PB oddity,

[victor_patv]

I was recently on this board posting about a new 17" Powerbook and a fan problem ( https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/110052/ ) . Well I was told to bring it into to on of their Apple cert. places and did so.
I just got a call back that they ordered in a new logic board and it may be awhile (his exact words will it takes awhile) before my computer is back and running.
Now here's the question...

Doesn't this seem odd to you? A brand new machine, literally 2 days old when the problem was reported now 5 days old and I have to drive around to get it fixed and wait on a parts replacement (the Main Part).

Oh well had to vent love these products I just think I should be gettin a flawless computer from the begginning.

Patrick

 

[Logik]

I was recently on this board posting about a new 17" Powerbook and a fan problem ( https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/110052/ ) . Well I was told to bring it into to on of their Apple cert. places and did so.
I just got a call back that they ordered in a new logic board and it may be awhile (his exact words will it takes awhile) before my computer is back and running.
Now here's the question...

Doesn't this seem odd to you? A brand new machine, literally 2 days old when the problem was reported now 5 days old and I have to drive around to get it fixed and wait on a parts replacement (the Main Part).

Oh well had to vent love these products I just think I should be gettin a flawless computer from the begginning.

Patrick

i already posted my issue with AppleCare. I get my powerbook, works good for a month. then i get these random freezes when returning from sleep. It would turn back on, but the screen would stay black. my one month of free phone support ended, but i called up, they wouldn't even talk to me until i gave them a credit card to charge me $50-60. If it turned out to be a problem they would "refund" this money to me. I said "screw you" and told them how i felt their "support" was worthless. Dell doesn't do this, hp doesn't do this, ibm doesn't do this. why is it apple charges me $1800 for a laptop, and then can't support it's problems until i pay them more money? 1 year of warranty should be exactly that.. 1 YEAR not 1 month... oh and my nearest applestore is uh.. 1 hour and 30 minutes away.. to fix a one month old machine... 10.3.8 finally fixed that issue apparently... but they would've told me it was a software conflict or something or would've said "send the machine in and we'll look at it".. then would've replaced the logic board when it was really and OS X issue.. :-/ crappy support from the applecare guys so far for me

 

[jxyama]

i already posted my issue with AppleCare. I get my powerbook, works good for a month. then i get these random freezes when returning from sleep. It would turn back on, but the screen would stay black. my one month of free phone support ended, but i called up, they wouldn't even talk to me until i gave them a credit card to charge me $50-60. If it turned out to be a problem they would "refund" this money to me. I said "screw you" and told them how i felt their "support" was worthless. Dell doesn't do this, hp doesn't do this, ibm doesn't do this. why is it apple charges me $1800 for a laptop, and then can't support it's problems until i pay them more money? 1 year of warranty should be exactly that.. 1 YEAR not 1 month... oh and my nearest applestore is uh.. 1 hour and 30 minutes away.. to fix a one month old machine... 10.3.8 finally fixed that issue apparently... but they would've told me it was a software conflict or something or would've said "send the machine in and we'll look at it".. then would've replaced the logic board when it was really and OS X issue.. :-/ crappy support from the applecare guys so far for me

what are you talking about? you get 90 days of phone support with the initial warranty, not 1 month.

if you are outside of it, it's $45 per incident if it's not hardware related. they ask for the credit card info first so they can charge you if the problem turns out to not be a hardware related. you get one year hardware warranty - and apple is giving you just that, hardware warranty. if it's not hardware, they rightfully charge you because it's not part of the warranty.

 

[Logik]

what are you talking about? you get 90 days of phone support with the initial warranty, not 1 month.

if you are outside of it, it's $45 per incident if it's not hardware related. they ask for the credit card info first so they can charge you if the problem turns out to not be a hardware related. you get one year hardware warranty - and apple is giving you just that, hardware warranty. if it's not hardware, they rightfully charge you because it's not part of the warranty.

