When MacMedics performs an Apple Warranty or AppleCare repair for one of our clients, Apple sends a follow up e-mail to ask how we did. These are the responses that came back this week:

#1 The service I received at MacMedics was very good and they always called me and left messages updating the status and progress of my computer.
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#2 I loved being able to walk in talk to a rep and have the work started right away. They have great customer service always keeping me up to date on their progress and explaining their work and my options every step of the way.
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#3 They were awesome. Nuff said. Dana runs a great show there.

These are anonymous comments, so if one of these is yours, thank you!

If you need Apple Macintosh please consider visiting MacMedics in Millersville or Lanham instead of trekking to your local Apple Store. You never need an appointment, we’re 10 steps from your car, We’re cheaper, we’re faster (most warranty repairs are completed in 24 hours), and above all we’re accurate! We only fix what needs fixing. See our previous post with our Top Ten Reasons Not To Sand In Line And Fight The Crowds At The Apple Store.

Don’t forget that MacMedics Millersville also repairs all types of iPods and iPhones. Don’t pay Apple to swap out your iPhone for $199? We can fix your iPhone 3G glass or digitizer for $109 (we repair the iPhone 3G S glass or digitizer for $129). What’s even better, is almost iPhone and iPod service and repairs that come into our shop are fixed the same day. If you’re in by 12:00 Noon, we should have you out the door or in the FedEx truck by 5:00 PM!

MacMedics Frequently Asked Macintosh Service Questions: Is It Worth Repairing A Macbook Pro With $1200.00 In Liquid Damage? This dollar amount is a pretty common price quote from the Apple Store. Before you accept a quote for an “advanced” Macintosh repair of any kind (from anybody), be sure to get a second opinion from the experts at MacMedics. We’ve been fixing Macs since before the Apple Store and since 1989 in teh Baltimore-Annapolis-Columbia area.

It is best to see the unit, but there’s no harm in calling us to go over the options and details. Give us a shout anytime at 1-866-MAC-MEDICS!

First off, this is a far too common of an issue. We just successfully repaired a MacBook that had a “Blueberry Smoothie” spilled into it. Folks, please keep liquids at least an arm’s length away from your Apple laptop.

See this image large size here.

Being in a situation where liquid is in play brings up lots of questions. I’ll try to touch base on a few of the major ones here. If you find yourself in this situation, just call us at 1-866-MAC-MEDICS or send us an e-mail. We’re happy to talk shop about your Apple repair or service problems at anytime.

The first order of business is get the the MacBook or MacBook Pro right into us. Even if it appears that the unit is working after the spill, don’t assume you’ve dodged a bullet. Once there’s moisture inside the unit, it can grow into what we call the “creeping crud” which is really just corrosion that grows kind of like mold inside your computer. If this grows to a point where it’s touching two point that carry current, then zap! and you get a short and could end with with a fried logic board.

What to do if you have a spill: Turn off the computer, remove the power adapter, and if possible remove the battery. It’s pretty much pot luck on what to do next. If liquid went in the keyboard, then turn the unit upside down with the screen open. Use a stock of books to place the unit on it’s keyboard, with the screen open. Depending on the situation hitting it with a hair dryer might help too.

How to get started: For $99 we’ll open the unit up take a look around inside. If we see surface damage we can clean, we’ll attack it. If we have to go deeper with the unit we’ll let you know and as in the case of the “Blueberry Smoothie” unit we just wrapped up, it ended up being about $300 in labor to fix the unit. If the unit is beyond repair, the $99 still buys you some rudimentary liquid removal, and we’ll give you the facts on what’s going on.

This is far better then just signing the death certificate yourself, and even if the news is bad, $99 is a small price to really know what’s going on. Moving forward you can know that if you need to buy a new unit, your old unit at least had the best chance possible.

Is it worth fixing? If very well might be. In cases of liquid spills (coffee is the most common) the Apple Store is likely to quote you $1200.00 for your repair. Even if you have minor damage (that might seem major) it’s usually the same price. Here at MacMedics, we’ll just fix what’s broken, and accurately diagnose the problem you have. A common issue after a liquid spill is a bad keyboard, that might be $200 to fix. Another issue we see frequently is a unit that can’t charge the battery or can’t run off the battery. Again, a repair like this at MacMedics is generally going to be $200 to $300.

