When the white iBook came out, Steve Jobs said that it was twice as durable as the old one. I dont knw about you guys but i have owned both and the new one is always having problems and it seems alot more flimsy. Anyone else?
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.
iBook durability
- Thread starter thebossisback
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Personally, I think the new iBook is a hell of a lot more durable.
This lil' gal is coming up on 18 months old, and she's had a few bumps n' thumps, but so far I've never had a problem.
Additionally, you don't see too many of the new iBooks for sale on ebay for spares, where as there seem to be plenty of the older variety.
Chris
This lil' gal is coming up on 18 months old, and she's had a few bumps n' thumps, but so far I've never had a problem.
Additionally, you don't see too many of the new iBooks for sale on ebay for spares, where as there seem to be plenty of the older variety.
Chris
one of my friends had a 500 mhz i(ce)book. he dropped it from 4 meters (15 feet!) to the floor on the level below - and it worked perfectly. no scratches either. the floor got a hole to the wood surface though. not the ibook.
try that with the clamshell.
try that with the clamshell.
Snowbooks are built like tanks... I've seen one dropped down stairs. Thunk Thunk Thunk... all while sleeping, and at the bottom of the stairs the lid popped open, and it turned right back on... no problems.
Can't speak for the Damn Clam, but IMO, they dont get much better than the Snowbooks.
Can't speak for the Damn Clam, but IMO, they dont get much better than the Snowbooks.
He could have meant overall, outside AND inside. There are always some people who have problems, but the i(ce)Books seem really durable. Saw one dropped from a couple of feet, still on, not a problem.
Maybe something is loose inside? Are you still under warranty?
Maybe something is loose inside? Are you still under warranty?
Royal Pineapple
macrumors 65816
i have owned both types of ibooks, and my ice book has takem much more damage than my blueberry ibook
my blueberry was droped once from about 2 feet into carpet, and i had to send it in for a busted case, my ibook has been droped 2 times off my bed, which is 4 feet off the ground and onto lineoliem, the ice book is in great condition, except a broken latch and small crack in case and weird thing in the screen, but other than that its fine
the blueberry was stolen while i was in the bathroom on a train
my blueberry was droped once from about 2 feet into carpet, and i had to send it in for a busted case, my ibook has been droped 2 times off my bed, which is 4 feet off the ground and onto lineoliem, the ice book is in great condition, except a broken latch and small crack in case and weird thing in the screen, but other than that its fine
the blueberry was stolen while i was in the bathroom on a train
No im not under warranty. I checked to see if the trackpad cable came out, but that wasnt a ploblem so i hit the trackpad and screwed around with it for a while and then it worled again. Something must have been lose inside
I think my Ibook was defected because i sent it in 7 times and i got to know the airborne exoress guy that came to pick it up everytime
I know this is wierd, but when I was teaching in Oregon, I talked the school into buying me a Bluberry iBook when they first came out, and 2 weeks later a heating pipe above my desk in my office burst and 50 gallons of dirty water spiiled onto my open iBook overnight. When I got to the office the next day I was mortified, but I dried it out, powered on, and it ran like a dream for a week until one of my students accidentally spilled a coke into it. THEN it died. It was a pretty tough computer. That said, the iBook I own now (800) has a bad video card and trackpad, and the HD got hosed about 3 weeks ago on my honeymoon for no apparent reason. AND the power adapter died. You make the call.
Regards,
Gus
Regards,
Gus
I've never dropped my clamshell iBook, and I've had no problems.
