Apple Disappointed Me - For the First Time

Since I bought my MacBook earlier this year, I have become more and more enamored with Apple products. The work and work great, all with style. They are works of art just sitting on your desk. I could go on, but you get the idea.

So, on Black Friday, I ordered a lovely new iMac with the big 24" screen and an extra large hard drive. You know, so I can back-up my extensive DVD collection. And no, that is not a link to Netflix. I would NEVER, EVER copy movies that Netflix sends me so I can watch them on my iPod Touch while on the plane. You hear that, FBI? Never!

Anyway, I ordered the iMac on the Friday after Thanksgiving, the only day that Apple ever gives a (modest) discount on selected products. Still, I figure the money saved paid for the larger hard drive. Well, it showed up on Wednesday - but I was in Raleigh, so I didn't get to take delivery until Friday.

Actually, the delivery itself was a bit of a disaster as well. I was on our weekly staff meeting call when the FedEx driver finally arrived. He didn't bring the iMac up to the door - likely because he was tired of hauling that thing up, just to have me not answer the door on the first two attempts. As I told him that I was indeed expecting a delivery, my CEO asks me about the status of one of my customers. I start to answer him as Lucca the Dog makes a run for it between my legs and out the front door. This is not usually a problem, but the FedEx driver had left the front gate open, and Lucca made a beeline for freedom and all the discarded fried chicken bones he could find on the sidewalk. So, in the middle of my status update, I had to inform them that my dog had just decided to head for Manhattan and that I'd have to call them back for my update. Luckily for me, after just about 30 seconds of freedom, Lucca fell for the oldest trick in the book: "Lucca, COME!"

Sure enough, he came over. For the first time ever. We go back in the house and all seems as it was meant to be: my new iMac in the box and my dog contentedly sitting on the couch with me. I reluctantly get back on my conference call, leaving the iMac to languish by the door.

As soon as I was done, I rip open the box and get the Mac set up on the desk. The 24" screen looks huge next to my 19" LCD from my old PC. I fire it up - only to find that the LCD screen is only backlit on the top half, so it is totally dark on the lower half of the screen. Shit.

First thing, I call Apple phone support. 40 minutes later, they tell me I have to take it to the Apple store, about a half hour drive from me. I am guessing that they are just going to swap it out for me there. So, they make an appointment for me at 3:45pm on Saturday. I show up 15 minutes early, anxious to get home and start working on photos for Christmas presents, etc. Well, they are backed up at the Apple store, and I wait 45 minutes there to finally see someone. They fire it up, and basically say "yep, it's broke." My options are to have another one shipped out - just because I chose a "custom" hard drive size. Ugh.

So, it's not even being shipped to me, mind you, but to the Apple store, where at least they will test it out before I bring it home. So, now I have about 3 hours invested between support calls and trips to the Apple store.

I just have one thing to say to Apple: if you send out broken equipment, get it replaced IMMEDIATELY.