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Apple - International Support

Apple • Apple Slashes Prices On Older iPod Models • Lawsuit Alleges Apple Power Adapters Are Faulty • iTunes 7.7.1 Erases Music Libraries • Apple Sued Over 'Millions of Colors' Claim • Japanese Investigate iPod Fires • iTunes Upgrade Hits Sour Note With Users • Apple iPhone Wows MacWorld Audience • Apple Warns Of Virus On Some iPods • How Loud Should Your iPod Be? • Hearing Professionals Praise Apple's New iPod Volume Control • iPod Nano Too Delicate, Suite Charges • Suit Charges iPods Can Damage Hearing • iTunes Includes "iSpy" Feature • Class Action Suit Charges Apple iPod's Screen is Defective • Apple to Settle iPod Battery Suit • iPod Lawsuits Multiply • Apple Bans Talk of Glitch --- • Consumer Complaints

Hikari of Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland (5/11/04):
I have a iBook G4 I bought in Tokyo in January 2004 and now stuyding in Ireland. The power/charging cord of my iBook got broken a week ago with a chip of its broken end remaining inside the iBook body. I called Compustore in Dublin2 for a repair and they said they don't fix iBook and directed me to go to another store (Mactivate) in Dublin 15 (http://www.mactivate.ie). (I had to find this website myself, since Compustore gave me only the phone number)

It was far from Dublin 4 where I live, but I went there this Monday (May 10) to find that they don't repair the unit. All I got was their mean and cold refusal. Isn't it that Compustore told me a lie? They owe me an apology and fees for transportation all the way to Dublin 15. Also, is there any store that have specialists who can fix my iBook. It should not be very difficult: just to remove the chip from the laptop and sell me a new cord!

I am really disappointed to find that you don't have any specialist at those stores in Dublin. Apple Store in Ginza has many specialists called MacGenius staff who are very kind and helpful. I hope that your Irish staff are also trained at least to treat customers nicely. Next time I go back to Tokyo, I will have this fixed and also report to Ginza how bad AppleStores in Dublin are.

Phil of Bangkok, Thailand (5/10/04):
In November, 2003, I purchased a new iBook G4933GHz, 14 inch computer from AppleCentre MacMart, Panthip Plaza, Prathunam, Bangkok. I made this purchase after researching various computers, and decided that a "Mac" suited my needs best, as a Ph.D. student analysing research data using video. Approximately one month later, while using the computer to copy a CD, the system froze. After consulting the handbook, I re-booted, and had several more freezes. I took the computer to the shop, and was told that these computers do not freeze; it must be a software problem. I was unable to show how it froze at the shop, and the technician taught me how to copy a CD.

For the next two weeks, the computer froze intermittently, although I was able to restart it readily, and I did not do anything else. After a trip to Australia in December, the freezes occurred more frequently, and I returned it to the shop again. The technician told me it was a problem with the Library. Two hours later, I returned and they had reformatted my hard drive. All data was lost. I returned home, and the freezes continued. I spent many hours on .Mac, asking people who had similar problems what to do. I backed up my data and reinstalled the operating system. This did not help. I then reinstalled the software. That did not help. I was experiencing "kernel panics" and "kernel dumps".

I returned the computer to the shop again (after backing up my data) and they reformatted the HD. The problem did not go away. The freezes were not associated with any one application. Mail, Safari, iTunes, iPhoto, Word, Appleworks, etc. I returned again to the shop and fortunately I could demonstrate how it froze when moved slightly, and when using a simple Word application. For nine days the computer was at the service centre in Bangkok. I was told that the main board needed replacing, and parts were coming from Singapore.

After I collected my computer and took it home, it continued to freeze, especially when using the power adapter. I decided not to use the power adapter except when the computer was shut down. For about two or three weeks, I was able to use it with about one freeze per day. Then on Sunday, May 9, 2004, the system froze and I could not restart the computer. I have lost a whole days work in terms of my research writing, and I could not retrieve the data.

Now, the computer again is at the centre in Bangkok, and I again do not have access to it for at least a week. When the computer does not freeze, I find it to be an excellent tool. When it freezes, it creates so much stress and lost time that it causes misery to me. I have also had to extend one Ph.D. subject due to lost data and time. That cost me AUD 975, about half the price of the computer. I have had enough. I appreciate that once in a while, you buy a "lemon" - a product that is bad. I have friends who are very happy with their iBooks and Powerbooks.

The computer I bought is not what Apple promises. Working on a Thai salary and paying for my Ph.D. in Australian dollars is difficult. I took a loan from my school to buy this computer. I expect what Apple promises - a solid operating system and innovative software and design. I do not want to profit from Apple. I just want a computer that works; one that does not stop unexpectedly and does not cause me loss of time, work, and money. One that does not cause me stress in my life. I believe I am justified in requesting a brand new replacement, together with the one-year warranty that comes with it. Otherwise, a full refund so that I can replace the computer with another laptop and continue on with my academic career.

Ped of Stanley, Falkland Islands (5/2/04):
I purchased a Mac G4 in October 2003. Just as I bought it Apple announced anyone buying a new Mac on or after 8th would get a free OS uppgrade if they sent £14 postage. I duely got my invoice emailed to me from the company I purchased the machine from and sent it off to the address supplied off the internet with a cheque for £14. This appeared on my bank statement in December so Apple has my money and I am still waiting for my OS upgrade.

