Do you hear that ticking noise? It's your iPhone's warranty preparing to go "boom." If you purchased your iPhone on the original US release date -- June 29, 2007 -- your warranty will expire in three days (as of this writing) on June 29th, 2008.
Tick, tick.
Of course, you can extend coverage by purchasing AppleCare for the iPhone at $69.95US (or toss in an additional $129 for iPhone 3G). Otherwise, get yourself to an Apple Store Genius Bar ASAP!
If the iPhone is anything like most cars I've owned, everything will go wrong the very day after the warranty expires. I'm just saying.
It sounds like the plot of a Roger Corman film, I know, but as reported on our sister blog, apparently swaths of Texas are being overrun by "Crazy Rasberry Ants," named for their discoverer (and exterminator) Tom Rasberry, not for the tasty fruit.
The ants, for some reason, are attracted to electrical equipment, including your Mac. A friendly chat with an AppleCare representative revealed that AppleCare policies do not cover insect infestation. Instead, the rep helpfully suggested that your renter's or homeowner's policy might cover the computer instead.
The ants arrived in the U.S. via a shipping container. They reproduce quickly, and are very difficult to kill. Might be worth it to keep an eye out. Apparently, they've been spotted near Johnson Space Center, and who knows what secrets they could be after.
Doug Toombs from Howard Forums tipped us off that those refurb AT&T iPhones many TUAW readers bought a few weeks ago might not have properly issued warranties. He sent me over to Apple's warranty self-checking site and sure enough my new iPhone's limited warranty is due to expire on July 22nd.
I gave Apple a call at 1-800-694-7466. I was given the standard Apple line: they do not offer a full year warranty on refurbs. Your warranty ends a year from when the iPhone was originally sold and activated. She then connected me to AT&T, which promptly hung up on me.
So I called back. The sticker on the AT&T box says clearly: "Refurbished iPhones have a full 1 year warranty. You must retain receipt for warranty claims through Apple."
Second time around, I got the most fabulous agent. She contacted the agreement administrator and within a few minutes my warranty was extended to 03/2009, no fuss, no muss. I'm kicking myself though that I did not check into whether I could extend the warranty after that year through AppleCare--so if you find out, do let us know in the comments. Thanks!
Anyway, to summarize: I did need to confirm a valid AT&T account, explaining that I was upgrading from my 4GB to my new 8GB. I offered to send a picture of the sticker on the AT&T box but the agent said this had to be a known problem and that she didn't need either that or the receipt. I also took advantage of the Apple call-you-back service. Instead of waiting on line, they automagically take your number and call it back when you're ready to hit the head of the queue. Very convenient.
There's dog years and Internet years, but this is the first time we've heard of a special definition of 'a year' when it comes to warranty coverage.
TUAW reader Tom Moore bought his AppleCare agreement on May 3rd, 2006, and recently called Apple to activate the coverage on an older iPod. Like all iPod AppleCare coverage, it's a two year agreement (3 year coverage applies to computers and servers), and the telephone rep told him it runs through May 2008 -- at least it runs through the 1st of May, instead of the 3rd. Why not cover until the 3rd? It's because AppleCare defines a year as exactly 365 days -- whether it's a regular year or a leap year. Seems kind of stingy on Apple's part, but that's the way the coverage crumbles.
Update: Tom has asked that we mention he found the experience with AppleCare and the 'lost day' to be amusing rather than upsetting. So noted for the record!
Most people are split on the decision to buy an extended warranty on their electronic devices. Some think it's the best "accessory" that you can buy for your gear, while others think it's a total waste of money. Speaking from my personal experience with AppleCare support -- it has been a worthwhile investment.
While I have never experienced a major problem with any of my Macs, iPod, or iPhone, AppleCare has definitely been there to solve those minor glitches. Case in point: this weekend my Mighty Mouse's scroll wheel stopped working (this is the 3rd Mighty Mouse in less than one year). I simply called Apple's support and told them what was going on. "My Mighty Mouse stopped scrolling," I said. The Apple representative gave me some simple troubleshooting tips to make sure that my computer wasn't doing anything strange. I was asked to check the scroll speed and then they asked me to reset the PRAM (I don't really understand that one, but OK). After that, the representative said that my mouse was, in fact, defective (no duh), took my address and said they would have a new one out to me in "5 to 7 business days."
