My new 17" PB with a free gift

deadpixel · Mar 19, 2003

I gadly picked up my 17" Powerbook from the Apple store who inturn gladly called me last night from their store callback list. To my horror I got an extra present from Apple, an "on-state" green pixel. The beauty of this pixel is that it is in the dead center of the magnificant 17" screen. I gues it was designed to be a focal point for admirers of Apple products!

What do I do?

Flickta · Mar 19, 2003

No idea...

But I mourn with you.

Moxiemike · Mar 19, 2003

Here we go. Anyone wanna bet on how many dead pixel/hot pixel/stuck pixel threads are gonna pop up telling us how much apple is ripping us off?

too many methinks.

can i ask a mod to close this and any other useless threads that pop up like it?

deadpixel · Mar 19, 2003

I really don't want to cause any trouble. I have been silently listening on these boards and have received great advice that has allowed me to switch.

I have already contacted my Apple sales rep who is looking into the matter. Worst case I will take the 10% restocking hit. Just so I am clear in the last 12 months I have personally bought the following items and have had no pixel problems:

12" PB
12" 800 ibook
15" 1ghz tibook
17" 1ghz iMac
17" 800 iMac

However, with the limited distribution of this new product i would have expected a better screening process before shipment. Long story short my track record with Apple related LCD's has been stellar, but this was a bummer. I just wanted to let people know my initial reaction with the flagship product that I was waiting for.

Moxiemike · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by deadpixel
I really don't want to cause any trouble. I have been silently listening on these boards and have received great advice that has allowed me to switch.

I have already contacted my Apple sales rep who is looking into the matter. Worst case I will take the 10% restocking hit. Just so I am clear in the last 12 months I have personally bought the following items and have had no pixel problems:

12" PB
12" 800 ibook
15" 1ghz tibook
17" 1ghz iMac
17" 800 iMac

However, with the limited distribution of this new product i would have expected a better screening process before shipment. Long story short my track record with Apple related LCD's has been stellar, but this was a bummer. I just wanted to let people know my initial reaction with the flagship product that I was waiting for.

But I'm sure when you call apple you'll find out EXACTLY what we all know here, and which you could have searched for before slamming your PB 17"?Apple has a policy stating that they ALLOW a certain no. of pixels to be dead on a screen, due to imperfections in the way LCDs are manufactured.

Wanna be leading edge? Well.. you're prolly gonna see a dead pixel at some point.

I had two powerbook g3's, an original blue LCD 15", a 15" LCD studio, a 17" LCD studio and a 15" tibook... and i had two dead pixels on the tibook.

Apple gave me the spiel, the 6 dead pixels magic number, etc etc etc. Told me i could send it in and probably pay whatever an hour of time was to look at, and probably fix it, which in the long run was cheaper than a restocking fee, and before I did, I managed to rub them both out.

I had to stop this thread before it started?seemed we were headed for "Class Action Lawsuit Against Apple for 17" PB dead pixel"

Instead of whining, call apple, get it taken care of. Massage that baby, maybe send it back (you lived without it this long, another week shouldn't hurt you) and for chrissakes, why no pictures?????

And i don't wanna hear your machine is defective?according to Apple, it's not. Just needs a little extra love somewhere.

Foxer · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by Moxiemike
I managed to rub them both out. . .Massage that baby,

Sorry to prolong the thread, but it looks like it might take a useful turn.

I picked up a 12-inch powerbook and it has a promenent dead pixle. I was prepared to live with it, but if I can fix it myself, I would like to. How do you "rub it out?" I'll appreciate your advice.

Moxiemike · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by Foxer
Sorry to prolong the thread, but it looks like it might take a useful turn. I picked up a 12-inch powerbook and it has a promenent dead pixle. I was prepared to live with it, but if I can fix it myself, I would like to. How do you "rub it out?" I'll appreciate your advice.

Basically what I did on my ti was:

a) wash my hands VERY throughly. (pretend you're anal retentive)
b) hold the back of the monitor where the dead pixel was.
c) took a kleenex (extra precaution) and GENTLY rubbed the pixel a bit. Looked at it. Rubbed it again.
d) finally, when it was gone, i used a bit of spray air to blow any kleenex pieces and started working.

Foxer · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by Moxiemike
Basically what I did on my ti was:

a) wash my hands VERY throughly. (pretend you're anal retentive)
b) hold the back of the monitor where the dead pixel was.
c) took a kleenex (extra precaution) and GENTLY rubbed the pixel a bit. Looked at it. Rubbed it again.
d) finally, when it was gone, i used a bit of spray air to blow any kleenex pieces and started working.

Muchas gracias, senor!

Moxiemike · Mar 19, 2003

no probs.

good luck with it

NavyIntel007 · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by Moxiemike
Basically what I did on my ti was:

a) wash my hands VERY throughly. (pretend you're anal retentive)
b) hold the back of the monitor where the dead pixel was.
c) took a kleenex (extra precaution) and GENTLY rubbed the pixel a bit. Looked at it. Rubbed it again.
d) finally, when it was gone, i used a bit of spray air to blow any kleenex pieces and started working.

You can't be serious... That actually works?

iJon · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by NavyIntel007
You can't be serious... That actually works?

yep, this works. a lot of times people can fix these they just dont realize it. if it doesnt work call apple. even though they have a 8 pixel policy, you would be surprised what apple does for a screaming customer.

iJon

Moxiemike · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by iJon
yep, this works. a lot of times people can fix these they just dont realize it. if it doesnt work call apple. even though they have a 8 pixel policy, you would be surprised what apple does for a screaming customer.

iJon

or a polite and completely concerned and bummed out customer.

patrick0brien · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by NavyIntel007
You can't be serious... That actually works?

