What is it with Apple and Holidays?

[giza]

So, I was in the middle of typing last night, and suddenly the space bar stops working on the keyboard.

Yes, the spacebar.

So I reboot my machine, but no luck. I attached the keyboard to my Powerbook, and the same thing happened. I also discovered that the left square bracket ("["), hyphen, and single quote keys stopped working too. Crazy.

I called AppleCare today and they shipped me a new keyboard with "do it yourself" instructions for "installing the new part". Heh. Since I was impatient, I walked to the nearby Apple Store and bought myself a new keyboard anyway. Now I'll have an extra keyboard to attach to my Powerbook, which isn't so bad either.

What is it with my Macs and holidays? A few days before last Thanksgiving was when the hard drive wigged out on my Powerbook.

I fully expect my Powerbook to burst into flames right before Christmas.

Comments

[triggur.livejournal.com]

So let me see if I understand. Display problems, hard drive problems, power supply problems, and now keyboard problems. All in the same [Apple] computer.

And yet you constantly beam about how fantastic apples are.

When are you going to reconsider? My 2002 Dell Latitude laptop, used every day, has yet to manifest a single problem.

I'm not saying PCs are perfect... far from it. Just marvelling at apple fans' capacity to shriek about PC troubles while going LALALALALALALA CAN'T HEAR YOU about apple troubles.

:)

[giza.livejournal.com]

No, not the same computer.

Powerbook G4: Hard drive problems.

iMac G5: Power Supply problems, keyboard problems.

I don't know what display problems you're referring to. My Powerbook's screen has a single dead pixel, but then again, so did the IBM T41 I had awhile back.

On the subject of Dells, I had a Dell Latitude when I was TurnTide/Symantec. The hard drive on it died after a year.

Also, I have to hand it to apple on their support. When my Powerbook's hard drive failed last year, they sent me a box that arrived on Monday, I sent it back on Tuesday, and got the fixed machine back on Friday. Oh, and Thursday was Thanksgiving. 3 day turnaround, including shipping, over a major holiday, I think that's pretty impressive. Contrast with Co-worker B, who also has a Dell Laptop. His hard drive failed, he sent it in, and didn't get his computer back for 2 full weeks.

Yes, I have Apple problems, but I think their support is going a long way in making them as painless as possible.

[triggur.livejournal.com]

Okay, so you've had two consecutive macs with hardware problems. Even better!

Most large PC sellers have the same kind of support too tho, at least in my experience.

All I wanted to hear was the admission that apple doesn't apparently put any more effort into their hardware quality than anybody else.

:)

[nius.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna be a brat, you can do something naughty to me later. My macs in descending age order:

WGS 9650 - No problems, still using, runs OS 9.1 & Yellowdog Linux (manufactured 5/19/1997)

G4 Cube - No problems, still using, runs OS X Tiger (doesn't appear to have a born-on date, should be late 2000)

15" Titanium powerbook - No problems until physically damaged. Bezel cracked due to abuse, causing motherboard short. Survived Aug 2001 - Dec 2005. Zannah carried this thing back-and-forth to class for four years, then I carried it to work every day and used it for wireless field testing for another 6 months before I cracked it beyond duct-tape repair.

17" Aluminum 1.5GHz powerbook - No problems, use it daily, my main PC

Zannah's 17" Al 1.5 powerbook - No problems, use it daily, her main PC

15" Aluminum powerbook - My work laptop, their "gift" to me when the old TiBook died and I argued they owed me one. I shorted the power supply by being a moron, whispered politely in Applecare's ear and got a freebie the next day. No problems, use it daily.

And the latest additions to my desk at work, two 20" iMacs with Intel CPUs. Haven't found a problem yet...

[triggur.livejournal.com]

There's lots of people who've never had PC problems either so... okay.

[cuprohastes.livejournal.com]

*whistles innocently and swings the dead Mighty Mouse that died after two months of light use*

[delphi-of-clf.livejournal.com]

My roomy at the con's nearly brand new apple book laptop thingy decided it was appropriate to die the Thursday we settled into the room. After a long and grueling drive across to the nearest apple store, they dealt with it.

So I guess I can sorta semi relate.

My problem with Apple Products...

[ionotter.livejournal.com]

WinTel product user (WTPU): "Uhm, hi? I'm having a problem with my "wintel" machine? Can you help me?"

ENTIRE INTERNET AND PARTS OF THE UNKNOWN UNIVERSE: "YES. WE CAN HELP YOU." *floods WTPU user with umpteen squidjillion FAQ's and help pages, software, hacking tips, soldering guides and how-to's in re-wiring their PC to make it do whatever they want it to. Usually using Linux more than Windows.*

Apple product user (APU): "Uhm, hi? I'm having a problem with my Mac?"

AppleCare: "Buy a new one."

APU: "Huh?! But I've got a warranty?"

AC: "Yes, we know. That gets you $200 off your next purchase of a new Mac."

APU: "Screw you, I'm just going to open the case and fix it myself!"

AC: "That would not be wise, sir."

APU: "Yeah, yeah...whatever. *hangs up* Assholes..."

*knock-knock-knocn*

APU: "Who could that be? *opens front door* Hel...*PHUT-PHUT-PHUT*...ooohhhhh...*THUD*"

MIB 1: "Cleaner 1 to Apple Care Central, target neutralized." *returns silenced pistol to holster*

MIB 2: *cleans up body using Apple Peeler nanites*

Re: My problem with Apple Products...

[triggur.livejournal.com]

LOL :)

Re: My problem with Apple Products...

[giza.livejournal.com]

Huh? AppleCare has never told me to "buy a new Mac". In fact, I've never even heard of that happening before.

Re: My problem with Apple Products...

[ionotter.livejournal.com]

No, it happened with the iPod. (http://news.com.com/2100-1027-5112066.html)

Apple changed it's tune not long after the smear campaign began, but I'll concede that their capitulation to the demands of the public was already in the works when it came out.

Re: My problem with Apple Products...

[giza.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's dain bramaged.

I wonder if someone on the iPod team was asleep at the wheel on the battery issue?