toddybody
Apr 29, 01:14 PM
Hope Lion comes with my sandybridge mba :D
I hope something besides SB IGP comes with that MBA too:p
I hope something besides SB IGP comes with that MBA too:p
DTphonehome
Oct 19, 04:37 PM
Dividends, yes that would be a good idea, what with $10 billion in cash on hand. Microsoft finally decided that their cash horde was becoming a bit of an embarrassment and declared one.
Seriously, the more I think about it, the more upset I am that they aren't offering one. I mean, what the heck are they goint to do with $10 billion? Even the most aggressive expansion and R&D strategy doesn't justify holding onto that. And it would be a great way to offset any damage from the options fiasco. And it would boost the shares 5% (at least) on announcement. They USED to pay a dividend (1987-1995). It's time to bring it back!
Seriously, the more I think about it, the more upset I am that they aren't offering one. I mean, what the heck are they goint to do with $10 billion? Even the most aggressive expansion and R&D strategy doesn't justify holding onto that. And it would be a great way to offset any damage from the options fiasco. And it would boost the shares 5% (at least) on announcement. They USED to pay a dividend (1987-1995). It's time to bring it back!
John Purple
Jan 15, 02:47 PM
Do you edit HD video? Do you do mobile multitrack recording (32 tracks or more at a time)?
If not, my question is... why are you "ready" for a new computer?
By the way, I have a PB 1GHz, running OS X 10.5 smoothly, and it works just fine. I have the money to go blowing on new gadgets but, I've mellowed out on that.
However, if you want to buy yourself a new toy every year "just cos"... be my guest. I'm an Apple shareholder and I appreciate the money going out of your pocket and into mine.
Well, then try to run Aperture on your PB. Good luck.
No money from me until MBP is state of the art. I'm not going to pay nearly $ 3.000 in January 2008 for a notebook without SSE4 and Blue-Ray.
I just sold my shares.
If not, my question is... why are you "ready" for a new computer?
By the way, I have a PB 1GHz, running OS X 10.5 smoothly, and it works just fine. I have the money to go blowing on new gadgets but, I've mellowed out on that.
However, if you want to buy yourself a new toy every year "just cos"... be my guest. I'm an Apple shareholder and I appreciate the money going out of your pocket and into mine.
Well, then try to run Aperture on your PB. Good luck.
No money from me until MBP is state of the art. I'm not going to pay nearly $ 3.000 in January 2008 for a notebook without SSE4 and Blue-Ray.
I just sold my shares.
calculus
Jan 12, 02:30 AM
i'm not saying iphone is crap, it's just disappointing from all the hype.
What else were you hoping for?
What else were you hoping for?
more...
BC2009
Apr 25, 11:53 AM
I prefer the look of this to the mockup that Josh Topolsky did on thisismynext.com -- probably because I like the look of the iPhone 4. I am ready for this device to ship since I gave my iPhone 3gs a nasty drop on concrete garage floor about a month ago -- the screen is fine, but the GPS no longer works. It's gonna be hard waiting until September.
Still, I doubt the validity of the photos until some information is provided as to how these were obtained.
I am a bit bummed at recent reports that QualComm's 4G/GSM/EVDO-RevA combo chip won't be ready until 2012 -- I was kinda hoping for LTE in the next iPhone -- and there is no way Apple will do an iPhone that would run through its battery in 3.5 hours (not that I would want such a device anyway).
Still, I doubt the validity of the photos until some information is provided as to how these were obtained.
I am a bit bummed at recent reports that QualComm's 4G/GSM/EVDO-RevA combo chip won't be ready until 2012 -- I was kinda hoping for LTE in the next iPhone -- and there is no way Apple will do an iPhone that would run through its battery in 3.5 hours (not that I would want such a device anyway).
KingYaba
Mar 3, 09:38 PM
I heard somewhere that federal employees are not able to collectively bargain for their benefits package. If this is true, why are recent states' attempts to restrict unionized bargaining seen as being so draconian, and why isn't there an outcry to give federal employees the same "rights"?
The outcry, in this case, is the jail sentencing for striking.