-NavyIntel007

Sometimes it actually does "wake up" the transistor that's being faulty. But in most cases, it will darken a funky pixel to black - which I prefer to a bright green or red as black is pretty much invisible.

Though with the plastic substrate used on LCD's (and as a glare-free glasses wearer) I would highly recommend not using a paper product like a kleenex or paper towel. Use a nice clean washcloth - preferrably one that was washed without bleach.

The paper might finely scratch the screen, and after many uses, the screen will begin to 'fog'.

.02

Foxer · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by patrick0brien
-NavyIntel007
Though with the plastic substrate used on LCD's (and as a glare-free glasses wearer) I would highly recommend not using a paper product like a kleenex or paper towel. Use a nice clean washcloth - preferrably one that was washed without bleach.

The paper might finely scratch the screen, and after many uses, the screen will begin to 'fog'.

I suspect that the towelettes that come with iKlear polish would be safe.

SoonToGetAMac · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by Foxer
I suspect that the towelettes that come with iKlear polish would be safe.

Exactly what I was thinking.

cubist · Mar 19, 2003

HEY!

Pictures, pictures!

Also we wanna know what the CHUD says about your CPU (L2 cache and whatnot). How hot does it run?

Also we wanna see the faces on the PC users when you open that baby up

eyelikeart · Mar 19, 2003

dead pixels are part of the deal in many cases...

my first TiBook had not one...my second did...

I just dealt with it...tried to massage it out...to no avail...

Moxiemike · Mar 19, 2003

i have a feeling deadpixel might have been a troll... i mean, who would pick a name like that-- and have to deal with it forever.

and if ANY mac user go delivery of a 17" he'd have posted mad pics. As it is, i know of no one who has received one yet.

,m

adamcoop · Mar 19, 2003

Moxiemike, check out PowerBook Central

Moxiemike · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by adamcoop
Moxiemike, check out PowerBook Central

damn. that thing is massive. haha

adamcoop · Mar 19, 2003

Anyday now...

szark · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by Moxiemike
and if ANY mac user go delivery of a 17" he'd have posted mad pics. As it is, i know of no one who has received one yet.

A few happy 17" PB owners have picture links in this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22207&perpage=25&pagenumber=4

deadpixel · Mar 19, 2003

I wish deadpixel was a troll this way I would not be stuck looking at a dead pixel, but I am trying to put that aside. I picked up the 17" beauty last late last night from my local apple store. The box is much bigger than the unit itself. Being that I am probably going to just keep this unit I will begin to take pictures tonight. My thumb has gotten a workout by massaging the little bugger but soon I will snap away. Any requests will be honored. Below are some findings that people might find useful:

1. Yes it is big but not big as in bulk or width. Instead it seems to me to be slender but long.

2. I turned off all the lights in the bedroom and the unit dimmed to about 2-3 bars and the ambient sensore brought the keyboard to a comfortable level (it was not lit all the way).

3. The brightness of the monitor is awesome much better than the TI book. I turned it up all the way and it was blazing with light. (it's funny but if you max the brightness of the display you don't need the keyboard to light up other than for show.

4. Mac OS was snappy, I mostly did Web broswing and software updates.

5. Airport extreme setup was a breeze and the reception was good better than Ti but still worse than ibook.

6. The screen hinge is a love or hate relationship. I think it is much more sturdy than the Ti, but I noticed on my bed the the slightest movment and the screen would come forward, almost as if it was tophevy. It wasn't on a flat surface so I will test further.

Again, I didn't know if I would be keeping it but as of right now I feel that I will be keeping it for the long term. Let me know if you have any questions.

Moxiemike · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by deadpixel
I wish deadpixel was a troll this way I would not be stuck looking at a dead pixel, but I am trying to put that aside. I picked up the 17" beauty last late last night from my local apple store. The box is much bigger than the unit itself. Being that I am probably going to just keep this unit I will begin to take pictures tonight. My thumb has gotten a workout by massaging the little bugger but soon I will snap away. Any requests will be honored. Below are some findings that people might find useful:

1. Yes it is big but not big as in bulk or width. Instead it seems to me to be slender but long.

2. I turned off all the lights in the bedroom and the unit dimmed to about 2-3 bars and the ambient sensore brought the keyboard to a comfortable level (it was not lit all the way).

3. The brightness of the monitor is awesome much better than the TI book. I turned it up all the way and it was blazing with light. (it's funny but if you max the brightness of the display you don't need the keyboard to light up other than for show.

4. Mac OS was snappy, I mostly did Web broswing and software updates.

5. Airport extreme setup was a breeze and the reception was good better than Ti but still worse than ibook.

6. The screen hinge is a love or hate relationship. I think it is much more sturdy than the Ti, but I noticed on my bed the the slightest movment and the screen would come forward, almost as if it was tophevy. It wasn't on a flat surface so I will test further.

Again, I didn't know if I would be keeping it but as of right now I feel that I will be keeping it for the long term. Let me know if you have any questions.

Fair enough. How about some pics?

I think if you call apple calmly, you'll get the answer and service you need and your machine and you will live happily ever after

Independence · Mar 20, 2003

Re: HEY!

Originally posted by cubist
Also we wanna see the faces on the PC users when you open that baby up

i can assure you that i'd be totally unphased. to me, a computer is a computer is a computer.

anyways, i got a few dead pixels in the screen of my 9 year old ibm thinkpad. they're hardly noticeable. though i guess it would kinda suck to see that kind of problem in the screen of a new laptop.

My new 17" PB with a free gift

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