Even if you do need a new logic board, it’s quite likely that our price will be lower then the Apple Store, and unlike Apple, MacMedics puts a full 1-year warranty on our repairs. (Apple is only 90 days). The other factor is turn around time. At Apple, almost all liquid spills get shipped out for depot service. This can work against you as the unit is out of your control, and you could end up with a repair that is far more than what was quoted. As an Apple Authorized Service Provider, Apple frequently sends clients to us for major repairs because they know our prices are likely going to be better than theirs. Liquid Spills, major case damage, and MacBook and MacBook Pro LCD and glass repair referrals from the Apple store are a daily occurrence at both of our MacMedics repair centers.

There’s not much good news when you spill something into you MacBook Pro. If the unit is a total loss, and you do end up buying new, MacMedics will take the old unit as a trade in (in most cases). As an Apple Authorized Value Added Reseller, we carry the full line of Macintosh MacBooks. We can also help with removing the hard drive from a damaged unit, and if needed cleaning it. If the hard drive is a loss too, and we can’t do anything with it, we can put you in touch with one of our clean room data recovery partners.

One thing that many people forget to check is your home owners or renters insurance. If you laptop suffers major damage, in many cases your insurance will cover it. The deducible is usually pretty high ($250 to $500), but that’s better than getting nothing. Also, American Express offers 1-year of accidental damage protection when you buy with your AMEX card. Also, many other “high-end” credit cards also offer various protection from 90 days to 1-year.

There’s also a company called SafeWare that will insure your laptop against damage. It’s also possible to buy an extra insurance rider that can help protect your laptop if it get lost, stolen, or damaged.

Update 12/16/09 If you read my Blog post below you’ll see my ten reasons for coming to visit MacMedics vs. making a trip to the Apple store. I love the Apple Store and what they do there, but as a local business owner I hope you’ll come see us instead. As the owner of MacMedics I do have my reasons, but don’t just take my word for it. Take a look at the first two Yelp.com reviews for the Apple Store in Annapolis.

Lots of MacMedics clients and Mac friends I’ve been talking to recently have commented on the longevity of MacMedics. If you have not heard, we’re now in our twentieth year of business (pretty cool). It’s nice that I no longer have to explain that Apple is NOT going out of business, why Apple has no market share, why Macs cost so much, why would anyone want a Mac, aren’t PC’s so much better then Macs for business, and why Macs are not just for hobbyists, gamers, and people who wear sandals?

Now, the conversations are much more positive! The most prevailing questions seem to be related to be how on earth can MacMedics’ TWO Maryland based Macintosh sales and service locations continue to proper and expand when we have to compete directly with Apple’s very strong retail store presence in Maryland and Virginia?

The MacMedics Millersville/Baltimore office is in the middle of three local Apple Stores in Baltimore-Annapolis area, (Annapolis, Columbia, and Towson, Maryland) and the MacMedics Lanham/Washington DC office also in thick of Apple Store country (including first Apple Store in Tysons Corner as well as Bethesda (soon to be in it’s own new “store front” location on Bethesda Ave.), Clarendon, Pentagon City, and also Annapolis).

First of all, Apple sends tons of people to us directly from the Apple Store and from AppleCare telephone support. The folks at Apple know that for many repairs, MacMedics’ labor pricing structure and service parts costs are different (and usually LOWER) than Apple, so for most repairs, MacMedics is less expensive than Apple (and many others as well). When you factor in that all MacMedics “out-of-warranty” Macintosh repairs we perform are covered by our 1-year “no hassle” warranty. This fact makes MacMedics the BEST choice for ALL Apple out of warranty repairs. The Apple Store and other AASP’s only offer a 90-day warranty on Apple service repairs.

When faced with a major repair like a logic board or LCD replacement, our price is hundreds of dollars less than the Apple Store. The Apple Store also does not offer full repair services for their iPod and iPhone family of products. They will exchange certain units in certain circumstances, but not always and generally a “whole unit” exchange is MORE expensive then just having the exact problem fixed by MacMedics.

