Apple Says You Put Those Ladybugs Inside Your Mac Yourself, On Purpose
UPDATED. Sam loves his Apple products, but their blaming him for the big ladybugs inside his Macbook Pro? It's enough to turn this fanboy into whatever is the clever name for opposite of a fanboy.
I hesitate to publish this letter because I know you're all going to tear Sam down for having a history of problems with his Apple products, for daring to show emotion when he feels he's mistreated by a customer service rep, and because he's no Hemmingway. But guess what, he's a real person with a real problem and gosh darnit, that bit about the ladybugs is hilarious.
Sam writes:
To the Consumerist,I have been a fairly outspoken Apple fan boy for the better part of 10 years now, I used to have nothing bad to speak of about this company....
USED TO being the prerogative statement here, as of a conversation I had with a Apple care specialist named I am not exactly where I stand with the company I once held in such high regard. From this conversation I learned that Apple has decided to blame me on a issue that could not possibly be my responsibility. As outrageous as it sounds, and this is going to be a completely unbelievable, Apple has accused me of infesting my laptop with lady bugs, they even have images to prove there point!
Before we go into the details of this particular issue though lets discuss my customer history with Apple and there portable laptop that I have owned. I have bought 1 Apple laptop in my entire history with the company however because of continuing and ongoing issues Apple has in the past seen it necessary to replace my laptop with newer models no more than twice. Once with my Powerbook and again with the Macbook Pro of which today's article is about. So in reality if anything this should be teaching me that perhaps Apple's portables are not the pinnacle of quality that I once thought. but that's not the only product that iI'e had to have replaced by the company, I have had no less than 4 iPods replaced by the company. Each one that was sent back to me had different issues, at one point they actually lost the product somewhere in the depot and it took an executive "email bomb" to have it retrieved, for my troubles I was refunded for the iPod and given a new one, a generous move considering the ramifications that the company could have been for not helping me in that issue.
So now we come to today's issue, the mysterious case of the ladybug laptop. Originally I had sent my laptop out for two issues, ones that had been plaguing my laptop since i had received it from apple in April as a replacement for my Powerbook. these issues where the following:
1. My slot loading super drive would take media but not properly eject it, basically the disc would get stuck before it could properly exit the super drive making it impossible to use the drive.
2. My screen had a portion in the middle that was becoming brighter when you darkened the screen
So I called Apple care and asked for a product specialist (I have learned that talking to these higher level techs is really the only way to have the issues fixed)I reported all my findings and asked for a box to be shipped to my house and was given my case number and repair dispatch ID and I sent the box out. A few days later and a status report or two on, and I see that the repair is on hold so I call in and am transferred to a Depot specialist who informed me that the laptop had experienced "Massive and irreparable water damage" I was quoted $1,250 to have the laptop repaired which was apparently right on the verge of what apple called the "repair to replacement threshold."At this point I was upset, beyond upset I was being told that my laptop could not be repaired under my Apple care for an issue that had been plaguing my laptop since I received it from apple as a replacement for my previously defective laptop and I said that exact statement representative who repeated to me "Sir I am writing down that you accept that you are the cause of the water damage" at which point I became incredibly upset. If I wasn't upset at that point the situation was made worse when I received a direct threat from the depot specialist telling me that "if it wasn't broken before, it definitely will be now" as far as customer service goes, a line like that will generally receive a screaming voice I however decided to be decidedly calmer, I quietly but curtly asked for my laptop to be sent back as soon as possible, at which point the depot rep hung up on me.
Now lets talk about this for a second. Not only was I directly threatened by this employee but I was also hung up on, two acts that besides being rude also caused me to become increasingly upset at the quality of customer service that I have sadly come to accept as being Apple Care. I decided to let a few days pass at which point I would call the company again and try to even things out.
On Monday December 8Th, 2008 I called into Apple and at 12:01PM. The rep understood my situation and agreed that the previous depot rep who I had talked to acted in a completely unacceptable manner and decided to investigate my issues further. After waiting on hold he told me that there was nothing that could be done for me concerning the laptop, I politely reminded him that this laptop was a replacement for a defective laptop and now i was dealing with just another defect after which he decided to try "one last option" at 12:06PM I was put back on hold and at 12:11PM He came back and told me that after looking at some images sent to him from the depot he reported to me that he saw bugs on the main logic board, not just any bugs, he saw lady bugs on the main logic board, he said because of this Apple had decided to take the position that I had somehow gotten the bugs into my laptop and that they would not fix my computer or help me with the cost of fixing my laptop.
