues with the 15" AlBooks. Can Apple still make the clams of superior quality hardware for its laptops when it seems to be having some major issues with their quality.

    Or do they basically set up this kind of thing where if they see enough returns for the same problem, they just fix it for free and assume they gaffed? Or are they just trying to avoid another iBook Logic board-like PR disaster? If it's the former, then the decision to get an Apple is a no brainer. If it's the latter, then maybe I should really think about dropping 1800 on a Powerbook.
    • I purchased a Powerbook in Dec 2003 from the Apple Store online. I, like you, was unsure about purchasing a Mac versus a PC. I even had the white spot problem show up several months ago, which Apple happily took care of for fee, and I can tell you I'm very glad I went with the Powerbook.

      It's just been an excellent machine, overall. It definitely is a turn-off to discover hardware issues like this white spot thing, but as long as Apple takes care of the problem, there's really nothing for you be worried

    • Re:Begining to Wonder About Apple's QA (Score:5, Informative)

      by MoneyT ( 548795 ) on Tuesday September 28, 2004 @03:46PM (#10377503) Journal
      It's not a recall so much as a free extended waranty. There are plenty of people who have books that fall in this model range and don't have the problems. What this is, is a statement that there is a design flaw in these models and if your computer is afflicted with the problems that can be caused by this flaw, you get a repair even if you're long out of waranty.

      Generaly speaking Apple accumulates and collects data on which machines are being reported to have problems and then has to narrow down what the problem is. Once they have the problem narrowed down to sofware vs hardware, then they need to determine which models or batches of computers are affected.

      Once that is complete, Apple usualy issues a repair program for any of the computers in the range of systems with a problem, and offers reimbursements to anyone who has previously paid for a repair of the problem from Apple or an AARC.

    • Re:Begining to Wonder About Apple's QA (Score:4, Insightful)

      by outZider ( 165286 ) on Tuesday September 28, 2004 @04:10PM (#10377726) Homepage
      Don't let a few ruin the whole thing. I've had a few PowerBooks, all with impeccable finish. The one problem I had was a loose power connector, 6 months down the line. I walk into an Apple Store, they replace it in 2 minutes, I walk out of the store.

      It doesn't get any better.

    • some notes (Score:3, Insightful)

      by ashpool7 ( 18172 )
      It's probably safe to get a PowerBook now. Might not be upgrade-safe, since the new one came out a while back, but I'd say they identified all the problems and have fixed them. I got mine in June, which apparently was the best time, since I avoided the battery issue as well.

      Apple puts the latest and greatest out as soon as they can make enough of them. This is obviously problematic since the product hasn't gone through as much Q&A as something that you test for a couple months before sending off to
    • If you are buying an Apple laptop, buy AppleCare and use it. If you are getting a PC laptop, get an extended warranty. All laptops break all the time. This is the case whether or not Apple laptops are of a higher quality than PC laptops.

      Your tone seems weirdly antagonistic.
    • I got a Powerbook a few months ago. The serial number is higher than the most recent one they have listed. There are NO white spots.

      Personally, it's the best laptop I've ever owned; work or personal.

      Every company has defects. I had a dell Inspiron that was recalled. I've had friends who's other-brand laptops were recalled. SUch is a fact of life.

      My 15" AlBook is great. If it wasn't for "City of Heroes," I'd use it 24/7.
    • The short answer is: every laptop manufacturer has QA problems. Spend time at Resellerratings.com, on Usenet, and on various complaint sites, and sample the horror stories for yourself.

      The longer answer, vis-a-vis Apple, is that it has been less than forthcoming initially about its hardware problems over the past 2-3 years. But ultimately it has bowed to consumer pressure, and, in most if not all cases, done right by its customers. You ask about how Apple resolves such problems. It is worth pointing ou

      • "The longer answer, vis-a-vis Apple, is that it has been less than forthcoming initially about its hardware problems over the past 2-3 years."

        Without a doubt this is true. Apple has still remained silent on the iPod 4G Audio Defect [ipodlounge.com]. I even described it to AppleCare and they paid for me to send it in, and then they shipped it back with a note indicating that it was working 'within standard specifications. '

        IMO there is something wrong when you can hear the hard drive spinning up and down in your headphon

    • Mac users can really amplify certain problems. That, and the various Wall Streeters adjusting their endorsement of AAPL make these issues more visible.

      Probably the number of displays failing is along the lines of what you might see in a product from another company.

      Apparently in this instance, it was not foreseen that the 15" ran hotter in certain spots than the 17" and these hot spots would cause some time lapse damage to the screen. Ya know, sometimes, shit happens. Still, I'd avoid a rev 1 of any ne
    • FWIW, I'm waiting for Apple to pick up my 15" AlBook for the second time as I'm not happy with its performance; the hinge cracks when moved after it's been on for more than a minute (and becomes very hard to move eventually) and when the CPU usage is set to Highest the PB constantly emits an odd 'sizzling' sound, which several others on the Apple forums have noticed - although one moderator (I think) has announced that this is 'normal behaviour' - it's been brought up a few times in the past. The noise goe
    • I'm now a bit worried about the QA on Apple's laptops. Major recalls on virtually all of the iBooks...

