PowerBook Perfectionism

[kanpachi]

This may seem like an off the wall question, but how does one cope with the imperfections present in a PowerBook? When I think of a PB, I immediately associate it with perfection, as I am sure many other users do as well. Beautiful metal casing, virtually flawless and crisp display, and a laptop that stands in a league of its own in terms of innovation and individuality. However, there seems to be a fair amount of imperfections in these notebooks that are made apparent by the many posts on the MacRumors forum. Is one to accept the flaws and relinquish the idealistic sentiments towards this machine? Perhaps I am just a neurotic perfectionist, but I am very curious on how others feel about the imperfections in their PowerBooks.

 

[_bnkr612]

1. My trim near the latch on the right side is coming loose, I have to push it back in and it slightly "clicks" into place. The latch is hard push open.

2. The battery meter can be off by 30 minutes.

Those are my only gripes, and the price I paid for the 1.33| 768 | 12" makes me shut up.

 

[Monk Edsel]

Mine shipped with a stuck pixel, and the finish on the palm rests seems to be eroding. The Mac Genius at the Apple Store wasn't sure if Apple would replace palm rests or not, I think they should. I hate the thought of being computer-less so I have yet to let them send it in. I also I am not... well... completely satisfied with the fit and finish. It's good but the plastic trim pieces are not perfectly lined up everywhere... I mean... my expectation is unrealistic, but still, you want every joint and seam to look like they do in the promo shots.

_bnkr612, do you ever calibrate your battery?

 

[KD7IWP]

Mine is perfect

Mine is great. Had a hinge that went CRACK each time I moved the screen and it took excessive force to move the screen. But they fixed it and had it back to me in 3 days, so I can't complain. I still look at it with perfection. It's not hard. I think the major part of the perfection idea is the OS. That is why I switched to mac, not necessarily the hardware that they produce.

 

[Demon Hunter]

It depends I guess. I tried to pass my keyboard thing off as added "character" but that didn't work. As long as the keyboard is perfect I'm usually content...

 

[kanpachi]

Wow, all of you seem to be fairly content with your PowerBooks. Even with a dead pixel, eroding palm rests, improperly mounted trimming, weird keyboards, it's assuring to know that people out there can live with these semi-subtle imperfections.

When you had your hinge fixed by Apple, did you ever worry about how they handled your computer? Ever paranoid that they might not have treated your precious PB with the same care that you have? I guess it's just difficult to see such a beautiful product fade in quality as time passes, but such is the fading nature of most things in this world.

 

[Demon Hunter]

Wow, all of you seem to be fairly content with your PowerBooks.

Fairly content in so far as I've gotten 5 replacements and am now awaiting Apple to call so I can demand my replacement.

 

[kanpachi]

Fairly content in so far as I've gotten 5 replacements and am now awaiting Apple to call so I can demand my replacement.

Whoa, how did you get replacements? Apple is normally really strict about giving them, no? Did you have to pay some sort of restocking fee or are you some negotiation master?

 

[tortfeasor]

Whoa, how did you get replacements? Apple is normally really strict about giving them, no? Did you have to pay some sort of restocking fee or are you some negotiation master?

I am on my 3rd power book replacement right now... I guess you just have to get the right person.

 

[yukon8170]

I can say this

I can say that after all my powerbook has been through, It still looks pretty good with all the dents and scratches. They designed it to be strong and to last a long time. I know Dell couldnt pull that off.

 

[Monk Edsel]

My hinge creaks too, actually. I wasn't sure if that was something they would fix or not. In a way the hinge is the worst thing for me, curious I forgot about it. I guess I have the lid closed so often now is the reason.

One experience I did not like about going to the Apple Store about the palm rests was that they spent 15 minutes trying to figure out a way to convince me such a thing was normal when it clearly was not. I was really surprised by that.

 

[mcgarry]

thoughts on PB imperfections and those of other laptops

The palmrest's plastic trim on my 12" is slightly (like a hair's breadth) gapped on the front right corner and there are even smaller gaps in a couple other places. Sometimes it can make a little noise if I'm typing heavily on it, as my right palm presses it flush. This is super-minor though, and most people wouldn't notice it unless they were looking for it.

I complained about the tiny gap to a X-series Thinkpad-owning friend and he said something like "dude, whatever, let me show you some real imperfections" to be found in his laptop's body/case/joints. So I'm not sure we have it so bad compared to the rest of the laptop-using world. Another friend's Vaio and my father-in-law's Toshiba have all sorts of creaks and squeaks that would drive me crazy if they came from my PB. My last PC laptop was a Sharp I gave up in 2001, but I don't remember much about its build quality, so I guess it wasn't that bad-- although I hadn't yet had the joy of an AlBook with which to compare it. My father's Lombard and my wife's toilet-seat iBook are impressive studies in sturdiness, by the way, and are in basically the same flawless physical condition as when they were new.