The outcry, in this case, is the jail sentencing for striking.
more...
blackburn
Apr 29, 01:21 PM
Looking forward to the new version of file vault. Let's hope that we don't need any wierd hack to enable 64 bits (on macbooks) or to enable trim on 3rd party ssds.
MOFS
Mar 13, 12:18 PM
So you mean computing won't be "Input, Process, Output, Storage" but something else ?
You failed to see any of my points. Tablets are not some kind of "future change to computers!", tablets are very much computing devices utilizing the same concepts and ideas that have been the very core of the industry for the last 50 years.
Touch based computer ? It's still input and input is just that, input. It doesn't matter whether is touch, keyboards, mice, network, voice, biometrics. Input is input.
A lot of you people want to see a massive change where frankly there isn't any. A new type of device doesn't somehow make everything different. It can just be a "new type of device", something the computer industry of the last 50 years has seen plenty of.
Read my post again carefully, you'll see that I already addressed all your points. Don't just respond to me without even understanding what I'm talking about and at least trying to counteract my points if you're going to try to contradict me.
For me, I do see the iPad (and actually the App Store) as a change in computing. By removing the complex processes that we go through in a computer (eg instead of downloading an app, moving it into a folder, deleting the dmg its a simple case of downloading the app), the iPad is changing our computer experience by simplifying it to the extent that it's only the part we want to use rather than need to use. The iPad and the App Store process have the potential to kickstart and similarly drastic change in computing as moving from a line based OS to a GUI. In this case, "input is not input": a GUI opened up computers to more than just programmers, and the simplified OSs of the iPad (and, as we can see, creeping into Mac OS Lion) will only help people using these actually really quite complex devices. It will happen, as we can see it happening as Apple and Google look to move the "computer" into phones and televisions. Some people will want different devices (servers etc) but increasingly I think the computer is moving away from the idea of a desktop PC.
You failed to see any of my points. Tablets are not some kind of "future change to computers!", tablets are very much computing devices utilizing the same concepts and ideas that have been the very core of the industry for the last 50 years.
Touch based computer ? It's still input and input is just that, input. It doesn't matter whether is touch, keyboards, mice, network, voice, biometrics. Input is input.
A lot of you people want to see a massive change where frankly there isn't any. A new type of device doesn't somehow make everything different. It can just be a "new type of device", something the computer industry of the last 50 years has seen plenty of.
Read my post again carefully, you'll see that I already addressed all your points. Don't just respond to me without even understanding what I'm talking about and at least trying to counteract my points if you're going to try to contradict me.
For me, I do see the iPad (and actually the App Store) as a change in computing. By removing the complex processes that we go through in a computer (eg instead of downloading an app, moving it into a folder, deleting the dmg its a simple case of downloading the app), the iPad is changing our computer experience by simplifying it to the extent that it's only the part we want to use rather than need to use. The iPad and the App Store process have the potential to kickstart and similarly drastic change in computing as moving from a line based OS to a GUI. In this case, "input is not input": a GUI opened up computers to more than just programmers, and the simplified OSs of the iPad (and, as we can see, creeping into Mac OS Lion) will only help people using these actually really quite complex devices. It will happen, as we can see it happening as Apple and Google look to move the "computer" into phones and televisions. Some people will want different devices (servers etc) but increasingly I think the computer is moving away from the idea of a desktop PC.
more...
Doctor Q
Apr 26, 12:23 PM
P.S. The box surrounding the up/down buttons is baboon-ass ugly.
Web-surfing baboons might not agree with your assessment, but I'm pretty sure humans would. Those boxes are not supposed to be there.
Web-surfing baboons might not agree with your assessment, but I'm pretty sure humans would. Those boxes are not supposed to be there.
obeygiant
Apr 25, 05:25 PM
Same two girls at a burger king? (http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Video_shows_spring_break_brawl_at_PCB_Burger_King_118505599.html)
more...
Preclaro_tipo
Mar 28, 02:23 PM
What a lame rule...clearly they don't care about the best or most innovative products for people, they care about themselves and this time they aren't even TRYING to make it look like it is people/software/design first...it is purely Apple first.
I know Apple (and Microsoft, and google and Oracle, etc) gets accused of being evil, slimy, greedy, monopolistic, or some combination or derivation of these from time to time, or even regularly, but for me this is the one of the most flagrant 'slimy' (et al) practices I've seen of Apple.