oh so you're telling me that this magical OS X that is so great is unsupported? Wow, even microsoft takes tech support calls YEARS after i buy windows if i have any problems. Yet i have a REAL problem, notice i said it was fixed in 10.3.8... ya THAT means it was a software problem. the lady said "well what is it doing?" and i explained, she said "that sounds like a hardware issue you'll probably have to send it in or take it to an applestore." .. RIGHT... i'm sorry but you don't send a new mac user to the freakin message board to help fix their NEW computer that they just spent $1800 on. that is called ****** SERVICE.. i'm fortunate enough to actually know enough to try to fix problems on my own. granted i couldn't exactly FIX the problem when it was OS X related. i found a work around but that was after 4 hours of putzing around and testing. basically apple told me i would be supporting the operating system myself as soon as i bought it.

the computer is awesome, the operating system rocks... but for the love of god... SUPPORT is the worst i have ever seen. even packard bell helped me years ago with windows problems i was having. but apple can't even help me without me paying them $45? sorry.. stop being delusional and **** because IBM and Dell do not do this.. most PC manufacturers help solve these sorts of problems without charging the customer every time they call

 

[benwa02]

I own a compaq right now until the new PMs come out. I have been using it for about 5 years now. Whenever I have a problem with it I'll just go to their website and do a live-chat and let them figure it out. I have no warranty, nothing! All they want is the serial number of the computer and they'll do anything to help me fix it. Even if I dont have a problem but just a question they'll help. Thats pretty good service I think.

 

[gallivant]

Have you ever actually called Microsoft trying to get tech support? There is no period of free support - they start charging $100+ per "incident" right out of the gate.

As for problems arising on such a new system - doesn't surprise me at all. If something's going to fail, chances are very high it'll fail within the first couple weeks of use. If it lasts the first month, you're probably good for a couple of years.

 

[Logik]

Have you ever actually called Microsoft trying to get tech support? There is no period of free support - they start charging $100+ per "incident" right out of the gate.

As for problems arising on such a new system - doesn't surprise me at all. If something's going to fail, chances are very high it'll fail within the first couple weeks of use. If it lasts the first month, you're probably good for a couple of years.

hardware wise sure... software though? See they could've gotten me in touch with someone who could actually send this to programmers. i had steps
1) do this
2) set this
3) do this
4) now do this

and it would consistently cause the black screen upon return from sleep issue that was fixed in 10.3.8

had they actually LISTENED to me then it could've been fixed in 10.3.5 or 10.3.6 probably... i'm sure a TON of people would've appreciated that. but they won't even listen to me. and as the other guy said.. compaq does whatever they can to help him with his problem, even out of warranty. it's just good for your customers. apple tries to screw it's customers however they can.. first you pay the apple premium, then they give you crappy support unless you fork over $300 for the 3 years of applecare... so that makes my powerbook a $2100 machine.. WITH educational discount.. wow, as a student i can surely throw away an extra $300 for SUPPORT that should be FREE.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I was recently on this board posting about a new 17" Powerbook and a fan problem ( https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/110052/ ) . Well I was told to bring it into to on of their Apple cert. places and did so.
I just got a call back that they ordered in a new logic board and it may be awhile (his exact words will it takes awhile) before my computer is back and running.
Now here's the question...

Doesn't this seem odd to you? A brand new machine, literally 2 days old when the problem was reported now 5 days old and I have to drive around to get it fixed and wait on a parts replacement (the Main Part).

Oh well had to vent love these products I just think I should be gettin a flawless computer from the begginning.

Patrick

Well, when my good old Pismo had an unfortunate encounter with lightening, and needed a motherboard replacement, it was actually sent around Europe, I suspect it was both in Holland and Irland and was gone nearly a month... <sarcastic>motherboards are apparently difficult to replace</sarcastic>... on the upside: it came back as good as new... (except for little story about a HD failure, but that was a 3rd party HD and had nothing to do with the lightning, and that story also ended happily )

Good luck and hopefully it won't take very long until you get your awsome machine back, as good as ...ah... new... well, you know what I mean...

 

[Mechcozmo]

My experience with AppleCare has been positive. I was polite, explained everything when they asked (many times) and much more. The people I talked with were first-rate. In the end, a box came for my PowerBook. I dropped it in there and off it went.

It is a 90-days free tech support and 1-year free hardware support. After those 90-days if you call about software they charge you... call about hardware and you are good.

