[harleyjean]

So the bottom right key ("end" and "right arrow") just popped off of my brand new one week old iBook! I can get the right side of the key back on, but the left side won't stay put.

Is this the start of many more problems to come? Has this happened to anyone else?

I am currently on hold with Apple Tech Support to see what they say.

~Melissa

[Brad]

I've only seen one Apple notebook with a broken key and it was one that had seen a lot of abuse anyway, having been loaned to various students and used in classes for four years. That keyboard had a tab key of which one of the little clippy bits was broken off.

Apple's notebook keyboards are generally very good. One notebook that I use at work, an original titanium PowerBook, is literally falling apart (it looks like someone drove over it and then hit it with a baseball bat) but its keyboard it still in perfect condition.

Unless the keys were damaged before you got them, they wouldn't have come off without applying a pretty good amount of force at the right angle.

[ast3r3x]

MY HOME KEY CAME OFF TOO!

However I was playing with it and deserved it after over 1.5yrs. AppleCare will probably support it, however you can buy individual keys from places. If I ever get the balls I'll break off my num lock key and put it over the right arrow space.

[julesstoop]

My brother works as a 'genius' with a large Apple in Amsterdam and he breaks those things off and puts them back on for fun. As I've seen him do it several times, there seems to be a simple trick when he puts one back in place.
He sticks the key back at the spot where it's supposed to be and then gently presses down on it while making sort of a rotary movement. At a certain point, it just seems to pop in.

[Wrao]

My powerbook keyboard is a trooper. I type so ridiculously fast on this thing using my very unorthodox typing method, that it pretty much sees nonstop abuse all day.

I recently took off a handful of keys to clean beneath them because my d key has been acting weird. UNBELIEVABLE how dirty it was. Took a long time to clean, and even then I didn't REALLY get everything.

The point is though, sometimes in my reckless typing my index finger callus(from bass) snags the corner of J and it pops the key right off.

Of course, it's partially my fault because a sort-of broke the j key about a year ago before I fully understood how to remove and replace powerbook keys.

But It's still kinda funny, I'll get into a typing frenzy and have a key actually fly off my keyboard.

[Maciej]

These threads are bad inspiration, I find myself wanting to pry keys off of my PB/BT keyboard...

[Bryson]

There was a video once on 'Nova that showed you how to pop keys on and off a p'book keyboard.

Here you go: Video

Many thanks to Ichiban_jay

[Wrao]

Yea, if you know how, it's not that big of a deal. The powerbook keys can be tricky, but once you've gotten the hang of it, it's pretty straightforward.

[harleyjean]

According to Apple, the entire keyboard needs to be replaced -- they can't just send me a new key. They said it's not something that I can do myself, so I either have to bring it in to an authorized service center or mail it away to be fixed. I called the Apple Store where I purchased it and they are offering me either a replacement machine or a full refund because it's a defective product.

My iBook is only one week old and I've used it MAYBE four times since taking it out of the box, so it's definitely not from wear and tear. This is really bothering me and I'm wondering if this is a sign of many more bad things to come, based on all the negative casing/keyboard posts I've read. My five year old clamshell has been through a lot with me and it's never given me a problem. Is the new iBook case/keyboard shoddy?

What should I do? $1,000 is a lot of money to spend only to wonder if the next time I take it out of the box another key will fall off, or the hinge on the cover will cease to work (as I've heard others complain about).

Thanks for all your help and advice, it really is appreciated.

~Melissa

[staph]

I wouldn't worry. It's not a common problem.

[DMBand0026]

Absolutely. It's an isolated incident, you don't have much to worry about.

[ast3r3x]

After that video, I got the balls to fix my right arrow key. I took the white scissor action part I needed from the num lock key (who uses that?!) and put it on my right arrow key. Nice having that back!

[harleyjean]

Update: On Wednesday night when I tried to turn on my iBook I heard the fan running, but no boot and the screen stayed black. This happened two more times. After the third try I gave up and walked away. When I came back, the iBook was on.

I checked my post on one of the other message boards and apparently two other users had the exact same key break off of their one week old iBook. I'm wondering if this was a manufacturing defect on the first lot of the new iBooks?

I took the iBook to my Apple Store last night and asked for a refund. I think I am going to wait until this lot of iBooks sells out and hope that Apple corrects the problem with the next lot. I'll look into buying again either late Fall or early Winter.

Until then it's me and my Clamshell iBook.

~Melissa

[Ichiban_jay]

Originally Posted by Bryson There was a video once on 'Nova that showed you how to pop keys on and off a p'book keyboard. Here you go: Video Many thanks to Ichiban_jay

Yayaya! Glad to have helped... LOL

I was about to post the video link again, but you beat me to it