New Core i7 iMacs Arriving DOA?

MacLife ^ | Tuesday, November 24, 2009 | J.R. Bookwalter

[SunkenCiv]

A number of complaints are swirling around the Internet today about issues with Apple's new Core i7-based iMacs -- among them, reports of units showing up dead on arrival or even with cracked screens.

New iMac users are reporting that their unit chimes as it should when the power button is pressed, but the display is blank and nothing else happens. Adding insult to injury, these customers are discovering that after returning their dead units, they face a lengthy wait of up to two weeks for a replacement.

Apple's discussion support forum is filling up with such complaints according to AppleInsider, and tech blog Engadget also received a quad-core unit that failed to boot straight out of the box.

The Core i7 iMac is the new top-of-the-line desktop Mac, a 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 860 processor available only as a $200 build-to-order option on the new 27" model. As such, it's an online-only item that can't be purchased in retail stores, making any returns or exchanges particularly thorny.

In addition to the DOA boxes, scattered reports claim that there are cracks in the new iMac display, in the bottom left-hand corner. Those customers are reporting that the units arrived in such condition right out of the box, and are pointing the finger at Apple for having a flaw in their package design.

"There's no apparent damage to the styrofoam or box so it looks like that's a weak spot in the screen and how they are being packed in the boxes," user 'scopro' reports via AppleInsider. "Hopefully Apple will improve their packaging for these larger iMacs as it may take until December 7 for my replacement to arrive."

[PA Engineer]

I get the feeling something like this happened.

[SaraJohnson]

Really. Factory workers blew smoke on the little darlings and cracked the screens./s/

[6SJ7]

New iMac users are reporting that their unit chimes as it should when the power button is pressed, but the display is blank and nothing else happens. Adding insult to injury, these customers are discovering that after returning their dead units, they face a lengthy wait of up to two weeks for a replacement.

My. We really do live in a cushy age when ink is spilled describing the horror, the agony of having to wait two weeks for a custom built computer to be exchanged, free of charge.

[antiRepublicrat]

Every manufacturer has a DOA rate. The problem is keeping that rate very low. I remember Gateway had a pretty high DOA rate when we ordered. Apple had better clamp down on their quality control, because they don’t want to be known for a high DOA rate.

[mysterio]

Even though Apple costs four times as much, it’s still assembled in China. A lot of things can happen to delicate screens when being shipped, apparently.

[calex59]

My. We really do live in a cushy age when ink is spilled describing the horror, the agony of having to wait two weeks for a custom built computer to be exchanged, free of charge.

While I don't give a crap one way or another about either Macs or PCs, I have to wonder at someone who is so dense they think that paying whatever the he** Apple charges these days(a substantial amount I would assume, above 1100 bucks)and then having to send it back right out of the box is no big deal and the customers should be jumping for joy because it only took two weeks to get a replacement that may or may not work when they get it.

These people are pi**ed for a very good reason. The computer is NOT free and if you think a replacement should cost them something then you are one sick puppy. Anyone charging for replacing a brand new computer that doesn't work out of the box better have a good lawyer.

[martin_fierro]

It really sounds like to me they don’t have them properly packed for shipping.

ALL ABOARD!

[itsahoot]

( ordered an all-in-one HP Touchsmart 300 )

My i7 arrived the second day they were shipping, and works flawlessly.

[itsahoot]

Even though Apple costs four times as much

Show me any PC with specs anywhere close to the Core i7 iMac for the same price, let alone one for $600.00 and I will eat my new mouse.

[antiRepublicrat]

Don’t let this get you scared. The flip side of Apple fans being very loyal is that they have an extremely high expectation from Apple. They complain when the smallest things go wrong, things that any Windows user won’t really worry about.

All OEMs have rates of DOA, and I believe Apple’s is very low. Businesses complain about HP having a high DOA rate in shipments, often above 10%. Shipping a 27” screen through the mail is a dangerous exercise in any case.

[TXnMA]

Is that your Apple graphic? If so, what software/renderer did you use?

[TXnMA]

Please disregard #31. Followed your link and got the answer...

[antiRepublicrat]

This one is interesting, but it has so many things wrong when taking into account Apple design:

The side edges are sharp. Think of a MacBook Air and you'll know what's wrong. Ive would never do that big gaping card slot on the side. The hinge looks external and tacked on, where Ive would have it integral. Plus, this is basically a touch notebook meant to be used vertically, not too groundbreaking. Overall, it's not something Ive would do.

[TXnMA]

Sounds like someone dropped a pallet-load (or more) of them that landed on the dock/deck/floor on one corner.

Reminds me of a friend whose 2,000 lbs of USAF "hold baggage" arrived back in the States -- totally destroyed. The longshoremen in Japan dropped the crate in Tokyo Bay, fished it out, put it on the ship -- and never told anyone. You should see a big 3-motor tape deck that has crossed the Pacific while full of polluted seawater...

