So, stop me if you have heard this. Apple releases a new iPod called the Nano. It's teeny tiny and sure to trip off the 'gotta have!' sensors of geeks at least 50 yards away. I was intrigued. I already had a Hard Drive based player, a 20 Gig Rio Karma, so I didn't need a full blown iPod. The Nano on the other hand appealed to me for a couple of reasons, size and flashbased (for jogging).
Keep in mind I had heard all the horror stories about Apple and the iPod ever since there were iPods. Because of this I was hesitant to buy one and bashed them every chance I got, not because I didn't like the iPod but because I liked using that to get under the skin of my iHead friends. The reason I say it wasn't because I didn't like the iPod was because I didn't have an opinion one way or another. I never owned one, never played with one, never even held one and believe it or not, I am not much for hypocrisy when I can help it.
After taking a strong look at the Nano, I decided it was about time to jump feet first into being an iHead and see what Apple had to offer. Figured if I was going to continue to talk smack about iPods, I should at least be a customer.
The whole process was quick and painless. They laser engraved it for me at no charge, Fed Ex'ed it for free, patted me on my head and sent me on my way. Once in hand I was impressed with the entire package. From box (I mean hell when was the last time anyone was impressed with a box a product came in) to the layout of the material inside. The Nano itself just ooozes techy goodness. They even got the engraving right. The solid weight, not heavy per say, was comforting. This was awesome. Included in the package was the Nano, a link cable, set of earpods, two packs of foam covers (each set of foam covers was sealed in it's own package... wow).
So off to the computer. Loaded up iTunes, converted over songs I already had on my machine to ACC and then plugged in the Nano. Simplicity in itself. In no time at all I was off, running and choking off little school girlish giggles all the way.
I call those the salad days... I guess I should refer to that time as the salad hours.
I have to take this moment to explain something about myself. I love tech goodies. I am the only person I know that had owned and used a Sony Magic Link (still works by the way). My love for such things boarders on obsessive compulsive. In other words, I take care of my toys. VERY GOOD CARE.
Imagine my surprise a day after my happy acquisition I noticed a blemish on the front of my Nano. Not on the screen but on the plastic facing. The only two places I had my Nano was on my desk resting on one of the storage bags it came with and in the front pocket of my jeans (the small 5th pocket that I used to carry my lighter in) so I was shocked to see the scratches. I eventually got over it. I mean no matter how well you treat something unless you plan on keeping it sealed in the box it came in, it's going to get worn. The first are the worst though.
After the first week the scratches spread like wildfire over the face of the Nano. I couldn't figure it. The only thing the face plate had come into contact with was my fingers and the inside of a pocket that didn't carry anything else. No keys, no change, no sandpaper, NOTHING. I found it hard to believe that just cotton was going to do that to something this well made.
Two weeks later and I have just given up. The scratches continue to spread, all over the place except for the metal back plate. Sure there are a few micro-scratches (which is to be expected) but I would have thought with its shiny surface it would be the first to go. Another thing that surprises me is that the plastic making up the click-wheel on the front is scratch free.
So I call up the Apple 1-800 number to ask what I can use to get the scratches out. I am promptly told that I should buy a protective case. That's all well and good but what do I do about the scratches I already have, you know the ones that were caused by cotton pants. Was told that I should have thought about a protective case when I made my initial purchase.
Odd.
It looks worse now after just shy of a month's use than my Karma that has served me well for almost 2 years. A year of that was in Iraq, with the sand, the mortars, the tossing in the pocket with untold number of other things, being dropped by the Custom's Official in the Amsterdam Airport, tossed in backpack and many more things I would rather not talk about. Through all of this my Karma is making my Nano look bad.
Karma - Used very hard for 2 years. Looking worn but not bad.
Nano - Only put in 5th pocket off and on for 3 weeks and looks like I dragged it on the pavement.
Unhappy but still enjoying the actual functionality of the Nano, I resign myself to the thought that looks aren't everything. At least that's what they tell me.
So starts the other shoe dropping.
I decide that I would like to get a dock for it. The cable is fine and I carry it with me while I am at work if I need a quick charge or if I want to get some songs off my laptop. What I needed now was something additional and a bit more permanent to attach to my home computer.
*Apple iPod nano Dock
The convenient iPod nano Dock is an elegant home base for charging and syncing with your computer or for connecting iPod nano to your home audio system.
