SIVACRACY.NET

Late last August I posted this lengthy, whiney monologue about buying an Apple iBook. The little white laptop has traveled little since then, and received very gentle treatment generally. Yet the day before yesterday, the keyboard unexpectly popped out of the casing, breaking a plastic tab, and ejecting a spring that looks like it came from inside a retractable pen.

Since I'd spent almost $300 for an extended Applecare warranty, and since I'd had the iBook only eight months anyway, I was cautiously optimistic that this could be fixed. After an hour on the phone with Apple "Support," however, I learned that Apple would be happy to send me a new keyboard that I could install myself, accompanied by instructions on how to remove the old keyboard and not electrocute myself. But only if I give them a credit card number. No charge, said the Apple Rep. The keyboard is covered by the warranty, and Apple will even pay the shipping. But they won't do anything without a valid credit card number. And they won't tell me why.

It's quite common for hotels to require a credit card "for incidentals" before they will check you in to a room that someone else is paying for (like a law school that is generously hosting a conference, please get your mind out of the gutter, thank you). And here is what often happens: I get charged for phone calls I didn't make (I have a cell!) and bottled water I didn't drink (I'm too cheap to drink $6 bottles of water, but once in Chicago I got charged for six of them. Imagine how little sleep I would have gotten between trips to the bathroom if I had actually consumed all that over-priced Evian!). One memorable day I got charged hundreds of dollars for parking, even though I'd flown to the conference and didn't have a car with me. So I'm very suspicious about all this. I'm supposed to get an explanatory call from Apple later today. I'll blog what I learn, unless of course it makes me look stupid, as opposed to just petty, like this post suggests.

Update: Although yesterday's Apple Rep said I would not need to send in the old keyboard, today's caller said the credit card is to guarantee that I do indeed return the old keyboard. So I offered to mail in the old keyboard first, so they could have it in hand before sending the new one. No dice. The only way they will fix my computer without a credit card number is if I ship the whole thing to them, then they make repairs themsleves and ship it back. I'm sure this makes sense to someone...