What about AppleCare and Apple Warranty repairs? Well, as an Apple Authorized Service Provider, MacMedics is the place for that as well. With no lines, no lugging your Mac gear though the mall, and our award-winning in-lab service, it’s pretty clear that we are on our game. At the Apple Store you have to compete with the crowds, and those crowds mean that there’s an equally large amount of Apple hardware in the back room waiting for the Genius team to get to it. We almost always start your repair the same day you bring it to us. As soon as we have a repair plan and cost estimate we’ll call you and give you all of your choices. You never have to worry if we’re push you one way or another when considering to buy a new Mac (or used Mac) or to perform a repair. It’s always your choice, and we’ll advise you like family when it comes to making a decision about replacing an older Mac or one that may not be worth investing any more money in. As an Apple Authorized Value Added Reseller, MacMedics is well suited to help you find a new Mac when you’re ready for one.

We’re also quite proud of the fact that MacMedics almost never uses Apple depot (mail-in) service. We perform any repair we can in-house, and that translates into a faster turn around time for you.

MacMedics’ Millersville headquarters is a hassle-free place to come when you need Macintosh support. We have over 3000 square feet dedicated to ONLY Macintosh, iPod, and iPhone service. That’s larger then most Apple Stores, and far more “service” space then pretty much anywhere else. Don’t forget that our Lanham, MD location is just as well suited to handle your Mac service and sales needs.

Here’s TEN great reasons to come see MacMedics Mac Lab in Millersville or Lanham:

1. No appointment is necessary at MacMedics: Just walk in and our Apple Certified Techs will take great care of you.

2. No lines: We’re always busy, but there’s almost never a wait to speak to a MacMedic Tech.

3. Quick Check In: Tell us what your Mac’s issue or problem is, and we’ll get right on the case! We’ll call you to talk in detail when we have an idea of what’s going on with your unit and what ALL of your options are. MacMedics offers an initial Macintosh Dialogistic for your computer at no charge. If we have to dig deep with part testing or advanced software testing our fee is only $49, and only if you choose NOT to have your machine repaired.

4. No lugging your iMac, Mac Pro, or G5 through the mall: Our front door is less then 10 steps from our parking lot. You can bring your Mac in, or come in and get us, and we’ll carry it in for you.

5. Quick Turn-Around: Our goal for in-lab service it to have it done in less then 72 hours. Many repairs take less time, and if that’s the case then your Mac will be back to you even quicker.

6. Hassle free warranty: Got a Mac that needs out of warranty service? The Apple Store only offers a 90-day service warranty. MacMedics “Hassle Free” warranty is a full 1-year!

7. Need a new Mac? We’ve got them: Come pick out what you want, and we’ll be happy to help with no sales hype! MacMedics is an Apple Authorized Value Added Reseller, so you can get the equipment you need coupled with the very best advice from the experts at MacMedics.

8. Full Service for iPhone & iPods: While the Apple store might do a whole unit replacement or offer a small discount for buying a new unit, MacMedics will fix just the problem your iPhone or iPod has, thus saving you money. All iPhone and iPod repairs MacMedics perform come with a full one-year parts and labor warranty.

9. Same day service for iPods & iPhones: In most cases if you drop off your iPod or iPhone in the morning, we’ll have it done later that same day!

10. Advanced, complex, or difficult repairs are performed at MacMedics every day: If you’ve been quoted an exorbitant amount of money to have your Mac fixed at the Apple Store, MacMedics can help! Liquid damage, fried logic boards, SuperDrive replacements, broken LCDs or MacBook Pro glass, and severe Macintosh case damage are all offered at MacMedics and often for hundreds of dollars less then Apple (or anywhere else!).

New Bonus Reason: The Apple Store Can’t Upgrade Your Hard Drive. MacMedics Can! See our new blog post from 1/30/10 to get all of the details here. A common issue we help clients with here at MacMedics is “upgrading” or “retiring” a failed (or perfectly good) hard drive. What many people don’t know is that we can “upgrade” your computer to a larger size hard drive, even if your hard drive has failed under Apple warranty.

Update 5/26/09 Need another reason? We are pleased to announce that Apple has selected MacMedics for a quarterly Commitment To Excellence service award for the second time. Only 179 Apple Service locations were honored with this award putting MacMedics in the top 5% of all Apple Authorized Service Providers in the United States and Canada. Get the scoop here.

We are pleased to announce that Apple has selected MacMedics for a quarterly Commitment To Excellence service award for the second time. Only 179 Apple Service locations were honored with this award putting MacMedics in the top 5% of all Apple Authorized Service Providers in the United States and Canada.

MacMedics is one of only three AASP’s in Maryland to receive this award, and the only Mac shop in Anne Arundel County with this prestigious rating from Apple.