I have been in touch with them again about this and have had absalutly no reply. Not even to say it had been sent and must be lost in the post! I complained to Apple in the US and again I have had not a single indication any one is botherd. The worst thing is this is my first Mac I have until this been a PC user not a very good impresion for getting more customers especialy as I not only bought the G4 but quite a lot of extras including the "dodgy" i pod in fact I spent just under £5000. I will be in UK this year and I will be seeking leagal advice but I think Apple UK will be liable under the trades discriptions act.

James of St. Andrews, Fife, UK (4/18/04):
I am a student and bought an iBook from an idependent retailer on 16th April last year. This January it stopped connecting online, I sent it back to Apple on the warranty and they sent it back unrepaired. I sent it back two further times, each time it came back unrepaired. Eventually I sent it back to the retailer asking for my money back, but the retailer told me I must get Apple to verify a refund. Apple told the retailer that they cannot verify a refund until I tell them that is what I want. But I have done so, over and over again, have spent nearly ten hours on the telephone to their customer relations dept. (mostly on hold) and wrote to them four weeks ago but have had no reply.

They seem to be playing me off against the retailer and are seemingly unconcerned that I am severely out of pocket and have no computer. They also seemed entirely unconcerned that they were not able to repair the computer.

I have also spent a lot of money on software and a few peripherals, which are of course useless unless I stay with Apple. I am about to embark on my PhD but cannot risk using Apple after my recent experiences, I simply must have a reliable computer and certainly can't risk using a computer company that cannot repair its own products. I have no money left and can't afford to take them to court. There seems to be no end to the problem.

I have spent £1,600 and have nothing to show for it. This has had a severely detrimental effect on my studies not just because I have had no computer since late January, but I have spent hours and hours on the telephone to them and have had to wait at home on six occasions in order to either hand over my broken iBook to UPS or have it delivered back, still broken.

Jose of Madrid, Spain (9/11/02):
I purchased an Apple Powerbook G3 Firewire on September 2000 from MacWarehouse in the US. Two months later I moved to Central America, and the computer died barely used. The local representative told me the machine had no repair, but since I purchased it in the US I had to contact Apple headquarters for a replacement. I did, and the customer service rep for Central America, located in Florida, told me the machine could be fixed; take it to another service center. And I did; whatever was damaged (I was never really informed about what was wrong) was fixed with replacements sent from Florida. The computer seemed to work fine afterwards, though it overheated.

A few months later I moved to Spain, and I brought my laptop. Because of the problems I had I did not hesitate to purchase for the equivalent of $300 an extension of my guarantee under the Apple Care Protection Plan. Since I purchased the computer in the US, at first I thought I had to purchase the plan there, but I was adviced by Apple US not to because in case of a repair I would have to pay to send it there. So I purchased the plan with Apple Spain. Once here, I realized the battery was not charging properly. I called Apple Spain under the impression that it was a repair they had to pay for. The person over the phone told me to download some extensions, but that did not work, so after persisting because they were refusing to solve my problem, I was told to take the machine to a service center, where I was told that all laptops in Europe are taken to the Netherlands for repairs.

I called Apple Spain customer service repeatedly to inquire about my computer. The first news I had was that the repair would cost me $900 and that it would not be covered because I dropped the machine. I was not asked if I had dropped the machine, I was blatantly accused. That of course irritated me, but because I persisted they then changed their story since they could not prove that I had dropped the machine, which I never did. I was then accused that I had tampered with the computer; that parts inside the machine were moved around. Well, certainly, it was ruined and then repaired at an authorized center.

That was not enough. I was told they could not see that on their system, that I could have stolen the machine. I was required to provide proof of purchase and a report from the center that had repaired it. And so I finally managed to obtain all of this and send it to the center, which by the way is not even in Spain, but rather in Ireland. So finally they picked up the bill for the repair and after waiting several weeks, the computer arrived. Because I had to drop all my freelance jobs because of this mess and since I am working at a company now, I seldom use the computer. But the other day I did, the battery did seemed to work properly, but now it will not recognize my printer, which worked just fine before sending it to the repair center. I have done all the usual things when this happens: reinstall the printer drive, check the operating system, extensions, etc. I even tested the printer on another computer and it works just as it did work on my computer.

I have called Apple Spain, wasted a week trying all the solutions they provided me, and still I cannot print. The service rep admited today that the problem was beyond him; that he would contact the engineers. I could only wonder when I would receive a reply. So I thought that maybe in California they had something to say. Apparently, someone I had spoken to before took my call. She said she could do nothing for me except giving me the phone numbers of Apple Spain, which I already have. She said that she knew I want a replacement computer, that she was sorry, but "Apple is not in the business of replacing computers." I can only wonder what is their business . . .

Mark of Dyce, Aberdeen, Scotland (8/31/02):
Well I bought an Imac and did all my reports on it which was good. But the Mac crashed one day and I lost everything. I couldn't get through to the Apple help centre for 7 hours. I lost my job, I lost all my documents, I lost £50, lost a job opportunity. But I have now started using a Wintel with Win2k, more stable than any Mac I used.

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