Kim Gentes

This last week, I took a couple of my Apple products to my the Genius Bar at the local Apple store. For the uninitiated, the Genius Bar is Apple's brand of "customer service table" that one brings all problems to in Apple-land. I have to say, I came away pleasently surprised at my overall experience. I was ecstatic with what they did with one device and left scratching my head with how they handled the second issue.

Since I brought in two devices, I will outline what happened for each:

Part 1 - Macbook Pro

I took my Macbook Pro laptop in.  The actuall LCD screen had cracked. I hadn't dropped it or lifted it by the screen or anything. I opened the screen one day and it was cracking across the middle from the left. After about 2 days it was completely cracked across the entire screen.

The tech looked at the screen and immediately said the following things:

1. First, my limited one year limited warrantee was out of date
2. Second, even if I had Applecare extended, that would have expired
3. Third, that neither limited warrantee or AppleCare covered physical breakage of the screen! (which he implied that I had obviously done something to the computer- which I had not).
4. Finally, the cost of a replacement LCD screen for my MacPro would be $600

I was beginning to let me blood boil a bit when he said, "those are all the things I am supposed to tell you. And I have. Now the good news. I am going to replace the screen without any further questions or cost to you."

Wow. I felt a nice happy moment. An Apple happy moment. I let it sink in. :)  Of course, I know that comes directly out of shareholder happiness, but as a product owner it was nice to feel some goodness.

In the very same visit, the next thing also happened.

Part 2 - iPad

I bought my new iPad in April of last year (2010). It arrived on April 13 via UPS. Three or four days ago, I plugged in my iPad to my Macbook Pro. iTunes on my Macbook Pro recognized the iPad and notified me that I should update to the latest software for iPad. I clicked accept and it proceeded to update to the latest iPad software revision (according to my iPad I have Model MB292LL, and it now has Version 4.3.5 (8L1)). The iPad rebooted after its update and all looked well. I was wrong.

Since then, the iPad hasn't been able to connect and be recognized by my computer. I also won't take a charge via USB /wall plug. For a couple days, I assumed I just needed to reboot or reset some part of the device. Finally, at 45% life of the battery I was concerned and I brought it to the store. They tried all they could think of. Nothing worked. Since it won't talk to iTunes (because it won't communicate through USB connection anymore), they said they can't reset it.

"What to do?" I asked. "Nothing" they said. It wasn't covered and they "believed" it was a hardware error, not software. Since they couldn't connect to the iPad from a Mac, they couldn't tell for sure. But even though it was the last update that marked the onset of the problem, they refused to believe that. My iPad was simply my problem. Nothing to be done. "Get files off by using WIFI if possible", they said, "before battery went total dead". The message was clear- sorry, its your problem, too bad. Next customer!

What the?! I really felt like this was bad judgment since the device clearly had worked fine for me for a year and now a software update causes a problem and they wash their hands of responsibility. While I was glowing with happiness at their Macbook Pro response, this made absolutely no sense to me. I left feeling a little like they didn't think it was worth it to help me on the iPad but since the Macbook Pro was more expensive, they'd make sure I didn't hate them.

Kim Gentes

Your Story?

Anyone else out there have a Apple Genius Bar story? Let's hear it.....