Free then exclaimed, "Get out of my f***ing life!" And hung up on us. By now it was becoming clear to us that we weren't going to receive the product we paid for.

Tuan Nguyen at Tom's Hardware ordered a MacPadd to review it on October 23rd. He subsequently tried repeatedly to contact MacPadd or QMS to inquire about the order, but he was ignored.

After going through the confirmation process and payment (done through PayPal), we received an automated response. The website also indicates that the product should ship to the US within "3 to 7 business days."

During the next 7 days following the initial order date, we contacted the vendor several times with no success. The business number constantly goes to a voicemail. An attempt to call the vendor on the 30th of October did not yield any success either. Leaving a voicemail to have a rep respond went unheard.

We never received a shipment confirmation, tracking email notification, or any other type of email to indicate that the product would be delayed, was unavailable, or was on back order.

Suffice to say, we were getting a bit worried.

After looking through the PayPal transaction record, we were able to find another business contact number listed by PayPal for QMS Inc. We called that several times. No answer either.

The only way Nguyen managed to get the owner to acknowledge him was by opening a dispute with through PayPal. But even that didn't resolve things, with Free first breaking promises to send a tracking number, then sending one that turned out to be for another customer's order, then eventually threatening to sue Nguyen and/or Tom's Hardware.

It gets crazier from there, and includes accusations of mental illness, vague threats, and evidence that others have complained about being ripped off by MacPadd.com. Eventually PayPal resolved the dispute in favor of Tom's Hardware and that was that. Well, except for the follow-up article Nguyen wrote to warn others away from the MacPadd, which drew more rants from Free, who signed up as a commenter on the tomshardware.com site to leave personal attacks.

When you buy something from an untested, small-time online vendor, always do a search for complaints first, both on Google and with the Better Business Bureau. Hopefully the experience that Tom's Hardware had with MacPadd.com will stick around online for a long time to warn future shoppers.

"Company to Avoid: QMS Inc./MacPadd.com" [Tom's Hardware]

The new service, Blockbuster Express Digital, will be tested in a few markets. The initial offering will have about 1,000 movies, which is about 15,000 fewer than Netflix offers on its streaming service, which works with TVs, computers and PS3s, and other devices.

Blockbuster isn't the first company to try to to rent DRM-protected movies that play on proprietary devices. Apple's been doing it for years through iTunes. Of course, to rent movies on iTunes, you don't have to go hunt down a kiosk. You can download them to your computer, iPhone, iPod or Apple TV and watch them instantly. How's Apple doing with that? CEO Steve Jobs calls Apple TV his "hobby," and when the company released an upgraded version of the box last month, it didn't exactly take the world by storm.

So, yeah, good luck with that Blockbuster. It's nice to have a hobby.

NCR, MOD Systems begin digital kiosk download revolution in Entertainment with first technical trial in retail [Press Release]

866-246-7344

(Photo: walkerspace)

Storm8 makes games like Vampires Live and iMobsters, that operate very similar to the popular Facebook game "Mafia Wars," including letting you spend real money to get better weapons and more energy in the game. Many of Storm8's titles are top iPhone game app downloads, probably because each game says that you can get extra points in it if you download one of their other games.

BoingBoing reports that the number harvesting was hidden until the company noted it in August, chalking it up as a bug. However, the lawsuits says that only "very specific and specialized software code" could do that. Storm8 has not returned BoingBoing's requests for comment.

Lawsuit text (PDF)

iPhone game dev accused of stealing players' phone numbers [BoingBoing] (Photo: Cаvin 〄)

(Click chart to view full-size)

"Total Cost of Ownership: Motorola Droid vs iPhone 3GS vs Palm Pre vs MyTouch 3G" [BillShrink]

Aaron told us his story to express his amazement that even though the screen was cracked, the iPod still worked. But he got more than he bargained for when a Colorado Apple Store manager read about his plight and sent him a new iPod Classic — this one with 40 gigs of more memory. The manager writes:

My store manager [redacted] and I were moved by an article posted recently on the Consumerist.com website entitled "Marine Declares War On iPod, Which Lives To Tell The Tale" and penned by Phil Villarreal, dated Wed. Oct. 14th 2009. Original posting here.

The article describes how a Marine named "Aaron" stationed in Afghanistan had virtually destroyed his iPod in the line of duty, and was pleasantly surprised by it's continued operation. We'd like to honor Aaron's declaration of support for Apple, as well as his service to his country and send Aaron a new 160gb iPod Classic! I am hoping that you or Mr. Villarreal can assist us in this task.

If at all possible, please provide Aaron's mailing address overseas and we will send the device asap. We certainly will keep his personal information confidential. We could also obtain his address via marinefinder.com if we were to obtain his full name (First, middle and last). However, you are not able to provide this info, may I ask if you have any suggestions on next steps for us?

We forwarded the email to Aaron, who wrote back a few days later to say his new iPod has reached his parents' home. Maybe it's best that the new iPod stays away from Humvees.

(Photo: ColumbusCameraOp)

He writes:

Mid-August, I asked my girlfriend to use my account to buy an iPod classic of the 120GB variety. I finally received it here in Afghanistan at the end of September. Well I'm not the most graceful Marine out there. A week after getting my iPod, I dropped it in front of an oncoming Humvee. Consequently, it was run over, yet it still worked perfectly. I gave much of the credit to the soft sand compressing rapid and the speed of the Humvee as to why my iPod wasn't completely obliterated. Either way, I was happy enough to still have a functioning iPod. In case you didn't know, the curb weight of an up-armored Humvee is about 7,300 lbs.

Two days later, I was sitting inside of a Humvee with the iPod in my lap and a single bud in my ear, without music playing. I tried to close the door but something was stopping it from closing it. I chalked it up to it being a dirty locking mechanism from all the sand. So I attempted to slam the door shut a second time. It still wouldn't close. I look down to make sure the door wasn't being blocked by anything. Lo and behold, my iPod was sitting between the door and the frame. I slammed my iPod in the 500 lbs. door not once, but twice. Although my screen was shattered into oblivion, my iPod still works. I can still listen to music to my heart's content.

