3 spd ---> 4spd swap info

I have been doing a little research to get a parts list made up. I have an 02 prizm that has a 3spd auto. I am looking to swap a 4spd auto. I work in a shop and have a lift, tools, etc. Is there anyone who has done this swap that has a parts list? Obviously I need a transmission but what else?



Thanks again and I will also keep searching.

Reply 1 : 3 spd ---> 4spd swap info

105 did this exact swap. Search for his post.

Reply 2 : 3 spd ---> 4spd swap info

You will most likely also need to find and engine wiring harness and ECU/PCM from a car with a 4-speed auto trans.

Reply 3 : 3 spd ---> 4spd swap info

I've been meaning to put together a summary/write up. Let me know if you have any questions.



This is from my write-up/summary that is in progress:



Parts:





















***Here is the link to Buurin's wiring write-up. http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=351093

You'll need to either harvest all the pins or entire connectors mentioned in his write-up. There are several different size pins in all the connectors. Don't be like me and have to make several trips to the bone yard to figure this out. You cannot buy these pins ANYWHERE!!! Your only other option would be to find a complete engine wire harness and its sure to be very expensive from toyota.



I did my swap for under $200 including a new flex plate because mine was destroyed. Not including fluid and filter.

Can't download iOS updates for iPod Touch

Question for anyone who might be able to advise me on downloads of a new iOS update. I have a 2nd generation iPod Touch and have been trying to update to the latest iOS version. But I keep getting messages that the download timed out - after only about 1 or 2 minutes of the download attempt.

I have iTunes running on Win7, and I have a 802.11g network. A few months ago when I tried to do the first update to iOS 4, and had this same issue, I went to the Apple store. The staffer there told me I need to be on 802.11n. I was able to download the update while in the store. But at home, even plugged directly into my cable modem, I have the same download timing out issue. Anyone else familiar with this problem?

exhaust tip - tip? LOL

sup fellas...



I've encountered a problem I've never had before, since i've never had a white car. it appears that after waxing/detailing my white 99 CE (which the paint is really good on it) i get some exhuast buildup on the rear bumper where the muffler is. meaning some of the smoke stays on the paint after washing/waxing.



its not blowing black/blue/white smoke - just normal emissions. I'm thinking of getting one of those 45 degree (or 65 degree) exhaust tips to re-route the fumes to aim downwards instead of horizontally.



i'm not looking for anything chrome or "ghetto", just a way to keep the car a little cleaner longer.





anyone done this? and if so, did it make a difference? i'll try it anyways (the part is like 10 bucks) but just curious if this may work.



thanks,



-dave

Reply 1 : exhaust tip - tip? LOL

Shouldn't have any issues installing it - just make sure it is not that much larger than the OEM tip, otherwise that set screw they use to hold the tip on will loosen easily. Some may try and bend the existing tip down, but that is likely to just snap that short pipe off the muffler.



Other option is trying to claybar that area. Clay will remove all sorts of stuff embedded into the paint. So unless the particulates are completely embedded themselves into the paint, clay bar will take it off.

Reply 2 : exhaust tip - tip? LOL

yeah I clay-barred it... it cleans up ok, its just a hassle if I dont wash if for a week or so, then all the black exhaust smoke flares up.



i'll try a 45 degree tip facing down. I hope it wont scrape anything.

Replacement Dell PA-10 90W 19.5V 4.62A 7.4*5.0 central pin 3

Input: AC100-240V (worldwide use)
Output: DC19.5V 4.62A
Power: 90W

Outlet: 3-prong
Connecter size:
Internal Diameter: 5.0mm
External Diameter: 7.4mm
With Central Pin Inside

Items Included: AC Adapter and Power Cord (US Version).
Brand New Replacement Product works as genuine parts, 100% OEM Compatible!! Full 12 months warranty!!

Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

It could be a firewall setting. It could be a software update. Whatever it is, I cannot connect to the internet using Extreme (it does connect to the internet using just plain old wifi). This is a sudden problem--it worked fine last week.

I'm using OS 10.5.2.

Thanks

Regards,

Tom McKnight

Reply 1 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

No. Nice catch. But I have two Macs cooking here in the office, one on each of two different floors. One is a MacBook and the other is a MacMini. Haven't been without a Mac at my side for 21 years, even though the main machine is a PC. My Macs never let me down, well, until now.

Reply 2 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

do you have NAT turned on?
Also, is the Extreme set to hand out IP addresses independently of the main DHCP server.

ie. If you connect via ethernet, will your IP address be in the same range as when you connect to the Extreme?
Airport usually pushes out 10.x.x.x IP numbers while wired Routers use 192.168.x.x numbers.


P

Reply 3 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

Hello hero,

Honestly, the only thing I know about NATs is down the street here in DC at the Nationals Stadium.

What is a NAT and where do I find it?

Also not sure what to do to locate the IP addresses.

I'm betting you have the correct solution in sight.

Looking forward to seeing your answer.

Thanks

Tom

Reply 4 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

You will find that in the Network Pane of the computer that is connected to the Airport Extreme.

NAT. Network Address Translation. More on that when I get back to a Mac after work.

Do you know what IP addresses are used on the rest of the wired network machines?

On Windows: Start > Run > cmd > ipconfig This will show the IP address of that winbox

On the Mac. System Preferences, Network, Airport. You should see the IP address.

Compare them. The only differences should be the numerals after the last . (dot)

P

Reply 5 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

Hi

The Airport Express works only on or for the Macbook and no others.

The IP address for the express as viewed from the Macbook is 10.0.1.200 This seems to be an odd address. Normally they have a pattern as follows: xxx.xxx.x.xxx

Thanks

Reply 6 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

for a wireless base station.
The normal pattern is xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, three numerals for each octet. Mostly though, you do not get to see the spaces all filled with numerals. I have 192.168.1.100 and up, as do millions of other home network users.
Technically, the Airport Express works with any wireless enabled device but I'll accept that you only have Macs connected to it.

Do you only have a wireless network?
If there is a wired network as well as the wireless one, what sort of IP address do the wired machines get?
Is the Extreme the Router on the network? If it is not, then you may have two DHCP servers on your network. Turn off the DHCP broadcast from the Extreme and see what happens.

Is the WAN side of the Extreme getting an IP address from another router on your network? If the WAN side shows 192.168.x.x then you have two DHCP servers running.

P

Reply 7 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

The second one, which is the primary WIFI network in the house, is 192.168.0.197

The Macbook can easily work through this network. Until recently the Macbook worked very well with both/either. Then suddenly the internet would not function through the Extreme.

Reply 8 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

and start again with it.

The manual will explain how to do that.

To configure the Extreme you will need to be connected to it via ethernet, not wireless.

Once it is reset, configure it and it "should" work again.

If I understand you correctly, you have two networks, both with wireless capability, in the house and NONE of the computers are connected to the routers via ethernet cable. Is that correct?

