Purchase Apple Technician Training -- thoughts?

Some thoughts, since you asked 🙂 : Apple is really, really touchy about users working on their computers. Note that the current generation, other than the Mac Pro, have virtually NO user upgradable parts. And Apple will not sell the user any parts for the machines.

If you take the training courses and become an Apple certified technician, you are they authorized to work on yours, and others, equipment and can purchase parts. Is it worth the time and expense to you to pursue that level of certification? Only you can answer that question.

Also consider, there are very, very few things that can be done in the current generation of hardware, other than wholesale replacement of the unit...memory is now soldered to the logic board, batteries are glued in place, storage, formerly hard drive, is now soldered to the logic board. So, just how much repair could you actually do if that is the purpose of the training?

Just some random thoughts 🙂

OhThatGirl wrote:

Yes, I totally hear you. I used to work for a tech but his shop was strictly non-mac and this is now just a distant memory for me. However, it was how I made some of my income and it certainly has always helped at all office jobs I've had.

What I don't get is that Apple sells their training online but discourage people from working on their own machines.

Is it the same training that the Geniuses go through in order to have jobs at "the bar"?

As with cars, the days of shade-tree mechanics is long gone, I fear. certification is for folks who will do the parts swapping with a diploma on the wall for $ - therefore the cost.

Geniuses are apparently just very enthusiastic and Apple Trained for that job after getting hired >

How to get a job working as an Apple Store Genius <http://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/apple/how-get-job-as-apple-store-genius-350018 3/>

O! for days gone by...

ÇÇÇ

Try iFixit.com. If something is do-able they have the information as to how.

They don't really discourage you from doing so, they just void your warranty if you do so and they don't provide certain parts directly to the the customer. It isn't that hard to find other parts on the open market and one of the problems with computer parts is they become unavailable from manufacturers so quickly.

The older MacPros were about the only model that afforded customization and workability, hence it received a high rating from iFixit. Newer models, such as the MacBook, are much more difficult to fix. Check out the teardown of the Apple Watch on their site, it got a score of 5 out of 10.

The problem is there is nothing really left to work on in newer devices.

Perhaps of interest, when you look into repairing the latest of the MacBook machines:http://www.cnet.com/videos/cracking-open-samsung-galaxy-note-4/

Ralph inadvertently posted the wrong teardown, I prefer the ones from iFixit which is a site you should explore:

https://youtu.be/7aHL2hcF624

The tear down I posted was just to show an example of how little there is inside the current generation of Mac laptops that can be repaired...unless you are particularly skilled with a soldering iron 😉

These things today are just not much fun for someone who likes to tinker around inside the case. The Apple tech training is a means to the end of at least have a comfort level when opening the case, without voiding the warranty for doing so, when an Apple tech is not readily accessible. And if you like doing that kind of work, the training can be personally fun for you.

Ralph Landry1 wrote:

The tear down I posted was just to show an example of how little there is inside the current generation of Mac laptops

The video shows a teardown of a Samsung Galaxy

Shows how I was reading the URL, or not, should have been:

http://www.cnet.com/videos/cracking-open-apple-macbook-12-inch-2015/

No problem, it's cramped inside a Galaxy.

Compared to room to hold a party inside a new MacBook 👿

Many of the Forum regulars also miss the days when when you could repair your own computer. A number of them built their first computer from a kit. Some like me) remember taking the tubes out of the old AM radio and bringing them to the drug store for testing. How I miss the days when you could tune up your car for about 20 dollars. Time and progress march on, They didn't have iPads back then so I'm in no hurry to go back. 🙂