wpotere
Apr 13, 11:17 AM
There are already armed marshall on many flights in the US. WHen was the last time we had a shoot out in the sky? :rolleyes:
His point was remove the TSA security check and only have only armed air marshals. Bringing a gun to a bomb fight is like bringing a knife to a gun fight.
My point was that the TSA security does provide a buffer to keep terrorists from boarding a plane packed with explosives where an armed masrhal is going to be useless.
The world we once knew no longer exists, time to get used to it.
His point was remove the TSA security check and only have only armed air marshals. Bringing a gun to a bomb fight is like bringing a knife to a gun fight.
My point was that the TSA security does provide a buffer to keep terrorists from boarding a plane packed with explosives where an armed masrhal is going to be useless.
The world we once knew no longer exists, time to get used to it.
Porco
Apr 25, 08:00 PM
I don't like this whole thing, I'd like a feature to turn it off.
toromac
Apr 9, 03:56 PM
um just walked into my local Best buy and bought a 16gb ipad 2 Wifi in black. they had like 7 or 8 of each model. interesting... maybe they�re not participating in this so called promotion.
rdowns
Apr 13, 11:13 AM
Great, a shoot out on a plane loaded with innocent bystanders. :rolleyes:
There are already armed marshall on many flights in the US. WHen was the last time we had a shoot out in the sky? :rolleyes:
There are already armed marshall on many flights in the US. WHen was the last time we had a shoot out in the sky? :rolleyes:
more...
TheWheelMan
Mar 17, 12:53 PM
Really VictoriaStudent, lol I agree with BForstal on what people would do in the same situation 100 percent, and I'm not trying to brag about anything, and I cant even believe this thread has reached 3 pages. Sec I have no reason to troll!!! I have been a member of this forum since and even though I have never really posted anything I have found wealth of knowledge over the years from people in these forums. Wow and you cannot judge a person's character by a mistake a cashier made in a store!!! Like I said everybody is entitled to there own opinion, If you were to make note of the mistake to the store if it happened to you and it makes you feel so highly above any one else, more power to you. As far as I'm concerned this is one time I actually got a break on a apple product.
You're probably right, but the difference is that most would either have enough of a guilty conscience, or at least enough fear of getting busted, to NOT go telling it in a public forum and then copping some sort of superior attitude over it when criticized about it.
By knowingly taking it you did in fact break the law, and now you've publicly incriminated yourself to boot. Your morality is unfair to question given how the majority of people may have done the same thing (Meaning, "Who are we to judge?"). Your stupidity, however, is quite evident, and those are the ones who usually end up paying for their crimes one way or another. Karma is, in fact, a b@tch. Especially when you paint a bullseye on your @ss and dare it to strike you down.
You're probably right, but the difference is that most would either have enough of a guilty conscience, or at least enough fear of getting busted, to NOT go telling it in a public forum and then copping some sort of superior attitude over it when criticized about it.
By knowingly taking it you did in fact break the law, and now you've publicly incriminated yourself to boot. Your morality is unfair to question given how the majority of people may have done the same thing (Meaning, "Who are we to judge?"). Your stupidity, however, is quite evident, and those are the ones who usually end up paying for their crimes one way or another. Karma is, in fact, a b@tch. Especially when you paint a bullseye on your @ss and dare it to strike you down.
mozmac
Oct 6, 10:46 AM
Finally, a Verizon commercial that I like!
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the Western zoo
Sep 12, 07:37 AM
The danish store gives me the black screen... though at first it said bad link as well... I can't really help to be negative and say that the movie thingie will be a us only at first... I'm all most sure of it!
It took two years for iTunes Music Store to come to DK so why should the movie bussiness be any easier than the music buss...??
It took two years for iTunes Music Store to come to DK so why should the movie bussiness be any easier than the music buss...??
Counterfit
Aug 7, 09:44 PM
I think the Volt is a technological dead-end given the steep US$41,000 price
What does the price have to do with the future of technology? I've already mentioned how you can fairly simply replace the gasoline engine with some other power source.
and the fact your car is lugging around a big bank of batteries as deadweight.
The batteries are no more dead weight than a tank of gasoline.
What does the price have to do with the future of technology? I've already mentioned how you can fairly simply replace the gasoline engine with some other power source.
and the fact your car is lugging around a big bank of batteries as deadweight.
