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Return 15" PowerPC Powerbook for MacBook Pro?

corywoolf

corywoolf

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 28, 2004
1,352
4
A kid in my video class (I am a teacher aid) wants to exchange his 15" 1.67 GHz Powerbook for the new MacBook Pro. He says he got it 12 days ago. I told him I DOUBT he will be able to exchange it, he is all pissed off. I guess when I broke the news to him after reading the MR live stream he was embarrassed after showing it off to a bunch of kids. He through a fit like a six year old. I told him to chill out, as long as it does what you need it to, why care? There will always be something better around the corner, just look at it this way, Todays new Macs are tomorrows obsolete P.O.S.

What do you think?

Rant/

I use to be like this kid a few years ago. I hate how materialistic our society is, although it is a large part of what drives the economy. I know this kid just wants the new mac because he wants to "Show it off" and he thinks people will think he's cool if he owns the latest and greatest things. This is why I hate my high school and only go there for 3 hours a day (I have been dual enrolled at a local college for a couple years now). All the teens are so celebrity obsessed, pop culture followers, materialistic, know it all's, posers, and live a lie. Five years ago I took down my facade (mask) and started being honest and modest (damn rhymes ;) )and I am a happier person who doesn't need the newest gadget to be happy. Although I follow the mac scene closely, I don't NEED everything Apple releases, unlike some folks. If the purchase is justifiable, then I am all for it; If it is just to be "Cool and Hip" have a nice life wasted by the never ending pursuit of coolness.

/end Rant
 
I disagree with all of you. 12 DAYS? How would you feel if 12 days after you bought a new car, a NEWER model was released for exactly the same price, only it got twice the gas mileage, ran four times as fast, and had navigation and leather seats built in?

You'd be pissed. Admit it. I know I would be.

He DOES have the option to return it to Apple and suck up the restocking fee, and then buy a MacBook when it's available.

Oh, and as far as the "don't buy anything before MacWorld" thing goes... not everyone knows that.
 
i had just bought my imac g5 like 12 days before the "new", now older, ones came out!
i was pretty upset, but i got over it.
this should last me a good while...:)
 
clayj said:
I disagree with all of you. 12 DAYS? How would you feel if 12 days after you bought a new car, a NEWER model was released for exactly the same price, only it got twice the gas mileage, ran four times as fast, and had navigation and leather seats built in?

You'd be pissed. Admit it. I know I would be.

He DOES have the option to return it to Apple and suck up the restocking fee, and then buy a MacBook when it's available.

Oh, and as far as the "don't buy anything before MacWorld" thing goes... not everyone knows that.
Click to expand...
except this kid is an avid mac user and always read sthe rumors. I laughed to myself, couldn't wait a few days until macworld to decide. His parents bought him it, but he ordered it.The point is not whether you'd be pissed off, it's that you shouldn't need the newest mac to be happy. He will be pissed when the next rev. comes out with more USB ports and faster processors. Well some folks never learn.
 
just reminded me of how a few years back when I had my ipod nobody in my school new what it was and most people made fun of it. The headphones were also dissed. Just yesterday someone said, "oh you have the old ipod, I got the new video ipod for xmas and its so cool!" I just laugh and say "well too bad for you, theres a new ipod coming out soon!" (they panick and start thinking of a way to come up with the bones for a new one).
 
Is he under 18 ... he might be able to return it if he bought it without a parent present and with cash ...

he can pay the restocking fee

"If you are not satisfied with your Apple purchase of a product, please call 1-800-676-2775 for a Return Material Authorization (RMA) request within 14 calendar days of the receipt of the product. Configure-to-order, personalized or other customized product may not be returned for refund or exchange under any circumstances unless DOA. If the item is returned unopened in the original box, we will exchange it or offer you a refund based on your original method of payment. The product must be returned to the Apple warehouse within 14 calendar days of the issuance of the RMA. All products must be packed in the original, unmarked packaging including any accessories, manuals, documentation and registration that shipped with the product. A 10% open box fee will be assessed on any opened hardware or accessory. If you purchased your order using an Apple Business Lease, you may be asked to provide a major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) for apple to assess the 10% open box restocking fee."

he could try to get a small refund ...

"Should Apple reduce its price on any shipped product within 10 calendar days of shipment, you may contact Apple Sales Support at 1-800-676-2775 to request a refund or credit of the difference between the price you were charged and the current selling price. To receive the refund or credit you must contact Apple within 14 business days of shipment."

you get a much faster REV A machine in a month or so (delays might exist ... you never know)
 
clayj said:
I disagree with all of you. 12 DAYS? How would you feel if 12 days after you bought a new car, a NEWER model was released for exactly the same price, only it got twice the gas mileage, ran four times as fast, and had navigation and leather seats built in?

You'd be pissed. Admit it. I know I would be.

He DOES have the option to return it to Apple and suck up the restocking fee, and then buy a MacBook when it's available.

Oh, and as far as the "don't buy anything before MacWorld" thing goes... not everyone knows that.
Click to expand...

But if they don't they've no right to complain. This isn't a pair of shoes; it's a major purchase (my apologies to those who rank shoes above computers or pay more for them) and should be treated as such.

