Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
15inch PowerBook Display Issues?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
zync
macrumors 68000
Re: Spots AND darkened area
I thought it was just me....mine seems to have a band of darkness on that side....that's usually caused by the type of backlighting they use but I thought they stopped using side lighting long ago....at least one side anyway...which is the only way that can be caused...
I thought it was just me....mine seems to have a band of darkness on that side....that's usually caused by the type of backlighting they use but I thought they stopped using side lighting long ago....at least one side anyway...which is the only way that can be caused...
zync
macrumors 68000
Re: Re: Not just a 15" problem...
I usually pick it up near the clasp and then hold it by the back....yeah I'm not used to that much space between the screen and base of a laptop either...I really thought it odd when I first got mine....It seems to be off on each side but not because of the hinge, the lid seems to be slightly bowed....I'm not sure though...I'd try to pick it up by the hinge area but it's usually too difficult to get to in the places I put my laptop down, when I can though I do...
I usually pick it up near the clasp and then hold it by the back....yeah I'm not used to that much space between the screen and base of a laptop either...I really thought it odd when I first got mine....It seems to be off on each side but not because of the hinge, the lid seems to be slightly bowed....I'm not sure though...I'd try to pick it up by the hinge area but it's usually too difficult to get to in the places I put my laptop down, when I can though I do...
ant_s
macrumors member
I hope mine won't have it!!
Hi All,
Having been convinced about 2 years ago that a Mac is for me - I have finally saved up enough to get a 15" PowerBook. Okay, the fact that they took their time in introducing the Aluminium version is part of why I've waited so long.
Anyway, I've had the unit on order just under a week and the estimated shipping is 1-2 weeks (still says 2-3 on the website, so they must be short on supplies, or, more likely, revising all the current ones). I sure hope mine doesn't have the display issue.
As I've had problems on another laptop on the battery side of things, I ordered a 2nd battery - that was before I heard of the problems with short battery life in the new 15" AlBooks.
I guess like many things, Apple are experiencing a few teething problems on a new product, so let's just hope it's all sorted out soon.
Hi All,
Having been convinced about 2 years ago that a Mac is for me - I have finally saved up enough to get a 15" PowerBook. Okay, the fact that they took their time in introducing the Aluminium version is part of why I've waited so long.
Anyway, I've had the unit on order just under a week and the estimated shipping is 1-2 weeks (still says 2-3 on the website, so they must be short on supplies, or, more likely, revising all the current ones). I sure hope mine doesn't have the display issue.
As I've had problems on another laptop on the battery side of things, I ordered a 2nd battery - that was before I heard of the problems with short battery life in the new 15" AlBooks.
I guess like many things, Apple are experiencing a few teething problems on a new product, so let's just hope it's all sorted out soon.
MattG
macrumors 68040
You shouldn't HAVE TO baby these things!
This really makes me mad, that I paid $2600 for this thing, only to find out that it is exceedingly fragile and that I need to handle it differently from any other laptop.
Sorry, but it's frustrating that the Dell laptops they use at the school I work at cost a fraction of the price, get thrown around by their users, and yet have none of the problems that the supposedly "better made" Apple products have! Something is very wrong with that!
This really makes me mad, that I paid $2600 for this thing, only to find out that it is exceedingly fragile and that I need to handle it differently from any other laptop.
Sorry, but it's frustrating that the Dell laptops they use at the school I work at cost a fraction of the price, get thrown around by their users, and yet have none of the problems that the supposedly "better made" Apple products have! Something is very wrong with that!
Phil Of Mac
macrumors 68020
Don't freak out and get pissed off. It's a Rev. A problem in the first manufacturing run and they've stopped manufacturing to fix it. Wait until you can and send it in for repair.
MattG
macrumors 68040
I have sent it in, in fact, it was sent in for the second time last week, since the problem reoccured when I got it back after the first repair. So yes, after spending $2600, 2 repairs later, plus the fact that Apple has had the machine longer than I've had it, I think I have every right to "freak out and get pissed off."
