Always the good corporate citizen -- well, maybe not always -- Apple has finally fessed up to both the MacBook discoloration and MacBook Pro whining issues that have been plaguing customers since the notebooks were released, and has agreed to fix the problems free of charge. We already knew that the company was sneaking new logic boards into Pro models that had been sent in for unrelated repairs, but now the "high-pitched buzzing sound," as it's technically known, has been officially acknowledged in a support page on the Apple website. An inquiry by DailyTech revealed that affected notebooks fall under the standard one-year limited warranty -- meaning that all MacBook Pros are covered -- and that the solution involves replacing either just the fan or both the fan and the logic board. The discolorations, meanwhile, have not yet been publicly recognized, but AppleInsider is reporting that a recent company bulletin intended for retail and service partners indicates that white, 13-inch MacBooks in a specific serial number range will indeed be eligible for a new top case and corresponding screen bezel -- assuming that approved cleaning solutions have been proven ineffective. Overall, not a bad resolution; sure the admissions could have come sooner, but instead of blaming the discoloration on dirty customers, attributing the whining to tinnitus sufferers, and calling it a day, Apple came through in the end and took the responsible course of action.

Read- Whining
Read- Discoloration

They sort of skipped the first step: admitting they have a problem, but Apple is at least starting to patch stuff up with their customers who have been complaining about whining MacBook Pros since the release of the product. MacBook Pro user Rickard Almqvist sent in his MBP for some repairs and got it back with a new logic board and a friendly letter from Apple letting him know what was up. The new version of the logic board requires OS X 10.4.6, as opposed to the machine's original 10.4.5, so they included some new install DVDs in case he needs to reinstall. After the upgrade he hasn't had any whining problems, and he, along with other users with similar reports, is attributing it to the new board. No word yet if Apple will offer this upgrade to users who merely complain of the whine, or if you'll need a more serious problem to crop up before they'll do the swap-a-roo, but it does look like there's hope on the horizon beyond just buying a new revision of the troublesome laptop.

[Via TUAW]

Sure, there are few glaringly obvious reasons to fix the MacBook Pro firmware, such as its "too hot to touch" running temperatures and random whining noises prodigiously documented by users, but Apple ain't saying nothing. They've just released a firmware update for their Intel-based systems cleverly titled: "SMC Firmware Update 1.0," with zero explanation as to the purpose of the update. The SMC, or System Management Control, does manage heat related issues, including the fans, so it's a reasonable guess that the new firmware is meant to address the issues at hand with the MacBook Pro, but you sure wouldn't know it from the way Apple is acting. Luckily, the rabid fan base is already testing out the new firmware, and most have found it to fix their heat issues. The verdict is still out when it comes to the whining noises, with some reporting an improvement and some not. All the same, it would really be nice of Apple to let people know what's up. The first step is admitting you have a problem.