And They Don’t Stop…
No I’m not quoting a rap song today, I’m talking about my MacBook problems. I got my MacBook back two weeks ago after Apple held it captive repaired it for random shutdown syndrome. That was an adventure in itself, leaving me without the MacBook for almost a month.
Unfortunately my MacBook now suffers from a different ailment. This time, the LCD backlight flickers and varies the brightness level all on its own. It usually doesn’t occur from a cold boot but give it 10 minutes or so and it will start flickering. I’m not the only one with this backlight problem. There is a lengthy thread on the Apple discussion forums about it as well as a YouTube video demonstrating the issue.
When I had given Apple my MacBook they also changed the top housing as it was plagued from yellow discoloration. It appears they were working hastily when reassembling the MacBook because it feels rather ill-fitting. Some screws are overtightened causing the plastic to flex while others don’t seem to be doing their job, allowing the housing to move irregularly.
It’s all falling to pieces… I once used to love this thing. Apple what’s going on? How many problems do I need to have before my MacBook gets replaced? Maybe I should consider jumping in on this class action lawsuit.
It amazes me, the ambivalence that people show in the face of endemic and repeated quality control issues from Apple.
They never cease to find excuses for the company:
“It’s a first-gen thing!”
“Apple Service is good!”
“But it’s better than a Dell!”
I also had many of the same problems with my Macbook. When I first got it I was so extremely happy with the computer and with OS X (it was my first Mac) then it started shutting down randomly, the keyboard would stop working sometimes, it wouldn’t sleep when I closed the lid, it’d wake up by itself and I realised something I hadn’t thought about before - reliability is the most important thing in a computer.
While OS X was brilliant and, while it was working, the hardware was great, what good is it if I can’t rely on it to not shut down in the middle of something important?
It’s been back to the shop twice and each time it took them less than 48 hours to fix. Since getting it back the second time it’s run like a dream (touch wood). I hope I don’t pick up these screen problems.
Perhaps you should try the “open letter to Steve Jobs” approach. It worked for that developer guy before DevCon. It’s unfortunate that you are having this issue- did you purchase the service plan? If so, I think I would complain until I got a new MacBook. :)
Good luck Paul.
I agree with Mike. At this point, you deserve a new MacBook, Paul. You need to get pushy with the Geniuses at the Apple Store. I have a friend who argued himself into a replacement after one failed repair. I think it comes down to how much of an annoyance you become.
i have a friend who was having problems with her macbook and they finally replaced it, I think they said it had to be four repairs before they give you a new one - I don’t know if that’s always true but that seems like a bit much.
In California at least, replacement is required after a “reasonable” number of repairs, which usually means on the need for a fourth repair Apple will replace it. I am at the point where I can have mine replaced if I end up with a new problem.
Right now I’m settling for having an Apple Store replace my top casing that Flextronics (the company subcontracted for MacBook repairs) damaged after they replaced it the first time.
I hope it continues to work, but a replacement at this point would be nice, just so I know none of the issues are caused by the AppleCare service’s hasty work.
i think i’m going to wait a little bit longer before buying mine
My macbook’s been ok, actually. Well, the battery died die (and I had to call in for a replacement, which was prompty shipped!), and I do have a very, very, minute amount of staining on the palm rests, but besides that I’m still loving mine!
I’ve still got a g3 pismo powerbook. The battery is a brand new one, the processor has been upgraded to a g4, the DVD drive is dead, and there is a random crackling from the left hand speaker sometimes. oh and the power supply I just replaced.
other than that, it’s been great. It’s been 6 years of international travel and other abuse, and it’s still working well.
Apple isn’t _all_ bad… :)
When we bought our G5, the RAM memory did not work as it should. the RAM should be done in pairs, one of two was not working.
The G5 makes a humming noise, when you load a program it starts screeching.
The Store should demonstrate what has been fixed but they just dont care.
I really can’t understand how come Apple wasn’t sued yet. This is the most absurd thing ever. It’s a known fact this MacBooks are filled with problem, and yet, they are still being sold to people unaware of this every day.
Apple should have stopped selling this notebooks long ago. I am a Mac user and I love it, but it’s just stupid to keep creating excuses in Apple’s defense.
I would go ahead with the lawsuit Paul, I was just lucky to wait a little before buying one of the MacBooks.
This line of macbooks is absolutely wretched. I had mine in for random shutdowns and i was without it for a week. I got that back and a couple days later my computer stopped charging or recognizing my battery (it was a motherboard issue). I got that back a week ago or so and since then the fan runs nonstop at a really high speed which is LOUD and makes it useless in any quiet setting like, say, a library or a classroom… which is where I mostly use my computer. Gah!
Maybe I’ll convert my desktop OS to linux … buy a thinkpad or something. I’m quite fed up with this. Maybe I can run a mac mini at home and a thinkpad on the go… I dont know.
I hope to God that this doesn’t happen to my MacBook Pro.
Wow people, I keep saying, I don’t have problems like these with my Dell, and I’m sure if you went to a Thinkpad, you would never have these problems. Just sayin’.
I got a black MacBook last week, and the backlight problems appeared a couple of days after I started using it. It’s going to the local service agent on Monday, and hopefully it’ll be fixed, and I’ll have no further trouble.