masticol@topaz.rutgers.edu (Stephen P. Masticola) (07/21/87)
I just found out the following from sunny Cupertino: - My Apple Personal Modem has a slowly frying power transformer. (I didn't hear that from Cupertino -I heard it buzzing and felt it overheating its little windings.) - Apple is not willing to sell me a replacement. - My alternative is to go to a dealership, plunk down $130, and watch the ENTIRE MODEM BOARD get dropped into the trashcan. - Apple did not design the Personal Modem - this was done by U.S. Robotics. No better luck getting any info on the transformer from them, either. - U.S. Robotics severely underspecified the transformer. It may manage about half the current output it needs to, based on the power rating of the modem. All other comparable transformers have twice as much mass in the core. To further promote overheating, the transformer is placed in the worst-ventilated place in the modem. The design is bad and is likely to fail. - I had somewhat analogous problems getting Apple to acknowledge defects in their Mac Security Kit. It will not secure the printer, AS THEY ADVERTISED. They didn't give a damn about that one, either. - I now have the choice of trying to fix Apple's bad design or to pay ten times what it would cost me to do the repair myself, for a fix that won't stay together. I choose the former. I also choose never to buy any Apple product again, if I can get a substitute with schematics. Apple produces some very fine items, but "the rest of us" are not all technological dummies and should not be treated as such. I resent their IBM-ish treatment of customers as money-laden idiots who don't have the right to state their ideas and suggestions. By the way, does anyone know where I can get a 120 to 18 VCT transformer capable of 750 ma output and fitting in a clearance of 0.8 inches? I'm still looking. And Apple, if you're reading this, be aware that it's going to be crossposted to other BBS. I am seriously ticked.
dr@ski.UUCP (David Robins) (07/22/87)
In article <> masticol@topaz.rutgers.edu (Stephen P. Masticola) writes: > >I just found out the following from sunny Cupertino: . . . > I also choose never > to buy any Apple product again, if I can get a substitute with > schematics. Apple produces some very fine items, but "the rest of > us" are not all technological dummies and should not be treated as > such. I resent their IBM-ish treatment of customers as money-laden > idiots who don't have the right to state their ideas and > suggestions. Here, here. I have had similar run-ins with Apple, and I get the usual "go to your local dealer" as the only response, a useless suggestion. While I like having all Apple major components just for the visual compatibility, and the relatively good (older) manuals, it does leave something to be desired. I mention the older manuals, because in the case of the Super Serial card in particular, the new manual contains MUCH less technical information. -- ==================================================================== David Robins, M.D. Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Foundation (previously known as: Smith-Kettlewell Institute of Visual Sciences) 2232 Webster St; San Francisco CA 94115 415/561-1705 (voice) {ihnp4,qantel,dual}!ptsfa!ski!dr The opinions expressed herein do not reflect the opinion of the Institute!
ranger@ecsvax.UUCP (Rick N. Fincher) (07/28/87)
As far as Apple's responsiveness goes, I think they are more responsive than many big companies. The operative phrase here is "big companies". Whenever a company gets big, its personal contact suffers. I agree with David, I like Apple's stuff but it is overpriced. I buy their major components (if I can't find a comparable item elsewhere cheaper) but all of the little stuff, I buy elsewhere. If everyone does this Apple will begin to lose money on peripherals and hopefully wake up and fix things. Your best weapon is you wallet. As Lee Iococca says: "If you can find a better product, buy it". If you can't then you have to take what you can get, or start a company and build those better cheaper products yourself, you'll get rich and do us consumers a big favor. Rick Fincher ranger@ecsvax