[linskyjack]

After 6 months of fairly active use, my son's MiniIpod battery died. (Six months is a ridiculously short period of time) Rather then go the Apple route, I bought an aftermarket battery and attempted the installation----It was a real pain, although after about forty minutes I got the case closed. Unfortunately, the Ipod is scarred for life! Prying off the plastic at each end of the Pod is nearly impossible without doing some cosmetic damage.

Nevertheless, the Ipod works and it only cost me 39.99. I still think the whole battery thing is a major design flaw with Ipods, and in my mind the brilliant designers should be able to come up with something easier to swap. Then again, they want you to send the Ipod to them so they can charge you an outrageous price for replacement.

My son is talking IRiver these days.

[macguru]

I see nothing to respond to. What I read is one reason why there are tech support people AND Service plans available to people. Trust me if Apple or a tech support person or third party service fixed your iPod it would NOT be marred. You did that all by yourself. sir and you have my pity. I suggest should you buy another iPod you get an applecare plan or replacement plan at a tech retail store such as Best Buy or CompUSA that specializes in computers and support plans. No electronics is infallible and you may look at any electronics purchase with a "what if it goes wrong viewpoint" in future.
pdasmart.com has PLASTIC tools for opening an iPod case. It is likely you overlooked what a METAL tool does to plastic or iPod housings.

[linskyjack]

Well "sir" my point, is that the IPOD has a design flaw---and that the company makes it difficult to change a battery so that they can squeeze the consumer more. If you really think that there is a good reason why the consumer can't buy and INSTALL a battery in his or her IPOD, then I guess you are just one of the many Apple fan boys. By the way, the marring of my son's IPOD is irrelevant--it works fine. What is relevant is that Apple is like any other humongous corporation and not some shinning example of what a company should be.

[macguru]

To everyone else other than linskyjack: To avoid inappropriate behavior and striking out at those wishing to help people on FREE tech support boards just consider buying a service plan or AppleCare when you buy an iPod to avoid situations like the previous poster got. May you all be well and Merry Christmas and avoid coal in your stocking. Tis the season to be jolly!!

[linskyjack]

To everyone else other then the Fan Boy MAC GURU----why the heck should you have to buy an extended warranty for any item, particularly when people like FAN BOY think that Apple can do no wrong! Most companies that make dependable products use the "extended warranty" as a way of milking more money out of the consumer. Apple is no different.

Genius, let me repeat, because you are so thick and have drunk too much of Steve Job's Kool Aid:

1. The Ipod is poorly designed when it comes to the battery.
2. People should be able to buy after market batteries and install them without shipping them back to Apple and paying exorbitant prices.

[macguru]

60 dollars for AppleCare for an iPod ANY iPod. Things happen occasionally with electronics and thankfully to people like linskyjack who can only respond to help with vitriol and hate. This is for everyone else who wants to do their own repairs EXCEPT Linksysjack, who is an unskilled individual with complaints that should be directed to Apple not myself.
IF he had asked first he could have a plastic repair toolkit for an iPod for 5 dollars plus 6 dollars shipping.
40 dollars for a battery as well. Hardly a bargain over the 60 dollars an iPod AppleCare plan costs.
The repair kit can be had here........
http://www.craytonelectronics.com/nytotoopip.html

Which will even save the metal edging from scratching. Be wiser than linskyjack IF you insist on repairing your own iPod use the PROPER tools unlike linskyjack PLEASE. Oh and now we have the full truth that linskyjack is so incompetent as to have scratched the metal on his case. Well as I said that is the result when an inexperienced end user tries to fix high quaility finished electronics.

[linskyjack]

60 bucks is highway robbery for an item that went for 199 new! You are definately a fan boy.
By the way, the plastic didn't break---the metal housing got scratched. Keep drinking that Kool Aid---you are so typical.

[prunejuice]

Originally Posted by linskyjack

60 bucks is highway robbery for an item that went for 199 new!

You didn't pay 199 for it.

And yes, the Ipod battery fiasco is just that, a fiasco.

[linskyjack]

Well prunejuice is obviously not a fan boy. It really is ridiculous. When I went into the Apple store the guy told me, oh yeah, we get Minis back all the time----after six months they go dead! I am totally convinced that in so many ways Apple is a mirage supported by Kool-Aid drinking fan boys like MacGuru. Look at it this way,--shouldn't a company like Apple that claims to be above it all, make a product that doesn't need to be sent back after six months to be re-fitted for a battery! It's a case of form over substance. It really is absurd.