[Mind-numbed Robot]

That is not a crack. That is the new screen saver.

:-)

[coconutt2000]

As such, it's an online-only item that can't be purchased in retail stores, making any returns or exchanges particularly thorny.

Apple's return policy is fairly simple. Call the warranty/AppleCare # and the instructions can be as simple as take it down to a nearby Apple Store where a tech will test it, confirm DOA, and a new one will be shipped directly to you. Or, a shipping label will be overnighted to you, you slap it on the DOA one, ship it back, wait for them to confirm DOA, they turn around and ship you a new one.

Having helped friends deal with Build to Order PC's by other manufacturers, Apple's process is infinitely easier and so much faster. The only time I've ever had an Apple customer complain about the process was when his BTO Power Mac died of a logic board failure after 2 months. We had it repaired in two days (overnight parts to Hawaii), and he complained that he wanted a brand new one, which we had to tell him wasn't possible since it wasn't a DOA and that he'd had it and used it for 2 months prior to the failure, and while unfortunate, it was covered and repaired under warranty.

I suspect he was one of those "guys" who always has to have his way because after that things just "broke" on his computer (software issues and some hardware issues) that I think he caused cleverly, and after he crossed a certain threshold where Apple defines the machine as a "lemon", Apple authorized us to take back the "lemon" and give him a new one, and a replacement for our inventory item was shipped out to us the next day.

Long story short, Apple's return policies are the most lenient of any computer manufacturer I've ever dealt with. The PC manufacturers often require that you ship it to their depot, wait two weeks, and more often than not they ship it back with the diagnosis "couldn't duplicate problem". Can you say "arggh!"?

[TXnMA]

While it is possible that break in the glass in your photo was initiated by a mounting pressure point (over-tightened screw?) it is obvious that it traveled a long distance after being broken. (Note the glass dust from the crack edges rubbing against each other, and the out-of-plane shifting of some pieces.)

I bet Apple will trace the problem right back to the factory -- or their shipping dock.

That's a big slab of glass to be shipping internationally. If I were Apple's packaging engineer, I would contact my counterparts at the manufacturers of big flat-panel TVs to find out how they package for shipment... Or, just buy a few TVs and reverse-engineer the packaging...

[cabojoe]

Show me any PC with specs anywhere close to the Core i7 iMac for the same price, let alone one for $600.00 and I will eat my new mouse.

i7 with all four (or eight if you will) cores running at 3.8 Ghz (No turboing one core faster here)

Gigabyte X58-UD4P Mobo

TRIPLE channel 6 GB DDR3 running at 1600

2 ATI 4890's running in Crossfire

2.5 TB WD storage

Blu-Ray/Lightscribe DVD

TV tuner

25.5 inch Asus Monitor

Cosmos 1000 case w/window

800 watt Mushkin Power Supply

etc.

All shipped to my door without breakage 6 months ago for $2500. Would be less today, or could buy even better for around same price (http://techreport.com/articles.x/17787/8) I want a video of you eating your mouse. Anyone that knows how to use a phillips screwdriver can build a box that will smoke a Mac in performance and features using top notch components. Congratulations on your new Mac.

[6SJ7]

While I don't give a crap one way or another about either Macs or PCs,

But you do care to take the time to write. How kind.

I have to wonder at someone who is so dense

So dense, I are. Thanks for noticing. My specific gravity, although much heavier than air is only slightly less dense than water. Just so. So pure, I float!

they think that paying whatever the he** Apple charges these days(a substantial amount I would assume, above 1100 bucks)and then having to send it back right out of the box is no big deal and the customers should be jumping for joy because it only took two weeks to get a replacement that may or may not work when they get it. These people are pi**ed for a very good reason. The computer is NOT free and if you think a replacement should cost them something

Funny, I don't remember stating or implying a customer should be charged for defective merchandize. Perhaps I should revert to my native tongue, Fortran. Y' know, nowadays almost nobody speaks fluent Fortran any longer. PL/1?! Forgedaboudit! Now it's all C++, Cocoa, and CSS. So crude. So abrupt. No one takes the time to craft a nice modular bit of work... but I digress. Now, back to our regularly scheduled tongue lashing! Give it to me baby!!.

then you are one sick puppy.

I don't feel too well today, but I missed lunch.

Anyone charging for replacing a brand new computer that doesn't work out of the box better have a good lawyer.

Have a nice Thanksgiving, and thanks for your kind thoughts so well couched.

[antiRepublicrat]

is possible that break in the glass in your photo was initiated by a mounting pressure point (over-tightened screw?)

IIRC, the glass is held on by magnets, as you only need a couple suction cups to lift it right off. The LCD behind the glass is held on by screws.