jeremy.id.au

Almost three years ago, I was coerced into buying the Applecare Protection Plan for my iBook G4 at the last minute by the reseller. I still don’t agree with his tactics today, springing it on me when I went in to pickup my built to order machine that I had ordered weeks early. Resellers should be open and frank with their customers about these options from the beginning, if they don’t want to be considered by their customers to be dodgy. Neither did he tell me that I had to buy it then and there on the spot, but that I had up to twelve months to do so. However, the fact that reseller margins are slim on computers but much juicier on these plans probably explains it a little.

I later learnt that you can also withdraw from the AppleCare plan at anytime within the first 12 months without incurring any costs other than any phone support and perhaps a cancellation fee. Though I decided to keep it anyway. Two years in, however, and I was beginning to wonder whether it had been worthwhile as I never use the support and nothing had gone wrong. I enquired with Apple about having the keyboard replaced, as it was seriously fading and starting to lose some letters. They informed me that I had to take it into an Authorised Service Centre which seemed like a bit of effort for something relatively minor (except when you try to have non-touch typists use your computer) with no guaranteed outcome. Though I promised myself that I’d at least attempt it before the three year warranty plan expired. The keyboard became worse with time so it was on my mind to do something about it sooner rather than later.

Until suddenly last week, I got into uni to find that my iBook wouldn’t wake up nor even boot. No boot up sound or anything, just the fans going crazy along with a blank screen. Straight away I knew there was something seriously wrong with my iBook. Though I felt assured that I still had two to three months left under warranty. While in the corner of my mind I hoped that Apple would just replace it with a MacBook, I knew that wouldn’t happen. So I dropped it into a service centre near my uni where I also asked them to look into the keyboard. It seemed strange to be dropping it off for repair so soon after it had happened. Certainly, it was almost felt depressing to come home with an empty laptop bag.

Getting by for a week without a laptop, with only an iMac G3 to use, was rather painful. Being chained to the back wall of the study certainly doesn’t have that sense of freedom as a laptop on wireless. Six days elapsed before I decided I would give the service centre a call to see what the go was. As it turns out the Logic Board (motherboard) had died and there was no hesitation in replacing the keyboard. It certainly seems that the AppleCare had been worthwhile (and lucky that it happened now rather than after the AppleCare had expired). The cost of paying for such replacements myself probably wouldn’t be insignificant. After only waiting a week I was able to pick my laptop up yesterday.

Now while it may seem dubious to pay a considerable amount to keep an obsolete machine working so many years later, it’s certainly much better than being forced into making a two grand on the spot purchase. Possibly even waiting several weeks to receive a built to order system. It means I can defer such a MacBook purchase until later on when I really need it (and yes this time I’ll be planning to get AppleCare from the outset). Plus I’ll still have this machine as a backup or if that’s not necessary I may be able to get a bit of cash for it.

Well it’s nice to have my iBook back now with its nice shiny new keyboard.

Update: Seems I spoke too soon. Only four days after the first repair, I had the misfortune of having my iBook die again. Finally after another week without a laptop, I got it back and all appears to be well for the time being.