~ryanlowe/blog: The Mac is Back

The Mac is Back

So I got my iBook back today after almost five weeks. If you recall, they had to replace the logic board which is pretty much everything in the machine except the hard drive, CD-ROM drive, battery, RAM and wireless card all slammed onto one small board (AKA the motherboard). Luckily it was still under the one year warrantee and the job was free (plus five weeks).

So without iBook I realised a few things. Firstly, having a notebook at school saves a ton of time. That and the main computer lab at school having no windows really makes the computing experience that much more dreary. It's still a lot better than The Cube though.

Secondly, I don't use my iBook at home much besides to listen to music and check email. Email I have one my notebook for security and reliability reasons. Security still holds but reliability just went out the window. Oops. At least I can check my email via a web interface. I missed my music though ... I think I went into withdrawal.

It will be interesting to see how much I use my iBook when I start working full time again. I'll probably get an iPod so I don't have to lug the iBook around just to listen to music. That's why I'm in no rush to buy a new Mac. I'll just get the two year extended warrantee (with the student discount) for the one I have, install Panther after exams and wait a bit.

Posted at November 10, 2003 at 05:36 PM EST
Last updated November 10, 2003 at 05:36 PM EST

Comments

Every time you use the words "logic board," I quiver. Even antiquated computer engineering professors don't use that term! :-P

It's still a motherboard no matter what apple says. It just has more stuff (daughterboards) on it.

» Posted by: roy at November 10, 2003 05:47 PM

I had this same problem, 3 times with my original
iBook (then it was replaced by Apple) and 1 time
with the replacement. It is very nice of Apple
to keep repairing or replacing the computer, but
all in all, I've lost something like 2 months or
more of computer time. This doesn't seem right!
Has anyone considered putting together a class action suit about this issue I wonder? Would such
a suit hold up in court?

» Posted by: joe at November 22, 2003 01:58 PM

Hey there! Another fellow University of Ottawa Engineer!! I had the same problem happen to my iBook 800mhz 14.1 last month. Took it to BMac and they replaced the logic board. I don't have apple care as of yet but by the way things are looking here on the net I probably should sometime soon before my warranty runs out or I'll be stuck with one expensive paperweight!

» Posted by: Joshua Doornekamp at December 15, 2003 01:47 AM

Joshua: I would definitely get it, especially while you still have the student discount. You pay around $300 instead of $400 for two more years.

» Posted by: Ryan at December 15, 2003 09:05 AM

Well, its great that Apple extended their logic borad warranty porgram.....but I decided I would be better off with a powerbook anyways....my buddy is in tech support at Queens and they are getting rid of their G4 867 15inch powerbooks for a price that was just way too tempting....and I was able to sell my iBook for $1200 which worked out pretty good.....Sadly I am leaving the iBook world....Powerbook here I come!!

» Posted by: Joshua at February 19, 2004 04:47 PM