My problem is that my custom built iMac 24" 2.8GHZ has been at the Apple store for TWO weeks now, after Tech support asked me to take it there. I rang up the store on Friday, since they promised me it would only be away one to two weeks but probably fixed quicker because it was a new machine. This is causing me all kind of problems since I work from home on the computer. However the guy I spoke to said the problem was at Apple because the technician couldn't carry out the screen replacement without Apple's authority. So I rang up Apple Customer Support to find out what was happening and hear their side. One of Apple's great assets is that they have all their cases logged. Anyway after about an hour and being directed over to tech support, they told me they had no record of my machine waiting for some service from them. They asked me to call the Apple store back to find out the service number. I did, it turned out the first guy I had talked to had just told me what he'd told me to get rid of me.
ANGRY I rang up customer support again, whom I must say on the whole have been very good and understanding. I told them the situation, said I wanted my complaint logged. They are already refunding me 400 Norwegian Kroner for my inconvenience, I told them I didn't want anything else, just my machine. Anyway they must have got in touch with the Apple store because about an hour later I recieved a SMS from the store telling me that they were waiting for a new screen from Apple, and couldn't do anything until then.
What have a learned from all this? Well in retrospect I SHOULD have returned the machine IMMEDIATELY I discovered the screen gradient, backlight bleeding, yellow grey tint etc. (I read a few posts on here about the screen taking some time to burn in. In my case that was complete BS, the screen issues just got WORSE).
Although many lucky people seem to be happy with their new 24" Al iMac screens, which is great. I have looked at a few screens in various stores, some seem fine, but there are problems with some of the others. Also reading the many posts on these forums about this issue, what worries me the most is that Apple STILL seem to be sending out DUFF screens. So I have also learned that I should NOT have purchased this new iMac, instead I should have waited for the next upgrade. Apple do seem to be doing everything they can to fix the bugs, ie the freeze issues etc. I am sure they are desperately working on a fix for these screen issues as well. But in my case as in others it is too late.
I would just like to point out that the amount of money one pays for a new iMac one should expect nothing but the best when it comes to screen quality. If people are finding better quality of lower priced screens from other manufacturers then quite honestly THIS IS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH APPLE.
So giving my situation some thought I feel that I have three options.
1. Wait for the store to fix the screen, hopefully then a technician will have tested it and it will be alright. But I don't know how long this will take.
2. Ring up Apple and demand a new machine.
3. Cut my losses, new programmeware XP, Parellels etc, third party RAM, new printer because old one would not work on Apple machine, and just ask Apple for my money back.
Not quite the Apple experience this switcher expected to experience.
Saying all that, the machine apart from the screen issues, is beautiful. Right now I'm really fumming.
