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New MacBook - Doubts about quality control?

cygni

cygni

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 1, 2005
126
0
I bought a MacBook one week ago and the keyboard is FUBAR.
There are so many issues -

1) The same day I bought it, I assumed I was having adjustment issues with the keyboard, as every few paragraphs I would misspell a word, badly. Come to find that even with slower typing and careful spelling there's still a hitch.

2) I set the computer to lock screen saver or sleep after a certain amount of time, and find that I cannot log in on occasion. There is no recognition of typing on the keyboard. I have to cloe (I pushed s) the lid for a minute or two before the keyboard works again.

3) In basic use of the machine - typing in Word, Text edit, Safari, Mail - the keyboard will stop working. Completely stop working to the point where I have to reboot.

Let's not even get into the odd click I hear (sounds like a watch's second hand).

What's going on with Apple's quality control? To my mind, Apple products used to be solid products. I had a Blueberry ibook that lasted yearssss without a serious problem. A (barely) two year old G4 iBook that died a week ago, and the MacBook cant make it a week??? :mad:

Yeah, it's going back today... and I am also shelving my faith in :apple:. :(
 
Oh.. do you mean like the first character of random words go missing? And it seems to happen after the mouse/trackpad and keyboard been idling for a while? Well if that's the case, don't worry.. your not alone! There are a few people over on apple's discussions who're have those problems too!!

Yeah, occasionally, the keyboard and trackpad becomes in responsive too? Yep!! People are complain with that problem too.. but it only occurs on some people's systems.. it's kinda odd. Mine used to do it but it's seems to have stopped and i can't tell you why...
 
Wow, thanks for the link!

It is usually the first character, but I type fast so it can happen anywhere.
Now when I ask for my money back or a replacement, there's proof that I'm not ***** up. :cool:
 
I called Apple to find out about the procedure for requesting a replacement or refund - was transferred to apple care, after explaining my issues, which was met with "uh huh", "oh", "uh huh", they suggested I take it into the store to be fixed. I asked if she had heard of the keyboard issue and received no answer. :mad: Then told her I am not having a new computer fixed after a week, that defeats the purpose of buying new stuff. She "uh huh'd", I said I want a refund and she said I just have to take it back to the store of purchase. That was simple.

(retyping the S twice...) So, I will go in for the refund and just have my iBook fixed, then either buy a used late model powerbook or wait for apple to clean up their product line. Also sending a letter to sjobs, this is ridiculous... but I'm happy to get my money back! :)
 
cygni said:
Yeah, I'm thinking about it. Downgrade. :(
Click to expand...

No, no... I had a MacBook for a year. I am sitting in a B&B right now, typing on my lovely 12" PB. The battery is better and it feels like God crafted it.

Depending on what you need it for (this is my 2nd computer), the 12" PowerBook has quality I haven't seen from Apple since 2005.
 
That really sucks man, I had slight keyboard issues for a while then it was fine and still is. My only problem is airport now, Little bugger keeps giving out on me.
 
cygni said:
Yeah, I'm thinking about it. Downgrade. :(
Click to expand...

Despite the chants of fanatics and fanboys, Apple quality control is awful these days. The worst part about it is how so many people are willing to overlook the neverending lists of defects in the Macbook/Pro lines, and simply ask for more whenever Apple loads up another shovelful. Combine that with an OS that clearly wasn't ready for prime-time (but which SR users are apparently incapable of downgrading from), and it's obvious to anyone with a sense of decency that Apple doesn't put nearly as much into designing competent products as they do into marketing them. It's a shame, but there it is.

I bought a Macbook myself, but only a refurbished model (ie, one that had actually been examined for defects before being boxed), and the only thing I'll run on it is Tiger. There's no way I'd buy a Rev A model of anything Apple these days; it just isn't worth it paying $2000 for a machine that breaks down more quickly than a $700 model that runs Windows. Maybe to some people it's worth it, but I don't have time for that kind of B.S. I need my gear to work out of the box without having to return it three or four times for DOAs or repairs or frozen keyboards or yellow screens or exploding batteries or flammable adapters or any of the other things Apple hasn't bothered to fix because they've been too engrossed in making smug commercials.

As I said yesterday, I wouldn't put any amount of money on the current crop of Macbooks and Pros still being usable in four years. They just aren't built as well as the old crop of laptops Apple used to sell--the iBooks and Powerbooks. Plenty of those are still in use today, and for good reason--they were built to last (despite exceptions, such as the notorious logic board failures on the iBooks and horrific screen defects on the 17" Powerbooks). The MB/Ps have had so many issues--so many of which *still* exist--that I doubt many people will be *able* to use these machines in a few years, nevermind want to. I dont know. We'll see.
 