I have to send my Kudos out to Apple on the sturdy design of these iPods. I sure portable media devices aren't normally manufactured to withstand this kind of abuse.

The iPod is now officially war zone tested, and have proven tough enough to be issued as standard issue equipment for our soldiers overseas.

(Photo: Jeremy_Schultz)

But sure enough, when she scurried down to the pavement to retrieve the device, it was still playing that newfangled rock-and-roll music the kids are listening to these days. Bob writes:

Had to share this story with you: my daughter attends the University of Pittsburgh and lives on a 9th floor dorm. During the recent G-20 riots in Pittsburgh, she was looking out the window to see what was going on. She accidently dropped her iPod Classic out the open window and it fell 9 floors, landing on the asphalt below. Fearing the worse, she immediately went downstairs and was amazed that — even though the corner of the device was dented — the unit turned on and has worked flawlessly ever since!

Thanks Apple!

It's a stunning story because electronic devices rarely survive the fall from my hip pocket to the floor, let alone from a high-rise into a demonstration.

But even more amazing than the whole iPod-surviving-the-plunge aspect of Bob's daughter's iPod was that it was a rare call from a college student to a parent in which the topic was NOT "Send me more money."

(Photos: tristam sparks, reddevil1)

AT&T wireless head Ralph de la Vega issued a statement declaring that the shift was a response to customer demand:

IPhone is an innovative device that dramatically changed the game in wireless when it was introduced just two years ago. Today's decision was made after evaluating our customers' expectations and use of the device compared to dozens of others we offer.

Of course, a little prodding from the FCC probably didn't hurt. The decision to allow VOIP apps won't directly affect Google Voice, though the FCC is also looking into Apple's long-running "evaluation" of the service.

AT&T Reverses Policy on iPhone Internet Calls [NYTimes.com]

Despite these challenges, Psystar continues to sell its computers online, and recently unveiled its own version of Apple's Snow Leopard software. According to the company:

In an effort to spread the Snow Leopard experience to an ever expanding number of people, the licensing initiative will allow manufacturers to have their hardware Psystar certified and have their computers pre-loaded with our unique technology.

The company's prices look competitive, and the licensing option could drive overall pricing down even further, if any companies are brave enough to join Psystar in its fight against Apple. However, buying a Psystar isn't for the faint of heart. Customers aren't eligible for Apple's normal software and hardware support. And upgrades are, oh, complicated. While new customers can use Snow Leopard, if you've got an older Psystar, you may want to skip it. According to the company, upgrading "may cause harm to your computer, resulting in possible re-installation of OS X 10.5 and a loss of data."

Psystar To Sell 'Secret Sauce' Behind Mac Clones [InformationWeek]

In a filing made earlier this year, Apple objected to the Woolworths logo, which the chain unveiled last year. Nilay Patel, a former trademark lawyer who now writes for Engadget, thinks Apple has no chance of prevailing:

Sure, it'll be big news if Apple's opposition is successful and Woolworths [trademark] registration is denied — and we'll obviously cover it if it happens — but chances are that Woolworths and Apple's highly-paid attorneys are going to quietly go through the trademark process and come out with an agreement, and we'll never hear about this again.

Woolworths' trademark application does, however, include the potential to branch out into electronics stores, though that's not likely to be enough of a reason for the company to be forced to drop the logo. As Hans Hulsbosch, who designed the logo, told Austranian newspaper The Age, "based on this logic, they would have to take action against every fruit-seller." Just give them time, Hans. Give them time.

Apple, Woolworths in Australian trademark dispute, media in hysterically confused panic [Engadget]

Apple bites over Woolworths logo [The Age]

The previous software for Mac users, PocketSync, didn't do much other than sync contacts between the user's computer and smartphone, which set the bar quite low. CNET's review shows the software to be more useful, with a pleasant, more Mac-like interface, but still lacking all of the functionality of the Windows version. Quelle surprise.

BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac: Hands-on [CNET]

My fiance and I are currently in the market for a new home. We found one in a great neighborhood that we absolutely fell in love with and decided to get pre-approved for a mortgage. Imagine our surprise when our mortgage counselor informs us that my fiances credit is less than desirable. We are both working professionals with long credit histories who pay on-time. When we asked what the problem was, she told us that the Juniper credit card that my fiance used to purchase an Apple computer earlier in the year was showing as more than 30 days late.

When we contacted Juniper about the issue, we were informed that my fiance had paid the month in question too early to be credited towards that billing cycle. How early? 3 hours. She paid the card off three hours too soon. And not at some random, early morning hour. The payment posted at 4pm and was technically due at 7pm. Who would have thought that a bank would post a payment at COB? I guess not Juniper. As a result, late fees began to accumulate and they reported her to the credit agencies. When speaking with them on the phone, she repeatedly got the "canned answer" from their representative as they denied any wrongdoing. Where does that leave us? Out of the housing market. Thanks, Juniper.

In the hopes that others won't get caught in a trap like this, I wanted to share with you guys.

We recommend that John and his fiancee not take this sitting down. Her case seems ideal for a credit report dispute, or escalating her case as high within the company as she can.

RELATED:
How To Fix Your Credit Report When Creditors Won't Admit Their Mistakes
EECB Finally Gets Someone At Bank Of America To Listen, Admit Responsibility
Asking For Lower APR Gets Juniper iTunes Rewards VISA Card Closed Against Man's Will

(Photo: Nesster)

After a few tests, the Apple Genius determined that Manoj's phone was dropping 22 percent of its calls, which turns out to actually be "excellent" compared to most iPhone users in the New York area, where a dropped call rate of 30 percent is said to be average — according to the dude at the store, anyhow. The Genius further went on to confirm that the phone was indeed "fully functional," and that the problem is "consistent with the service provided by AT&T."

