New MBA: first impressions

[itou]

I pride myself in being a generally nice person and I they were totally friendly and nice until I asked for a model without lines.

"and a very reasonable request at that. unfortunately, nobody can guarantee that a replacement would be suffice given your expectations and the circumstance." would be a fair response, yes?

 

[Prenvo]

"and a very reasonable request at that. unfortunately, nobody can guarantee that a replacement would be suffice given your expectations and the circumstance." would be a fair response, yes?

Not really: a replacement without lines would have been great.

It's not as if I was trying to get a new one because of a microscopic notch in the aluminium body; the screen had a major defect in my opinion.

 

[hodgeheg]

To be fair, I have had nothing but exemplary service at my Apple Store. No pressure, very informative, and never felt like "five minutes and my time was up" sort of attitude. That said, I tend to sneak in weekday mornings or afternoons. Would never set foot in the place on a weekend unless it was a quick in and out for something specific. I understand that I am lucky to have that luxury being an independent contractor.

As I stated before when bringing up the "lines" issue, I was told that I could boot up at the store and leave with a machine when I was satisfied. Can't ask for better than that, no?

Manchester Arndale store stated point blank that they've never ever had anyone mention lines, and that the issue doesn't exist - even when presented with a nasty case of it. They also insist that wobbly hinges are designed that way and that there is nothing that can be done about them because they're meant to be like that.

 

[Insulin Junkie]

And even if you are shelling out thousands of dollars, you will not get a thank you or a pleasant experience from anyone on a normal day. I would be amazed to ever get a pleasant experience there.

I've had a great experience at an apple store once - which was also the first time I'd ever set foot in one. I was there to buy a MBP, and while they were fiddling around with it (Installing more RAM, if I remember correctly) one of the folks - an older guy - showed me the projects he'd created in iLife and showed me some amazing stuff with some pro softwares he had installed on one of the iMacs in the shop. I think we were talking for about an hour. He knew what he was talking about, was informative, and even gave me his name and number at the store for if I had any more questions. Upon leaving the store I thought to myself 'wow, so this is the apple experience'. (Yeah, marketing got to my brain yet?)

Sadly I've never had an experience like that in years now. I remember heading in for a mighty mouse once, and asked a 'genius' what justified the notably higher price over regular mice in different stores - I was expecting he'd give me a run-down of its features - but instead I got the acid stare and a brief 'well, it's apple' comment. I felt like throwing the thing back into his face.

Incidentally, I haven't been to a single apple store and asked about the air without the 'genius' telling me to stay clear of it. Funny marketing strategy, huh!
Me: "What about this air here..."
'Genius': *shocked face expression* "Go with the macbook instead"!!
Had that happen to me a whole 4 times, I found it kind of amusing. I'll make a mental note to myself not to ask any 'genius' what he thinks of it when I get the rev. C.

 

[Prenvo]

Me: "What about this air here..."
'Genius': *shocked face expression* "Go with the macbook instead"!!
Had that happen to me a whole 4 times, I found it kind of amusing. I'll make a mental note to myself not to ask any 'genius' what he thinks of it when I get the rev. C.

Haha! I was told I shouldn't buy the MacBook Air three times

I wonder why Apple retail staff think the MBA is a waste of space?

 

[nph]

I got the same treatment at the Plano TX Apple store, they were nice but couldn't see the lines no matter how much I showed them. Not even when compared to the old Rev A machines for appointments with the Genius bar that interestingly enough the staff was running around with. Don't get me wrong, they were all polity and nice but could not see any lines. And trust me they were very visible on the display machines.
Otherwise I like the store and the people working there.

I have looked at close to 10 different MBAs in different stores and any machine I have seen have had the lines, with 9C90 being the better version.
Only version that doesn't have them is the version I got when I ordered from Amazon that has the screen 9c8F which interestingly enoughy is the same model that rev A had which got me hooked on Air to start with.
I agree that you can still use the machine but if I buy a machine for $2k (SSD version) it better have a screen that is good. Dont see why anyone should accept an inferior screen since the 'lines' also makes the colors more dull.
I am so happy with the screen I got so that regardless of rev C whenever it shows up wouldn't prompt me to trade and given the price I need to make this one last for a long time.

I know several people think they will use the new battery in a rev C but since it is only in the 17" MBP so far I expect the 15" version to get it first and I also suspect there might be issues to squeeze it into the MBA at this point.

So, there was a long rambling...
If they can hopefully it can be retrofitted in rev B once my battery dies...

 

[xpovos]

I got the same treatment at the Plano TX Apple store, they were nice but couldn't see the lines no matter how much I showed them. Not even when compared to the old Rev A machines for appointments with the Genius bar that interestingly enough the staff was running around with. Don't get me wrong, they were all polity and nice but could not see any lines.

Haha, didn't you know that all Apple retail personnel have been extensively trained to fail to see or recognize any problem with an Apple product? And the more expensive the product, the more extensive the training. You could take a maxed-out 17" MacBook Pro in there on fire, in flames, and I'm convinced most of their "geniuses" would still ask what's the problem. "Well, as you can see, it's on fire." -- "Perfectly normal for this model. It's within spec."

 

[Prenvo]

"It's within spec."

ROAR @ that phrase.

I must have heard that about three times during my conversation with a "Genius"