Last year, I was stuck with one broken computer like the OP because I was just out school and hadn't been able to purchase my desktop yet. It was a drag working without my machine, but at least I was lucky enough to still live near campus and could use a digital media lab there during the worst of the many failures I had.
If you need a repair done on your one and only computer, here is what I recommend: go to an AppleStore and have the genius begin the case for your repair, but tell them you need to continue using the machine and ask them to call you the day your parts are ready and your repair has reached the top of the queue. If you do this, you can keep using your dying computer until you reach the top of the repair queue versus letting your notebook sit in the back of an AppleStore.
As far as trying to get a replacement instead of a repair I would recommend you call to speak with someone in customer relations at Apple's corporate office--this should be much more direct than hoping for a response by emailing Steve's assistants. I honestly don't think you should do this yet and should just seek a repair through an AppleStore. Another poster thought that those temps could damage lots of internals, but if you get anything replaced, it will probably be the logic board and I have a feeling that is where any damage will be.
From my experience, Apple is very good about replacing machines if their repair attempts fail. You should should seek replacement long before eight, but I do think you should give them a chance to repair it. This is what I am choosing to do later today when I go to an AppleStore with my MBP with failing nVidia 8600GT. While I know there is no replacement option that would do me any good anyway, but even if their were, I'd give Apple a couple of chances at doing logic board replacements because of my experience with many repaired and replaced 12" PowerBooks (those notebooks had a 2-6 month life expectancy with my workload--no it isn't the way I use it, I've used almost every Mac there has been and 12" PowerBook was the only wimp who died that often. I know that model gets a lot of love on these forums, but I for one am glad Apple is no longer claiming they can cool computers that small). Just like my old PowerBook problems are unrelated to this current failure, same goes with your BlackBook. Don't get me wrong, if the first repair or two doesn't fix our current notebooks, I think you and I both should be asking for free AppleCare and/or replacement machines depending on the frequency of failure.
Wow, that is a long post. I guess writing bits here and there between phone calls made me get carried away.
Good luck!
If you need a repair done on your one and only computer, here is what I recommend: go to an AppleStore and have the genius begin the case for your repair, but tell them you need to continue using the machine and ask them to call you the day your parts are ready and your repair has reached the top of the queue. If you do this, you can keep using your dying computer until you reach the top of the repair queue versus letting your notebook sit in the back of an AppleStore.
As far as trying to get a replacement instead of a repair I would recommend you call to speak with someone in customer relations at Apple's corporate office--this should be much more direct than hoping for a response by emailing Steve's assistants. I honestly don't think you should do this yet and should just seek a repair through an AppleStore. Another poster thought that those temps could damage lots of internals, but if you get anything replaced, it will probably be the logic board and I have a feeling that is where any damage will be.
From my experience, Apple is very good about replacing machines if their repair attempts fail. You should should seek replacement long before eight, but I do think you should give them a chance to repair it. This is what I am choosing to do later today when I go to an AppleStore with my MBP with failing nVidia 8600GT. While I know there is no replacement option that would do me any good anyway, but even if their were, I'd give Apple a couple of chances at doing logic board replacements because of my experience with many repaired and replaced 12" PowerBooks (those notebooks had a 2-6 month life expectancy with my workload--no it isn't the way I use it, I've used almost every Mac there has been and 12" PowerBook was the only wimp who died that often. I know that model gets a lot of love on these forums, but I for one am glad Apple is no longer claiming they can cool computers that small). Just like my old PowerBook problems are unrelated to this current failure, same goes with your BlackBook. Don't get me wrong, if the first repair or two doesn't fix our current notebooks, I think you and I both should be asking for free AppleCare and/or replacement machines depending on the frequency of failure.
Wow, that is a long post. I guess writing bits here and there between phone calls made me get carried away.
Good luck!