However, there is one imperfection that actually bugs me: how the battery sits. Admittedly I only notice this when it's in the iCurve (often) or if I'm touching the battery for some reason (not often), since that exposes it, but my battery does not sit fully flush on the front side. No, it doesn't pop out, or behave oddly in terms of charge, but I can push it ever-so-slightly in against the body of the PB to make it flush. Running my hand from the left side in the front I will hit it's lip sticking out from the body. But, since this makes no functional difference I can see, I haven't complained to Apple. If anything else ever goes wrong that they need to fix, maybe I'll mention it.

 

[biohazard6969]

i love my PB even though i've only had it for a couple months. one thing i don't like is that there isn't a right click on it. even though i've been a mac user forever, i still wouldn't mind that. also i really like dells idea of a media center typed button layout, thats rele cool....neways my PB is so dented and i've dropped it a numnber of times and the only problem i ever had was that the airport card got dislodged.

 

[_bnkr612]

_bnkr612, do you ever calibrate your battery?

That's the first thing I do to all my batteries in any machine.

 

[Lacero]

Hmm when you focus on the imperfections, that's all you'll ever really notice.

 

[mcgarry]

Hmm when you focus on the imperfections, that's all you'll ever really notice.

There's some truth to that. Part of what I was meaning to say in my above post was that when the machine is as well-built as the PB is overall, the little stuff can stand out all the more. On those IBM, Toshiba, and Sony laptops I mentioned another creak here or gap there might not even be worth mentioning. I'm not saying all PC laptops are built like crap, just that the PBs really are generally well-built when compared to their PC peers (some of which also have nice build quality).

 

[kanpachi]

After having read all the messages in this thread, many users have mentioned that the PB is a very well-built machine and is also considered by many as the "Rolls Royce" of laptops. How would one compare it to an IBM ThinkPad? I have had an X series for quite a long time and it seems like it can take a lot more abuse than the PB. I have never actually damaged a PB before, so I am just speculating here (and I am not thinking of intentionally damaging the PB in the future -- this is purely for future reference).

The PB really seems like a different story. Maybe it's because it looks so slick, but is using extreme care with the PB even necessary? I am even apprehensive about putting it down on my desk without super-gentle placement, and even when opening the lid I have to be super careful so that I don't accidently compress and damage the screen (creating that "bleeding paint" image for a split second) or open it too quickly to accidently destroy the hinge. Is it just me, or do most owners of PBs treat their machines in such a careful manner too? The PB occasionally seems like a liability and the thought of doing something harmful to it makes me so nervous! Sometimes I wish it didn't look so awesome.

 

[mcgarry]

kanpachi,
Anecdotally, yes, people have said on these forums that they treat their PBs more gingerly simply because of how they look. And I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing-- no laptop likes to be tossed around with too much abandon. There's something out there for breaking any laptop, no matter how tough or rugged it appears.

I don't treat my PB extraordinarily, at least by my standards. It travels in a $20 Tucano second skin, usually within another normal bag. And it looks the way it did when I bought it over 5 months ago. I'm not a true road warrior, as it spends most of its time on a desk, but my experience leads me to believe that the PB is no less rugged than most other laptops in any way we could actually measure. No laptop likes to be hit/kicked/bathed in beer.

 

[DickArmAndHarT]

Wow, all of you seem to be fairly content with your PowerBooks. Even with a dead pixel, eroding palm rests, improperly mounted trimming, weird keyboards, it's assuring to know that people out there can live with these semi-subtle imperfections.

When you had your hinge fixed by Apple, did you ever worry about how they handled your computer? Ever paranoid that they might not have treated your precious PB with the same care that you have? I guess it's just difficult to see such a beautiful product fade in quality as time passes, but such is the fading nature of most things in this world.

Dude! Your outt of your mind!...I love my 15" I truly do..it completely changed my life, from a 13 year old burn out to a 14 year old mac geek making films. ANd yeah i love the apple hardware, but i beat the crap out of this machine, take care of it..but im not afraid to use it!

