roadbloc
Apr 8, 05:57 PM
I'd say 10.6 had a ton of new features; they just weren't in the UI.
Care to elaborate? I didn't notice any apart from a few UI tweaks.
Care to elaborate? I didn't notice any apart from a few UI tweaks.
Gugulino
Mar 24, 04:11 PM
Cheers! I wish Mac OS X a long and successful life! Keep going on�
peas
Sep 28, 12:39 PM
what sucks is that academic ve4rsions are not allowed this free update.
what bs. considering i just bought the freakin app not more than 3 weeks ago.
what bs. considering i just bought the freakin app not more than 3 weeks ago.
sweetpoh
Mar 17, 05:25 PM
MacRumours also known as the moral police! lmao Cracks me up especially after all the post I have read in the past about people receiving extra computers in the mail by accident from apple!!! And if I was a troll and made this whole thing up completely, I have succeeded for sure, for laughing at all of the post in this stupid thread it has ruffled some nerves of the people at home wishing they had an Ipad, insted of posting from their Acer Netbook. This place is a joke
You think Best Buy has screwed you in the past? What about UCF? They let you graduate with such fine writing skills. LOL.
You think Best Buy has screwed you in the past? What about UCF? They let you graduate with such fine writing skills. LOL.
more...
iSee
Jan 14, 01:03 PM
These are my predictions:
Macbook Nano:
12" Multitouch Screen
32gb Solid-state hard disk
3G mobile connectivity for wireless internet access
8 hour battery
Simply a tablet (eg. Macbook cut in half); Apple Style
Mac OS X leopard Multi-touch Edition
That's just what I was thinking (except no 3G--that would require getting a mobile operator involved. *maybe* as an option).
I think it will be based on the iPhone/Touch version of OS X, so no optical drive, period. Software is installed through iTunes (yeah, you are expected to have another Mac). However, media will synch wirelessly, AppleTV-style.
I'm also thinking the screen might be a little smaller. It's going to be light enough to hold and hand to someone else with one hand, even for pretty small people. Also, it *will* be called MacBook Air (sorry--I'm predicting, not saying what I *want* to see).
Macbook Nano:
12" Multitouch Screen
32gb Solid-state hard disk
3G mobile connectivity for wireless internet access
8 hour battery
Simply a tablet (eg. Macbook cut in half); Apple Style
Mac OS X leopard Multi-touch Edition
That's just what I was thinking (except no 3G--that would require getting a mobile operator involved. *maybe* as an option).
I think it will be based on the iPhone/Touch version of OS X, so no optical drive, period. Software is installed through iTunes (yeah, you are expected to have another Mac). However, media will synch wirelessly, AppleTV-style.
I'm also thinking the screen might be a little smaller. It's going to be light enough to hold and hand to someone else with one hand, even for pretty small people. Also, it *will* be called MacBook Air (sorry--I'm predicting, not saying what I *want* to see).
7o7munoz7o7
Dec 13, 05:01 PM
I'm getting really tired of reading "iPhone on Verizon 4G after Christmas!" rumors on here. WHy is it that every time someone says "Oh, I've heard the iPhone's coming to Verizon in January," MacRumors puts it on the front page or Page 2? Are enough people so totally obsessed with the iPhone, they pee their pants if they don't hear a Verizon iPhone rumor every day/every other day?
Yes.
Yes.
more...
TrulyYuki
Apr 7, 01:30 PM
About damn time too...
<snip>
Looking forward to shooting with this new gear...
i am super jealous!!! how much did all that set you back, or not because you're made of money... kidding.
<snip>
that's the perfect mommy mobile. not a darn mini-van. that's my future car to replace my vic. when its the right time.
<snip>
Looking forward to shooting with this new gear...
i am super jealous!!! how much did all that set you back, or not because you're made of money... kidding.
<snip>
that's the perfect mommy mobile. not a darn mini-van. that's my future car to replace my vic. when its the right time.
phatboy
Jan 15, 08:36 PM
hahaha. that is quality! the comedy value is immense :P
more...
DoFoT9
Jul 22, 04:54 AM
That is a very poor speed, at least I'm getting close to 10 mb/s but paying for 30 I think... $76 a month. These monopolies we have in the US are a drag, they can do whatever they want and the gov does nothing about it. Mine is adequate for all the folding at least.
i pay $130aus a month ($~110 US) for 50GB of downloads! (adsl2+). at least i hit the speeds.
are you on cable lord?
i pay $130aus a month ($~110 US) for 50GB of downloads! (adsl2+). at least i hit the speeds.
are you on cable lord?
firestarter
Apr 26, 11:21 AM
Like this: 283005
more...
cute anime things. Anime/Manga, Cute Stuff,; Anime/Manga, Cute Stuff,. Doctor Q. Dec 24, 01:13 PM. By coincidence, I set my first MobileMe calendar event
Cute Anime Girl With Brown
more...