"Apple Genius says 30 percent iPhone call drop rate is average in New York" [Engadget]
(Photo: DeaPeaJay)

ZipCar turns your iPhone into a virtual keyfob! [IntoMobile]

When I pick up, a recorded message tells me to call in to talk to them about my account. I finally did today so they would stop calling me. The CSR asked me how they could help me today. I said, you tell me, you're the ones who keep calling me saying I have to call in. After she checked my account she said the only thing might be that AT&T wanted me to know that I qualified for a free phone upgrade. Thanks anyway, I said, but I'll just stick with my iPhone 3GS. I'm not even sure what they think they can "upgrade" you to from an iPhone 3GS.

Any other AT&T customers get calls like this?

(Photo: revertebrate)

Pizza Hut iPhone App [iTunes Store] (Thanks to Dirk!)

According to recent reports, Microsoft is actively trying to convince Apple Store managers to come over to the dark side, offering them raises, moving expenses and other perks. After joining up, the new 'softies are expected to assimilate as many of their former colleagues as possible. According to Apple-watcher Jim Dalrymple:

Once hired, the ex-Apple employees are then contacting some of the top sales people in the Apple retail organization offering them positions at Microsoft retail. They have also been offered more money than what they made at Apple.

We still don't quite understand why Microsoft's getting into the retail game at all; the company seems to sell more than enough Xboxes, software and Zunes without the added costs of setting up shop in every mall in America. OK, maybe not Zunes, but the retail presence won't really make a whole lot of difference there.

Poaching from the competition is a time-honored tradition in just about every industry, so it's hard to fault Microsoft for going after the Apple corps. But PC World's David Coursey has a point when he says that, "if the Mac, iPod, and iPhone are really a lifestyle and not mere gizmos, then the true believers will stay. And Apple has many more of the truly faithful than East Germany had."

Then again, Microsoft can tempt them with "a few extra thousand dollars a year, maybe a polo to replace the Apple t-shirt, and the opportunity to work at a company with a better career path than Apple might offer." And don't forget those Zunes. Microsoft has to do something with all of the unsold inventory.

Microsoft poaching Apple store managers and sales staff [The Loop]
If Microsoft Poaches Apple Store Workers, Good Riddance [PC World]

(Photo: Torley)

This week, Michael Klurfeld wrote at Techgeist about his own experience. He discovered that while the external sensors of his phone indicated water damage, the more accurate one inside the phone did not. The problem for frustrated consumers is finding someone who will listen and open up their phones.

According to an Apple Inc. representative speaking on behalf of its general counsel's office, Apple's protocol when responding to a customer whose iPhone has a triggered external liquid indicator is to say that the warranty is now void and to turn the customer away. The warranty states that it does not apply "to damage caused by… liquid spill or submersion," (from Apple's Warranty) yet, again according to this representative, "Apple's standard protocol" is to not open iPhones and investigate for real signs of liquid damage, such as water damage to the motherboard or corrosion.

In my experience the only way to get Apple to check for water damage is to contact someone high up in the company who will then instruct Apple's in-store technicians to open up the phone. When I went to the store to have this done, the tech reported that he had found no signs of water damage, and the two internal moisture detectors had not been triggered – he even showed me a picture corroborating this. Unfortunately, however, it is Apple's policy that customers are not allowed to have copies of their picture, to be present while the device is opened, or to take their own pictures of the opened iPhone.

We've heard about this problem from a few readers. For example, here's Matt's story:

So I head to my local Apple store and make an appointment to have a Genius look at my phone. He takes one look at the dock connector on the bottom of the phone and immediately says it has water damage. He checks the water damage sensors and confirms that they have been tripped. Well, that's a problem, since no water or liquid of any kind has ever come in contact with my iPhone. He tells me that the dock connector has, "serious corrosion," "this is the most corroded I've seen an iPhone in quite some time," "serious water damage," "no way this could happen without being submerged in water." I asked him if the damage could be due to condensation or humidity and he said there was absolutely no way, the device at one point or another, "was submerged in water or had water poured onto it." I inform him that isn't the case and he tells me that once the water damage sensor is triggered that his hands are tied.

While Matt was eventually compensated for the replacement phone he purchased after hours of talking to Apple representatives, his experience is apparently quite common.

What should iPhone users do? Chat with Apple's executive customer service. Fight to have that internal sensor looked at, if you have to.

Apple iPhone Abuse Detection Sensors: Who Is Abusing Whom? [Techgeist]

Top 25 Most Valuable Brands

1. Coca-Cola
2. IBM
3. Microsoft
4. GE
5. Nokia
6. McDonald's
7. Google
8. Toyota
9. Intel
10. Disney
11. HP
12. Mercedes-Benz
13. Gillette
14. Cisco
15. BMW
16. Louis Vuitton
17. Marlboro
18. Honda
19. Samsung
20. Apple
21. H&M
22. American Express
23. Pepsi
24. Oracle
25. Nescafe

The big losers on the list were mostly car brands — Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW all slipped at least one spot on the list compared to 2008. American Express also took a big hit - dropping 7 places on the 2009 list.

(Photo:balmes)

According to this Apple user forum discussion, if your company's Exchange server has encryption enabled on its ActiveSync settings, then anyone with the 3G model running the new 3.1 OS will find that they can no longer connect. Instead they get this error message: "The account '——-' requires encryption which is not supported on this iPhone."

Hopefully Apple will release an update to the update shortly, or your company's IT department will get all "who cares" about security and turn off encryption. In the meantime, clutch your phone dearly and keep away from any OS improvements until at least a few days have passed to reveal any hidden problems.

