It could be worse...

If you've had problems with your Apple laptop, things could be worse.

(taken from AppleDefects.com)

If you’re a frustrated because you’re a Mac user with problems, it could be a whole lot worse. For the PC world, Toshiba America has flunked the consumer, literally, with a grade of ‘F’ by the Better Business Bureau.

The rating comes amid more than 400 customer complaints filed with the BBB against the company. The complaints stem from alleged defective products, failure to honor warranty claims and other issues. Problems related to overheating of Toshiba laptops and slow repair service seems to plague the company while some computers have to be sent back multiple times to correct the issues because the original service did not fix the problems.

Actually, Apple has growing popularity among PC buyers, according to a TechnoMetrica analysis:

Among likely PC buyers in the next six months, Apple tied with Hewlett-Packard for the No. 2 brand overall. Both were the brand choice of 11% of prospective buyers in the early June poll by TechnoMetrica.

Dell was No. 1 with 41%. But that’s down from 48% in May and 55% in April.

Analysts say Apple has become more attractive to consumers largely due to the iPod’s popularity and word of mouth.

(my emphasis)

Apple seems to be doing pretty well despite all of the "fatal flaws" we've been seeing.

 

It's funny that ALL the HORRIBLE FLAWS in the Intel Macs are mentioned every chance someone gets, but things like this never come up. People forget that Apple is the #1 computer manufacturer for customer service and satisfaction according to many surveys including consumer reports.

It's a shame though for Toshiba as their Qosmio line seems pretty nice. I do like hp though, good to see them near the top.

 

Thats exactly what I try to say everytime in a post, you will always hear about the bad things of products (regardless of brand), its rare you read about good things out there just for common knowledge.

This news doesn't surprise me, and I have to admit I always thought that the HP stuff looked nice, I like the designs of their cases its rather nice, but I love Apples more, I remember when a friend of mine had HP, he only really had one problem with it, and the problem was pretty much his fault anyways, but other than that it always ran pretty good.

 

I use both apple and dell and I love my apple and would give up dell if I had to choose

 

Dell is going to be at the top for a while, they offer lots of models, and their Inspiron series is selling really good, especially with the coupons, you can get a lot for your money at dell, then they have the XPS for the gamers, and a business class. Apple is probably going to stay in top three, hopefully . Apple's intel macs are going to great once the first few months are gone, and all of the "bugs" are fixed. I hope HP is going to stay in the top three, If I wasn't interested in the Macbook, I would get an HP!!! Great post #1, people needed to see stuff either then complaints about apple!
~Arman

 

Yes, BUT remember there is still a large portion of the PowerPC based Apples in consumers hands.

 

Agreed. Most of the time we go on to the forums to vent our anger and try to look for solutions.

I've used my new white macbook for a month and luckily have had no problems.

my ibm t43 and my former ibm t40 has been good to me as well.

 

I would say on the whole, the vast majority of computers from any manufacturer are problem free. If they aren't that company usually fizzles away, or at least is dwelling at the clearance rack at best buy.

 

Funny any remarks I hear about Toshiba are good. Whenever someone is disgruntled about service a reply post advises Toshiba. Now it appears it was mostly hot air. Just goes to show you can't trust word of mouth on forums.

 

Exactly why I never really put much weight behind compliants or anything, I do put some behind any of which people say good things I mean if someone hated something why would they say good things about it right?

Usually its all frustration and people tend to over exaggerate issues, I mean we could all start one thread and post why we love our current apple laptops (or a thread on a PC brand in their respectable forum area) I usuallly see those who have issues were just one of them unlucky ones that got one of those bad ones that get through from time to time. Hey no one is perfect here.

 

I had one of those toshiba's. It would get too hot and shut down after all the startup programs were running. The computer was litterally impossible to use. I looked online and found hundreds of other people with the same problems and entire threads dedicated to it. I found someone else in my dorm with the exact same problem! I called toshiba and they denied any problems etc etc. etc...never buy from them, ever.

 

Yeah, I've been increasingly hearing problems with toshiba, come to think of it I don't think I ever really seen anyone say good things about them even in person.

Toshiba used to have really nice laptops, wonder what the heck happened to them.

 

So the impression I'm getting from this thread is that because *some* PC vendors suck, all complaints against Apple are invalid? Keep in mind, Toshiba doesn't exactly represent the PC market as a whole. How many percent of the market do they hold again?

I've got an alternative theory. Toshiba sucks, but Apple *still* has a fair number of issues with their Macbooks.

That's not to say they're particularly bad compared to the rest of the market. But for a manufacturer with a reputation for quality, it's not a good thing.

I think claiming that Macbook issues just aren't relevant or should be ignored is the dumbest thing any Mac fan can do.

 

The point of the thread was to show that even with the problems many have been experiencing with their Apples, I think that some are blowing things quite a bit out of proportion. Despite all of Apple's problems at the moment, almost every story of doom and destruction I've heard from Mac owners with problems has ended either with the issue being resolved or the unhappy owner having their money returned.

Imagine if people were experiencing swelling batteries, excessive heat, and system crashes with their Toshibas-with the customer service rating that the BBB gave them, it seems that the user would have been lucky to even talk to someone about the issue. While this does not nullify the problems that Apple has been having, it seems that Apple is usually willing to try and help the end user resolve their problems, whatever those may be.

 

Thank you! I will say I think the issues with Apple are always blown out of proportion because they are different. People don't like different. Especially when some Apple folk are a little fanatical.