The REAL reason behind iPOD mini delays: FATAL DESIGN FLAW!

[Les Kern]

.....Could this be the REAL reason behind unexpected delays and dry spells of iPOD minis?

No. The REAL reason is that everybody wants one yesterday. Even Saddam Hussein requested one. So did the Pope. So did Andy Warhol, and he's dead. So did my mom, and daughter, and Alan Colmes (so he can tune out that idiot Hannity), and Donald Trump, and Paris Hilton (she thought it was a video viewer!), and Butros-Butros Gali, and Clay Aiken, and......
Oh, and opening it yourself and voiding the warranty was, well, stupid. Could have had a free one. Sheesh.

 

[loladze]

Could you perhaps link to a place that speaks of the many other users, or a link where these other users speak? If so, then you most likely have a legit point. Either that, or their are a bunch of people all plotting to turn people against Apple.

http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27246&static

http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25901&static

 

[AdamR01]

The degree of defensiveness (aka pro-Apple vs. being objective) to which people are willing to exercise just to defend an Apple product proves that Apple is more than just a company....it's a cult. Ever disagreed with anything a Scientologist says? Check their forums. The tones employed are reminiscent of the ones here.

I concurr.

 

[Sedulous]

Are all the iPods designed this same way (direct solder)? I have the first generation iPod and have been ruthlessly abusive to it. While it is very scratched, the jack is cracked, and the battery lasts only about 4-5 hrs, the actual performance has never disappointed. In fact, I recently purchased a set of Apple in-earphones... iPod has never sounded better.

 

[Krizoitz]

The degree of defensiveness (aka pro-Apple vs. being objective) to which people are willing to exercise just to defend an Apple product proves that Apple is more than just a company....it's a cult. Ever disagreed with anything a Scientologist says? Check their forums. The tones employed are reminiscent of the ones here.

I concurr.

What you have to understand is that when dealing with the internet message boards you are also dealing with a skewed group from which to draw conclusions. Alot of the people are on this site specifically because of their strong interest in Apple. To conclude then that the views here are representative of a larger group is faulty data gathering.

If you go to a website dedicated to any product or group, you will find similar and more extreme examples of this type of behavior. When someone comes in and then criticizes that groups choosen interest in such a combative way they are just ASKING for this kind of response.

 

[173080]

So they're holding off the iPod mini's to fix them?

I placed my order for a Silver iPod mini on March 27th. The estimated ship date is April 26th. Maybe they're fixing all the mini's before they are shipped?

 

[jxyama]

What you have to understand is that when dealing with the internet message boards you are also dealing with a skewed group from which to draw conclusions. Alot of the people are on this site specifically because of their strong interest in Apple. To conclude then that the views here are representative of a larger group is faulty data gathering.

If you go to a website dedicated to any product or group, you will find similar and more extreme examples of this type of behavior. When someone comes in and then criticizes that groups choosen interest in such a combative way they are just ASKING for this kind of response.

while i agree with your observation, i think there's a limit to "manic" behavior you are describing. while the orig. post was a bit abrasive, perhaps, some replies didn't even give it a chance - they just grabbed at it as nothing but FUD, when in fact, upon careful reading, there were some potentially useful information.

it's one thing to reply "i don't think what you describe is the cause of iPod mini delay, because i don't think you've done enough research to back up your claim." (and some did reply like that) it's quite another to reply "you are stupid and don't know what you are talking about. how dare you even say iPod Mini has a design flaw?" (and there were some did reply like that too)

i'm sure arn would be utterly dissappointed to find his forum filled with manic members with no open ears to any kind of logic.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

The degree of defensiveness (aka pro-Apple vs. being objective) to which people are willing to exercise just to defend an Apple product proves that Apple is more than just a company....it's a cult. Ever disagreed with anything a Scientologist says? Check their forums. The tones employed are reminiscent of the ones here.

You pretty much said it, Apple never does wrong or at least they would like you to THINK that. we have allready heard of many with the same problem even on the original pod. so rather then use open minds and evaluate the problem the MacZealots go on the offensive. Perhaps this is why it took Apple a year and a half before admitting ibook had a problem. Another year before cleaning up the iPod battery mess. They live in a constant state of denial as do the wonderful engineers at Apple.

