as much as I've loved macintoshes

[ceagle]

...I would have to say that I may stop recommending iBooks. :|
This one I bought new is wearing out WAY too FAST.

At one year, the battery showed significant signs of loss. After 130 recharges. And that significantly reduces its portability.

At precisely two years, the screen starting having serious issues, going dark at random moments, sometimes notfor weeks, and once 4 times in one day! (Apple has recalled my model and will replaced the logic board for free, which is a good thing).

And now, what has driven me to this post...
Currently and possibly the most annoying thing... the SPACE BAR has stopped working properly!! ;P
Now I really have to SMASH it down to get it to work...egads, the typos you could see! *feathers frizz out*
And actually the letters started wearing off the keys at just about one year, too... but I worked around that by fixing them behind clear shellac before it got too bad.

I still think it's a great portable in design and function, with maybe the VAIO inching ahead just a tad, ...but I just wonder if they put the cheap in these and make the Powerbooks the sturdy ones...

Maybe I should've gotten the AppleCare 3 year warranty for $249 .. *sigh*

Comments

[sayh.livejournal.com]

Seems lotsa laptops has these problems, and the smaller and more portable they are, the faster they get problems. I would not be surpriced though if iBook was of less quality on the parts than powerbook.

I know I want an Apple! The new OsX is just amazing.

[buran.livejournal.com]

I've quit using my Windows machine for anything other than games. I'll be one of the first to jump on the Powerbook G5 when it comes out!

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

hehheh... yeah!
Well, I hope youcan get one someday too.. *wags*
Just might go for a Powerbook or a Desktop one instead of an iBook ;>

[buran.livejournal.com]

You can, you know, fix it!

PowerBook Parts, Upgrade and Repair Service (G4 Titanium, G3 Pismo, Lombard and iBook) (http://www.pbparts.com/shop/_i)

Apple - Support - iBook - Do-It-Yourself Repair & Upgrades (http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/doityourself/)

I've done this sort of thing a couple of times, and it's really not that scary if you have the right tools, some patience, the parts, and a how-to.

[buran.livejournal.com]

Oh, and consider cleaning the keyboard. Usually when a key sticks or doesn't work right, it's due to something being under the key. Lift the keyboard out and use a can of compressed air to blast any dust/junk from under the stuck key.

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the links, Bur! I really appreciate it :>

[saharalion.livejournal.com]

iBooks are concidered the "consumer end" of apple's product line. The powerbooks usually are made to a better standard and usually last quite a bit longer (depending upon how hard you use them).. So far I am still using my Powerbook 800 MHz and I only have had very minor problems (ones like paint chipping). But, yeah, think of the iBooks almost like the eMacs. The quality is not all the way there but still it is a good machine. Anywho, let me know if you need keys for your keyboard and maybe I can look for a DOA keyboard to give to you to steal the keys off of. "ALSO" you need to get your computer in for that recal. Let me know... TTYL

those darn consumers!

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

;> yeah... well,paint chipping I could live with... *hehheh* The other stuffs are functional barriers... oh! and one more thing I forgot to mention in the post... my CD drawer has been finicky since DAY ONE. I wonder if the logic board replacement with fix that too... *peep*

Not sure if the keyboard is a key issue.. it seems more like a contact issue... either worn contacts or gunked or sumpin'...

Thanks for the comment, and see ya sometime down the road!

amazed by your iBook

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Indeedy... that is one sturrrrdy beast! :D
and yeah, I've seen some freezes on OSX so it's no paragon of perfection. I guess it can depend on the version they are running, too... all subtle differences...

I dropped mine just once, when the ethernet cable caught on my talon... and so the clip to hold it in isn't there any more 8| ...but it does just fine as long as ya don't jiggle it ^v^

Here's hopin' ya have manymore years of great service from it!

hmmm....I really must fire up my Plus again one of these days... :D

[catswhisker-tg.livejournal.com]

My old boss (who is now just a co-worker like me, how
the mighty have fallen! just kidding, she's sweet) has
an iBook whose battery failed after six months of use.
But after a new one she has had no more problems.

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Wow yeah?!!
Glad to hear that worked for 'em!

Since I've had the screen problem I haven't really used mine as a portable, so I'mnot really sure how my battery would fare theez dayz..

Thanks for the comment! *scritches yer earz*

[musewoozle.livejournal.com]

Interesting post. I was musing over an Apple. I still am, in fact. I might look more towards the Powerbooks now, though.

Hello, muser!

