Apple Store Experience

I recently had to take my iPhone in for servicing or replacement and had one heck of a time! I wanted to tell my story and see if anyone has had similar problems. Sorry if it's poorly written, thats just my lack of writing skills! Oh, and I took out the name of the Mac Genius to protect his identity (see, I'm a nice guy).

*Update* - This was at the Pentagon City Apple Store

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Dear Apple,

I usually never have a problem with Apple. I'm a big Mac user that has proudly helped convert two very stubborn parents and whenever I get a chance to talk Mac, I dive right in. I also think that they have usually superb customer service but this most recent trip was a real shocker.

I am currently on my third iPhone 3G. The first one got replaced after the vibrate switch stopped working. The second one (the one that this story is about) had an issue where the backlight would go all the way off instead of just super low.

Thinking that it was maybe a bug that 3.0 would fix, I just waited it out. But when I updated I still had the problem and decided to go into the Apple Store and have a Genius look at it.

******, the same Genius that just months before replaced my first phone was now going to be dealing with my second phone. He didn't seem like he recognized me and he probably sees tons of people everyday so I wasn't hurt.

I explain my problem to him.

"The backlight goes to off when just 1/4 from the lowest setting. Every other iPhone goes to a super dim mode but mine goes to completely off."

To my friends and myself this is a legit problem that we knew with 100% certainty that Apple would fix or replace.

Well, ****** didn't seem to see the problem. He says that it's his job to see a problem and he doesn't see one here. After explaining further he decides to go to the back and ask some other people about it.

Waiting just about 5-10 minutes he returns with two iPhones and says they don't see a problem either. He sets the two iPhones down on the counter and says, "Look, yours is actually brighter, and it has better range."

I told him that it was only brighter because the one he was comparing it to had a plastic film on it. Anything, no matter how clear it really is will diffuse the light at least somewhat. And I explained the "range" he talked about... yeah, it obviously has better "range" if the light goes off and the rest don't! That's getting technical.

Oh, and I'm not an idiot. I've worked in customer service and I realize that he was only trying to get me excited about it and walk off thinking my phone was now better than the rest. No dice.

I forgot to mention that this entire time he has not been giving me any eye contact whatsoever. I kept leaning on the counter trying to meet our eyeline and at the same time making sure that my stance and body language wasn't defensive or aggressive. I'm very aware of these things.

With the two phones still on the counter I asked him to take them in the back again and just slide the backlight all the way off while in the dark and compare the phones. He said "that's not necessary." I then asked him to just cup his hands around my iPhone to see the backlight go out and he once again said "that's not necessary." But isn't that what customer service is all about? Going above the necessary! It would have only taken a few seconds and would have made me, the customer, feel like he was at least trying to help.

I told him that I was in the store the other day and showed a fellow Apple employee who said that it was indeed a problem and asked if I could bring him over to "testify" but of course his response was "that's not necessary." He once again made me feel as if I was losing my mind! It's like I saw a ghost and no one would believe me!

He then had me give scenarios as to when I might need this functionality. I shouldn't have to explain things that the designer of the device came up with! But I did give him examples.

He also asked if the phone made calls, alluding to the fact that if it doesn't hurt the functionality then it's 100% fine. I told him that I didn't buy the iPhone to just make calls, the little kids "Firefly" phone that has a button for Mommy, Daddy, and Police just makes calls, but I bought the iPhone to play games, watch videos, surf the Internet, control my computers remotely, and everything else it can do!

Overall I felt as if he was just patronizing me and saying that he didn't see a problem and if this happened to him he wouldn't have brought the phone in. That makes me feel like an idiot.

In the end I got a new phone, but to be honest, I don't feel like I won. I'm not trying to pull ****** down because maybe he was just having a bad day but in the world of customer service you can't let that affect you.

My biggest problem is that there is an Apple employee that is "specially trained" in customer service and technical know how though he won't look me in the eye or even try to acknowledge my problem.

Oh, and it looks like some other people have had this problem. I searched the forums after (yeah I should have done that first though) and dug up some info. Also, I wish I videotaped it something just to have proof but I have the word of some co-workers I showed if you are interested in asking them.

Apple Forum Thread: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8587979

F.A.S.T. Bait & Switch?

F.A.S.T. Bait & Switch?
Originally uploaded by mikejulietpapa

This might just be a glitch but this could be a pretty slick way to get an extra buck out of you!

I've emailed SGN to see what they thought of it and I'm waiting on a reply.

Check out their site: sgn.com/fast/index.php

The game looks pretty good though, and I hear you can play blue tooth peer to peer.

** UPDATE **

No foul play here. Executive Producer Dan Brazelton just commented on my blog and said the following:

"No - no bait and switch. The price and description propagated on Apple's servers separately and imperfectly.

There was actually a time when it was $5 under WHAT'S HOT but $4 under TOP 25.

That's why we try to make price changes at night.

It should be settled now.

Thanks for your interest in our game, and sorry for the confusion.

Dan Brazelton

Executive Producer, SGN"

Thanks Dan!

Video taken on iPhone 3GS

My friend Ian shot some video on his new iPhone 3GS and I thought I would share it. It's pretty dang good! Oh, you record it then upload directly to YouTube. That's killer.

Thoughts on AT&T

In reference to the iPhone annoncement, ATT is like this:

It's like your in school and the teacher assigned a group and you have a project due in 6 months. Everyone wants to work together but one kid thinks you all should work solo. No one wants to be mean so all decide to work solo and put the pieces together later. When you reconvene, you realize he's the only one who didn't do his part. Thanks ATT, your that kid. Luckily everyone else did well enough that the overall score is a B.

