Sang Tang of TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) writes of lessons learned when his MacBook has an unfortunate encounter with Diet Coke. As he reconsiders the value of extended warranties and laptop insurance, his experience highlights how the value of SquareTrade coverage stacks up when compared to AppleCare.
While AppleCare is certainly compelling for many (phone support and timely repairs of manufacturer defects by Apple-authorized technicians, among its values), its defect is that hardware repair coverage is restricted to manufacturer defects.
As Tang explains, "If you accidentally drop your iPhone in the toilet...you won't be covered by AppleCare." SquareTrade, on the other hand, offers the option for Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) protection:
While researching third party extended warranties, I stumbled upon Square Trade. In addition to covering manufacturers' defects, Square Trade's warranty covers accidental damage. In effect, it's a warranty with an additional safeguard for dings, drops and drenching.
The TUAW analysis goes further to highlight how SquareTrade's affordability compares to the price tag attached to AppleCare.
For the full write up, visit TUAW.