 

[Giaguara]

Guided by the detailed “iPOD mini Autopsy” posted on iPODLounge.com, I carefully disassembled by iPOD. Then I started to play the iPOD and disconnected the wheel, then the hard drive, but my iPOD was still playing (out of 25 min flash memory) and still cursing.
Eventually, I narrowed the problem to a small little part that contains the headphone jack and the hold switch. [..]

Congratulations on voiding your warranty.

 

[hob]

You pretty much said it, Apple never does wrong or at least they would like you to THINK that. we have allready heard of many with the same problem even on the original pod. so rather then use open minds and evaluate the problem the MacZealots go on the offensive. Perhaps this is why it took Apple a year and a half before admitting ibook had a problem. Another year before cleaning up the iPod battery mess. They live in a constant state of denial as do the wonderful engineers at Apple.

My mum got in such a state about my iBook she spent an hour and a half on the phone to UK support (going from country to country, started in india -> canada -> ireland and finally.... NORWAY?!) and they eventually replaced it with a PowerBook... that's the kinda genorousity that you rarely hear about from any company - even Apple (Haaaaleeluuuja! (i can't spell, but you get the idea)).

Zealots are bad for everyone, and most people can see through them... Maybe Arn should divide the board - one side for those who are reasonable, the other for zealots...!

I very much doubt this 'design flaw' is the reason of the delay - that it is the hard drives - why on earth would Apple fix a flaw after only 2 months??

 

[Ajmbc]

Reading the initial post- I felt like someone was yelling in my left ear.
the problem is the use of capital letters.
Don't expect to be able to use this kind of posting method and not get flamed.

That aside, I think that he has a valid point- that there is a fatal design flaw in the iPod- and someone noted that the display model was the same.

I commend you on your bravery to take your iPod apart to discover the problem- because I wouldn't have .

-ajmbc

 

[williamhung]

Yah, I thought the delay was caused by a shortage of microdrives too. I ordered the mini march 15rd or something and was told by a j&r representative that it would be in by march 24th, only to be delayed again until april 15th. I doubt Apple would try to cover up such a serious hardware problem as Mr. Princeton described. I have an audible.com subscription, so I ordered the mini for $149. At least if it breaks down, I won't be too sad.

 

[janey]

Are all the iPods designed this same way (direct solder)? I have the first generation iPod and have been ruthlessly abusive to it. While it is very scratched, the jack is cracked, and the battery lasts only about 4-5 hrs, the actual performance has never disappointed. In fact, I recently purchased a set of Apple in-earphones... iPod has never sounded better.

well yeah, i would think so. there's really no other way i can think of to connect the jack to the board.
The wear/tear depends on how you treat it. My 2nd gen iPod had a cracked jack and using the remote and non-Apple headphones (like 3 different ones from Sony...), pulling them out sideways by pulling on the cable (read: incorrectly) and taking the iPod apart incorrectly the first time I did it all contributed to it eventually breaking off.
Hehe, i got the in ear headphones too, they're cool...except its a pain in the neck to listen to other people's iPods because the music is too loud...

 

[loladze]

Apple replaces my mini

Congratulations on voiding your warranty.

Oh, and opening it yourself and voiding the warranty was, well, stupid. Could have had a free one. Sheesh.

Several posts somewhat gloatingly noted how silly I was opening my iPod and presumably invalidating the warranty. I must disappoint those. Did they read Apple Warranty? It does not apply: a) " to damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, misapplication; b) to damage caused by service performed by anyone other than Apple c) to a product or a part that has been modified without the written permission of Apple."

I opened my iPod, but I did not cause any damage (iPod had been already damaged by its flawed design); I neither misused nor modified iPod. None of the above applies.
Moreover, I sent my reassembled iPod to Apple and also submitted a feedback to Apple engineers describing in detail what I have done and what I think should be done.
I got my new iPod yesterday.

More and more people report the same distorted sound problem on iPodlougne.com and other online forums. Disappointed mini users ask to post pictures of this infamous inflexible connection.
I did not have camera handy to take pictures the first time, but I might be tempted to disassemble my new iPod for pictures. Gloaters, rejoice and hope that I will damage my mini, thus invalidating warranty.

