Apple loses iBook G4 case; refunds may come
updated 03:00 pm EDT, Thu September 20, 2007
Apple loses iBook G4 case
In May, the Denmark Consumer Complaints Board said that it found evidence of a hidden original design defect in Apple's iBook G4 systems, which the Cupertino-based company repeatedly denied. The board has now ruled against Apple for the second time, finding that the company will have to refund money to customers for faulty computers. Affected iBooks lose power and the screen goes blank after just over one year's use, but notebook owners were told their warranty had expired and that they would have to pay for repairs performed. Thousands of users all over the world have tried to get Apple to acknowledge the fault and agree to take back the computers, according to the board, but all have failed. The Consumer Complaints Board now claims to have documentation proving the existence of a design fault, and decided in April that Danish consumers must be able to return computers with this fault to Apple.
The board maintains that it has sufficient evidence of a hidden original design defect in Apple's iBook G4 systems, and said that Apple now has 14 days to accept ruling or be added to the "unwilling companies" list.
Forbrug.dk quotes Frederik Navne Boesgaard from The Danish Consumer Complaints Board, who said "We're giving Apple 14 days to follow the decision. After that the company will be moved to our company check list, where we expose companies that don't accept the boards' decisions."
Misleading
09/20, 03:13pm reply
Technically, they didn't exactly lose... They settled. At least, that's how I understand it.
njfuzzy
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2001
g'dane!
09/20, 03:42pm reply
So the Danes have two good things going for them, a consumer complaints body that listens and acts and, of course, Carlsberg!!
Feathers
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 1999
Re: misleading
09/20, 03:47pm reply
So Apple settled. Was this AFTER the board says they must reimburse owners of these lemons? And how come us iBook G3 owners don't get some of this same love?
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
re: re: Misleading
09/20, 04:15pm reply
because the iBook G3 and iBook G4 are completely different beasts. That same design flaw didn't exist in the G3, that cable is routed differently. The iBook G3 case was designed for the components of the iBook G3, the iBook G4 tried to cram the G4 components into a G3 case. Likely Apple will do an REA on the existing ones and refund repair costs to those that paid for repair. I don't see them replacing or offering refunds to replace the computer.
Roehlstation
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Joined: Aug 2001
re: re: misleading
09/20, 06:10pm reply
Yeah, but that doesn't address the fact that the iBook G3 sucked big time.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
morals
09/20, 06:43pm reply
what i think sucks is how apple kept fighting, yet it was patently obvious to many there was a fundamental flaw - of which i too was a victim ; (
roberto
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2007
O RLY?
09/20, 08:43pm reply
"Yeah, but that doesn't address the fact that the iBook G3 sucked big time."
Really? A lawsuit specifically regarding the G4 iBook doesn't take into account the iBook G3 suckage? How can that be?
Oh wait, it's because the lawsuit was specifically about the iBook G4.
*sigh*
Johnny Niles
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2007
testudo
09/20, 09:27pm reply
I suggest you move to Denmark and sue re your iBook G3 then ... nidget.
Why ruin the two good takes you have per week with the 20 dumb ones. Do you have any hobbies?
MacnnGregor
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2004
iBook G3
09/20, 11:18pm reply
I was in charge of over 300 iBook G3s for the school system I worked for, only 3 of those machines had any problems, Over half of those machines are still in use (almost 7 years later) and we're only replacing them because they aren't fast enough for the new apps.
yes, only anticdotal evidence there, but the fact I had 3 out of 300 machines needing repair (keeping in mind these were in the hands of Jr High schoolers) that says a lot. Seems testudo is always whining about one thing or another, I'm starting to think it is just that he has bad karma.
Roehlstation
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Extended warranty a must
09/21, 12:05pm reply
I've supported many different brands of notebooks through the years and it's always a good idea to get a 3 year warranty regardless of the brand. Notebooks get bounced around a lot more than desktops and when things break, the fix is usually expensive.
cebritt
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Joined: Mar 2000