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Sakino · Oct 27, 2003, 06:06 PM

I must say I am not happy, I spent 2 hours looking around the campus for this thing because fedex choose to drop it off at someone elses door.
Well I started it up and there are 3 faint white spots?!?! WTF This just makes me pissed, and now I have no idea on what I am going to do.

Personally I might just send it back and ask for my money, its not right that apple has yet to fix a white spot problem 4 WEEKS after they started shipping.
I will report more about this pb after i collaberate the battery. And get some use with it.

AssassyN · Oct 27, 2003, 06:44 PM

Wow, so you finally got another unit and even it's defective? Bummer man...but the "white spots" issue is known to Apple, I'd suggest trying to get another replacement first before getting antsy and demanding money. Be calm, it works better.

Immortal K-Mart Employee · Oct 27, 2003, 06:51 PM

Ya that is really frustrating. Call them and tell them to check the damn thing before they send it. One more chance and then get your money back.

art_director · Oct 27, 2003, 07:07 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
I must say I am not happy, I spent 2 hours looking around the campus for this thing because fedex choose to drop it off at someone elses door.
Well I started it up and there are 3 faint white spots?!?! WTF This just makes me pissed, and now I have no idea on what I am going to do.

Personally I might just send it back and ask for my money, its not right that apple has yet to fix a white spot problem 4 WEEKS after they started shipping.
I will report more about this pb after i collaberate the battery. And get some use with it.

wtf??? weak, apple, very, very weak.

Sakino · Oct 27, 2003, 07:55 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by AssassyN:
Wow, so you finally got another unit and even it's defective? Bummer man...but the "white spots" issue is known to Apple, I'd suggest trying to get another replacement first before getting antsy and demanding money. Be calm, it works better. [/QUOTE
The problem is i went a week and half without a computer here at college, I cannot go another weekend half without one.

vancenase · Oct 27, 2003, 08:29 PM

trade in for a 17". no problems ... it's a little larger, but the screen real estate is nice! you don't notice how 'large' it is after a week or so of toting. plus, everyone comments on how 'phat' it is (or whatever lingo/term is in these days). ha!

compare the sizes here (not that much larger; see back two 'powerbooks')

spatterson · Oct 27, 2003, 08:59 PM

Originally posted by vancenase:
trade in for a 17". no problems ... it's a little larger, but the screen real estate is nice! you don't notice how 'large' it is after a week or so of toting. plus, everyone comments on how 'phat' it is (or whatever lingo/term is in these days). ha!

compare the sizes here (not that much larger; see back two 'powerbooks')

I'm beginning to think for the extra 400 bucks this may be the best route!

I just don't know anymore. Damned white spots.

Sakino · Oct 27, 2003, 09:03 PM

Originally posted by vancenase:
trade in for a 17". no problems ... it's a little larger, but the screen real estate is nice! you don't notice how 'large' it is after a week or so of toting. plus, everyone comments on how 'phat' it is (or whatever lingo/term is in these days). ha!

compare the sizes here (not that much larger; see back two 'powerbooks')

I just got off the phone with a manager of tech support. He would only allow me to have the lcd replaced, but suggested that i keep it until they actually solve the problem. I was thinking about getting a 17 inch, but i dont know what to do. I suppose I will go to the tech store on friday and check out the 17 inch powerbook and call in asking for them to refund my money and send out at 17 inch powerbook.

vancenase · Oct 27, 2003, 09:03 PM

Originally posted by spatterson:
I'm beginning to think for the extra 400 bucks this may be the best route! I just don't know anymore. Damned white spots.

don't use the frown face! use a happy face! the 17" is an AWESOME machine! trade it in!

spatterson · Oct 27, 2003, 09:29 PM

Originally posted by vancenase:
don't use the frown face! use a happy face! the 17" is an AWESOME machine! trade it in!

, ok very happy face! LOL, just sent AAFES a new letter asking them to check on the 17' and if they could get me a EDU price. I'm in the Military and am a part time student at St. Leo University on post, so hopefully I they will get back with me and we will see what�s up.