Apple gives out this award for the Apple Authorized Service Providers that score the highest in the following four categories of performance.

1. Repair turnaround time – How fast can MacMedics repair your Macintosh and return it to you. This is a longtime key factor that has won us this award and others before. Our professional clients use their computers to make money, the longer it’s off-line the less money you make! This is why we’ve worked so hard for 20 years to get your Mac back on your desk as fast as possible!

2. First time fix – Did we nail the repair the first time? You bet! This is one of the reasons that our techs are the best. We carefully follow Apple’s technical manuals to find the bad part and then we replace it. This is the reason our techs are Apple Certified. We call it the “sniper shot” repair. We only want to replace ONE part and we only get one “shot” to impress you, our client.

3. Fewest number of parts per repair – When you’re wrong on which part is failing, then you have order a “second” part from Apple. Since we normally get it right on the first attempt, we have a very high score in this category as we generally only need to order one part per repair.

4. Fast bad part return – Apple wants their defective parts back as quickly as possible, so they can be analyzed and inspected. We do the repair quickly, so our bad parts are on their way back to Apple Service HQ the very same day we perform your repair.

If you haven’t used MacMedics before, then come visit us and find out what makes us the best place for Apple service in Maryland! You’re busy, so don’t fool around when it comes to Mac service and repair. We’re fast and no appointment is ever needed for walk-in service. See our post about Nine reasons not to wait in line & fight the crowds at the Apple Store or anywhere else for more info on the MacMedics advantage.

See the full text of the award at this link.

Everybody loves a good Mac service mystery. I had one yesterday.

A new client stopped by the Millersville Mac Lab yesterday. He had been to the Apple Store, where our friends at Apple thought he needed a new Superdrive. It was not surprising to hear that, because when you rocked the machine back and forth the Superdrive made the craziest noise ever. It sounded like the drive had just fallen apart, and there was a part that had come unhinged inside the unit. The unit was only 2 weeks old, and the unit’s owner was in a hurry, so the Annapolis Apple Store sent him to us for a possible faster service option. (Thanks Annapolis Apple Store folks!)

He already had an Apple Service case number for the unit, and a new Superdrive was on the menu. We checked him in, and he left the shop. I gave the unit another shake to show a co-worker how crazy the unit sounded, and I saw a little corner of metal sticking out of the CD/DVD slot. I gently grabbed it with my trusty Leatherman pliers and removed a small key from the unit.

We tested the unit by playing a DVD, and it seemed to be fine, so we told the client to come pick it up. He made it back in about 20 minutes, and was amazed we had it figured out so quickly. He had no idea how the key found it’s way into his Superdrive. It was his key from a long time ago, so perhaps it was in the bottom of his laptop bag and it just randomly ended up inside. It could also be his 6-year old put the key into the unit.

No charge of course, and another happy Apple service customer.

Today Apple announced the Apple Ultracompact USB Power Adapter Exchange program. This small adapter came with the new 3G iPhones.

Apple has determined that under certain conditions the new ultracompact Apple USB power adapter’s metal prongs can break off and remain in a power outlet, creating a risk of electric shock. Apple has received reports of detached blades involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries have been reported.

Here’s a picture of what it looks like:

Apple's iPhone 3G Ultracompact USB Power Adapter

See Apple’s website for more info:

http://www.apple.com/support/usbadapter/exchangeprogram/

If you have questions, feel free to get in touch with your local MacMedics office or give us a call at 1-866-MAC-MEDICS

When we perform an Apple repair either in or out of warranty, Apple sends our client a survey to fill out regarding their repair experience from MacMedics. Here are some of the latest:

MacMedics has a very good reputation in the design community in Washington DC. This was my first time using them and they were excellent. MacMedics took the time to properly diagnose the problem and come up with a more realistic/affordable solution that so far has resolved my issues 100%.

Very knowledgeable and shared great advice. Better service and more communication then [other service providers].

Though the repair was very long and involved we were frequently updated and the service provider was always very polite and apologetic. I was impressed with the thoroughness of the service and very satisfied to have my problem completely resolved with just one service.

I will do all future business regarding my Mac computer with Mac Medics without question and will recommend Mac Medics to anyone I come across in need of Mac services.

Very helpful.

I thought the service at MacMedics was outstanding.