Screwed by Apple on order, What now?

[denovich]

Total cost of Dell + cost of searching for spyware + cost of searching for viruses + cost of time spent erasing viruses and spyware + cost of time spent frequently re-installing Windows + cost of time spent investigating Linux + cost of time spent installing Linux + cost of time spent switching back to Windows because you don't like Linux + cost of time spent searching for viruses + ........

Not Applicable. I'm quite experienced in administering both platforms. I had both personal machines and servers on the net since '91, and in that time I've never had a virus or spyware. I'm very particular about what I install on my machines.

I do appreciate the draw of OSX. I've used it and enjoyed it. Being comfortable with unix, and still very fond of my dearly departed NeXT, OSX a very good match for me. I'm disappointed that I won't be running it... I know I would have had fun.

In the end, it wasn't enough for me to wait another month, or to overlook poor customer service. And I don't believe a new product lauch has anything to do with filling orders in chronological order. I spent 6 years architecting a CRM/Billing/Inventory package. I find it hard to imagine that the ability to correct a shipping date is something they Apple's system is incapable of handling.

I'm not trying to convert anyone, or change your opinions. I'm still jealous of those getting their MacBooks, and I'm interested to hear how cool they are. I'm pretty sure I'll be pleased with the new Dell that should be here next week. This will be my 10th year of using Dell laptops, and no real complaints other than their annoying pricing schemes.

 

[Timepass]

Welcome to the world of apple crappy and piss poor shipping practics. The people who buy from apple lets them get away with 2 much. If any other major producer had shipping practics like apple they would not be order from. It ok to have some delays but when it gets to over a month it to much.
Now if apple was like everyone else they would be loosing tons of money for breach of contracts for being late. I think it high time apple gets their shipping practics in order and stop lieing about the shipping dates.

 

[discoforce]

I've been burned many times ordering things online or over the phone until I finally realized: Don't order major purchases online or over the phone.

With big purchases, something invariably goes wrong. If you order from afar, they simply don't care (they've been yelled at by 50 other people that day and your legitimate gripe won't be heard). Walk into a store, find someone you can work with, spend some money, now you've got someone who will go to bat for you.

You're also supporting your local economy, getting to browse a store chock full of mac-ity-goodness, and possibly making a friend (love my local). When your new baby (e.g., MacbookPro, iPod, keyboard squeegee) has a problem you can talk to someone directly. IMO a MUCH more pleasant experience all around, and quite hard to do when ordering a Dell.

Regarding your plan: So now you're mad at Apple, you've ordered a Dell, you're returning all your MBP accessories, but you're jealous of others getting MBPs, and it sounds like you'll be checking in to see how much those folks like their MBPs? Checking on your... Dell?

In the end the computer is just a tool. Choose the one that works best for you and the job you're doing. If you don't like someone selling the tool, buy it from someone else. But buying another tool altogether?

 

[spinne1]

The fact that you are able to buy and use a Dell and feel good about it says all there needs to be said. I for one could not do it. I could not use Windows and be happy computing. End of story. All other gripes you have, while legitimate, would not in my case come close to causing me to settle for Windows over OS X.

Good luck to you.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

I'm not trying to convert anyone, or change your opinions. I'm still jealous of those getting their MacBooks, and I'm interested to hear how cool they are. I'm pretty sure I'll be pleased with the new Dell that should be here next week. This will be my 10th year of using Dell laptops, and no real complaints other than their annoying pricing schemes.

heh, don't worry about me. I make my living fixing Microsoft's blunders. (On-site computer service.) I do want to point out that you may have cancelled a week too soon, with reports of people actually having their 2.16 models ship already. (I decided against a 2.16 upgrade because of the supposed extra time involved, now I'm regretting that decision.)

As for being happy with Dells, yeah, it's not unheard of. I'd say you've been lucky, though. I've been dealing with Dells for 10 years myself, and I've seen plenty of bad Dells. My first (a 386,) was great; but I've had great and awful ones in between. While working as a sysadmin/only-IT-guy for a small dot-com, we ordered a batch of Dell Inspirons in mid 2000, only to find that they were incapable of sleep mode. (When you tried to put them in standby, it would crash the OS, turn off the screen, and put the processor into what I nicknamed 'meltdown mode'. It actually warped the keyboard on one.) Dell's official response? Disable sleep mode. It's a frickin' laptop! Whaddaya mean 'disable sleep mode'!?!

But I've seen some good Dells, too. (For some reason, though, I've had to do a lot of hard drive replacements on Dell notebooks recently. Mostly 2-3 year old models, though, with different manufacture of HD, so I don't know what's up with that.)

Personally, I've stuck with Apple and [high end] Sony for my machines. I have a company-purchased Compaq 'bottom-of-the-barrel' model right now that I upgraded to a Pentium-M 2.26 GHz, 1 GB RAM, and a 7200 RPM hard drive, and it's perfectly usable. For being the bottom-of-the-line Compaq, I find it funny that it seems to use the same case as the top-of-the-line HP Lance Armstrong 'Livestrong' model.

 

[wheezy]

Some people just have to stick to the pride and can't lose the battle. For him, having to wait another month meant he 'lost'.

On the flip side, that is absolutely non'excusable customer "service". Service isn't even a word that you can use honestly, more like customer punishment. Unfortunately, cancelling the order etc won't make a hair of difference to Apple, nor raise any red flags to help improve that. I wish you would have waited the extra month and recieved the better laptop. When people see you with your Dell, you'll get no comments. When you see someone with a Powerbook/Macbook Pro, you'll give your comments and want their machine.

Send back the Dell, go to a local Apple Retailer and take home your MCP today.

