Apple's Reputation
- Started
- Last post
- 146 Responses
- Point50
dobs, here's the deal. My iPod dies on me, so I go back into the Apple store to the register area where I see the manager...
"Hi sir, can I help you?"
"Yes, this iPod that I purchased just over 2 months ago is not working... it won't shut off til the battery drains and when I try to play mu..."
"Sir, if you could just go to the Genius Bar and make an appointment they'd be happy to help you over there."
"The Genius Bar?"
"Yes, the Genius Bar. It's located right over there on the left. You can make an appointment at one of the iMacs sitting on the bar and they will call you when it's your turn"
"uh, OK... thanks"
*hangs head and does walk of shame to Genius Bar
and so there you have it. I fell victim to the Genius Bar. I stood there for 10 minutes only to get berated by some 20 year old kid about how I need to restart the iPod, restore the iPod, restart my computer, etc. etc.... that shit was a fucking nightmare. Thank god the 3rd time I had to take my iPod back I got some 35 year old guy that looked like he lived in his mother's basement helped me:
"hmmm, so you say it's freezing up and won't play or shut off"
"yeah"
"let's see... (*plugs in iPod and turns it on)... yeah, there's the click of death. OK, let's get your information and I'll we'll run some diagnostics on it; chances are it's done and you'll get a new one, but we'll take a look at it."
that was my only good Genius Bar experience.
- Chief0
Anyone sharing this sentiment?
TR
TResudek
(Oct 24 07, 08:09)not at all. i've purchased two first gen products (the very first 17" Powerbook and the Mac Pro) and both have worked perfectly without a problem. i've yet to have a problem with either of my ipods, one's a 3G and the other's a 5.5G. those with problems will always make more noise than those who've had good experiences, regardless of the company or product.
- barbtastic0
you just have to learn to work them:
anything bigger than an iPod, get Apple Care [especially for laptops!]
avoid visits to the "genius" bar... use them as a last resort.
ALWAYS research your problem and try to troubleshoot it first, then turn to 800 MY APPLE for support.
if you get a dumbass on the phone, hang up and call back... i will do this 2-3 times until i get someone that i feel knows what they're talking about and is listening to me... they are most helpful if you appear to know a little about your issue, it shows you tried.
be direct [not mean], do not waver... if you are polite and persistant, you will get what you want out of them.
when i bought an overheating iMac, i managed to get Apple to send an authorized repair person TO MY HOUSE to replace everything but the hard drive... i told them that sending a brand new machine back for 7-10 days was unacceptable, that i either wanted a replacement or a refund.
recently, the backlight on my MBP went dim... after determinging the problem MYSELF, i called the 800 number, they sent me a carton and a dispatch number to send in for free repair [under Apple Care]
the phone rep told me i could cut repair time by a third if my local "genius" bar had the parts i needed in stock... turns out they did, and time i spent on the phone made the visit to the "genius" bar relativly painless b/c all the info was already in the system under my name.
- Jaline0
Nice advice, Barb.
I insisted on a refund as well when they shipped my Mac with lower HD space than what I had ordered. There's no way I'm sending my machine (that I need to get work done) back for another 2 weeks in China somewhere.
- ********0
I haven't had any problems with my Mac. It had a faulty power regulator that blew up a few months ago but it was filxed withing a few days. I still prefer Mac over PC and I'm planning to buy a new Power Mac next year.
- barbtastic0
i also tend to believe that people who have had to replace the same thing repeatedly, are doing something wrong...
i've had 4 different generations of iPod and never had a problem, while my friends that always seem to buy "defective" Apple merch are ALWAYS the same people... learn to take care of your shit, kids
- MrD0
i had a problem with my ipod
and they told me to bring in my laptop
so i brought it and they said, yah i think its not ipod its your computer
and my laptop didnt have apple care, so they said, cant help you with the ipod
WTF
the problem with ipod was the it froze and refused to restart
- sherman0
knock on wood
im backing up right now.
- Mimio0
I think it's interesting that Apples have a decent resell value but they are outmoded or obsolete the fastest because of their OS requirements. They've really punished their customers over the years.
