Bought a Powerbook 5.2 for the wifey...

So finally I got her to switch to Mac too, my wife.
Bought her an impeccable Powerbook 5.2
Specs are 1,25 GHz with 1 GB RAM and 80 GB HDD.

Only the thing is, it has 3 light spots on the screen, (approx. 10x10 pixels) not dead pixels but spots only visible with plain colored wallpapers or blank internet page.

Does anyone have any ideas of what they might be?
Note: I've seen them before I bought it, but it doesn't bother me or my wife.

Thanks for any help...

Interesting... can you tell if it's the screen or the gpu?

You have an Intel 2.66 MBP and you got her a 1.25 PPC Powerbook - is she still speaking to you?

DarkestRitual said:

Interesting... can you tell if it's the screen or the gpu?

Click to expand...

It's definitely the screen... the guy said that the cause may well be that he had been squeezing too hard while carrying it.

Collin Bl said:

You have an Intel 2.66 MBP and you got her a 1.25 PPC Powerbook - is she still speaking to you?

Click to expand...

Haha, sure she is... she's actually very happy with it.
She only operates the thing like twice a week.

What would you have said if I told you I bought her the same machine as I have, eventhough she's only internetting and mailing and occasionally msn'ning
with it.

The reason why I bought this one is because she actually didn't want to spend any money on it, and I sold her windows laptop and this one cost exactly what I got for it.

More power to you both - i can get into trouble just going in to upgrade something on my wife's iMac - TFN is the path of peace.

Well, I loved your remark about if she was still speaking to me... that was funny.
I offered her a MacBook 2.1, but she respectfully declined, due to it being too expensive.

What else could I wish for, and note: she makes more money than me...

Sur3Mac said:

So finally I got her to switch to Mac too, my wife.
Bought her an impeccable Powerbook 5.2
Specs are 1,25 GHz with 1 GB RAM and 80 GB HDD.

Only the thing is, it has 3 light spots on the screen, (approx. 10x10 pixels) not dead pixels but spots only visible with plain colored wallpapers or blank internet page.

Click to expand...

Congratulations on converting your wife to Mac!!!

As far as those "spots" you see on the screen. I have seen those also on one of my iBooks...and as you mentioned, when you use a "plain colored wallpaper" (especially lighter colored) they can be more visible.

The spots I have might be about 5-10mm in diameter.

To be honest...I never really worried about them that much. They never got bigger, and they never got more visible even after years & years of use.

As to what causes them...I'm not sure either. They do kind of look like finger-prints, so maybe they are caused by some sort of chemical reaction between the oil, salt from sweat, or acids from fingertips touching the screen.

I usually use a picture or photograph for my desktop...so the spots are less visible or not visible at all.

Congratulations again!

- Nick

Thanks Nick, I don't mind about the spots, and did exactly what you did, put a wallpaper on it where you don't notice them.

The older Mac laptops have been known to have this issue though, but it's better than what she had, not faster but better.

I'm not the type who renounces windows, but I'm definitely glad they're out
the door.

So thanks again;D

This was a known issue on the 15" G4 PowerBooks. Apple offered a free repair program. Your guy didn't take advantage of it (probably didn't know about it) at the time.

Google is your friend, by the way.

Well, I found out that there actually is a repairprogram, but I don't know if it's still active or available.
The started it in 2004....
It said this...

A limited number of 15-inch PowerBook G4 computers exhibit a display issue which may cause faint white spots to appear on the screen over time. The 15-inch PowerBook G4 Repair Extension Program is a worldwide program covering replacement of LCDs that exhibit these white spots. Your PowerBook G4 serial number must fall between one of two serial number ranges:

V7334xxxxxx to V7345xxxxxx
QT331xxxxxx to QT339xxxxxx
These computers were manufactured from July 2003 through November 2003. PowerBooks with the serial numbers listed above may be referred to as:

PowerBook G4 15-inch Aluminum (1GHz G4 or 1.25GHz G4)
PowerBook G4 Titanium (867MHz G4 or 1GHz G4)

Mine is just outside the range, it's number V7349xxxxxx

Is the Apple genius going to take me for a fool if I bring it in, or call in?

Feedback is of course welcome;D

I would imagine any repair program for a 5-6 year-old computer is long expired.

- Nick

Bummer.... but the problem is the same isn't it
It's actually a 2005'er.

Interestingly, I have had this same issue with my MBP and while the computer was still covered by AppleCare tried to get them to fix it (replace the screen). In the newer models the problem is seemingly the result of the screen making contact with the keyboard/click button and (I think) rubbing off the matte finish. Assuming this is the case, the spots do not grow because the contact points when the computer is compressed (in a backpack or briefcase) remain fairly uniform over time.

Apple refused to replace because it was user caused and not resultant from a production or component defect. So, be careful when you put it in a bag (even if it is in a case).

Just my two cents for those who do care about white spots.