Are these two separate networks or are they both connected to a single Router and Modem?

P

Reply 9 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

Hi

The signal arrives into the house via cable.

Then it goes to the DLink wifi. The DLink has a port in which the Extreme is attached. Both wireless networks operate simultaneously. Both are capable of n signaling. Both worked fine until last week when we unplugged everything because of an impending thunderstorm. There were no electrical hits and all equipment in the house appears to be fine. Well, except for this. Remember, the Extreme is visible and connects to the MacBook just fine, except it cannot deliver the internet connection.

My son set it up about a year ago. How do I access the controls of the Extreme? Hardwire, ok. Then what?

And many thanks.

Reply 10 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

Reading this reply rings a bell. To have TWO routers you may have to CAREFULLY REMEMBER WHERE IT PLUGS IN (what to what port!)

Here's a link in our Networking Forum to an article about using TWO ROUTERS. You don't use the uplink port and many will get it wrong.
Read http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?forumID=62&threadID=264135&messageID=2754854#2754854
Bob

Reply 11 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

I went into the Extreme controls and redid them, frankly like they were before. Voila! Extreme now connects to the internet. On the Mac Mini, I just switched it over to the extreme and it works fine. I never could shake the old password in the DLink wireless connection, even after I erased the link in Utilities. No need to chase it down because I'm a happy camper.

Thanks for all the help.

Macs really spoil us. In all these years of having Macs at my elbow this was the first time I ever had to rummage around the guts of the settings.

On we go. Nice also to know that CNET is the place to go for expert advice.

Have a grand weekend.

Tom

Reply 12 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

Bob, I'm having EXACTLY the same problem. And I have EXACTLY the same set up. 2Wire wireless modem/router which sends a WiFi signal I can receive on my Mac wirelessly. But then an Airport Extreme cabled into it that "used to" broadcast a transmitted wireless signal but no longer shows up. Just stopped. It used to be that I could access either or. Now all I have to choose from is the 2Wire. The green light on the Airport Extreme is on, it appears "happy" but no signal is appearing to come from it. And I'd prefer to link to it. When I scan for the "Airport Utilities" under the Utilities Control Panel I get, "no device found." So, I can't change the Airport's settings. I can't reach it. How did you get into the Airport's controls? I have hardwired it now via Ethernet and it shows an ethernet connection through the Airport but it still will not pick up on a scan and will not allow me into the utility for its settings. How did you access the controls? Thank you!!!

Reply 13 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

I have a similar, but not exactly identical problem.

My set up:

Wired Buffalo Hub connected to Optical Fibre internet.
MacPro plugged into one connection off the hub.
Epson wireless print server plugged into one connection off the hub (it won't connect wirelessly so is used configured for wired operation.)
Dell connected to the last connection off the hub.
Airport Express connected to another connection off the hub.

Connected to the Airport Express are:

Wired - Airtunes Speakers, USB Printer
Wireless - G4 Powerbook running 10.4, MacMini Running 10.5

In addition, the MacPro also connects to the Airport for inter-machine file-sharing and iTunes.

My problem lies with my MacBook Air which was perfectly happy to connect to the internet through the Airport until this week when it suddenly stopped, even though it is connected to my Network (Password protected, WPA2 encryption.) I have not changed anything, added anything nor updated anything between everything working swimmingly and everything not. All software is at the latest version, as is firmware.

The status is now:

All machines can see the network.
All machines can see the printer and Airtunes
All machines EXCEPT the Air have 10.x.x.x IPs from the Express by DHCP with NAT. The Air has a self assigned IP.
All machines except the Air can connect to the Internet wirelessly, including the MacPro when I tell it to use the Airport link as its connection.

It seems that the Air is either not requesting an IP address, or not recognizing the answer when it gets one, or the Airport Express is ignoring it. The Air connects perfectly well through the USB LAN adapter or off every other WiFi spot I have tried it on, all with the same Network, Firewall and Little Snitch settings. I have rebooted, reset and re-anything else I can think of the Express and the Air. If I turn the Firewall and Little Snitch off on the Air I can, maybe, get a connection, but not every time.

I am assuming there is a corrupt preference file somewhere on the Air, but I don't have the first idea which one it would be.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Reply 14 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

So, I am in desperate need of some help! My family and I are currently living overseas and cannot for the life of me figure out our problem. Of course, the language barrier (russian) and the lack of any computer tech's who know about Mac's is very frustrating...Here's what is going on:

1. We have internet through satellite (no cable connections here). It seems just as fast as it was when we were back in the US.

2. There is a coaxial cable that comes into the house, which connects (using an ethernet end) to a small black connector. It basically plugs into this connector, which the internet company told us is the "modem." This small black "modem" has a power cord which plugs into the outlet and another ethernet end that plugs into the computer, or in this case our airport extreme.

3. We can connect to the internet no problem when it is directly connected to our MacBook Pro.

4. When I plug this "modem" into the airport extreme, we get a green light on the airport and our MacBook recognizes our network (full strength), but for some reason we cannot connect to the internet.

5. I have the airport set to use DHCP.

Is there a simply fix to this problem, am I just overlooking something? My family and I would be very thankful if there is anyone out there who may be able to help us figure this thing out!

~Without wireless in a country that doesn't understand Mac!

Reply 15 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

The manual will tell you how to do this.
Once done, configure the Extreme again. You should be connected to the Extreme via ethernet cable while you are configuring it.
Once configured, access the internet while still connected via ethernet cable.
If successful, you are safe to move onto the wireless setup.

Let us know how you get on

P

Reply 16 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

Thank you very much for the recommendation...Once the settings were reset, we established a "new wireless network" and bingo we are now up and running on our MacBook Pro...Unfortunately, we are now experiencing problems connecting our second computer. It recognizes the airport extreme network, but for some reason cannot connect to the internet. Not sure if we need to do something with the extreme settings, but definitely is frustrating. Any suggestions?

Thanks again for your help, it is nice to know there are people out there who are still willing to take a couple of moments to help another person out! Take care and hope to hear back from you.

Warmest Regards,

Family8675309

Reply 17 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

When you say "recognizes", do you mean that it can see the Airport network but cannot connect to it
or
That it can connect but does not go any further forward than that?

Take a look at the Network Settings and see what the IP address of the Mac is. It should NOT start with 169.

You may also need to shut down the Mac, the Airport Extreme and the modem and restart them in this order. Modem, Airport Extreme, Mac. Wait until each device is up and running before moving on to the next one.

Good Luck

P

Reply 18 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

Thanks for the advice...The Mac does connect to the airport extreme, but will not connect to the internet...I will check the ip address, that may be the problem...I'll let you know what happens! Thank!

