Now that's a Genius Bar

[Richard Lightstone, CAS]

I have been using a Mac Mini for Boom Recorder on my cart since 2006. I started out with the first generation that finally bit the dust (probably literally) in 2007 and upgraded to the intel version. However it has been plagued with continual "logic board" failures. By the way "Logic Board" failure seems to be the "fits all" repair solution for misbehaving Macs.

Just searching this topic will reveal that just about every brand of mac has had "bad" logic board issues for years. But I digress.

The intel Mac Mini had it's logic board replaced in November 2008, then May 2009 and most recently in August 2010. In all cases I was not charged for the repair, I did not have Apple Care -- so I'm assuming that Apple, with out admitting it, is acknowledging that this batch of boards are problematic.

The Mini died once more for the fourth time on Wednesday and I brought it in for repair today. The Genius Bar Tech agreed that with the repair history on this machine, it was not worth even being looked at; but he would swap it out for a brand new Mac-Mini at NO CHARGE!

This was the best "Black Friday" deal I could ever get. I also sprung for Apple Care, considering the brand new Mac Mini's price is $699, the $149 was a bargain.

Count me as one very happy Apple customer, with service well beyond my expectations.

[Marc Wielage]

Wow! Just an hour ago I was grumbling at what a-holes Apple can be, with the way they run their company and price their products. Shows you that there's also a good side.

But I've been using and buying Apple products for 30 years, going back to my very first computer: the Apple II.  I should make up a T-shirt: "Been screwed by Apple for three decades."

--Marc W.