BizJetGuy

So my 30GB Video goes Tango Uniform a few weeks ago. Cause: dead battery.

Unit was purchased at Best Buy but, according to Geek Squad, since no service plan was purchased, they can't simply send it in for battery replacement - it has to go to Apple. Best Buy is now off my list for future purchases. "We'll sell it but once we've sold it, we don't care about it".

Fast forward to the Apple store. Store opens at 10 am and I walk in at 10:15. Greeted by an interesting individual who asks if I have an appointment with a "genius". "No, I just need to turn my iPod in to have the battery replaced". I'm told that I will have to wait until 11:45 when there is an opening with a "genius" for tech support. I don't need tech support, just need to send in the damn unit to have the battery replaced.

So she scurries off to see her manager and returns about 5 minutes later to tell me that she can put me on the short waiting list for the "genius" and that will probably take about 30 minutes.

My response: "Please tell your manager that your lack of customer support has insured that I will never purchase another Apple product".

Maybe I would have gotten better support if I was wearing Birkenstocks, lugging a messenger bag, sipping a latte grande and smelling of petchulli like most of the other patrons.

Any recommendations for a portable player other than iPod?

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Hammer

Do you need the video part or can you do with just MP3's?

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08silvercbr

How much memmory do you need? I have a samsung 2 gig that I love. The software is excellent and its cheaper. Downfall is it only holds 2000 songs, or suppose to.

SomeStrangeGuy

I own nothing Apple, not a Mac fan, couldn't buy a new Nano because they only had them at the Apple store and I just won't set foot inside of one, I have no desire to visit 1 infinity loop in Cupertino whatsoever, or meet Steve Jobs...but, there is no player more superior than the iPod.


But seriously, if you can do an oil change on your bike you're more than competent to swap an Ipod battery:
5th Generation Video iPod 550 mAh Battery Replacement Kit

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SheepOfBlue

iPod Battery Kits up to 114% more run-time capacity vs. stock, Online Installation Videos, and Professional Installation Services to keep your iPod Jamming at OtherWorldComputing.com

Now quit whining

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DUX

Get a Pioneer Inno with XM/Sirius capability.

You can partition some of the memory to hold your own songs, plus you can record from the channels themselves.

I have close to 1,000 songs recorded from XM alone. You can't take them off the radio, but I use mine for running, skiing, snowmobiling, riding, car, etc.....

It is a solid unit, and has held up to years of abuse. It's the sole reason that I switched from Sirius to XM a while back.

And.....the rechargeable battery is accessible through the cover on the back.

No video though...

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JohnnyDiablo

Ipod is still the way to go. Just go on ebay and buy a battery. Use some guitar picks to pop it open.

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jose_jimenez

I've been in an Apple store to get my phone, and a replacement before. I saw all regular types of people in there, totally different than your bullshit stereotypes above.

That genius deal you bitched about is actually pretty cool. I never had a problem with my phone, not one. For some reason I was trying to do too much at once and dropped the thing on my concrete deck in the backyard and jacked it up. I got online, made an appointment at the store for the following day. Next day comes, I show up at the prearranged time, they call my name within 2 minutes, no waiting, no bullshit. I was going to pay to have the thing fixed (power button was jammed) but they just replaced it for free.

If you would have taken a minute to settle down and done 2 minutes of research you would have found that Apple has decent support. You actually get support from an American (not India!) and in person. They even make it easy for you, you make an appointment so you don't have to wait or put up with anything. No endless calls to someone in India, no mailing shit across the US to get it fixed. Make a simple appointment, show up, and they'll sort it out right then and there while you wait a couple of minutes.

Purpdust

That does sound like a good system, but it does sound like they need atleast one rep taking walk ins until people get use to that type of service

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navydevildoc

They do, actually... but that one guy stuck on walk-ins was already backed up until 11:45 in this case. Sometimes, if they have space in between appointments (like a no-show), they will ask for "standby" customers, like people hoping to catch a plane.

All you had to do was take the appointment and come back, it's not like you have to stand there for 2 hours. Go run other errands, etc.

Sounds like they just didn't explain the system very well.

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JohnnyDiablo

I sympathize with ya Biz. I can attest to the dirty hippie birkenstock feel you can get.

The Pasadena store has lots of displays, tables, and a sign that says wait here. I had to stand there and watch for a while to discern the employees from everyone else. After that I had to figure out how to catch their attention. I ended up coming up behind a cashier to ask where the hell I go to get an iphone.

I was told to stand next to a sign that says wait here. No designated line. LOTS of people meandering about. Hard to beleive I was the only guy there for an iphone, get in and out, and not wanting to fondle and look cool for a while.

Once I got help it was a great experience. It was strange making a purchase in the middle of the aisle using his handheld and not at a designated spot. I won't willingly return if I can help it.