The batteries are no more dead weight than a tank of gasoline.
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Rodimus Prime
Oct 6, 02:22 PM
It was a good message until they stated "Before you pick a phone, pick a network." That would be valid in an iPhone-less world. They would still be selling us phones based on a spinning CGI rendering of a phone's outer shell. "Look! A plastic candy bar! You like candy, don't you? Then you'll love our rectangular phone! Brand new features like rounded edges and three colors!"
Apple changed the game. The device should now be the focus. The service should be an afterthought in the background.
No the add is right. To many people drool over apple so they go with ATT. If you picked AT&T for the iPhone and knew the service was spotty in your area you loose all right to complain about it.
The smart people out there first pick a network that offers them the price they want and the coverage. Then your worry about what phone to get. The iPhone is not game changing and it sure as hell is not THAT much better any more with all the other phones hitting the market.
As for the add that was the exact reason why I left them. Verizon had crappy service out in Lubbock Texas and lied about them moving there network out there. They told us 6 months and that 6 months claim turn was not filled 4 years later of course I left at the end of the first year when my contract was up. I switch to AT&T because service was great there and in Houston so I choose them. I choose a network that works were I lived and spend my time.
They are correct choose a network then worry about your phone. Apple Fan seem to not understand that.
I have lived in 4 different rural markets and regularly travel between them. Currently, in NC, Verizon is everywhere since they bought out a couple providers like Rural Cellular and I forget the other one.
When I left Verizon, they had full bar 3G coverage at my house. They had just upgraded about 3 months before I went with an iPhone. With AT&T, I need to drive almost 20 miles to even find 3G coverage.
With Verizon, I had a Palm Treo 700 and it was very rare to see even the analog signal at all.
If Apple would make the iPhone for Verizon, i'd switch back in a blink, even if I had to pay early termination, it's that bad. I typically lose between 20-40% of my calls. There is several dead zones too, that I can't even drive down without losing it.
Well sorry you have no right to complain your dropped calls. You CHOOSE to go with AT&T for the iPhone knowing these problems are in your area. You ACCEPTED that as part of the problem. I recommend you go back to Verizon as soon as your contract is up.
The iPhone is NOT that great. Good phone but not some super phone that is poor local network.
Apple changed the game. The device should now be the focus. The service should be an afterthought in the background.
No the add is right. To many people drool over apple so they go with ATT. If you picked AT&T for the iPhone and knew the service was spotty in your area you loose all right to complain about it.
The smart people out there first pick a network that offers them the price they want and the coverage. Then your worry about what phone to get. The iPhone is not game changing and it sure as hell is not THAT much better any more with all the other phones hitting the market.
As for the add that was the exact reason why I left them. Verizon had crappy service out in Lubbock Texas and lied about them moving there network out there. They told us 6 months and that 6 months claim turn was not filled 4 years later of course I left at the end of the first year when my contract was up. I switch to AT&T because service was great there and in Houston so I choose them. I choose a network that works were I lived and spend my time.
They are correct choose a network then worry about your phone. Apple Fan seem to not understand that.
I have lived in 4 different rural markets and regularly travel between them. Currently, in NC, Verizon is everywhere since they bought out a couple providers like Rural Cellular and I forget the other one.
When I left Verizon, they had full bar 3G coverage at my house. They had just upgraded about 3 months before I went with an iPhone. With AT&T, I need to drive almost 20 miles to even find 3G coverage.
With Verizon, I had a Palm Treo 700 and it was very rare to see even the analog signal at all.
If Apple would make the iPhone for Verizon, i'd switch back in a blink, even if I had to pay early termination, it's that bad. I typically lose between 20-40% of my calls. There is several dead zones too, that I can't even drive down without losing it.
Well sorry you have no right to complain your dropped calls. You CHOOSE to go with AT&T for the iPhone knowing these problems are in your area. You ACCEPTED that as part of the problem. I recommend you go back to Verizon as soon as your contract is up.
The iPhone is NOT that great. Good phone but not some super phone that is poor local network.