"iPhone 3.1 Won't Sync w/ Exchange" [Apple Support Discussions] (Thanks to Casey!)
(Photo: thms.nl)

Most of Microsoft's anti-Linux pitch focuses on familiarity, reliability, and ease-of-use, and the inaccuracies are on the order of statements like, "Linux is a self-help solution. There are no step-by-step tutorials provided, and help documentation is limited." True? Only if you ignore the hundreds of online tutorials, not to mention the wizards that make installing distros like Ubuntu at least as easy as working with Vista.

Still, we sort of agree with PC World's Tony Bradley, who points out that "Linux is getting easier and more mainstream as time goes on, but we're talking about Best Buy customers. ... they tend to buy a computer system like they buy a microwave or a dishwasher. They just want a computing ‘appliance' to set on the desk and connect to the Internet." If that's the case,though, how to do Microsoft's "assassins" go after the Mac? Oh, right, it's expensive. Guess they had a hard time using that argument against Linux, given its price point of, oh, free.

Microsoft trains Best Buy Linux assassins [ZDNet]
Microsoft and Best Buy Gang Up On Linux [PC World]
Microsoft helps Best Buy employees troll Mac users, too [Ars Technica]

The story had a security guard on duty after a previous robbery, but the thieves claimed to be armed. We certainly wish them luck trying to get a SIM installed in those demo iPhones, though.

Jersey Thugs Clear Apple Store in Seconds [PC World]
Smash and grab theft at Apple Store [ABC 6]
Thieves Clean Out an Apple Store in 31 Seconds [YouTube]

Robert went to buy some headphones at his local Apple store. Once he arrived, he realized that the cash registers were missing and there was a notice up about renovations. That was apparently the last sign he saw during his time in the store.

Once I located my headphones, and swore under my breath at the price, I proceeded to head to the Genus Bar to get some help. After waiting in line, for 15 minutes, I was told by the Genus – wearing a navy blue – that I needed to find a sales person. He redirected me to a lady who could help me. The assisting lady – wearing an orange – then told me what each of the colored shirts meant.

[...]

Okay, so now I need to find a light blue person to help me out. I spotted one, lassoed him, and promptly asked him to ring me up. Little did I know, he was one of the Light Blue people who just sell things, he couldn't help me out. Oh, and he didn't know which Light Blue could ring me up – another 5 minutes wasted.

In all, he says he spent 30 minutes waiting in lines to talk to the wrong people, which could have been averted with some signs to explain where to go.

The Apple stores we've been in here in NYC seem to still use clearly marked checkout areas. In case your Apple store decides to hide the registers, however, here's the color system that the lady in orange explained to Robert:

• Orange is here to help you find who you need to find
• Royal Blue are the managers
• Navy Blue are the Geniuses
• Light Blue are the sales people
• Light Blue are also (if you are lucky) the ones who ring you up

"Color Coded Employees – Why The Apple Store Lost A Customer" [Whalertly]
(Photo: Omar Omar and Steve Parker)

After a technician began looking through the computer, images of naked 10- to 13-year-old girls in suggestive and explicit poses were found, according to court documents.

...

Court documents show Miller came into the store Sunday afternoon because his Power Mac G5, a high-end desktop computer, was pulling photos from its hard drive and using them to overwrite thumbnails of other pictures in his photo libraries.

When an Apple technician told Miller they would need to keep his computer overnight he refused to let them keep it because he needed to pay bills with the computer, court records show.

At least we know that the technician had a valid excuse to see random folders full of image files on the computer, and didn't go randomly looking for porn. Illegal material found during the process of computer repair is admissible in court.

Move over, Chris Hansen. Catching a predator: there's an app for that.

Fairfield man arrested after Stamford Apple store worker allegedly finds child porn on computer [The Advocate]
Apple Genius Finds Child Porn on G5 In Need of Repair [Gizmodo]

RELATED:
Delete Your Porns: Court Says You Have No Right To Privacy When Your Computer Is Repaired

(Photo: Stamford Advocate)

Short version of events: It's all Apple's fault. Apple is allegedly not only annoyed at Google's domination of the iPhone platform, but lying outright about what happened to the Google Voice app.

According to Apple's statement to the FCC, the Google Voice application is still being held because it so radically alters the way that regular phone calls are made and text messages composed on the phone.

The application has not been approved because, as submitted for review, it appears to alter the iPhone's distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone's core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging and voicemail. Apple spent a lot of time and effort developing this distinct and innovative way to seamlessly deliver core functionality of the iPhone.

Apple also took the opportunity to explain that yes, they do reject some applications at AT&T's request: namely, some VoIP and television applications.

There is a provision in Apple's agreement with AT&T that obligates Apple not to include functionality in any Apple phone that enables a customer to use AT&T's cellular network service to originate or terminate a VoIP session without obtaining AT&T's permission. Apple honors this obligation, in addition to respecting AT&T's customer Terms of Service, which, for example, prohibit an AT&T customer from using AT&T's cellular service to redirect a TV signal to an iPhone. From time to time, AT&T has expressed concerns regarding network efficiency and potential network congestion associated with certain applications, and Apple takes such concerns into consideration.

In AT&T makes a point in their press release to remind consumers that they can still access Google Voice through its web interface:

AT&T does not block consumers from accessing any lawful website on the Internet. Consumers can download or launch a multitude of compatible applications directly from the Internet, including Google Voice, through any web-enabled wireless device. As a result, any AT&T customer may access and use Google Voice on any web-enabled device operating on AT&T's network, including the iPhone, by launching the application through their web browser, without the need to use the Apple App Store.

So that's what the companies say. It's all quite understandable and innocuous. Too bad it isn't actually true. Techcrunch's sources claim that most of the responses are lies, half-truths, or at best, misleading.The part of Google's statement that deals with this subject is, tellingly, redacted in the version released to the public.

