OT: MacBook randomly shuts down..

[j downs]

> I certainly do for all my cars. I used to do it for laptops, until  
> I was
> burned by CompUSA, and didn't purchase one for my most recent Sony. I
> recommend it for laptops for my wife and kid, as they are really  
> hard on
> 'stuff.' I don't for desktops. 3-year max seems to be the best deal  
> here.


I suppose I've read a little too much like this:
"When they sold you the warranty, 50% of what you paid was  
commission. Very little of it goes to cover car repair expenses. It’s  
always better to not buy extended warranties. Whatever the cost of  
the extended warranty is, set aside 50% of that and use it to pay for  
car repairs."

Or this:

"Extended warranties on appliances and electronic devices are a huge  
business. They're offered by retailers and third-party providers on  
everything from washing machines to Apple iPods. But what sounds like  
a great idea when you're in the store, experts and burned consumers  
warn, might not be worth the added cost. Consumer Reports has  
concluded that extended warranties are often a waste of money simply  
because many products tend not to break down during the first few  
years of service. And even when something does go wrong, you might  
have a tough time getting it fixed thanks to the small print on your  
contract or ... the hassle factor.

"Since extended warranties are claimed so rarely, the profit margins  
on them run as high as 40% to 80%, says Marlys Harris, finance editor  
for Consumer Reports. That can pad a company's bottom line nicely.  
During 2004, in fact, nearly 100% of Circuit City Stores' and 50% of  
Best Buy's operating income came from extended warranties, say  
analysts."