But is it not worth risking one iPod for the hope of saving the future ones?

Irakli Loladze

 

[Schmittroth]

I have an audible.com subscription, so I ordered the mini for $149. At least if it breaks down, I won't be too sad.

How does Audible get you a discount on the mini? I looked on their site and didn't see anything? Did I miss something. How do you like Audible? I've looked at it but the book prices are pretty high if you buy more than your initial subscription. I'd also like to see a multiple periodical subscription option.

 

[Sun Baked]

Agreed. Anyone got some of those dancing Bananas that are holding the signs???

Still hoping someone posts those Bananas....

Yes, but I've been using the more annoying dancing monkies lately.

Too many people are using the bananas.
Did you want...

or

 

[loladze]

Here are pictures of mini's guts with a story. Judge yourself whether this is the best possible design of mini:

http://www.math.unl.edu/~iloladze/iPod.htm

 

[AdamR01]

When someone comes in and then criticizes that groups choosen interest in such a combative way they are just ASKING for this kind of response.

He wasn't criticizing, he found something that seemed important and he wanted to share it.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

well, i have a 3G 15GB, and everything sounds fine with the ear buds, no static, except when i use the remote which i love. could this be the same problem?

 

[jxyama]

well, now /. got some coverage on this issue...

http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/04/04/11/1835219.shtml?tid=137&tid=141&tid=176&tid=188

just be aware, i guess...

 

[latergator116]

well, now /. got some coverage on this issue...

http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/04/04/11/1835219.shtml?tid=137&tid=141&tid=176&tid=188

just be aware, i guess...

Looks like apple fired their quality control team.

 

[Counterfit]

AFAIK all ipod headphone jacks are connected this way - not just the mini. In fact most headphone jacks in personal hifi equipment is directly soldered on the PCB.

But the mini is aluminum, (thinner than I thought, but still) and the back of the larger iPod is something stronger than aluminum (I forget what though, steel is it?). Aluminum is not very strong, especially when compared to a similar steel part with the same volume and shape. Its main benefits are very reduced weight and greater heat transferring, which is why it's in the new PowerBooks. I think the best way to solve this problem would be to make the skin of the mini stronger, if only in that one spot.

 

[flyfish29]

Quark- Best post I have seen written in weeks! Very well put. People do things for different reasons and we are not to judge their reasons, but take what we can from the information they share. Take it or leave it, either way we are a society of sharing/communicating.

I understand that 'loladze' is not disrespecting Apple or the iPod mini.

In reading the post, I found the information, well, informative.

I appreciate that such care was taken in examining the iPod mini and reporting what was observed.

I agree that this by no means concludes that it will happen or is happening to all iPod minis, but the potential seems to be there.

This one iPod mini analysis may actually get back to Apple and they may read it and say, "This is not the actual problem, but it has shed some light on another design glitch...".

I don't think it is a good idea for people to just read the Title of the Thread and then make foolish comments.

MacRumors is an incredible site for information and posters shouldn't pounce on others for sharing.

Take care,
Quark

 

[flyfish29]

I smell a troll

check out his link to his little story about the iPod Mini. It in no way says don't buy them. Read the whole story before smelling/judging.

 

[flyfish29]

What you have to understand is that when dealing with the internet message boards you are also dealing with a skewed group from which to draw conclusions. Alot of the people are on this site specifically because of their strong interest in Apple. To conclude then that the views here are representative of a larger group is faulty data gathering.

If you go to a website dedicated to any product or group, you will find similar and more extreme examples of this type of behavior. When someone comes in and then criticizes that groups choosen interest in such a combative way they are just ASKING for this kind of response.

The following comment is not directed directly at Krizoitz by any means, but at the number of forum members who say he is being flamed fairly or appropriately.

Sheeesz. The guy simply said Apple might have a design flaw. He didn't criticize MacRumors members for anything that I see. It is obviously a problem as the links he posted describe the problem as not just a single incident. Get off his back and stop attacking and being out and out rude to him. Disagree with his message, but don't attack him personally by saying he is stupid, etc.