Well, It’s over a year later. That PB-G4 17 is still going strong, with no more issues. It’s semi-retired, now, since I’ve added a MacBook Pro to my arsenal. But it works great with the new screen and new RAM.

I have to remind you that Apple did fix my machine for nothing, and Kingston did replace the RAM for nothing. I was inconvenienced by the colored lines, but they treated me like royalty.

Actually, that was the second of several opportunities they’ve had to show what stellar service they can provide at the Apple Store when you act like a reasonable person and merely state your case. The first time, my PB-G4 17 failed with a broken power switch, three days after I bought it from MacZone. I took it to the Apple Store. They replaced it, no questions asked, with a brand new machine. They even transferred all my data over from the dead PB’s hard drive. Two years later, they put a brand new screen in that same machine. Free.

Recently, my wife’s iPod Touch died during an update. I was completely dark (bricked). Following all their web sites’ recommended techniques to revive it did nothing. I took it in during Apple’s crazy iPhone 3G release week. The concierge met me at the door of the Apple Store (SouthPark Mall, Charlotte). He called a Genius Bar guy over, who took it from me while I waited outside. About 35 minutes later, he walked out and handed it to me. “Works fine,” he said. No paperwork. No charges. Nothing else said. Perfect.

I AM A W85 VICTIM! HAVE YOU BEEN SHANGHAIED TOO?
Read the full story on http://www.manymoods.org and join the PB Group on Facebook http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=26228848170&ref=share
My last check on Petition Online shows that we are at least 1225 suffering victims worldwide as per today. If you haven’t signed the petition yet, go there now: http://www.petitiononline.com/maclines/petition.html

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT to proceed the APPLE BATTLE!
Thanks for your attention/Kerstin

Well, I took my 17-inch G4 PowerBook with 38 one-pixel vertical colored lines on the LCD to the Apple Store here in Charlotte last Monday. My original intention was just to show it to the Genius Bar guy and see what he said, and to get it registered in their AppleCare case files in case there is a recall. I casually mentioned that the phenomenon has been noted all over the web (crosspond.com is the registration site if you have the problem or know someone with it). But on examination, and after showing it to the store manager, he offered to fix it at no charge. It’s in repair now. (I don’t have AppleCare on this machine, but will definitely get it on my next Macbook!)

I’ll see whether everything works when I get it back, and let you know how long it took! They said 5-7 business days, but it just got to their repair depot on Thursday and the status shows it waiting on a part.

Follow-up on funny colored lines phenomenon… Okay, my PBG4 mentioned in earlier threads here arrived yesterday from AppleCare Service with a new screen and bezel, but minus 1GB of third party memory the AppleCare folks said was defective. (It came back in a pink anti-stat bag.) They hinted that it might have caused the problem, and that it was also not “approved” for use in the machine (!?!— It’s DDR SDRAM PC2700, to Apple specs, so what else do they want? Do you have to buy Apple’s RAM for these things? Naw!).

I called Kingston, and they’re replacing the memory DIMM under warranty. Also, their web site lists the exact DIMM I have as still the current recommendation for the PBG4-17 I have. I will run every memory test I can find on the new RAM once I get it installed, just to be sure it is clean.

The new screen is great… but a 512MB machine is creepily slow… If you have the “Bridget Riley” phenomenon on your W85 serial number PBG4-17″, test your RAM!

Well, I took my 17-inch G4 PowerBook with 38 one-pixel vertical colored lines on the LCD to the Apple Store here in Charlotte last Monday. My original intention was just to show it to the Genius Bar guy and see what he said, and to get it registered in their AppleCare case files in case there is a recall. I casually mentioned that the phenomenon has been noted all over the web (crosspond.com is the registration site if you have the problem or know someone with it). But on examination, and after showing it to the store manager, he offered to fix it at no charge. It’s in repair now. (I don’t have AppleCare on this machine, but will definitely get it on my next Macbook!)

I’ll see whether everything works when I get it back, and let you know how long it took! They said 5-7 business days, but it just got to their repair depot on Thursday and the status shows it waiting on a part.

For a warranty repair, if it is too much of a ride to an Apple store, they’ll send you a box to ship it back in.

I needed a monitor repair when I lived about 50 miles from the Charlotte store. They told me on the phone to take it in, and I said that would be at least 200 miles of driving (with 2 round trips), so they said they’d send a box, and it came the next day, as I recall.

