[jlgrandam]

This is crazy. I bought the wife a 4GB mini back in Feb. right before the 2nd generation minis came out. It broke 2 times within 3 months when parts of the scroll wheel stopped working (the menu button). Each time Apple has replaced it with a different "refurbished" unit as evidence by each one having a different serial number when I get it back from them. Then the unit froze with nothing on the screen and refused to turn on 10 days ago. So I had to pay them $29 to ship it back to them since they only pay for shipping for the first 6 months of the warranty. We got another refurb unit back and today it froze and is now showing the sad iPod face and will not respond. I am fuming right now that a $230 product is so unreliable. I will not pay Apple another cent for this iPod but what are my options here? Must I stay in this endless cycle of getting refurb products back that fail in a short time frame? Has anyone dealt with a situation similar to this? Thanks for listening to my rant!


I should add that we do not abuse this iPod. The worst she does is run with it attached to her hip but since Apple sells exercise armbands for this iPod, I don't think this is out of the realm of usage that was intended.

[goMac]

Call up Apple and demand an iPod Nano in exchange. The Nano has no moving parts so it's likely to do better on a jog.

[jlgrandam]

You think they would actually comply with that??

[torifile]

Have them replace it and the ebay it, if you're sure you don't want it. I must ask, though, are you sure there's nothing YOU'RE doing that's breaking it? I'm not being accusatory, just wondering what the odds are of one person having 4 broken iPods. They've got to be really low...

[jlgrandam]

Well I don't watch her with it 24/7 but this most recent one that broke is still absolutely flawless on the outside so it's not like she dropped it and didn't tell me or something. I mean it looks like it was just opened from a brand new package. I've owned several apple computers and other iPods and have never had an experience like this before.

[icruise]

I agree that the chances of having this occur four times in a row seem pretty small (after all, I don't recall hearing about an epidemic of iPod failures that would lead me to believe that they have major reliability issues). But it's within the realm of possibility. Still, I do sort of wonder if jogging with it on your hip would be more jarring than having it on an arm band. If you can get a Nano out of the deal somehow, I would recommend it. It's very nice and should stand up to jogging better.

[gez2]

I have exactly the same problem! My girlfriends ipod mini has broken 3 times in a year. the click wheel has gone everytime (menu button will not work). Apple have replaced it each time and given me a refurb model. If it goes again i will seriously think about ever buying another. The ipod is kept in a skin and an ipod sock and is looked after well! They agreed to replace the latest one for free- it was just inside the 90 day warantee on the replacement. Anyone else had the menu button stop working??

[zoroaster68]

My sister's ipod mini has died twice in the past 2 years or so.