21 Nov 2009
Apple Voiding Smokers' Warranties?

I think I'll call bullshit on this one: I smoke, and have had two Mac's repaired under warranty (the Mini just this past August). Nobody said anything about biohazardous residues, and the service was excellent.

In addition to being a programmer, I've done my share of hardware hacking over the years. And I've never found noticeable residue build up inside a machine - and I've smoked around all of my machines. Pet hair and dander can be a problem if the machine's on the floor, and general dust can clog cooling systems. The only other environmental damage I've ever seen to a computer has been either water damage, rodent damage (I once had to repair a printer for a customer's shipping department where a mouse had decided to have a nibble at one of the incoming power lines) or plain old electrical surges.

Consumerist reports that Apple is refusing to work on computers that have been used in smoking households. 'The Apple store called and informed me that due to the computer having been used in a house where there was smoking, [the warranty has been voided] and they refuse to work on the machine "due to health risks of second hand smoke,"' wrote one customer. Another said, 'When I asked for an explanation, she said [the owner of the iMac is] a smoker and it's contaminated with cigarette smoke, which they consider a bio-hazard! I checked my Applecare warranty and it says nothing about not honoring warranties if the owner is a smoker.' Apple claims that honoring the warranty would be an OSHA violation. (Remember when they claimed enabling 802.11n for free would be a Sarbanes-Oxley violation?)

(link) [Slashdot]

Update:Apparently, it's for real. If they every try to pull this on me, I may switch back...

22:46 /Technology | 2 comments | permanent link