DoFoT9
Jul 24, 11:35 PM
dang. i've had good luck with my apple extreme routers so far
yeh similar story here. no issues.
dang that's a lot of money. but fast speeds also. i don't think they even offer those speeds around here
im about 1.1km of cable away from the exchange, so i get good speeds :) too bad there is virtually only 1 ISP that provides said speeds :(
yeh similar story here. no issues.
dang that's a lot of money. but fast speeds also. i don't think they even offer those speeds around here
im about 1.1km of cable away from the exchange, so i get good speeds :) too bad there is virtually only 1 ISP that provides said speeds :(
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SMM
Oct 2, 09:21 PM
Well, he currently eyeing selling the tech to companies, presumably some of which are willing to spend big bucks to jam their way into the iPod + iTunes ecosphere. At least now, it's clear it's mostly about making moola.
Yes, we all know the moral high-ground corporations take. Regardless of any moral principals involved, it is 'can we get away with it?', or even more disgusting, 'can we make enough profit to justify the legal settlement?'. It is truly a sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in; where the moral fiber of our country is solely based on the personal pursuit of wealth. Personally, I find this individual loathsome.
Yes, we all know the moral high-ground corporations take. Regardless of any moral principals involved, it is 'can we get away with it?', or even more disgusting, 'can we make enough profit to justify the legal settlement?'. It is truly a sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in; where the moral fiber of our country is solely based on the personal pursuit of wealth. Personally, I find this individual loathsome.
Lyra
Aug 1, 01:48 PM
Ok, so this is one thing people don't really talk about, but to be completely honest, why don't we just be honest here.
Loosing Denmark, or Norway or both, doesn't matter one bit. It is a courtesy that Apple even allowed these small and meaningless countries to join in on the fun.
Point is, that loosing Denmark or Norway, or both, doesn't play any roles here... They are no market for Apple. We have Denmark, who is 98% PeeCee users and are still allergic to change and everything Apple. So, with a population of roughly 5 million, and most people use, PCs, and their aggressive TDC (Local Telephone company/Internet Company) downloadable music campaigns came out a month or two before Apple was allowed into the country. Conveniently they got a head start, no one talks about how TDC was blocking Apple from getting in.
Now, Apple users have just recently started to grow in Denmark, and if I say that the total Mac User community in Denmark is 25.000 people, then I am being optimistic at best. Out of that 25.000 a good 10.000 to 15.000 users don't have a modern mac, or don't even have broadband and don't surf the web like others, or rather, they are not part of the iLife community that has spawned an entire culture, thanks to Apple.
Then we have a few the 10.000 or so who actually have a current mac and do use all the tools and apps in the iLife community. But not all download music, so if we say that 5000 people actually buy music from iTunes, then is a minor miracle. A song on iTunes costs you $1.37 and then you actually need an iPod too, so let's throw that into the equation too. How many currently active iLife / iPod users are there really? Not a heck of alot. The iPod is not cheap in Denmark and songs are not cheap either.
People might have tried to buy a few songs from iTunes, but don't count on people actually building their library up with songs purchased with music from iTunes.
So, in the grand scheme of things, loosing 5-10.000 customers (being optimistic here and I am not even saying they are reoccurring users) for Apple doesn't mean a thing. New York has more inhabitant than Denmark...Ohh I don't know, say, 4 times more?
NEW YORK (Population 19,227,088)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108252.html
DENMARK (Population 5,450,661 -the entire country-)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107460.html
NORWAY (Population 4,610,820 -the entire country-)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107851.html
SWEDEN (Population 9,016,596 -the entire country-)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108008.html
New York makes up these three countries and no, not the entire State buys iTunes, but then neither do, these three countries...
So, the entire US, Canada, Asia, Australia and parts of Europe.. Do, you really think, Denmark makes an impression? Or Sweden and Norway for that matter?
Honestly, they are full of them selves, and they are MS friendly, always have been and always will be... That is their way... It won't change, creativity doesn't live these places.
The fact that these small countries yell so loudly has to be because they don't have anything better to do with their time and money.
So, for those who really think, Apple should give in, to these spoiled nations... Think again... Apple would benefit from leaving these countries, and let them enjoy whatever they want to enjoy.
TV shows, in those countries? Well I can only speak for Denmark, as I am stationed here... With their perverted Laws... That won't ever happen... Something called CODA and License, are the real pirates of those countries.
These countries simply didn't deserve to have Apple even thinking about giving them a piece of the fun...
Loosing Denmark, or Norway or both, doesn't matter one bit. It is a courtesy that Apple even allowed these small and meaningless countries to join in on the fun.
