iPod and iBook Complaints?

[MacRumors]

CNN reports on user complaints and two potential class action suits from iBook and iPod owners.

Various users apparently have reported recurrent problems with their iBook displays and video output, and according to the article, the problems stem from faulty motherboards.

iPod complaints stem from the claim that "Apple's warranty does not run long enough to cover problems with the player's battery." Apple presently offers a $99 battery replacement program for users with battery problems out of warranty.

[Trekkie]

Can't comment on the iBook problems but I've got a second generation 20GB iPod I bought in August of 2002.

Am I a minority here in that mine is working great?

Maybe it's because since I was a kid it was drilled into me that I was to run rechargable batteries into the ground before plugging them back in. I remember this mantre from my father when I was like in jr. high and got my first Sony Walkman and bought some GE Rechargable NiCD batteries in the mid 80s.

Maybe that's just me. Because mine works fine

[pyrotoaster]

I don't know about the iBook problem, but the iPod complaints are pointless (IMHO). I had a G1 5 GB iPod, and it's battery completely quit after about 10 months. I took it to an Apple Store Genius Bar and walked out an hour later with a brand new iPod. No complaints from me.

[youngr40]

Originally posted by Trekkie
Can't comment on the iBook problems but I've got a second generation 20GB iPod I bought in August of 2002.

Am I a minority here in that mine is working great?

Got a 5Gb Generation 1 - no worries here, still onlyu sed 2Gb of space and the battery is okay.

[MacBoy88]

My iBook has a logic board problem. I am part of the class action. I love my iBook, but it aint even a year old!

[Greenlightboi]

I had a G2 10 GB, and in 11 months the thing died on me. I'm happy that Apple has sent me a new one, but it is going up for sale on ebay.... cause in another 11 months, and 11 months after that... I don't want to keep replacing batteries!

[snofseth]

for Ipod just buy from compusa and get their warrenty at like $40 if it has any problems or you just want a new one you can take it back and they will give you a new one the only catch is each time for every ipod you have to get they warrenty, but it is worth it. I've had 4 in 8 months

[TMay]

Still, the iBook problem meets the criteria for a class action suit.

The iPod issue does not. Just because people don't understand the issues with batteries, doesn't mean that Apple has to warrant the iPod indefinitely. That being said, Apple may have been a bit slow in providing an official policy for battery replacement. They have now. End of story.

[rdowns]

I've read abouth these potential class action suits. The only ones who will make out are the lawyers.

If the iBook MB is faulty, Apple deserves to get sued if they've not stepped up to the plate.

As for the iPod, all I can say are the people are a bunch of asses. Warranty not long enough? Almost all electronics carry a one year warranty.

Battery problems? Don't seem to be widespread but definitely a loud bunch who are affected. Apple finally stepped up to the plate with a battery replacement program and there is a less expensive DIY alternative.

Is it me or does Apple get slammed much more than their much larger competitors?

[whfsdude]

The iPod is fine, mine is going 2yrs strong.

Now as for the iBook. I've had 4 logic boards but you have probably heard me bitch about that before.

[Sun Baked]

Originally posted by rdowns
As for the iPod, all I can say are the people are a bunch of asses. Warranty not long enough? Almost all electronics carry a one year warranty.

Plus Apple is offering the battery replacement program, all Apple has to do it make the offer -- it doesn't have to be cheap and/or affordable to satisfy the court.

Look back at the upgradeable machine class action lawsuit, the upgrade to satisfy the court was very expensve.

I think the doof is mad because he can't go down to Battery Shaq and get a set of batteries for cheap.

Then look at the cell phone market's battery problem, their cheap/fake battery problem is causing severe burns an injuries to cheapskates.

[CmdrLaForge]

Originally posted by whfsdude
The iPod is fine, mine is going 2yrs strong.

Now as for the iBook. I've had 4 logic boards but you have probably heard me bitch about that before.

No - I don't. Where is the thread ?

I have a G3 iBook 900MHz. No problems so far. Can anyone explain what the problems exactly are and after which time of use they happen ?

Thanks and cheers

[latergator116]

Originally posted by pyrotoaster
I don't know about the iBook problem, but the iPod complaints are pointless (IMHO). I had a G1 5 GB iPod, and it's battery completely quit after about 10 months. I took it to an Apple Store Genius Bar and walked out an hour later with a brand new iPod. No complaints from me.

Yes, but wouldn't you be pissed if your battery died 3 months later?

[Flowbee]

Originally posted by MacBoy88
My iBook has a logic board problem. I am part of the class action. I love my iBook, but it aint even a year old!

Then why not just have it repaired under warranty? I guess lawsuits are more exciting.

[geerlingguy]

If you've taken the risk of purchasing an iBook or other laptop, you should get insurance (in the form of AppleCare). I have an iBook G4, just purchased yesterday, and I will get AppleCare for three years of support so that if there are any problems, I will get a replacement part from Apple.

I may be misunderstanding the iBook users' claims, but I think most just want to get some money for their irresponsibility...

If I am wrong, let me know.