As for the 15", well AAFES is still trying to contact Apple about ordering this laptop. After reading for weeks on end about white spots I�ve decided that enough is enough. This laptop will be my first apple since the days of the Apple ][e. I don�t want a lemon. I want a beautiful machine that is going to get me though college when I become a fulltime student. So that�s that. I know it�s a bit bigger but I know someone that carries around that flight deck of a laptop. You know what I�m talking about the Toshiba 17� that�s 1.8� think and weights twice the weight of the 17� PowerBook. He doesn�t complain at all, well that is until he sees my PowerBook�

vancenase · Oct 27, 2003, 09:57 PM

yeah, the first thing people notice is the 1" thickness of the 17" ... "whoa!!!!!" they say

(they, being the pee cee users)

Sakino · 10:12 PM

Well this will be the second call that I am making with apple, and I have had the powerbook for less than 4 hours. Now that I am typing and working on the laptop more things seem to be going wrong. As I speak every time I touch a ket there are these yellow lines that show up on the screen, and it seems that they turn blue as I go to a different part of the screen. This powerbook is turning out just as bad as the other one. :/
they are a grid of 5 small yellow colored white lines. 5 pixels x 1 pixel and they come in groups of 5. The groups of 5 are in grids across the screen.

wallaper · Oct 27, 2003, 10:17 PM

I feel your pain, I brought my 2nd 15 into the shop today for repairs also. Its killing me!

Wallaper
www.sellyourmac.com

Sakino · Oct 27, 2003, 10:22 PM

Originally posted by wallaper:
I feel your pain, I brought my 2nd 15 into the shop today for repairs also. Its killing me!

Wallaper
www.sellyourmac.com

See the problem is I don't have time for this bullshit, I am in school and need a laptop to actually function here. I have gone 2 weeks without it, there will be no more days with out this laptop.

Sakino · Oct 27, 2003, 10:41 PM

Alright would you consider my powerbook doa??
The videocard is totally screwed up, causing lines to fly thru the screen. There are 3 other white spots.
Battery life goes from 40 minutes to one minute, giving the battery warning?
Should I demand yes another powerbook, since shipping time seems to be less then repair. I personally don't have 400$ extra for a 17". I been thinking about just getting a 12 inch because it is so partable, and easy to get around.

What exactly does the 12 inch lack from the 15 inch powerbooks????

PoisonTooth · Oct 27, 2003, 10:41 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
I must say I am not happy, I spent 2 hours looking around the campus for this thing because fedex choose to drop it off at someone elses door.
Well I started it up and there are 3 faint white spots?!?! WTF This just makes me pissed, and now I have no idea on what I am going to do.

Personally I might just send it back and ask for my money, its not right that apple has yet to fix a white spot problem 4 WEEKS after they started shipping.
I will report more about this pb after i collaberate the battery. And get some use with it.

And this is EXACTLY why I won't order yet.

PoisonTooth · Oct 27, 2003, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
I just got off the phone with a manager of tech support. He would only allow me to have the lcd replaced, but suggested that i keep it until they actually solve the problem. I was thinking about getting a 17 inch, but i dont know what to do. I suppose I will go to the tech store on friday and check out the 17 inch powerbook and call in asking for them to refund my money and send out at 17 inch powerbook.

So, it's confirmed then. Apple has no fix.

Until they do, I will absolutely not pull the trigger on a new PB, a dual G5, and a cinema display. Not a chance.

spatterson · Oct 27, 2003, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by Sakino:
See the problem is I don't have time for this bullshit, I am in school and need a laptop to actually function here. I have gone 2 weeks without it, there will be no more days with out this laptop.

Like when something happens to your car, they should give you a "rental laptop" when your laptop goes down!

PowerTower Fan · Oct 28, 2003, 12:00 AM

Originally posted by Sakino:
Alright would you consider my powerbook doa??
The videocard is totally screwed up, causing lines to fly thru the screen. There are 3 other white spots.
Battery life goes from 40 minutes to one minute, giving the battery warning?
Should I demand yes another powerbook, since shipping time seems to be less then repair. I personally don't have 400$ extra for a 17". I been thinking about just getting a 12 inch because it is so partable, and easy to get around.

What exactly does the 12 inch lack from the 15 inch powerbooks????

No, the Powerbook isn't DOA. Only if it wouldn't turn on at all is it that case. BUT If you're truethfull about what you say, I'd think with enough complaining (in a polite but firm way, not screaming at them) you could get another replacement.

As for the differences between the 12" and 15", and I'm assuming you got the Superdrive model, they are lack of preinstalled airport, smaller L2 cache, lightup keyboard, a much weaker video card, less memory, and smaller hard drive. If all you're doing is web browsing, word processing, etc..., I'd go down to the 12". If you're doing more powerfull stuff like graphic design, I'd stick with the 15" as speed isn't much of an issue as just desktop space is, especially if you don't use an external monitor.

I really feel for all you've gone through and in the same boat, stuff like this would turn me away from a manufacterer no matter how great the product is. Unfortunately you're experiening first hand exactly why I would never by a revision A of a product no matter how great the reviews were.

