My 3month old powerbook is broke!

[maverickuk]

I have a 15" superdrive powerbook, the aliminium on the right hand side of the track pad is rubbing off and showing a horrible black colour underneath.
I never wear a watch when using my powerbook so this is just from my hand rubbing on it.

The screen is also buggered, i cannot close the lid on my Mac, it keeps popping open, when I push the screen down I can see that the right hand side no longer fits flush with the keyboard. I assume this is because I open my Mac on the right hand side.

I am going to contact apple tomorrow, what do you think they will do? fix, replace, tell me to bugger off?

I have taken great care of my Mac, and it is immaculate other than these 2 problems, as far as I am concerned it is defective.

Cheeers for any advice

 

[Kwyjibo]

i've had bad luck with the same problem and the blackness on my my palm rests but good luck man ... they aren't very symapthetic to cosmetic damage .... as for the screen maybe.

 

[iJon]

This is very interesting. My co-worker had this happen to his 12" powerbook and we couldn't figure out what it was. Later my friend Keith, another poster on this forum, showed the same problems. He contacted Apple about it but they viewed it was cosmetic damage or something along those lines. It hasn't happened to my PowerBook, but I have just noticed everytime it happens it always in the same area.

iJon

 

[maverickuk]

Thanks for that info iJon, my housemate works with an apple certified engineer and he says that some of the mac powerbook cases had problems with the bonding of the alu but most dont.

Apparently none of the newer ones have this problem, and when he changes the cases for people they dont have the problem again.

hmmm

 

[slipper]

theres so much problems with cosmetics in the palm rest area, i might reconsider my upgrade from my iBook to the powerbook

 

[iJon]

theres so much problems with cosmetics in the palm rest area, i might reconsider my upgrade from my iBook to the powerbook

Well I wouldn't go that far. Out of all the PowerBook's through Rev A-C (trust me, which I've seen an abundant amount), I have only seen two machines with this problem, and they were 12" PowerBooks. They are just a few unlucky ones out there.

iJon

 

[FuzzyBallz]

First you got the PB shocking people, now the aluminum rubbing off? So that means Apple just used silver paint over black metal and call it aluminum? Not even anodized? And you paid how much for a PB over the iBook?

 

[dotnina]

First you got the PB shocking people, now the aluminum rubbing off? So that means Apple just used silver paint over black metal and call it aluminum? Not even anodized? And you paid how much for a PB over the iBook?

Actually, the Powerbook is aluminum and is not painted. I'm not sure exactly what the scratches are, but it certainly does not involve paint.

And yes, those of us who have Powerbooks pay more. You're getting a stronger machine. The iBooks can have cosmetic defects as well, such as the painted letters rubbing off the keyboard.

 

[plasticparadox]

That sucks big time. However, as a previous poster mentioned, Apple doesn't usually replace/repair cosmetic damage.

When I got my iBook, I knew that over time, the white plastic shell would turn yellowish if I put my grubby hands all over it everyday. Which is why I invested in a separate keyboard/mouse. I have minimal contact with the iBook, except of course for when I take it with me. And even when I do that, I use it for short stretches.

Almost a year later, it's still pristine. The Apple Pro keyboard isn't, but I don't mind replacing that every 2 years or so.

Obviously this is of no help to you, but it's something to keep in mind for the next time around.

 

[michaelrjohnson]

I have had no such issues with my Powerbook. I cannot imagine how one would get black spots on their palmrest. I am always on my computer, and you can't even tell my computer is used. My 12' PowerBook is also 3 months old.