Regards,

Family8675309

Reply 19 : Airport Extreme suddenly won't connect to internet

I bought an AirPort Extreme Wireless-N this weekend and hooked it up to my cable modem at home. I used the Airport Utility to set up the base station and create a wireless network. At first I used DHCP to set up but got an a yellow light and a message saying that the internet connection was not working. So I hook my MacBookPro directly to the cable modem ethernet port and got all the IP Address, Subnet Mask, Router and DNS information from my ISP, Cox Cables. I then connect the AE to the cable modem ethernet port and used the Airport Utility to set up the base station again. I chose manually set up this time with the IP address I got from ISP. I got it working without any problem and my MacBookPro was able to detect to the AE. However, I still can't access the internet. The light on the AE itself is solid green, but there is no connectivity to the internet. I'm at a wits end as to what to do next. Any help will be appreciated. I'm using Mac OSX v10.6.6.

Tapping the headlight wire

I am looking for a good place in the cabin to tap the headlight wire. I am going to use it for some indiglo gauges. I actually want to tap the wire that is for the parking lights. (So the gauges turn on with the parking lights, not just the headlights.) I was hoping someone knew a good wire to use in the driver's footwell, or around the fusebox. I do not have a voltage meter, so I wouldn't be able to easily find it, myself. I'd also need a good ground wire.

Reply 1 : Tapping the headlight wire

There is a +12V solid green wire at the bottom of the fuse box for the parking lights.



I would just ground it to the body/chassis of the car.

Reply 2 : Tapping the headlight wire

pic

Reply 3 : Tapping the headlight wire

That is a spectacularly perfect photo of what I needed.

Reply 4 : Tapping the headlight wire

I ended up doing this, this weekend. I didn't want to, but when I took out my cluster to replace a burned out bulb, I accidently tore out the wire from my indiglos. Anyway, I used some crimp caps and wired it directly into the harness that plugs into the gauge cluster. Positive is a green wire and negative a brown, on the white harness plug. Works like a charm. Zip tied the wiring in a much better fashion, so it won't put stress anywhere unccessarily now. I got wire strippers and crimp caps for my radio install, and I've slowly been fixing all my half-assed wiring all over the car.

Saving & Uploading Cellphone Address Book?

Hi, Is there anyway or any program out there that I can save the address bookcontact list on my cellphone on my computer. Also is there anyway to upload my address bookcontact list on my computer onto my cellphone. Everytime I get a new cellphone I have to redo my address book from stratch. I would really like to find a way to save and upload my addres book from my computer onto my cell phone and visa versa. I have a LG 285 cellphone with bluetooth and I am using the address book in outlook express 6.

Internet tethering with iphone

Hi, my new macbook pro asks to shut down whenever I surfing the net using iphone's internet tethering (since my home wireless is temporarily down). I found that it doesn't happened without using tethering.
I tried different ways of connecting such as USB only, Bluetooth only, offing Data Roaming. But in the end, it is the same shut down page came out and nth able to continue with the work. Once it restarts, the error details is started with as follows:

Interval Since Last Panic Report: 11232 sec
Panics Since Last Report: 25
Anonymous UUID: CF339B73-689F-4F8D-B761-B810D3DDCB2E

and so on. So, plz help me source the problem. let me know if further info is necessary too.

thank you guys.

Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

When i use my touchpad, it sometimes acts as if i constantly have it held down and even with 1 finger on it it reacts as if its constantly reacting to me highlighting text. Not sure why this occurs, and i have resorted to using a mouse for some occasions and when this occurs i have to make sure my touchpad isn't highlighting stuff or else my mouse won't work 100%. Any help would be appreciated.

Reply 1 : Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

will cause it to "do" something.

Remember it is a Touch Pad and as such will respond to any input from your tactile digits and it is not necessary to "hold down" the pad for a reaction to occur.


P

Reply 2 : Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

This can also be a side effect of a battery that is starting to swell. And even if your system is brand new, it doesn't necessarily rule out that possibility.

So, it couldn't hurt to take a quick look at your battery to see if there are any obvious signs of it swelling. If there are signs of swelling, you should make arrangements to remove the battery ASAP, because swelling batteries will eventually explode, and that is very dangerous.

Reply 3 : Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

After owning my My 13" macbook pro for about 6 months, the trackpad started to malfunction. The cursor would stick, jump around erratically, move when I tried to click on something (causing me to open apps and windows I didn't want to) and open the running application menu that is typically opened when you click Command+Tab without me even touching the computer! It seemed possessed. I called Apple and they thought that it might be a swelling battery or that I might need to replace the trackpad. Since the battery is internal, I needed to bring it to a repair shop to have it diagnosed. As it turned out, the trackpad didn't have a "Grounding Strap" and that's what was causing the erratic behavior. It seems to be working much better now. I hope this helps other mac users who are having similar issues.

Reply 4 : Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

Not all of them have a ground strap, and it's part of the top case when they do, so not a small thing to get fixed. On unibody MacBook (Pros) that basically requires rebuilding the entire system in a different case.

And the "grounding strap" is really nothing particularly special. It doesn't even connect to any of the data portions of the trackpad, so not really sure what it's grounding. It generally doesn't do you a lot of good to have a ground connection a great distance away from where your data/power connections are going to be running. If you took it somewhere, they probably replaced the entire top case which came with a new trackpad. Then they fed you some BS line about a grounding strap for some reason. I'd actually guess that you just remembered what they told you incorrectly.

Reply 5 : Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

yeah, that so called "gounding strap" solved the problem for all of an hour. So I brought it to the apple store where they are replacing the trackpad. Sounds like this is an issue with macbook pros...the guy next to me at the genius bar was having the same problem.

Reply 6 : Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

Don't know about that. I run into surprisingly few trackpad replacements at work, and I fix Apple systems professionally. The main issue seems to be the temperature sensor in the trackpad will often go bad, and cause the fans to run at full speed all the time.

Reply 7 : Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

I have the exact same problem stated by "magaleener" above; 13 in macbook pro, got it in september 2010 and last week started having those problems as described. I read somewhere something about resetting the PRAM and I did that and that did nothing. But I also read somewhere about hitting the area to the right of trackpad with some force with your hand and that worked like a miracle. Which is why I am able to type this message...it is working now. But, that is a temporary fix as I am not so keen on hitting my computer.

I am currently working in Spain and will have to take it into an apple service provider here. I still have apple care so the fix will be covered but I want to be as educated as I can before going in so I can be confident if my computer has to get something repaired or replaced.

Do you think maybe when I hit the computer it makes the temperature sensor or fan restart or run/stop running? So then my trackpad works?

Reply 8 : Macbook Pro Touchpad Problems

That would be dangerous. On one side of the trackpad is the HDD, and then under the trackpad and all the way to the other side of the system is the battery. So, hitting the system over the battery OR the HDD would NOT be an advisable course of action. You may cause the battery to rupture or cause a head crash on the HDD.

