Archive for January, 2010

I know everyone today is all a buzz with the Apple iPad news. I wish I was excited about it.

But unfortunately I can’t follow the story or DO ANY WORK because the MacBook Pro I bought only a year and a half ago has been giving me so many problems, I CAN’T DO ANYTHING.

I am literally going crazy.

I have been a very loyal Apple customer since the early 00s when I bought my first PowerBook. That computer was a workhorse and worked FLAWLESSLY from the day I bought it until the day it didn’t – FIVE YEARS LATER.

No really. 2003-2008 without a single problem? You think I recommended and talked friends into getting their own Macs? YOU BETCHA. I know that my RAVE reviews have been directly responsible for my sisters MacBook, my roommate Andrew’s MacBook AND iPhone, my friend Peter’s MacBook, my friend Matt’s iPhone, my friend Danielle’s iPhone …. I could go on and on.

I am so obsessed with Apple as a company, I photographed the Boylston Street store opening (this blog post was linked to all over the place). My photos have appeared on several Mac/Apple blogs including my coverage of the release of the iPhone 3G on MacDailyNews. I have written and posted Apple product tutorials (like this iPhone screenshot tutorial).

I own (or have owned) a 15″ PowerBook G4, a 15″ MacBook Pro, an iPhone 3G, an iPod 30G classic, an iPod 30G video, an iPod shuffle, Apple In-Ear Earbuds with Mic and Remote, Apple Magic Mouse … do I need to go on?

I don’t think I can make myself any clearer — I LOVE THIS STUFF (seriously, that link? A picture of me KISSING my iPhone.).

That is until I’ve been dealing with the HEARTACHE that is my MacBook Pro. Yes the one I bought a year and a half ago.

I have had problems with Apple products before. (Like the time my original iPhone earbuds kept shocking the HELL out of me??) But not like this.

Six MONTHS after I bought it, it spent FOUR DAYS getting repaired. Four days out of my hands. Four days getting the LCD replaced. YES THE LCD. MEANING THE ENTIRE TOP HALF OF MY COMPUTER. FROM THE HINGE UP.

ONE YEAR after I brought it, I was back with more issues. In fact, over the course of last summer? I was at the Genius Bar THREE TIMES. Some small issues were taken care of, other times they couldn’t figure out what was wrong and suggested SOFTWARE UPDATES. Really? REALLY?!?! Then there is the issue with the undocumented replacement of a video card. No record. A part was ordered, I dropped it off for repair and there is no record of this ANYWHERE. AWESOME.

The fact is, I have had my computer, the piece of equipment so NECESSARY for my work, out of my hands for 8 DAYS since I purchased it at the end of June 2008. EIGHT DAYS.

And now the latest number of issues. And where the real heartache begins … (I KNOW CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!)

My keyboard and trackpad just STOP WORKING. Just stop. For no reason. Press on keys? NOTHING. Click the trackpad? NOTHING. The only way to get them working again is to SHUT DOWN MY COMPUTER.

Do you know what shutting down my computer means? LOSING ALL OF MY WORK. It doesn’t matter how many times I save, I can’t possibly save everything I had been working on. And worst of all I can’t predict WHEN it’s going to freeze up.

This started about 3 months ago, maybe a little longer than that. At first would happen 2-3 times a month. MAYBE. The problem has gotten MUCH MUCH worse.

This past Friday? MY COMPUTER FROZE UP LIKE THIS 14 TIMES. FOURTEEN. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. YES I COUNTED.

You know what I got done that day? NOTHING. Because A) I lost everything. B) I spent so much time rebooting my computer I couldn’t possibly complete anything anyway.

It’s frozen at least that many times since.

Also? My screen LOVES TO GO BLACK. Again. FOR NO REASON. Sometimes there is weird pixelization or a clump of lines that show up. I can’t predict when any of this is going to happen. IT JUST DOES. And the only way to get it back? SHUT DOWN. Which means LOSING MORE WORK. AND WASTING MORE TIME.

I’ve Googled and guess what? Both of my problems are well documented hardware defects of my particular model* (I’ve posted link proof at the bottom of this entry). But guess what else? Because they’re random – I CAN’T REPLICATE THE ISSUE. So I look like a BIG OLE CRAZY PERSON when I try to get this piece of junk repaired.

I’ve called Apple. Actually scratch that, I made my good friend call for me because I am SO ANGRY I can’t possibly be civil at this point, but I do NOT want to take my anger out on Customer Service.

My friend and I spoke with some very nice, very apologetic Apple reps. I do appreciate their concern. I DO. I appreciate them taking the time (and trust me, I was on the phone for QUITE SOME TIME this weekend) to talk to me and figure out the best course of action.

But do you know what they want me to do? Ship my computer out to them. To be looked at. For at least a week.

There are so many problems with this “solution” I can’t even deal.

First of all my laptop is a BUSINESS CRITICAL MACHINE. I use it EVERYDAY. Like literally EVERY SINGLE DAY. I can not possibly work without it. It IS my business. I take it to work with me every morning and I take it home every night. I take it on business trips (two of which I have coming up in the next few weeks). I purchased this computer THE SAME DAY my PowerBook died. I literally couldn’t go ONE day without a laptop. And when it came to what machine I wanted, I didn’t even have to think about it. I knew I wanted another Apple. I just should have specified I want one that WORKS.

The other problem with this “solution” is one that I’ve pointed out several times in this entry – the problem is COMPLETELY RANDOM. I couldn’t replicate it even if I tried (and trust me I HAVE tried). Some days the thing works, other days, like last Friday, I can’t go 5 minutes without the thing crashing. If I send it out FOR A WEEK and the problem doesn’t surface for the folks at Apple – then what? I take it home again with NO solution?

