Desperate! help in powerbook choice~!

Grokgod · May 14, 2002

Hey all..

I need a powerbook.. dont we all. < your thinking >
Well , I have the money.

But here is my problem.
I live in a small town, so there isnt an apple store, infact there is only a connecting point here and they dont have any powerbooks.
They say that they may get some in soon, though and will call me. If they can find the phone, their that smart.

I want to buy from a store so that I can see if the LCD has any stuck pixels!
I HAte stuck pixels , its a pet peeve!
Ok, at the store they dont have the ability to give me my educators discount!
So it would be the full price, but I would have no stuck pixels.
If i could get a unit from them.

If I bought online then I have no idea what the pixel situation will be.
I could get a clear lcd or even a triple pixel threat!
But I would get my educators discount, which is rather large.

But~ if i buy online i get the educators discount and can do a BTO with a faster HD the 5400 RPM, yum. 4200 is so worst.
But Apple's BTO policy is that there are no returns exchanges or anything on a BTO, they dont want to know your name after you buy it.

Not that its all that different when you buy at the apple store anyway without the BTO, they still would charge you 10% on a returned powerbook, you get 10 days to return an unopened box. If you open it, it cost you about 400 bucks! Thats an expensive 5 minutes.

So buy from a local store and get the nice lcd on the powerbook, but pay top dollar and endure the HD speed.
Or buy online with Apple and whatever I get <lcd wise> I keep!

Any ideas or opinions or anything would be appreciated.
The pain is getting bad have to make a decision soon!

Wildcat · May 14, 2002

where is the closest large town? Why dont you take a road trip so you can see before you buy. But be sure to call so you can see which locations have the most stock on hand.

AlphaTech · May 14, 2002

Contact the Computer Loft (http://www.computerloft.com) I am pretty sure you could get your education discount from them. I purchased my 800MHz TiBook from them and got it for less then everyone else was selling it for.

As for the 4200/5400 rpm drive dilemma... with the 800MHz model, I am not seeing any drive lag (remember, I have a 60GB IBM drive that I was using in my rev. A TiBook before). I am debating putting the 60GB drive into the new TiBook, the only thing holding me back is that I would have to reinstall the OS on it (new things for the new TiBook that prevented OS X from working on inside the new laptop when I tried it before). More likely, I will just get a FireWire enclosure for that drive and slip it into that.

See if the Computer Loft will open up the TiBook to make sure there are no dead pixels (or pixel anomalies) present before they ship it to you. Apple does have a certain level that is considered acceptable. Anything under that level and you won't be able to exchange it or anything. I know, it's a bummer, but too true. I have a single bright pixel anomaly on my TiBook, which is well within the spec's.

Mr. Anderson · May 14, 2002

I got a bto and it has 1 stuck pixel. I'm not that concerned about it, and for me, getting the better harddrive was worth it. Besides, the pixel is so damn small you hardly notice it.

If you really want the better machine, go with the BTO.

Grokgod · May 14, 2002

Help

I am too far from the nearest apple store over 700 miles.
any other ideas.

Mmm i will call computer loft and see what they say tomorrow, that may be a good idea, thanks.

Doesnt Apples policy suck or what/?

AlphaTech · May 14, 2002

One stuck pixel is well within Apple's acceptable limits for anomalies. A single pin hole/light/dark pixel is not all that bad. Granted, it is a little annoying that the screen makers can't make a perfect screen, but that is the price of getting top end technology.

I'll probably end up backing up what I need to from the 40GB drive currently inside my TiBook before placing the 60GB that I pulled from my rev. a TiBook before trading it in towards this one. There was no way I was going to give them the 60GB when I still had the 20GB it came with.

AlphaTech · May 14, 2002

Re: Help

Originally posted by Grokgod
I am too far from the nearest apple store over 700 miles.
any other ideas.

Mmm i will call computer loft and see what they say tomorrow, that may be a good idea, thanks.

Doesnt Apples policy suck or what/?

I will send you a private message about what to give them for extra 411 (might do you even better that way).

As for Apple's policy, it's actually the policy of the manufacturer of the screen. Apple can only get no charge replacements if they meet the requirements of the manufacturer, for a defective screen.

imacguy · May 14, 2002

Try macconnection

Hey grokgod,

Go to http://www.macconnection.com.... they have educational discounts and you might get out of sales tax too!

I just got my new tibook 667 from Macconnection (no dead pixels) and have bought other things from them before as well. They are a good company and have good prices.

I got a 667 with base station and airport card installed for $2748... almost $100 less than I saw anywhere else.

Grokgod · May 14, 2002

Hey imacguy!

You got the Ti without a stuck pixel!>?
Man, thats like finding the holy grail!

Macconection huh, I will check it out. thanks

AlphaTech · May 14, 2002

Re: Try macconnection

Originally posted by imacguy
Hey grokgod,

Go to http://www.macconnection.com.... they have educational discounts and you might get out of sales tax too!

I just got my new tibook 667 from Macconnection (no dead pixels) and have bought other things from them before as well. They are a good company and have good prices.

