[graveguy]

I have a 15" G4 powerbook and, like many of the first buyers, my screen was plagued with the dreaded 'white spots' problem...It wasn't bad enough to send it back immediately but for months I figured I would send in my laptop before its warranty period expired. I use my laptop every day and I was dreading being without it for any period of time...well, I finally called AppleCare, and requested a return box...they overnighted me one and I received it on a Tuesday morning...I packaged up my computer and returned it to a DHL OfficeMax store on Tuesday afternoon...Apple replaced the screen and my machine was delivered to my door before noon on Thursday, less than 48 hours after I dropped it off...

So, kudos to the Apple support division...they repaired my defective machine with incredible efficiency...If you've got a 'white spots' problem with your G4 laptop and have been holding off on sending it in for repair, send it in and you'll probably get it back within a few days...

[Cohenista]

I thought they couldn't replace just a screen, but had to replace the whole unit?

[KP*]

Thanks for sharing, Graveguy. I'm in exactly the same boat. I've had my PB since September, and white spots since October, but use my PB constantly and have heard too many horror stories about them coming back with white spots gone, but more problems than they left with. Good to hear that some experiences go smoothly. I'm still deciding whether to send it back before the warranty expires, your story may help me get the courage to send my baby off.

[Iron Lung Ryan]

I dropped my Powerbook - about 4 inches while it was in my backpack. No exterior damage but all it would do is chime when powered on - no display - and the keys were malinged i.e the volume up button would turn on the num lock. well i was feeliong bad. I felt worse when calling apple on the phone, i was in hardware warranty for another 30 days but they told me i was out of phone support - so i asked well how do i use my hardware warranty without being on the phone to set it up. anyway they wanted to charge me$49 to look at it and make me send it to them.

I said screw that and took it about 100 minutes to the cincinnati apple store on a thursday night about 10 minutes before closing. I told the guy there that my powerbook wasnt working, didnt mention that it was kind of dropped, and he did a couple things, PRAM and stuff like that, then he figured out it was something that need to be opened up to fix. so he saw i was still in warranty and with no problem shipped it off to be fixed for free. It probably left ohio on friday, and got to tennessee on Monday, was fixed on Monday, and reached my house on Tuesday morning. All for free shipping and all that crap.

I just had to take the laptop to the applestore, which was okay because I was on my way to Dayton anyway. well my applecare ran out yesterday which is okay because I think I'm going to ebay my 12" powerbook 867 and get a brand new 12" ibook - overall i was happy with my experience.

Oh yeah I learned to back up my data - I have an ipod so my music was covered, but if my harddrive was the problem I would have lost all my other data.

[iSmug]

My out of warranty iBook was just repaired by Apple. It came back the first time unrepaired and actually had a broken optical drive. It had to go back a second time and they went out of their way to make it right. Had the logic board extension progem, new display, and a fixed optical drive.
Suffice to say, I have a new 3 year old laptop, should last me several more years. Turnaround time for both repairs, even with shipping, was less than a week.

[markarntson]

I had actually dropped my iPod out of my pocket onto a red brick floor. It had problems after that. This iPod was near the very end of the warranty period, so according to Apple's policy, I would have to pay to fix it.

I got on the iPod repair page and it was having a problem. I phoned Apple and they registered my repair in a few minutes. THE NEXT DAY there was a return box on my porch.

I sent my iPod packing. In just TWO DAYS Apple sent me a COMPLETELY NEW iPod. I was amazed. No charge. Brand new. Apple was no longer selling the G2 iPod I returned.

That memory will stay with me a very long time.

I love Apple.

[nyr44]

I'm having my iMac, which is only a week from being out of warranty, repaired for free at my local apple store after a bad logic board started giving me lots of KP's.

I got fast service, responsive answers to questions, and the same day they were able to assure my data would be safe.

I'm so pleased by thier good work.

[nyr44]

Originally posted by Cohenista:
I thought they couldn't replace just a screen, but had to replace the whole unit?

My brother works for Apple as a campus rep. He says if Apple replaces the unit, it is a cost to them, so they do everything possibel to repair, and onyl replace if unavoidable. They'll usually just replace DBR(Damaged Beyond Repair) iPods because Apple makes money on refurbs.

[rmongold]

I've had just the opposite experience with my PowerBook repair. As most people did, I had white spots. I finally found a little time when I could bear breaking myself away from the PowerBook (or is it the other way around?) and sent it to Apple for repair on a Tuesday. They received it, repaired it and sent it back for delivery on Friday.

Friday came and went, but no PowerBook. Well, I called Apple, DHL, Apple, DHL, Apple, DHL, Apple and DHL and finally we've pretty much determined that Apple never handed the PowerBook over to DHL for shipment back to me and it is now lost somewhere.

While Apple has already said that if they can't find it they will replace the 'Book, getting them to call me back with any updates (when they've told me they would) is much akin to pulling teeth. It all wouldn't be so bad if this wasn't the second machine of mine on which they've botched the repair.

So to sum up:

-LOVE Apple's computers.
-Very not impressed with their service.