Hi,

I hear ya, I really do. I want to stay with Apple but I don’t know if I will. They have the best OS hands down, but the hardware I have owned, has been spotty at best. maybe I am just un-lucky, but I don’t think so.

I feel for your problems, but Apple rates at the top of the PC industry when it comes to reliability. So whatever you might get instead is apt to be worse.

Peace,
Gene

hi,

just took my imac 17″ core2 duo in for screen turning PINK. They replaced the logic board under warranty, but a week later I discovered the iSight camera did not work. Obviously they did not test it.

Took it back yesterday and it was fixed while I waited.

I have mixed emotions about this. On one hand they fixed it, but returned it in less than perfect condition, which required me to make yet another trip out to their store for a repair.

On top of that I get a call from customer relations stating they want to extend some good will. I was asked if I would like a wireless keyboard and mouse. I say why not, but does it have to be the apple brand? They say no what are you thinking about. The item I wanted was less than the combined price of the apple wireless keyboard/mouse. However they refused to do that and then offered me $30 off my next $100 purchase at the Apple store.

I declined.

Considering I spent a great deal of my personal time, I had to take off work, and with gas prices at around 3 dollars. I think they could have done better than $30.

I have never had a Mac that did not have at least one debilitating problem. I have owned 5 iMacs over the last 9 years. This may be my last.

I’ve had the scroll ball in the MM quit working at least in one direction for a time, but the problem went away fairly soon. I don’t think it is a hygiene issue. Maybe people do cleaning until the problem goes away, and then they believe they solved the problem by cleaning.

I like the little ball. It’s out of the way, unlike the big honkin’ clumsy wheels that most PC mice sport. You can ignore it or use it at any time, whichever seems handier at the moment. And the various buttons on the MM can be disabled, so you can pick up the mouse by the sides without invoking goodness knows what actions. And with the right “button” disabled, you can click with a rock of the whole hand without getting all carpel-tunnelly with individual fingers, so the hand doesn’t tire and the wrist get sore by the end of long sessions at the computer. The shape of the mouse fits my size hand well, so it works better for me probably than for those with tiny or giant hands.

Apple is pretty mum about it. They’ve locked or deleted forum entries on their site regarding this issue. A grassroots effort to develop a class action suit is in the works.
The phenomenon also affects certain Dell laptops, as well as certain iMacs! Dell’s response has been a lot more progressive thus far than has Apple’s.

Wouldn't be surprised if they both sourced the same flat panels. There is a lot of commonality to these parts nowadays. Yes, we are going look this over carefully.

Peace,
Gene

Apple is pretty mum about it. They've locked or deleted forum entries on their site regarding this issue. A grassroots effort to develop a class action suit is in the works. 
The phenomenon also affects certain Dell laptops, as well as certain iMacs! Dell's response has been a lot more progressive thus far than has Apple's.

Gene, what about the phenomenon of the 17-inch 1.67 GHz PowerBook G4 with deteriorating LCD screens? There are hundreds of documented cases of these G4s, made 18 to 30 months ago, with one-pixel wide, vertical colored lines popping up randomly all over! I have one with 25 such lines on it (20 last week), and counting. Do a Google search for “Bridget Riley Powerbooks” and watch the videos referenced on YouTube. Then visit Crosspond.com/apple.php and view the reports.
Apple should do the right thing here, warranty expired or not, Applecare protected or not. I don’t want a new machine, just one with a clean monitor!

I've read about this and I want to explore it further. I've had older versions of those PowerBooks with no such problems. But you have to be concerned.

Peace,
Gene

Gene, what about the phenomenon of the 17-inch 1.67 GHz PowerBook G4 with deteriorating LCD screens? There are hundreds of documented cases of these G4s, made 18 to 30 months ago, with one-pixel wide, vertical colored lines popping up randomly all over! I have one with 25 such lines on it (20 last week), and counting. Do a Google search for "Bridget Riley Powerbooks" and watch the videos referenced on YouTube. Then visit Crosspond.com/apple.php and view the reports.
Apple should do the right thing here, warranty expired or not, Applecare protected or not. I don't want a new machine, just one with a clean monitor!

Something I run into occasionally concerns the Mighty Mouse scroll ball — it gets gummed up and quits working. Design flaw? Or hygiene-challenged?

You mean the little button? It is awfully uncomfortable for me. Go look at a wireless mouse from Logitech and (believe it or not) Microsoft. Both make really good input devices.

Peace,
Gene

Something I run into occasionally concerns the Mighty Mouse scroll ball — it gets gummed up and quits working. Design flaw? Or hygiene-challenged?