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goMac · Apr 30, 2003, 04:46 PM

Before I start, I'd like to mention I have friends with both TiBooks and AlBooks, and unlike mine, they have been trouble free.

My TiBook is also a remarkable system, but I have had many many troubles.

When I got it a few days before Christmas, it was perfect. Ran great, and I loved it. A few weeks later however, it developed a strange problem. It would simply freeze, especially when I moved it. I realized I could get the problem to happen if I tapped the bottom of the case (the bottom of the case would actually FLEX inward). I sent it back to Apple, and a week later it came back with the motherboard replaced.

Recently my power adapter also broke. The end glowy thingy actually became severed from the cord internally. This wasn't so bad. Went to a local Apple dealer, handed them the cord, and in 2 days I had a new one.

Today, however, seems to be the worst. I pull my TiBook out and it seems the case is actually WARPED. The bottom of the case is begining to seperate from the light grey mid section. The cd drive slot is bending in on itself. The display also see-saws now when it is closed.

I shouldn't need to send this computer to Apple once nearly every two months. I wish I had waited for the AlBooks.

(And no, before someone starts, I'm not switching to some PC bulktop)

The Placid Casual · Apr 30, 2003, 05:05 PM

People will probably disagree with me, but I have always suspected the Ti quality is a bit 'hit and miss'...

A mate had one of the (then) new Ti550s when they came out, and it was bomb proof... no matter how much punishment it went through, it still worked fine... The same for a few people who I shared an office with, Their Ti's were immortal.

I put one on order after seeing the solidity of the units.

Mine died totally within 2 weeks due to a processor problem. (Overheated badly, flaked paint, warpage). Apple took it back straight away... But since then I have heard similarly polarised stories. There seems to be little middle ground... (Although, to be honest, I have not seen enough of the new 867 and 1ghz models so this may have changed...)

Not risking it again, going Alu...

Peace,

Marc

todrain · Apr 30, 2003, 05:23 PM

As an ower of a TI, I might be a little biased, but why would you think that the AL Powerbooks would be of better quality than the TI?

All computers models have some units that arrive DOA, or have problems within a couple of months. If Apple has a 2% defect rate (I don't know the true number... could be a bit higher or lower, but should be in the mid 90s) that's still 2 units per 100, or 2000 units per 100,000.

The Placid Casual · Apr 30, 2003, 05:30 PM

Originally posted by todrain:
As an ower of a TI, I might be a little biased, but why would you think that the AL Powerbooks would be of better quality than the TI?

All computers models have some units that arrive DOA, or have problems within a couple of months. If Apple has a 2% defect rate (I don't know the true number... could be a bit higher or lower, but should be in the mid 90s) that's still 2 units per 100, or 2000 units per 100,000.

I don't know why I feel safer with an Alu... but after seeing and playing with it it in the 'metal', it feels like a Rev B Ti somehow (Even though technically it's not..)

I can't help thinking they will have learnt some lessons from the Ti (and iBook), and incorporated them into the design of the Alu's...

Just me I guess

Peace,

Marc

David Hagan · Apr 30, 2003, 05:50 PM

I think you're right about Apple learning from its designs. When I first saw the white iBooks, however, I thought that this was the alternate design for the PowerBook. Sure enough the design has migrated its way into the pro line. But mostly likely the correct explanation is that the aluminum design was an amalgm of PowerBook and iBook design strengths.