If you got yours in september, it should still be under warranty, so take it somewhere to get it looked at. But if you keep hitting it, they're going to write it up as physical abuse and charge you for the repair.

Turn signal

Sorry for making another thread....





I have a problem with my turn signal (the handle that you press up or down to make your blinker/signal light up).



What do you guys call this switch/handle?



When I push it up to make it blink to the righ, my blinker arrow lights up...but when I push down, there is no light or it something clicks very fast. But im aiming toward dead.



So when I slowly push it down ..not all the way down but maybe 1/3 of the way and held it in place by itself there...the blinker works and my left arrow blinks.



I image it might be a bad connector or something ...



if you know what the name of this part is call ....maybe I can DIY repair...i seen guide on how to do this..pretty easy.



Also if there is a guide...plz help me out iwth a link.

Reply 1 : Turn signal

Could be a bad turn signal stalk switch, or it could be a burned out lightbulb / short in the electrical / defective flasher relay.



First verify that when you see the arrows on the dash display come one, do they correspond to the actual flashers lighting up on the car (have someone check the blinkers on the car).

Reply 2 : Turn signal

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishexpo101 Could be a bad turn signal stalk switch, or it could be a burned out lightbulb / short in the electrical / defective flasher relay. First verify that when you see the arrows on the dash display come one, do they correspond to the actual flashers lighting up on the car (have someone check the blinkers on the car).

Yes. the left flasher come on when I push it 1/3 of the way slighly downward. I think that the contact is worn out or something.



The dash board with the flash display work just fine. Both of the dasher corrispone to each of the blinker. I am pretty sure it the handle or contact when i push it down.



Just need to know what you guys call the handle so I can maybe find a part and try to replace and see if that is the problem.



EDIT: Thanks fishexpo for the name ...... turn signal switch...lol



now how much would one of this go for at autozone or o rally? any guide on how to do this repair?

iFlipr help!!!

Hi there--

I can't figure out who can answer questions about iFlipr, so I'm hoping someone can either help or point me in the direction of someone who can.

I can't download iFlipr for my iPhone and can't figure out why. I'm in grad school and bought an iPhone specifically because my classmates and I all make/use flashcards using iFlipr... except that I can't download the app! When I go to iTunes and search, I come up emptyhanded. When I go to the iFlipr site to download it at this link: http://iflipr.com/ It opens my iTunes and then an error message pops up telling me that the item is not available in the US store. This is confusing, since all my friends have it on their iPhones (but they all downloaded it a while ago). The Apple store has it listed at http://www.apple.com/webapps/utilities/iflipr.html. I called the iTunes help line a month ago and they can't figure it out either, but said that they must still be carrying it or it would've been taken down from their website. They told me to keep checking back to see if it's available. I've been checking for about six weeks now but it is still unavailable.

Also, the site goes down occasionally and also experiences technical issues and I'm curious who can help with those things. For example, today I've been working on a deck of flashcards with no issues. I ate some lunch, then came back and it is no longer working. I can practice with it, but for some reason I can no longer edit or add anything to it.

Thanks for reading and I'd be so grateful for your help!
Rachel

PS I have a brand new iPhone for Verizon that just came out 5 or 6 weeks ago...

Reply 1 : iFlipr help!!!

it's not available in the US and even though there is a page for it you will note that there is not a download button associated with that page.

The people you need to contact are the iFlipr people themselves

P

'08 Macbook can't get 1920X1080 rate from new monitor. Help!

I just bought a new 24" Viewsonic monitor (VA2431wm) to hook to my 2008 Macbook. The monitor works great, but to have the image stretch from side to side I have to set it to a 1024X768 (stretched) setting versus the high powered 1920X1080 setting. The latter setting produces a "frame within the frame": there is a black frame around the image and it's too small to enjoy. I want to see images from top to bottom and side to side.

This has to do with my video card, right? It's a 2008 Macbook and I figure it's too weak, right? Anything I can do to improve this without installing a new video card? Any way to check my video card capacity?

Any idea how much it costs to upgrade a video card? Is this even possible with my old, cheap Macbook?

Also, I swear my eyes get tired faster after looking at this larger screen with larger font because the picture may not be as sharp as it needs to be at the lower setting. The font looks less solid somehow. A little blury.

Is that possible? I'm worried this may not be a good monitor for me, as I use it primarily for word processing and I worry it will weary my eyes.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance!

HR

Reply 1 : '08 Macbook can't get 1920X1080 rate from new monitor. Help!

Seems I have a few bubbles to burst here.

First off, it's exceedingly rare to find ANY laptop where you can upgrade the graphics. A few really high end gaming laptops might have a few LIMITED options, but for the bulk of laptops (Apple's being no exception), the graphics chip is hard soldered right to the main board. At a minimum then, to upgrade, you'd have to manually desolder a couple hundred tiny little solder joints, then resolder them with the new chip. And the new chip may not have the same pin configuration, and then there's potential issues with the chipset, software, it gets to be a real mess.

The reason the new monitor looks blurry is because you're both running a non-native resolution AND a non-native aspect ratio. You have a widescreen monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio, but you're using a letterbox 4:3 aspect ratio resolution. That's what the OS is trying to tell you when it says "stretched". It means it's stretching the image to fit.

If for some reason the image isn't filling the entire screen on it's native 1920x1080 resolution, then you may want to check a few things. If you're using a VGA connection, make sure you run the auto-adjust for the image, since it may just not be centered properly. If you're using a DVI or HDMI connection, then you may have a defective monitor.

Now, if things are too small for you to see at 1920x1080, then find a lower resolution that doesn't have "stretched" next to it. You might want to try 1280x720 which is pretty close to what you are using now, but a widescreen resolution.

Your MacBook's video chip should be plenty powerful to handle well beyond 1920x1080 as well. If the video chip couldn't handle 1920x1080, it wouldn't be listed as an option. This is an issue with the monitor. Either the image isn't centered properly, or the thing's defective.

P0125 + horrible gas mileage

I have a 2001 Corolla with, I'm not kidding, 33,000 miles. I recently got a P0125 CEL, but the light has since gone off on its own. Nevertheless, the OBD II scanner still picks it up when I scan the car.

I'd otherwise just leave the car alone, but I've notice a serious drop in mpg (last time I calculated it, I was getting only 20 mpg around town). I have replaced the air filter with a K&N, I replaced the MAF with an OEM sensor about 500 miles ago, and my mechanic replaced the oxygen sensor about 2,000 miles ago (however, I don't know whether he replaced with OEM or not).

I just brought the car in for a standard 30K tune-up at a local shop and he didn't notice anything wrong (although I didn't mention the OBD error or the gas mileage problem).

Any recommendations for what I should test / replace? I miss my former superb gas mileage.