He however did agree that the bugs where far to big to somehow wander into my laptop and concurred that these bugs where probably in the computer during the manufacturing process (Illegal alien bugs if you will)I was speechless and flabbergasted at what had been what I thought was a simple repair could turn into such a stupendous issue. It became clear to me that this laptop had been jinxed from the moment it was made, at any rate I thanked Ted for helping me, as a final note he suggested that I write this article and send it to anybody at apple who would be willing to listen and so here I write my final opus on the Macbook Pro (early 2008) that was sent in for repairs, damaged with water from the get go and infested with lucky lady bugs.
And so I ask the following:
1. Please fix or replace my laptop, its obvious at this point that I have been both mistreated, threatened and accused of things I cannot possibly be the assailant of.
2. A formal Apology for the abysmal repair/replacement cycle I have been thrown into with Apple from somebody who matters at the company.
3. To commend the service of the representative (redacted) for his ability to cut away from script to realize that lady bugs in my laptop probably meant that I had an issue that needed to be dealt with some other way than through him.
In essence I haven't had what we would call a satisfactory history with apple portable products, I can only hope that this issue can be resolved somehow and my thoughts could be reversed somehow.
thank you and good evening.
I don't think ladybug infestations are included in the Apple warranty, but I don't they're excluded either.
My suggestion: Have a friend help you make this letter more concise, then send it to sjobs@apple.com.
(Photo: Getty)
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Comments:
Apple:
Give the guy a refund for his Apple care and cut him loose. 4 iPods? I have customers that use them as coasters, and they don't die! Sounds like things break for upgrade reasons.
The Water Damaged Display can happen because you placed something cold (not wet) on the top of the closed display during transport. This creates condensation inside the unit creating water damage. I've seen this quite a few times.
The Ladybug issue, weird, doubt it came from the factory, don't think the OP could do it.
Imagine how this would have read had he not had the luxury of OSX's on-the-fly spell checking.
I know you said we'd eat him alive but seriously... you went from a g4 powerbook, somehow got it replaced to a newer macbook, and now have some odd issues and are attempting to get another mbp? Something seems fishy.
I have dealt with Apple atleast a few times a week for the past 6 years and have never even received a rude look from them.
good luck?
this story need pics. It needs them so bad.
Water damage then bug infestation.
Wow. Talk about any excuse in the book.
"I'm sorry sir, we can't fix your macbook due to Famine. Have a nice day and thanks for calling Apple."
Probably not clever enough for Consumerist standards, but I think the opposite of a Fanboy is a Hater.
More info please... Beyond the images, let's have some dates of purchase and replacement. One machine and one ipod purchased over a 10 year relationship sounds like this guy got a good deal.
OP -- It might be time to recognize that you're not exactly a profitable customer to Apple. If you get anything back from Apple for free, expect it to be an X200 and a Zune.
Finding insects inside electronics is not as uncommon as one might think. I worked in a TV/VCR repair shop in the 1990's, and you would think we were on an episode of the TV show "Verminators" with what some customers brought in.
Roaches were most common, as they like warm, dry places with tight spaces. VCR's were a roach heaven. They get in there, do their business and leave their waste all over the boards, causing short circuits and corrosion. Sometimes they wander into switching power supplies and zap themselves when they cross the high voltage and usually blow the supply in the process. But not just roaches, spiders, crickets, and yes ladybugs were found.
Often times the customer would come back and we would have to play psychologist in dealing with them. You don't want to be as crass as Apple and accuse someone of living in a bug haven, so you'd have to explain that you performed an intense "cleaning" (which was true). sometimes though the damage was too extensive to make repair cost effective.
It is very possible that the bugs could have entered the machine through the cooling vents or openings and mated there and started a colony. Believe it or not some manufacturers' warranties actually stipulate that damage from "insect infestation" is not covered. It could also be considered an act of God or environmental abuse.
It is very possible that this did in fact happen.
@Erik Bagby: I think I'm going to be sick now. Gross!
The worst insurance claim I saw when I worked in a computer store was also thoroughly disgusting but did not involve bugs. A guy's roommate was drunk, and the owner of the computer wasn't there. His roommate came in, vomited on the computer, and somehow defecated on the case of the laptop. The computer was ruled a total loss. It was nasty.
That's funny, based on the commercials I would have figured that a lady bug infestation in a mac would have been a style "feature". That's an idea...make different mac books and iMacs with various cute insect infestations. one has butterflies, one has ladybugs...it's the butterfliBook!
@alysbrangwin: That happened to a couple of my friends in college. One guy would get wasted and decide to pee in clever places and one of his favorites was on my friend's printer. It was great when the guy had a 50 page paper he'd planned to print out the next day.
Another one of my friends was always suspicious of his roommate's drinking habits, so he'd cover his computer nightly with a tarp.