- Point50
Enter response:i've had 4 different generations of iPod and never had a problem, while my friends that always seem to buy "defective" Apple merch are ALWAYS the same people... learn to take care of your shit, kids
barbtastic
(Oct 24 07, 09:59)
---
wish that was the case barb. That iPod shit drove me crazy... by the time I got 4th replacement iPod I had only used it 6 times before it locked up. I've read so many articles and threads about people with the same problems I just can't imagine it being tens of thousands of people all repeatedly dropping their iPods in the toilet or backing over them with their car at the same time.anyway, like I said, I've got a shuffle an iPhone now and I've encountered zero problems with music playback on either of them; and I'm using the same computer as I did with my 3g iPod.
- barbtastic0
i dig the high resell value... i replace everything every 2 years at the expense of suckers
- MrD0
nudity and mbp dont mix
the sucker get too hot
- barbtastic0
in their defense: the most infuriating thing about visiting the "genius" bar is overhearing the problems of the idiots around me... most of them are clueless and choose to be that way.
last time i was there, some silly broad brought in her laptop to have safari re-installed because she decided to delete it when some of her photos went missing. i have no idea how she came to that conclusion, but FOR REALZ!?!?
she could have re-installed safari herself so easily [or could she? haha]
i felt bad for "genius" guy... holding in all that hate and frustration toward her must have been hard
- Chief0
I think it's interesting that Apples have a decent resell value but they are outmoded or obsolete the fastest because of their OS requirements. They've really punished their customers over the years.
Mimio
(Oct 24 07, 10:02)???
i know people editing video in fcp running tiger (the latest os btw) on seven year old g4's. g3's still run the latest os. the only machine that won't run leopard are the g3's. am i missing something?
- monkeyshine0
this is an interesting read yet totally foreign to my experience.
Over the years I've had so many Apple computers...I had a duo dock once....
an old powerMac that I tricked out so much its a wonder it didn't explode (6 years)
emac
imac
G4 Powerbook x 2
Notebook that died only because I spilled beer on the keyboard
MacMini
MacBook Pro (the most problematic yet...could it be because I'm forcing Windows upon it?!)I have the original iPod that still works well and just got an iPhone that kicks ass.
- Mimio0
I'm sure Tiger runs better than 10.1 on an old G4, because effectively Apple is getting it's users to pay to be Beta testers. I jumped ship when my brand new 800mhz G4 Powerbook (2002) could not run flash (or the Adobe suite) to save its ass. Grossly underpowered with a bloated and thirsty OS.
- MrD0
Grossly underpowered with a bloated and thirsty OS.
Mimio
(Oct 24 07, 10:32)BUT ITS SO PRETTY !!!
- jfletcher0
I love apple for their design, I hate them for their attitude. I've never had a good experience in their stores, the best I've had is neutral.
I remember asking a while ago"I had an 8Gb old G3, and I bought a 60Gb iPod. since I can't sync them, I have all my music on the iPod, how can I get it off if I buy a new mac?"
answer: "you can't"
...so, first, that's a lie, and I told him that. Then he said "oh yeah, you can get a third party thing"
second, that just pisses me off that it's my music and apple has stopped me from using it.
I know piracy issues, but the combination of "genius" stupidity and arrogance combined with not letting me use my music pisses me off.
- barbtastic0
they lie all the time, especially if you ask stupid questions... i doubt they are allowed to suggest using 3rd party software to "pirate" music, let alone take the time to explain how to use 3rd party software
if i had to work there, i'd probably do the same, as i get really tired of my friends always asking me how to do simple things like pull music off their iPods.
i tell them, "Google knows"
- acescence0
I'm sure Tiger runs better than 10.1 on an old G4, because effectively Apple is getting it's users to pay to be Beta testers. I jumped ship when my brand new 800mhz G4 Powerbook (2002) could not run flash (or the Adobe suite) to save its ass. Grossly underpowered with a bloated and thirsty OS.
Mimio
(Oct 24 07, 10:32)you obviously have no idea what you're talking about