Yes, you can return a computer to Apple if you'd like, just as long as you buy the stock version of the machine (meaning, if you have Apple add RAM, a bigger hard drive, upgrade to a superdrive, etc., Apple will consider your order "Built to Order" and will not accept a return or exchange without a huge fight).

Apple's Return Policy

On the question about Amazon's special, you're going to have to decide if you can wait for the 4-6 weeks it may take Amazon to get the item in stock. If you can wait that long, I'd roll the dice on that deal. You'd end up getting the computer for $1349 and wow, that would be an awesome price.

Here's what I found in regards to the estimated ship date:

"When Will This Item Be Shipped to Me?
- While this item is not currently in stock, we are confident it will be in the near future. Supplies may be limited, so place your order now, and we'll do our best to ship you the item within 4 to 6 weeks. We'll send you an e-mail confirmation once the item has been shipped. (You're also always welcome to check the status of your order via Your Account.) If after 6 weeks we still haven't been able to acquire the item, we'll let you know via e-mail, at which point you can decide to keep your order open or cancel it. Your credit card will of course not be charged until we ship the item.
If you are ordering items in addition to this one, please take care in choosing a shipping preference. If you don't want this item to hold up the rest of your order, select the "I want my items faster. Ship items as they become available" option on the order form."

However, if you cannot wait that long, consider this computer. It's not the exact version of the PowerBook that you would get from Amazon.com, but it is being sold for a lower cost, free shipping, no taxes (in most states) and it ships "next day."

Anyway, you can also keep your eye out for refurbished computers by Apple (just as good as brand new) here, and see what their daily updates find for you.

Good luck and let us know what you decide. If you have any more questions, let us know!

I would buy from Amazon every time.

When I bought a 30 GB iPod, I got a unit that (like a few other people reported) would require a hard reset if it was left paused for more than a few minutes. Apple support thought that was acceptable behavior (they referred me to a Apple's knowledge base article on performing a hard reset); I didn't. (Apple is simply notorious for declaring what a normal person would think of as a defect as "Normal". What dead pixels? Broken hinges? Failed power supplies?) Fortunately I bought it through Amazon. I told them it was busted, and they replaced it.

Apple's return policy sucks. First you have to argue about whether it's "defective enough". And then they will want you to return it for a "repair".

I love reading Apple's return policy: "If you are not satisfied with your Apple purchase.... If the item is returned unopened in orginal box...". I'm still trying to figure out just how I become dissatisfied without opening it.