@Erik Bagby: All the houses on my street have lady bugs living in the walls. They usually pop out inside the houses when it warms up, but it's only a few dozen a year at the most, and you usually never see them until they die in a light fixture, but when my one neighbor first moved in, he removed some dry wall and found thousands. They don't harm anybody, and I kind of like them. But yeah, they do love to snuggle up to electronics when they are flying around.
It's the same with computers. When I was doing PC repair all the time the first thing I'd have to do is open up the case and take a dust buster or something to the inside because you'd never know what has found its way into the case.
@Erik Bagby: Yeah I was going to say I highly doubt they made it in durring manufacturing and likely snuck in through a vent at the guys house. People just dont realize how easily even BIG bugs can sneak in through things.
And yes Apple considered bug infestation as a non-warrantee repair akin to water damage.
That being said, I have NO problems with Apple Care. They just went in for over 3/4ths the cost of a non-warrantee Macbook Pro repair last week, cutting our cost from 400 to 100 dollars because I explained nicely to them the situation surrounding the repair.
My DOS has fleas: 15 years ago several computers were next to the office air conditioner, which had a family of pigeons nesting on the other side. Almost on cue, all three computers released a swarm of tiny red (fleas?) in the middle of the day. It was like a cheesy horror flick.
I was going to say, "I don't think prerogative means what you think it means" and then I realized that this idiot can't even formulate complete sentences nor use possessive adjectives properly. And I thought Sarah Palin was bad...
1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9,
10, 11, 12.... ladybugs... in a ladybug laptop.
I've owned one PowerBook (nearly 4 years now, no problems) and 4 iPods (over the past 6 years) and haven't had any problems beyond batteries dying out.
I do feel for this guy and the unlucky shaft he's gotten. Keep up the good fight, and if all else fails, email sjobs@apple.com (no joke).
Someone help me understand how Apple always can use "water damage" as an excuse for not repairing something? I'm worried that my computer will be seen as having water damage because of the humidity in the air or condensation of some kind. I have an iMac and if they try to pull that on me, I will DARE them to cause water damage through spilling something on it. You'd have to deliberately do it to an iMac.
I agree with those above that this guy seems like he's just looking for constant upgrades. He's figured out how to get a MacBook Pro, a $2k computer, for free years after his first purchase. Now that he's been shut down, he's angry. I used to work at CompUSA, and we had employees that did stuff like this under the replacement plan warranties. One would buy a laptop, and just before the warranty was up, he's remove the case, touch jumper cables attached to a car battery to the motherboard to fry it, but it back together, take it to the tech shop where they'd determine it was fried. Brand new, current model laptop handed to him.
Further, as said above, it's far from impossible that that OP caused, at least indirectly, the bug infestation. The bugs didn't necessary crawl into the laptop full-grown. If he lives in filth, it's not entirely out of the question that he has bugs.
Finally, reading this did make my head hurt.
I feel sorry for this guy but, bugs in your computer are not covered under warranty. The warranty specifically excludes insect infestation. It doesn't really matter how they got there.
I would love some more details, specifically dates. Then, I would love to know how the OP got a laptop replaced with a newer and much more expensive version. However, I would prefer it if someone interviewed him or something and then wrote the story. It is my perogotive that I can't read more of what he writes about.
@OmniZero: Yeah i saw that show. OMG! How can people live like that? That is the question of the day.
Ladybugs are a pain, and they can find their way into almost anywhere. They actually swarmed the last apartment I lived in, and I have heard stories of them clogging air vents and whatnot. I really don't doubt their ability to find their way into a computer.
Why not get a copy of the pictures and bring them to the local college. The local entymologist should be able to identify the type of ladybug and where it might come from. If it is a species native to - say Taiwan - then the consumer has a better case.
There are many species of this type of insect.
Additionally, it is possible the ladybugs (as adults) did not get in there - the larvae are quite small and soft-bodied and will likely look for a secure place to pupate.
@OmniZero: it's like with cell phones. Cell phone batteries have this strip that is supposed to change color if they've been water damaged. Even though I do my damnedest to keep them away from water, a month after I've owned them the water indicator goes off.
@rworne: Were you actually able to read this guy's post? If he talks anything like he types I don't think any professor will be able to stand talking to him for more that 2 minutes.
Back when I worked at HP. If we found any bugs inside a laptop it was declared a bio-hazard and we weren't allowed to repair it. They would sometimes give you a discount rate on purchasing a new laptopt if it was still well within warrenty. Or if you had the accidental damage warrenty we just threw it away and gave you a new one.