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

That might just be the weigh 2 goe!
I use an 'older' powerbook now as my portable machine, and it does seem quite sturdeee! :9

[draca-serpens.livejournal.com]

My school tried so hard to get me to join their Apple laptop program. }:P I declined; I knew they were junk. Plus I didn't have the money anyway.

junk? eeeep!

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

8| Well, er.. .*loosens collar, as if..* I wasn't gonna go *quite* that far, but.. *hehheh* ...I guess we all have our own impressions of stuffs.. and if the ones you saw verged on junky, well... first impressions can mean a lot! *ulp*

Re: junk? eeeep!

[draca-serpens.livejournal.com]

The computers themsevles weren't junk as much as the tech support was. Much of the time when students were having problems with their laptops, they were often told to just buy a whole new system. o.O

No spaces?

[sennard.livejournal.com]

Hmm, looks like you might want to check Google for a page of spaces you can use to cut and paste for your documents. ;) Really, that's why I like borrowing the laptop from work when I go on my trips.

Re: No spaces?

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

*LOL!*
Google will save you near every time, eh pup!!!!

Laptops: Phbbbt!

[telbert.livejournal.com]

Seems like a lot of people I know are having problems with their laptops =0( Our Dell laptops at work are no exception. My laptop has gone through 3 CD ROM drives, and every battery it's ever had only works for 30 minutes before screaming for a recharge. This is disappointing, as Dell's desktops are pretty solid =0|

Re: Laptops: Phbbbt!

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

arrrgh!!... sorry to hear it .. :/
I guess next time you get thirsty maybe you could squeeze the laptop and get some lemonade.... ;>
eeeesh!! I hope yours won't give you any more problems, too..
*hugpats*

[austin-dern.livejournal.com]

I've had an iBook for ... wow, it's two and a half years now ... and I've been quite happy with it. It did have the backlight go out one time; it was still under warranty then, though, even if I didn't have the AppleCare extended thing. The space bar on the keyboard's broken in a frustrating fashion -- it's kind of half-depressed, so while it responds to being touched it doesn't, you know, go down and bounce up. And the video memory now isn't up to playing games like SimCity 4 (if I decide to forgive Maxis for the letter of hate that was SimCity 3000), which lightly irritates me, but won't really be an issue unless Victoria turns out to need a bigger video card either.

Still, I don't think any of that reflects great crises of faith in the iBook's manufacture. It's also put up with by my count 45 screenings by customs officers without sulking. If I could buy a replacement keyboard pad I'd consider it in perfect shape. As it is I plug in an external Chinese iMac keyboard I got.

45 xrays!

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

That's one glowing cpu!
It does sound like you've had some similar issues though, yeah... *eeep*

I've wondered how much a new keyboard would be... the Apple site only talks about replacing the G4 one, and this izza G3 500.
Sorry to hear about the video thing.. :P it really is a bugger when something that worked before ceases to, for inexplicable reasons...

I've noticed three things changing on me since I've had it... the muck and irc programs which initally ran just stopped working, and re-installs didn't fix 'em (so I bought newer ones), and after I plugged in an MP3 player (Nomad MuVo) the compact flash reader recognition doesn't work quite right any more either.;P
I suspect these reflect ROM changes, since nothing I've tried would reclaim the functionalities of before. Luckily each has had a workaround.

I was considering using an external keyboard, but I truly do use this as a laptop nowadays (albeit not a portable one) and I think using the external keyboard I have would be quite awkward, unfortunately :|

I've backed up quite a bit of it, and when I can get to where it's purty empty, I'll image it, wipe it, and go in for the logic board recall :>

take care, and thanks for the note!

Re: 45 xrays!

[austin-dern.livejournal.com]

Well, the backlight going out -- or, really, any solid-state electronics problems -- is essentially a Poisson event; rare and unpredictable except en masse, but big when it happens. It's also the only serious problem I ever had, and was certainly under warranty; I was only back on the PowerBase for two days. Things like the keyboard are minor glitches.

Sure about the Chinese iMac keyboard, though? It's only fifteen inches wide, and quite stylish ...

chinese keyboard? ?

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

uh... *warble*
If you mean the little extry keyboard (which I got off an iMac.. a customer didn't want it, yup... says Made in Malaysia) I just started using it tonight.

It sure is nice to *not* have space errors, yeah.. but MAN oh MAN it's kinda awkward to have the laptop waaaaay out to my knees, and this keyboard in my lap, ....and reeeeaching over to the trackpad still when using the mouse. :| I don't suppose it'd be any easier to add a trackball on the armrest either... *sigh*