-Frank

Reply 1 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

P0125: Insufficient Coolant Temperature For Closed Loop Fuel Control

Evidently your car is not recognizing that the engine is warming up. Because of this, your car never goes into "Closed Loop" mode. What happens when your car is in closed loop is that your computer starts to use readings from the O2 sensors to adjust the fuel maps. If it stays in open loop, it sticks with a fuel map that isn't very efficient.



When your car is at operating temperature, is your temp gauge showing that temp, or does it stay on C? I'm thinking that your coolant temperature sensor is either not working, unplugged, or one of the wires going to it is broken. Or, your thermostat may be stuck open. Hopefully this helps you.

Kyle



Oh, and I bought my 02 Corolla in September of 09 with 26,000 miles

Reply 2 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

idk why, but i also have an 01 corolla with 99k miles, and get 25 mpg. if im lucky 30, but rarely. maybe that's just how corollas are programmed?

Reply 3 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

My 2000 with 60,000 miles gets 30+ MPG in warm weather. I'm in Massachusetts too, and this winter I'm getting 18 to 22 MPG. Perhaps you should wait for a warmer spell and see if the MPG improves before you change anything else. These four cylinders do take longer to warm up, and this winter loss of MPG has been going on since I got the car in 2000.

Reply 4 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

Quote:

Originally Posted by pchalpin My 2000 with 60,000 miles gets 30+ MPG in warm weather. I'm in Massachusetts too, and this winter I'm getting 18 to 22 MPG. Perhaps you should wait for a warmer spell and see if the MPG improves before you change anything else. These four cylinders do take longer to warm up, and this winter loss of MPG has been going on since I got the car in 2000.

It could possibly the weather like you said, but i have no idea why else its getting poor gas milage. Same things happening to my car. I fill it up with gas every 4-5 days, and it only gets 25 mpg.

Reply 5 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

Speaking of Codes and bad MPG, our 99 VE threw a 115,. 120,125, and 171 code the last time I scanned and we're getting like 20MPG. Might have something to do with the fact that I'll bet the car still has the original upstream O2 Sensor on it. I would be curious to know if O2 sensors age regardless of mileage on the car, possibly explaining some of your problems. Wouldn't hurt to test it, that's for sure. BTW, mine was wacko with the millivolt readings.



DM&FS

Reply 6 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

winter blend fuel sucks

Reply 7 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

i know some one who lost about 10mpg over the course of 3 months. he noticed the the car would take forever to warm up and when he had a mechanic look at the temp sensor it was determined that that was the problem. after a new one was put back in the car got better gas mileage and warmed up like it used to.

Reply 8 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

Our motor warms up normally and the ohm reading on it cold was 5.4k at 30 degrees F. Wit h it spozed to be 2-3k ohms at 70 F, I think we're alright. That thing is a bear to get at BTW!!!

Reply 9 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

I live in mass, and in the winter I get 20-25 mpg, in the summer 30mpg + easy. It's probably the weather

Reply 10 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

In past winters we've still been over 30 mpg during highway driving but not lately this winter. We get 36 with the AC on and driving 65 with 3 sp automatic in summer.



DM&FS

Reply 11 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

I've used Shell gas for years and I get 26-30mpg depending on the time of year, but lately I switched to Exxon be cause the Shell pumps at my station were adjusted where they flow too slow. I went through two tanks of Exxon gas which has 10% ethanol. The first tank I saw the mileage went down from 30-27mph. The second tank it went down to a measly 23mpg which has never happened before so I switched back to Shell gas at another station with faster pumps and I'm expecting to see the mpg return to normal since there are no engine issues causing it that I can detect. So from my experience if any of you are using Exxon gas that could be one of the reasons you have low mpg and it would be worth trying another brand.

Reply 12 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

i just got a 2001 corolla S 6 days ago. it had overheating issues which threw codes. the only issue was the thermostat sticking and missing peices off of it. changed it and had no cooling problems since. check engine light did go off however, it came back on the next day. my mechanic said that the coolant temperature sensor is possibly damaged from the overheating. so my next mission is to replace it.

Reply 13 : P0125 + horrible gas mileage

Hmmm... I never noticed this sort of problem with my car. I've got a 2002 with 130K miles on it and I get between 32 - 36mpg highway driving winter or summer regardless, depending on how aggressively I drive. The engine takes only a few minutes to warm up to normal operating tempurature (depending on how cold it is outside, it can take up to 15 minutes), no issues with any of the sensors, etc.



Do the 2001 - 2002 model years have better tuned engines or am I just lucky that I haven't seen abysmal fuel economy?

Droid X vs. Droid Incredible

I'm looking at either the Droid X or the Droid Incredible from Verizon. Any pros or cons on either that you know of? Which one would you choose?

Thanks!

Reply 1 : Droid X vs. Droid Incredible

I am using the X and very happy. I went with it for the larger screen display and I love it.

Reply 2 : Droid X vs. Droid Incredible

I'm on a Droid X as well and I'm happy with it. The first one I had did run into the screen banding issue they had, however it was replaced with no issues and I have not had any other problems with it.

Battery life (with extended life battery, and a good setup) can extend into the 2 - 3 day range.

Droid X, Rooted, Custom ROM, Overclocked

As for the Incredible, I have not played around with them much however they seem to preform Ok. Its screen it to small for me.

Best bet go to the store and play with both of them. Find out what style you like.

Reply 3 : Droid X vs. Droid Incredible

i compared both extensively before i bought the x. been very happy with it...

Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

I need some help if I am to succeed in getting an iPhone since I am pretty much a retard when it comes to getting a new "computer," especially in a phone. ,I just ran out my data and cell phone contracts so I have the New Every Two at Verizon for both the cell phone and the data. I heard I can combine them if I just want a cell phone with internet access. is the internet access n the iPhone by 3G or how? I am tired of reading from Verizon and sprint about get the new 4g model of this and that when there is not even a decent 4G network up with any decent coverage yet.

Any recommendations on the latest iPhone or other smartphone that has a good selection of apps that will make my life easier--not into games, just stuff like doing my taxes n the new app for taxes and sending it right in.

I love to learn and I am worried that the learning curve for the iPhone 4 will be too much for me, but I am ready to try because my contracts at Verizon are up.

Thanks for any help, suggestions, places to learn the basics of the iPhone, how it hooks up to the internet, would I need both 4G and the internet?

thanks.

Reply 1 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

An iPhone is not a computer. An iPhone is easy to learn. An iPhone is a phone. An iPhone accesses the Internet wirelessly via your provider's network. It will also access hot spots and home networks. As far as apps, there are over a million, I believe, or something close. If you can't find something you like there, your standards are a tad high.

I have the 3G and it meets my needs. Daughter has the 4G and she likes it. Wife has the Edge and she's happy.

It all depends on what you want and what you expect. But I don't believe you can go wrong with an iPhone. And since all vendors will allow a return after a time, get one. If you don't like it, take it back.

