Artful Dodger
Sep 26, 11:05 PM
After all of the comments about how great Aperture ran, and considering how crappy it was running on mine, I decided to take into the Apple Store.
The video card is defective and they are replacing it. No wonder my experience with the program stunk.
:)
Slightly OT but I hope you bought the AppleCare for your PM that you were thinking about a few weeks ago ;) Back OT, let us know how it is once you get it back :) :) two smiles for your troubles...
The video card is defective and they are replacing it. No wonder my experience with the program stunk.
:)
Slightly OT but I hope you bought the AppleCare for your PM that you were thinking about a few weeks ago ;) Back OT, let us know how it is once you get it back :) :) two smiles for your troubles...
Matiek
Jan 15, 05:20 PM
Compare the MBA to this sony notebook with similar specs:
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644507782&parentCategoryId=16154&XID=O:sony%20tz:dg_vinb_gglsrch
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644507782&parentCategoryId=16154&XID=O:sony%20tz:dg_vinb_gglsrch
MOFS
Mar 10, 02:11 AM
The Click Wheel interface was/is an abomination and exactly the opposite of a "good" interface. It's a horrible mess. The only usable iPod is the iPod Touch.
I disagree. The click wheel made it easier to use, as it was intuitive (scrolling clockwise down, anticlockwise up), and was also easily used inside a pocket [find the clickwheel and you're go]. The clickwheel has been hailed as a masterstroke for Apple; getting rid of the plethora of buttons on MP3 players and replacing it with a sleek interface. I find it the most annoying part of using my iPhone is that I have to look at the screen to use the controls.
I disagree. The click wheel made it easier to use, as it was intuitive (scrolling clockwise down, anticlockwise up), and was also easily used inside a pocket [find the clickwheel and you're go]. The clickwheel has been hailed as a masterstroke for Apple; getting rid of the plethora of buttons on MP3 players and replacing it with a sleek interface. I find it the most annoying part of using my iPhone is that I have to look at the screen to use the controls.
MistaBungle
Apr 8, 07:07 PM
I wonder if this "delay from the vendor" could be somehow tied into the possibly of that MobileMe announcement that seems to be ever so pending.
stephanos180
Apr 15, 12:59 PM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)
I call BS on this, Johnnie Ive wouldn't make a non rounded design like that, the lines are too harsh.
I agree. Also, they wouldn't've made the Apple logo so small.
I call BS on this, Johnnie Ive wouldn't make a non rounded design like that, the lines are too harsh.
I agree. Also, they wouldn't've made the Apple logo so small.
quagmire
Nov 14, 05:32 PM
5 - Nuketown, combined with the aforementioned assy spawns, might be the worst thing I've ever experienced in a game. The map is a total mess, made even worse when the enemy spawns on top of you, or behind you, all the time. Not fun. I don't even mess with it now. If it shows up, I quit out. Not worth the hassle.
Yes, I'm fed up of being stabbed in the back too
Guessing you guys never played Rust a lot in MW2. Talk about getting killed as soon as you spawn. Rust along with Terminal was a perfect knifing map. :D
Yes, I'm fed up of being stabbed in the back too
Guessing you guys never played Rust a lot in MW2. Talk about getting killed as soon as you spawn. Rust along with Terminal was a perfect knifing map. :D
Gem�tlichkeit
Apr 10, 03:29 PM
Fair question - mostly for the flexibility of watching multiple channels and/or playing PS3 while watching multiple channels.
Plus - given the size of the room it would be difficult to achieve an ideal viewing distance for anything bigger than 50".
Wow, I'm the complete opposite of this haha. 5 years ago I donated my TV and never looked back :)
Plus - given the size of the room it would be difficult to achieve an ideal viewing distance for anything bigger than 50".
Wow, I'm the complete opposite of this haha. 5 years ago I donated my TV and never looked back :)
STTMac
Apr 15, 01:29 PM
This a very bad render fake picture kind.... Where did you see any apple product with that ugly back edge??? If you open the metadata of the picture with aperture you'll see.... well a BIG nothing no signature from any camera that may be used to take the picture... So pixel mix, noise on the render, bad shadow from the light source... the list may keep going... Try harder dude this is a very bad FAKE!!!
You put in a bad light the iPhone much bad that your light from the render...:confused:
You put in a bad light the iPhone much bad that your light from the render...:confused:
snickelfritz
Jan 11, 08:31 AM
New displays with integrated cams.
iPhone/iPodTouch that also functions as a Bluetooth Multitouch Mouse.
Leopard update.
30" iMac.
