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Once upon a time in Apple land. A MacBook Pro tragedy. (you can laugh at/with me)
- Thread starter kntgsp
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tfaz1 said:
First of all it is his fault for not doing any research on a big ticket item. It is not like whine threads popped up on the internet two seconds after he bought the thing.
Please remind me what didn't work out of the box. Be specific, what did not work? Screen, HD, RAM, CPU, AirPort, BlueTooth, OS X, any of the included software?
tfaz1 said:
Well, in fairness to Apple, they did give me a full refund as well, even though I had the iMac way past the return period and it was a custom order. Oh, and I didn't even have the wireless keyboard and mouse anymore that came with it. So they were overly generous in the end, it just took a heckuva time to get them even to admit there was a problem.
Ummm, why didn't you just mail it in and let them fix it? I understand the frustration behind getting a new laptop that has a problem, but it happens. NO product has a 0% failure rate. And your laptop was not DOA, it had a little bit of a whine. Apple was trying to work with you, and you acted like a dick to them. No wonder you got the runaround. Sorry, no sympathy here.
pooky said:
Because it was a 1-2 day old laptop. On the C.S. side no laptop should have a problem like that on day one. Apple support is a joke compared to I know dell and gateway (or at least when I delt with gateway a while go.) With dell the tower had a problem called them up and they where helpful. Friends dells laptop have a few problems they called them up and the next day (which was a saturday) Dell sent out a repair guy to the dorms to replace the mobo and fix things wrong with it free of charge.
Gateway my parent computer gateway always been helpful on that. Even though we have added parts our selves during the warrenty they still replaced mobo and harddrive when they failed at the same time (I think the mobo failure killed the hard drive). Gateway was helpful in replacing the mobo in my laptop when it failed a year after the warrenty had gone out. Yeah I had to pay for it but it still was close to cost and very reasonable ($145 for the mobo being replaced by them) and that one was this summer
I would love to see apple do that for one of there laptop. The mobo has a failure at around 4 years and they being willing to fix it under $150. Apple support is pretty poor compared to the others.
I really have not had a problem that I had to have Apple fix, and I have been using them since last January of 2005. I did feel bad when I bought my first Mac (a mini) and it had the washed-out gray screen display on my vga monitor; I ended up getting another monitor, but Apple really should have fixed this very well known mini problem (as far as I know they never admitted the problem and never fixed it). These stories really do concern me about Apple, and make me really wonder what I will do if I ever really need service. People bash Dell all day long, but the one thing they have going for them is service, and a no questions asked return policy. They are very good at customer service, and very willing to make things right or to take it back, whatever makes the customer happy. Sounds like Apple is a far cry from that level of customer service!
That is a good point. The whining is from hardware, but it obviously influenced by the software (hence it no being there when running Windows or certain apps). The audio click thing, however, is what I'm more interested in. It would probably be fixed by replacing the logic board, which (depending on if Apple has changed anything) might also take care of the whining. Well, the whining from the computer anyway.treblah said:Please remind me what didn't work out of the box. Be specific, what did not work? Screen, HD, RAM, CPU, AirPort, BlueTooth, OS X, any of the included software?
livingfortoday said:
os x is the only thing that has kept me with apple...their hardware has often been lame of late and no different than dell except for better industrial design
who cares how beautiful a machine is if it is faulty? but mostly buying any rev 1 computer, apple inc included, does pose risks...i am sure their next rev of the macbook pro will solve these issues, but applecare will probably remain hit and miss for the forseeable future
if sony or toshiba ran os x, i would go with them in a heartbeat, but since they run windows, they won't get my business
pooky said:
you are right and wrong
yes, no product has a 0% percent failure rate
but you simply didn't read the first and second posts...shame on you...please re-read them...apple gave the runaround from the beginning
he he...i will admit that those first two posts were very long, and perhaps the longest i have seen here, except for my early posts on macrumors in 2001
A little harsh there.vgoklani said:
Steve doesn't control what MacBook pro you get.
Apple wouldn't be Apple without Steve.
treblah said:First of all it is his fault for not doing any research on a big ticket item. It is not like whine threads popped up on the internet two seconds after he bought the thing.
Please remind me what didn't work out of the box. Be specific, what did not work? Screen, HD, RAM, CPU, AirPort, BlueTooth, OS X, any of the included software?
