Apple Mac repair services in Berlin

Hello all, I have an iBook with a display that's starting to go black every so often. After some Googling it looks like I need to replace the inverter cable. So I'm wondering if anyone has had a good experience with any service centers in Berlin who can fix Macs?

Thanks in advance!

There is a big Apple Mac store in that horrible mall next to Alexanderplatz - I'm sure the staff there might be able to help.

I recently had to have my harddrive replaced on my MacBook. I would recommend Gravis. I went to their Berlin store in Ernst-Reuter-Platz 9. The staff were really helpful and they had it checked over and repaired in 24 hours. (I did have to pay a little bit extra to have this "express" check done, it was less than €20 extra.)

Here's a link to their location on Google maps.

Thanks very much for the tips so far, I'll check both those places out!

Just out of curiosity, what did Gravis charge just to look at your Macbook and diagnose the problem?

My Powerbook is doing the kind of the same thing - not charging and going to sleep too often - but I'm pretty sure the battery needs replacing. Make sure yours isn't konking out on you - and that it's not one of the ones on RECALL - check the list on the Apple site; (have your machine's and your batteries ID numbers ready.)

But I found an Apple store in The Schloss mall, wrapped around Rathaus Steglitz. They service machines there. (I've also read about a Mac Store near Kottbusser damm U-bahn station, in Kreuzberg.)

Note: the guys in the Schloss Mac store tell me that no stores in Germany are actually certified Mac stores - they're affiliates "once removed" or something. FWIW.

@Hillman:

Thanks for the info! I checked out the Apple site and my iBook wasn't on recall. My display will just go blank but the computer will still run; I can hear my music on iTunes playing, and can usually save my work using key commands. It's only happened twice so far over the past couple of days, so not a huge problem yet, but I'm trying to get a head start on where to go if it gets worse.

Thanks again!

They looked at it in the store and diagnosed it pretty much straight away. It was making a pretty distinctive "chirping" noise on start up and couldn't been booted remotely from another machine via Firewire. So I think it was pretty obvious what was going on. I'd tried a accessing it remotely myself from another Mac before I got there, but the guy in the shop tried it too – from the computer that he had in front of him. My receipt didn't have a charge on it for that. They charged me a total of approx. €190 for a new HD and a diagnostic to check that it was a problem with the HD and not the bus. Plus I paid €20 extra to have it done express.

hi there...there is a service center in Schöneberg called OmniLab. I got their info from the apple hotline. they fixed my computer and did a pretty good job. They take a long time though. I was without my computer for a week. Good luck
fenix

In case anyone else needs Mac technical service, I would second Fenix's recommendation above to check out Omnilab. I was there yesterday with my completely broken iBook (turned out to be a problem with DC input inside) and a gentleman named Micha took a look at it straight away, opened it up and fixed it right on the spot. He saved me a world of trouble because I need my iBook for work. Anyway, I would definitely recommend Omnilab to others!

In contrast, my experience with Gravis (tried them first) was waiting in line only to be told that I simply need a new laptop. I knew that already before walking into the store in the first place. I guess in any situation it depends on the technician that serves you, but that's what happened.

I will add my recommendation for Omnilab. My Macbook Pro HD died; I found their name via this page. They were close by where I was at the time, a conference at the Berlin Intercontinental; this is also near the Hotel Berlin (in case others with this question are in the area).

Their office is at Körnerstraße 19. It does not look like a business (at least not to me, being used to UK style), but they are there – 4th floor of what looks like a regular block of flats. The guy I spoke to talked fluent English and they sorted me out fast – a new HD in 24 hours. They told me most other places in Berlin would take a week to get a part.

I was very impressed with them – helpful, efficient, did a great job. Free of charge in my case, as my machine is still under warranty. 10 out of 10.