Macbook problem

bumblebeeman

Hi

I got a macbook just under a month ago and everything was going hunky dory until last night when i discovered a small section of the bezel on the bottom case was warping , which i could only speculate is heat related. Although only a cosmetic defect at this point, I paid 1250 for this laptop and it's not acceptable for a laptop to be damaging itself from a fairly basic but fundamentald design oversight. I went into 3g today where i bought it , and they said they would take it back if i rang up apple and got a case id or something. does anyone have any advice about how to proceed here?

ZENER

Sounds like good advice from 3G to be honest. Does the notebook feel unreasonably hot to touch ? Doesn't really matter either way, if it's faulty send it back. If it's within the 30 days don't you have a right to a replacement ? Not sure on this but needless to say someone here can advise better on that - although this is strictly speaking a Dell forum (Jus' kiddin Tom)

ZEN

bumblebeeman

Hehe yeah. i guess im afraid theyl laugh me out of the shop, but im doin this more out of a matter of principal than anything really. it doesnt feel particularly hot, and the warped area is tiny, the front left hand corner. but a fault is a fault

Hugh_C

bumblebeeman wrote:

Hehe yeah. i guess im afraid theyl laugh me out of the shop, but im doin this more out of a matter of principal than anything really. it doesnt feel particularly hot, and the warped area is tiny, the front left hand corner. but a fault is a fault

I've read about this happening before, you're due a replacement.

Phone Apple and get them to talk you through the procedure of getting a replacement. They'll probably give you an RMA number and 3G should take it form there. You should burn DVDs of any data you might already have on it and erase the stuff you don' t want. No harm in erasing free space (which you can do from Disk Utility) if you're worried about security.

hc

440Hz

The machine is under warranty and it is down to Apple to solve this. 3G as a reseller can only go through Apple, so you are better off cutting out the middle man with problems like this which are covered under warranty.

Ring Apple with the serial number of the machine to hand and you will get a customer number and a ticket number for the issue. They will advise you of your choices from there.

All the best with it!!

bumblebeeman

Yeah will do thanks a million, most of the data i have on my external HD anyway! I presume 3G do an immediate exchange as I got this laptop as a present and Ill need it for my masters which im starting in three weeks. 3G said if i present an RMA number or case ID or somthing they will exchange it for me there and then!

Please see attached photos

its just annoying.. its kind of put a dampener on the whole experience, and annoyed me because dell who own a massive piece of the pc pie can churn out a massive and diverse range of inexpensive laptops with relatively few RMA's whereas apple who have 5% of the market and a smaller product range have an entire wiki (appledefects.com) dedicated to the individual problems that affect their machines. One other thing is that the laptop operates at 55-60 degrees C all the time! is that normal?? seems very hot to me.

I dont know if I want another Mac now...

440Hz

Unfortunately dud units come in all shapes, sizes and makes, thats just the nature of the game Im afraid. I wouldn't be put off yet, wait and see how you feel about how Apple handle the problem. They could be great or they might not, hard to tell, I would imagine with such a new machine that the response will be swift. I would certainly prefer to be dealing with Apple aftersales than Dells.

All brands experience hardware problems to some extent. Apple are no exception.

ZENER

What's the picture ? I can't see anything that could be considered as damage in it.

It's a sad event when someone is dissatisfied with a purchase but that's where consumer rights come into play. Apple aren't immune from problems but if you search enough you will find every technology manufacturer has problems.

The problem with Apple is that many of their devices are new both in design and technology and are therefore prone to whatever defects befall these. Dell tend to stick to tried and tested designs and materials with little risk of problems but believe me if you search enough you will find that they're not perfect either.

Your notebook is under warranty - use that warranty and get a device you enjoy using and remember that Dell is where those who don't know better go for products that are made for the masses and not the individual.

ZEN

bumblebeeman

I realise no manufacturer produces a perfect product every time, it's just that heat is not a consequence unique to the new materials or designs you mentioned - it is and always has been a by-product of the use of any form of electrical apparatus and surely a fundamental oversight on Apple's part if so many of their computers are falling victim to heat-related malfunctions whether they are cosmetic or electronic. A swelling battery is not to be trivialised - with the recent recalls that took place by Dell and Apple and the abundance of videos on youtube illustrating how dangerous faulty batteries are, im not happy to use a product which keeps my left hand over one for several hours a day :-)

I attached another photo - my camera is crap at close up photos so it may be hard to see

ZENER

I'm sorry you've this problem but in defense of Apple: Intel CPUs do get a lot hotter than the Motorola G4 used to.

I had an iBook which worked beautifully for the 2 years I had it. I now have a 17" Powerbook G4 which is also beyond reproach and has been wonderful to use with no heat issues.

On the other hand I have a MBP 1.83GHz which gets too hot to handle after a while and needs to be taken off my lap, but I knew this before I bought it and as a result I don't use it on my lap but on a table/desktop instead with a Mighty Mouse.

Avail of the warranty and replace your defected unit - let us know on the Mac forum how it goes for you.

ZEN

bumblebeeman

Yeah i will thanks!

ZENER

You're welcome !

ZEN

bumblebeeman

Oh and one other thing! i think it's a bit unfair of 3G to expect me to ring up apple and get them an RMA number! I bought the product from them, not Apple so surely the responsibility of solving their customer's problem lies with them!
thoughts?

ZENER

From what I understand Apple keep a very tight hold of it's franchises and are very particular about their actions. Getting the RMA from Apple isn't a big deal. The warranty on the notebook is with Apple and not 3G. Just like a new Nokia phone with O2 etc. Ultimately the manufacturer decides what's repairable and what isn't so calling Apple clears the way for 3G to replace the device. Don't worry about it, if it's faulty you're entitled to action.

The duty free stores in Dublin Airport didn't stock iPods because of Apples tight hold on the selling price, ultimately though they had to stock them regardless as customers were able to buy accessories for iPods but not the devices themselves - a silly situation IMO. This is an example of the power Apple has over it's resellers.

ZEN

bumblebeeman

Right, well I talked to them in 3G. They were out of stock unfortunately but a guy in the store near me ordered one in for me from another shop, presumably this means they are going to exchange it with the minimum of fuss! hopefully my last mac related trouble for a while!

Hugh_C

ZENER wrote:

On the other hand I have a MBP 1.83GHz which gets too hot to handle after a while and needs to be taken off my lap

That's why Apple calls 'em notebooks as distinct from laptops.

bumblebeeman

Or ballburners. that would work too

440Hz

hehe!! Ah well, at least it looks like a positive result! Another score for the bright-side eh