So my work trip to Manhattan gets put off another day, and the 15″ PowerBook G4 arrives back home. I met the Airborne Express guy before he could ring the doorbell. Since I have to sit in teleconferences from my home phone for the next few hours, why not go ahead and move everything to the 15 and rock on, right?

I unpack the box, and notice that my power adapter looked a little funny. Upon closer inspection, I see that one of the little arms for coiling the power cable seems damaged. In addition, I see that the clear plastic cap for the end of the power connector is also missing. So, I make a mental note to call AppleCare once my teleconferences are over.

When contacting AppleCare about a power supply for a PowerBook, don’t refer to “arms” or “tabs” when you talk to them; they pretend not to understand you, and then they say “oh, you are referring to the CABLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM” … give me a break - it’s like those clerks in Charles de Gaulle airport who make you try to say what you are asking in French so they can subsequently correct you and then go on to answer you in English. When my person on the phone understood that I was talking about the “cable management system” he set up a dispatch to replace my power supply - warranty issue #3 on my 15″ PowerBook.

While he is filling out the forms, I also mention that the cap to the power connector was missing. This is the “translucent plastic cover that comes with the power supply when you originally open them” according to AppleCare. The guy proceeds to tell me that quite likely the technicians would not have thought to put that back on when the packed it back up after repair. So now, it’s my problem for asking. If it’s such a vestigial piece, here’s my question: why in the hell did you put it on there in the first place? Fair enough? How come the first PowerBook G4 power supplies didn’t have them, and then they were later added? Was there lots of leftover plastic somewhere?

People at Apple have that skill of deftly trying to make you look like an ass for asking them for something they should have done. It’s amazing, and you have to be quick on your feet to turn it back around on them. I have had some practice with it by now. I don’t mind it too much, now that I am prepared for it when it comes.

So, my new power supply is supposedly en route. But that’s not the real kicker…

While we were having another pause in the give-me-another-power-supply-because-you-broke-mine process, I decided I would get a second opinion on my AppleCare question that I had asked in an Apple Store recently. You see, I bought a 17″ PowerBook with an Apple Cinema Display, and they are both under an AppleCare plan. I have wanted to sell the 17″ for reasons you can read about in this weblog (open source fans - beware the 1GHz 17″ PowerBook G4 - it is NOT your friend; it’s like the guy that a girl keeps dating because he’s a “challenge” - you know, the stalking, knock-you-around kind of challenge).

Guess what?

If you have a system and a display under AppleCare, and you sell the system but keep the display, the display is no longer under AppleCare.

Guess what else?

You cannot get AppleCare for a display by itself.

Am I the only one who sees this as a fundamental disconnect in logic?

So, I won’t be selling the 17″ PowerBook, and my wife will now have the hottest computer among every female we know. Therefore, the upshot is that Apple will not be the only one to benefit from this situation. 8^) - lemons into lemonade.

Don’t think that I hate Apple and am ready to chunk them; heavens no. I have had too much warranty experience with PCs to think that the grass is greener on that side of the fence. I think of Apple as my inspired, brilliant, and slightly psychotic partner in computing. Great hardware, great OS, but never turn your back on those dudes in Cupertino.

Good night all.