I am at my WITS END. I really have no idea what to do at this point. The next vacation I have planned is the last week of March. That is LITERALLY the only time I have to ship this thing out if that’s what it comes to — but the end of March? IS STILL TWO MONTHS AWAY.

As a very well documented, very LOYAL Apple customer – can ANY of you think of ANYTHING I can possibly do? Does anyone have a contact ANYWHERE that I can sit down and discuss this with?

I need a laptop and I WANT A MAC – do not get me wrong, this situation hasn’t soured me on Apple products …. yet. I just need a little help and some understanding regarding a product that I shelled out $2,500 plus Apple Care a mere 18 MONTHS AGO.

Any ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions? Please? HELP and comment below. (A few people have jumped in the conversation on Twitter. Check that out here: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=alleyesonjenny)

For more information about the issues I’m experiencing and to see what others are saying, check out these articles that I found while doing hours of extensive research:

The Curious Case of the Missing MacBook Pro Keyboard and Trackpad
http://theappleblog.com/2009/04/06/the-curious-case-of-the-missing-macbook-pro-keyboard-and-trackpad/

Topic : Unresponsive Keyboard and Trackpad problem FIXED/RESOLVED
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1365569&start=0&tstart=0

So are all mbp owners with the 8600m GT cards screwed?!?
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=515067

MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377

All Nvidia G84 and G86s are bad
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1028703/nvidia-g84-g86-bad

I’ve dated a fair amount since I started….. well over a decade ago. The majority of the people I’ve dated however, I’ve met through friends, or were friends with already, etc. Basically I knew their backstory. But what’s fun about dating someone you don’t know, or don’t know all that well, is the way all these stories unfold and you discover their quirks and all the little things – that, well, make the person them.

I have a feeling that this guy I’ve been dating recently is in for more than he bargained for though ….

Me to Boy I am Dating (BIAD): Oh god, I’m a clumsy hot mess of a human.

BIAD: Sure you are.

Me: No really. Last spring I was walking with my old roommate Matt, tripped on something on the sidewalk and slammed face first into a restaurant window where I scared the hell out of two people sitting at that table. Matt, instead of helping me, just ran away laughing.

BIAD: Hahaha well you tripped on something. So that’s not really your fault.

Me: Uhhh… the very next day I was with him again and walked into a metal flower box. Without tripping on anything. I just slammed head first into the thing.

BIAD: I’m sure you’re not that bad. You are exaggerating.

Me: NEVER! You just wait until I destroy your life!

BIAD: Hahah ok.

(5 minutes later and there we are playing wii Tennis….)

Me: POW! BAM! Look! I am sooooo kicking your …..

SLAM. SPLASH. CRASH.

And that’s when we realized that I backhanded a nearly full bottle red wine. All over his brand new couch. Rug. Walls. Floor. And some laundry.

Me: UGH. SEE?!?!!? I told you. My life is garbage.

Hello. *tap tap* Is this thing on?

Oh look at that. Still works. I guess I ….. forgot how to use this?

Whatever. I have no excuse. I just didn’t feel like blogging for a bit. But here I am! Triumphant return!

Noteable events/observations from the past several weeks of disappearance:

1) I went to Dallas. Yup. Not really voluntarily. I was there for PCMA 2010. Sorry Dallas readers, but I did not have the best time in your city. The conference was great. But a) I got sick. b) the only food available to me for several days was either covered in, dipped in, or prepared with lard, butter, cheese or ranch dressing. I ordered a salad my first day – just your typical mixed greens with chicken. It came served on a pizza. SERVED ON A PIZZA. Like a full PIZZA. By the end of the conference, I was begging bartenders for their bar fruit (yeah I stole an orange. SO WHAT.) I’m sure Dallas is a lovely city – out of the convention circuit.

2) I recently discovered that every time I try to type “things” on my iPhone, it automatically changes it to “thugs”. I don’t know how many times I’ve substituted “thugs” for “things” to friends, family, clients – but I kind of think that’s awesome.

3) I only discovered the above because post-Dallas my cold continued and I was pretty much banished to the couch and in and out of sleep for the next 5 days, iPhone in hand. I attempted to go out for my friend Grace’s birthday party on Saturday night and nearly fell asleep at the bar. Sorry Grace. I suck. I do have a gift for you though :)

4) After nearly two years of only dreaming about them, I actually got to drink a Blue Bottle latte. It was beautiful and delicious.

5) Ok sooooo… can you keep a secret? I’ve sort of been …. seeing someone for a bit (which might have a litttttle something to do with my lack of updates. Maybe). I probably won’t say too much more – yet. But … suffice it to say he is the kind of man who remembered and filed away a conversation from more than a month ago where I mentioned an early 2008 trip to San Francisco where I had the “best latte I’ve ever had from this place called Blue Bottle”. Last week he knew I was feeling terrible, called the company and asked what kind of espresso bean I may have had in my latte when I was out there, placed the order, and had the beans delivered the day I got back from Dallas. And, if you can believe it, that’s just the beginning of the ridiculous journey this has been. But I’m not going to brag or anything :) I will say that after a relationship gone bad, two years of horrific dates including some recent absolutely terrible events, this …. is an unexpected but welcome turn of events.

6) My friends Sarah aka “Sasky” and Tony aka “Tony” had their very first baby a couple of days ago! They named him Desmond and he is absolutely precious. I would post his pics, but I’m not sure how far out into the internerd they’d like those to go, but here’s a visual: deliciously pudgy, tons of hair (OH THE HAIR!) and absolutely tiny and sweet and adorable.

So there you go. I hope I fulfilled at least a bit of my “where has she been?”/”Jen-gossip” quota for the day.