“Apple Computer Inc. said Wednesday that it launched a three-year, worldwide repair program for certain of its iBook notebook computers that can have problems with their internal or external display monitors,” Duncan Martell reports for Reuters. “‘We have determined that a small number of iBooks introduced in 2002 have a display problem caused by a component failure on the logic board,’ said Phil Schiller, head of worldwide product marketing for Apple in a statement emailed to Reuters. Apple declined to comment on the exact number of iBooks affected.”
“Cupertino, California-based Apple said it will repair these components for free and offer a full refund for customers who have already paid for the repair. Apple will pay for shipping costs, the company said. The program began Wednesday and applies to iBooks with serial numbers in a range of UV220XXXXXX to UV318XXXXXX and that were manufactured between May 2002 and April 2003,” Martell reports.
Full article here.
More info from Apple: http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/
Nice indeed, to see Apple owning up to this, wonder if the promise of a new iBook they gave me still holds up, i want a new iBook
yay mine is more recent than that
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pretty cool for other peeps tho
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Cool. The article is short on the details, here is the FAQ page from Apple:
http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/
(MDN, wanna put this link up top, por favor?)
they never charged me for mine once i got it done in DEC
As the owner of one of the iBooks in question (14.1″ 800mHz G3) I am pleased. When my logic board died the unit was taken in at my local Apple Store repaired and returned in 3 days. It has worked fine since with heavy use. I’m typing this on it now.
I bought my iBook in Nov 2002, and did not buy AppleCare. 🙁
Trusting in Apple’s high quality products. Like the, “built to last… iBook.”
It seamed inevitable, that this, “Logic board failure” was just a matter of time… which it still is… but
Now, no more worries about being without an iBook… (I can’t afford to repair it)
Whew… Thank God! *wipes sweat from brow*
Oh that doesn’t help me! My 12″ 2001 Dual USB iBook (white) has problems with the TFT screen from the hinge problem doing damage to the cable. And I cannot just replace the cable….I gotta replace the whole sh’bang.
AHHHHH, phoooey!
This is fantastic news! I was going to sell my iBook on eBay for cheap because I thought it was going to die. Glad I didn’t have to do that and then spring for a PBG4. Thanks, Apple!
It does take them a while sometimes, but Apple normally does do the best thing by it’s customers. Now what is Dell going to do about this battery issue?
My iMac has display problems and I’ve been told by Apple that the logic board will need replacing. Seems like I’m not alone with this problem either. Several people have reported the same problem (error code disp/13/2) from the hardware diagnostic. I wonder how many users have to have the same problem before Apple identifies it as a defect?
It would sure help me get my wife off my back since I’m a recent switcher who is trying to justify my reasons for switching! $700(can) repair fee one yr after a $1900(can) investment is not helping my cause!
Regradless, my confidence in iBooks is shot. I’m springing for a PowerBook. But, I will feel better giving this bad boy to a relative, and my confidence has been restored in the company on whom, for better or for worse, my entire computing experience depends. Thanks, Apple.
Dell notebooks have somewhere around a 20% failure rate, so it’s always amazed me that people gripe so much about Apple’s service. Looks like they’re doing right by iBook customers to me. Just is funny that nobody screams as loud when their Dell dies after only 2 years. I guess Dell/PC users are so used to replacing equipment that often that it’s no big deal while Mac users are largely spoiled by Apple’s good quality.
Apple needed to do this the way they did. Despite the numbers showing Apple as a leader in customer service, they’re impecable image was starting to fade in public opinion due to mentions of iPod battery problems, these iBook problems, and some faulty updates.
Now that Apple is being reborn as a household name, they couldn’t afford to be associated with other PC manufacturers. This policy should wipe the slate clean and renew customer’s faith in Apple.
Jay, if you’re going to quote a number like Dell notebooks having a 20% failure rate (which sounds ridiculous to me), please include links to the sources of this information.
If you have links to reputable sources, then let’s see them – if not, then you’re just blowing smoke. Being mis-informed about the competition is not going to help us if that is indeed what is happening here.
Amen! My imac froze and I had to power up holding down “option” key to get my Apple hardware diagnostic disk loaded. Result was “Video RAM error detected…error code disp/13/2. Apple staff conclusion: need new motherboard. Cost: prohibitive.
Affect: one more Sad imac user!