Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Still no word from Apple on the 'lines'/screen issue?
- Thread starter nph
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
FWIW, they did have a fix for the horizontal banding issue on the last rev of G4 PowerBooks. You sent it in and they replaced the screen with one that didn't have the issue. This was never officially publicized by Apple. Someone on the forum had it happen and then told others.
After going through 4 SSDs with lines, I just got a 999 apple refurb instead. It's nice to actually own a screen with no lines.
The willpower I am exercising at this moment to not immediately go and order a refurb rev A is beyond measure. No lines versus rev B... argh
The willpower I am exercising at this moment to not immediately go and order a refurb rev A is beyond measure. No lines versus rev B... argh
Here's how I made the decision. An SSD with lines was $2500, I'd be living with shoulda, coulda, woulda for a very long time. Then I considered a refurb $1600 24" iMac plus the refurb $999 MBA giving me best of both worlds.
When I had the SSDs for about 6 weeks, I tried to live with running every possible app and running tests (search for my threads to see results). Many here are happy with only 1.8 SSD but for my possible future needs I would need a little bit more horsepower.
In the end I ended up with a refurb mac pro for $2000 and the refurb MBA. Bit more than I wanted to spend but I think both will last me a very long time. Apple makes good machines, but their refurb machines are out of the ballpark.
I've got a Rev b with SSD with no lines. If it did have lines, presumably Apple will fix it.
After going through 4 SSDs with lines, I just got a 999 apple refurb instead. It's nice to actually own a screen with no lines.
So instead of very faint, barely noticeable lines you went for an overheating Air that constantly shuts down cores when playing YouTube videos or any Flash for that matter, not to mention it stutters on video.
I have a Rev A Air, as does my partner. Neither of them exhibit these symptoms. Why do you assume that all Rev As do? Is that based on what you see on these forums? Or are you just trying to be funny / clever?
Damo
It's yours that are the minority. It's not just these forums that talk about the core shutdowns, overheating, etc.. it's EVERYWHERE.
EVERYWHERE is it? Funny, I managed to get to work this morning without hearing about it on the news. I also read newspapers last week, didn't see it there. Come to think of it, I have never seen it anywhere, apart from these forums and a handful of internet sites.
Since you are so confident that my machines are the minority, I can only assume you have access to Apple's internal QA reports, sales figures, RMA numbers and repair sheets. No? So I guess it IS just a few websites then? Rock solid proof there!
Back to reality for a second then, shall we? A problem existed with some Rev A MBAs. It wasn't all of them, just like not all Rev Bs have the problem with lines on the screen and just like not all Santa Rosa MBPs have yellow screens.
Every machine will have issues, some that will affect a significant (but not majority) of users. When people have issues, they complain and seek out discussion forums like this. What people don't do is post on forums about their machines that work perfectly.
Damo
I apologize, my eyes don't think they are "very faint" "barely noticeable".
The rev A can easily be managed to take on YouTube/Flash. Are you asking for advice?
May I say that Apple sucks?
They have been dead silent even though consumers noticed the defect on day one. They keep saying "we never heard of this issue before" and "this is within specs" as if NOT tons of people returned tons of defective ones with lines and as if it is stated on the specs sheet that "there is a possible of having faint lines on the screen which is within specs and we won't consider it as a defect unless it is over %50 saturation" looooooool
BTW, why is this the ONLY screen that is having this issue out of the entire Mac/PC production line? Are these made exclusively to the MBA only?
Any company that takes ages to solve such an issue sucks big time and I would love to see a perfect screen anytime soon.
Don't hate me because I am asking for my mony's worth since a $300 netbook has a better screen (no lines issue) than $2500 MBA.
They have been dead silent even though consumers noticed the defect on day one. They keep saying "we never heard of this issue before" and "this is within specs" as if NOT tons of people returned tons of defective ones with lines and as if it is stated on the specs sheet that "there is a possible of having faint lines on the screen which is within specs and we won't consider it as a defect unless it is over %50 saturation" looooooool
BTW, why is this the ONLY screen that is having this issue out of the entire Mac/PC production line? Are these made exclusively to the MBA only?
Any company that takes ages to solve such an issue sucks big time and I would love to see a perfect screen anytime soon.
Don't hate me because I am asking for my mony's worth since a $300 netbook has a better screen (no lines issue) than $2500 MBA
.
T
The Toddfather
Guest
I had the Rev A with video problems, but I knew others who had no issues. I now have the Rev B with no lines, but I know others have that issue. If you're happy with what you have, ignore the haters, their goal is to make everyone else as miserable as they are.