Multiple sources at Google tell us that in informal discussions with Apple over the last few months Apple expressed dismay at the number of core iPhone apps that are powered by Google. Search, maps, YouTube, and other key popular apps are powered by Google. Other than the browser, Apple has little else to call its own other than the core phone, contacts and calendar features. The Google Voice App takes things one step further, by giving users an incentive to abandon their iPhone phone number and use their Google Voice phone number instead (transcription of voicemails is reason enough alone). Apple was afraid, say our sources, that Google was gaining too much power on the iPhone, and that's why they rejected the application.

The Truth: What's Really Going On With Apple, Google, AT&T And The FCC [Techcrunch]
Apple Answers The FCC's Questions [Apple]
ATT Response to FCC iPhone Letter [Scribd]
Google Response to FCC [Scribd]

PREVIOUSLY:
FCC Asks Apple, AT&T To Explain Why They Rejected Google Voice App
Three Ways To Use Google Voice On Your iPhone
Who Killed The Google Voice iPhone Application?

(Photo: dcwriterdawn)

A class action started in a Louisana district court alleging that Apple and AT&T touted the iPhone as supporting MMS (multimedia messaging service) but have not as yet provided the service.

The plaintiffs allege that Apple "advertised heavily that the new version of iPhone, the 3G, as well as the even newer version the 3G-S would allow MMS. Apple's print and video advertisements in and on television, the internet, the radio, newspapers and direct mailers all touted the availability of MMS." AT&T advertised the same functionality, the filing says.

Earlier this year AT&T stated vehemently that the only delay in getting MMS functionality up and running was that they had to manually switch over everyone's accounts in order to avoid billing mistakes. That's right: there's no MMS yet, here in the final days of August, beacause AT&T has a room of temps furiously going through and adjusting the billing settings on customer account records.

But TD Daily notes, "Apple, says the filings, has revealed that AT&T has never upgraded its towers so as to support MMS functionality."

According to TG Daily, the suit "will consist of at least 10,000 individuals."

"Apple, AT&T sued for lack of MMS capability" [TG Daily]
(Photo: roland)

Such was Xavier's experience when he searched for a replacement to his out-of-warranty MacBook battery. His feel-good story:

I realize that there are many positive Apple stories, but I would say this one is a bit above and beyond even for Apple, well, after a few hoops.

I purchase a 15" Apple MacBook Pro in September 2007. Around July 2008, I had an issue with my battery and had it easily replaced at the Michigan Avenue Apple Store. Fast forward to a year later, and my battery began acting wacky. Obviously realizing that the original 1-year warranty on my MBP had expired but thinking the replacement battery carried its own 1-year warranty, I took it into the Apple Store in OakBrook, Illinois. Unfortunately, I was informed that replacement parts carried only a 90-day warranty, and although the part was indeed defective, I was out of luck regarding any complimentary replacement. Annoyed, but realizing I am extended another year of warranty through my credit card, I went home to start the process. My credit card company required proof from Apple that my battery was indeed defective and not just 'out of juice'. I was out of the country for a few weeks, so I wasn't able to get to an Apple Store until Sunday. I arrived at my appointment to the recently opened Apple Store in (redacted) fully expecting to leave with something saying that the battery was bad and a new retail battery purchased by me so I could be reimbursed by my credit card company. I explained what I needed to Sam, the Apple "Genius" helping me. He performed a check on my battery and told me that even though I was outside my warranty, there was no reason my battery should not be able to hold a charge since it was 'so young'; it was indeed defective. He said as long as they had the battery in-store, he'd replace it on the spot free of charge. Luckily, they did, and he did! Very happy was I leaving the store with a new battery and all my money!

Maybe the Apple Store guy would still have replaced Xavier's battery had he gone into the store with an Apple chip on his shoulder and figurative guns blazing, but I wouldn't bet on it. It speaks to the old Wind and the Sun Aesop fable.

David's GF wants to recover data off her old, broken hard drive, but AppleCare won't let her keep the old hard drive, forcing her into a tough position.

David writes:

I've recently had to deal with the headache of a failed hard drive in my girlfriend's Apple Macbook. The good news: its still covered under the AppleCare warranty program. The bad news: she wants to go through some data recovery.

Going through the subsequent AppleCare process has shown me what I consider to be a flaw in their policy; if I want the drive replaced under AppleCare at no charge, I can't keep the bad hard drive to attempt data recovery through a third-party. They are requiring me to return the faulty drive or else buy a new one and pay for the install service. This is so that they can "refurbish all replaced parts". Let me ask you, would you ever consider buying a refurbished hard drive???
Seriously? Would you?

*A brief note: I'm aware that you should back up your data frequently. This is not one of those stories, so yes, that's our bad. But I feel that Apple shares some blame for the problems I'm facing.*

A history of the problem can be summed up as follows:

1) Macbook starts to run really buggy. I call Applecare, they suggest an archive and install of the OS, preserving the old user info in a "previous users" directory.

2) This fails, the "previous users" directory is empty although the hard drive seems to think a large amount of data is still being used.

3) Through white-knuckled efforts utilizing disk utilities like omni-disk sweeper, I'm able to recover this data and back it up.

4) At Apple's suggestion, I bring the computer to a retail location where a "Genius" gives it a cursory check, proclaims the hardware to be ok.

5) One month later, drive fails. Cataclysmically. Its dead.

I now have the option of:

1) Replacing the drive under warranty, lose the data forever.

2) Replace the hard drive at retail cost (at least $300) keep the old drive for future recovery.

3) Conduct data recovery via Apple (at increased cost) and replace drive via AppleCare.

What I want to do is replace the drive and keep the old one so I can do data recovery in a couple months when I have the budget. This is not possible because Apple requires the drive back so they can refurbish and resell (which I doubt they could/should do). This seems like a bureaucratic reason to prevent me from having an opportunity to fix the issue — An issue that could have been avoided if they had replaced the drive when the problem first arose.

I'd get an estimate of AppleCare's data recovery price for the laptop, because 3 would be the most convenient option, and hopefully the cheapest. What would you do?