Point is, that loosing Denmark or Norway, or both, doesn't play any roles here... They are no market for Apple. We have Denmark, who is 98% PeeCee users and are still allergic to change and everything Apple. So, with a population of roughly 5 million, and most people use, PCs, and their aggressive TDC (Local Telephone company/Internet Company) downloadable music campaigns came out a month or two before Apple was allowed into the country. Conveniently they got a head start, no one talks about how TDC was blocking Apple from getting in.
Now, Apple users have just recently started to grow in Denmark, and if I say that the total Mac User community in Denmark is 25.000 people, then I am being optimistic at best. Out of that 25.000 a good 10.000 to 15.000 users don't have a modern mac, or don't even have broadband and don't surf the web like others, or rather, they are not part of the iLife community that has spawned an entire culture, thanks to Apple.
Then we have a few the 10.000 or so who actually have a current mac and do use all the tools and apps in the iLife community. But not all download music, so if we say that 5000 people actually buy music from iTunes, then is a minor miracle. A song on iTunes costs you $1.37 and then you actually need an iPod too, so let's throw that into the equation too. How many currently active iLife / iPod users are there really? Not a heck of alot. The iPod is not cheap in Denmark and songs are not cheap either.
People might have tried to buy a few songs from iTunes, but don't count on people actually building their library up with songs purchased with music from iTunes.
So, in the grand scheme of things, loosing 5-10.000 customers (being optimistic here and I am not even saying they are reoccurring users) for Apple doesn't mean a thing. New York has more inhabitant than Denmark...Ohh I don't know, say, 4 times more?
NEW YORK (Population 19,227,088)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108252.html
DENMARK (Population 5,450,661 -the entire country-)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107460.html
NORWAY (Population 4,610,820 -the entire country-)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107851.html
SWEDEN (Population 9,016,596 -the entire country-)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108008.html
New York makes up these three countries and no, not the entire State buys iTunes, but then neither do, these three countries...
So, the entire US, Canada, Asia, Australia and parts of Europe.. Do, you really think, Denmark makes an impression? Or Sweden and Norway for that matter?
Honestly, they are full of them selves, and they are MS friendly, always have been and always will be... That is their way... It won't change, creativity doesn't live these places.
The fact that these small countries yell so loudly has to be because they don't have anything better to do with their time and money.
So, for those who really think, Apple should give in, to these spoiled nations... Think again... Apple would benefit from leaving these countries, and let them enjoy whatever they want to enjoy.
TV shows, in those countries? Well I can only speak for Denmark, as I am stationed here... With their perverted Laws... That won't ever happen... Something called CODA and License, are the real pirates of those countries.
These countries simply didn't deserve to have Apple even thinking about giving them a piece of the fun...
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ECUpirate44
Apr 10, 03:35 PM
http://i52.tinypic.com/6h6q08.png
I never got a SMS with my license info though :mad:
I never got a SMS with my license info though :mad:
peharri
Oct 3, 01:33 PM
iTV has already been announced, of course they'll demo it.
Video iPod... possible. I think "true video iPod" is a misnomer, there already are video iPods, it just might get better over time.
No Apple Phone, for obvious reasons. The Apple Phone will only appear if they can't persuade the rest of the market to license iTunes, or if they're totally, completely, and utterly stupid.
iLife/iWork - well, of course!
More Leopard Features - ditto.
More Movie Studios - hard to believe that wouldn't be the case.
Steve Jobs retiring - possible, but why would it be announced at this MacWorld as opposed to any other time?
Video iPod... possible. I think "true video iPod" is a misnomer, there already are video iPods, it just might get better over time.
No Apple Phone, for obvious reasons. The Apple Phone will only appear if they can't persuade the rest of the market to license iTunes, or if they're totally, completely, and utterly stupid.
iLife/iWork - well, of course!
More Leopard Features - ditto.
More Movie Studios - hard to believe that wouldn't be the case.
Steve Jobs retiring - possible, but why would it be announced at this MacWorld as opposed to any other time?
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ipacmm
Aug 7, 04:21 PM
I might be picking up a new 30" ADC now. :)
Mattie Num Nums
Apr 8, 02:49 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.
As a former BBY employee I can tell you a few things that are flawed.
#1 no former or current Best Buy employee would call themselves BBemployee, BBYEmployee would seem more likely. I know its stupid but it is the culture of Best Buy to shorten it to BBY.