[prunejuice]

In a Free Market economy we all have the choice of what products we wish to spend our money on. We also have some responsibility to research our purchases and make studied investments.
The Ipod battery deal was news a loooooong time ago, but I guess sexy/glossy advertising trumps product review these days.

Who's the boss? You, or the advertising executive?
Your money is power. Use it wisely.

[macguru]

I simply stated what could be done to avoid a problem with the iPod and what tools to buy so you don't screw it up and I got attacked and blamed for what Apple did. No thanks and no apology will suffice or be accepted. Gees just go away mister linskyjack buy anything BUT Apple products ok make us ALL happy thanks! I am NOT responsible for what Apple does but i make a career out of fixing what they do wrong.
READ MY LIPS. IT'S NOT MY FAULT. Got it? Good.......I did not buy the product I did not use a metal instrument on it either....YOU posted a ranting cry for help, I answered telling you what to do to properly correct your situation you don't or can't handle the truth that you gouged your iPod because you don't wish to pay more money so you are unsatisfied with Apple and the TRUTH is you are personally unsatisfied because you gouged your case while replacing the battery. SO WHAT....I DON'T CARE!!!!!!! I simply want others to avoid YOUR MISTAKE. It isn't pointless you serve as a BAD EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO IF YOUR iPOD BATTERY FAILS!!!!! GO GET A LIFE!!!!

[macguru]

If linskyjack ever gets a sane moment he'll realize I am NOT making apologies for Apple. Steve Jobs does NOT like end user upgradeable/repairable equipment. I simply take GREAT umbridge for being attacked for what Apple does. I am NOT an Apple employee I am an independent Apple Consultant and I have enough business without having to bother with ingrates with nothing but an axe to grind. Linskyjack has LONG since worn out his welcome on the Mac side of this board or used up any pity we have for him. GO AWAY LINSKYJACK. If Apple does not correct their iPod battery flaws they will cease to be so popular. That's not my problem either. HOWEVER I POSTED WHAT TO DO TO FIX IT. Period. And all linskyjack did was rant. Oh and for EVERYONE else you can easily find instructions for replacing your iPod battery on Google. Just Google "iPod battery replacement instructions" That ought to do it. And use plastic tools to avoid linskyjack's mistakes IF you insist on doing that repair yourself. I recommend you find a competent tech to do it. Linskyjack I hope you find a cure for your evil rot but I believe it is terminal SIR. To everyone else Merry Christmas DON'T USE Windows!!!!!! heh.....being an Apple fan is easy with Windows being so very rotten with viruses crashes and adware ;-) Apple has NONE of that.......

[linskyjack]

I take great umbrage with your hollier then thou attiude. I simply posted about a problem I was having and I got a lecture from Mr. Mac. By the way, me thinks you do protest too much--your initial reaction was a bizzare defense of Apple. Your best line was that after six months I should somehow be happy about spending sixty dollars (1/4 of the price of a new Mini-Ipod) to replace a battery that sucks and a company that sqeezes the living hell out of their "loyal" fanboys. I also didn't appreciate your lecture on my techinical skills. I would pay to watch Fanboy Macguru try to replace one of those batteries.

[macguru]

All linskyjack can do is mimic my posts. Unbelievable. Couldn't fix a simple iPod battery without gouging the case by using a metal tool-instead of a plastic tool which is recommended but unknown to anyone who does not think logically at all.........before attempting something. Linskyjack is justifiably angry but it isn't with me it is with himself. As I stated originally I pity you sir and regret you. Life isn't fair. I'm sorry sir please take your woes away now I cannot fix them. What I can do is recommend everyone either get an AppleCare plan when they buy their iPod or else have it professionally repaired as you all can see how abberrant and annoying linskyjack got over the twenty dollars that linskyjack saved and now has a gouged case for his iPod. Please do not attempt Apple repairs at home people as you see how badly that turns out. Call a Mac tech support person like myself or take it to Apple. It isn't worth it to go thru what linskyjack did. But then some people never learn. Don't YOU. Don't do that yourself please people have a care for yourselves and have a Merry Christmas.

[macguru]

Further you are going to get only one thing mister linskyjack for continuing to post the way you have........NO sympathy and continuing frustration......perpetually. Just go away. I have now I have made my case for everyone else I am done posting here on this thread. Post away in response if you wish you already isolated everyone else from EVER posting to help you on ANY issue whatsoever on TechSupportGuy because we all want to avoid you now with your totally inapropriate responses to help offered.