Sakino · Oct 28, 2003, 12:33 AM

Originally posted by PowerTower Fan:
No, the Powerbook isn't DOA. Only if it wouldn't turn on at all is it that case. BUT If you're truethfull about what you say, I'd think with enough complaining (in a polite but firm way, not screaming at them) you could get another replacement.

As for the differences between the 12" and 15", and I'm assuming you got the Superdrive model, they are lack of preinstalled airport, smaller L2 cache, lightup keyboard, a much weaker video card, less memory, and smaller hard drive. If all you're doing is web browsing, word processing, etc..., I'd go down to the 12". If you're doing more powerfull stuff like graphic design, I'd stick with the 15" as speed isn't much of an issue as just desktop space is, especially if you don't use an external monitor.

I really feel for all you've gone through and in the same boat, stuff like this would turn me away from a manufacterer no matter how great the product is. Unfortunately you're experiening first hand exactly why I would never by a revision A of a product no matter how great the reviews were.

Yeah well I wish I knew what to do. I don't have 400$ to fork out for a 17 inch powerbook, nor do I want a 12 inch after what you stated.
Plus I would hate to see the battery life of the 17 inch after seeing how poor the current battery life is on the 15 inch.

Thanks for your input.

shabbasuraj · Oct 28, 2003, 03:01 AM

17" PB battery life is ok...

larger capacity battery...

all is relative...as it depends on what you are doing...

Chemmy · Oct 28, 2003, 04:03 AM

Originally posted by Sakino:
The problem is i went a week and half without a computer here at college, I cannot go another weekend half without one.

Go to the computer lab.

Darksider · Oct 28, 2003, 09:26 AM

Why do you need two 15" powerbooks? You must have a lot of money to blow.

Sakino · Oct 28, 2003, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by Darksider:
Why do you need two 15" powerbooks? You must have a lot of money to blow.

Umm now this would be the second powerbook Apple has sent me, due to problems with my first one.

John G. Stillmank · Oct 28, 2003, 10:20 AM

Not sure how the white spots make a computer unusable ...

cSurfr · Oct 28, 2003, 10:22 AM

Where did your replacement powerbook actually come from? Was it sent to you from apple directly? It not, then the problem wasn't that "Apple" didn't check the machine it was the fault of the party where it came from. None of my apple products have come from the states, they've all come from Taiwan. My suggestion to you is go to your nearest apple store, talk to the manager, explain the situation and open the new powerbook there. This is exactly what I did with my first 12" that had the case separation, they where more than willing to open the new machine and let me examine it personally.

cs

AssassyN · Oct 28, 2003, 11:01 AM

Originally posted by John G. Stillmank:
Not sure how the white spots make a computer unusable ...

So you'd be thrilled to have a brand new machine with white spots on the screen?

It's certainly not "unusable", but when he sends it away for repair/replacement, he's left w/o a computer, and it can't get fixed without leaving his hands.

acadian · Oct 28, 2003, 02:07 PM

Go 17" dude, youwont regret it, I cant see myself going back down to a 15" screen again.

machem · Oct 28, 2003, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by John G. Stillmank:
Not sure how the white spots make a computer unusable ...

Anything new should be in new, unblemished condition. It surely doesn't make it unusable, but how would you like to pay for the 1.25GHz processor and get the 1.0GHz? Doesn't make that computer unusable, either.

I've got spots, and I'm waiting until the repair is permanent before I get a new machine. I've decided it doesn't bug me that much, but I will make sure to get it replaced.

BTW, I noticed some separation between the Al and plastic above the CD slot. More reason for a return.

bpd115 · Oct 28, 2003, 03:16 PM

Originally posted by PowerTower Fan:
.

As for the differences between the 12" and 15", and I'm assuming you got the Superdrive model, they are lack of preinstalled airport, smaller L2 cache, lightup keyboard, a much weaker video card, less memory, and smaller hard drive.

They have the same L2 cache but the BUS of the 15 and 17 is 166 where the 12 is 133. I have the 12 inch powerbook with airport, 80 gig hard drive and combo drive. It play's the UT demo quite well and handles Tony Hawk 4 well too. Not bad for 1601 from the edu store.

iomatic · Oct 28, 2003, 03:19 PM

Yeah--Apple should be liable for this. But, c'mon, I went through the WHOLE degree without a laptop...

(My 15" 1.25 in a professional setting is exhibiting white spots now, so I have tons of empathy.)