Don't be asinine just for arguments sake. You're telling me that it's normal or acceptable for a computer to make high pitched noises and clicking sounds?
And, yeah. Next time a PC friend of mine asks if he should buy a Mac, I'll tell him, "Sure... only, make sure to research which model you want thoroughly. Because some Macs don't work properly out of the box. Sometimes they make weird noises or the wireless cards don't work. I mean, the Mac is great and all, but you need to do your research or else you might buy a $3000 computer that's defective. Know what I mean??"
To which my friend will reply, "Dude... I'm just going to get another Dell."
Great way to get more switchers on Macs.
tfaz1 said:Don't be asinine just for arguments sake. You're telling me that it's normal or acceptable for a computer to make high pitched noises and clicking sounds?
And, yeah. Next time a PC friend of mine asks if he should buy a Mac, I'll tell him, "Sure... only, make sure to research which model you want thoroughly. Because some Macs don't work properly out of the box. Sometimes they make weird noises or the wireless cards don't work. I mean, the Mac is great and all, but you need to do your research or else you might buy a $3000 computer that's defective. Know what I mean??"
To which my friend will reply, "Dude... I'm just going to get another Dell."
Great way to get more switchers on Macs.
this is why i hope apple gets their revision 2 versions out in the market without any major problems...they have been good in the past about fixing known issues in rev 1 hardware and software
some people cried foul when apple decided to go intel...and unless apple fixes the now well known issues with intel macs, those anti-intel mac users who have or worship powerpc macs will have a lot of ammo for their arguments
if someone were to ask me now about a current ibook vs. a macbook pro, i would still steer the person to the ibook
same goes with someone asking about a power mac G5 vs. a 20" inch intel imac (which i own) where i would still tell new switchers to stay with the powerpc macs...at least for now until late in this year...after that, intel macs will probably be free of major issues and if all goes well, they will kick the butt of core duo pc desktops and laptops
the switch to intel was a huge project, so major problems with first revision models is a given
and there are people out there who have the same issues with intel macs and only consider them, and bad apple support, as minor annoyances
overall, apple inc has gone downhill on hardware and technical support (at least from the days when i supported the platform as a mac and pc tech from 2000) and the cheap and reliable pc market has probably been a major contributor to this
a great computer company would combine the great design of apple's os x, the rugged hardware of toshiba, the industrial and innovative style of sony, the deep pockets of microsoft, and the quick and reliable support of dell...but alas, no company has all that
Wow, that was dramatic.
I went through much worse with my 15-inch PowerBook. Here's a hint, posting lengthy diatribes is far less effective than actually listening to AppleCare, waiting until Monday and getting your "$3000 USD" back.
I went through much worse with my 15-inch PowerBook. Here's a hint, posting lengthy diatribes is far less effective than actually listening to AppleCare, waiting until Monday and getting your "$3000 USD" back.
tfaz1 said:Don't be asinine just for arguments sake. You're telling me that it's normal or acceptable for a computer to make high pitched noises and clicking sounds?
And, yeah. Next time a PC friend of mine asks if he should buy a Mac, I'll tell him, "Sure... only, make sure to research which model you want thoroughly. Because some Macs don't work properly out of the box. Sometimes they make weird noises or the wireless cards don't work. I mean, the Mac is great and all, but you need to do your research or else you might buy a $3000 computer that's defective. Know what I mean??"
To which my friend will reply, "Dude... I'm just going to get another Dell."
Great way to get more switchers on Macs.
That's exactly my point. The only press I had seen on the MacBook Pro was on the Apple website and a video CNET review. Everyone was giving it glowing recommendations. Of course the first thing that comes to mind isn't "man I better check the forums for all the problems this thing has". It's not like I sit in my apartment all day on the computer reading forums and RSS feeds to hear the latest gossip on Apple products. I'm a casual user. iTunes, Web, Chat, and some Photoshop for my digicam projects. And yes, with AppleCare, the total is $3000.
To those of you that tell me to mail it in and get it fixed, just listen to yourselves. That's asinine.
Wow hey, I just bought my brand new laptop with my hard earned money. Oh, look at that, it has problems out of the box. I''ll take it in to get looked at. What's that you say mr. superguru appleman? I have to mail it across the country and get it fixed because it's broken on the FIRST DAY I OWN THE F***ING THING? Yea, I don't think so, I want a refund. I'll be sticking with a G4 product, because at least I know they don't have problems.