I know Apple (and Microsoft, and google and Oracle, etc) gets accused of being evil, slimy, greedy, monopolistic, or some combination or derivation of these from time to time, or even regularly, but for me this is the one of the most flagrant 'slimy' (et al) practices I've seen of Apple.
~Shard~
Nov 23, 05:25 PM
In any event, it gives me an excuse to click on Apple.com tomorrow.
You need an excuse? :p ;) :D
You need an excuse? :p ;) :D
more...
glocke12
May 4, 08:26 PM
I'm certainly not worried about the people shooting at clay pigeons or paper cups.
I'm concerned about the large number of deaths and injuries caused each year by firearms.
31,224 deaths [2007 WISQARS (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html)]
66,769 non-fatal injuries [2009 WISQARS (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/nfirates2001.html)]
Sure, and I could easily find stats for deaths caused by automobiles and speeding.
Maybe we need a law that prohibits the manufacture of vehicles capable of traveling more than 65 mph. After all the speed limit in most places is 65, a few places are 75.
I'm concerned about the large number of deaths and injuries caused each year by firearms.
31,224 deaths [2007 WISQARS (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html)]
66,769 non-fatal injuries [2009 WISQARS (http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/nfirates2001.html)]
Sure, and I could easily find stats for deaths caused by automobiles and speeding.
Maybe we need a law that prohibits the manufacture of vehicles capable of traveling more than 65 mph. After all the speed limit in most places is 65, a few places are 75.
SirROM
Sep 12, 01:16 AM
I had a thought about what would drive people to purchase movies from Apple in droves and totally fsck the other studios, making them BEG the Steve to let them play in his sandbox:
Disney allows Apple to release movies BEFORE they are released on DVD, similar to what they have done a couple of time with music tracks. Imagine being able to have a copy of the recent Pirates movies a week or two before it can be bought with packaging. If the quality were good enough, people would probably be willing to forgo the packaging itself and pay an "early-adopter" fee of $14.99 just for the bragging rights. The media would be all over this and it would be seen as yet another Apple coup in Hollywood. After all, Walmart and Blockbuster would join Ballmer in throwing chairs because of the money they would start losing when people didn't buy or rent DVDs from them and they couldn't do anything about it for a couple of weeks. "Hey Walmart! Wanna play dirty? I'll show you dirty..."
I'll bet Steve has some other plan like this or similar in mind so this doesn't come off looking weak and like he lost against the studios.
Disney allows Apple to release movies BEFORE they are released on DVD, similar to what they have done a couple of time with music tracks. Imagine being able to have a copy of the recent Pirates movies a week or two before it can be bought with packaging. If the quality were good enough, people would probably be willing to forgo the packaging itself and pay an "early-adopter" fee of $14.99 just for the bragging rights. The media would be all over this and it would be seen as yet another Apple coup in Hollywood. After all, Walmart and Blockbuster would join Ballmer in throwing chairs because of the money they would start losing when people didn't buy or rent DVDs from them and they couldn't do anything about it for a couple of weeks. "Hey Walmart! Wanna play dirty? I'll show you dirty..."
I'll bet Steve has some other plan like this or similar in mind so this doesn't come off looking weak and like he lost against the studios.
more...
Artful Dodger
Sep 26, 11:05 PM
After all of the comments about how great Aperture ran, and considering how crappy it was running on mine, I decided to take into the Apple Store.
The video card is defective and they are replacing it. No wonder my experience with the program stunk.
:)
Slightly OT but I hope you bought the AppleCare for your PM that you were thinking about a few weeks ago ;) Back OT, let us know how it is once you get it back :) :) two smiles for your troubles...
The video card is defective and they are replacing it. No wonder my experience with the program stunk.
:)
Slightly OT but I hope you bought the AppleCare for your PM that you were thinking about a few weeks ago ;) Back OT, let us know how it is once you get it back :) :) two smiles for your troubles...
BornAgainMac
Apr 5, 03:20 PM
I was expecting someone to submit this app idea a long time ago with a fart / flashlight app.
more...
fxtech
Mar 28, 03:17 PM
When was the last time a standards setting, headline grabbing, everyone's gotta have it Mac application created?