(Photo: Dabbledoo)

UPDATE: Our reader sumocat figured out that you can do the same thing that we suggest in #1 below without needing to install the Card Caller app at all. See this comment below for how to do it.

1. Set up Card Caller to dial using GV

This free app is designed to let you manage calling cards, what with their long access numbers and PINs and button pushing requirements. That means it also work with Google Voice—you simply set up a "card" that dials your GV number, include your PIN if you've got one (see here for PIN details if this sounds new to you), and customize the dialing pauses. Making a call this way is slooowwwww, but because it's an app it pulls in your contact list to make things slightly easier.

This guy has put together a step-by-step tutorial on how to set up Card Caller on your iDevice.

(Thanks to Fidel!)

2. Create speed-dial bookmarks for your contacts

The smart and funny photographer David Friedman at Ironic Sans—a blog you should already be following just for its entertainment factor—figured out a way to go through your contacts list and generate a series of bookmarks, one for each phone number, that you can store in a subdirectory in your iPhone's Safari bookmarks. One of his readers one-upped him with a Python script that makes it even easier, provided you know how to use a Python script. (Don't worry, the script comes with instructions and is quite easy for newbies to use as long as you're on a Mac.)

"The Google Voice Speed Dial Bookmarklet Generator" [Ironic Sans]

3. Just visit the mobile version of the site on your phone

(Photo: leoncillo)

I run my computers into the ground. They hardly ever sleep, and parts inevitably break after years of constant use. Because of this, I buy AppleCare, which extends Apple's warranty on all parts to three years. It's one of the only extended warranties that's cost effective and easily worth the purchase price. Try repairing a busted Apple at your local computer shop. It won't be cheap.

Over the past two and a half years, Apple has replaced two hard drives and an optical drive on my MacBook Pro. When the optical drive failed for a second time, it constituted the fourth major hardware repair and, at least according to Apple's semi-official policy, made me eligible for a replacement machine. I called and asked for a replacement, and that's what I got.

The new machine was wonderful, except for the atrociously reflective mirror-finish glossy screen. I spend all day with my laptop, and I occasionally suffer from ocular migraines that are triggered, in part, by glare. Migraines are nature's version of waterboarding. They are torture, and most sufferers go to comical lengths to avoid their migraine triggers. I had seen the laptops in the store and somehow deluded myself into thinking that the reflections wouldn't be as bad at home where I could control the lighting. For me, Apple's reflective screen was utterly unusable.

I called Apple and explained the problem. Surprisingly, the wonderful customer relations administrator who oversaw the replacement, Anita M. in Austin, offered to overnight me an anti-glare film. Worth a try!

The films are notoriously difficult to apply, so I brought it into an Apple Store. A cheerful manager applied the film in about 20 minutes, avoiding the bubbles and dust specks that can ruin an anti-glare film. Still, the film didn't help and the screen was still blindingly reflective. Unacceptable!

Still, there was one final option. The third-party vendor TechRestore has a $200 service that replaces glossy screens with beloved matte ones. Though TechRestore claims their work doesn't void AppleCare, a monitor replacement is a very visible change, and Apple could have easily denied me any future repairs.

I called Anita and asked if I could return the new unit and hold onto my old MacBook Pro in the hopes that Apple would reintroduce an anti-glare option before my AppleCare expired in November. Anita said that so long as I called within the warranty period, I'd be able to request a replacement. I don't really use my optical drive, so living without one wasn't a big deal. Getting a replacement laptop that can spend the next three years running without sleep is much more important. I figured I'd use my capable machine as long as possible, and then if need be, request a replacement in November and void the warranty with the TechRestore replacement.

Today, Apple reintroduced the anti-glare screens as a $50 option on their 15" MacBook Pros. I called customer service, explained my case history, and again requested a replacement—this time with the newly available anti-glare option. Apple agreed, and upgraded me to the anti-glare screen free of charge. They even tossed in two free mini Display Port connectors so I could connect my external monitors.

Did Apple need to replace my laptop? No.
Did Apple need to send me an anti-glare film? No.
Did Apple need to install the anti-glare film? No.
Did Apple need to take back their replacement laptop? No.
Did Apple need to send me another replacement? No.
Did Apple need to waive the fee for the anti-glare option? No.
Did Apple need to toss in two free Display Port connectors? No.
Did Apple need to worry that I wasn't already a loyal customer? No.

Apple didn't need to do anything but repair my broken optical drive; instead, they repeatedly went above and beyond. This wasn't a fluke experience, either. Every single Apple employee I spoke with was efficient, helpful, and thoroughly professional. This was service worth paying for. Thank you, Apple.

Why number portability, when the app at the center of the investigation was about far more than that? Because the "telephony experience" has changed so much in recent years that preserving consumer independence involves more than just protecting a phone number—now it extends to things like determining how you route calls to that number, or what level of information you display to specific recipients, and so on.

Dave Rosenberg, a CNET blogger who wrote about this theory, points out that whether it's behind the FCC's investigation or not it's going to be an increasingly important issue for consumers:

For users to ultimately be in control of their telephony experience and to encourage the next wave of telephony innovation, the concept of portability will need to extend beyond just numbers to the telephony user experience.

"Apple, Google Voice, and number portability" [CNET News]
(Photo: mightyohm)

The apps were all from Khalid Shaikh. Several were rip-offs or news aggregators that didn't work properly. MobileCrunch has the story:

Khalid's apps were of questionable value and quality. He has told us over the phone that he is not concerned about creating particularly valuable apps. Instead, he says, he's going for "less product value" and "more monetization." So, instead of developing one or two apps and charging $0.99, Khalid prefers to create hundreds of apps and charge $4.99. The vast majority of his apps simply provide topic-specific news on a given subject. Apps such as "US Army News" and "Skin Care Updates" cost $5, and aggregate articles from various internet sources. He has mastered SEO on the App Store, and uses the App Store's search as a way to target users (or victims, depending on how you look at it). Many have questioned the value of the apps he produces, and there's a small contingent of developers who are absolutely furious about his business. Rightfully so, it seems: a review of an app titled "WWE Updates" reveals that the user isn't just getting updates of World Wrestling Entertainment; he's also getting breaking news about Michael Jackson.