Westside guy
macrumors 604
Wow, mine's not nearly that bad. With my normal background (wallpaper from endeffect) I usually don't even notice the two white areas on mine. It's only if the screen is all monocolor, such as with one of the screensavers that Panther broke. 🙂 But the spots are getting worse - if a mostly-white Web page is overlapping one of the spots then I can see them now.
Since I did buy Applecare, I'm holding off until I hear people are getting replacements that truly are fixed.
As a new switcher from the Linux/Windows realm, I've got to say that while this is rather annoying I am otherwise really enjoying my 15" Powerbook. OS X is amazing - it's what Red Hat's desktop wants to be when it grows up!
MattG
macrumors 68040
I just got off the phone with AppleCare...I was on hold for 1/2 hour waiting for someone. The person I talked to said that a LOT of people are calling due to this issue now.
Anyway, she couldn't really give me much detail because from her end, she doesn't see a list of parts that are going into my computer, however she tried to assure me that they have a fix for the problem and that they are using "new parts" this time around, whatever that means.
Anyway, she couldn't really give me much detail because from her end, she doesn't see a list of parts that are going into my computer, however she tried to assure me that they have a fix for the problem and that they are using "new parts" this time around, whatever that means.
This is the first time I've had a problem
This is the first time I've had a problem with an Apple product, but it sure was a heck of a problem. Plus, like Matt, there are a lot of switchers with the new 15" PowerBooks. It's not a good introduction at all. That picture shows way worse white spots than I've got. Although mine get worse all the time, so I suppose it could get there.
I didn't like the service I got from the Apple Store Costa Mesa either. When my computer came back unusable, they wouldn't replace it. I thought that was nasty of them. And of course they played dumb about the white spots (it's not a documented problem, so we don't have to help you.) I'm not buying from them again.
Hey, at least I saved $600 with education pricing and rebates!
This is the first time I've had a problem with an Apple product, but it sure was a heck of a problem. Plus, like Matt, there are a lot of switchers with the new 15" PowerBooks. It's not a good introduction at all. That picture shows way worse white spots than I've got. Although mine get worse all the time, so I suppose it could get there.
I didn't like the service I got from the Apple Store Costa Mesa either. When my computer came back unusable, they wouldn't replace it. I thought that was nasty of them. And of course they played dumb about the white spots (it's not a documented problem, so we don't have to help you.) I'm not buying from them again.
Hey, at least I saved $600 with education pricing and rebates!
Westside guy
macrumors 604
I'm not trying to argue because I agree that it's frustrating. But I do want to make a couple points. This isn't to say your feelings aren't valid; it's more to show it's not as black and white as all that.
With my prior (Dell Inspiron 3800) laptop I had several issues that required service; including a keyboard where keys would just randomly stop working for weeks at a time (matter of fact I just got a letter about a class action settlement that sounds like it covers this exact issue). This re-occured after both repairs, and I'd lived with it after that because I wasn't under warranty anymore and Dell's formerly good support seems to now operate under the principle of "if we make it hard enough, maybe they'll quit bugging us" (it certainly worked that way for me).
Also, when I still hadn't decided to become a switcher I was pricing equivalent Dells and Toshibas with the Powerbooks - at that time the difference was only going to be about $200. Part of that may be because Apple gives an honest-to-goodness educational discount, whereas Dell's discount is more of the phantom variety.
I see spots
Has Apple said when it's safe to buy a G4 PowerBook? I really want to buy a new one but have waited until I could get one with Panther installed.
Has Apple said when it's safe to buy a G4 PowerBook? I really want to buy a new one but have waited until I could get one with Panther installed.
nuclearwinter
macrumors regular
booo!
i am a very recent convert to apple, in fact, i was a tried and true wintel lover. i hated macs. I got bored with wintels and decided to try something new... like an apple. i bought a 15" powerbook the day they came out. I love it, however, i quickly began to notice things wrong with it. all of the problems i have with my powerbook are located on the screen. i have two stuck pixels in the middle of the screen (one red, one blue), approximately nine white spots (who knows how many i'll have by the time i send it back to apple for repairs) and the right side of the screen is much darker than the left side. I gotta say it... Apple makes a great computer but I'm not convinced that they offer the highend product i thought they did.
