Apple Computer Recalls Several Product Lines

Certain models of the Macintosh Performa and PowerBook lines are being recalled for inspection and possible repairs which the Technology Product Center (TPC) will conduct, Harvard University Information Systems announced in a letter mailed last month.

TPC's participation is part of Apple Computer Co.'s Repair Extension Program, in which the Performa 6300, Performa 6214 and PowerBook 5300 and 190 models are being recalled for inspection and a quality report.

Apple will repair the specified issues at its own cost, according to a letter posted on its Web site.

Several Harvard students have experienced problems with their machines.

One Matthews Hall resident said her PowerBook 5300 "freezes a lot," even though it is "only a few months old." She said several friends are experiencing problems with their Apple computers as well.

In the letter, which summarizes Apple's plans for its Repair Extension Program, Jackie Whiting, vice president of Apple's customer-service division, advises users of Power Macintosh or Macintosh Performa to consider these questions:

"Does your computer monitor display sudden or intermittent changes in color or hue? Does your computer exhibit frequent system freezes, where the cursor does not move and the menu bar clock does not advance?"

If so, users are urged to participate in the Repair Extension Program, which "[began] June 24, 1996, and ends seven years after Apple stops manufacturing the specific...models covered." The letter also targets the logic board, display bezel and power-supply shield as possible problem areas with the PowerBooks.

"The bottom line is...Apple realized that there were some issues with some existing models," said Bruce Ottomano, Apple's account manager for the University. "Apple is a responsible company standing behind getting those problems solved."

Although the Performa 636 is not one of the models in question, one Pforzheimer user complained that hers crashes when she uses Netscape.

"I think...the computer doesn't have the capacity to deal with the software," she said, also expressing her frustration with Apple computers in general. "When it's time to get a new computer, I think I'll get a PC."