Last I read, AT&T's network is faster than Verizon's, and AT&T allows running apps and talking at the same time. Verizon does not. In short, AT&T's network is better. I've been around for a long time, and have tried them all. AT&T is hard to beat, I have it and have no intention to change.

Reply 2 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

The iPhone is very close to a computer, it is just a matter of semantics.
as far as "just bring it back," that is not as easy as you make it sound either. sounds like you need to experience this type of return and see how much it costs. When the iPhones first came out I fell for the "just return it" not thinking about the fees and the usage fe, etc. After it was all said and done, ATT w anted $nearly $350 from me. this was for the phone use (I had it for 3 days), the few text messages, trying the internet, activation fees, restocking fees, and whatever they had on there. I fought it and fought it until they just gave up and trashed the whole bill.

still looking, can't make much sense out of the 3G/4G Verizon map because the reds are so close but it looks like most of Salt Lake City is in the 4G LTE Extended area.

Reply 3 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

When the iPhone 4 is made available for use w/ Verizon in February it will not support 4G data networks. Perhaps when the iPhone 5 is introduced it will, but not in February.

Reply 4 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

i was not saying I could not find an app I was confused if I did not get an iPhone what apps would work with what phones (outside of the iPhone). for example, I saw some apps and it said for the iPhone go here and for the Droid with % something or above go here and that was it.

the iPhone is a LOT more than a phone. that is my dilemma. I have learning problems and it takes me forever to learn new things especially techy stuff. In a recent major study that I do not know where the URL is now, Verizon won hands down over ATT for National calls (less dropped over ATT) but for international, ATT won . With the iPhone coming from Verizon soon you will be able to tether but I do not think you can teether with the iPhone yet. It will use the 3G initially and the 4G as it grows into some kind of "network." this is my understanding.

Reply 5 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

I there I just wanted to let you know that I am an Iphone 4 users and the love it to pieces. I run my online business directly from my Iphone I can check clickbank affiliate commissions, email, internet banking and you can download a variety of apps from the app store. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a smartphone with internet, music and use of apps.

Reply 6 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

is the iPhone 4 your first phone?

How do you keep track of everything making sure you do not go over your limits and get charged double?

Did you learn to use it on your own? Where to you go to get your apps? do you stay with apple "certified" apps or do you take your chances with any app?
Is your through ATT?

Reply 7 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

1. ATT is the ONLY supplier of the iPhone 4, until February
2. The only Apps that work on the iPhone 4, unless you jailbreak your phone, come from the iTunes store
3. Buy the unlimited data plan and you do not go over your limits


P

Reply 8 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

Hey dude, here is one out of many websites (I will let you look elsewhere for yourself) that has NOTHING to do with iTunes that sells over 30,000 apps. Some from Apple, some from 3rd parties and some from just the average person who knows how to make an app. check it out and that will be all the teaching I will give you on this topic. You obviously have a lot to learn.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/apps-for-iphone/

makes you think I did not know that ATT is the only supplier of the iPhone4? Well that is not entirely true, you should watch the way you word it. Radio Shack was a"supplier" of the iPhone 4. If you want a carrier in this case you will need to go to ATT or Verizon in February. Got it!! just a few weeks ago. they had a big deal and my sister got lucky and came home with an iPhone 4?YES for $29.99. Do you homework if you want more.

No there are many apps that will work on the iPhone. There are some that have been approved by Apple and most have not because of the extensive work. There are a lot of people who get their app from a person or supplier that has nothing to do with the iTunes Store..

why would you jailbreak your phone when you can go to many pages on the internet, some from Apple thayt sell thousands Apps. The ones on ITunes usually costs. Go to the website that has thousands of apps that has nothing to do with iTunes. some are approved by Apple, some cost, some do not. I thought I knew little.

You can still buy the unlimited data plan and STILL go over your limits. data plans are not indefinitely, or people would be downloading tons of movies and the network would be constantly shut down. that is how hackers work sometimes to take down a website.

Would you go for the new Sprint EVo or the iPhone 4 or iPhone 5 or the latest Verizon smartphone. Is Droid only from Verizon? what is the latest Droid version?

Reply 9 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

I can only speak for At&t and Verizon, but both carriers have multiple free methods to check voice/data/messaging usage.

1. call customer service (free call)
2. the phone has a special number saved that you call and a free text msg is sent (fee call)
3. access your online account

As stated, these are all free and is probably available on all US carriers.

Reply 10 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

most if not all carriers have this free service. but if you do not get texts you cannot even validate a Facebook account because they will not send you over the phone a security code. I have always had text both in and out blocked from my Verizon phone and the only way I can do what you are talking about is if I call 611 and wait, press the right numbers and wait for the verbal account info.

why can you only speak for ATT and Verizon? Did Sprint put you on their do not call list? lol

Reply 11 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

I can only speak about Verizon and At&t because those are the only providers I have experience with. I won't pretend to know how Sprint or T-mobile operate without some knowledge. I only offer an opinion. Take it for whatever it is worth or just ignore it. Your choice.

Reply 12 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

thanks bro

Reply 13 : Would Like to Finally get an iPhone..

was learning how to use an iPhone 4 hard? what carrier do you have? If it is ATT? approx. how much is your monthly bill? Is your iPhone 4 hooked up to 3G in anyway? Will it be to 4G when that network is established? How can the iPhone 4 tether? Do they need 3G or 4G to tether? How does the i{Phone hook up to the WIfI when you are out and about driving in the desert? I do not understand how the iPhone uses the internet like if you are traveling out of the nation or out of state? does it only work if you find a hotspot? If so, why do they charge you for a network connection?

with all the charges for the iPhone you have to have an internet (WiFi) charge, right? Where does it get that WiFi? I do't understand why the smartphones do not advertise about the 4G network? it seems like such a rip off that Sprint has ben advertising the 4G phones and connections for a year and they are less advanced in their 4G network than Verizon. Seem s like false advertising.

Expresscard Video Card for MacBook Pro

I have a 27" Apple Cinema Display I just bought with my 2011 17" MacBook Pro. It looks and works great on the Mini DisplayPort / Thunderbolt connection.

I have two 28" 1920x1200 displays I would like to use as well. I bought some USB devices (one per display) to support these, and it worked okay the first time. I closed the lid on the laptop, it suspended, and when I opened it neither USB-driven display came on. Then one did, then it got mangled and I cannot see anything even though it is on. The other is still black. Also, just moving windows the performance is really bad with artifacts trailing behind the window until it catches up.

Since the USB video adapters are garbage, I am thinking something that plugs into the Expresscard/34 slot would be the ticket. I have found external enclosures and you can buy any video card to go in them, but I cannot find any OSX 10.6 drivers for those cards (all top out on the old IBM/Motorolla chip and OSX 10.4).

Are there any Expresscard/34 products that will drive two 1920x1200 displays? Or are there any OSX 10.6-capable video cards out there I could put into one of those external cases?