#2 You would have no clue if Best Buy was in trouble. As a simple Blue Shirt or even a Black Shirt you would not have this information passed down to you.
#3 Your rant show that you either hate Best Buy for personal reasons or possibly a former employee who has a huge vendetta against the company.
#4 Your rant does nothing to support this discussion.
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.
As a former BBY employee I can tell you a few things that are flawed.
#1 no former or current Best Buy employee would call themselves BBemployee, BBYEmployee would seem more likely. I know its stupid but it is the culture of Best Buy to shorten it to BBY.
#2 You would have no clue if Best Buy was in trouble. As a simple Blue Shirt or even a Black Shirt you would not have this information passed down to you.
#3 Your rant show that you either hate Best Buy for personal reasons or possibly a former employee who has a huge vendetta against the company.
#4 Your rant does nothing to support this discussion.
more...
Blacknblue
Jan 10, 07:13 AM
Steve Jobs will end his presentation with "a great communicator" ad lib
story about a little girl who had her science project presentation absolutely
ruined because the CD player in the classroom would NOT play the tracks she
meticulously downloaded from the itunes store. The class gets restless and bored, turns mean and chants her to tears with the refrain: "She can't
make it work! She can't make it work! She is such a jerk! She can't make it
work!" He'll end with an aggresive campaign to take Amazon by storm with
all music all platforms! He finishes with a 3D rendering of Amazons being
routed through the jungle with gurgling quicksand swallowing them one by one. The last one holds the ipod above the sand untill it slowly sinks into
the mire like the dinosaurs in the La Brea Tar Pits!
story about a little girl who had her science project presentation absolutely
ruined because the CD player in the classroom would NOT play the tracks she
meticulously downloaded from the itunes store. The class gets restless and bored, turns mean and chants her to tears with the refrain: "She can't
make it work! She can't make it work! She is such a jerk! She can't make it
work!" He'll end with an aggresive campaign to take Amazon by storm with
all music all platforms! He finishes with a 3D rendering of Amazons being
routed through the jungle with gurgling quicksand swallowing them one by one. The last one holds the ipod above the sand untill it slowly sinks into
the mire like the dinosaurs in the La Brea Tar Pits!
Clive At Five
Oct 19, 01:54 PM
1) MacBook nano: 10.6" widescreen, metallic finish in nano colors, and thinner and more rounded than the current MacBooks (though the slimness will be limited by the optical drive, unless they get rid of an internal optical drive which I don't think Apple will do).
This would be rockin', though who knows whether or not it'll happen.
I think they could ditch the optical drive as long as they shipped with a 2GB (4 or 8 maybe *shrugs*) flash drive (which magnetically attached to the side of the compupter ;) ).
Now THAT would be worth investing in, hehe.
-Clive
P.S. I think "MacBookMini" flows better... but Apple pretty much abandoned the well-flowing names with "MacBookPro" :rolleyes: .
This would be rockin', though who knows whether or not it'll happen.
I think they could ditch the optical drive as long as they shipped with a 2GB (4 or 8 maybe *shrugs*) flash drive (which magnetically attached to the side of the compupter ;) ).
Now THAT would be worth investing in, hehe.
-Clive
P.S. I think "MacBookMini" flows better... but Apple pretty much abandoned the well-flowing names with "MacBookPro" :rolleyes: .
rtdgoldfish
Mar 24, 01:00 AM
This is fascinating!
Out of curiosity how built up is your area? Is this a neighbour you've spoke too before? I think I'd feel worse if one of my neighbours stole something rather than some thief I never met before. That said they're mostly old folk, Paul Scholes and a pub so I don't expect any of them to steal from me!
Anyway. I can't wait to hear how this ends. It sounds like it's all going to work out if you can just get the police into that house. Surely you'll be able to prove it's yours there and then by some serial number, hard drive key or something?
I've seen the neighbors around when I walk my dog but I have never spoken to them. I usually have my iPod on so I ignore just about everyone. :D
The houses around here are pretty well spread out. I drove around in my car and determined that about 10 houses are in range of my wireless network. Three across the street, my house and the two next-door neighbors, three houses on the street behind mine and two houses on a side street.
Of these houses, I know all three families across the street, they would not break into my place, nice families. Two of the houses on the street behind me are either for sale or undergoing renovations so that eliminates them. The third house is this 80 year old man who I would guess still has a black and white TV and can walk about as fast as a snail. Don't think he's the burglar type.