And don't give me this Rev A bull***t. I've owned two Rev A products, the iMac G5, and the first rev of the 12" PBG4. A constant whining noise that I can hear even with headphones on, and constant clicking noises with audio despite firmware/software/os updates/reinstalls, clearly means it's not the headphones. I never had any problems with Rev A products.
Why would I now suddenly be inclined to scour the internet looking for negative feedback on this thing?
I never raised my voice with any of their "guru's" or "tech support", and I use those terms loosely. I just simply chose to ignore bull***t. It was just a constant: "my laptop is making noises and clicks constantly". "No it's not." "Yes, yes it is". "No it's not, we don't hear it."
It's like dealing with 3 year olds.
I know the internet/forum percentages are over represented, but if you have 10 or 20 percent (realistically) of your product with clear cut defects, YOU SHOULDN'T ship the goddamn product. It just doesn't make sense. Fix the problem, which mostly being the whine involves either fixing your software/firmware or whatever, before you ship the product. (I think i also just had a bad logic board with the audio)
It DOES NOT make any sense whatsoever to justify spending that much money on something, and then having to wait until a fix arrives. It is NOT WORKING AS INTENDED. I'll be taking my money to the Apple Store downtown and getting a G4ibook or pb, since at least they don't have this kind of crap. And yea, I had a logic board go out on my PB once, but it was after I had it for 4 months, and it was under the AppleCare warranty, so of course I had no problems mailing it in to get fixed.
If i get something like that out of the box, you sure as hell bet I'm going to return it.
dferrara said:
Uhh why would I expect posting a story to have any impact whatsoever on my situation? I was just posting it to amuse people with a story about annoying runarounds with support morons. If you don't find it amusing, I could care less. That's proooobably why i said 'you can laugh with/at me' in the headline. It's just meant to let people who have the same situation with the noise garbage laugh at a situation. That's all.
Believe it or not, people can write/tell stories without having to make a political statement/world altering point. I was never the creaky wheel and never barked at them. I just said I refuse to leave until I get my money back. That is not unreasonable in the least. I gave you $3000, you gave me a defective product. Return my money. End of story.
The true drama queens are the ones who try to start some debate with this. It's just a funny story people, jesus. That's all. If you prefer to bury your head in the sand so you don't hear the problems with your macbookpro, or are lucky enough not to have any, then move along.
Very funny story. People are reading into this way to much, and defending Apple when they are the ones in the wrong. I agree, if a product that is that expensive is defective straight out of the box, this the purchaser should have the option of a full refund, a repair, or an entirely new product. It is the responsibility of the company, if their product is broken because of their error, to make it all better for the person shelling out $3000 for a computer!
Good luck, and I can't wait to hear the next instalment!
Good luck, and I can't wait to hear the next instalment!
tfaz1 said:Don't be asinine just for arguments sake. You're telling me that it's normal or acceptable for a computer to make high pitched noises and clicking sounds?
And, yeah. Next time a PC friend of mine asks if he should buy a Mac, I'll tell him, "Sure... only, make sure to research which model you want thoroughly. Because some Macs don't work properly out of the box. Sometimes they make weird noises or the wireless cards don't work. I mean, the Mac is great and all, but you need to do your research or else you might buy a $3000 computer that's defective. Know what I mean??"
To which my friend will reply, "Dude... I'm just going to get another Dell."
Great way to get more switchers on Macs.
Agreed 1000%...'nough said.
To the OP, I completely understand how you feel. I don't care how much of an apple fanboy I am, I do not tolerate terrible customer service. Period. Luckily I have not encountered a similar problem with them yet. I hope everything works out for you. Good luck.
Good luck with your MBP hopefully you get a refund soon, I'm sending mine in for repair as soon as the box arrives to fix similar problems which have occured pretty much from day one.
Someone said being an ass to the support teams isn't effective - being nice doesn't work that well either as they will walk over you if you let them.
The only plus side to the whining/squealing noise is in my case, is the fact it's already put several people I know off buying an Apple computer. The longer it takes to sort out the problem the more people hear it, ask what the noise is and listen to my complaints.