Don't downgrade to a powerbook. Try emailing S. Jobs, and I'm sure apple will give you a new macbook or at least a refund. Despite some problems, Macbooks are much better then any pb.
 
koobcamuk said:
No, no... I had a MacBook for a year. I am sitting in a B&B right now, typing on my lovely 12" PB. The battery is better and it feels like God crafted it.

Depending on what you need it for (this is my 2nd computer), the 12" PowerBook has quality I haven't seen from Apple since 2005.
Click to expand...
I did't mean product downgrade. The powerbook is definitely superior.
I meant newness downgrade. Yes, I'm a brat. :)


koobcamuk said:
Out of four friends with MacBooks, three have this issue. I was lucky, but I still hated the damn cheap thing.
Click to expand...
The range on my mac book isn't even close to what I was getting on the iBook.
 
Thrawn said:
Don't downgrade to a powerbook. Try emailing S. Jobs, and I'm sure apple will give you a new macbook or at least a refund. Despite some problems, Macbooks are much better then any pb.
Click to expand...
It is only a week old, i'll have the refund anyway.
But yes, he will receive an email.
 
heatmiser said:
Despite the chants of fanatics and fanboys, Apple quality control is awful these days. The worst part about it is how so many people are willing to overlook the neverending lists of defects in the Macbook/Pro lines, and simply ask for more whenever Apple loads up another shovelful. Combine that with an OS that clearly wasn't ready for prime-time (but which SR users are apparently incapable of downgrading from), and it's obvious to anyone with a sense of decency that Apple doesn't put nearly as much into designing competent products as they do into marketing them. It's a shame, but there it is.

I bought a Macbook myself, but only a refurbished model (ie, one that had actually been examined for defects before being boxed), and the only thing I'll run on it is Tiger. There's no way I'd buy a Rev A model of anything Apple these days; it just isn't worth it paying $2000 for a machine that breaks down more quickly than a $700 model that runs Windows. Maybe to some people it's worth it, but I don't have time for that kind of B.S. I need my gear to work out of the box without having to return it three or four times for DOAs or repairs or frozen keyboards or yellow screens or exploding batteries or flammable adapters or any of the other things Apple hasn't bothered to fix because they've been too engrossed in making smug commercials.

As I said yesterday, I wouldn't put any amount of money on the current crop of Macbooks and Pros still being usable in four years. They just aren't built as well as the old crop of laptops Apple used to sell--the iBooks and Powerbooks. Plenty of those are still in use today, and for good reason--they were built to last (despite exceptions, such as the notorious logic board failures on the iBooks and horrific screen defects on the 17" Powerbooks). The MB/Ps have had so many issues--so many of which *still* exist--that I doubt many people will be *able* to use these machines in a few years, nevermind want to. I dont know. We'll see.
Click to expand...
:( I'm just disappointed with the direction they seem to be taking.
Agreed, Leopard does not seem complete. TO compare it to an essay, it is definitely in the mid draft stage.
 
heatmiser said:
Despite the chants of fanatics and fanboys, Apple quality control is awful these days....
Click to expand...

Yep, I agree!!

When I purchased my system, I think i swap the damn thing about ten times before i found one i'm happy with, problems ranged from dull patches on the TFT, wonky keyboard layouts to huges gaps in the casing and on one occasion a completely dead machine!!

WTF is happening to Apple, has the CEO's and Managers become obsessive with profits more than quality??
 
UltraNEO* said:
Yep, I agree!!

When I purchased my system, I think i swap the damn thing about ten times before i found one i'm happy with, problems ranged from dull patches on the TFT, wonky keyboard layouts to huges gaps in the casing and on one occasion a completely dead machine!!

WTF is happening to Apple, has the CEO's and Managers become obsessive with profits more than quality??
Click to expand...

x2 had I known all the problems that I would have with my macbook I sure wouldn't have bought it.
 
Viper2005 said:
Well, the keyboard issue was fixed via an update from Apple today!
:) :) :)

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/402438/
Click to expand...

Yeah, when I took it back the counter person said "we have a lot of people complain about that", she took the computer away to verify it was working and returned with it upgraded and said "see, and we tested, it works perfectly now!". I told her it was too bad they didn't initially sell it working perfectly, and I wasn't going to miss out on a refund of a new computer to have something else go wrong after 14 days... like the clicking.

I'll see what happens at MacWorld; if it looks like Leopard has been finished or there's an improvement in software and hardware, i'll buy again. I miss the screen, keyboard, and overall feel of the MacBook. See how they :)apple:) get you! :D
 
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