Cute things to draw? yahoo
This is an anime we are
more...
cute anime things.
cute anime things. Anime Emo
more...
cute anime things. :D (Manga/anime stuff); :D (Manga/anime stuff). Rogue. May 3, 07:36 AM. And the specs?
Each character in this anime
cute anime things. More anime? More stuff on our; More anime? More stuff on our. diehldun. Jul 21, 05:26 PM
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hamis92
Mar 25, 10:07 AM
The packaging has been getting uglier with every release after Panther. OK, I consider none of them ugly, just a bit less beautiful :rolleyes:
emotion
Nov 16, 12:47 PM
Do they have to remake a new "Universal Binary?" Because aren't the current UB's for Intel and PPC? Please tell me they wont. I don't wnat to have to wait again for new UB's
In the windows world, they don't have separate or universal binaries for amd/intel. You wouldn't for OSX either.
In the windows world, they don't have separate or universal binaries for amd/intel. You wouldn't for OSX either.
more...
lostontheisland
Apr 5, 05:24 PM
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)
first-chill!, second-chill a little more, third-am i not within my own rights to call something as i see it?or is that reserved solely for you?the choice of words i use are just that my choice so take your opinion about me elsewhere as after some thought iv decided I couldn't care any less what you say.
Opinion...yes. Have one. Share it. Talk all you want about how useless this app is. It may in fact be useless to some people. There are tons of useless apps out there. I don't like them. I have them. I've waisted time downloading them. The problem here isn't opinions....the problem is labeling. If your opinion is that you hate the app and it's worthless, then great. If anyone thinks their "opinion" is that downloaders of the app are morons, then now you're labeling people. And that my friend is wrong. I am amazed at the bashing on this site. I rarely read the posts anymore because its filled with people slamming something they don't understand or don't like. Some poor unexpected person shares his or her opinion and the people here light up and start flaming.
Sad. I actually like the app and find it useful. I don't find Doodle Jump useful but I don't think people that do are morons. I try real hard not to label people. So start flaming and jumping all over me for being this or that. Just sad.
and I'm surprised at the angry people like yourself being so angry at another grown ups choice of words!who are you to tell me what i can and can't say?do yourself a favor and don't reply i don't suffer fools. think il quit this forum to many ignorant people
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)
first-chill!, second-chill a little more, third-am i not within my own rights to call something as i see it?or is that reserved solely for you?the choice of words i use are just that my choice so take your opinion about me elsewhere as after some thought iv decided I couldn't care any less what you say.
Opinion...yes. Have one. Share it. Talk all you want about how useless this app is. It may in fact be useless to some people. There are tons of useless apps out there. I don't like them. I have them. I've waisted time downloading them. The problem here isn't opinions....the problem is labeling. If your opinion is that you hate the app and it's worthless, then great. If anyone thinks their "opinion" is that downloaders of the app are morons, then now you're labeling people. And that my friend is wrong. I am amazed at the bashing on this site. I rarely read the posts anymore because its filled with people slamming something they don't understand or don't like. Some poor unexpected person shares his or her opinion and the people here light up and start flaming.
Sad. I actually like the app and find it useful. I don't find Doodle Jump useful but I don't think people that do are morons. I try real hard not to label people. So start flaming and jumping all over me for being this or that. Just sad.
and I'm surprised at the angry people like yourself being so angry at another grown ups choice of words!who are you to tell me what i can and can't say?do yourself a favor and don't reply i don't suffer fools. think il quit this forum to many ignorant people
swy32x
Sep 8, 07:48 AM
Yes, he is in fact criticising the whole gangsta image ... "We say ******* the police and that's how we treat 'em / we can buy our way out of jail but we can't buy freedom" ...
How is he a 'no-talent ass clown'. So, you don't like hip-hop. How is he a no-talent hack?
It seems that he felt a bit out of place during his performance, but at the end of his performance the applause and crowd were ecstatic.
How is he a 'no-talent ass clown'. So, you don't like hip-hop. How is he a no-talent hack?
It seems that he felt a bit out of place during his performance, but at the end of his performance the applause and crowd were ecstatic.
more...
ABG
Apr 8, 08:03 AM
Applaud the choice! Type or specs?
Thanks. Its just a standard Audi TT Roadster 2.0TFSI Black Edition.
Bose sound system and 19" Anthracite alloys are the main extras over the S-Line.
Thanks. Its just a standard Audi TT Roadster 2.0TFSI Black Edition.
Bose sound system and 19" Anthracite alloys are the main extras over the S-Line.
quagmire
Jul 27, 12:27 PM
This is why I do not see "electric cars" gaining mainstream popularity any time soon.