i am a very recent convert to apple, in fact, i was a tried and true wintel lover. i hated macs. I got bored with wintels and decided to try something new... like an apple. i bought a 15" powerbook the day they came out. I love it, however, i quickly began to notice things wrong with it. all of the problems i have with my powerbook are located on the screen. i have two stuck pixels in the middle of the screen (one red, one blue), approximately nine white spots (who knows how many i'll have by the time i send it back to apple for repairs) and the right side of the screen is much darker than the left side. I gotta say it... Apple makes a great computer but I'm not convinced that they offer the highend product i thought they did.
Seriously, I've got a question for you guys. There are people here who seem willing to defend absolutely everything Apple do. So, I buy my new computer for the best part of $3000 dollars (Apple also charge significantly more in Europe, and trust me it's not just the import duties they're factoring in) for my new 15" 1.25.
I get it, and I'm happy - it comes in a lovely box with a carry handle that can actually take the weight, and all sorts of 'Designed by Apple...' stuff on the packaging to reassure me. I'm even pleased to find stuff I wouldn't have expected, like a composite/s-video adaptor. Nice.
It's first time on wizzard sets up most of the things it says it will correctly, detects and uses my WiFi and everything. Splendid.
BUT that's still not all I expect from my computer. GET THIS EVERYONE - A WINDOWS COMPUTER DOES ALL THIS TOO (though it probably says 'designed by Sony/Dell etc on box). My 15" - even more so than my smaller, lighter wintel machine - sets fire to my legs. And then the screen starts to develop blotches. This, kids, is BAD DESIGN.
Yet I come on here and there are plenty of people saying "oh it's just teething trouble...". What? Seriously - all that money, and then I'm likely to have to spend weeks without the machine while it's fixed - if, that is my blotches are deemed bad enough. This is shoddy stuff - why defend it? IF IT'S TEETHING TROUBLE IT SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE DESIGN/PROTOTYPE PROCESS.
Is there anyone here who spent their (not their dad's) money on one of these computers and genuinely thinks that everything is OK here? Because if that's what I've bought into - insane loyalty - then I'm very annoyed indeed.
(ed for typos, plus to put more angry shouting in!)
I get it, and I'm happy - it comes in a lovely box with a carry handle that can actually take the weight, and all sorts of 'Designed by Apple...' stuff on the packaging to reassure me. I'm even pleased to find stuff I wouldn't have expected, like a composite/s-video adaptor. Nice.
It's first time on wizzard sets up most of the things it says it will correctly, detects and uses my WiFi and everything. Splendid.
BUT that's still not all I expect from my computer. GET THIS EVERYONE - A WINDOWS COMPUTER DOES ALL THIS TOO (though it probably says 'designed by Sony/Dell etc on box). My 15" - even more so than my smaller, lighter wintel machine - sets fire to my legs. And then the screen starts to develop blotches. This, kids, is BAD DESIGN.
Yet I come on here and there are plenty of people saying "oh it's just teething trouble...". What? Seriously - all that money, and then I'm likely to have to spend weeks without the machine while it's fixed - if, that is my blotches are deemed bad enough. This is shoddy stuff - why defend it? IF IT'S TEETHING TROUBLE IT SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE DESIGN/PROTOTYPE PROCESS.
Is there anyone here who spent their (not their dad's) money on one of these computers and genuinely thinks that everything is OK here? Because if that's what I've bought into - insane loyalty - then I'm very annoyed indeed.
(ed for typos, plus to put more angry shouting in!)
Powerbook G5
macrumors 68040
I don't know anyone who is defending Apple and saying it's "okay" to have these problems, just calm down. Trust me, we are all as upset as you are that we spent $2000+ on these and end up with problems. I don't have any of them, but from what I hear, I could develop the white spot issue at any time, which I am not happy about.
Well, here goes my story....
Ordered mine (CTO, 1 512mb chip, faster 5400rpm 80gb HDD) on the 21st of Spetember via a UK reseller...