Granted, it's very useful, but, really--can't go on without one?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sakino:

Originally posted by AssassyN:
Wow, so you finally got another unit and even it's defective? Bummer man...but the "white spots" issue is known to Apple, I'd suggest trying to get another replacement first before getting antsy and demanding money. Be calm, it works better. [/QUOTE
The problem is i went a week and half without a computer here at college, I cannot go another weekend half without one.

spatterson · Oct 28, 2003, 04:26 PM

Originally posted by acadian:
Go 17" dude, youwont regret it, I cant see myself going back down to a 15" screen again.

Do you find it easy to carry around your 17"? I don't plan on carrying it everywhere with me but maybe two or three times a week.

Sakino · Oct 28, 2003, 04:41 PM

Originally posted by John G. Stillmank:
Not sure how the white spots make a computer unusable ...

Here is what makes my powerbook useable. Once I put my hands on the keyboard, or rest my palms on the area the screen starts to get all screwed up. There are these wierd pixel formations all over the screen. Explain to me how this is useable, when you can hardly see the screen.

Sakino · Oct 28, 2003, 06:02 PM

Thank god I just got off the phone with tech support and sales. This powerbook costed me 6 hours of phone time, compared to my old one which was well over 15 hours of tech support time.

They basically agreed to send out a 3rd laptop, yes a 3rd laptop. They will be sending out my box and fed ex shipping number asap. And my 3rd powerbook will ship next week Wednesday.

Lattimer · Oct 28, 2003, 06:21 PM

Dude-

All I can say is that you are one unlucky man. I bought my 15AL the day they were announced and had it shipped all the way to Iceland. I have NO whitespots, perfect screen, perfect PB. Only small issue is the faint "interference whine" that shows up once in a great while.

I understand how frustrated you must be, but I emplore you to stay the course...the 15 is the ticket! Perfect size, quiet, doesn't sizzle, and has very usable screen realestate.

Third time's a charm!

Lattimer

Cadaver · Oct 29, 2003, 12:03 AM

Find yourself a 1GHz TiBook. Same form factor as the new ones. Mine has been very reliable. Razor sharp screen, no paint flakes like the older TiBooks, zippy (esp. with Panther) 1GHz G4 w/ 1MB L3 cache. It'll save you a few bucks, too.

Sakino · Oct 29, 2003, 02:08 AM

Originally posted by Cadaver:
Find yourself a 1GHz TiBook. Same form factor as the new ones. Mine has been very reliable. Razor sharp screen, no paint flakes like the older TiBooks, zippy (esp. with Panther) 1GHz G4 w/ 1MB L3 cache. It'll save you a few bucks, too.

I would love to, but the ti isnt my thing. I waited around since Jan for this thing, and I am not giving up. Most ppl would have just went somewhere else. I really have no choice, I hate xp.
My roommate is selling his 1 gighz 15 inch ti with an extra battery for 1600$. I don't want it. Plus the 15 inch powerbook only costed me 2100$.

ProLyfic · Oct 29, 2003, 02:19 AM

Wow. 6 hours. Did they not agree at first or something. What options did they give you? Repair? Replacement? What did they tell you was the probelm?

TheIceMan · Oct 29, 2003, 02:25 AM

Originally posted by Sakino:
...They basically agreed to send out a 3rd laptop, yes a 3rd laptop. They will be sending out my box and fed ex shipping number asap. And my 3rd powerbook will ship next week Wednesday.

That's good to hear. I'll keep my fingers cross for you. Man, I hope this one works out.

vancenase · Oct 29, 2003, 03:36 PM

i have no problems carrying around my 17" (in the brookhaven shoulder case) ... i carried a 15" TiBook for work before this, and i don't notice any difference really.

Sakino · Oct 29, 2003, 11:08 PM

Originally posted by ProLyfic:
Wow. 6 hours. Did they not agree at first or something. What options did they give you? Repair? Replacement? What did they tell you was the probelm?

Well on Monday 10 minutes after opening the box I called tech support and reported the whitespots. Asked for a replacement to be sent, and talked with a manager. Well they only said they would replace the lcd, thats all. So I said I will live with it until the problem was fixed. Well I went to eat and came back and started to install all my software and transfer stuff over. When I started typing I noticed the screen start to flicker, and in the mean time the cd drive sounded like it was broke as hell.
As I pressed down on the keys or on the palm area the screen would shoot pixels thru out it. After sitting with a tech dude for an hour, and a manager they agreed to mail a replacement.

Here is the proper process to possibly get a new replacement powerbook, from what the product specialist said.

Before you ask for a replacement it is important to log all your problems, I was always polite and explaining to them all my problem in the past month.
Then if they agree to a replacement, ask to speek with a product specialist and ask for a replacement. Just explain your situation and how you are not happy.

:/