My goal is:
1) Internal 17" display on laptop
2) Apple 27" Cinema Display
3) Two 28" 1920x1200 displays

Can anyone help? It is a shame the internal video card from ATI is so powerful and you can only connect one external display. As cool as they make Thunderbolt sound, it seems no one has built any products around it so for the foreseeable future it is worthless.

MacBook Pro too hot!

My computer started to get super hot (like burn my legs hot) about a month and a half ago the fan also runs extremely loud. My dashboard stats say 5415 rmp. It happens after I am on the computer for about ten minutes. i am not doing anything crazy, just on the internet or typing papers. I took it to the mac store and they looked through all of my programs and said everything was fine. Is anyone else having this problem and has anyone been able to fix it?

Thanks

Reply 1 : MacBook Pro too hot!

are clear of anything that could block them.

Blowing them out with a can of air would aid that process.

If that does not fix the problem, you may want to take it back to the Mac store and get them to "really" look at it.

There is obviously some heat dissipation problem going on inside.


P

Reply 2 : MacBook Pro too hot!

I agree, and it's rather unconscionable that the Apple store wouldn't at least open it up to see if the fan is caked with dust or some such. As a certified repair tech for Apple systems, I find that to be incredibly unprofessional, and would actually encourage you reporting the incident to Apple. You can say a lot of things about Apple, but they do take customer satisfaction VERY seriously.

They could have taken 5-10 minutes to check for dust buildup and blow it out with some compressed air if needed.

Also, just a friendly FYI... You shouldn't place your laptop on your lap for any regular period of time. Doing so can cause damage to your skin over time where the laptop would sit. You might have a roughly laptop sized patch of skin on your legs that looks like an alligator handbag while the rest looks perfectly normal.

Reply 3 : MacBook Pro too hot!

I will definitely take it back to the Apple store and have them open it up. Thank you for your help!

Oh, and I also just got a new laptop lap desk so I will make sure not to put it on my legs anymore!

Reply 4 : MacBook Pro too hot!

You mentioned surfing the 'net. I have seen where a page with Flash can get the computer going--the processor starts getting busy, which heats up the computer and turns on the fan. Try using your computer without a web browser for a time and see if it still heats up. Another thing to do would be to go into Utilities and run Activity Monitor. You can sort the running processes that show up by the % of CPU they are using. There shouldn't be anything taking up a lot of CPU time, unless you specifically are running it, like video compression.

For example, right now, Safari is using about 5% of my CPU on my late 2008 MBP (2.8GHz). If you find something using a lot of CPU and aren't familiar with it, post it here or search the web for information about it. Nothing on my computer is using more than 10% right now.

Mac @ Apple Store or Best Buy?

I have a question, and I seem to keep going back and forth on it. I want to buy a MacBook. I am a teacher, so if I go to the Apple Store, I get about $100 off the price. Also, I can get Apple Care at the Apple Store. If I go to Best Buy, I don't get the $100 discount, but I get 18 months same-as-cash. At Best Buy there is no Apple Care, but I can buy the Geek Squad protection. Now I am wondering, is there something I am missing? Is there a benefit to one or the other that would tip the scales?

Reply 1 : Mac @ Apple Store or Best Buy?

Even if you buy at Best Buy, you can always buy AppleCare so long as you're still within the limited warranty period of the laptop. It isn't something that has to be purchased at the same time as the laptop.

I don't know if that helps tip the scales one way or the other, but it's something you should know. Also, be sure to read the fine print on those same as cash deals. Usually, if you don't pay the balance in full before the end of the grace period, they retroactively apply a pretty nasty interest rate on the full purchase price. You have to remember that it's a business, and they're looking to make money. They aren't offering outstanding terms out of the kindness of their hearts.

And the best buy store warranty is only good at best buy, but applecare is good at any Apple store or AASP in the world. Of course the AppleCare won't cover things like liquid damage or accidental damage. Not sure if the Best Buy one does or not, but something to look into.

Generally speaking, when it comes to computers, I prefer to stick to manufacturer's warranties. It just kind of depends on who is offering the store warranty. Best Buy probably isn't going to screw around too much, but a lot of times it can vary store by store what kind of service you're going to get. I work for a place similar to Best Buy's Geek Squad, and let's just say some of the stores you just know are going to be trouble. Just recently, I was going back and forth with some service manager for about a month. They kept insisting that a drive on a customer laptop needed to be replaced because it wouldn't read discs that they burned with it. After going back and forth 2-3 times, with a 3-4 day transit time each way, I finally proved to them that it was the el cheapo discs they were using as tests discs. I've had to embarrass a couple of other people. One person diagnosed a bad HDD, another a bad logic board, and I fixed it by reinstalling the OS. So, not all service techs are created equal, and even at Apple you'll take your chances. I've gone into some local Apple stores and gotten nothing but blank looks when I ask even a fairly simple technical question.

Put simply, retail is a brutal market. Most of the people with any actual skill will find a better job and leave as quickly as possible, so the people who hang around a long time are usually not the ones you want anywhere near your system. Management at the store level can change week to week with people being promoted, demoted, fired, moved to another store, etc.

So, I guess what I'm getting at here, is take a little time to get to know your local Best Buy and Apple Store store(s). Being a teacher, exploit your position a little and maybe ask some of the more technically inclined kids in your class (assuming they're old enough to be able to give you a worthwhile answer) what they think. Maybe ask other faculty members if they have any experience with either place. If your school has an IT person, they'd probably be a good one to ask. Forget things like customer service, focus in on things like how long it took for them to repair the system, what condition did it come back in, did they try and upsell you on a bunch of useless crap like AV software, was anything missing? If they got a look at the work area, what did it look like? Does it seem like there's a large number of systems to a rather small number of employees?

Take your time. A $1000 laptop is probably a big purchase for someone on a teacher's salary, so you want to make sure you have as much info as you can get before committing to one or the other.

Reply 2 : Mac @ Apple Store or Best Buy?

As already mentioned, you can get AppleCare anytime that the original warranty is in force.

You can also purchase it at Best Buy but you will find that they do not push it as they make more money off selling the Geek Squad package than they do off AppleCare.

In the case of a MacBook, I would definitely recommend AppleCare at some time before the original warranty runs out

P

Can G4 Powerbooks boot off the Firewire port?

Can G4 Powerbooks boot off the Firewire port?

Reply 1 : Can G4 Powerbooks boot off the Firewire port?

Yes, but only some of the very last models will be able to boot off USB. Pretty much all PPC Macs could boot off Firewire, but only a very select few ever got the ability to boot off USB.

Reply 2 : Can G4 Powerbooks boot off the Firewire port?

PowerBook G4's can boot off Firewire devices w/o problem. They will NOT boot off USB devices; only Intel CPUs can boot off both ports.

So, if you have a clone of your internal HD in a Firewire disk, portable or not, you should have no problem booting off of it.