Invoiced on the 22nd October when the CTO powerbook fianlly arrived.
(BTW, cost over £2,100, which is approx. $3,533 or 3,072)
Happy as larry for 1 1/2 weeks, then... white blotches started to appear on the screen. Rang my reseller, they advised me to call Apple immediately as I had one more day of my 14 days left. apparently after that time it has to go through tech support rather than being declared DOA.
They came to get the PowerBook on Friday (31st October). They rang me today (4th November) to get me to fax my invoice. I did so, and asked them roughly how long it would take to replace the screen. They told me that the screen wouldn't be replaced, instead I would get a new PowerBook from Apple. when I asked again, "How long?", they told me to ring Apple in 10 buisness days (2 weeks!) and they'd tell me how much longer I'll have to wait to recieve it.
So it looks like I'm going to have waited 2 months to get a fully functional PB!!! But what's worse is that if it's an entirely new one, it'll probably only go and develop the same problem. If it does then I'm really gonna hit the roof. I can't express how inconvenient it is.
I've also been waiting since the 21st of october to receive my Up To Date Panther, and an 802.11b Airport card from the Apple Store, despite the order telling me it would ship on or before the 24th October!
Really unhappy that they couldn't give me either better news, or at least a more precise date. at the moment I've no idea how long I'll be waiting.
It's really beginnig to feel like if you live outside the US, then don't buy Apple, they either don't care about non US customers, or don't have the resources to serve them.
I think if they really want to get rid of some of the bad feeling this is creating, they should send our PBs back with an extra 512mb in them.
Shame on you Apple, shame.
Ordered mine (CTO, 1 512mb chip, faster 5400rpm 80gb HDD) on the 21st of Spetember via a UK reseller...
Invoiced on the 22nd October when the CTO powerbook fianlly arrived.
(BTW, cost over £2,100, which is approx. $3,533 or 3,072)
Happy as larry for 1 1/2 weeks, then... white blotches started to appear on the screen. Rang my reseller, they advised me to call Apple immediately as I had one more day of my 14 days left. apparently after that time it has to go through tech support rather than being declared DOA.
They came to get the PowerBook on Friday (31st October). They rang me today (4th November) to get me to fax my invoice. I did so, and asked them roughly how long it would take to replace the screen. They told me that the screen wouldn't be replaced, instead I would get a new PowerBook from Apple. when I asked again, "How long?", they told me to ring Apple in 10 buisness days (2 weeks!) and they'd tell me how much longer I'll have to wait to recieve it.
So it looks like I'm going to have waited 2 months to get a fully functional PB!!! But what's worse is that if it's an entirely new one, it'll probably only go and develop the same problem. If it does then I'm really gonna hit the roof. I can't express how inconvenient it is.
I've also been waiting since the 21st of october to receive my Up To Date Panther, and an 802.11b Airport card from the Apple Store, despite the order telling me it would ship on or before the 24th October!
Really unhappy that they couldn't give me either better news, or at least a more precise date. at the moment I've no idea how long I'll be waiting.
It's really beginnig to feel like if you live outside the US, then don't buy Apple, they either don't care about non US customers, or don't have the resources to serve them.
I think if they really want to get rid of some of the bad feeling this is creating, they should send our PBs back with an extra 512mb in them.
Shame on you Apple, shame.
Ah. You must be new here. Comparing Apples to Wintel machines isn't considered kosher 🙂 Just for fun, try talking about the relative performance of a 1.7ghz PM compared to a 1ghz G4 and see what happens.
Seriously though, I'm sorry to hear about your problems, and much more disappointed in the way that Apple is (not) handling them. I'd be more impressed with a release that says, "Look, we know we're having problems, this is what we're doing, we promise fixes for everybody." Admit it, and move on, and few will hold it against them.
-Richard
switch-back
I'm going to price some Windoze machines now. I hate to say it, but all this has me thinking of switiching back! It's been my dream to own a 15in PB. First I waited and waited to save the money. Then I waited and waited and waited for the powerbook line upgrade. Then, I waited for Panther. Now I'm waiting for this issue and the file vault matter to die down! aaaaahhhhh!!! I need a computer and the 12 and 17 are out of the question due to size and cost respectively. I've got a hardy ibook that I've fallen off mountain bikes with and never had a problem, but I need to upgrade SOON!