T
The Toddfather
Guest
Can we just forget about this whole i have lines vs. i don't have lines war? The topic has been beat to death, spanked, and beat to death again.
There won't be word from Apple on the lines issue period. Unless this issue gets at least as big or close to the 8600 GT issue, you can forget it. Even with the 8600 issue on the MBP, Apple only relented and reluctantly acknowledged it publicly after it was clear that they couldn't do on denying it.
Factor in the fact that MBA owners are clearly a minority in the Apple universe and the odds are slim.
Like someone has said above, the best you can really hope for is for Apple to get you to send your MBA with lines to them for a screen replacement just like they did with the powerbook issue years ago.
peace
There won't be word from Apple on the lines issue period. Unless this issue gets at least as big or close to the 8600 GT issue, you can forget it. Even with the 8600 issue on the MBP, Apple only relented and reluctantly acknowledged it publicly after it was clear that they couldn't do on denying it.
Factor in the fact that MBA owners are clearly a minority in the Apple universe and the odds are slim.
Like someone has said above, the best you can really hope for is for Apple to get you to send your MBA with lines to them for a screen replacement just like they did with the powerbook issue years ago.
peace
There are many in the tech press that come to MR and other similar forums to find trends/ideas. Once the press gets a hold of it, and it disuades potential MBA buyers, apple will absolutely listen. Only time can tell if this is gets taken any further.
No, if Apple loses potential MBA buyers, sales will go down, and they will just cancel the MBA line. This is in addition to them losing money to people on this forum returning their MBA 4-5 times.
The lines issue is overblown. I have the horizontal lines but I can only see it at a very extreme angle (my chin on the trackpad with display tilted all the way back). If it weren't for this forum, I never would've noticed it. Hell, if I had a MB, I wouldn't be able to see anything at that angle, much less horizontal lines, because the screen is so bad.
Apple says it is "within spec" because it is. It's not a flaw and they will never fix it. All this whining does is scare potential buyers who don't know how irrelevant the problem is. "Horizontal lines across the entire screen!" sounds horrible until you actually see it in person. Then you realize it's no big deal and I'm someone who's incredibly OCD about my displays. I get every TV in my house calibrated every 12 months by an ISF certified technician at $400 each. I annoy my friends constantly when they come over to watch a movie and I break out the color meter to make sure it's perfect. I manually focus my 1080p projector every time so it's always razor sharp.
Yet I had no problems with my MBA. If Apple offered to fix it for $10, I would keep my money. That's how irrelevant it is to me. In fact, the screen is the only reason I bought a MBA instead of a MB. The MBA screen is the BEST among all 13" laptops (although I would've preferred a higher resolution. 1080x1200 on a 13" would be sick.)
If Apple drops the MBA line, I would be forced to go to the much heavier MBP and that would suck. Someone wrote in another thread "go to a light solid color desktop and tilt your head up and down until you see the lines". I say, you can either enjoy your beautiful screen with deep inky blacks and vibrant colors. Or you can spend every day changing to a light solid color desktop and tilting your head up and down until you see the lines. Which sounds more fun to you?
D
Cancel the MBA?? Ol' Stevo centered the Jan 08 MW with the MBA then again mentioned it in late 08 laptop line-up, again highlighting the unibody of the MBA.
Understand Apple marketing and you understand what they do/do not update. At this point it's a matter of PR, not Tech.
QUOTE BY DRJSWAY "Yet I had no problems with my MBA. If Apple offered to fix it for $10, I would keep my money."
that's nuts. if apple offered to fix it for $100, I would pay. sorry guys, but the LINES ARE THERE. I HAVE THE LINES AND FLICKERING.
I starting to get annoyed by people with perfect screen (Toddfather and Ironic) and stating that the lines are no issue. the only reason you are saying this is because you don't have the lines.
JUSTIT - I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION.
that's nuts. if apple offered to fix it for $100, I would pay. sorry guys, but the LINES ARE THERE. I HAVE THE LINES AND FLICKERING.
I starting to get annoyed by people with perfect screen (Toddfather and Ironic) and stating that the lines are no issue. the only reason you are saying this is because you don't have the lines.
JUSTIT - I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION.
Ironic got banned? I was wondering where he went. Thought he took a vacation or something when he didn't seem to post. Is there anywhere on this forum where we can see what got him banned? I thought he was mellowing out, honestly.