Someone said being an ass to the support teams isn't effective - being nice doesn't work that well either as they will walk over you if you let them.
The only plus side to the whining/squealing noise is in my case, is the fact it's already put several people I know off buying an Apple computer. The longer it takes to sort out the problem the more people hear it, ask what the noise is and listen to my complaints.
kntgsp said:
I came off rather harsh, sorry about that. I think you have every right to demand a refund, there's just no excuse for that kind of service. Give 'em hell.
There's a lot of disgruntled buyers who post about how horrible Apple is, and why they will never buy a Mac again, etc. My bad.
I actually bought a 12-inch PowerBook G4 because I don't want to deal with all this crap.
Tell us what happens.
Yes normally I would say Rev A is not the big deal everyone makes it out to be and recommend buying, however in this case is different. The issues with the MBP are ridiculous IMHO. I have tested that machine in different stores now and while it's design and speed are a marvel and can woo anyone even me at those moments, the reality then set in and clearly there were unacceptable issues. For me the heat was just an unbearable problem that I would not be comfortable with at all. Many have chosen to ignore those problems and then later on decide to send it in or even live with it. I read this quote many times "I love my MBP, it's an amazing fast portable laptop and those are just minor problems I can live with".
Well to me I don't really understand that as they are not minor. Whining noise is annoying and should not be there on a Core Duo chip that has been advertised as low power low consumption, along with the heat. To me this product clearly was not ready and rushed out the door. I know the laptops were in desperate need of an overhaul, but hey another 4-6 months would most likely lessened these issues. That's what we were told anyway. Intel arrives in Mid 06, but we got it early. There is also the factor of Merom just being around the corner. Well that means this current chip will have lifetime of only a year the most. To me that sounds like a stop gap chip and means a possible guinea pig product. The airport issues are also problems in the other Intel lines, however if I really needed an Intel system now I would go for a mac mini or 17 in iMac to hold me over till Merom and Conroe which is really what Intel is going to be using for a longer period of time.
Edit: By the way, get your $$ back on Monday, always purchase from Apple and get a PPC or cheap Intel to hold you over.
Well to me I don't really understand that as they are not minor. Whining noise is annoying and should not be there on a Core Duo chip that has been advertised as low power low consumption, along with the heat. To me this product clearly was not ready and rushed out the door. I know the laptops were in desperate need of an overhaul, but hey another 4-6 months would most likely lessened these issues. That's what we were told anyway. Intel arrives in Mid 06, but we got it early. There is also the factor of Merom just being around the corner. Well that means this current chip will have lifetime of only a year the most. To me that sounds like a stop gap chip and means a possible guinea pig product. The airport issues are also problems in the other Intel lines, however if I really needed an Intel system now I would go for a mac mini or 17 in iMac to hold me over till Merom and Conroe which is really what Intel is going to be using for a longer period of time.
Edit: By the way, get your $$ back on Monday, always purchase from Apple and get a PPC or cheap Intel to hold you over.
I can't believe I read all of that.
I am sorry but you should have returned it when the store manager agreed to take the "$300-400" hit. There is no way that was going to happen. The store would have eaten that. He basically guilt-tripped you into dealing with Apple.
Same on you for not understanding the return policy before buying.
Same on the store for not having a better return policy.
I am sorry but you should have returned it when the store manager agreed to take the "$300-400" hit. There is no way that was going to happen. The store would have eaten that. He basically guilt-tripped you into dealing with Apple.
Same on you for not understanding the return policy before buying.
Same on the store for not having a better return policy.
kntgsp said:
*learns new word*
*prefers ignorance*
I think there are some good points enmeshed in the flagrant drama, FWIW.
While I think you were an ass if you really talked to the folks like that, I can understand your frusration.
Lucky you. When I ordered my first Powerbook at Apple, it took them one month to deliver me a DOA notebook. It took them another 16 days to ship the replacement. And no, this wasn't a "just released" powerbook, and it was not BTO.sk1985 said:
I got my second Powerbook in a store, they even allowed me to unpack it and check if it has dead pixels (the replacement for my first PB actually had one, but you have to have at least 5 before Apple sends you a new one).
As for the story of the whining notebook: Don't be a whiner. I think the store manager was quite nice to you, he even offered you to check a dozen MBPs and take the one that you like ;-)