I just had to vent because the frustration of waiting, and now potentially worrying, is starting to get to me. Sorry😕
I'm going to price some Windoze machines now. I hate to say it, but all this has me thinking of switiching back! It's been my dream to own a 15in PB. First I waited and waited to save the money. Then I waited and waited and waited for the powerbook line upgrade. Then, I waited for Panther. Now I'm waiting for this issue and the file vault matter to die down! aaaaahhhhh!!! I need a computer and the 12 and 17 are out of the question due to size and cost respectively. I've got a hardy ibook that I've fallen off mountain bikes with and never had a problem, but I need to upgrade SOON!
I just had to vent because the frustration of waiting, and now potentially worrying, is starting to get to me. Sorry😕
Yeah - I spent a long time openly agonising about whether to make the switch at all. I know what happens if I make the suggestion that Wintel has it's advantages.
You're right though, if Apple would admit that something was wrong here that'd make me a lot happier about it. Better still e-mail me to ask if there is anything they can do (after all, I've registered, they know what I've got).
If they adopted an open approach, they could arrange quick repairs at minimum inconvienience to machine owners, rather than leaving me with nothing (well, actually an aging Vaio notebook that's starting to look better all the time).
Really this is kind of weird. Well, I'm here in Australia, and what has happened with my powerbook was that it was declared DOA. But since there doesn't seem to be a clear fix for this, I'm allowed to keep my powerbook until a fix is found, in which they will give me a brand new one as a replacement. If it was declared DOA, why couldn't you ask them that you want to keep the powerbook until they get the replacement? How about requesting a refund and getting say a iBook instead? I know your frustration, but I can clearly see many options instead of the wait.
Can someone with the whitespots post a picture of it, but with the brightness of the screen set to max?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Because the guy at apple said it would be repaired. I belived him. Then, when I rang Amsys (Apple's UK ApppleCare partner) they said it would not be repaired, and would be replaced.
😕
really? like buying an iBook? I can't see how that is an option. maybe for you, but not for me. And as I say, I was led to believe it would be repaired, and only told the truth AND the time frame once they already had it. I had no OPTIONS it was either keep it or give it to us today! In fact the day i rang they ewanted to come and pick it up that afternoon! At least I got them to give me a day so i could back up my HDD onto my desktop at home.
I appreciate your attempt at helping, but I'm getting fed up with posts that amount to some one saying: "stop moaning, you've only got yourself to blame". I'm totally calm about it. I understand that technical problems like this can and do happen all the time to even the most diligent of companies. What I'm angry about is that two months on from ordering a PB that claimed to be "Now Shipping", I'll have had under a week with it, and when the replacement arrives, it will quite possibly develop the same problem.
then only weeks after i finally get it they'll update the range again. And I'll have had a top of the line PB for only a few weeks, despite having paid for it for like 3 months.
It's been a major issue with Apple lately. They can't give an ETA that they can stick to. I totally understand your situation and nothing is on your fault. I'm just saying that there could be ways to improve your situation. I don't know how it works over there in Europe, but can't you call them and tell them that you want your machine back until they can get you a replacement. Cause it's really ridiculous that until they give you a replacement it's your laptop, not Apple's. The rumors that I heard are that they are holding back all shipment till mid-december for the 15". I'm sure you can't wait till then, so I would start ringing up some people to find out what your options are. The only way I was able to tolerate this DOA was keeping my powerbook till I get my replacement. I waited 4 weeks for my powerbook to come and within 3 days I had my white spots develop. I knew there wasn't a solution at the time so I just told the technician that I knew the situation and that I wanted this machine to be recommended as DOA, but won't accept a replacement until a permanent fix has been clearly found and announced by Apple. About a week later I got a response from the techinician that it was totally acceptable. Thus, I still have my 15". How about trying to get a refund? At least you'll know that you have nothing to worry about in terms of value change and upgrades what not.