It happened: my Macbook Pro is broken. The screen that is. Never had any problems with carrying laptops in my old and trusted ASUS-briefcase. But the Macbook Pro showed up with a broken screen yesterday… Kind of fragile stuff. Today I visited a official Apple Service Center in Rotterdam in my lunchbreak. They told me that this is not covered by warranty. The price to fix this? A stunning 758 euros without 19% VAT. The repair will last al least 10 working days. But more likely 15.
I left the shop astonished and determined to solve it in another way, To make a long story short: I ordered a new screen via Ebay. Price: 256,98 Canadian dollars. Including shipment. That is 161,01 euros. The manual that tells in a step-by-step way how to replace the display was downloaded via Powerbookmedic.com This includes details photos on how to do the job. I guess it will take me a maximum of 3 hours, probably less. I’ll keep you all posted on how this story ends. But I guess I’m in for a very satisfying solution (fingers crossed!)
UPDATE – FRIDAY AUGUST 8TH, 2008
The screen arrived! That is rather rapid: ordered Tuesday and delivered Friday from www.screencountry.com in Canada! This evening I am invited to fly with the Dutch Airforce – in a balloon. But otherwise I would have rebuild the MacBook Pro this evening. I’ll do that tomorrow. When all works out, I am done for a bit more than 160 euros. Within a week! Via the official channels the situation would differ quite a bit: at least 750 euros and a waiting time of two – probably three – working weeks…
FINAL UPDATE:
Did it. Just a day after receiving the screen from Canada, I took the thing apart and fixed the screen. Geeting it back together was probably harder than taking it apart… Nice!
English text will follow. For the time being only available in Dutch.
Yesterday I had a very good conversation with Tessa Sterkenburg of The Next Speaker. Getting to Amsterdam (where we were agreed to meet) was no problem. Moving around in Amsterdam proofed to be a nightmare: loads and loads of tourists wandering around; seeing nothing but ‘nice canal-houses!’… Anyhow: I managed to get there in time. Had a very pleasant and involving conversation with Tessa and shared the WiFi-password of P-King with her. I think we are ‘getting in business’, so The Next Speaker will manage all my speaking and moderating gigs in the future!
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