At least one new application.
iPhone/iPodTouch that also functions as a Bluetooth Multitouch Mouse.
Leopard update.
30" iMac.
At least one new application.
AhmedFaisal
Apr 13, 11:15 AM
Great, a shoot out on a plane loaded with innocent bystanders. :rolleyes:
I'd take that 1 in a billion risk (especially since they have non piercing projectiles) over being heckled and manhandled by TSA any day. And that way I have at least a chance to stay alive if a hijacker makes through security, which they will eventually do even with current "security standards". International travel security was sufficient before 9/11. All they needed to do was raise US domestic security to that level and add sky marshals to ALL not just some flights. Problem solved. Again, 9/11 were domestic flights, NOT international. There was a security problem with DOMESTIC travel in the US, NOT international. You can roll your eyes until they pop out, doesn't change the fact that you are being fooled by the fearmongering of governments ever since 9/11 so they can piece by piece whittle away your rights to privacy and not having to risk your health for stuff like business travel.
I'd take that 1 in a billion risk (especially since they have non piercing projectiles) over being heckled and manhandled by TSA any day. And that way I have at least a chance to stay alive if a hijacker makes through security, which they will eventually do even with current "security standards". International travel security was sufficient before 9/11. All they needed to do was raise US domestic security to that level and add sky marshals to ALL not just some flights. Problem solved. Again, 9/11 were domestic flights, NOT international. There was a security problem with DOMESTIC travel in the US, NOT international. You can roll your eyes until they pop out, doesn't change the fact that you are being fooled by the fearmongering of governments ever since 9/11 so they can piece by piece whittle away your rights to privacy and not having to risk your health for stuff like business travel.
Jaymes
Mar 28, 02:47 PM
Because not being eligible for an award ranks right up there with freedom of speech. :rolleyes:
I think you're missing the point that it was Apple, not Jaymes, who invoked 1984 first. Now, if you want to claim that forcing developers who want to be eligible for one of the most prestigious awards to post their apps to the Mac App store is not Orwellian, then you have every right to say such. I, and I am sure many other application developers, will disagree with you.
The Mac App store clearly demonstrates Apple's intent to drive the Mac towards as closed of a system as possible, not just for the OS, but for software as well (sort of like the iPad).
Let's also not forget that the Mac App store work great in a consumer world, not such a great idea in the enterprise and non-profit worlds where licenses tend to be owned by the employer. With the Mac App store, apps are owned by the individual. It makes business sense for Apple but not for the organization who will be purchasing.
I think you're missing the point that it was Apple, not Jaymes, who invoked 1984 first. Now, if you want to claim that forcing developers who want to be eligible for one of the most prestigious awards to post their apps to the Mac App store is not Orwellian, then you have every right to say such. I, and I am sure many other application developers, will disagree with you.
The Mac App store clearly demonstrates Apple's intent to drive the Mac towards as closed of a system as possible, not just for the OS, but for software as well (sort of like the iPad).
Let's also not forget that the Mac App store work great in a consumer world, not such a great idea in the enterprise and non-profit worlds where licenses tend to be owned by the employer. With the Mac App store, apps are owned by the individual. It makes business sense for Apple but not for the organization who will be purchasing.
iBug2
Apr 29, 08:30 PM
It'll only happen if people put up with it. The only way to voice your opinion sometimes in a capitalistic society is to simply walk away and not buy/put up with the offending product. I don't like Windows, but I wouldn't like the closed/app store only system on OSX proper either. Linux would be fine if they would standardize a few areas and get some commercial developers on-board (but a good part of that community doesn't like commercial anything).
No, it'll happen whether we like it or not. Because the industry is going to the iPad like dumbed down devices for every day use, and in 10-15 years those devices will be fast enough for all of us to do almost everything on them. And those devices work much better (actually every device works much better) with a closed App Store due to much less App issues compared to an open market. I can't remember how many times my parents managed to "break" their apps on their mac and call me and fix it for them on the phone. They can't do the same on an iPad as easily. That's the whole idea of a closed system and closed App store. Which is what it should be in the first place.
PC's aren't actually personal computers. PC's have been designed by engineers, for engineers. So the people who use PC's with zero issues, and solve all their problems themselves are almost as technically proficient as engineers at the moment. And they don't want this to be so. They want every day idiots (I don't like calling my own parents idiots, but when it comes to computers, they are), be able to use these things without any issues. And that's gonna happen with this new paradigm.
Cloud computing is gonna be huge in 15 years or so. After some point we won't have CPU's at all, all the computation will be done in cloud and we'll just have inputs at home, like a keyboard and mouse or touch, and a screen. Many things will change, and the closed app store will be the least of your worries by then.