That was on Saturday. On Monday I got a knock on the door from a DHL delivery guy with a box in his hand -- you guessed it, Apple overnighted me a wireless Mighty Mouse! The cost to overnight the package: $70. This is just one example of AppleCare's good service.
Posted Jul 24th 2007 11:00PM by Mat Lu Filed under: iPhone
A while back we mentioned the release of details on AppleCare for the iPhone, and now the extended warranty package from Apple has finally arrived. AppleCare for iPhone extends "hardware repair coverage" an additional year (making two years total). It also covers the iPhone Bluetooth headset if you have one. Although no mention is made of it on the AppleCare for iPhone page, the terms we reported before (loaner for $29, etc.) presumably still apply.
AppleCare for iPhone is available now for $69 from the Apple Store.
Would you buy an Apple from Best Buy? Ian says the nearest Apple store is 15 miles away, so for actually buying and purchasing a Mac, I'd rather go to the Genius Bar. But of course this store isn't meant for me (even though I do buy games and electronics at Best Buy)-- it's meant for Windows folks coming in to get a new PC, and reconsidering for the purchase of an iMac.
The problem with that is that Apple doesn't compete on price, and Best Buy does (ironically enough, Ian points out that Best Buy's plans are actually more expensive than AppleCare). Apple competes on the pleasure of the UI and usability-- that's why Apple stores work so well, because the whole transaction is designed around using the item. Still, making their computers accessible and open like this even at Best Buy (as much as possible, anyway-- the place looks a little cramped) is a start at reaching the unwashed Windows masses and enticing them into a better world.
AppleCare for iPhone will be available "...in July"
Your hardware coverage will be extended for up to 2 years
Customers will be provided with a loaner iPhone if theirs is out for repairs (after a $29US "rental fee")
They also list the specifics of the rental unit (you can transfer your data to it and an 8GB phone will get you an 8GB loaner) and exactly what type of things will void your warranty. The only thing missing is the cost of the program, though $60US has been suggested.
Apple released information on the iPhone battery's warranty today, as well as the cost of a replacement.
Out of the box, your iPhone's battery is covered for 1 year. Apple intends to release Apple Care for iPhone sometime this summer (allegedly). Customers of Apple Care for iPhone will be entitled to a new battery IF the one they're using drops to below 50% of capacity before their Apple Care runs out.
Otherwise, a new one will cost you $79US. One other note: Apple states that they get rid of dead batteries in "...an environmentally-friendly manner." So don't get all excited, Greenpeace.
Posted Jun 20th 2007 4:00PM by Mat Lu Filed under: Apple
Laptop Magazine has run their Tech Support Showdown once again, testing the quality of tech support from various notebook computer vendors. And once again, Apple take the top spot with A's across the board. Gateway (surprisingly?) joins Apple as the only other vendor with an overall A. Apple maintained its A grade from the previous Showdown (while Lenovo, the only other A in the last survey, dropped off).
Apparently Apple phone techs went above and beyond, even answering questions beyond Apple's 90-day phone support limit. Strangely, Apple was alone in having an automated wait time annoucement on their phone system.
In any case, A is for AppleCare yet again this year.
TUAW Reader Jett alerted us to another update we overlooked yesterday. Along with the launch of the new MacBook Pro came new AppleCare packaging and a slick, new AppleCare product page.
I haven't seen the new box up close yet but it looks like it's styled and sized in line with Apple's recent shrunken iLife, iWork, .Mac and Tiger retail boxes. I'm not sure Al "An Inconvenient Truth" Gore had anything to do with this act of "green", but I applaud Apple's attempt to cut the fat from their packaging and stop wasting all that paper, plastic and cardboard just to house a disc or two and some Apple logo decals. Let's hope this is a trend that Apple and other companies that ship software will continue with.
