Steve Jobs hands over a rotten Apple for teacher

Apple has admitted to a glitch in its eMac models which is causing the computers, designed specifically for use in schools, to fail.

Apple said on its website that a number of the all-in-one desktops have been making a 'popping' noise at start-up. Then, rather than turn on, the screen stays dark. In the posting, Apple says anyone experiencing the problem should contact a local Apple-authorised repair shop.

An Apple representative confirmed the issue has shown up in a "very small" number of eMacs, but would not say how many or when the problem first cropped up.

The Mac maker has changed its manufacturing process to eliminate the problem, the representative said.

The eMac was introduced for the education market in April, and Apple started selling the machine more broadly in June.

The all-white eMac is an updated take on the original iMac, built around a 17-inch monitor as compared to the 15-inch cathode-ray tube monitor tube that is at the heart of the first iMac. However, because it uses a flat-screen CRT, the eMac takes up roughly the same amount of space as the original iMac.

Earlier this week, Apple was forced to pull its iPod from store shelves in France because the machine is capable of producing noise that exceeds French law. Apple plans to have a software fix in place and resume shipments within two weeks.

Ian Fried writes for News.com