No, it'll happen whether we like it or not. Because the industry is going to the iPad like dumbed down devices for every day use, and in 10-15 years those devices will be fast enough for all of us to do almost everything on them. And those devices work much better (actually every device works much better) with a closed App Store due to much less App issues compared to an open market. I can't remember how many times my parents managed to "break" their apps on their mac and call me and fix it for them on the phone. They can't do the same on an iPad as easily. That's the whole idea of a closed system and closed App store. Which is what it should be in the first place.
PC's aren't actually personal computers. PC's have been designed by engineers, for engineers. So the people who use PC's with zero issues, and solve all their problems themselves are almost as technically proficient as engineers at the moment. And they don't want this to be so. They want every day idiots (I don't like calling my own parents idiots, but when it comes to computers, they are), be able to use these things without any issues. And that's gonna happen with this new paradigm.
Cloud computing is gonna be huge in 15 years or so. After some point we won't have CPU's at all, all the computation will be done in cloud and we'll just have inputs at home, like a keyboard and mouse or touch, and a screen. Many things will change, and the closed app store will be the least of your worries by then.
Mac.World
Apr 17, 05:55 AM
You missed out his suicide which was clearly a direct consequence of how he was treated, they killed him. He could (just) be alive today, but he's not, because of what happened. If any of you think that's "irrelevant" you frankly sicken me.
His life and what he did was not irrelevant. I'm sure a movie or book could be done on his life's story. Teaching kids to look more at a person because of their sexual orientation, rather than their contributions, is irrelevant.
His life and what he did was not irrelevant. I'm sure a movie or book could be done on his life's story. Teaching kids to look more at a person because of their sexual orientation, rather than their contributions, is irrelevant.
Stridder44
Apr 5, 03:18 PM
An app that brings all the things I hate together. Lovely. I know advertising is a necessary evil but an app that just displays ads? Biggest WTF of the year. I mean really, who the hell could this be marketed to? People that just enjoy looking at tiny, crappy advertisements? No one is that boring or unproductive.
RipTide1024
Sep 30, 08:29 AM
In the architectural drawing, above the kitchen and below the bedrooms (using the top of the image as up and the bottom of the image as down) there is a rectangular room with an arch inside it. It's not labeled like the rest is. Any ideas what that is?
Initially I thought large pantry due to its location from the kitchen, but the pantry is labeled to the right of that area.
Perhaps a library with round desk / seating? Sitting room with a circular hearth in the middle? Breakfast nook?
Initially I thought large pantry due to its location from the kitchen, but the pantry is labeled to the right of that area.
Perhaps a library with round desk / seating? Sitting room with a circular hearth in the middle? Breakfast nook?
martymcr
Nov 27, 06:01 AM
It says it's a "shopping event" (http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/shopping/?CDM-EU-0994) though, not a sale.
It's hard to decide from the ad whether it means special prices or not - I'm about to order a Macbook and can't decide if it's worth waiting!!
It's hard to decide from the ad whether it means special prices or not - I'm about to order a Macbook and can't decide if it's worth waiting!!
jackc
Jan 14, 08:56 PM
Now, Gizmodo just posted another editorial. They are not just refusing to apologize, they are actually proud. Supposedly this is a an act of civil disobedience, a sign of their independence. Not only are they being immature jerks, but exhibit this self righteous attitude. It is just a prank, (actually it is not even a creative one) so it is not that big of a deal, but their new editorial makes them seem even more immature. I wonder if somebody is going to play pranks on them to show some independence of his own.
Linky (http://gizmodo.com/344447/giz-banned-for-life-and-loving-it-on-pranks-and-civil-disobedience-at-ces)
They should be writing political speeches, I had a tear rolling down my cheek thinking about how they're standing up to corporations
Linky (http://gizmodo.com/344447/giz-banned-for-life-and-loving-it-on-pranks-and-civil-disobedience-at-ces)
They should be writing political speeches, I had a tear rolling down my cheek thinking about how they're standing up to corporations
ThirteenXIII
Dec 14, 02:20 PM
seems sketchy, Apple wouldnt put it all in VZ's hands at all to keep it secure, Apple does a fine job at that already.
And i dont think itd be that much of a difference if they release att / vz iphone separately they do device updates for portables, desktops differently and the usual ipod updates etc.
But the fact remains how are they going to exactly implement two separate phones for carriers that use different cell tech, and implement them properly
I highly doubt there will be a vz iphone for as much as id like one...not until other 4g/lte services are out in the wild
And i dont think itd be that much of a difference if they release att / vz iphone separately they do device updates for portables, desktops differently and the usual ipod updates etc.