I think statistically laptops are abused by most users. If they were treated with the respect they desere, then people would have fewer problems. Even if Steve said you can just toss it in a bag with your other gear, and that it's 28x more durable than a brick, doesn't mean I won't handle it like it is the most expensive thing I have ever bought, with money I have saved up from my own hard work, and contains all the information I have gathered and most of the work I have done, and could be destroyed with a simple slip of the hand (because it could be). </rant>
I think statistically laptops are abused by most users. If they were treated with the respect they desere, then people would have fewer problems. Even if Steve said you can just toss it in a bag with your other gear, and that it's 28x more durable than a brick, doesn't mean I won't handle it like it is the most expensive thing I have ever bought, with money I have saved up from my own hard work, and contains all the information I have gathered and most of the work I have done, and could be destroyed with a simple slip of the hand (because it could be). </rant>
my old clamshell ibook is really tough, but i rarely bring it anywhere so i have not tested it in real world situations
the icebook also seems tough from the times i have seen it in a store
definitely, apple's consumer laptops seem more durable than their pro laptops since the ibooks are more geared toward children and education where it would take a more severe beating
i hope apple continues to keep their ibooks built like tanks
my compaq presario laptop is moderately sturdy, but nowhere in the same category as my ibook
some ultra thin and light pc laptops seem too fragile for practical use and only seem to be secondary computers for travel
the icebook also seems tough from the times i have seen it in a store
definitely, apple's consumer laptops seem more durable than their pro laptops since the ibooks are more geared toward children and education where it would take a more severe beating
i hope apple continues to keep their ibooks built like tanks
my compaq presario laptop is moderately sturdy, but nowhere in the same category as my ibook
some ultra thin and light pc laptops seem too fragile for practical use and only seem to be secondary computers for travel
My new iBook has already had 4 logic boards replaced. It's not even a year old (yes I have AppleCare).
It's a desktop machine (except when I need to take a crap).
err yeah and some 300 users have the same problem > http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?14@249.x11VaVdKaY5.4@.3bbeca9e
It's a desktop machine (except when I need to take a crap).
err yeah and some 300 users have the same problem > http://discussions.info.apple.com/WebX?14@249.x11VaVdKaY5.4@.3bbeca9e
i really ABUSED the iBook I used for awhile.....my GF also really WORKS hers too!!
both have held up AWESOME (I'm talking about the 800 12" ones)
as for you guys who are sending your iBooks to Applecare way too many times (more than three times)
call Apple's Customer Service and complain/ask for a replacement
Apple is VERY GOOD about replacing lemons, and you guys obviously have ones
An Apple Rep once told me that they would rather replace the entire book, instead of replacing 4 logic boards, because replacing the book, entirely, is a cheaper business policy
in addition - Applecare people will never offer to replace your book --- just the customer service reps (and I don't really know why?)
both have held up AWESOME (I'm talking about the 800 12" ones)
as for you guys who are sending your iBooks to Applecare way too many times (more than three times)
call Apple's Customer Service and complain/ask for a replacement
Apple is VERY GOOD about replacing lemons, and you guys obviously have ones
An Apple Rep once told me that they would rather replace the entire book, instead of replacing 4 logic boards, because replacing the book, entirely, is a cheaper business policy
in addition - Applecare people will never offer to replace your book --- just the customer service reps (and I don't really know why?)
Hey Gus, I guess im not the only one then that thinks the new iBooks are less sturdy. Here what happened to my icebook, the hard drive crashed for no apparent reason, the trackpad broke, the display was faulty, the airport antennas were broken, the capslock key wouldnt work, and after using it for a week it gets scratched up as hell, but that happens to everyone. After my battery died laste week, apple is finaly sending me a new iBook
In the long run, apple spent more money fixing my computer and they said they would replace it if it had 3 MAJOR problems. Maybe the newer iBooks are more durable becasue i hear less people complaining about those
500mhz icebook: Speeding along a riverbank I fell off my Mountain Bike with it in my backpack. Fell flat on that (it broke my fall nicely) and from then on, the icebook opened and closed smoothly and silently. Twas a nice improvement actually.
From what you have said it does not appear that your issues are related to the STURDINESS of the iBook but the quality of the build.
It sounds like you got a bum iBook, and it's good that Apple is replacing it but a HD crashing for no apparent reason is not a sturdiness issue.