Oh I'm sure plenty of those $2 apps in the Mac App Store qualify... ;)
Oh I'm sure plenty of those $2 apps in the Mac App Store qualify... ;)
balamw
Apr 12, 09:02 AM
PCs, I think, is going too far.
Microsoft, apparently, begs to differ.
B
Microsoft, apparently, begs to differ.
B
Ardchoille
Jan 15, 08:31 PM
I find the comments and whining on this forum absolutely amazing. Surely a Windows forum would have fewer complaints about Apple.
I don't own an iPhone; I have no use for Time Capsule; and I don't want to rent movies. However, I am happy for those people who find these products useful.
I use my computer basically for email and writing reports (still doing them in Appleworks!), and I travel around a lot with my iBook. The MacBook Air really interests me. I don't need a powerful chip for that. I don't need a lot of hard drive space for that. For me, Air is quite tempting, although I might get a MacBook Black instead until the bugs are worked out of Air (price with 2 gigs is roughly the same for the two machines). I am prepared to pay the same for less because I know I am paying for the latest and new toys cost more.
It seems that many of the complainers expected Jobs to phone them first to ask what they wanted. They also want the very latest technology for very little money.
Thanks, Apple. Enjoyed today!
I don't own an iPhone; I have no use for Time Capsule; and I don't want to rent movies. However, I am happy for those people who find these products useful.
I use my computer basically for email and writing reports (still doing them in Appleworks!), and I travel around a lot with my iBook. The MacBook Air really interests me. I don't need a powerful chip for that. I don't need a lot of hard drive space for that. For me, Air is quite tempting, although I might get a MacBook Black instead until the bugs are worked out of Air (price with 2 gigs is roughly the same for the two machines). I am prepared to pay the same for less because I know I am paying for the latest and new toys cost more.
It seems that many of the complainers expected Jobs to phone them first to ask what they wanted. They also want the very latest technology for very little money.
Thanks, Apple. Enjoyed today!
Erwin-Br
May 3, 05:58 PM
Too many people think they are entitled to get everything for free. No matter if it is a new service for $20 a year or if it is tethering they didn't pay for ... Don't know where people get it from that they should get everything for free (or cheap).
I didn't hear anyone saying they have the right to use free tethering, or that they are entitled to get it cheap.
Since when can't people complain about the price being too high anyways? And who on Earth would prefer to pay extra for tethering instead of getting it for "free". And note that I put free in quotes, because you're still paying for your data and bandwidth, so it's really never been free anyways. You're just paying twice for the same thing now, which is consuming bandwidth.
I didn't hear anyone saying they have the right to use free tethering, or that they are entitled to get it cheap.
Since when can't people complain about the price being too high anyways? And who on Earth would prefer to pay extra for tethering instead of getting it for "free". And note that I put free in quotes, because you're still paying for your data and bandwidth, so it's really never been free anyways. You're just paying twice for the same thing now, which is consuming bandwidth.
BBEmployee
Apr 8, 02:42 PM
I'm a current employee at Best Buy and thought I'd offer my two cents on a few issues.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
First, I don't really like Best Buy. I got a job there to work for around 4 hours a week to get the generous discount. It's particularly generous when dealing with open-box items. Even so, I am miserable leading up to heading in and I do not enjoy the time that I spend there. Thankfully, I have a good full-time job plus a lot of side work and I'm planning on quitting in the next month or so as the thrill of the discount has long worn off.
That said, I have no problem being very open and honest about Best Buy and my experiences there.
In regards to the iPad situation, I haven't been in since this issue came up and won't be in for awhile, so I don't really know what the buzz is on this matter exactly. I do know that they wouldn't put a freeze on selling new iPad 2 stock if they regularly had it for a random promotion, if only for the very reason that many think caused the initial problem: quota.
I'm betting 1 of 2 things happened:
1) They did indeed get in trouble with Apple for something. Sure, it's possible, and it's the easiest reasonable conclusion. I don't know why this would be though, and I'm skeptical about the whole hording thing. And again, this is coming from someone who has access to the inventory systems and all the places that would hide "horded" iPads. Plus, I have a good enough relationship with multiple managers (ones who know the score about Best Buy in an objective world...) who would be honest about this with me.
