It’s a sad day for cheap vain people, the Apple Store has blocked MySpace. One can no longer hog the computers taking pursed-lipped self-portraits with PhotoBooth and uploading them to MySpace. Apparently, such people were clogging up the Macs for hours at a time.
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J.W. Marriott Saves The Day
By 5.26.07
Eric flew from Portland to Washington to give a presentation, but forgot to bring the DVI-VGA adaptor needed to connect his MacBook Pro to his client’s LCD projector. Eric caught the mistake at the Portland airport, so he looked up the number of his hotel, the J.W. Marriott on Pennsylvania Avenue, and asked for their help.
The operator was very patient with me as I quickly summarized my situation. She connected me with HD at the Marriott’s Audio/Visual Department. I spoke with HD regarding my rookie Mac mistake. HD informed me that one of their staff would go out and purchase the cable for me.
Eric wasn’t staying in the Presidential suite, nor was he a VIP, even though he was treated like one. The adaptor he found waiting for him at the front desk bore a J.W. Marriott sticker, and was lent to Eric free of charge. “I think their idea was that they probably needed that cable anyways and if they could help a customer out then it was a win-win situation.”
RESOLVED: Geek Squad Fixed My iPod By Sending Me A Broken One
By 5.18.07
When Charlie’s iPod died, again, she took it to Best Buy, again, as it was under one of those extended warranties they push. What she got back in the mail was an even more messed up iPod. When she took it to the store, they were kinda jerks about it. After her complaint got posted here, Best Buy swooped in.
Marriott's ISP Blames Scam Site Redirect On World's First Bisexual Rootkit
By 5.18.07
There’s been a comment war boiling as Marriott, Will, and the hotel’s internet access company (GTS) duke it out to discern the vulnerability redirecting Marirott internet using guests to a casino scam site.
Slideon: The Mp3/Video Player With Sliding iPod Killer Controls
By 5.16.07
This audio/video player designed by Consumerist Flickr pool member unleashedlive features a sliding control panel that hides under the playing screen, just like with a slider cellphone. The maker of this 3d rendering says it would use flash memory and be chargeable via the headphone jack.
iPods May Affect Pacemakers
By 5.11.07
Thinking of buying Gramps an iPod for his birthday? If he has a pacemaker, you might want to hold off according to a new study “presented by a 17-year-old high school student to a meeting of heart specialists on Thursday.” A high school student? Yeah!
Canon Treats Digital Rebel XT Owner Like Pawnshop Scavenger
By 5.11.07
Consumerist alum Joel Johnson has a beef with Canon and their decision to treat him, the proud purchaser of Canon Digital Rebel XT, like he found the camera in a dumpster.
Geek Squad Fixed My iPod By Sending Me A Broken One
By 5.7.07
Charlie gave her 4th gen iPod to Geek Squad for warranty repair. They promised her a new iPod in return. Instead, she received an iPod with a sad face screen. When she shook it, its hard drive rattled around. There was a ding in the side. The back of the iPod was buffed shiny, so much so you couldn’t hardly see the iPod logo. When she took it back to the store, she says they were kinda obnoxious to her. The iPod is sent away again, but her hopes are not high.
A Song For You: "We Like Having These Things," by Numbers
By 5.4.07
Happy Friday, here’s a song we found on the internet that felt very fitting for our readers put in their iPod, “We Like Having These Things,” a jagged post-punk paean to consumerism, by the band Numbers.
Get Your Defective Laptop Replaced By Sending Well-Written Emails To Steve Jobs
By 5.1.07
We have, on occasion, heard tales of people emailing Steve Jobs and magically, as if carried on the wings of angels, a new laptop appears at their door, along with 12 lbs of really good salami, a bubblegum machine, and one of those rare Star Wars posters that everyone wants. Apparently, there is a little bit of truth to the legend. Don’t worry vegans, there’s no salami.
Best Of Apple Computer
By 4.25.07
Chris finally had to put a hold on his repair so that he could retrieve the disc from Apple before they installed the new one. Guess what he found.
Apple: If We've Never Seen It Break Before, It's Not Covered By Your Warranty
By 4.24.07
The center pin from her power brick BROKE OFF in the computer. Now, Apple’s infamous for power-cords that fray and break, but this is a totally new failure in my 18 years as a sysadmin. NEVER have I seen the pin of a power adapter break off in its computer.
UPDATE: Apple: No, You Can't Have Your Data Back, We're Keeping It
By 4.10.07
Perhaps you recall Chris who had the “unrecoverable” hard drive that Apple wouldn’t let him keep? Chris was concerned that Apple was incorrect, and that the disk might in fact be recoverable by someone, and so he wanted it back. He asked nicely. He offered money. Sadly, nothing worked. Apple’s policy was to keep the disc. Chris could either get his new hard drive or his old one, but not both.
Microsoft Joins Apple In Offering DRM-Free Music
By 4.8.07
Following Apple’s lead, Microsoft has announced that the Zune Marketplace will offer DRM-free downloads from EMI’s catalogue. Microsoft also claims to be discussing similar arrangements with other music labels.
“The EMI announcement on Monday was not exclusive to Apple,” said Katy Asher, a Microsoft spokeswoman on the Zune team, in an e-mail to the IDG News Service today. She said Microsoft has been talking with EMI and other record labels “for some time now” about offering unprotected music on its Zune players in an effort to meet the needs of its customers.
Microsoft has kept mum on the specifics. We don’t yet how the price or quality of Microsoft’s music will stack up against Apple’s offering, nor do we know when the DRM-free music will be made available on the Zune Marketplace. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
Apple: Barely Perceptible Cosmetic Dent Invalidates Your Warranty
By 4.6.07
Hannah bought a refurbished Mac. 9 months later the hard drive died, so Hannah brought her Mac to the Apple Store to have the disk repaired under Apple’s 1 year warranty.
Apple: No, You Can't Have Your Data Back, We're Keeping It
By 4.5.07
I asked if I can buy a new hard drive, in order to get the old drive back: “No.”
Rumor: iPhone Battery Lasts For Only 40 Minutes Of Talk Time
By 4.5.07
The iPhone battery lasts for only 40 minutes of talk time, according to intel tech guru John Dvorak received from an inside Cingular source.