The other couple of houses are the ones I don't know the neighbors. One has some teenage kids (I believe) and that is the one that always seems to be home or having the TV on when my 360 is on my network.
Right now, I'm just hoping that whoever has it doesn't try to get rid of it before the cops can get over there and check things out.
And yes, it will be fairly easy to prove it is mine. The serial number is on the back and even if they scratched it off, you can get to it via the settings in the Dashboard. I also have reciepts for the system, wireless adapter, controllers, play and charge kit, and most of the games.
Out of curiosity how built up is your area? Is this a neighbour you've spoke too before? I think I'd feel worse if one of my neighbours stole something rather than some thief I never met before. That said they're mostly old folk, Paul Scholes and a pub so I don't expect any of them to steal from me!
Anyway. I can't wait to hear how this ends. It sounds like it's all going to work out if you can just get the police into that house. Surely you'll be able to prove it's yours there and then by some serial number, hard drive key or something?
I've seen the neighbors around when I walk my dog but I have never spoken to them. I usually have my iPod on so I ignore just about everyone. :D
The houses around here are pretty well spread out. I drove around in my car and determined that about 10 houses are in range of my wireless network. Three across the street, my house and the two next-door neighbors, three houses on the street behind mine and two houses on a side street.
Of these houses, I know all three families across the street, they would not break into my place, nice families. Two of the houses on the street behind me are either for sale or undergoing renovations so that eliminates them. The third house is this 80 year old man who I would guess still has a black and white TV and can walk about as fast as a snail. Don't think he's the burglar type.
The other couple of houses are the ones I don't know the neighbors. One has some teenage kids (I believe) and that is the one that always seems to be home or having the TV on when my 360 is on my network.
Right now, I'm just hoping that whoever has it doesn't try to get rid of it before the cops can get over there and check things out.
And yes, it will be fairly easy to prove it is mine. The serial number is on the back and even if they scratched it off, you can get to it via the settings in the Dashboard. I also have reciepts for the system, wireless adapter, controllers, play and charge kit, and most of the games.
Amazing Iceman
May 4, 08:42 AM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8H7 Safari/6533.18.5)
I've no real need for an iPad and as such, no need for a tablet. But having had a go with the 'competitor's' including the so called iPad killer, Xoom, I think Apple have already won. These iPad ads are just confirming that to the public.
That's exactly what I thought when the iPad1 came out. I got one last July, under the condition of returning it if I did't like it. After 10 days of using it, I decided to keep it. Now it's my main work tool when I'm on the road, and at home I use it more than my MacBook Pro.
Maybe you should give it a try too. You may discover what you have been missing all these months...
I've no real need for an iPad and as such, no need for a tablet. But having had a go with the 'competitor's' including the so called iPad killer, Xoom, I think Apple have already won. These iPad ads are just confirming that to the public.
That's exactly what I thought when the iPad1 came out. I got one last July, under the condition of returning it if I did't like it. After 10 days of using it, I decided to keep it. Now it's my main work tool when I'm on the road, and at home I use it more than my MacBook Pro.
Maybe you should give it a try too. You may discover what you have been missing all these months...
bearbo
Jan 12, 02:19 AM
but because it is such a big leap in technology.
who are you kidding? what part of iphone is not previously existed in technology? yay it has a nice UI, like all other apple products, but the hardware?
as revolutionary as the iPhone
remind me, again, what's revolutionary about iPhone?
who are you kidding? what part of iphone is not previously existed in technology? yay it has a nice UI, like all other apple products, but the hardware?
as revolutionary as the iPhone
remind me, again, what's revolutionary about iPhone?
evilgEEk
Oct 3, 01:49 PM
I still believe that there will be some type of announcement, on something, before Thanksgiving.
I agree. One last big announcement before the Holiday Season.
I'm really excited about the iTV. That and Leopard is what I'll be eager to hear about.
I agree. One last big announcement before the Holiday Season.
I'm really excited about the iTV. That and Leopard is what I'll be eager to hear about.
Feng Shui
Sep 28, 10:21 PM
omg Steve Jobs please build myHouse.
Illuminated
Apr 6, 10:38 AM
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216007_10150209228878000_584022999_8405019_1450762_n.jpg
Picked it up at Wawa...it's delicious!!
Picked it up at Wawa...it's delicious!!
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