I own a 900mhz ibook my bf a 700mhz ibook, my sister a 900 and my mom an 800. My mom and my sister have both dropped theirs...my mom's off the bed, my sister's off a table and they both still work great.
You have to expect some scratching on Acrylic but it's easily fixable with "ICE CREAM" from RadTech and I'd rather have a few swirls and scratches than chipped paint like I had on my TiBook.
I for one and impressed with the strength and durability of my iBook and of my loved one's as well.
MacBoyX
my first generation 500 Mhz iBook was unbelievable sturdy. it's been dropped from a tabletop once and fell out of my backpack onto the sidewalk and had no problems at all.
i also carried it around in my backpack with all of my books for a year and a half and no problems.
i sold it to a friend when i got a powermac, but i'll probably get another one soon.
i can't comment on the latest ones, because I don't know anyone that has one.
i also carried it around in my backpack with all of my books for a year and a half and no problems.
i sold it to a friend when i got a powermac, but i'll probably get another one soon.
i can't comment on the latest ones, because I don't know anyone that has one.
my former business partner and i used to go out and do warranty work for dell, compaq, and apple
often, the problem was in the software and/or drivers but we would swap out logic boards because it was what the warranty partner wanted
it's an extremely common practice and really quite stupid...it's is like when doctors used to give out antibiotics for colds (knowing it would not actually help fight the cold)
there are still lemons in the business hardware-wise and no computer is without problems completely 100 percent
and sometimes there are true design and engineering flaws which cannot be fixed...on the design of my ibook handle, someone did not research the plastic
the stuff cracks after some time and there is nothing one can really do
the ac adapter on the ibook shorts out due to flimsy plug...but i suspect that may be intentional so one has to buy one every year or so like i do
for sure, we know software requires better and better gear so it makes all of us have to upgrade what would otherwise be perfectly working machines
more computers are retired by being obsolete than one retired because they break
often, the problem was in the software and/or drivers but we would swap out logic boards because it was what the warranty partner wanted
it's an extremely common practice and really quite stupid...it's is like when doctors used to give out antibiotics for colds (knowing it would not actually help fight the cold)
there are still lemons in the business hardware-wise and no computer is without problems completely 100 percent
and sometimes there are true design and engineering flaws which cannot be fixed...on the design of my ibook handle, someone did not research the plastic
the stuff cracks after some time and there is nothing one can really do
the ac adapter on the ibook shorts out due to flimsy plug...but i suspect that may be intentional so one has to buy one every year or so like i do
for sure, we know software requires better and better gear so it makes all of us have to upgrade what would otherwise be perfectly working machines
more computers are retired by being obsolete than one retired because they break
For those who have had logic boards replaced many times, I'm surprised Apple doesn't track repairs by serial number. I'd think that after the second logic board replacement they'd think something is up. I personally would suspect that the power manager or some electrical contacts are messed up (voltage fluctuations can kill). In those cases, Apple really ought to replace the iBook.
As for my iceBook, I tripped going down a set of stairs and fell flat on my backpack, which contained my iBook. I got up, changed my clothes, and checked the iBook out. Still works like a charm.
I've never had any major problems with the iBook. The battery has given me trouble twice. The first time, it went to emergency power at 90% remaining. They gave me a new battery Six months later, I noticed it going to sleep with 15% remaining. This time it got sent to Apple and I'm pretty sure they replaced the power manager and the battery. No problems yet, we'll see six months down the road.
As for my iceBook, I tripped going down a set of stairs and fell flat on my backpack, which contained my iBook. I got up, changed my clothes, and checked the iBook out. Still works like a charm.
I've never had any major problems with the iBook. The battery has given me trouble twice. The first time, it went to emergency power at 90% remaining. They gave me a new battery Six months later, I noticed it going to sleep with 15% remaining. This time it got sent to Apple and I'm pretty sure they replaced the power manager and the battery. No problems yet, we'll see six months down the road.