Me neither. Anyone hoping the volt would be priced below $30k was on something, IMHO. I was personally hoping for $35-37K due that $7500 tax credit would make the volt a bit more appealing. That lease offering doesn't look bad though. I wonder what are the terms of the lease.
Me neither. Anyone hoping the volt would be priced below $30k was on something, IMHO. I was personally hoping for $35-37K due that $7500 tax credit would make the volt a bit more appealing. That lease offering doesn't look bad though. I wonder what are the terms of the lease.
more...
c-ker
Dec 13, 07:32 PM
need more than a grain of salt for this. These rumours come and go all the time. I doubt it will happen. In the summer? yes, but not now
Maybe VZW will bundle their only current 4G device -- the Mi-FI gizmo -- with a 3G CDMA iPhone 4. Would be similar to what they are doing with the iPad.
Before you ask if VZW is stupid enough to do that, remember that VZW ninnies nixed the iPhone way back when.
Maybe VZW will bundle their only current 4G device -- the Mi-FI gizmo -- with a 3G CDMA iPhone 4. Would be similar to what they are doing with the iPad.
Before you ask if VZW is stupid enough to do that, remember that VZW ninnies nixed the iPhone way back when.
calculus
Jan 12, 02:42 AM
i was hoping for something revolutionary.
Overthrow of the government?
Overthrow of the government?
MacFly123
Oct 6, 05:50 PM
T-Mo may have screwed the pooch on their 3G rollout, but my phone doesn't drop 30% of my calls. It'll be interesting to see how ATT, and TMo keep up with the 3G coverage, as Verizon and Sprint move forward.
My iPhone never drops calls and hasnt since after the first few months the 3G luanched. But I am not in New York or California! :p
I did have a hard time sending MMS the week it launched. Lots of sending errors. And tethering...... how about that AT&T? :rolleyes:
I want another US carrier to get the iPhone, if for no other reasons than to just spur competition and get a big load off of the AT&T network.
My iPhone never drops calls and hasnt since after the first few months the 3G luanched. But I am not in New York or California! :p
I did have a hard time sending MMS the week it launched. Lots of sending errors. And tethering...... how about that AT&T? :rolleyes:
I want another US carrier to get the iPhone, if for no other reasons than to just spur competition and get a big load off of the AT&T network.
scottsjack
Mar 28, 06:38 PM
Respectfully, I think you're missing the point. In its totality, installing an app is more like:
1) Google or otherwise search for an app. Make sure its the Mac version, compatible with your OS version, processor, etc. There probably won't be any reviews, more like select quotes from people who liked it.
2) IF you trust that website, fill out your credit card information, PayPal account, etc.
3) Download it and do the process you described for installing.
4) If you need to re-install the app, buy a new computer, etc. hope that the company allows you to re-download it.
5) If you have a good/bad experience, good luck reviewing it or rating it.
I'm a pretty tech-savvy guy and I still appreciate the ease of the Mac App Store.
Oh my gosh, the terrible amount of work you have to go through just to buy and install an application. Put convenience as your first priority and Steve will make many things "easier" for you. . .
1) Google or otherwise search for an app. Make sure its the Mac version, compatible with your OS version, processor, etc. There probably won't be any reviews, more like select quotes from people who liked it.
2) IF you trust that website, fill out your credit card information, PayPal account, etc.
3) Download it and do the process you described for installing.
4) If you need to re-install the app, buy a new computer, etc. hope that the company allows you to re-download it.
5) If you have a good/bad experience, good luck reviewing it or rating it.
I'm a pretty tech-savvy guy and I still appreciate the ease of the Mac App Store.
Oh my gosh, the terrible amount of work you have to go through just to buy and install an application. Put convenience as your first priority and Steve will make many things "easier" for you. . .
kirky29
Mar 24, 03:10 PM
Happy Birthday, OS X! Thank you for making me enjoy using my computer :)
NDA74
Jan 13, 09:12 AM
So gizmodo is responsible for this how?
Gizmodo is responsible for this because it vouched for the prankster and obtained a credential for him. Media organizations put their reputations at stake each time they obtain a credential for someone, whether it's to a high school basketball game, a trade show or a political event.
Gizmodo is responsible for this because it vouched for the prankster and obtained a credential for him. Media organizations put their reputations at stake each time they obtain a credential for someone, whether it's to a high school basketball game, a trade show or a political event.
Night Spring
Apr 21, 01:05 PM
That isn't it, because I can change the scores up or down (by TWO points) at will.
Hmmm, well, when *I* do it, it goes up 2 but down 1!
Hmmm, well, when *I* do it, it goes up 2 but down 1!
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.
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