Apple artificially limited the scope of a repair program for defective PowerBooks, a new class-action lawsuit alleges. Filed by Giorgio Gometsky via northern California, the suit makes reference to a problem with the PowerBook G4, in which memory added to the computer went unrecognized, thereby depriving people of performance or generating additional problems. "Unfortunately for consumers," the suit notes, "because both memory slots are hardwired to the PowerBook's motherboard, consumers who choose to repair the defect can incur costs of more than $500 in parts and labor."

The core problem, says Gometsky, is that Apple's Memory Slot Repair Extension Program -- which expired July 24th -- covered only 15-inch 1.5 and 1.67GHz PowerBooks built between January and April of 2005. The lawsuit seeks to expand Apple's responsibility back to January 1st of 2003, and charges Apple with offenses such as negligence, unjust enrichment, and breaches of warranty and the California business code. Apple is also said to have been irresponsible in notifying people about extended warranties, failing to tell PowerBook owners that they could seek a repair.

If successful, the suit would ask for compensation to any participants who had to pay for notebook repairs themselves.

Gometsky notes that he has attempted to obtain free repairs from Apple for sometime; after an initial denial, he sent one letter to the company's Cupertino headquarters in December of 2006, and a second in March of 2007, after which he registered a complaint with the Attorney General for California.