ThinkPad R40 problems

We've been getting a lot of IBM ThinkPad R40 laptops in for repair lately. Some of the issues are easy fixes, some mean the end of the road for the old R40.

Fan Error. We've seen hundreds of R40 laptops over the years but something must be in the air as we had several of these in last week for a "Fan Error". We normally have the fans in stock and they're typically around $99 installed.

Scrambled video, no video or distorted video. This seems to happen most often to the Celeron or P4 versions of the R40. The problem is the ATI graphics chip and it requires a replacement of the motherboard. When the boards are available they're normally around 369 installed. Most people do not opt to get their motherboard replaced but we still replace them to people who need them or want them replaced.

The above two issues are the most common on the R40. Other little/less common issues include: no display, bad AC adapter, missing keys, broken CDROM, bad Ethernet port, touchpad (mouse/cursor) problems, cracked screens, etc.

Wii Laptop

Below: A "Wii laptop".. Basically it is a Wii that looks like a laptop. Not sure how many people want to play video games on an 8" screen but it is kind of cool...

FireFox 3 is here!

If you haven't tried FireFox, now is the time. IE is still required for pages that aren't correctly published, for sites that require Active X controls and for a few other things but FireFox is definitely a great browser. This could be the best thing to come since Lynx.

Now, participate in Download Day 2008 and download FireFox 3 on June 17 here.

Download Day 2008 is JUNE 17

Download FireFox 3 on June 17, 2008 to help set the Guinness World Record for the most software downloads in 24 hours. To participate visit:
http://www.spreadfirefox.com

Petaflop!

The world's first petaflop is upon us.

No, it isn't a new wrap.

To see what a FLOP is visit the Wikipedia page here (NOTE: the Wiki page is slightly out of date.)

To read more about the world's (current) fastest computer "Roadrunner" visit the CNN story here.

Macbook / G4 LCD Replacement

We have had quite a few Mac laptops in lately for screens.

One of our last customers called back three times after she received her quote. She couldn't believe what she had heard. Before she found us she went to Apple and 2 other computer stores. Apple had quoted her around $850 for a new screen for her G4 13.3" WXGA laptop. She said the other stores quoted her a few bucks less. Then she got our quote- $299 installed. Yes, $299 covered both parts and labor. Yes, the screen is new. Yes, the computer will work again. She had given up hope on her laptop until one of her friends told her about us.

Right now, we're still not sure why Apple quote this person so high.. We replace LCDs here daily and $299 is the going rate for a brand new screen. $850 is completely insane- we have no idea why a company would charge one of their own customers an extremely outrageous sum. You would think they would be cheaper than us. Anyways, we don't want to jump to any conclusions. Once we figure out he answer, we'll post it here.

We also have a 17" MBP coming in this week for a screen. This guy was quoted $1274 by Apple. We expect his to be $249 - $399 max- just have to get it in first.

Dell 6000, 6400 & E1505 laptops with No Display

We have seen a surge of Dell 6000, 6400, E1505 and other laptops coming in for repair with no display. The display suddenly goes dark and nothing can be seen on the screen. Or, the LCD is very dim, making text and images barely visible.

The display can not be seen due to any of a few different problems. But, lately we have had several come in with a bad backlight. Most of these laptops require our backlight repair.

For more information on backlight technology please visit our backlight repair FAQ. For more infomation on other Dell 6000 problems visit our Inspiron repair page .

Raleigh is smokin

A couple of days ago, June 12 to be exact, the air was very smoky here in Raleigh & Cary. Customers came in with headaches and runny noses. Cars had soot on them and smoke was in the air. Air quality was poor and a Code Red was issued for Wake County. This is due to the wildfire burning 150mi away from here, where 40,000 acres are burning or smoldering. Attached is an image taken by the local news.

Moved in!

Many of you know that we've been moving. Finally, finally all of our STUFF is here in the new shop. Our sign is up and we have about 1 more month of renovations and then we'll be back to 100% again.

Happy Father's Day 2008

Happy Father's Day from Absolute Computers!

The image is the Google logo for Father's Day 2008.