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BizJetGuy

I'm on my time, not their's. If I didn't have to catch a flight, maybe it would have worked out to wait. And if I hadn't driven 40 miles between locations, I may have been in a better disposition.

I always put customer support issues in the perspective of expecting the same level of service from someone I buy something from as the level of service that I try to provide my customers.

When a customer comes to me with an issue, I'll do everything in my power to resolve said issue. My disappointment is with both the retailer and the manufacturer (and their retail outlet) in this situation.

Thanks for your input. As always, incredibly insightful and enlightening.

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BizJetGuy

Done

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SheepOfBlue

Hey you are doing the Indy store right? Think about it, if they did not limit attendance to hippies they might slip up and let Hammer in

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BizJetGuy

Past-tense: did.

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Heavy-Dee

Dude, you should compare Apple support to say Dell and report back.

abtech

Better yet, compare Apple support to IBM support. No contest . . .

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SheepOfBlue

Caller ID they know it is you....

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f1_hurricane

I can't say much as Apple has always treated me, the ex and all of our friends very very well. Phone tech support is always very helpful (with one exception, I called with an issue connecting to the internet, the lady told me to go on their website...) and the apple specialty store (not an actual Apple store, but a third party that only deals with apple and apple related products) is always awesome to deal with. Bought my macbook, both ipod nano's and an ipod docking station and have had nothing but positive experiences.

luvtolean

A guy here at work just got a 16Gb touch or whatever it's called. Damn that thing is slick. I'm not normally the sort to upgrade my iPod or phone or whatever until it breaks, but it's a pretty tempting replacement to my currently operational Photo.

BJG, I'm not much of a brand whore, especially when it comes to Apple, but nobody holds a candle to the iPod.

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BizJetGuy

Hard to find alternatives to the iPod.

My dad has sunk thousands if not millions into Apple products over the years (he's in the graphics, art reproduction and printing industry) and, for what they are, Macs and iPods are incredibly capable.

I'm going the third-party / DIY route on the battery replacement but I won't buy another iPod in the future as a replacement and I won't buy any electronics at Best Buy after the Geek Squad experience.

I firmly believe that forcing the customer to make the additional steps of going online to schedule an appointment with tech support when you just need to have a device sent to the repair facility is unnecessary and creates no benefit to the customer. The impression is that their time is more valuable than yours. I know it's a lowly iPod (out of production, at that) but it seems to be a poor and non-straightforward way of conducting a simple transaction.

Apologies to Apple disciples

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luvtolean

I totally agree with you on your experience. That is a bunch of crap, you shouldn't need an appt to return the device due to their lame battery design.

The arrogance is institutional at Apple...

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You got to know, you got to know, the winners say GO-GO-GO...I got no patience, so sick of complacence... -Rage Against the Machine

ConqSoft

I love buying things at Best Buy and their extended warranty. When you take something in to be repaired, just make sure that it is broken. Not intermittently failing, but broken.

The only time I ever had a headache with them was when my old laptop drive kept getting data errors. After two times of having to reload my system, with them finding no problems, I had no problems getting them to switch it out the third time when the drive died completely.

That's all I have to say about that...

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abtech

hmmmm. Just like a freezer can give an old drive another chance or two, an oven makes the warranty claim just that much more authentic . . .

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abtech

as far as IBM is concerned, I'm Joe $hit the ragman. My clients have had nothing but positive experiences with IBM support/service and warranty issues.

With IBM server products, they roll a real tech immediately armed with a complete server in spares (the correct one I might add) and they actually know how to fix them. They do this for 3 years at no additional charge. I had a tech swap a part and the new one was fubar so he called his depot manager and another one arrived onsite within 30 minutes.

As far as I know, there isn't any service better than IBM's (and that includes SUN and SGI). Data General used to be very good as well, but they sort of disappeared . . .

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SheepOfBlue

but Apple knows you are that guy that bad mouths digital music players



FWIW You know I am kidding and IBM DOES have great service. That is an area they have done well in for years. OF course OUR $%@$%#$@% Regatta is puked again

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ccwilli3

so if the delco battery in your toyota truck fails, does that mean toyota trucks suck too?

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ConqSoft

I think the thread title needs to be changed to Apple Support Sucks

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seamus

Yes?

You guys are being too tough on BJG. If a man can't fly into a rage, as is his God given right as an American, what does he have left?

I didn't see the point of having to wait for a "genius" for a battery issue either. Take my iPod, contact info and let me know when I can pick it up or when you need the money to pay for it to be shipped.

That said, you won't beat an iPod for everything they can do once you hack your way out of all the iTunes and DRM stuff.

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BizJetGuy

JHC - if you read the original post, I didn't ask to have my approach or reaction analyzed. I asked for iPod alternatives.

SSG and SoB were kind enough to present options for battery replacement and I've already started down that avenue.

I guess I shouldn't disrupt the Applisti. Even though the kool-aid they gave me wasn't that tastey, I should have kept my venting to myself.

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