Does smoking void your Mac's warranty?

[LazyLion]

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/29521/53/

A leading consumer blog has reported two instances in which Apple technicians refused to work on Macs that had been used in houses where people smoked. In both cases, Apple claimed that the smoking voided the Macs' warranties.

The Consumerist blog , published by the Consumer Reports people, was cc'ed on an e-mail from one Apple customer to Steve Jobs complaining that the Apple Store refused to work on his MacBook because it was contaminated with smoke.

The site later heard also from another Mac owner whose computer was sent back by an authorized Mac service center for the same reason: smoke contamination that voided the warranty.

That user also complained to Steve Jobs. She did hear back from someone at Apple, who told her the company would not require an employee to work with hazardous materials.

Apple offered to do minor repairs if that was all that was required, but upon investigation, the technician found that accumulated tar made the computer impossible to repair.

The Consumerist has not been able to get a comment from Apple about the incidents.

Before forming an opinion on Apple's position, it's instructive to read the comments on the Consumerist site from people who've actually had to work on computers owned by smokers.

If you've worked on a smoker's computer, please share your experience in the comments below.

The Blog Link...
http://consumerist.com/5408885/smoking-near-apple-computers-creates-biohazard-voids-warranty

 

[dj_jyno]

Accumulated tar? Sounds like the Macbook was doing the smoking itself.

 

[BobJones]

Seems that this isn't very far fetched at all. People seems to be saying the same things... Computers exposed to smoke collect more dust and tar deposits.

See some pictures here.

 

[purejimcn]

Seems that this isn't very far fetched at all. People seems to be saying the same things... Computers exposed to smoke collect more dust and tar deposits.

See some pictures here.

glad i don smoke... keep my macbook healthy

 

[reedOsama]

an hear i thought an apple per day (i couldn't resist)

i wonder if this is the same with other appliances

glad i don smoke... keep my macbook healthy

LOL

 

[happychappy]

wow tarred&dusted

They would need to be heavy chain smokers? like 200 a day and breathe the smoke almost directly into the pc to do this kind of damage?

 

[LazyLion]

More pics here.... http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=137197

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Well I would also not work on PCs from users who smoked near them.

Did one PC that was stained yellow on every component from nicotine. It was disguisting. Even a smoker techie was disguisted. We actually had to use a vacumm cleaner just to identify the cards in the PC, never mind the motherboard.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

More pics here.... http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=137197

Oh, just saw the pics now - yup, thats a smokers PC and I've seen much worst.

 

[bekdik]

the tar deposit from smokers collects dust and other dirt. This is worst on fans where the blades are often coated with a thick gunge layer, which causes the fan to fail. failed fan causes overheat. overheat causes failure.

The faster the processor the higher the temperatur, the higher the reliance on cooling ...

 

[Rouxenator]

Why do they even need a warranty ? Apple products, from what I am told, never breaks - it just works.

 

[Ou grote]

Why do they even need a warranty ? Apple products, from what I am told, never breaks - it just works.

Keep buying those lotto tickets, you'll be able to buy a mac one day.

 

[Rouxenator]

Keep buying those lotto tickets

I'd rather burn my money by smoking. But that would mean I have to have a mac cause apple is for queer artsy fartsy smokers.

 

[Ou grote]

I'd rather burn my money by smoking. But that would mean I have to have a mac cause apple is for queer artsy fartsy smokers.

lol

Maybe you'll inherit some money then.
Keep believing.

amen

 

[Rouxenator]

Maybe you'll inherit some money then.

I have a gay smoking artsy fartsy uncle - maybe I'll just inherit his mac - problem solved

 

[Ou grote]

I have a gay smoking artsy fartsy uncle - maybe I'll just inherit his mac - problem solved

That's the spirit. Those jealousy pangs will hopefully subside then.

 

[Rouxenator]

That's the spirit. Those jealousy pangs will hopefully subside then.

I hope so - and maybe you and me can then finally get married and smoke a pack a day.

 

[Ou grote]

I hope so - and maybe you and me can then finally get married and smoke a pack a day.

Aye, I quit smoking.

 

[Rouxenator]

Aye, I quit smoking.

OK dude - I have to admit - that was a lot of fun.
LOL'ed quite a bit

 

[MyWorld]

Apple waranty gotchas!

Apple's argument basically seems to boil down to this: smoking near your device more or less equates to throwing it in the aquarium, or driving your car over it. In both of these cases, your warranty is void because it is your own fault. These are obviously perfectly legitimate stipulations.

The problem with the smoking claim is that the smoking itself did not break the devices in question. Apple is in fact arguing that the accumulation of smoking residue inside the computers in question means Apple employees can't fix them, because it would be a violation of health regulations.

http://www.osnews.com/story/22545/Should_Smoking_Void_Warranties_

So watch out with that siggies!