Disappearing keys on the iBook G4

[Lexbase]

Anyone encounter this?

My keyboard has been replaced three times in 10 months by Apple. The letters actually wear off.

There is reasonable normal use. My fingers are 'clean'; there is no oil or other chemical product nearby; the environment is pristine.

The letters seem to be rubbing off the same way old airplane decals rub off.

I have had no such experience with any other Apple product. This defect seems specific to the iBook G4 laptop.


Does this ring a bell with any other user?



cheers!

Richard

[NusuniAdmin]

Maybe your just unlucky, ive had my ibook g4 for nearly a month and keys are still perfect :D.

When you type do you press right down and pick up or do you press down and maybe move your finger a little, if thats if then that could be the culprit.

[makisushi]

Must be your technique...
In all my long lived life, I have never had the letters rub off of any keyboard of mine.

[SilentPanda]

Well... I've had my iBook G4 800 since Nov of last year and evey single key is fine. I use the keyboard daily. Yesterday was the first time I've hooked it up to an external keyboard (and only for a bit). Maybe it's the way you type? I don't wash my hands before I use the keyboard or anything special...

[virividox]

this reminds me of a thread a couple months back with the same exact problem, yeah the letters came of the white plastic i dont think they had a fix other than replacing the keyboard or getting an iskin

[NusuniAdmin]

the only keyboard if had some rub off on is my beige g3's keyboard.

[stevehaslip]

maybe its somethign to do with the transfer process when they actually put the letters on to the plastic? maybe a varnish process or something got missed or maybe the temperature was slightly different when the decals were applied. There are many possible reasons but none of them are good enough, this shouldn't happen (ever). I suppose its just shoddy quality control by apple. lets hope the next rev fixes it.

[NusuniAdmin]

Im curious if this isa revA only thing, i have a rev b( like i said before) and it dont have this...

[latergator116]

Call up Apple and ask for a properly working keyboard or a refund. Apple really needs to step up their quality control.

[Macmaniac]

I think its something in the manufacturing process, because on the G3 books the letters were much more flush with the keys, while on the G4 books the letters feel as if they have been painted on and they are not flush with the rest of the keys.

[Dandaman]

I have that problem too. I have an 800MHz iBook G4. Actually, only the "S" and "C" keys are wearing off. I also had a problem with the tab that unhooks the keyboard. Are these problems that apple will fix or is it pretty much under just wear of the computer? Anyways, Lexbase, I have the same problem. I've had my iBook since Feb.

daniel

[Mechcozmo]

My dad's keyboard, used almost daily for years, had a dent in the spacebar when he finally brought it home...And his Quicksilver has the same problem starting. His thumb hits the exact same spot each time he needs to make a space. Which is quite often ;)

(He is a MD, BTW)

[rinseout]

There is a picture of this on Bruce Sterling's blog (http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/sterling/index.blog?start=1086813684) at the very bottom. A few months later he writes that his iBook broke down.

[acrc]

I've had my iBook G4 about 6 weeks. I've almost completely lost the i, and e, and th t, h, and o are beginning to lose their edges. I'm also having an issue with the tab that releases the lock. My old Titanium PB G4 had lots of wear and tear, but never lost any letters...