I got a 667 with base station and airport card installed for $2748... almost $100 less than I saw anywhere else.

Stuck pixels have nothing to do with where you get it from. It's the luck of the draw.

As for pricing, I traded in my 500MHz Rev. A TiBook (500MB, 20GB no airport, but with Applecare) and only paid $1500 (they gave me a $1500 credit). That would equate to an 800MHz TiBook with 512MB, 40GB airport installed already, and new base station for $3191. I need to send in my base station rebate soon. I pulled one of the 256MB chips, and slipped in the 512MB that I had in my old TiBook (it's PC133). I didn't pay shipping, since I went over and picked it up.

I am not in college any longer (it's been years), nor do I work for a school (can't get the educational discount). I always call around to get the best price that I can, and the Computer Loft came through for me in spades.

cb911 · May 15, 2002

when i got my new 667 TiBook i didn't open it up in the store to see if it had any dead pixels. i wasn't even worried about it. and luckily there weren't any dead pixels. the percentage of LCD's that ship with dead pixels is probably really low. but if they really annoy you, it is definitely worth considering. personally, i would do everything to make sure that i got the education discount. i got my TiBook on education and it is a big difference in price. i hope you get a good deal and no dead pixels.

Grokgod · May 15, 2002

thanks cb911~

thanks for the good luck energy

I think that I am going to go for the educational discount because I can get the highest end Ti for a pretty good cost. I want the faster 60 gig drive.
It seems that a lot of people have stuck pixels and that it may be somethign that I will have to live with,,Grrrrr cough cough///

I think its great that you got one without stuck pixels on a unit you bought from a store that you didnt even check to see its status. I find that amazing and a scenario that pleads a case for good karma?>!

I will call a few places today and see what they have to say.

That story of pixels as big as a dime made me sweat.

Mac connection doesnt have the educational discount! as an option!

Computer loft doesnt have a 800 number . whats up with that, a web site but no 800 number, very strange.

Is it really possible to massage stuck pixels back to life, sounds like my old girlfriend. Doesnt touching the screen with pressure create more stuck pixels!?

AlphaTech · May 15, 2002

Grokgod, if you don't want to call the normal number, email them. Give them your phone number and see if the will call with the information you are looking for.

mcrain · May 15, 2002

Re: Try macconnection

Originally posted by imacguy
Hey grokgod,

Go to http://www.macconnection.com.... they have educational discounts and you might get out of sales tax too!

You better make sure your state doesn't require you to report your out of state purchases. If so, you may owe a use tax on the computer.

AlphaTech · May 15, 2002

Re: Re: Try macconnection

Originally posted by mcrain

You better make sure your state doesn't require you to report your out of state purchases. If so, you may owe a use tax on the computer.

Ohhhh BUGGER OFF with the tax laws and such. One of the huge advantages of buying things via mail order, or online, is most of the time you don't have to pay any sales tax.

I pay more then enough taxes now, between state sales, income and fed income taxes, that if I make some purchases that are not charging tax, I will take advantage of it. I had to pay sales tax on both of my new vehicles, so if I can get some parts, or a computer without it, I will. Especially since I have paid a few thousand in sales tax on the two vehicles (truck and motorcycle). The state also charges excise tax on vehicles, so I will be continuing to pay a tax on them forever.

Tax lawyers should be the first ones up against the wall when the revolution comes.

agreenster · May 15, 2002

LCD

I have a 550 Ti with no dead pixels. I ordered mine from MacMall and got an education discount. It also shipped overnight!

What DID happen, however, was that after about a month, my screen developed a small, grey 'fuzzy' area at the bottom of the LCD panel and grew over the course of three months. I used my computer on an average basis, and never left it on when not using it. Its being serviced right now and is supposed to be covered under my one year warranty. We'll see. I cant believe how much I miss the damned thing.

Oh, and yes-

F*ck the Taxman

Grokgod · May 15, 2002

Fuzzy is NOT good!

Well , I have exhausted all my patience and succumbed to Apple.

I purchase the Ti ultimate version with a base station, couldnt pass that up with the 100$ price reduction.
Whatever the lcd has, I shall have to live with it.
It seems to me that stuck pixels are par for the course in the lcd world and those of us that are lucky enough to get one without any are blessed.
And other must live with it, such is life.
Perhaps it will help me grow some character or better yet, patience.

So, i opted for that faster harddrive and more ram.
That should me happy for a while.

My thanks to all for the help.

A small note, the sales man that I bought from was quite nice.
An interesting comment that he made was,
"Oh the 800 is SICK fast!" and I quote.

Any 800 users out there care to back that up?

AlphaTech · May 15, 2002

Re: Fuzzy is NOT good!

Originally posted by Grokgod
A small note, the sales man that I bought from was quite nice.
An interesting comment that he made was,
"Oh the 800 is SICK fast!" and I quote.

Any 800 users out there care to back that up?

Oh hell yeah!!!!

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Desperate! help in powerbook choice~!

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