Broken Key

Posted by Thoughts and Ramblings on Sunday, November 11, 2007

Well, a key broke on my MacBook Pro’s keyboard. I noticed the tab key was a bit loose yesterday, and today it won’t stay down. I called Apple Support about it since this computer is covered by AppleCare, and after spending over 30 minutes waiting to talk to someone, I was told there is absolutely nothing they can do short of sending me a box to have the computer shipped to them, or bringing it into a repair place locally so they can take the computer away for several days.

This is a key on the keyboard. How hard can it be? The repair to me is as simple as placing the new key on the keyboard, push down, and pop, it’s back in. I should know, I had to do it to this key about 5 times already before I realized it isn’t staying down. But no, a key on the keyboard isn’t a do it yourself repair so the layers of bureaucracy in the company are hamstrung when it comes to something that isn’t on their list. It is times like this that I wish Apple were a small company again. In that case, they would take the key off a keyboard, put it in a box, write the address on it, and ship it off, but instead I have to lose a computer for several days while someone in the repair shop does nothing more than place and push.


Legacy Comments:

Derek - Nov 14, 2007

Hey, Yep you’re exactly right.. Just press it on and it’s done. I have no idea where you are, but if it happens to be near Portland Oregon give me a call at 503-443-4600 - I’m the head tech a little tiny Mac repair shop [MacShop NW], I’d happily slap a new one on [I believe they are the same keycaps and frames as the PowerBooks, so I’d grab it off one of the dead cores we have..] If you want I could arrange to ship you a keycap [Though I’d like a good close picture of the key’s frame to try and make sure I get the right one..] …Sorry if this is kinda random ^_^’ I was just browsing around the Perian website and clicked your link. AIM: derekcat3 Let me know. -Derek

Graham Booker - Nov 15, 2007

Unfortunately, I am in South Texas. I will be driving through Austin next week, so I made an appointment with one of the Apple Stores there, and they had the key. So things should work out that way. Thanks for the offer though; I really appreciate it.