Generally speaking, when they say there are no iPads for sale, there are no iPads for sale. It's really that simple. Demand is real, and supply is lacking. When we have them for sale, they're in the cages, and this would occur after passing through the pre-order system. White Verizon iPads tend to be the ones most often available, usually just a couple, and they're gone almost immediately all the same.
Another factor in the equation though is processing shipments. I saw someone noted that after an open-box controversy between two customers, the manager was able to procure a new iPad 2 for a disappointed customer when apparently there were none for sale. Well, there probably weren't. He either bumped someone back on the pre-order list to be nice to the pissed off customer in the store or perhaps a shipment came in on the truck that had yet to be processed and he worked it out with the ops team to get them to process one so he could get it out. Oftentimes the managers do actually try to make the customer happy, even if it's somewhat unreasonable. The ops guys have their procedures, and it's rarely slimy in intent so much as rooted in overall efficiency, so sometimes a shipment won't go to the floor for sales until the next day because the processing takes time. If the manager pushes to work something out in that situation, the manager is doing you a favor and pissing off some ops guys to do so.
Anyways, on to the 2nd scenario...
2) This is what I'd really venture to bet is the problem: the pre-order system is a huge mess. It was a rush job authorized by corporate at the last minute and handled by less-than-informed employees who were also in a rush. From day 1 it was clear that problems were going to creep up, and they absolutely have. Nobody in store is happy about it. The employees don't like telling customers that they have to wait on a pre-order list, they don't like the 48 hour pickup window, they don't like having to deal with customers pissing and moaning and crying about conspiracy theories when only a 64 GB white Verizon iPad 2 is available once in a blue moon when a pre-order turns it down. It's not fun, for anyone, and unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.
So what I'm guessing is really happening is that Best Buy is just digging out of this pre-order mess as fast as possible and skipping anything else until they get past the ramifications of a stupid decision. Considering there's little to skip seeing as supply is so low and we rarely have the most in-demand models available anyways, it's easier for them to just bow out of this for a couple of weeks and in a sense re-launch the normal sales when supplies are less constrained and they don't have a stupid pre-order process hanging over their heads. It's a cut and dry move that will allow them to gear up again in a more normal, focused way. Considering how things have gone there in the last month in dealing with anything iPad related, this might be the best decision for them.
All in all, Best Buy is Best Buy: a brick and mortar retailer lost in an internet-connected world. Best Buy isn't nearly as evil as they are lost and longing for the 20th century. Sure, there's a lot of margin on accessories, but it's because there's more often than not no margin on anything else. They don't make much money at all on TV's and Computers anymore. If they're on sale, and at Best Buy, almost everything is always "On Sale," it's likely at cost or within a few dollars of cost. There's little margin in the shrinking physical media world either. The only departments with major products that have margin still are appliances and for certain stores, musical instruments. This is why Best Buy will likely be dead in 5 years if they don't drastically change their business model. They did a better job at adapting to the new world than other electronics chains, but they haven't done nearly enough. It's not an easy business at this point though as it has as much to do with dealing with suppliers suffering the same pinch and customers who want to have it all but don't want to pay for it.
Also, in regards to stupid employees and sleazy mangers, yeah, they do exist. But more employees know their stuff than you might think. And there are quite a few managers who actually do care about trying to do a good job and help the customer.
As far as the employees, the biggest shock to me after working at Best Buy was realizing that so much of the supposed employee ignorance has more to do with incessantly having to dumb things down to the most absurd of levels with customers. 90% of the people who come in are nice people who just don't know much of anything about what they're buying. You have to learn to communicate on their level and not over-complicate things for them. It's easy to get stuck in that default mode and you have to actively snap yourself out of it on the rare occasion when you get customers who can actually hold their own in a conversation about the technology. And make no mistake, it's a huge relief for most of us when that happens because most of us that work there actually are pretty excited about the technology.