Like all iPod Docks, the iPod nano Dock enables quick connectivity if you have a desktop computer without an easily accessible USB 2.0 port. No more reaching behind the computer to plug it in - just place iPod nano in the dock and it's ready to sync with iTunes and charge its battery. And you can plug a stereo mini cable to its line-out port and enjoy a clean, direct connection to a stereo or powered speakers.
*copied from the Apple Store site.
Works for me. Once again I delve into iHead land and order one. Simple, quick, painless.
Do me a favor and read the description one more time before reading on.
Okay, ready? I get the package quick enough. Nice packaging (seriously I don't understand why I am so impressed with it but I am) nice weight, solid construction, yet it's missing something. I look in the box just on the off chance that I might have missed it. Empty box. Take a look at the instructions.
Link Cable not included.
Now go back and read the description again, please.
Do you see the problem? I bought this as a second way to connect up my iPod but now I have to use the cable I already had and had plans for. So now it looks like I have to buy another link cable. If I had known that I would have just bought the 19 dollar cable and not the 29 dollar dock. So it looks like I am going to have to spend 50 dollars to have a functional dock.
Not going to happen. So I write a note to Apple Customer service using their web-based comment box.
Customer First Name : Richard
Customer Last Name : *****
email : SageClaw@sageclaw.com
Web Order # : W14914657
Support Subject : Post-Purchase
Sub Issue : Product returns and refunds
Comments : This is concerning the iPod Nano Dock. I guess it was silly of me to assume that it would come with a way to connect it to a computer.
"Like all iPod Docks, the iPod nano Dock enables quick connectivity if you have a desktop computer without an easily accessible USB 2.0 port. No more reaching behind the computer to plug it in just place iPod nano in the dock and it痴 ready to sync with iTunes and charge its battery. And you can plug a stereo mini cable to its line-out port and enjoy a clean, direct connection to a stereo or powered speakers."
It never mentions that it would require that I have a link cable. What if I lost mine and this was a replacement instead of another cable? What if I am using my cable with my laptop and this was for my home PC so I wouldn't have to swap back and forth.
I think it's a shame that one little line like "... Nano Link Cable required and not included." would have solved this issue way ahead of time. Thanks for making me feel like I was suckered out of 30 dollars. I seriously thought your company was above such things.
Thank you for your time,
Richard *****
TrackID: 1060623
No swearing, no demanding, just a comment that should get a valid response. Here is the response.
From: applestoreinfo@apple.com
To: SageClaw@sageclaw.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 3:17 PM
Subject: Re: Post-Purchase W14914657; Follow-up: 11090942
Dear Richard,
Thank you for contacting Apple.
To obtain comprehensive information about Apple products, call the Apple Store at 800-MY-APPLE. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,
Apple Store Customer Support
Oh yeah, I am bathing in the Apple hatred that I have heard about all these years. Would it have killed them to give me an RA (Return Authorization) number for the useless dock? Would it have killed them to send me a link cable because of the lack of information in their own description of their product? Would it have killed them to actually reply instead of sending me what equates to a "We don't have the time or desire to deal with you" form letter? Would it have killed them to actually change the description of the Dock requirements so that this won't happen to another customer? (which they haven't by the way).
Now for yet other shoe to drop (where in the hell did a third shoe come from I have no idea). Was getting ready to call up the Customer Service line to ask about the cable, like the e-brush-off told me to when I filled up my Nano. What's wrong with that you might ask? Well let me tell you. Filled it up with 3.67 gigs of songs.
3.67? Yeah, I know the first thing you are thinking. When it comes to memory space it can be measured 2 different ways. 1,000,000,000 bytes = 1 Gig (which is the usual wussy ass way they measure HD storage before you buy it) or 1,073,741,824 bytes or 1024 Megs = 1 Gig (as measured by software and the space it takes up.) So my question is, why is iTunes giving me the 3.67 number as being full for their own 4 Gig iPod? What type of crap is that? Can't they even come up with a set standard between their own two products?
I am not even going into the fact that it is only 890 songs and not 1000 because that's a bullshit argument. Even I know better.
So yeah, I tried Apple. Found them to be lacking in more ways then one. Added them to the list of companies I won't be doing business with again.
Live and learn.