But the fact remains how are they going to exactly implement two separate phones for carriers that use different cell tech, and implement them properly
I highly doubt there will be a vz iphone for as much as id like one...not until other 4g/lte services are out in the wild
Eraserhead
Mar 4, 05:47 PM
It does not.
To expand.
According to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10464617
Only 18 teachers have been sacked in the UK for incompetence over the past 40 years. You could increase that figure by 500x or something and even at that level it would be extremely difficult for the unions to get public sympathy for teachers being treated badly. Given there are half a million teachers in the UK, even with 500x more of them being fired for incompetence that would still only be 225 a year or 0.05% of them a year.
There is no way that the unions have that kind of power - I think its far more likely to be down to too much bureaucracy.
Teachers on average make more than private sector employees. The average in Ohio is $50,314, source
But you of course have to take education levels into account, so that isn't even true.
The two economists work out the fraction of American workers� pay that cannot be explained by factors such as differences in education and experience. This �wage premium� reflects the extent to which workers have been able to extract more pay than is merited by their qualifications. Those who believe that America�s state workers are vastly overpaid will be surprised to learn that this premium is in fact higher in the private sector than in the public sector in many American states. But states where the opposite is true are ones like California, Florida and New York
http://www.economist.com/node/18285587?story_id=18285587
To expand.
According to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10464617
Only 18 teachers have been sacked in the UK for incompetence over the past 40 years. You could increase that figure by 500x or something and even at that level it would be extremely difficult for the unions to get public sympathy for teachers being treated badly. Given there are half a million teachers in the UK, even with 500x more of them being fired for incompetence that would still only be 225 a year or 0.05% of them a year.
There is no way that the unions have that kind of power - I think its far more likely to be down to too much bureaucracy.
Teachers on average make more than private sector employees. The average in Ohio is $50,314, source
But you of course have to take education levels into account, so that isn't even true.
The two economists work out the fraction of American workers� pay that cannot be explained by factors such as differences in education and experience. This �wage premium� reflects the extent to which workers have been able to extract more pay than is merited by their qualifications. Those who believe that America�s state workers are vastly overpaid will be surprised to learn that this premium is in fact higher in the private sector than in the public sector in many American states. But states where the opposite is true are ones like California, Florida and New York
http://www.economist.com/node/18285587?story_id=18285587
Mattie Num Nums
Apr 8, 02:49 PM
I'm a current employee at Best Buy and thought I'd offer my two cents on a few issues.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
As a former BBY employee I can tell you a few things that are flawed.
#1 no former or current Best Buy employee would call themselves BBemployee, BBYEmployee would seem more likely. I know its stupid but it is the culture of Best Buy to shorten it to BBY.
#2 You would have no clue if Best Buy was in trouble. As a simple Blue Shirt or even a Black Shirt you would not have this information passed down to you.
#3 Your rant show that you either hate Best Buy for personal reasons or possibly a former employee who has a huge vendetta against the company.
#4 Your rant does nothing to support this discussion.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
As a former BBY employee I can tell you a few things that are flawed.
#1 no former or current Best Buy employee would call themselves BBemployee, BBYEmployee would seem more likely. I know its stupid but it is the culture of Best Buy to shorten it to BBY.
#2 You would have no clue if Best Buy was in trouble. As a simple Blue Shirt or even a Black Shirt you would not have this information passed down to you.
#3 Your rant show that you either hate Best Buy for personal reasons or possibly a former employee who has a huge vendetta against the company.
#4 Your rant does nothing to support this discussion.
batchtaster
May 3, 09:37 PM
I'll buy one when it gets a capacitive pressure based screen/stylus (Like the HTC Flyer)
I'll buy one when it has an 8MHz processor, 13-inch monochrome CRT screen and a big fat "Turbo" button.
I'll buy one when it has an 8MHz processor, 13-inch monochrome CRT screen and a big fat "Turbo" button.
Lurchdubious
Apr 7, 10:02 PM
http://www.jbhifi.com.au/images/apple-ipod-nano-16gb-silver-sku-60921-large.gif
LOVE IT!
LOVE IT!
Mexbearpig
Apr 13, 04:37 PM
Got this little Buddha and Lucky Elephants.
http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k575/julian4444/IMG_20110413_165513.jpg
http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/k575/julian4444/IMG_20110413_165513.jpg
Plymouthbreezer
Aug 7, 02:26 PM
Sweet. $500 for the 20" with the edu discount??
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