Since it's a lazy summer Sunday without a lot of ground-breaking news, this story about a Dublin man's "walk of shame" may give you a chuckle. Frustrated iMac owner Karl Hayden plans to show Apple up by demonstrating that it will take him less time to walk to the nearest Apple repair center -- about 156 miles away in Cork -- than for Apple to pick up the computer for a promised replacement.
After some failed repair attempts through AppleCare, Apple apparently promised on August 14 to replace the computer. Four days later, Apple hadn't shown up to retrieve the broken iMac before shipping out the new one. Four days doesn't sound like much of a delay to me, but I guess Mr. Hayden's fuse had been burning for a while. He plans to leave Monday morning and carry his iMac with him. Want to take bets on whether he makes it to Cork before the pickup?
With many owners of Apple's MacBook reporting strange discoloration of their machine on areas that come into frequent contact with the skin (wrist rests, trackpad, button and areas near the iSight being the main concern), we've created this poll to get a better idea of how many MacBooks are affected. When I first saw this issue I believed that the people reporting these problems were simply neglecting to wash their hands; that's until my own white MacBook started displaying symptoms.
If you believe that your MacBook has this problem, vote on this poll, submit your details to Stainedbook.info and make sure to contact Applecare to notify Apple of the problem.
Disclaimer: Please, only vote on this poll if you own a white MacBook. We're trying to get a handle on the percentage of white machines affected by this problem. Black MacBooks do not seem to exhibit this problem.
How did Apple Legal miss this? Under a 1999 law, any company who sells service contracts (think AppleCare) in the state of Washington must register with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Apparently, Apple somehow neglected to do this between 2000 and 2004, incurring a fine of $100,000. First France, then Norway and Sweden, and now Washington?
According to sources, this is not the first time Apple has neglected to follow the rules. It is widely known in the valley that Apple never tuned in its homework when it was in school, as it was too busy flirting with NeXT.
A few weeks ago, Apple stuck a message up on their Higher Education store (EU only) stating that due to a new national agreement for Higher Education individual purchases, any Macs purchased from the store would receive three years of parts and labor coverage at no extra cost. When I later purchased a MacBook from the HE store, I was so excited to be picking up a new Mac as to not notice that the sign had disappeared. I was reassured later on by several people in the support forums who showed me this extract from the HE Store's Terms and Conditions (no, not this one! Yes, there are two T&Cs *sigh*): "10.1.1 All Apple-branded desktop and portable computer products shall be subject to a 36 calendar month warranty period commencing from the date of delivery."
When I received my MacBook, I checked the included booklet regarding my warranty: the above clause is nowhere to be seen. Instead the booklet talks exclusively about my one year limited warranty with no mention of Higher Education or extended warranties. Likewise, when I use Apple's tool to check how much AppleCare you have remaining, it returns a result of 356 days. Apple has confused me even further by allowing people who have purchased new Macs from the HE Store to purchase 3 year telephone coverage for around £50. When I bought my MacBook, there wasn't even an option to purchase AppleCare in the build to order section!
I'm not the only one to feel confused. People over at the Apple support forums (1, 2, 3) and the MacRumors.com forums are equally mixed up. So, what's the deal Apple?
Do you hear that ticking noise? It's your iPhone's warranty preparing to go "boom." If you purchased your iPhone on the original US release date -- June 29, 2007 -- your warranty will expire in three days (as of this writing) on June 29th, 2008. 
It sounds like the plot of a 
There's dog years and Internet years, but this is the first time we've heard of a special definition of 'a year' when it comes to warranty coverage.
Most people are split on the decision to buy an extended warranty on their electronic devices. Some think it's the best "accessory" that you can buy for your gear, while others think it's a total waste of money. Speaking from my personal experience with AppleCare support -- it has been a worthwhile investment.
A while back we 
We've 
Apple released 
Laptop Magazine has run their 
TUAW Reader Jett alerted us to another update we overlooked yesterday. Along with the launch of the new MacBook Pro came new AppleCare packaging and a slick, new 
Since it's a lazy summer Sunday without a lot of ground-breaking news, this story about a Dublin man's 
How did Apple Legal miss this? Under a 1999 law, any company who sells service contracts (think AppleCare) in the state of Washington must register with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Apparently, Apple somehow 
