Apple FP iMac Hijinx

[MorganX]

The closer I get to purchasing, the worse this gets.

At Apple.com I see that many customers are still having serious Font display problems with the FP iMac with no response from Apple. Is this still a problem?

Am I correct that if I order an FP iMac with 512Mb in the first DIMM, this makes it a customized machine and I cannot return it for refund?

 

[MorganX]

Re: Apple FP iMac Hijinx

Originally posted by MorganX
The closer I get to purchasing, the worse this gets.

At Apple.com I see that many customers are still having serious Font display problems with the FP iMac with no response from Apple. Is this still a problem?

Am I correct that if I order an FP iMac with 512Mb in the first DIMM, this makes it a customized machine and I cannot return it for refund?

I think I'll just hold off for a while. To many unanswered questions and secrecy about product reliability and Apple support.

 

[uhlawboi80]

not to be a D!ck, but one, there is a thread about this already. here
second, i dont know anyone who has had problems with their FP imac and ive never had a problem with a mac FP screen on any product.

people need to stop preemptively bitching and wait till they have actually observed a problem for themselves.

you may also consider that no product is 100% perfect 100% of the time. Apple doesnt make these screens and if a few defects get in im sure Apple will handle them on a case by case basis.

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by uhlawboi80

people need to stop preemptively bitching and wait till they have actually observed a problem for themselves.

Thanks for the link. I've participated in this thread and there is no meaningful info addressing so many users on apple.com complaining about fuzz fonts (a whole lot) and the lack of response from apple.

Unfortunately, because you're basically stuck with an iMac purchase, people preemptively bitch and investigate chronic, unsolved problems. You would be a fool looking to burn a couple grand if you didn't.

 

[medea]

One, you can still buy applecare for apple custom built machines, so there is nothing different on the return policy of a custom mac or a "regular" one. Two, I have a FP mac, and one of the first generation ones at that and I have zero font problems with it, people probably just dont have their resolution/color correct for the iMac, but I could be wrong because I dont know what issues exacty your talking about.

 

[Fukui]

Clueless...

I have a feeling that their 'font' problems could be easily fixed if they just change the anti-aliasing option in the system preferences...

The reason everything looks "crystal clear" when they run virtual pc is probably because windows doesn't anti-alias the fonts as much...especially win 98/ME/2000.

Check this post from the forums at apple.com:

The font fuzziness issue does not happen at random. It happens on every LCD iMac and it is a matter of opinion (and myopia) as to whether it affects user experience. It is irksome, if you have become used to ClearType on WindozeXP. There is nothing wrong with my video board and Apple Computer Inc., has made efforts to address the issue in 10.2.3 by adding the ability to adjust font thickness in the General Preferences Panel. If you will check my posts by clicking on my user name, I have carefully documented this problem, as have too many posters to simply dismiss the problem as "random." The same poster states that fonts may "appear" fuzzy to some. How do the quotes " " look?

You must see the screen and work with it for just a few minutes to decide if the issue is going to affect your user experience. But the fuzziness, caused by text rendering and anti-aliasing occurs on every 15 and 17 iMac I have examined, literally dozens. It is NOT "random."

So there you have it. If you have used a FP iMac at an apple store or somewhere else, you know what to expect...

P.S I have my anti-aliasing down to the lowest setting, and the fonts look better than the default.

 

[MorganX]

Originally posted by medea
One, you can still buy applecare for apple custom built machines, so there is nothing different on the return policy of a custom mac or a "regular" one.

On this I'm talking about the 10-day return for refund with 10% restocking fee. If you by a custom mac (i.e. change base ram, or get bluetooth, or firewire.) You cannot return it for refund. Period. That's the way the return policy reads.

I'm not just taking a few people's word on Macrumors. I've been to Apple.com and many Apple advocacy boards. And one thing seems constant, Apple Customer Service sucks. They demean and are rude to customers.

I'll be honest, if I encountered some of the service I've been reading about on Mac advocacy boards, I'd file a small claims suit against Apple computer here in my area. Clearly Apple customers have accepted sub-par treatment. And considering the premium they pay, that's ridiculous.

Does anyone have anything "good" to say about Apple Customer Service/Tech Support?

 

[Bear]

Originally posted by MorganX

Does anyone have anything "good" to say about Apple Customer Service/Tech Support?

Remember people who complain make a louder noise than those who are satisfied usually.

I haven't had to have a machine repaired yet, however, I have used AppleCare for software issues several times and have had no real problem.

 

[MorganX]

Re: Clueless...

Originally posted by Fukui
So there you have it. If you have used a FP iMac at an apple store or somewhere else, you know what to expect...

P.S I have my anti-aliasing down to the lowest setting, and the fonts look better than the default.

I hope this is true. I'll take a trip tonight and check more thoroughly. I didn't notice anything unacceptable previously.

I lost a good chunk of change when XBox didn't meet the high end of its Christmas 02 projections, so I guess 2k on an iMac won't kill me. And I'll have a 50/50 chance of it being all i expect it to be.

