The Tech Bench

Earlier this week Apple announced a repair extension program to cover some hard drive issues on certain models of MacBooks.

Which MacBooks are covered?

White or Black MacBooks with processor speeds of 1.83GHz, 2GHz, or 2.16GHz.

These MacBooks were sold roughly  between May 2006 and December 2007.

The hard drives covered are 60GB, 80GB, 100GB, 120GB, or 160GB drives that originally shipped with these Macs. The drives are serial matched to the MacBooks so they must be the original drive.

What is covered and for how long?

MacBooks whose hard drive has failed and exhibit the flashing question mark icon on startup (see picture.)

The coverage for this repair extension is three years from the original purchase date or until August 15, 2010 whichever is longer. AppleCare or ARP have no bering on coverage eligibility or length for this program.

What happens if my MacBook has the symptom and qualifies for the REP?

The hard drive on your MacBook can be replaced by MyService, Apple or any other Authorized Apple Service Provider at no charge. If at all possible, try to backup or recover any vital data before sending your Mac in for service as the old drive must be returned to Apple.

Why are hard drive failures on these specific MacBooks covered by an REP and not other Macs?

Very good question. We do not yet know why. All hard drives have the ability to fail over time and while covered by AppleCare, ARP and standard Apple warranties this is the first time we’ve seen hard drives covered by an REP. It’s possible that the drive manufactures have found manufacturing defects on certain batches of drives that were installed in these MacBooks, but that’s just speculation. We haven’t noticed any higher rate of drive defects on these models although there may be other unknown factors.

What if I’ve upgraded the hard drive on my MacBook in the past and it falls under the REP?

Apple may offer re-imbursement for paid out of warranty hard drive repairs on these Macs. You can contact Apple Support for more info on refunds.

If you have further questions on the MacBook Hard Drive Repair Extension Program you can can visit Apple’s support page or feel free to contact MyService.

Apple has released the latest version of their Aperture photo editing software.

Aperture 3 is really a semi-pro version of iPhoto that allows for more editing and organization options.

If you currently use iPhoto and wish you had more controls and editing options but don’t want to make the leap to Photoshop, Aperture may be just what you’re looking for.

At $199 for the full version ($99 for the upgrade) the software is worth trying before buying. Luckily, Apple has a 30 day free trial which will let you play with the full version.

The download is about 550MB and you’ll need an intel processor running 10.5.8 or later.

[ Aperture 3 ] [ 30 Day Free Trial ]

Apple is making it easy to donate to the Haiti earthquake relief effort through the iTunes Store. The donations range in amount from $5 to $200 and go the American Red Cross through your iTunes account. You’ll also receive a receipt of your donation to use come tax time next year.

Apple did this in the past with the tsunami relief effort and it had quite an impact.

Links to the donation page can be found on Apple’s home page and through the iTunes Store.

If you’re looking to get some Apple related gifts online before Christmas, the Apple Store is offering free next day shipping on most of their products.

Amazon also offers most of the same items (without sales tax of course) with today being the last day of free standard shipping to arrive before Christmas.

Also, if you’re going to be getting your Mac fan a Apple gift card, remember that their are 3 types of cards.

iTunes Gift Cards which can be used for music, movie and App store purchases.

Apple Gift Cards which can be used on computers, accessories and iTunes stuff.

iPhone Gift Cards which allow you to give someone an iPhone (they need to be there to pick up the actual phone.)

If you’re not sure which one to get, the Apple Gift Card is the way to go as it will work with anything.

Happy shopping.

[ Amazon Shipping Info ] [ Apple Store ]

We are currently hiring a full-time Service Advisor for our Santa Clara, CA location.

We’ve received over 1,000 applicants in two days on Craigslist but we want to know if you have any good referrals for the position.

Anyone who applies through a referral will move to the top of the list.

Here’s a link to our add on Craigslist if you or someone you know has a passion for Macs, awesome customer service skills and wants to work with a great company.

Please type MyService Referral in the subject line of your craigslist reply so we know who you are.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/csr/1487976435.html

Thanks for the help and if your referral gets the job, we’ve got a $50 Apple gift card with your name on it!

Update – This position has been filled. We’ll post new openings as they become available.

Apple has recognized MyService for outstanding customer service and support for Q4 2009.

This was the first quarter we’ve been eligible since we became Apple Authorized last May.

Our goal is to be the shining example of great customer service, honesty, and high quality Apple service.

We’ll continue to work hard at being the best AASP and taking great care of our customers.

Thanks to our customers and the entire MyService team!

This last Saturday, MyService was a sponsor for the GO Fest 2009 fundraiser in San Francisco.

The event helped raise money towards medical school for a local doctor in Ghana and was a real success.

Groundwork Opportunities (GO) is a nonprofit, that we work with to help get working Macs into the field in developing countries.

We’ve just received word from local organizers in Rwanda that they’ve received the October shipment of Macs. These laptops help local community organizers stay in contact with donors, manage projects and document their progress.

MyService @ GO Fest 2009

If you’re local to the SF Bay Area, their events are worth checking out.

We’ll definitely be there for GO Fest 2010!

Apple has released 10.6.2 via Software Update.

This updated includes numerous bug fixes including the guest account bug that could potentially delete user data.

Also on the list are fixes for video distortion that can occur in Safari and when using external monitors.

You can view the full list of items in the update here.

So far, everything with this update appears ok and we are recommending installation.

Parallels Desktop 5 was released today with full support for running Windows 7 on Snow Leopard.

Like previous versions, Parallels allows you to run Windows or other OSs while running your Mac OS. You don’t need to restart or create separate partitions to run Windows.

Here are some of the new features with version 5:

- Full 32 bit and 64 bit support for Windows 7 and 10.6 support.

- Windows Aero effects and 3d flip support (prettier Windows.)

- Mulit touch support for Windows.

- More device support including the Apple Remote.

- Faster load times (up to 3x)

- Enchaned copy and paste between Windows and Mac.

Parallels Desktop 5 is available for download today for $79 ($49 upgrade)

Although we prefer Parallels, VMWare Fusion 3 has similar features and is identically priced.

According to AppleInsider, Google has stated that they are working on bringing Latitude and the newly announced Navigation apps to the iPhone if Apple approves.

Great. But will Apple approve?

As Google continues it’s expanse into Apple’s territory (browser, OS, phone OS, Music) will Apple go the Google Voice route and block access or embrace them and potentially help a rival gain market share?

I can only imagine that there are a lot of high level strategy discussions at Apple involving their relationship with Google.

Both parties are holding good cards and have been playing them well lately. When they work together the consumer seems to benefit, so let’s hope they continue down that path.

[ AppleInsider ]