iPod - Take Three

I took my iPod back to Best Buy tonight. I started in customer service before I was sent to the Geek Squad window. I explained to the resident Geek that my iPod wouldn't turn off. I went through the entire saga giving him the entire history since the problem started last Friday. It was sort of a catch-22. Since it wouldn't turn off, the battery was dead. The Geek got out a charger and plugged it in. He turns it on and off. Gee, I could have done that. I told him take it off the charger and then try it. He looked at me with an odd expression on his face. I sensed the man was thinking 'you dumb blonde'. I added to my original saga that since I work in an IT environment, not only did I run the device through every percievable (futile) exercise that Apple's support site had to offer, I asked my work Geeks if they had any ideas. I think my respectability went up at least one notch at that point. But since I was a little irritated, I asked him if he wanted me to take it home, charge it up and then bring it back so he can see it won't turn off. By then it charged a little, he removed it from the connection and agreed that it wouldn't turn off. Phew.

So he takes it in the back room. Now I'm feeling like I'm at the car dealership where they pretend to check with their manager whether or not it's OK to make the deal. He comes back out without the iPod and asks for my paperwork and if I had the extended warranty. I'm thinking to myself, what difference does the extended warranty make...it's not old enough for the original warranty to have expired. I handed him the paperwork and he barely glanced at it, so I don't know what that was all about.

Then a young guy came in with his broken iPod. I'm thinking gee, what a surprise! So I'm trying to listen to his story as Resident Geek takes the iPod in the back. At the same time Jeff is concerned that they now have both iPods back there. He asks me if the serial number is on the device. I told him not to worry, it's clearly marked and since I have the box we can match it up if necessary. Resident Geek comes out with my iPod in hand, gives it to me and says take it over to customer service and they will get you a new one.

We walk the ten steps back to the customer service representative and tell him I need a new iPod. He sends me over the to the sales floor. Of course (like last time) they didn't have my model in stock at this time. BUT the prices of iPods have dropped so I could trade my 2G for a 4G for $20. I hemmed and hawed then decided to take the bite. I just couldn't imagine a day without the damn thing. Now the tough part, picking a color. There was silver, black, pink, green. I thought and thought. Jeff wondered why I didn't just grab the pink one. I explained it's a bright, ugly pink and I don't like it. I chose the silver one. Plain and simple. Truth is, I kinda liked the green one. As the salesman takes the silver one out, he says the most popular one was the green. I told him I can see why, it's the one I was debating.

I went back to the service desk to complete the transaction. I explained how troubled I was over choosing a color, the clerk says 'speak now'. I asked Jeff to go get the green one and handed him the silver one. He comes back and says that the clerk said 'I knew it!'. Perceptive guy. I got out my credit card, and the clerk says no charge, they are even up. Wow....I'm thinking hurry, let's get out of here before they realize their mistake.

As I sat in the car reviewing the receipt I realized it wasn't a mistake, I did pay the same amout for my old iPod. It's just that I got a discount after the original price, so the clerk took the same original discount off the new one. How nice. It felt better knowing I didn't get away with something bad. I don't like guilt.

The new iPod is cool. I am happy with Best Buy. I just wish I could say I'm happy with Apple products.

I've replaced my iPod for the third time. It's getting ridiculous. Thank goodness for Best Buy's extended warranty. I've had it with these things.

Here we go again

My iPod doesn't work....again.
This is my second one. I cannot believe this is happening to me. I've spent a fortune on these damn things and I can't afford to have it break. Why me? Why can't something go right? I rely on this stupid little device more than I should but exercise wouldn't ever be the same without it. And exercise is difficult enough without my little crutch. Arrrggghhhh!

More music problems

My new hard drive is in and I'm struggling with my music files. I can't seem to get them to the new drive without removing them from iTunes. I've tried uninstalling iTunes from my local (C) drive and then reinstalling it on the new drive but when I move the music back into iTunes, it wants to reside on the local (C) drive. In the process I lost all my playlists. I think I should give up on working with music files, I have nothing but bad luck. The good news is the old and new drives work without any data loss so I shouldn't complain. I haven't checked the other files that I've moved, I think I will wait until I am in a better frame of mind.

