Tong Family

With PCs, I normally don’t get their extended warranty since they don’t tend to break. With Windows laptops, they normally have a year and I can fix most of them. (I’ve replaced the hard disk of an ASUS notebook four times!). But, with the Macbooks, we ended up buying a three year service contract for about $200. I have to admit that I’m amazingly impressed with “Applecare”:http://www.apple.com/support/. Basically, for Macbooks, I really think you need it. The hard disks on all laptops seem to fail a lot and the Macbook I had just wouldn’t boot.

It is really great Apple has retail stores. I had forgotten what Nordstrom’s like service for computers is like. It is a little like you can only buy something at low prices and lousy stores with PCs, but with Apple, it is more expensive, but on the other hand, I took the machine in with an online appointment. I didn’t get the usual debug everything on the phone. With Sony laptops, phone is the only thing and the rep takes you through literally four hours of scripts. In this case, the guy looked at the notebook. Said, it was bad and three days later called and I have a albeit new (make sure to backup!) notebook hard drive installed for me.

So words of advice, get a Macbook, get the Applecare (not Procare! that only gives you priority appointments for learning how to use stuff). It really is an advantage. Second advice is that if you can afford it having a spare Macbook around is very nice to tide you over for the three days or so it is out.

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