 

[dphoenix1]

However, there is one imperfection that actually bugs me: how the battery sits. Admittedly I only notice this when it's in the iCurve (often) or if I'm touching the battery for some reason (not often), since that exposes it, but my battery does not sit fully flush on the front side. No, it doesn't pop out, or behave oddly in terms of charge, but I can push it ever-so-slightly in against the body of the PB to make it flush. Running my hand from the left side in the front I will hit it's lip sticking out from the body. But, since this makes no functional difference I can see, I haven't complained to Apple. If anything else ever goes wrong that they need to fix, maybe I'll mention it.

My iBook is the exact same... you can see the front of the battery when the computer is sitting on a desk, and I as well am driven nuts with this imperfection...

The keyboard also does this roller coaster thing from left to right... the highest point being the line made from the F7 key to the right side of the Spacebar. However, with the price I paid ($800) as a 1.07 ghz Refresh in December from the Apple store, I am content.

 

[mcgarry]

My iBook is the exact same... you can see the front of the battery when the computer is sitting on a desk, and I as well am driven nuts with this imperfection...

The keyboard also does this roller coaster thing from left to right... the highest point being the line made from the F7 key to the right side of the Spacebar. However, with the price I paid ($800) as a 1.07 ghz Refresh in December from the Apple store, I am content.

I believe it ... my brother's iBook G3 500 MHz has far more creaking/looseness issues than my PB, and always has. Subjectively speaking of course, it is easily the worst build quality of any Apple laptop from this millenium that I've seen. It and most other iBooks I have ever seen have that kb bulge-- in my experience, the kb is on a quite flexible piece of plastic that is sensitive to AP card installation and such.

 

[kanpachi]

Dude! Your outt of your mind!...I love my 15" I truly do..it completely changed my life, from a 13 year old burn out to a 14 year old mac geek making films. ANd yeah i love the apple hardware, but i beat the crap out of this machine, take care of it..but im not afraid to use it!

I'm really glad that the PowerBook has had such a positive impact on your life! I do notice that you are now a "mac geek", considering you have some pretty advanced peripherals, as well!

You know, that message you sent me actually knocked some sense into me. This laptop kicks so much butt and it would be a shame not to put it to good use. Thanks for that. Also, a big thanks to all the others who kindly gave their input on this topic.

It is very apparent to me now that even though there are some imperfections in this machine, the good totally outweigh the bad. Seems true that although the PB is flawed in some respects, it is superior to many other laptops in terms of quality. Unfortunately, the grass often seems to be greener on the other side.

It was also nice to hear that the PB has changed people's lives for the better, and provides a very nice, stable operating system to allow for seamless usage and a pleasant user experience. Better yet, the PB serves as a medium to allow users from all over the world to communicate their ideas and help one another. Although the physical aspects of the PB may be imperfect, one can argue that the intangible aspects of it are quite perfect indeed.

 

[Demon Hunter]

Whoa, how did you get replacements? Apple is normally really strict about giving them, no? Did you have to pay some sort of restocking fee or are you some negotiation master?

After 5 repair attempts (a "reasonable amount") you have a federal right to a replacement or refund... it's called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. You just have to know your rights, be informed, and be polite.

I would agree, I think the PBs are very durable... the TiBooks were also, except for maybe the hinges. I think the look demands care... it's the Porche Phenomenon?

 

[Monk Edsel]

That's the first thing I do to all my batteries in any machine.

Yeah, but you are supposed to do it once every few months aren't you?

Anyway I guess perfection is relative... I mean technically it isn't, something is either perfect or it isn't, but... next to pretty much every other laptop out there the PowerBook's engineering and aesthetics are just amazing... which is what allows a thread like this to come about I suppose. But I guess it's not so much a matter of accepting flaws but having perspective on it all? Like even with the flaws mine or most people have, their PowerBook is still way nicer than any other laptop.

 

[kanpachi]

Yeah, but you are supposed to do it once every few months aren't you?

Anyway I guess perfection is relative... I mean technically it isn't, something is either perfect or it isn't, but... next to pretty much every other laptop out there the PowerBook's engineering and aesthetics are just amazing... which is what allows a thread like this to come about I suppose. But I guess it's not so much a matter of accepting flaws but having perspective on it all? Like even with the flaws mine or most people have, their PowerBook is still way nicer than any other laptop.

Agreed.

With regards to DFerrara's post, are the AlBooks supposed to have better hinges than the TiBooks? I notice that the AlBook's screen wobbles back and forth for a little bit (like 8-10 seconds) when you lift the PB with the screen open and put it back down. Is this normal, since I guess there is quite a bit of torque on the hinge from the large surface area and relative weight of the screen? I'm not sure if this is a flaw in the PB, but it somewhat makes sense this happens, at least from a physics point of view. Though, this could indicate that the hinges are not very well designed?