P.S. I LOVE the iBook!!! according to Altivec Fractal Carbon, this baby is 4 times as fast as my previous G4/400 Gigabit!!! (I have the 933 Mhz iBook G4)

[Grimace]

calling it irresponsible may not be the wisest wording. A faulty product deserves a recall/repair if the vendor finds out about it. Knowledge of the motherboard problems (crapping out after a year is a BIG problem) is grounds enough for Apple to be sued. No one should be forced into buying Apple care. That is designed to cover incidental complications, not proscribed problems.

[latergator116]

Originally posted by geerlingguy
If you've taken the risk of purchasing an iBook or other laptop, you should get insurance (in the form of AppleCare). I have an iBook G4, just purchased yesterday, and I will get AppleCare for three years of support so that if there are any problems, I will get a replacement part from Apple.

I may be misunderstanding the iBook users' claims, but I think most just want to get some money for their irresponsibility...

If I am wrong, let me know.

P.S. I LOVE the iBook!!! according to Altivec Fractal Carbon, this baby is 4 times as fast as my previous G4/400 Gigabit!!! (I have the 933 Mhz iBook G4)

You shouldn't have to spend extra money to warrant yourself from an OBVIOUS defect. Some people have the warranty, but they are just tired of sending it back repeated amounts of times to get repaired.

[earlopogous]

Thank GOD! my iBook just died and would have been out of warranty if i hadnt bought AppleCare. i would have been one mad person, if it had dies after the warranty.

[ITR 81]

Originally posted by Flowbee
Then why not just have it repaired under warranty? I guess lawsuits are more exciting.

Yeah I figure a good portion of the iBook people are ones that just had one issue and want to sue because of it even though they are under a yr old.

My friends sister just recently got a iBook and it was 3 month old used demo from CompUSA and it works fine.

All these class action lawsuits do is make the lawyers richer and everyone part of the lawsuit gets about $20 bucks...

[latergator116]

What I hope apple will do is set up some kind of program (extend warranty, replace a motherboard if its out of warranty,etc.). I don't really care to get 20 bucks (probably less) from some stupid lawsuit. Hopefully apple will now get off their lazy asses.

[Grimace]

Class-action law suits are a LOT harder to win so I don't think iBook users should get too excited. Many times, there has to be insider/executive knowledge of the defect and written documents saying something to the effect of "well, too bad for them - we're not changing our product." Think Big Tobacco class-action cases - those have dragged on for decades with a very obvious malintent from the tobacco companies.

[Daveman Deluxe]

IMO, Apple should come out and say something along the lines of, "We realize that there is a logic board issue. If you've sent it in once before on a logic board issue and an AppleCare technician determine you're having the same issue again, we'll send you a new/refurbished unit."

Apple needs to get to work on the problem. According to an article I read (I haven't got the link) a guy with considerable technical savvy and tools did some investigation and found that frayed RF shielding was shorting out against the body of the iBook. The display issue is borne from the hole that the display cables run through being too small and pinching the cables as the screen is moved. Even if the cables don't get pinched, they are not of sufficient thickness to withstand the stress of being twisted around like they are. As a result, insulation can crack and the wires short out.

It sounds like a couple of minor design/component decisions (make the display conduit wider, use heavier wire) would end these problems.

[papersushi]

Look, happy customers usually don't post on the web site to compalin. Comparing the small number of people complaining and the large number of total units sold, it's extremely small percentage.

On the other hand, battery is battery, base on the current battery technology, no matter what kind of battery you buy, battery does die and it does die quickly like a year depends on how do you use it.

If you have a digital camera, ask yourself if your built-in rechargable battery still holds the same charge like what it did a year ago(plus most digital camera users don't use them as often as most iPod users do).

[kidA]

the class action suit with the ibook has nothing to do with user responsibility. no one is going to get any money out of it either except the lawyers, but that's not the point anyway. anyone who calls the people involved dumb or greedy or irresponsible does not understand. the purpose of the lawsuit is simply to get apple to acknowledge and fix a known defect in the product.
apple is not a stupid company. they are smart enough to know that something is wrong with the dual-usb ibooks--whether it's the logic board itself or the power supply damaging the logic board--and apple has probably researched it and knows exactly what it is. they've probably also decided that it's cheaper for them to just fix each one as it comes in than to redesign the ibook or take some other course. (granted there are a lot, but these are massively popular computers, the percentage is probably pretty small). a class action suit is not a way to get money or anything, it is just a way to get apple to officially recognize the problem and take the necessary steps to fix it--use a new logic board, redesign the power supply, whatever--so that we won't have to deal with the problem in the future. ibook users have complained enough to apple already, and apple has done nothing. it's time to take new action, and a class action law suit is the next step.

[eromitlab]

I have both products... iPod is great on battery (then again, I know to run the battery down to nothing and only then recharge and not leave it on the dock when not using it).

My iBook has also been problem free... other than a fried logic board (and it was only a couple months old, mind you) which Apple happily replaced in about 4 days... do people even realize that AppleCare covers every machine for one year after the date of purchase, then the additional coverage takes over after that (if you're smart enough to buy it).

Why is it that news organisations seem to only report news on Apple when it's bad or not showing of how much better the company and the products are than other companies *coughDellcough*? I mean, MSNBC is pretty much anti-mac now (and no big surprise there)... how many other companies are going to shoot themselves in the foot by cutting out mac users and portraying Apple in a negative light?