I would start shopping for a new group member.

Too much broken stuff.

Stuff seems to break in groups for me. iPhone, bike, laptop, Xbox... That might be all, luckily. Also, luckily is the fact that almost all of them will be fixed for free! All but the bike really.

Two paths diverge in a yellow wood... one is the anti glare coating and the other is the original iPhone glass screen. On my current and soon to be replaced iPhone I have the anti glare plastic shield. I really really like it but the more I use a friends iPhone that is the pure beauty with no barrier I find myself really liking that one as well. What to do?!

Ok, so that's one gadget, the next is my work laptop. Somehow I broke the "y" key off. I have it but it won't stay on. The little plastic tab is broken on one side. This happened before and they fixed it no problem so I get that fixed at the Apple store at the same time.

The Xbox? Yeah, finally red ringed for good. I was red ringed 4 or 5 times during power outages and stuff but it came back on just fine. But in the middle of a pretty decent game of Call of Duty Modern Warfare it died. Screeching and freezing the video. I was about to call in an air strike! 3 rings mean 3 yr warranty so its getting fixed for free, they even comped the shipping. Which they should! Because 2 in 3 xbox owners I know have had to send theirs back! Jeez...

The bike? Nothing real real major just need new chain rings because I wore out the middle one (won't hold the chain under any pressure) and the big ones gonna go soon too (mostly due to logs and rocks I bet).

That's all for now though, once I get those fixed we'll be ok I guess. And only the bike is costing me money! But I'll go to the Apple store today or tomorrow and get that iPhone squared away and hopefully I'll get a whole new one!

Music Video Monday/Tunes Tuesday

I didn't come across anything that just jumped out at me the other day but a friend tipped me off to this video this morning and it totally made my day.  Probably helps that I like this song but the iPhone/iPod touch as instruments... well done!

Thanks Danny!

This is how it should be.

Morning Geocaching

I took Templeton for a walk this morning before church and I thought we would make it interesting and try for a few geocaches!  Living in Old Town, I'm sure there would be a ton of micro caches, which I really don't like. 

 I like full size caches because they have goodies and it feels more like buried treasure but these micro caches are dang hard to find!  But it wouldn't be a huge problem if I had a real gps but I use the Geocaching iPhone app and it's not super super accurate but it works!

Anyway, we found 3 today.  Good finds too.  Two had real logs and the other you just have to email the user the info he asked.  Oh, and my wife and I found 2 yesterday, so booya!

If you have a GPS or an iPhone with the Geocaching app, try it out!  It's free and it's a lot of fun.  I actually never even explained it.... it's like hunting for treasure with latitude and longitude and little hints.  It's really fun, now I just have to catch up to my brother!

[Geocaching]

[iPhone App]

Foto Friday

iPhone Photo
Originally uploaded by mikejulietpapa

Taken on my iPhone and put through the Camera Bag app.

iPhone Hand Bell Choir

This could be a whole new way to perform!  The iPhone as handbells?!  What I want to see next is one person with like 10 to 15 bells.  That's where it's at.

Oh, and my favorite part of the video is the little kid and the dude that will stop at nothing to ring his bell.

Peanut butter free app time!

You may have seen it before but if you haven't Topple for the iPhone/iPod Touch, is a great app.  It's a blast to play and even though you get frustrated in the later levels you still enjoy it.  My favorite thing about it is the personalities of the blocks.  They are so funny!

Anyway, for a limited time, it's FREE! 

Buy it HERE (link to App Store)

Be sure to check out their other apps, especially their new one Rolando.

Rolando video! "Escape from Rolando Central" - coming in December for iPhone and iPod touch from ngmoco:) on Vimeo.

Eeni, menie, miney, no

A friend of mine has a Razr with T-Mobile and he wants an iPhone. His contract comes up in about a month so that works out pretty well. He planned on getting one after rave reviews from myself and my brother especially. But then he IM'ed me yesterday...

He asked the iPhone would work on another network... we'll not unless you jailbreak it. Then he asked about the G1. I said, yeah, it's cool. And that got me thinking.

Last week, I was walking by the T-Mobile store and I thought I would step in to see if they have any G1's working to play with. I went to the booth and they had three G1's out, but all were fakes then I asked a guy if they had one and he went to check in the back.

So he pulled one out and handed it over, and then put my prints all over that thing. Played with the slider, trying out the touch screen and the blackberry-esque ball thing, and clicked through some menus... Not bad.

From what I saw online and from what I played with in person, I think I got a good idea of the G1.

My list of current best comms? (Comms is my word for cell phones because they do so much more than call people... email, instant message...) In order from best to worst (though these are only the top 3 and are based only on my very opinionated opinion:

1 - Apple iPhone

* The app-store really is a huge part of this being number 1. So many fantastic third party apps. Also the multi touch screen is amazing. This list could go on.

2 - HTC G1

* Cmon it's Google, it can't be that bad. Maybe it will be slow to start but once it gets rolling, I'm sure it will be way polished.

3 - Blackberry Storm

* Comm for the suits that want the iPhone, secretly. It's the classic corporate sell out device, but it works, and it's secure.

That's all.

Oh, in the end, I think my buddy is gonna get the G1, so I'll love to get my hands on it when I see him next and really give it a good groping over, but I think it's a solid alternative to the iPhone. I also told him to buy a first gen iPhone and jailbreak it but the said no.

Ocean vs. iPhone

Yes, this is my attempt to ease the suffering.