Wise consumers do their homework. Lazy consumers get burned.
Caveat emptor.
 
corywoolf said:
just reminded me of how a few years back when I had my ipod nobody in my school new what it was and most people made fun of it. The headphones were also dissed. Just yesterday someone said, "oh you have the old ipod, I got the new video ipod for xmas and its so cool!" I just laugh and say "well too bad for you, theres a new ipod coming out soon!" (they panick and start thinking of a way to come up with the bones for a new one).
Click to expand...

When I got my iPod in '01 everyone was simply curious about it. Sorry to hear they gave you grief on a superior product.

As to returning it, don't you get 14 days, or is it 10? He could probably atleast get a little money back if he put up a fuss.
 
As much as the kid sounds pretty whiney, I must admit that I too would be pissed if I had just purchased a new PowerBook a week ago.

While we all want to have the latest and greatest, sometimes you suck it up and make do with what you've got. I mean it isn't like your one week old PowerBook isn't as stylish and fast as you need it to be.

But, it is annoying that your purchase is out-dated this quickly. Usually it takes about 6 months, or if you're lucky, a year to have your purchase out-dated.

At least the MacBook looks identical to the old PowerBook. A big design change always rubs in the out-dated feeling of owning an old design.
 
He's within 14 days right? Return the thing... I don't see what's so wrong with this situation? I'd do the same. :)

Buy the MacBook Pro.

<-- is in Ypsilanti, MI currently. :D
 
well we don't know if his machine is custom ... and he has to pay restocking .. 10% of 2000 ... thats a $200 upgrade fee.
 
corywoolf said:
I know this kid just wants the new mac because he wants to "Show it off" and he thinks people will think he's cool if he owns the latest and greatest things.
Click to expand...

No, he's pissed off not because he thinks it's cool to own the latest and greatest, but because the new Intel 15" came out 1-2 weeks after he received his new 15" PB, and for the exact same price as what he had paid. Also, it's advertised as being 4x faster than its PPC counterpart in some areas, and around twice as fast in others. It's not a speed "bump." This is speed "leapfrogging." He's pissed because a major PPC-to-Intel transition just happened, and all he had to do is buy his laptop 2 weeks later to be a part of the transition.

The reason people aren't as pissed off when they just bought their iMac G5 when a new iMac G5 comes out 2 weeks later is because those are 10% speed "bumps." Clearly, this is not.

ldenman said:
i had just bought my imac g5 like 12 days before the "new", now older, ones came out!
i was pretty upset, but i got over it.
this should last me a good while...:)
Click to expand...

See my previous paragraph.

clayj said:
I disagree with all of you. 12 DAYS? How would you feel if 12 days after you bought a new car, a NEWER model was released for exactly the same price, only it got twice the gas mileage, ran four times as fast, and had navigation and leather seats built in?
Click to expand...

I always seem to agree with you, clayj. ;) Don't know why.

corywoolf said:
except this kid is an avid mac user and always read sthe rumors. I laughed to myself, couldn't wait a few days until macworld to decide.
Click to expand...
pseudobrit said:
Wise consumers do their homework. Lazy consumers get burned.
Caveat emptor.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, do you know how many older, experienced Mac users and MR members were telling others that the new Intel laptops were probably going to be 12" and 15" iBooks first, and that it won't be much faster than the G4 chips in the current lineup because the G4 is still a good mobile chip, and that they won't want to kill PowerBook sales by releasing a super-fast iBook?

Answer: Lots of people.

Maybe this kid did do his homework. Hmmmmmmm......
 
Abstract said:
Unfortunately, do you know how many older, experienced Mac users and MR members were telling others that the new Intel laptops were probably going to be 12" and 15" iBooks first, and that it won't be much faster than the G4 chips in the current lineup because the G4 is still a good mobile chip, and that they won't want to kill PowerBook sales by releasing a super-fast iBook?

Answer: Lots of people.

Maybe this kid did do his homework. Hmmmmmmm......
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have told anyone that. I never trust the rumours, because the track record might be 50-50 at best.

Not to Wednesday-morning-keynote it, but everyone knew the Powerbook G4 was the biggest embarrassment in Apple's lineup. I mean, their flagship premium laptop was running on a 6 year-old chip that hadn't seen a major redesign in four.

Can you imagine HP or Toshiba selling their latest whiz-bang loaded laptop with a Pentium III kicking at 1670MHz for $2000? That's a joke, just like the G4 Powerbook had become.
 
Kwyjibo said:
well we don't know if his machine is custom ... and he has to pay restocking .. 10% of 2000 ... thats a $200 upgrade fee.
Click to expand...
It is not custom, he added 2 GB of RAM himself and it isn't compatible with the MacBook Pro (he says).
 
You can return it within 14 days and pay a 10% restocking fee.

That can be returned as store credit (gift card) which can be used online to preorder a MacBook.
 
I would actually right now have the PPC, it just seems like the initial transition could be a bit tough/annoying.
 
With technology you buy and then before too long something else is out. So I go back to what I always say. If it works for you, does what you want* it to do, and you have it. Stick with it.

I am the same way with my iPod as I see other posters. I bought mine less than a year ago. At that time only like three of us had iPods.. Now after the holidays there are a number of people that have very nice video iPods. I am still stuck with my 40gig iPod and an upgrade is a LONG way off. I mean they might have a 7th generation iPod or not even ahve iPods when I get another one. But I don't care, 40gigs gives me 20gigs free for music and I am happy.

Same goes with a lot of other things, I agree with the OP that people want to have the newest and best, and that just shows where our society has gotten.

I think Ol' Bobby McFerrin said it the best "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
 
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