      No, there weren't major recalls on all of the iBooks. There is a recuring problem in many 12" screen G3 iBooks made from mid-2002 through mid-2003 (600mhz-900mhz.) That is quite a few machines, but it is by no means the entire line-- there were few reports of the logic board problems (not enough to signify a design flaw) in earlier (500mhz) or later (G4) 12" books, and the entire 14" line have been pret
    • It's just that you never hear good news. I have a 17"PB and it works perfectly fine (8 months old).
    • Consumer Reports computer survey [consumerreports.org]

      That's the most recent one that doesn't require a subscription, but Apple is consistently and continually number one in lack of need for repairs, number one in product quality, and number one in support. This has been true for years, and was still true in Consumer Reports' most recent report a couple of months ago.

    • Virtually all the iBooks is wrong, the problem was with the G3 iBooks, the G4's are unaffected as they were revised which rectified that issue that will never affect the G4 iBook. The issues with the PB's with the newer models are okay now. I had both a G3 iBook and a 1.25Ghz PB when everybody harped on about the issues with them. No problems with either machine.

  • Mine (Score:3, Funny)

    by christopherfinke ( 608750 ) <chris@efinke.com> on Tuesday September 28, 2004 @03:34PM (#10377382) Homepage Journal
    Will they replace the display on my P-p-p-powerbook? I think it's broken...
    • >> Will they replace the display on my P-p-p-powerbook? I think it's broken...

      Same here. "Hax0r the Planet!!" doesn't work! :(

      Fire Wire!

  • I win! (Score:1, Funny)

    by dereklam ( 621517 )
    I win I win!

    Oh, wait...

  • I have the 800, and a 500 both with bad screens.
    the 500 is unuseable without an external display now and the 800 is almost there as well. Albeit not caused by white spots, both screens started flaking out with a flickering on and off. I believe this is the reason apple changed the hinge design on the aluminum powerbooks. If you think I am the only one seeing this hinge failure look at this article and its followups:
    http://www.powerbookcentral.com/featu r es/pbquality .shtml
    http://www.powerbookcentral.com/fea
  • Quick way to check your serial number:
    1. Apple menu -> About This Mac
    2. Hold down the option key and click on the OS version twice
    3. There is no step three

    I don't know when this was added to OS X, so if you're running an older version it might not work.

    • Correction: You don't have to hold down the option key. Oops.

    • Re:Serial number (Score:4, Informative)

      by finnatic ( 105191 ) on Tuesday September 28, 2004 @07:01PM (#10379244)
      That doesn't always work :(

      My powerbook had it's motherboard replaced at one point (the video display was dead, both on the inbuilt display plus the video outs) - and when it came back, whatever stores the serial number wasn't updated with the powerbook's serial number - it just displays as blank (from memory) in the System Profiler.

      The serial number is normally somewhere printed on the powerbook (on a label/sticker) - on mine, it's inside the battery compartment - not exactly convenient, but it is there.
      • on mine, it's inside the battery compartment - not exactly convenient, but it is there.

        That's not so inconvenient, because you can close the lid (so that the Powerbook goes to sleep), turn the machine around, open the battery compartment (you will need a coin for this), take the battery off, write down the serial number (you will need pen and paper because your computer is sleeping), put the battery back on and roll on.

        This works both with the power cord attached and without it. It's very handy when you
    • In 10.3 they removed the Option Key now it's just

      Apple menu -> About This Mac

      Click on the OS version twice

      (There is still no step 3)
      Cheers, Ed

  • Hmm, I am seeing white spots (made up of a speckling of white pixels) on this model laptop. Is this a common problem facing LCD screens? In laptops? Does anyone know hte cause?

  • Warranty (Score:3, Informative)

    by boola-boola ( 586978 ) on Tuesday September 28, 2004 @11:09PM (#10380634)
    This repair extension program is only for people who waited forever to get their laptops serviced (myself included). All Powerbooks come with a default 1-yr. warranty through Apple, and the earliest Powerbooks that were affected by the white spots problem were manufactured in July 2003, so their warranties just passed a few months ago. Chances are everybody who had white spots had them occur very soon after they bought the laptop, and probably had it serviced very soon afterwards as well (sometimes more than once). The thing is, Apple has had a (permanent) fix for the problem since roughly the beginning of 2004.

    My guess is that Apple has finally gone out and publicly offered this extension program since the initial onslaught of "white spots" complaints has finally ended (I only just got mine back a week ago), since they can finally keep up with production. It took them a week and a half to get the part.

  • I was disappointed with my 1GHz 12" Albook display from day one. Only after seeing that the one they put on the 1.25GHz 12" did I stop careing... its supposed to be better, but I don't see a difference. The crappy display on my Thinkpad has better color, contast, and viewing angles. What is up with that? Come on Apple, I dare you to replace my pb display!
    • and I have the reverse. My thinkpad from work has TERRIBLE color and my PB 12" has an amazing screen. I have gone through 3 thinkpad shells in 1.5 years where my PB has been near perfect since I got it.

      Much like a car, different people have different problems with something that "should" be universally correct. ah well.

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