14.1" iBook G4 screen problem

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fishyhell

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I have a 14" iBook G4 that recently had a display problem. I sent it off to Apple since it was still under warranty. They informed me that the entire support structure behind the screen had broken (snaped, came apart, etc.). They said it could only be by an outside force putting a large amount of pressure on the back part of the screen. I know that this did not happen as a result of my doing. And the computer has never left my control, yes in all of my owning it (10 months now), so i can eliminate that factor. According to Apple the entire display housing and screen should be replaced. It will cost me a pretty $800 to get this repaired. I'm pretty techno-savvy. I built my other to make it into the beast that it is. I'm not sure how well I could do on replacing a LCD screen and housing. Laptops don't seem like they would be my thing.

According to Apple if the screen issue is not repaired it will cause a complete dead spot in the screen and possible cracking of the screen.

Any stories of a similar expirence, or possible expirence with repair the screen would be welcome.

thanks,
fishy :eek:neye:
 
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Perhaps something happened when it was in a carying case? Ive never heard of anything like that. You should also be aware that if apple can get out of fixing something underwarrenty that will, like iver heard that they wont take a dented ipod! thats a little crazy.
 
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fishyhell said:
According to Apple if the screen issue is not repaired it will cause a complete dead spot in the screen and possible cracking of the screen.

Talk to someone at AppleCare (you're still under warranty) and make noise. Demand to speak to someone with some decision-making power. Explain that this was not your fault and the machine never left your possession, essentially what you just told us. You have a machine that's under warranty and it is unacceptable to you that it's in this condition. Tell them that.

Better yet, if you have an Apple Store nearby, go in and speak with a manager.

benjamindaines said:
You should also be aware that if apple can get out of fixing something underwarrenty that will, like iver heard that they wont take a dented ipod! thats a little crazy.

After my experience with iBook screen problems I have to agree with the first part of this statement. In all fairness to Apple, though, I would not consider an iPod with a dent to have a problem with manufacturing or design.
 
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caribiner23 said:
In all fairness to Apple, though, I would not consider an iPod with a dent to have a problem with manufacturing or design.

I wasnt saying that the dent is the problem it is being sent in for. I was saying that if you send in an ipod with an obvius manufacturing problem and it has a dent apple will not take it.
 
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I'm not saying that the dent would be the problem in that situation, either.

I'm saying that if I were Apple and someone sent in an iPod claiming that it had a manufacturing defect and it had a dent in it, I would automatically assume it had suffered some sort of user-inflicted damage.
 
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fishyhell

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caribiner23 said:
Talk to someone at AppleCare (you're still under warranty) and make noise. Demand to speak to someone with some decision-making power. Explain that this was not your fault and the machine never left your possession, essentially what you just told us. You have a machine that's under warranty and it is unacceptable to you that it's in this condition. Tell them that.

Better yet, if you have an Apple Store nearby, go in and speak with a manager.



After my experience with iBook screen problems I have to agree with the first part of this statement. In all fairness to Apple, though, I would not consider an iPod with a dent to have a problem with manufacturing or design.
What's your progress been on getting them to fix it? I've raised **** with them on the phone and no luck. I resortedd to call my mother in on it. It's a pain in teh *** that they don't take you seriously if you sound the least bit young.

Thanks,
Fishy
 
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I know Fishy and that really sucks but put it this way, sounding like a WOMAN because you are ONE is even worse. I understand that some people that call support are total jerks who need to be asked whether the power is on in the the rest of the house, whether the computer is connected to the wall socket and whether a battery is within it, BUT in my case they happen to be talking to someone who spent 4 years IT consulting across geographies, designing, building and testing Oracle databases among many other things and therefore I can eliminate very many issues myself before I pick up the phone (and decide to sit and wait for 15 minutes at least!). Don't be disheartened, but, yes, get your mum or dad or anyone to shout at them because I never heard of such nonsense regarding the screen AND we have pretty much gathered on here that you probably kept your iBook short of in a shrine ever since you've had it and therefore they should repair it free of charge.

Having said that, should you have no luck at all with them, I think you probably already hold the skills that will allow you to safely repair the iBook yourself, despite your understandable apprehension in thinking of doing so. You probably just worked on desktops so far and feel like a laptop is a completely different breed while in reality, it's just the skin that is different, you will quickly recognise the insides! It isn't a myth that the younger the guy the better he is at fixing his own (and others'!) equipment, it's a fact.
 
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otopico

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Other people have said it before me, but the number one way to get stuff fixed by apple is to make a lot of noise. Be persistent, and if they won't help, ask to speak to someone higher up.

I know 3 people that had problems that at first were 'not covered', but after some phone calls and a little effort, apple took care of the problems.

Good luck
 
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fishyhell said:
What's your progress been on getting them to fix it? I've raised **** with them on the phone and no luck. I resortedd to call my mother in on it. It's a pain in teh *** that they don't take you seriously if you sound the least bit young.

In the link I posted, I explained how I got the machine back with a new LCD.

I learned from years of experience that most Customer Service people are not interested in your problem-- they're interested in getting you off the phone. The key is to remain calm, don't get angry, and explain that you paid a lot of money for one of their products and you are very unsatisfied. If you need to, call every day or several times a day: they may fix your problem just to get you off their hands.

If there's an Apple Store near you, you could do what I was planning on doing if they wouldn't fix my problem: go to the store on a busy weekend afternoon, set your computer up next to the display where the new machines are, and start using the computer. When people approach, explain calmly that this is what Apple calls an "acceptable" display. You will get the attention of the manager this way-- if you're young they may view you as a troublemaker, so bring your mom if you have to. Don't make a scene, just be calm.

This is an extreme example, but there's episode of This American Life that's a real eye-opener: it's the story of people who will press customer service people to the point where they'll get whatever they want, whether they deserve it or not. The scary thing is that I know more than a few people exactly like the lady in the Burberry's scenario. Follow this link and look for the episode called "Suckers." I do not condone any of the techniques used here, but be aware that people actually do this.

Good luck.
 

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