Apple Customer Svc and Tech Support on the other hand, will probably do better to buy my iMac back if I experience the treatment so many indicate they have. I won't accept silence or being told to sell my sh*znit on eBay.

 

[Fukui]

Apple Customer Svc and Tech Support on the other hand, will probably do better to buy my iMac back if I experience the treatment so many indicate they have. I won't accept silence or being told to sell my sh*znit on eBay.

Yea...I can understand.

I read on the boards at apple.com and one of the reps said that they couldn't say anything, just they were investigating what users were reporting.

To be honest, I have seen a lot of people complain about 'fuzzy' fonts, and fuzzy OS X, but thats because they never saw OS X before, OS 9 and Win98/2000 don't realy have any font antil aliasing to the degree of OSX, not to mention neither of them utilize Full-Screen AA except OS X...

Also, someone posted pictures from thier problem they were having, but it was OS X 10.0 which is a full 2 versions old...thats from 2 years ago!

 

[cubist]

Re: Clueless...

Originally posted by Fukui
I have a feeling that their 'font' problems could be easily fixed if they just change the anti-aliasing option in the system preferences...

P.S I have my anti-aliasing down to the lowest setting, and the fonts look better than the default.

Wow, I didn't know that was there. On my TiBook (an LCD, of course) Jaguar installation had set it to "CRT", which I think is maximum. Changed it to "Minimum" and things look a lot sharper! Thanks!

 

[menoinjun]

WHAT?

Originally posted by MorganX


On this I'm talking about the 10-day return for refund with 10% restocking fee. If you by a custom mac (i.e. change base ram, or get bluetooth, or firewire.) You cannot return it for refund. Period. That's the way the return policy reads.

I'm not just taking a few people's word on Macrumors. I've been to Apple.com and many Apple advocacy boards. And one thing seems constant, Apple Customer Service sucks. They demean and are rude to customers.

I'll be honest, if I encountered some of the service I've been reading about on Mac advocacy boards, I'd file a small claims suit against Apple computer here in my area. Clearly Apple customers have accepted sub-par treatment. And considering the premium they pay, that's ridiculous.

Does anyone have anything "good" to say about Apple Customer Service/Tech Support?

Well I do. If you would research this subject instead of just relying on a source where EVERYONE is having problems with their product and are more likely to whine about it, you would find that Consumer Reports has rated Apple the top computer company in tech support for the last TWO years in a row. CR exhaustively reviews everything they test, and I would go by their reports than listening to people moan on a website.

Just a thought.

 

[conceptdev]

FP imac died on me.

I had an FP DVDR imac the screen died after about two weeks - I was in Canada at the time and enraged about it. I returned the machine to the retailer and left with a DP 1GHZ thinking the less integrated the components where the less a single component failure would screw me over in the longterm after that machine became crippled by terminal kernel panics I called Apples office in CA and demanded to speak to someone in CRM and they acknowledged an issue with the FP imac involving potential cable stress and wear in the arm assembly but then refused to admit any fault with the DP G4.

I am still weary of the FP imac having been burnt by it - however that issue could be resolved in the current rev and it is attractively priced.

 

[MorganX]

Re: WHAT?

Originally posted by ptrauber
people moan on a website.

Those people moaning are Apple customers dissatisfied with their product.

Apple markets it's product as superior quality and workmanship. And easier digital lifestyle. Yet they treat many of their customers like children, instead of people paying their salaries.

We'll see as I'm going to chance it. Now as much out of anger at Microsoft for not updating the Windows UI as desire to own the iMac and iApps. I have a feeling with will make me appreciate the stability of Wintel and the difference in customer service having competition makes.

Just from delving deeper into things, I'm realizing Windows and Intel ain't bad at all, just ugly.

 

[tik]

Re: Re: WHAT?

Originally posted by MorganX


We'll see as I'm going to chance it. Now as much out of anger at Microsoft for not updating the Windows UI as desire to own the iMac and iApps. I have a feeling with will make me appreciate the stability of Wintel and the difference in customer service having competition makes.

Just from delving deeper into things, I'm realizing Windows and Intel ain't bad at all, just ugly.

You must be joking....Yes, Windows IS that bad. I'm a switcher who recently ran XP. That damned OS crossed me at every opportunity. Crashes, lack of driver support, draconian EULA, ridiculous anti-piracy schemes, proprietary preference (Media player codes to WMA instead of mp3). They say that Windows is the gamer's platform, but after a 3 or 4 hugely frustrating attempts at getting the software to work right, I gave up in disgust. I paid money for a game, I don't want to pay AGAIN by sacrificing 5 or more hours searching out patches or solutions to make the damned software work as well. Windows has competition on the x86 platform? 'Splain that to me please. You CAN'T be talking about Linux, are you? On desktops?? Ha, ha ha ha ha! Back to topic, Microsoft has all of the stagnance of a monopoly with none of the close hardware/software (OS, iApps) integration of a Mac product. When they do integrate, the do it unlawfully AND insecurely. Have you ever heard of iPhoto being responsible for the spread of a worm?

There's just no comparison. The only thing I'm jonesing for now is a faster Mac!