Monday, April 7, 2008

Boooo

According to the Genius at the Apple Store, my iBook has a faulty logic board. Which means that it's going to cost $280 to repair (well actually replace). And on top of that, I will owe another $100 because my data isn't backed up, and they will need to do a data transfer.

Now, I do think repairing makes the most sense, financially and environmentally. Although there will be new parts involved, my understanding is that they will most likely be refurbished parts. So I think in terms of my non-consumer challenge, on that front, I can rest easy.

BUT, I do kind of wonder what will happen to my old Apple parts. From the reading I've done online, they do not give you your old parts back, so I will not be able to dispose of them in an environmentally sensitive manner. My suspicion is that they do reuse the old parts, but that they probably send them over to China for "processing." (If you need a refresher on the pitfalls of e-cycling read Cindy W's concise write up here.)I will certainly ask them for my old parts back, but I'm not holding my breath.

4 comments:

EcoGeoFemme said...

They must do something with some of them (other than landfilling in China) if they are able to give people refurbished parts.

Unknown said...

Whoever repairs anything anymore? Only you, Arduous! Kudos!

I believe refurbished parts are usually from returned items, opened but barely touched, e.g., someone opens a box and decides that she doesn't like look and returns the electronics. Those are usually the refurbished items. To repair modern day electronics is quite costly. I used to work for a big computer chip company :)

Thanks for the link, Arduous!

Jennifer said...

Oh, booo... this happened to my husband's iBook a year ago... TWICE. Sadly, we gave up the second time, as it wasn't JUST the logic board that time (at $800, we just bought a new computer)... but we took home the broken computer to properly take care of the parts. My sister's iBook fried a few months ago, and we had the necessary part for her to fix it! We are going to part it out on ebay for other people to use to fix their computers, I think.

ruchi said...

Heh, Cindy, I gotta be honest with you. I am repairing the computer because it makes the most sense environmentally AND financially. If it were one versus the other, my pocketbook would probably win out. :(