[www.theregister.co.uk]

How far this thing will reach beyond Denmark remains to be seen.

Quote


After regular complaints, the National Consumer Agency in Denmark sent a suspect iMac G4 to Delta, an independent electronics laboratory to have it examined. (In much the same way Denmark's Niels Bohr examined quantum theory to develop the first working model for the atom in 1913.)

The investigation showed solder joints between two components had broken, so a current could no longer pass through them. The breakage was found to occur because the joints loosen slightly every time the computer is turned on and off.

"It is a bit like a person dying a little bit every time he breathes because the cells break down," C.C.B. lawyer Frederik Navne waxed poetically. "In the same way, the computer dies a little every time you turn it on and off."

As a result, the C.C.B. determined that Danish consumers will be able to return computers with the fault to Apple. Apple International is beginning to settle a number of cases in Denmark on the basis of the investigation.

So what symptoms show up? Any part with current flowing through it could die?

I have a Mac newbie friend with a G4 iBook that's acting strange of late.

---

Quote


sent a suspect iMac G4 to Delta

So are we talking iBook or iMac???

Quote

The investigation showed solder joints between two components had broken, so a current could no longer pass through them. The breakage was found to occur because the joints loosen slightly every time the computer is turned on and off.

This part is total crap, switching a device on & off does not break solder joints!

---

Aloha, Ken


“I have developed significant attachments to several members even though I wouldn't recognize them if I sat next to one on a park bench. I'm often tempted when in an airport to walk around, hollering "The Løpe", to see if anyone other than the Homeland Security people will acknowledge me. ” - The Løpe

"If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us." Justice Robert Jackson

This is a different problem from the "solder balls" video-chip issue on G3 iBooks.

This is a quote from the lab report:

Quote


Inspection of SO-U28 by stereo microscopy shows subsequent degradation/breakage in the solder
joints, primarily in the area of the component up against Pin 1 and Pin 28. On subsequent DPA (De-
structive Physical Analysis), thin sectioning and inspection of the solder joints for Pin 1 and Pin 28,
distinct degradation/breakage in both solder joints as well as grain growth in the microstructure for
the tin-lead-type solder joints are found. These 2 Pins are the power supply Pins (GND and VCC)
of the component:

More links...

Press release from the National Consumer Agency:
[www.forbrug.dk]

Pictures of the defect:
[www.forbrug.dk]

Lab report:
[www.forbrug.dk]

wow, crappy macro work for a lab.

Quote
Harbourmaster
This part is total crap, switching a device on & off does not break solder joints!

From the lab report:

Quote


*) Adverse circumstances of "power cycling" mean a gradual degradat ion in solder jo ints as a con-
sequence of power deposition in the component in the power up/power down situation, which, as a
result of several circumstances, such as differences in thermal expansion coefficient between com-
ponent and print, temperature and possible temperature grad ient, etc. will be able to cause
stress/degradation in solder joints.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2007 01:51AM by MacMagus.

"So the Consumer Complaints Board sent one of the faulty computers to Delta, an independent electronics laboratory, to have it examined."

Seems like a larger sample size than just ONE would need to be examined to back up a claim of a design defect.

The article says the symptoms were a blank screen and a loud whirring fan.

---

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We are a government of laws, not men.

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all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

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An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

"thermal expansion". Very likely, but not just in one computer. I mean they would really need to get a wider test group before there was a huge recall. I believe we are talking about iMac G4's here, not iBooks.

Of course, if the exact same design was used in every model, then perhaps all could be affected in the same way without having to even test them. But isn't this part of normal "wear & tear"? I mean it's kind of like a door handle, you use it enough and sure, ONE DAY it will break, there is just no way around it.

The photos on that website don't look anything like an iMac. It also doesn't look white like a iBook, more silver like a 12" PowerBook G4.

[www.forbrug.dk]

Hmm, they changed the pictures after I posted, now it's clearly an iBook, before it had a different clamp, and was a PowerBook. Something seems fishy about this whole thing, but it's a month too late for April Fools.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2007 02:28AM by GGD.

The "iMac" reference was a typo at The Register.

It's iBooks. They received 4 defective iBooks for testing after numerous complaints and an online petition.

The models examined were reported as (1) 9164LL/A 12-inch @ 800Mhz; (2) 9426LL/A 12-inch @ 1GHz; and (1) M9164LL/A 12-inch @ 800MHz.

Those 800MHz iBooks were first introduced on Oct 2003, I wonder how old they were when they failed. When Apple did the G3 iBook video/logic board warranty extension, it was only good for 3 years from date of purchase.

It's also surprising that this is limited to G4 iBooks, one would think that the G3 iBook would have had the exact same problem too.

Are they still testing Model A Fords over there, too?

Independent lab confirms, independent of evidence, an unproved conclusion that is controversial and most likely not true.

News at 11.

"most likely not true....."


It's Apple products made in China, not a biblical messiah. It can happen.

Quote
Jimmypoo
"most likely not true....."


It's Apple products made in China, not a biblical messiah. It can happen.

Seriously. We all know how many crappy and cheap parts/components come out of China so why would this be an exception? They could have switched lower grade quality parts for higher grade ones and hoped people didn't notice. If Chinese manufacturers are willing to put MELAMINE in consumable pet food along with CALLIGRAPHY INK in human food { source: [www.nytimes.com] } why wouldn't they switch out metal parts in grossly complex computer that most folks don't understand?!

Again, Apple's a company, not your best friend or your mother.

---

trisho.
----------------
Official Card-Carrying Mother Earthin' Sl*t.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2007 09:07AM by trisho..

A very small sample size. Why jump on the anti-Apple bandwagon for no reason?

Also, they are made in Taiwan, China. Taiwan has been a leader in electronics production for a long time. Taiwan is not the same China your average Walmart junk comes from.

JJ

> A very small sample size. Why jump on the anti-Apple bandwagon for no reason?

It's not "anti-Apple." It's pro-consumer.

They were responding to thousands of complaints and an online petition. The symptoms were the same across the board. The fix was the same on almost every machine (the "clamp" technique).

How big a sample did they need? All they were obligated to do was to confirm that there was a manufacturing defect that *could* result in those symptoms. They did that.

What it is about Apple that makes otherwise intelligent people into senseless ZOMBIE FAN BOYZ?

Sometimes Apple fu¢ks up. Lump it.

Of course no one is perfect.

Quote

*) Adverse circumstances of "power cycling"

So what this says to me is that under the Unusual or Adverse circumstances of repeatedly cycling the power on & off the USER can create a situation outside of the normal designed operating conditions that can cause a failure over time.

In my line of work we call this sort of failure an Operator Error! Also known around here as PEBKAC...

---

Aloha, Ken


“I have developed significant attachments to several members even though I wouldn't recognize them if I sat next to one on a park bench. I'm often tempted when in an airport to walk around, hollering "The Løpe", to see if anyone other than the Homeland Security people will acknowledge me. ” - The Løpe

"If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us." Justice Robert Jackson

> So what this says to me is that under the Unusual or Adverse circumstances of repeatedly cycling the power on & off...

Please refer back to the second-to-last line of my previous post in this thread.