AT&T Tech Support 360July 1, 2006 6:00 AM PDT
Some MacBooks have premature age spots
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Reports of the discoloration, which seems to take place on the most frequently touched plastic areas of the white MacBooks, first surfaced in early June. A related post on an Apple discussion board got hundreds of replies--including many from MacBook owners experiencing the same problem--before it was locked by the company five days later.
"My MacBook is three weeks old and looks as though I've been using it for three years and rubbing my hands in turmeric each day (OK, a slight exaggeration)," read one post from a London man. "Everything else about my MacBook has been fantastic, and I'm really, really happy with it; but I am appalled that it gets discolored so easily."
Frustrated by the situation, Jose Munoz-Olaya, a MacBook owner and molecular biologist from Spain's Canary Islands, decided to put together a Web site devoted to pressuring Apple to respond fairly. As of Friday afternoon, his site lists 76 MacBook owners from around the globe who are experiencing the problem and have listed their device's serial number.
Most of those on the site started noticing the stains just a few weeks after they began using the MacBooks, which went on sale in mid-May. The Intel-based replacement to the iBook and 12-inch PowerBook comes in three models. The two lower-end models (starting at $1,099 and $1,299) come in white; the top-of-the-line model (starting at $1,499) comes in the apparently unaffected black.
Apple spokeswoman Teresa Weaver said the company is aware of the customer complaints and is looking into them. She added that those customers with "technical issues" should contact AppleCare. But Weaver declined to answer further questions, like how many people have contacted AppleCare thus far with discoloration and what might be causing the problem.
According to MacBook owners, the company has responded in different ways. Munoz-Olaya said Apple has replaced laptops for some who noticed the discoloration within the first two weeks of ownership. Apple told others, however, Munoz-Olaya among them, that it would repair the device only by replacing the plastic.
Munoz-Olaya, who reported the problem to Apple three weeks after the MacBook was released, said he would be fine with that, except that he can't be without his device for the estimated two weeks it will take to fix it.
"So basically Apple is penalizing me for being loyal to them and being one of the first to buy the MacBook," he said. "Please understand, I don't want a new MacBook, I'm otherwise happy with the one I have. It's just that I need a solution that won't leave me unplugged for weeks. A rich person would simply buy another computer. I can't."
Some online skeptics were quick to dismiss the allegations and wondered whether those experiencing the problems were just using their notebooks with dirty hands. But after trying a range of cleaning products, from soap and water to nail polish remover to hydrogen peroxide, Munoz-Olaya and others have debunked that theory.
"I work in a lab and have attempted to clean it with ethanol (which doesn't damage plastic) and the stains are permanent, they seem to be damaged plastic instead of built-up dirt," he said.
In addition to the complaints posted on Munoz-Olaya's and Apple's sites, the Unofficial Apple Weblog conducted an unscientific poll of readers and found that about 20 percent of some 1,560 voters had experienced problems with the discoloration.
A similar Web effort was launched following reports last fall that the screen on the iPod Nano, which had just been released, was prone to scratching. A related class-action lawsuit was later filed.
And several years ago, Apple's stylish Power Mac G4 Cube ended up marked with hair-thin lines some said were cracks.
Apple acknowledged a different problem with the MacBook earlier this month; some MacBooks were coming from the factory with a plastic film covering the rear exit vent, which made them run hot.
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That appears to be some sort of cop-out no matter how he is describing the situation because tomorrow a hardware component might go and he will have to submit his laptop to Apple for fixing, and also be without it for a period of time. If the discolouration problem is a big enough issue, he can find the time to do it. And yes, do it while you have the offer on the table from Apple. Other people seem to be having a very tough time getting Apple to respond.
That appears to be some sort of cop-out no matter how he is describing the situation because tomorrow a hardware component might go and he will have to submit his laptop to Apple for fixing, and also be without it for a period of time. If the discolouration problem is a big enough issue, he can find the time to do it. And yes, do it while you have the offer on the table from Apple. Other people seem to be having a very tough time getting Apple to respond.
(white) and I bought it mack on 5/22. I don't have any of these
discoloration issues, at all.
In looking at these pictures, this discoloration looks like dirt. I
know they say they can't clean them, but if the issues was really
with the plastic, more areas woul dbe discolored. As I see it, It's
only discolored in the places where their hands rested and
fingers touched the track pad and button.
Perhaps some people just have corosive disgusting skin. I don't
know, but I think it's a user issue.
(white) and I bought it mack on 5/22. I don't have any of these
discoloration issues, at all.
In looking at these pictures, this discoloration looks like dirt. I
know they say they can't clean them, but if the issues was really
with the plastic, more areas woul dbe discolored. As I see it, It's
only discolored in the places where their hands rested and
fingers touched the track pad and button.
