Apple Hardware Problems, Locked Discussions and Recalls

Nov. 23, 2008 MacBook Pro Defects Glad I decided to not get one!
http://www.appledefects.com/wiki/index.php?title=MacBook_Pro#Mooing_Fans

appledefects Dot Com A very depressing website for us fellow Mac Addicts!
http://www.appledefects.com

April 24, 2008 iPhone a flop in Europe...a very interesting read. Read all the comments as well.
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/90286

May 22, 2007 MacBook Pro false advertising, no millions of colors
http://colorblindmac.com/

October 26, 2006; Apple releases update to fix ailing iPod shuffles
iLounge Article: http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/apple-releases-update-to-fix-ailing-ipod-shuffles/8877

and Apple's update: http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ipodshuffleresetutility10formac.html

June 29th, 2006; It looks like the "repair extension program" is in effect for the MacBooks:

http://gadgets.elliottback.com/2006/06/28/apple-replacing-stained-macbooks/

June 27th, 2006; Another Apple Hardware Problem - White MacBook Yellowing

Check out this article: http://www.smh.com.au/news/laptops--desktops/apple-glitch-stains-the-reputation/2006/06/27/1151174185296.html

It seems like they were just released a month ago and bam, problems arise. Will there ever be an Apple product that is released without a "repair extension program" or worse yet Apple ignoring it like the heat issues of their laptops and now the yellowing issues with the MacBooks?

I started to make a website that listed Apple R.E.P.'s (see above) and ignored issues but it has become such a large list it went on the back burner for the time being.

As much as I love Apple products I would advise against a family member or close friend to buy a new Apple product. My family and I both wait until the products we are interested in are so old they are completly affordable and when they die or produce a problem it can be trashed and another purchased.

May 23rd, 2006; SanDisk's New Campaign

Check out SanDisk's new campaign against iPod. http://www.idont.com/

Click on the Materials link for posters etc. Click on the propaganda link for other iPod bashing sites. Interesting to say the least.

One link I found interesting (and dated as of now) is http://www.ipodsdirtysecret.com/

February 21st, 2006; Why would anyone buy an iPod? I want one but am afraid...very afraid.

Today I read another story about another problem with an iPod.

I have been reading these stories for some time. It must be a form of self mutilation (for lack of a better term). You see I want an iPod bad...really bad. I have wanted one since I saw them introduced at the Macworld Expo years back.

But month after month, year after year I read stories or issues about them. First it was batteries and than about them dying for no reason or about how easily the screens scratched.

It just doesn't seem Apple fully finishes their R&D before they wow the masses with their new product. I honestly feel that Apple uses our hard earned money to refine the new product. We are their guinea pigs...guinea pigs with fat wallets.

I think Apple relishes in the fact that we Apple zealots are just plain nuts for their products. We will buy and complain but we will buy again and again.

But this iPod issue is really getting me annoyed and I haven't even had one of the problems that have plagued them for years. I am glad I returned my Christmas gift...a 20gb iPod Video the NEXT day without ever opening it.

I can see it now if I didn't. I'm sure I would have a discussion in the new Kiwi forums about it and how it doesn't work.

---
This evening I came across a discussion on Apple's site. It has 275 replies. If you are an Apple discussion area user you would know that 275 posts to one topic is something to take notice. My question is why doesn't Apple take notice? Or have they?

Comments

Jon's picture

I think it might be a matter of signal to noise. The signal - iPod sales. The noise - iPod problems. I'd really like to see some actual numbers of the ratio of iPod sales to actual user problems. Then compare it to the actual numbers for other manufacturers. I mean, how many people make websites devoted to the scratches that their iRiver got? Wink

Jon's picture

I think it might be a matter of signal to noise. The signal - iPod sales. The noise - iPod problems. I'd really like to see oe actual numbers of the ratio of iPod sales to actual user problems. Then compare it to the actual numbers for other manufaturers. I mean, how many people make websites devoted to the scratches that their iRiver got? Wink

BDub's picture

Jon has an excellent point, especially considering that Applefritter is #6 on Google for "help with my iPod". We have a high 'iPod noise' ratio because of that.

Whosawhatsis's picture

^ agreed.

If Creative, Rio, or iRiver had a single product with the market share that the iPod has, all of their problems would be big news, and you'd constantly be hearing about how horribly flawed they are, how easily they scratch, how their batteries don't last long enough and eventually fail (just like any other battery), and how outrageous it is that they don't work perfectly after being repeatedly hit with a sledgehammer (not to mention the fact that they're not compatible with iTMS).

coius's picture

both my brother's and my mom's ipods have been in for repairs (4x for my mom, 6 for my brother's) which my brother has the U2 Ed. And my mom has a pink mini. I have hardly heard anything bad about the Shuffle, but that is about $100 that I would lose, if it were to suddenly stop working. I don't have that money to throw away. That's why i prefer CD-MP3 players. I got a CD-MP3 player by imation (have they gone out of business?) and it uses the smaller CD's and can even burn them in the player thru USB. heck, it's even supported by iTunes and OS X. I love the thing, and have heard very little about problems with those.

All in all, for me, it's not worth it to spend that money on it, and then have it hose out on me, and be another iBook G3 for me (you guys may have remembered me complaining about how shoddy the Dual G3's are [especially mine] that went in 14x before it was replaced) and end up with a lifetime of ipod problems, till i get sick of it and finally bash it up against the wall, making sure that it can never hurt anyone again. both my brother and my mom gave up and went out and bought USB stick MP3 players.

I don't think we will see repeat ipod customers. And I don't think apple will continue to sell them. Apple seems to think that they are expendible to the custome, when it's not like that. Apple expects people to buy a new one ever 2 years, and they won't. I sure wouldn't

moosemanmoo's picture

For what it's worth, none of the iPods that my immediate family members have need any service. They're all working great and the only "problem" I've had with my 3rd gen iPod is that I've had the battery replaced (for free).

The fact of the matter is, people with problems are much more likely to be vocal and complain than the majourity of people who are perfectly happy with their iPods.

MaxTek's picture

The fact of the matter is, people with problems are much more likely to be vocal and complain than the majourity of people who are perfectly happy with their iPods.

The real fact of the matter is, there have been many products from A-Z that have been recalled or replaced in "far less" numbers than the iPod. So why not the Shuffle? If you have checked the history of the many iPod problems (with the dead Shuffles being the newest) you would be in agreement. Apple should stand up and take action. But they don't...at least not until they go to court or get overrun with petitions or some other form of persistent customer harrasment.

For what it's worth, none of the iPods that my immediate family members have need any service. They're all working great and the only "problem" I've had with my 3rd gen iPod is that I've had the battery replaced (for free).

The fact of the matter is, people with problems are much more likely to be vocal and complain than the majourity of people who are perfectly happy with their iPods.

That's the same crap every fanboi said about the ibooks.

You can't go comparing macs with dells or ipods with zunes for a simple reason.

People pay a premium for a lesser powered or featured device based on the Apple name. The Apple name meant quality and good design. To say that other companies have failures too ignores the fact that Apple only sells few models of machines at a time and so should have more resources to spend on QA...I'm never buying another Apple notebook after the issues I've had with my "postJobsreturn"
units...Tibook hinges, logicboard replacement to change a display cable...2x Ibook gpu issue (g3+g4) Failed right after the recall, Apple basically said to go screw myself.

Apple is really failing when it comes to quality. Don't compare it to other companies as an excuse. Apple quality should be Apple quality not Dell quality.