Class started today and I get so frustrated. There was an online class discussion and it was highly recommended that all students attend. The instructor also suggested that we read the syllabus thoroughly to make sure we understand everything because the class is set up differently than any other online class, so there's no comfort in any previous online experience. So I read everything available. Apparently I was the only one. Every question in this online discussion session I could answer. It always amazes me how some of these people can obtain a degree when they can't even follow simple instructions. At this rate, I should be in charge very soon. I have my assignment done so I can relax until Tuesday. 8 more weeks.

So I bite the bullet

I went to Best Buy last night armed with my Rewards certificate for $5 and a 12% off any mp3 player coupon to spend on a new iPod. The sales rep was older than me, most likely in his mid 50's with a deep voice and thick accent that sounded like poetry. I told him I was there to replace my broken iPod and I whined about how unfair it seemed that I had to replace a $299 piece of equipment that I had for less than two years. He asked if I had an extended warranty in that way that says "I told you so" knowing very well that I did not. He told me I should make sure it's not repairable and sent me to the computer desk so they could analyze the problem. I was fourth in line. I waited for about 10 seconds when he came over and said he would test it for me....which actually sounded like "pleeeez, allow me to cheek your iPod so you dunt have to vait." I was grateful and responded with a big, flirty smile. He plugged it into the computer and discovered what I already knew, I was screwed, hard drive is dead. So I asked about a new hard drive and his suggestion was to get a new iPod because a new hard drive is the same price a new iPod and the technology is better now because there's a chip instead of a hard drive which means less chances of big problems. So I asked him to show me the new ones. That's when he mentioned that he did not have the shuffles or the 1 GB nanos in stock. In my usual whiney tone I said how nice, make me spend lots more money than I want to! So I asked to see the display model and instead of detaching it from its secure location, he took a new one out of the box. He winks at me and says, "Dis eez display model and I will sell to you for deezcount." How could I resist. Especially after he put it in my hand and it was beautiful with its tiny little size and weight and bright display that didn't make me squint. New in box, with discount price, so I whip out my coupon and ask for the additional 12% off thinking I'm gonna really make out which is when he tells me in his georgeous broken English..."iPodz eez exclusions, juz reeed zee back." Sure enough, just like my favorite perfume, there's never going to be money off these things. So I said fine (pout-pout), I have to have one, just ring me up. So he scans the UPC code, takes off the "display model" discount (wink-wink) then turns to me and says, "oh yes, by de way box eez open so dats an eeckstra 10 peercent off". I think my eyes rolled back in my head to the point of near orgasmic ecstacy. So even though it still cost me plenty, at least it was a pleasant experience, like when you get kissed before you get screwed. xoxoxoxox

Technological withdrawal

I didn't realize it until I broke it, but I must have my iPod. I have become so dependent on it that now that I don't have it, I feel like I lost an appendage. It gave me refuge from my co-workers when their uninteresting complaints and comments were about to drive me over the edge. It motivated me to run faster every morning. It gave me solace when I felt overwhelmed and wanted to escape. Linus has his blanket and I have my iPod.

All I wanted to do was update my playlist. So I did what I normally do, I connected the USB port from the iPod to my computer. I got a message when the computer found the new hardware that said 'F:\iPod\iControl\iTunes has errors. Run checkdisk utility'. So after going through that process, I tried again with the same bad results. I checked the Apple website support and their suggestion was to upgrade the iPod software and the iTunes software so they are in synch. The iTunes software was already at the most current version, so all I had to do was upgrade the iPod software. This was making sense. So I downloaded the new version, connected my iPod and then I got the error 'formatting failure . disk write error'. So now the thing is really hosed. Back at the Apple support website, I searched for more options. The only suggestion left was to restore the iPod back to the original settings where I would lose everything I had stored. I was OK with this, all I would have to do is re-download all my music which could be done overnight and it would be ready in the morning. Only problem was that I got the error 'firmware update failure' and now there's nothing on the iPod but the image of an exclamation point and a folder with the www.apple .com/support/ipod. Now I'm really screwed, the operating system is gone.

When I mentioned my dilemma to my techy co-workers and friends the only suggestion they could come up with was "The Nano is really cheap now." After some contemplation and going all day without my little device, I was seriously considering the idea. That's when I realized it's time to step away from my pride as a techy guru and make the phone call to the Apple store to see what my options are.