[moose_n_squirrel]

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If servicing Apple laptops is as bad as you say, then I hope all technicians will stop repairing Apple laptops, and just start shipping all laptops to Apple for all repairs, causing customer service to suffer. Hopefully that might teach Apple a lesson so they don't become another Sony or Toshiba.

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Exactly how would that teach Apple a lesson or cause service to suffer?
The last couple times I needed PowerBook service (all covered by AppleCare, fortunately), Apple sent the PowerBook to Texas. I understand that, unless the repair is dead simple, all Apple laptops go to Texas for any repair requiring disassembly. If your suggestion was taken to heart, and all laptops were shipped to Apple for repairs, do you know what Apple's reaction would be? "Yup, glad to see you have adapted to OUR system." Apple has it down, in fact. They ship you an express box, you overnight it there on their dime (if under AppleCare), they fix it, they overnight it back. Very smooth and quick. No lesson for Apple to learn there! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[montgomery_burns]

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If your suggestion was taken to heart, and all laptops were shipped to Apple for repairs, do you know what Apple's reaction would be? "Yup, glad to see you have adapted to OUR system." No lesson for Apple to learn there!

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I was hoping that the flood of mail-in repairs would cause such a huge service backlog, causing customers to wait weeks or even months for repairs. And I was also hoping that customer satisfaction would suffer as technicians tell customers their laptops can't be fixed locally. This might make Apple rethink all of their hardware designs, or else deal with more backlogs. Do you have another suggestion?

[moose_n_squirrel]

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Do you have another suggestion?

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I'm not sure I need to have another suggestion. I was simply pointing out that if your suggestion is to ship all laptops to Apple to teach Apple a lesson, yet Apple already does that, how would that influence their thinking.
If you're asking "How would I suggest influencing Apple to design easier-to-service laptops," I would say that Mac users need to decide what they really want. I'm sure Apple is simply managing the age-old product development compromise between cost, convenience, and power. Mac users are probably needing to choose between:
a) super-thin
b) easy to service
c) as affordable as possible given the features
It might not be possible to do all three. Right now the Powerbooks/Macbooks/iBooks take a) and c). Many PC laptops, and the PowerBook G3, are b) and c).

[lantzn]

I'm with you on that Peter. I've been using dual montior setups at home and at work for years. It's tough for me to go to any monitor smaller then a 17". I just had one of my 17" CRT NEC monitors go dead on me at home. I replaced it with a 20" Dell widescreen LCD, very nice by the way. I now want to, for the first time, replace my tower with this 17" MacBook Pro and use it with the Dell monitor as a dual monitor setup. This thing is sweet! Now all I need is for them to release a dock station for this new laptop so I can just unplug and go.
http://www.bookendzdocks.com/

[lantzn]

Checkout this page. Looks like a solution coming May/June.
You can sign up for updates a the bottom of the info.
http://www.evdoinfo.com/Tips/PC5220/MacBookPro[u]andEVDO_20060111671/

[lantzn]

Man I was sooo hoping for a 6" laptop. I'm getting tired of watching movies on my video iPod.

[montgomery_burns]

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Now all I need is for them to release a dock station for this new laptop so I can just unplug and go.
http://www.bookendzdocks.com/

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Those Bookendz "docks" are a joke. Instead of a single dock connector, it attaches a passthrough plug to each connector on the laptop on both sides. And each dock only works with 1 laptop model. Apple iPods have a standard dock connector and a universal dock, so why can't Apple laptops have something similar?

[Bryan]

I think the dismissal of wishes for built-in always on internet access (cellular or otherwise) is short sighted at best.
Without question, Apple should already have (at bare minimum) the equivalant functionality of Blackberry's push email built-in to every MacBook/Powerbook/iBook. Heck, they should have something BETTER.

[MacCheetah3]

Hi
Originally posted by montgomeryburns

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Remember, the original Powerbooks used Motorola 68k processors.

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You have a good point...I don't have an explanation or rebuttal for that. I wonder...

Originally posted by montgomeryburns

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So what would be a good name for an Intel Mac tower?

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I honestly don't know. I've heard MacPro thrown around the rumor sites but I can't really think of anything off-hand that sounds good without Power involved.
As far as the PowerBook / iBook repairs go...Like anything, once you "get the hang of it," it doesn't take nearly as long. No need to look at manuals and learn the little tricks to doing this and that. I honestly wouldn't do it in a customer's home, even if I had a lot of experience...Too many parts -- Especially screws -- to keep track of without a proper workspace. It isn't too bad in-shop but it still takes a noticeable greater time and effort than most desktop units. However, I have heard that doing anything other than basic upgrade / repairs to a Power Mac G5 is also quite tedious. mns does have a good point that most APP repairs that are shipped out have a pretty impressive turn-around. I can say that from experiences.

[wintomac]

Why all the gnashing of teeth over the name? Is it that important? While this product may not have every feature that some may want, it's a fine machine IMO. Same cost as a 15in( with same processor speed), BUT extra screen real estate, firewire 800 port, extra USB port, double layer dvd burner, and 5.5 hr battery life. Looks good to me. I'm going to get a laptop this year. I wasn't even considering the 17in until now.

[Peter Cohen]

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Why all the gnashing of teeth over the name?

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Damned if I know.
Like Shakespeare said:
Whats in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo calld,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name;
And for that name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.

[PeterG]

Hi All,
I admit not reading all the posts but my question is: Is the new 17" MacBook a replacement (for some) as a mobile Desktop computer?
Peter
if this has been mentioned you may now admonish me.

[Peter Cohen]

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Is the new 17" MacBook a replacement (for some) as a mobile Desktop computer?

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Depends on your needs. For many of us, the 17-inch MacBook would be a spectacular desktop replacement.

[montgomery_burns]

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I honestly wouldn't do it in a customer's home, even if I had a lot of experience...

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But some manufacturers and retailers still sell service plans which promise on-site repairs in the customer's home, despite the increased difficulty of taking apart a laptop.

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However, I have heard that doing anything other than basic upgrade / repairs to a Power Mac G5 is also quite tedious. mns does have a good point that most APP repairs that are shipped out have a pretty impressive turn-around. I can say that from experiences.

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I hear about 2 week or longer average turnaround times for mail-in Apple laptop repairs. I've heard that Apple once sent out a news bulletin to service providers, informing them of a backlog and advising them to handle hardware repairs locally instead of shipping them out. And when Apple had to temporarily evacuate their Texas facility during the hurricane season, they advised service providers to avoid shipping out hardware repairs. Well if Apple made their laptops easier to service in the first place, then more technicians would be willing to repair them locally.
If repairing Power Mac G5's is as tedious as you say, then perhaps Apple technicians should also start shipping Power Macs and iMacs out for repair, in addition to laptops.
The difficulty of servicing Sony laptops is one reason you don't see big businesses buying hundreds of them at a time. There is an expectation in enterprise environments for repairs to be done on site and quickly. Corporations usually hire full time technicians who do repairs on site, and those technicians are usually overworked already. When business users depend on their computers and expect same day service, they don't want to be told that their laptop needs to be shipped out for 2 weeks.