Strike 3

I received an SMS from PowerMac today and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets:

Gud pm ma'am this is frm powermac center g'belt3 we just want to inform that ur unit has a logicalboard problem and need to replace a new 1 and your ur s out of warranty so 8 wud cost 48,416.94 plus labor charge of 1,500. pls do reply for confirmation. Tnxs.

Eyes popped. Heart racing. Blood draining from my face. I think I am cursed. If I get a new laptop, it will be my third in the last two years! O.M.G. I take good care of my laptop (or so I think!), and I don't use it as heavily as Rommel uses his! And to think he has this ancient HP laptop (reformatted several times, but never a hardware problem). Ugh. I wanted to cry. I think if it were Valentine's Day and I received this SMS, I would have. I opted to take a break from work.

So my options now...

(1) Get a second opinion. I just got off the phone with the very accommodating Sancho from Digital Hub and we talked about my poor laptop. I asked for the possible root causes of logical board problems and he mentioned something about Firmware updates, that the unit needs to be plugged into the power outlet as the updates happen.

(2) Purchase a new laptop. If the diagnosis is a 100% true and the damages irreparable, it seems but logical to get a new laptop. Things to consider... MOOLAH. I have none. It's quite ironic that this should happen now, when I've taken a new resolve to be wiser with my spendings.

Can't help but feel guilty. I feel like somehow I've been negligent. Yet again. Poohoo. Maybe that's something worthy of my tears.