Reply 3 : Can G4 Powerbooks boot off the Firewire port?

In order to boot into OS X from an external drive, via Firewire, one needs to have an external drive that has a valid OS X system folder on the drive. (OS X needs to be installed on the drive)

It is NOT a requirement that you have a clone of your internal HD.

P

Reply 4 : Can G4 Powerbooks boot off the Firewire port?

Since we're nitpicking... Some of the very last PPC models COULD boot from USB drives. IIRC, it involved some open firmware magic, so it wasn't exactly a simple matter to accomplish like with FW drives, but it COULD be done.

Now, whether or not the PB G4 the OP has is one of those capable of this is unknown. Generally the last, maybe second to last if the model was refreshed pretty rapidly, refresh of each model could do this. Right before the switch to the x86 platform.

Ipad 2 and best buy mess

I bought an ipad 2 32GB from Best Buy store's Customer Service Desk today (11th march, 2011). I was told that a customer just returned an ipad 2 32GB so it was made available to us at 19:23 hrs on the day of its release (awesome? Nope, AWEFUL). I went home, removed the wrapper and opened the box that had ipad older version in it and NOT ipad 2.
I rushed to the Best Buy store from which I bought it at around 20:00 hrs,
They said the guy who returned it had given it with seal which the lady at the service desk testifies it to be "Apple Seal" from her experience. They said we switched it with ipad older version in 30 mins not considering the fact that it has been returned by their previous customer and he could have switched it.
As a result we are losing money and product, which I do not need

Questions we asked,
1. How could we ever trust you? Do you want us to open the pack right at the store when we buy stuff?
Answered by Sales Manager: 'Yes! you probably should open it right here'

2. Do we pay for YOUR fraud customer?
Answered by Sales Manager: 'Yes! because you opened the box and we don't know who switched it'
Answered by another lady (I suppose a rep): 'our previous customer is not a fraud because he had returned with good seal and I could totally say it was genuine. I don't know if could say this, but he returned it because he bought it for his friend who couldn't pay'

3. Are we stuck with this then? Do I have a solution?
Answered by Sales Manager: 'you can talk to Apple. they are reputed and will consider your complaint because this is not the previous customer's fraud return - If you believe you have not switched it'

4. I just bought it from best buy and i'm back here in 30 mins. Are you saying I switched it?
All of them: 'we can't do anything about it. Talk to the manufacturer'.

Experience: The lady Service Rep was rude and was arguing that the customer who returned was genuine only because of the transparent wrap. When I came home and checked out the wrap - it was one of the cheapest plastic material that Mr. Jobs would laugh at. And of course my husband didn't realize it while opening it and I did not bother to touch it and feel it when I was expecting a brand new ipad 2 in a neat white box.
I am sure the lady who argued about it wouldn't have agreed with us about the wrap because we could have switched that too. This makes me feel that she definitely has her HAND in it or she doesn't like brown skinned like me. May be she doesn't want to accept her fault for not having checked it properly when SHE received the return and believed the story of her fraud customer.

Need help what can i do

Reply 1 : Ipad 2 and best buy mess

If the plastic wrap material is as bad as you say it is AND, you have the original Apple Seal attached to it, your case has more credibility.

Contact Apple and explain the situation and ask them if they have a record of the iPad serial number that you have in your possession.
If you ever contact Apple with a service problem, they ask for the serial number of the machine AND who you are. If you are not the person to whom the machine is registered, it becomes real difficult to get service.
It is possible, almost certain, that this iPad was registered on-line and that an Apple ID was created for the original owner of this iPad. Apple has this information.
Keep pushing Apple, ask for the supervisor and their supervisor, until you get some sort of action.
If I remember correctly, the only way to get an iPad to work, initially, is to activate it via iTunes.

Consulting with an Attorney may help in the next step.
Compose a letter to Customer Service at Best Buy headquarters, google for the address, and put down exactly what happened. Leave out your comment about "brown skinned people" as that is not a fact, just an opinion and does nothing for your case. In fact it makes it worse and is not a card you want to play.
Send the letter by certified mail to Best Buy.

Hope you get this sorted out.
Let us know what happens

P

Reply 2 : Ipad 2 and best buy mess

Hi all

Thanks a lot for the comments again

Just came back from best buy and met the manager...

initially when i started explaining the story to the manager she stopped me and said "Wait i heard this happened yesterday and we cannot do anything"

i was like wth and started raising my voice in the middle of the floor..then a guy came in apparently "Customer Relations guy" and i explained him about the story in detailed and told him if this cannot be resolved in a civil way..i will have to call the cops and even go on to an extreme of doing a finger print analysis in the "fake wrapper" to see if the best buy sales reps finger print is on it....

The guy took my receipt inside and asked me to hold on to the product and the "Wrapper" and came back after 30 mins and said "i took a copy of your receipt and will have to investigate with all the employees involved and will call me back by tonight"

and he called me back said he was really sorry and he checked a lot of things and then finally gave an exchange with in next 1 hr

thanks for all your help. it is really appreciated in getting this matter solved.... i am really really really happy now and gonna go grab a drink...

Reply 3 : Ipad 2 and best buy mess

Greetings Vinnan,

After my sad Best Buy experience, I went out to my vehicle, called Apple on my cell, let them know what happened to me & bought my iPad2 from Apple over the phone.

You are not alone with your Best Buy iPad2 aggravation, your entire iPad2 buying experience has been tainted by the flawed 'BestBuy' purchase process. Best Buy's issues are not skin tone related, we could remedy that issue with appropriate treatment options. Best Buy appears to have an adversarial approach to ANY consumers who arrive with a "problem", and they appear to have developed a habit of treating ALL consumers like 'cash crops' to be harvested at will. I have had so many disappointments with Best Buy ranging from telling me the sign posted price on a laptop was an error at $200.00 less than what they were trying to charge at the check out, to selling opened boxes as new, not a fun experience returning for us either. Yet I keep trying to give Best Buy a chance to earn my trust. All I knew was that iPad2 was going on sale at 5PM so I called the store at 4PM to see if the drive to their location was worth the bother, the guy who answered said "come on over, the line is short", no mention at all about any iPad2 purchase tickets being handed out. When I got there, the line was indeed short with about 20 people, but I had no ticket to purchase, and NO one bothered to tell me ANYTHING about needing a ticket to purchase the iPad2 until I got up to the counter where I was told I had no iPad2 purchase ticket, so "sorry, you can't buy an iPad2, but we have lots of 1st generation iPad's you can buy". Sigh, did I look like someone who just wanted to drive all the way to a Best Buy, then stand in some line like a fool for something I couldn't buy?
Why does Best Buy keep disappointing us?

Reply 4 : Ipad 2 and best buy mess

yeah very bad customer service...they treatment was very bad

I am done buying stuff from best buy...