 

[jxyama]

oh so you're telling me that this magical OS X that is so great is unsupported? Wow, even microsoft takes tech support calls YEARS after i buy windows if i have any problems. Yet i have a REAL problem, notice i said it was fixed in 10.3.8... ya THAT means it was a software problem. the lady said "well what is it doing?" and i explained, she said "that sounds like a hardware issue you'll probably have to send it in or take it to an applestore." .. RIGHT... i'm sorry but you don't send a new mac user to the freakin message board to help fix their NEW computer that they just spent $1800 on. that is called ****** SERVICE.. i'm fortunate enough to actually know enough to try to fix problems on my own. granted i couldn't exactly FIX the problem when it was OS X related. i found a work around but that was after 4 hours of putzing around and testing. basically apple told me i would be supporting the operating system myself as soon as i bought it.

the computer is awesome, the operating system rocks... but for the love of god... SUPPORT is the worst i have ever seen. even packard bell helped me years ago with windows problems i was having. but apple can't even help me without me paying them $45? sorry.. stop being delusional and **** because IBM and Dell do not do this.. most PC manufacturers help solve these sorts of problems without charging the customer every time they call

i don't appreciate your excessive ranting based on things i didn't really say or mean - all i was saying is that apple gives you 90 day phone support. the fact you got turned away after a month of ownership means something was wrong either in your story or the apple's records.

you are being delusional for expecting a service from apple you didn't pay for. apple is giving you the support you paid for, namely 90 days of phone support and a year of hardware warranty. (you won't get charged $45 if your problem is hardware.) if you don't agree with that, then don't buy apple. but to expect something you didn't pay for is delusional.

how much you paid for an apple, what dell/ibm/others offer is completely irrelevant. you paid apple for what apple offers. end of story.

 

[inlimbo]

you are being delusional for expecting a service from apple you didn't pay for. apple is giving you the support you paid for, namely 90 days of phone support and a year of hardware warranty. (you won't get charged $45 if your problem is hardware.) if you don't agree with that, then don't buy apple. but to expect something you didn't pay for is delusional.

how much you paid for an apple, what dell/ibm/others offer is completely irrelevant. you paid apple for what apple offers. end of story.

I agree with u but this also worries me as a new switcher. I have just bought a very expensive computer and now im completely skint and if something software related goes wrong and have to fork out more money!

I do agree that its hard to complain about the 90 days of phone support. As you said "you paid apple for what apple offers." But Apple should offer a bit more - given that its competitors offer more.

The support that a company offers is very low on my list of my priorities when I buy something (maybe it shouldnt be). Im not going to give Apple the flick simply because there support is not as good as say Dell, HP etc... I bought an Apple because I think its going to be a better computer and hopefully wont need as many visits to the repair shop as say a Sony or Dell machine. That being so, if something does go wrong (thats not my fault) I dont believe I should have to pay for it when the product is within the 1 year warranty.

This (lack of) support issue is the one caveat i may communicate to others thinking of switching. Its probably the only thing stopping me from saying Apple is a brilliant company to deal with (that and its late shipping on my new PB - but thats in another ).

Whats the reasoning for making u pay for software support. Is it because if its software related its much more likely that you, the user, have caused the problem somehow?

 

[Demon Hunter]

Whats the reasoning for making u pay for software support. Is it because if its software related its much more likely that you, the user, have caused the problem somehow?

Yeah, you more or less answered your own question.

Macs in large don't need the kind of support that you speak of. To use the old mantra, "it just works."

For new users, it may very beneficial to purchase AppleCare. Not because you need it, but because it would probably be helpful in learning about your new system.

Most problems can be solved by reading a manual, looking online, or talking to people like us on a forum. I have never called Apple about a software issue.

 

[jxyama]

Whats the reasoning for making u pay for software support. Is it because if its software related its much more likely that you, the user, have caused the problem somehow?

that or you can come to a site like MR and get free help.

 

[victor_patv]

that's been my experience,

Most macs that I've used have just worked so I never had to bother with applecare. I was just annoyed that a 5 day old computer was being rebuilt (the whole logic board!?!?!?!).
However though I'm irked by their customer service buying an apple (or PB) is far better in the long run.

Oh and any softwar problem can be solved by asking questions around here, I've just had hardware problems lately (had to replace midplane assemply on new iMac and now my PB, which thankfully their doing)

Thanks for all the help that was rendered before