On a side note, I never saw one with ladybugs though. I've seen roaches a few times, and they're just nasty. I had one that when I opend the lcd around 30 or so baby spiders just scattered everyware. I also used to get ones from soldiers home on r&r from iraq/afganistan with computer problems and you'd open it up and could pour enough sand out of it to fill a glass. But those we usually just gave a good cleaning to and tried to use what parts we could salvage and replace the bad ones as a courtesy. which btw, if you need something repaird quick at HP, tell them you're being deployed in about 3days after the day they should have recieved it.
@homerjay wants Boston Legal back!: If only that would solve the OP's linguistics issues, that's just the tip of this iceberge...
@snowburnt: Yeah sweat from your hand probably causes that. It seems like warranties are now being voided if you use the product normally. What's the point anymore?
I feel lucky that I've pretty much never had problems with an Apple product (knock on wood). It sucks that this happened to you, but it is a bit curious how often you are asking for replacements, though I know this situation is different.
Is this the White Stripes edition of Consumerist? (today's color scheme)
But anyway. Those lady bugs get in ANYWHERE. I don't know how, seeing as their bodies are comparatively large. We've had swarms of them in the fall. I normally like lady bugs in my garden but not in the house thanks.
So,
First it's water damage then it magically becomes a pest control problem?
Soulds well past fishy on apples part to me, I want to see the pix...
Something just doesn't seem right with this story. As a complete aside, the Ladybugs are probably Japanese Beetles, which were prolific this last summer, and look like Ladybugs. That hardly matters though. Something is missing from this picture.
Although I am a big Apple supporter, I wouldn't hesitate to call them to task if they had it coming. But the way they run the PB service depot, it's highly unlikely the techs invented the bugs or the water damage, or any other issue. It's a pretty tightly controlled operation.
Based solely on the facts presently on the table, I would have to side with Apple. More or additional information could change my mind.
@pmcpa2: My iPod needed to be repaired 4 times in a year and a half. Finally gave up and bought a Zune (which I like better, fwiw).
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I'm willing to bet we're talking about Asian ladybugs here. Wait, it's not what you're thinking! A few years ago during the organic gardening fad, ladybugs were hyped as natural pesticide. So in order to meet demand, ladybugs from Asia were imported. Asian ladybugs are more orange in color then the American version and Asian ladybugs taste extremely bitter to the American predators. This has led to a population explosion of Asian Ladybugs. Every fall here in Virginia this is a big nusance as the Asian ladybugs seak warm shelter when it starts to get cold. These little buggers can squeeze into the smallest crack/gap and before you know it you've got a window blind covered with ladybugs. Asian ladybugs who bite and leave a permanent orange stain when squished. The only thing you can do is vacuum them up and re-caulk. This is not a result of poor house keeping as cockroaches in the laptop would be, but a result of introducing alien species.
Maybe they are responsible for the Copy and Paste feature. He could sell them as an add on to iPhone owners and buy a new machine!
@OmniZero: There is certainly a difference between humidity, and water damage. Its actually quite visible as you can actually SEE the corrosion damage water damage can cause, especially if the machine is on.
that being said you do realize all computers in their warranties put a humidity range where the computer should be operated in, and will void the warranty if you do not follow this. That is why they make specially designed computers for high humidity and extreme environments .
ladybugs are supposed to be good luck? or is so much good luck actually bad luck?
@homerjay wants Boston Legal back!: Would spell checking catch something like typing "there" instead of "their"?
@pmcpa2: "The Ladybug issue, weird, doubt it came from the factory, don't think the OP could do it."
Obviously he did it to solve his aphid problem.
Oh, wait ....
@failurate: I believe the appropriate antonym to Fanboy would be 'intelligent consumer.' I have nothing against Apple, but seriously, when you become a fanboy, you let yourself become subjected to sub-par quality products and less-than-desirable service by forgoing logic and reason...
@drdom: Side with Apple, you're a real fanboy, aren't you? I can believe in water damage or bug infestation. But 2 in the same time? And bug infestation wasn't mentioned in first quote for repair? Either they mixed units together, or I want whatever these techs smoke!
Bummer. However, my experience with Apple has been nothing but positive. My TiBook is a near indestructable tank. It once fell out of my car and bounced on the concrete floor. You can imagine my horror - it was like watching it fall in slow motion - Nooooo! The frame was dented and the CDROM drive needed to be replaced (I replaced it with a DVD upgrade). That was it. When the logic board failed, it was replaced by Apple care. They even replaced my dented frame without me asking them to - I was shocked. They didn't flinch or hassle me about the 'surprise DVD' upgrade either.
Ummm just a quick note regarding the bright spot in the middle of the screen. My wife's Macbook had the same issue... until I walked behind the unit. Turns out the little mac logo on the back of the screen was letting enough light through to make a difference on the screen if the back of the screen was facing a window or other bright light source.
Where are the images?