Perhaps some people just have corosive disgusting skin. I don't
know, but I think it's a user issue.
It's possible that there is some variation in the quality of some of the batches of plastic being used for the cases, but that means they screwed up on due diligence with their supplier(s). Otherwise, if 20% of users really are having this problem due to their body chemistry (which is entirely plausible - my wife has aqueous nervosa, profusely sweating hands much of the time, and the salt alone causes all sorts of havoc with objects she handles), then the case material most likely wasn't adequately tested with a wide enough variety of users (if at all). Apple used to have every non-technical new hire try out its products in development (before they gained inside knowledge), usability engineers would videotape the users doing so, and then go back and interview them to find out why they did unexpected things, among other purposes. This is one of many reasons that their products generally have been such a hit with customers in the general population, who actually get a chance to try them out (one of the most important reasons for the Apple stores is so that new customers can do just that).
The plastic used for the keyboard is almost certainly not appropriate for the case (which has been a very expensive polycarbonate, in earlier models, and may have been replaced by a cheaper material, such as a polystyrene used in many low-end PCs - what plastic airplane and ship models are made from). Apple does climb out on limbs and starts sawing away at them at the trunk by doing things like making laptops out of white plastic, G4 Titanium PowerBooks with highly-vulnerable hinges made from extremely brittle castings with tiny-cross-sections, iPod Nano screens made from highly-scratchable clear plastic, and G4 Cube cases from plastic that seems to develop microcracks, among other faux pas.
As Apple continues down the path of making Macs more and more like PCs at the lower price points, I suppose the quality is doomed to follow down-slope, too. They certainly won't be able to afford to replace/repair very many machines as the prices dwindle, so expect them to get even more ornery about replacements/repairs than they have already been.
Let's see what Apple does - the standard disclaimers whenever someone points out a flaw are getting a bit tiresome, though.
All the Best,
Joe Blow
It's possible that there is some variation in the quality of some of the batches of plastic being used for the cases, but that means they screwed up on due diligence with their supplier(s). Otherwise, if 20% of users really are having this problem due to their body chemistry (which is entirely plausible - my wife has aqueous nervosa, profusely sweating hands much of the time, and the salt alone causes all sorts of havoc with objects she handles), then the case material most likely wasn't adequately tested with a wide enough variety of users (if at all). Apple used to have every non-technical new hire try out its products in development (before they gained inside knowledge), usability engineers would videotape the users doing so, and then go back and interview them to find out why they did unexpected things, among other purposes. This is one of many reasons that their products generally have been such a hit with customers in the general population, who actually get a chance to try them out (one of the most important reasons for the Apple stores is so that new customers can do just that).
The plastic used for the keyboard is almost certainly not appropriate for the case (which has been a very expensive polycarbonate, in earlier models, and may have been replaced by a cheaper material, such as a polystyrene used in many low-end PCs - what plastic airplane and ship models are made from). Apple does climb out on limbs and starts sawing away at them at the trunk by doing things like making laptops out of white plastic, G4 Titanium PowerBooks with highly-vulnerable hinges made from extremely brittle castings with tiny-cross-sections, iPod Nano screens made from highly-scratchable clear plastic, and G4 Cube cases from plastic that seems to develop microcracks, among other faux pas.
As Apple continues down the path of making Macs more and more like PCs at the lower price points, I suppose the quality is doomed to follow down-slope, too. They certainly won't be able to afford to replace/repair very many machines as the prices dwindle, so expect them to get even more ornery about replacements/repairs than they have already been.
Let's see what Apple does - the standard disclaimers whenever someone points out a flaw are getting a bit tiresome, though.
All the Best,
Joe Blow
scratch like crazy..
Then we have the Imac G5 power issues.. with it going to sleep
prematurely..
Now we have the Macbook and its warn out white finish..
What next?
Can someone tell me what Jonathan Ive is thinking??
Is he suffering cheap material for design or what??
Jonathan we can do without the shiny finish okay.. just give us
durable please... I hope to see it in you next line of portable
devices or suffer my commentary..
scratch like crazy..
Then we have the Imac G5 power issues.. with it going to sleep
prematurely..
Now we have the Macbook and its warn out white finish..
What next?
Can someone tell me what Jonathan Ive is thinking??
Is he suffering cheap material for design or what??
Jonathan we can do without the shiny finish okay.. just give us
durable please... I hope to see it in you next line of portable
devices or suffer my commentary..
Richard Quick
www.richardquickdesign.com
- Hope it ain't as bad as my Nano
-
by richardfquick
July 2, 2006 6:32 PM PDT
- That sucks.
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See all 144 Comments >>Richard Quick
www.richardquickdesign.com