What have I been missing out on?

[pellets007]

First of all, I would consider myself tech savvy with Windows computers and I have been using PCs all my life until a little less than a month ago. My experiences with Apple thus far have been delightful.

A week ago, I noticed a speck of debris under the screen of my 2.4Ghz Aluminium MacBook. I went into the store and nearly bit off the Genius's arm to get a replacement but he finally said that he understood. I brought it home and noticed another speck, so I brought it back. I was prepared to start another war to get this issue fixed, yet I was simply given a new one after I said, "Well, it's either that or someone else gets a defective MacBook, someone that isn't able to come here." The process took about five minutes disregarding the time it took for me to backup my files (which they let me do using their HDD). It's amazing to me to receive two brand new MacBooks, essentially causing them to lose money, all for my satisfaction.

But it didn't end there. Today, I installed x64 bit Vista only to learn that Boot Camp didn't support it (after the installation). So I thought that it would take forever to learn how to delete the partition, much like it did the first time on Windows. Thinking of my AppleCare, I called up the 1-800 number and spoke with a representative who was seemingly young with a comforting voice; he was cool and collected. He simply told me to open up the Boot Camp assistant and select "Restore." This was said instantly, as in he didn't look at a computer screen to tell me.

Sorry if this may feel like the norm to you, fellow MR users, but this is simply astonishing to see such support and satisfaction from a computer company. I'm just glad that I'm not calling up Dell's customer service again.

Thank you.

 

[PowerBookRelic]

First of all, I would consider myself tech savvy with Windows computers and I have been using PCs all my life until a little less than a month ago. My experiences with Apple thus far have been delightful.

A week ago, I noticed a speck of debris under the screen of my 2.4Ghz Aluminium MacBook. I went into the store and nearly bit off the Genius's arm to get a replacement but he finally said that he understood. I brought it home and noticed another speck, so I brought it back. I was prepared to start another war to get this issue fixed, yet I was simply given a new one after I said, "Well, it's either that or someone else gets a defective MacBook, someone that isn't able to come here." The process took about five minutes disregarding the time it took for me to backup my files (which they let me do using their HDD). It's amazing to me to receive two brand new MacBooks, essentially causing them to lose money, all for my satisfaction.

But it didn't end there. Today, I installed x64 bit Vista only to learn that Boot Camp didn't support it (after the installation). So I thought that it would take forever to learn how to delete the partition, much like it did the first time on Windows. Thinking of my AppleCare, I called up the 1-800 number and spoke with a representative who was seemingly young with a comforting voice; he was cool and collected. He simply told me to open up the Boot Camp assistant and select "Restore." This was said instantly, as in he didn't look at a computer screen to tell me.

Sorry if this may feel like the norm to you, fellow MR users, but this is simply astonishing to see such support and satisfaction from a computer company. I'm just glad that I'm not calling up Dell's customer service again.

Thank you.

I love to hear good things about applecare and having them take care of your issues. This is what PC people usually don't understand until they finally own Apple products. Besides OS X and the design of Macs, one of the major reasons for me switching years back was because it is nice to have a dedicated store to go to when you have a problem. Could you imagine going to Bestbuy and saying your Vaio broke? it would have been shipped back and forth for weeks.

 

[J&JPolangin]

...Could you imagine going to Bestbuy and saying your Vaio broke? it would have been shipped back and forth for weeks.

...actually, 3 months after I bought the Sony Vaio PCG-TR3A in my signature I tried to buy a genuine OEM extra capacity battery for it at 3 different Sony stores in the Dallas TX area and was told "sorry, you have an old unsupported model - please check ebay for non-OEM products that may fit (but void your warranty if used)"...

Last Sony anything I'll ever purchase due to the "Sony experience" but "knock wood" its still going strong today (what I'm typing on right now).

 

[pellets007]

Heh, after I wrote this, I shut down and "No bootable device -- please insert boot device" appeared. Scared to lose my data, I called up Apple again. I spoke to a specialist and he quickly got it up again. Apparently OS X was still searching for Windows, even thought the partition was restored.

 

[GrannieSmith]

...actually, 3 months after I bought the Sony Vaio PCG-TR3A in my signature I tried to buy a genuine OEM extra capacity battery for it at 3 different Sony stores in the Dallas TX area and was told "sorry, you have an old unsupported model - please check ebay for non-OEM products that may fit (but void your warranty if used)"...

Last Sony anything I'll ever purchase due to the "Sony experience" but "knock wood" its still going strong today (what I'm typing on right now).

I had a Vaio as well and ended up with one of the crappy batteries, back when Sony was having all the trouble with them. And I ordered a replacement under my warranty (my battery was lasting about thirty minutes on a charge). They sent me some crap replacement battery that Sony was telling me NOT to use. (I'd had the computer about thirty days.) I ended up in Best Buy trying to explain this to the so-called Geek Squad - with little success - until a supervisor finally came up and said, "Just give her one out of a new laptop box and damage hers out."

Took two hours for a voice of reason.

Bye Bye PCs!!

 

[silverblack]

People complained paying for the "Apple Tax" when comparing pricing with PCs. They should realize this so call Apple Tax pays for services, quality control, most importantly the R&D which is a lot when the market share is less than 10%.

I recently had another revelation on hackintoshing a $300 netbook. At first it seems to be a steal in spending only $300 to get a "Mac-OS" running netbook. But it you look closer at the math to get it working nicely: RAM upgrade, HDD upgrade, retail Leopard DVD, wifi card upgrade to N capability, bluetooth module, 6-cell battery, countless nights of reading forums on how-to's. That's not all, there's more on-going, never ending forum reading to keep things working.

At the end, I could have easily bought a new white MB with the money I spent. Would I do it if I knew? You bet, it was never about the money for me, but the knowledge and satisfaction It seemed sort of off topic, but I'm making a point that you always get for what you pay for whether you realize it or not. There're no good deals, PCs or Mac or Hackintosh.

 

[PowerBookRelic]

I recently had another revelation on hackintoshing a $300 netbook. At first it seems to be a steal in spending only $300 to get a "Mac-OS" running netbook. But it you look closer at the math to get it working nicely: RAM upgrade, HDD upgrade, retail Leopard DVD, wifi card upgrade to N capability, bluetooth module, 6-cell battery, countless nights of reading forums on how-to's. That's not all, there's more on-going, never ending forum reading to keep things working.

At the end, I could have easily bought a new white MB with the money I spent. Would I do it if I knew? You bet, it was never about the money for me, but the knowledge and satisfaction It seemed sort of off topic, but I'm making a point that you always get for what you pay for whether you realize it or not. There're no good deals, PCs or Mac or Hackintosh.

The hackintosh route always seemed like it was more hassle then benefit. But looking at it from the point of view of just trying to figure it out and have a ridiculously small computer to run OS X, it would be interesting as a hobby.

 

[J&JPolangin]

....At first it seems to be a steal in spending only $300 to get a "Mac-OS" running netbook. But it you look closer at the math to get it working nicely: RAM upgrade, HDD upgrade, retail Leopard DVD, wifi card upgrade to N capability, bluetooth module, 6-cell battery...

...you can get most netbooks with a 160GB HDD, wireless N, bluetooth and a 6 cell battery these days - my "H" in my signature may have been a little more than $300 but at $459 (and prices falling) and it was already setup the way you described.

The time spent and the $129 for the OSX DVD on the other hand, well... dare I say it, netbooks run fine with winXP.

If I want the experience - I'll buy ...