Computer

[figment]

Although I am getting healthier... the same cannot be said for my poor laptop. I just got a call from the Apple repair guys and I guess I spilled something on it months ago that caused the problem... so it would cost upwards of $750 to fix it. Not worth it; that's 2/3 or more the cost of a new computer. Agh. So they will ship the dead computer back and I'll see if I can get the local guys at the store to throw the data transfer in for free with the cost of the new computer I'll be buying.

Argh. I didn't really want the expense of a new computer right now. Oh well.

Comments

[typhoid.livejournal.com]

FYI if Apple even sees evidence of a spill/dent/scratch, they will claim that as the cause and void your warranty.

Best to buy a computer that you can buy a damage-protection plan from. For instance Lenovo and Dell each have a version- as long as it's not lost/stolen or damaged by fire/flood, it's covered. If you're intent on buying an Apple, just remember to use sippy cups and always ALWAYS keep it in a bag.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Thanks... I admit that I love using Macs so wasn't thinking of switching to a PC, but maybe I'll give it some thought. Honestly my laptop is over 3 years old so it is considered "old" and it's out of warranty already, so I'm not shocked to be replacing it... even if I am peeved. And I think someone did spill liquid on my laptop a few months ago; I just can't remember the exact circumstances. Oh well.

[typhoid.livejournal.com]

Yeah out of warranty you're out of luck no matter what. However even if it was a brand new computer, I've seen them go "oh, this has a scratch so it's obviously been abused so we can't do a warranty repair." It's one of the things that made me angriest about working for Apple. They screwed over so many people- but if you were an asshole and pressed the issue, then they'd often just fix/replace* it anyway. But if you're nice and follow the rules, you get screwed. It was with iPods, and computers. I know that the "Geniuses" had nasty managers breathing down their necks about doing as few and speedy repairs as possible, but still.

On the plus side, laptops are worth more in pieces than whole so you may be able to sell the spare parts for enough to buy another.

[whitefox77.livejournal.com]

The serious lack of places you can go to get Apple's repaired, and the rather insane prices that Apple charges for parts pretty much means you are at their whims cost wise. When you say "$750 to fox it ... that's 2/3 or more the cost of a new computer", the first thing that comes to my mind is: Huh, I just paid $725 for my new Dell notebook.

Also due to the lack of competition is doing Apple repairs is the fact that you can't get a second opinion. You pretty much have to accept their stated reason for the problem, even when you know they are full of crap. When something gets spilled in a computer, the effects tend to happen within the next 24-48 hours. If problems don't occur in the first 48 hours after the spill, it wasn't the spills fault.

[whitefox77.livejournal.com]

Very true, the screens alone frequently go for several hundred on e-bay. Power adapters 50-150 depending on mode, notebook hard drives 75-150, notebook dvd-rom 100+.

And the fact that yours is an Apple mean you will be able to capitalize on their highly inflated prices.

[whitefox77.livejournal.com]

Oh, and that $725 for the Dell included a 2 year "you break it, we fix it" protection plan. Without that, it would have run be about $575.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

I won't deny that a Dell would be cheaper. I just don't think it's what I want. I doubt I'm being entirely rational.

[whitefox77.livejournal.com]

That could be very true. I guess in the end I'll give you the same piece of advice I always give when it comes to buying notebook computers.

Don't get hung up on brand, or specification. Focus instead on functionality. What do you want the computer to do?

Also with notebooks, keep warranty and durability in mind. In reality it is safe to assume that you will need to buy a new notebook within a year of it's warranty expiring. So how often do you want to buy a new notebook? Is spending an additional $200-$500 worth it to guarantee that you'll have a working system for 2-4 years instead of 1 or 2 years?

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Good advice.

Mostly, I like the user interface so much better on Macs than I do on PCs. Especially now that most PCs are coming with Vista installed, which I really dislike. In some ways, I don't need a lot out of my computer: I use it to email, surf the Net, deal with personal finances, write papers/letters/articles, build web sites, design graphics (Photoshop and Fireworks are both a little memory intensive), sometimes mess with Flash (I'm not very good though), and play games. I think the most graphics-intensive game I play is Myst online. I am not willing to spring for a "gamer optimized" computer, though, of no matter what brand - I don't love gaming that much by a long shot!

I will always spring for the extended warranty. I have found it worthwhile, both in peace of mind and in financial terms. Yeah, the extra money for the extra years is worth it to me, especially because I do not always need my laptop to be top-of-the-line.

[whitefox77.livejournal.com]

VISTA IS EVIL!!!! (okay, feel a little better now) When I got my new notebook about 3 weeks ago it had Vista on it. I didn't even bother booting into the OS once before I formated the hard drive and installed Windows XP Professional.

If the "look & feel" of a Mac OS is important funcationality to you (important enough to more than double the price of the computer), than a Mac is the way for you to go I guess.

I use mine very much the way you do. It was purchased primarily as a system to do web-design on. It's low power and a bit slower than I'd really like when I bring up Photoshop with large images. But when I need power I have my desktop at home. For the purposes of writing ASP, ASP.NET, and HTML it is more than enough.