Now on the other hand, sleazy managers and supervisors can screw so much of this up. While most of the employees aren't making a career out of working at Best Buy, the sups and managers typically are on some level at least, and it takes a certain, umm, level of person to get, err, stuck, yes, at that level if you know what I mean. There's a lot of inconsistency in these types of people. If you get good ones though, they tend to hire good employees and foster a good environment for customers. My store has good management. It's the only thing that makes it remotely tolerable to me. The employees actually know their stuff and are honest with the customers. They also work as a team because the management pushes it and thankfully we don't have commission to muck things up. And customers do love us for it. You'd be shocked by how often a selling relationship turns into a friendship practically at our particular store. We get invited out after work all the time. Honesty goes a long ways, and when you're helping people save money by making sure they make a smart decision for their needs, it goes a long ways. And our managers are objective enough (and not locked into Best Buy corporate brainwash mode) to know that the only thing Best Buy has to offer over Amazon is the possibility of a good customer service experience. They do all they reasonably can to ensure that it happens.
But again, this simply isn't the case everywhere at all, and it so often boils down to the luck of the draw on management. Good managers hire good people leading to good teams leading to generally happy customers and good sales. Bad managers hire their dumb friends, play games with customers, lie, cheat, and usually they don't put up good numbers.
At the end of the day though, the good stores and the bad stores are equally screwed because the industry is a mess, the world is changing, and Best Buy corporate utterly and completely lacks the talent and leadership to be innovative in the 21st century. They refuse to reasonably acknowledge change, they're too scared to piss off manufacturers who have lines all across the store that vary dramatically when it comes to success and quality, and they're wildly inconsistent and disorganized with their processes and as they put it, "solutions." As said, if things don't drastically change, and I don't believe they will without a major shift in leadership, they'll be dead in 5 years. It's a sinking ship. I'll be happy to be out of there.
Again, I don't think they're near as evil and corrupt as they are just lost. When you're lost, things can get confusing real fast. Bear in mind that oftentimes when employees appear aloof, they're probably confused because corporate changes things all the time and does little to help keep us informed of these changes. Also, don't mistake conspiracy theories for sheer stupidity. Like we saw in this whole conversation, people will say some wild things. It's easy to think it from the outside. I can assure you from the inside, that oftentimes what looks like scheming and maneuvering is really just disorganization, stupidity and/or confusion due to the muddled processes and the ever-foggy way in which corporate outlines these processes.
I don't blame people for not liking Best Buy. I don't like them either. Just go easy on the guys on the floor and in the back. Unless they're the total goof-off employees which do exist, what you're pissed about is probably not their fault at all.
Small White Car
Oct 17, 08:59 AM
I'm not sure about what you're saying here, because content producers will still be having to supply the same film in two different formats.
They'll likely drop the less popular format, and thus, we'll have a winner.
They'll likely drop the less popular format, and thus, we'll have a winner.
GadgetGav
May 2, 11:47 AM
Not quite. The data collection dialog was separate from the EULA agreement and was a voluntary opt-in. Whether you chose to opt-in or not did not affect how your device operated.
Personally, I opted-in. I have no problem helping Apple to maintain their location database.
Are you sure it was separate? Regardless, my point was that most people blindly click through those things (me included) and then get all mock-outraged when something comes up that was in the small print. It's taking a lot on trust to just click 'Accept' and most of the time it's OK... But check out the South Park episode for how it could go wrong..! :)
I didn't say that opting in to the crowd sourced database affected your device, I'm saying that now that the tin-foil hat brigade have an option to completely disable this cached database file, _that_ could affect performance for things like Maps because it will have to calculate position from new data every time.
Personally, I opted-in. I have no problem helping Apple to maintain their location database.
Are you sure it was separate? Regardless, my point was that most people blindly click through those things (me included) and then get all mock-outraged when something comes up that was in the small print. It's taking a lot on trust to just click 'Accept' and most of the time it's OK... But check out the South Park episode for how it could go wrong..! :)
I didn't say that opting in to the crowd sourced database affected your device, I'm saying that now that the tin-foil hat brigade have an option to completely disable this cached database file, _that_ could affect performance for things like Maps because it will have to calculate position from new data every time.
Lacero
Sep 8, 10:11 AM
And apparently a complete moron when it comes to politics.He'll be in good company.
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