 

[budugu]

Total cost of Dell + cost of searching for spyware + cost of searching for viruses + cost of time spent erasing viruses and spyware + cost of time spent frequently re-installing Windows + cost of time spent investigating Linux + cost of time spent installing Linux + cost of time spent switching back to Windows because you don't like Linux + cost of time spent searching for viruses + ........

Some one should put this line of argument in the Guides for furture reference so that people need not type. Anyway, that guy was screwed to a certain extent and since he did not get any thing free for another month of wait... he has every right to cancel that darn order. + If his order is going to take 1 month plus he can always run down to the store and get a stock config! For web surfing + Word + photos , DVDs OS does not matter. Heck even ATI integrated graphics itseems has better performance than 5200 on my powerbook (Notebookreview.com).My suggestion go get a windows core duo notebook for less than <1000 and be happy!

A new computer is a new computer is a new computer! It really does not matter after 3 months playing arround no matter what!

 

[budugu]

I'm pretty sure I'll be pleased with the new Dell that should be here next week. This will be my 10th year of using Dell laptops, and no real complaints other than their annoying pricing schemes.

The new Dell E170x? with core DUO and Nvidia Go7800 XT/GT(?) was going arround 1300$. May be you want to check the schemes this time arround ;-)

 

[Anonymous Freak]

The new Dell E170x? with core DUO and Nvidia Go7800 XT/GT(?) was going arround 1300$. May be you want to check the schemes this time arround ;-)

I think he was referring to the fact that the exact same computer sells for up to 3 different prices based solely on which 'department' you order from... (Home & Home Office, Small Business, or Medium & Large Business.) I've seen identical computers sell for $599, $549, and $629 on those three divisions. EXACT same computer. Same model name/number, same specs, same everything. (This was a desktop computer, about 10 months ago.) Not to mention the difference between online, catalog, and telephone orders.

In general, you get the best deal over the phone to the Small Business group. (When they ask for a company name, just tell them "[your name] & Associates".)

 

[budugu]

In general, you get the best deal over the phone to the Small Business group. (When they ask for a company name, just tell them "[your name] & Associates".)

I think you get the best deals with those coupons irrespective of which store you go to (ofcourse a week's coupons could be tied to a specific store). But if you go to SMB the problem is that you pay TAX + you cannot get MSFT Media Center for free and other stuff like remote controls etc. I think the standard is to wait for a 33% minimum coupon. (650 off 1900 or what ever).

 

[Anonymous Freak]

I think you get the best deals with those coupons irrespective of which store you go to (ofcourse a week's coupons could be tied to a specific store). But if you go to SMB the problem is that you pay TAX + you cannot get MSFT Media Center for free and other stuff like remote controls etc. I think the standard is to wait for a 33% minimum coupon. (650 off 1900 or what ever).

I'm not even talking about coupons or other discounts, I'm talking about the raw 'base' prices being different. THEN you apply discounts or coupons.

But you're right about not being able to order the more 'home' type add-ons. I'd only ever cared to order non-media-center computers, so I never noticed.

 

[weg]

thats really unusual.

No, that's just Apple ;-) Did they ever meet the demand when they came up with a new product? I mean, why break with a good old company tradition *g*
(When I ordered my PB 12", I actually waited 1.5 months even though it was a revision C that has been there for some time).

 

[whooleytoo]

Denovich, you have every right to be pissed. My buddy ordered one 2 weeks ago and has an estimated shipping date of March 15th. Having ordered one in January and seeing that people who dragged their feet are getting theirs earlier would burn my ass. We are talking 2 months after the ordering date for the OP. That is ridiculous. In my opinion, if you are going to advertise a product then have it in stock. Don't tell me they weren't expecting this kind of demand. I don't know what to tell you besides just hang in there, I guess.

I think he has every right to be annoyed - I ordered a CTO MacBook the day after the original poster, but I'm receiving mine almost a month before him! Lucky for me, unlucky for him.

 

[cubist]

Denovich is right to cancel the order for another reason: Well before March 28, anyone will be able to go into an Apple store and walk out with the identical computer.

 

[denovich]

So I did wind up with a E1705. My company's EPP discount + a 30% coupon I bought for $2 on ebay, made for a nice deal. What I saved on the budget went into another 20" LCD, and a new lens for my Nikon.

I mostly use my computer for work, and Intellij IDEA (Java IDE) looks pretty much the same on either OS. That + Firefox + Photoshop, and a bunch of command line tools (cygwin) are about all I use. So owning a Mac was more about the fun of exploring a different OS.

Oh, it turns out my MBP accessories will for the most part be fine. The Powersleeve from Booq bags will be too small (but perfect for a co-workers PB.) The memory is the same for the Dell, and the Griffin iCurve and Apple Bluetooth keyboard are working out nicely.

 

[jadekitty24]

So I did wind up with a E1705. My company's EPP discount + a 30% coupon I bought for $2 on ebay, made for a nice deal. What I saved on the budget went into another 20" LCD, and a new lens for my Nikon.

I mostly use my computer for work, and Intellij IDEA (Java IDE) looks pretty much the same on either OS. That + Firefox + Photoshop, and a bunch of command line tools (cygwin) are about all I use. So owning a Mac was more about the fun of exploring a different OS.

Oh, it turns out my MBP accessories will for the most part be fine. The Powersleeve from Booq bags will be too small (but perfect for a co-workers PB.) The memory is the same for the Dell, and the Griffin iCurve and Apple Bluetooth keyboard are working out nicely.

Well I'm glad everything worked out for you. It looks like you didn't take too much of a hit.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Denovich is right to cancel the order for another reason: Well before March 28, anyone will be able to go into an Apple store and walk out with the identical computer.

Not a CTO like this one was