Did Apple really refuse to repair computers because of secondhand smoke?

You can tell it was a slow weekend on the tech scene by all the attention given a widely reported decision Apple not to service two computers – a MacBook and an iMac – because the machines were exposed to secondhand smoke and Steve Jobs has deemed that Apple workers shouldn’t have to be exposed to such bio-hazards in repairing them.

The customers in the two separate cases both were supposedly covered by Applecare warranties and complained to the Consumerist several months ago about their Apple warrnty problems. Consumerist ran the story Friday, explaining that it sat on the story for so long because it was waiting for official comment from Apple, which never came.

This sounds suspiciously like an urban legend foisted on us by those who see conspiracies of political correctness infringing on our rights.

But, if it isn’t an urban legend, I can’t say I would blame Apple. Smoking stinks. Reeks, as a matter of fact. It oozes out the poors of smokers and sticks to clothing. Certainly it’s reasonable to think prolonged exposure would desposit its odorous residue on electronic parts, too.

So a big part of me is kinda hoping these two isolated reports are true. To those of us who don’t smoke, and all but gag when exposed to secondhand smoke or the dregs of it which cling to the smoker, it is yuckily offensive.

Whether it is the true bio-hazard the Consumerist reports allege is beyond my ability to ascertain.

But just because secondhand smoke is so disgusting, I support Apple if it really did void the warranties.