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Wednesday, August 30, 2006
We’ve all read about the mooing and whining of the MacBook Pro and how it’s one pretty hot notebook (and we don’t mean that in the slang term.) For me, I’ve had little issue with my Rev. A MacBook Pro. Sure, I had a battery that gained some weight and bloated out, but that’s Sony’s fault. But it seems some are having even greater issues. A peeling Magsafe end, a warped battery bay, and heat that will leave burn marks on any beach-going MacBook Pro user. David Ciccone of Mobility is one such user.
Seems poor David can’t win. He got a MacBook Pro back in March and has had problem after problem with it. Finally, he just got a new one from a New Jersey Apple Store and thought all was fine, until he got home. The whining sound continued and weeks later more problems ensued. In his book, his MacBook Pro was a lemon. It’s skinned him so sourly, he’s written an open letter to Apple’s Hollywood-like star CEO, Steve Jobs. In the letter, he notifies Mr. Jobs that he will no longer — “never” — purchase an Apple product and he’ll be sure to tell everyone about is poor experience. Is Ciccone being a bit extreme? Maybe.
I have had some minor issues with my Rev. A MacBook Pro, but nothing that would drive me to call the office of the CEO of Apple. Sure, everyone will get a lemon of some sort from just about every company and that just happens in our imperfect world. For the most part, Apple does do everything in its power to correct a fault and I think Ciccone even documents that in his article when he notes how the New Jersey store gave him a new MBP as well as various accessory replacements in a five month period without any grief. I can’t imagine Dell doing this. (How would they even understand such a concept in India? 
)
I understand Ciccone’s frustration and I would be just as upset as him if I had had such an experience as his. But I didn’t and most haven’t. I think Ciccone may be a unique, one in a million, customer that just drives his machine into the ground with extreme use. After my PowerBook G4 burnt out its motherboard twice and my Dell Inspiron 1000 once, I learn a valuable lesson: laptops are meant to run all day and night long. Turn them off for a while. Since then, neither computer, nor my MBP, have had heat issues.
It’s my hope that Ciccone gets a new MBP and Apple step up to the plate and resolve this the right Apple way I’m sure it will as this kind of PR is not the kind any company wants to have. Hopefully this doesn’t happen to me, either. 
August 30th, 2006 at 11:35
I’ve been very happy with my RevA Macbook Pro that I ordered in February. No issues. Apple sent me a notice that they wanted to replace my battery, though I experienced no problems with it, and they did so. The machine does make some audible noises but I am not sure if any of them are the “mooing” or other racket I’ve read about. None of the noise mine makes are bothersome or other than you might expect from a complicated piece of electronic equipment. It has fans and other moving parts for goodness sake!
August 30th, 2006 at 13:54
I think you meant that “laptops are not meant to run all day and night long”
August 30th, 2006 at 14:39
Well I am giving you the update! I just faxed in the letter to Steve Jobs office and guess who called me back? My good ol friend at Executive Relations Alan Rose! He leaves me a message stating “Mr Ciccone I received the letter you sent to Mr Jobs and I am responding for him” and “we are still requesting you bring the MacBookPro back to the store for repair!” Thank you for contacting Apple Executive relations…
I couldn’t believe my ears! Since I was at the Mac Store in NJ I was able to work a deal with the manager who was nice enough to swap out my MacBookPro for a MacBook and pull my 2GB out of the MacBookPro and put it into the new MacBook.. He even restored the entire image on the new MacBook and I got a free HP printer and a $900.00 credit for the difference!! Now this is what customer service is about!!!!
August 30th, 2006 at 14:54
Thank you, Evers, for that correction. Yes, you are right indeed, I did mean NOT to run all day and night.
Do note, my friend, I told you that you would end up being my editor!
August 30th, 2006 at 14:56
David, glad it all worked out and that a “worker bee” was brighter than the guy with a desk in the white ivory tower of his. It’s a shame that he speaks for Mr. Jobs. Hope Steve knows what kind of image Mr. Rose is projecting of Apple right now…