Those who yearned to have Michael Jackson news interspersed with their John Cena exploits must be devastated by the news.

Apple bans App Store's 3rd-most prolific developerMobileCrunch, via [via IntoMobile]
(Photo: Scott_Wallace)

Michael writes:

I bought the latest iPod Shuffle from an Apple Store two days ago to use while I run. 15 minutes into my first run with it the Shuffle completely stopped working. I took it to the store and a courteous salesman used a scope, similar to ones used by doctors to check your ears, to look inside the earphone jack to see if there was water damage. Sure enough the white dot at the bottom had turned pink like an awful pregnancy test. I was told there's nothing to be done about water damage no return, no exchange. He suggested putting the device in the sun for a few hours. I asked if he had heard of any problems with the new Shuffle and he said he hadn't. I then went home and looked at Amazon.com and there are 54 one star reviews for the device most of which complain about how the thing gets damaged and breaks due to moisture from sweat many times very soon after purchase. There's also a substantial thread about this on Apple.com's forum. Like most people I bought the shuffle to clip to my shorts to have a small mp3 player not weigh me down. Too bad the thing can't handle sweat. I wonder if the designers for the Shuffle every exercise outside the test lab.

Sure enough, the Amazon page is rife with complaints about iPod Shuffles breaking during workouts because of sweat. We understand that electronics and moisture usually don't go together, but for a company that is known for its design savvy, Apple probably should have reconciled the Shuffle's moisture sensitivity with its obvious appeal to people who want to listen to music while exercising.

(Photo: dooleymtv)

Ken Stanborough, 47, from Liverpool, dropped his 11-year-old daughter Ellie's iPod Touch last month. "It made a hissing noise," he said. "I could feel it getting hotter in my hand, and I thought I could see vapour". Mr Stanborough said he threw the device out of his back door, where "within 30 seconds there was a pop, a big puff of smoke and it went 10ft in the air".

Mr Stanborough contacted Apple and Argos, where he had bought the device for £162. After being passed around several departments, he spoke to an Apple executive on the telephone. As a result of the conversation, Apple sent a letter to Mr Stanborough denying liability but offering a refund.

The letter also stated that, in accepting the money, Mr Stanborough was to "agree that you will keep the terms and existence of this settlement agreement completely confidential", and that any breach of confidentiality "may result in Apple seeking injunctive relief, damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties".

She's only the latest customer to report an iPod catching fire or exploding, and Apple was happy to keep the story quiet until the past few weeks. A Seattle TV station filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the CPSC, and received 800 pages of information on iPod incidents involving explosions, burns, or fire in the U.S.

This could just be because the devices are so ubiquitous. Or maybe the iPods are plotting to take us all out in a series of tiny, tiny fiery blasts.

Apple tried to silence owner of exploding iPod with gagging order [Times of London]
Apple Downplays Fiery iPod Incidents [KIRO]

RELATED:
iPod Nano Explodes While Charging
Apple Agrees To Replace Exploding First-Gen iPods After Japan Demands Action

(Photo: Joe Hastings)

Here are the questions from their letter to AT&T:

1. What role, if any, did AT&T play in Apple's consideration of the Google Voice and related applications? What role, if any, does AT&T play in consideration of iPhone applications generally? What roles are specified in the contractual provisions between Apple and AT&T (or in any non-contractual understanding between the companies) regarding the consideration of particular iPhone applications?

2. Did Apple consult with AT&T in the process of deciding to reject the Google Voice application? If so, please describe any communications between AT&T and Apple or Google on this topic, including the parties involved and a summary of any meetings or discussions.

3. Please explain AT&T's understanding of any differences between the Google Voice iPhone application and any Voice over Internet Protocol applications that are currently used on the AT&T network, either via the iPhone or via handsets other than the iPhone.

4. To AT&T's knowledge, what other applications have been rejected for use on the iPhone? Which of these applications were designed to operate on AT&T's 3G network? What was AT&T's role in considering whether such applications would be approved or rejected?

5. Please detail any conditions included in AT&T's agreements or contracts with Apple for the iPhone related to the certification of applications or any particular application's ability to use AT&T's 3G network.

6. Are there any terms in AT&T's customer agreements that limit customer usage of certain third-party applications? If so, please indicate how consumers are informed of such limitations and whether such limitations are posted on the iTunes website as well. In general, what is AT&T's role in certifying applications on devices that run over AT&T's 3G network? What, if any, applications require AT&T's approval to be added to a device? Are there any differences between AT&T's treatment of the iPhone and other devices used on its 3G network?

7. Please list the services/applications that AT&T provides for the iPhone, and whether there any similar, competing iPhone applications offered by other providers in Apple's App Store.

8. Do any devices that operate on AT&T's network allow use of the Google Voice application? Do any devices that operate on AT&T's network allow use of other applications that have been rejected for the iPhone?

9. Please explain whether, on AT&T's network, consumers' access to and usage of Google Voice is disabled on the iPhone but permitted on other handsets, including Research in Motion's BlackBerry devices.

These are the questions from their letter to Apple:

1. Why did Apple reject the Google Voice application for iPhone and remove related third-party applications from its App Store? In addition to Google Voice, which related third-party applications were removed or have been rejected? Please provide the specific name of each application and the contact information for the developer.

2. Did Apple act alone, or in consultation with AT&T, in deciding to reject the Google Voice application and related applications? If the latter, please describe the communications between Apple and AT&T in connection with the decision to reject Google Voice. Are there any contractual conditions or non-contractual understandings with AT&T that affected Apple's decision in this matter?

