Fortunato_NC's Journal: The iBook Situation Resolved (Finally!)

Well, I have complained about Apple a lot recently, but I have to admit that they finally really, really took care of me. I am typing this to you on a brand new latest update PowerBook G4 12", 1.5GHz G4 with 512MB of RAM, 80GB hard drive and the new 8X Superdrive.

But, you might say to yourself, "Apple wouldn't have replaced an iBook with a Powerbook. Certainly there must be some mistake!" You would be right. Apple won't replace an iBook with a Powerbook. But the iBook they replaced mine with was a brand new iBook G4 in a standard retail config. Retail price, $1299.

While I was waiting for my new iBook to ship, Apple released the new PowerBooks. The idea that i might be able to swap the new iBook and some cash for the new PowerBook entered my mind. I spoke to the manager of the Southpoint Apple Store, who was familiar with the hassles I went through with my G3 iBook, and told him my idea. He said although Apple usually didn't allow it, he would allow me the retail value of the iBook G4 I was recieving as store credit , as long as it shipped to me in retail packaging with a full warranty, and I brought it in without breaking the sealed package.

So when the plain brown box showed up at my office today, I was a bit disappointed. As it turned out, however, the box contained the retail packaging inside a thin card stock outer box. A quick call to Applecare confirmed the machine had a full year warranty. So we were in business! A friend and I went to the Apple store to do the swap.

While the rep was ringing up the $400 price difference, he asked me if I was a student. A quick flash of the student ID, and the price difference was down to $200. He allowed me full retail on the iBook because its predecessor had not been purchased with a student discount (I bought it at the end of the G3 lifecycle, and was not allowed a further discount from the EOL closeout price).

So after all was said and done, I ended up with a new top of the line 12" PowerBook (retail: $1699) for $1099 plus tax, since the selling price of my iBook G3 had been $899. So there is something to be said for being persistent. I had to suffer through four logic board failures, but I ended up with a great computer. I'm going to take some of the money I saved and put it towards Applecare, so that I'm covered for three years on this new computer. If a few more days had gone by, my iBook would have been out of warranty, and I would have been stuck.

All's well, that ends well, I guess!