3. Does AT&T have any role in the approval of iPhone applications generally (or in certain cases)? If so, under what circumstances, and what role does it play? What roles are specified in the contractual provisions between Apple and AT&T (or any non-contractual understandings) regarding the consideration of particular iPhone applications?

4. Please explain any differences between the Google Voice iPhone application and any Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications that Apple has approved for the iPhone. Are any of the approved VoIP applications allowed to operate on AT&T's 3G network?

5. What other applications have been rejected for use on the iPhone and for what reasons? Is there a list of prohibited applications or of categories of applications that is provided to potential vendors/developers? If so, is this posted on the iTunes website or otherwise disclosed to consumers?

6. What are the standards for considering and approving iPhone applications? What is the approval process for such applications (timing, reasons for rejection, appeal process, etc.)? What is the percentage of applications that are rejected? What are the major reasons for rejecting an application?

They also sent a letter to Google asking questions about the incident (you can read it at the source article linked below), but really we're just curious to see the responses from Apple and AT&T—how do you spin "because the only way we can make money off of our subscribers is if we keep out disruptive innovation that offers great value"? Also, maybe the FCC can finally solve the mystery of how Apple approves or rejects apps, since nobody else can.

"AT&T & Apple Being Investigated By FCC On Google Voice App; FCC Letters" [mocoNews]

They don't clarify whether the iPhones don't play well with AT&T's network because jailbreaking did something bad to them, or whether AT&T and/or Apple shut jailbroken phones out of the service. They just say,

Services such as Visual Voicemail, YouTube, Weather, and Stocks have been disrupted or no longer work on the device. Additionally, third-party apps that use the Apple Push Notification Service have had difficulty receiving notifications or received notifications that were intended for a different hacked device. Other push-based services such as MobileMe and Exchange have experienced problems synchronizing data with their respective servers.

If you were one of those who recently didn't receive Visual Voicemail messages for a day or more, can you chime in and let us know whether your iPhone is jailbroken? On IntoMobile, a commenter notes that so far he's received "7 voicemails from all over the US intended for other people and no, my iphone isn't jailbroken."

"Unauthorized modification of iPhone OS has been a major source of instability, disruption of services, and other issues" [Apple Support via IntoMobile]
(Photo: respres)

On Monday, July 27th, I purchased what I thought was a new 15in MacBook Pro with 2.66 ghz, 4gb of RAM, 320gb HD, SD card slot, the whole package. Everything worked great. It was much faster than my 3 year old black 13in MacBook. I was happy.

Well, fast forward two days to today, July 29th, and I noticed that there was no SD card slot in sight. So I double checked the box and the receipt and they both said SD in the product description.

Furious, I packed up my brand new, previous model MacBook Pro, and walked 15 minutes in the rain to the Apple Store on 5th Ave. in NYC, hoping to get the proper MacBook Pro with an SD card slot and my data transferred (which I no longer had on my old computer).

Once there, I approached the sales desk and told them about my situation. The sales person then went to speak with his manager. Upon returning, I was informed of the good news that they were going to replace my computer with the computer that should have been what I brought home two nights ago - a 15in MacBook Pro with an SD card slot (the newest model). AND, as an added bonus they weren't going to charge me the restocking fee.

"A restocking fee?" I ask. Yes, they were going to charge me, the customer, for their mistake. But, don't worry, they were going to waive it.

"So what about all that data that took me 1-2 days to transfer from my old MacBook to this "new" one?" I asked. You would think they would throw in the data transfer to accommodate me for my troubles, after all, it is Apple - known for their great customer service. Well, I suppose that they're only accommodating on the day you're going to spend $2,000+ for a new computer.

Turns out I would have to spend $100 dollars for some service just to transfer my data. Again, they were going to charge me for a service you would hope, as an Apple customer, would never come. Now, having just spent $2,000+ on what I thought was the newest model I did not want to spend $100 to transfer my files that I know should only take 20 minutes to do. So, I figured that if they had a spare USB to USB cable, that I would just do it myself. That would cost $100 too since it was a type of service.

At this point, I was quite impatient. Neither the sales person, nor the manager expressed any sympathy whatsoever. Everything came at a cost. Either way you'd look at it, the only party benefiting from this godforsaken situation was Apple.

Option 1: Return the "new" previous model MacBook Pro for the real new one with an SD card slot and lose all my data - data that took 1-2 days to transfer. Don't worry though, Apple was going to waive the restocking fee that they were going to charge me for a mistake that was not my fault.

Option 2: Pay $100 for this data transfer service.

Option 3: Go back home, waste 1-2 days transferring the data from this computer back to my old MacBook and return the computer to get the one that should have been in my possession in the first place.

Obviously, I chose option 3....

Someone needs to take responsibility for what happened here. For a company that prides itself on customer service, this is less than acceptable.

And another question... How are they getting away with selling the previous model at the new model price?

Note: I mistook the "SD" in the product description (see photo) for "SD Card" instead of "SuperDrive." That was my error, not the OP's. I've removed the circle around the "SD" to avoid more confusion. To be clear, model A1286 refers to both the older model and the new one that Will thought he was buying in the first place.

Jason Kincaid over at TechCrunch sees this as only the most recent symptom of ongoing issues with Apple's App Store:

Back when the App Store first launched there were some warnings about its walled garden approach - could developers trust Apple to maintain a fair marketplace? Until recently, Apple has managed the store in a generally benevolent, if not somewhat incompetent manner. But now things are taking a turn for the worse. From a handicapped Sling app to blocked apps from Qik and Google Voice, it's becoming clear that Apple is doing its best to keep many of the iPhone's most game-changing apps away from users. Palm, if you're looking for marketing material - take note.

Don't forget the restrictions on Skype on the iPhone, too—the application is limited to wi-fi use, and can't access the mobile network.

Apple pulling Google Voice-enabled iPhone apps [Apple Insider]
Apple Is Growing Rotten To The Core: Official Google Voice App Blocked From App Store

(Photo: Randy Stewart)