JGowan
Oct 10, 09:07 PM
:: Comments removed due to my stupidity :: Thanks for the info/tip, though, iMeowbot!!
AppliedVisual
Oct 17, 11:01 AM
HD DVD for movies and Blu-Ray for data. Problem solved.
Um, no....
At 30GB max on HD-DVD, even with a good VC1 transfer, 3 hour and longer features must start sacrificing quality to fit. In other words, films like "Titanic" are going to run into the same shortcomings on HD-DVD as they did with DVD.
There's other reasons to choose BluRay and this whole format war would be compltely non-existant had Sony released their product nearly a year ago when they first promised and if it had actually worked. Now they keep fumbling the ball and losing out to an inferior format at every turn.
In the end, we'll see universal players as a solution, but I doubt HD-DVD vs. BluRay will be solved before the next big format comes along. All the pieces are in place to manufacture a universal player, but Sony's Blu-Ray licensing agreements specifically forbid the inclusion of support for HD-DVD, DVD-Audio and other competing formats on the same device. It's questionable whether or not this is legal, Sony and Philips tried it with DVD+R and the exclusive licensing failed. It will only be a matter of time before someone challenges the Sony licensing. Unfortunately, the few companies already in the best position to produce a universal player (Samsung, Panasoic, LG, etc...) are already Blu-Ray allies. So it may take a bit more time.
Personally, I would rather just have digital downloads from a high speed download service and store them on my own storage whether it is on DVDs, Blu-Ray, HD-DVD as data. For large downloads, I would like to go to a local video store and download them to my laptop using Firewire 800/400 or USB but that is probably too far in the future.
Direct downloads would definitely be welcome, as long as there is the option to write them to some form of tangible media like an optical disc. There's also the issue of download times and quality. A top-notch VC1 transfer on HD-DVD or BluRay at 1080p is going to occupy 25+ GB of space. That's a significant download for any conventional broadband connection. VC1 or H.264 versions of films at near-DVD quality like we'll find in the iTunes store are OK compared to DVD and are a good start, but I think we're still just a couple years away from it really happening with HD on a broad scale. The infrastructure is being constructed now, products like iTV, iPod and yes even the Zune, will pave the way for this to happen. So we're on our way...
I think ultimately what will happen is films/videos will become entirely on-demand. Users will be able to connect directly to major studios and have on-demand access to their entire catalog of every film ever created. Sites like iTunes will still serve a purpose as a portal or gateway to access multiple catalogs from different studios all in one place with a common interface. Probably still several years off and broadband and widespread wireless access methods need to be enhanced a bit, but this is no doubt where we're headed.
Um, no....
At 30GB max on HD-DVD, even with a good VC1 transfer, 3 hour and longer features must start sacrificing quality to fit. In other words, films like "Titanic" are going to run into the same shortcomings on HD-DVD as they did with DVD.
There's other reasons to choose BluRay and this whole format war would be compltely non-existant had Sony released their product nearly a year ago when they first promised and if it had actually worked. Now they keep fumbling the ball and losing out to an inferior format at every turn.
In the end, we'll see universal players as a solution, but I doubt HD-DVD vs. BluRay will be solved before the next big format comes along. All the pieces are in place to manufacture a universal player, but Sony's Blu-Ray licensing agreements specifically forbid the inclusion of support for HD-DVD, DVD-Audio and other competing formats on the same device. It's questionable whether or not this is legal, Sony and Philips tried it with DVD+R and the exclusive licensing failed. It will only be a matter of time before someone challenges the Sony licensing. Unfortunately, the few companies already in the best position to produce a universal player (Samsung, Panasoic, LG, etc...) are already Blu-Ray allies. So it may take a bit more time.
Personally, I would rather just have digital downloads from a high speed download service and store them on my own storage whether it is on DVDs, Blu-Ray, HD-DVD as data. For large downloads, I would like to go to a local video store and download them to my laptop using Firewire 800/400 or USB but that is probably too far in the future.
Direct downloads would definitely be welcome, as long as there is the option to write them to some form of tangible media like an optical disc. There's also the issue of download times and quality. A top-notch VC1 transfer on HD-DVD or BluRay at 1080p is going to occupy 25+ GB of space. That's a significant download for any conventional broadband connection. VC1 or H.264 versions of films at near-DVD quality like we'll find in the iTunes store are OK compared to DVD and are a good start, but I think we're still just a couple years away from it really happening with HD on a broad scale. The infrastructure is being constructed now, products like iTV, iPod and yes even the Zune, will pave the way for this to happen. So we're on our way...
I think ultimately what will happen is films/videos will become entirely on-demand. Users will be able to connect directly to major studios and have on-demand access to their entire catalog of every film ever created. Sites like iTunes will still serve a purpose as a portal or gateway to access multiple catalogs from different studios all in one place with a common interface. Probably still several years off and broadband and widespread wireless access methods need to be enhanced a bit, but this is no doubt where we're headed.
UTclassof89
Jul 21, 01:39 PM
1) What isn't factored into your calculations is that because of its more-sensitive antenna, the iP4 was able to make calls, in marginal signal areas, where the 3GS showed no signal and was not able to attempt or receive a call... dropping any of these "never-before-possible" calls would reflect poorly on the iP4, and be included in the "< 1 call per hundred" more dropped calls by the iP4.
True, but a dropped call is a dropped call.
2) <1 per 100 more dropped calls by the iP4 than the 3GS. "< 1" can mean anything from, say, .0000000001 to .9999999999. Without knowing the real delta fraction it is difficult to base calculations on it.
We both know that's a crock. If "<1" was anything less than 0.8, Apple would have said "barely over one half of one percent". But they didn't. That means it's more like .97 or .98 (bet me an iPhone!)
3) The 3GS came into being with a plethora of available cases-- the iP4 with 1 case, that was in so short supply as to be non-available. Apple stated that 80% of the 3GSs left their store with a case. So, many 3Gs had 2 layers of antenna shielding, the 3GS plastic housing and an external case. The bulk of iP4s had neither-- 0 levels of antenna shielding.
Wow. Mr. Jobs, I didn't realize it was you.
The point isn't whether a case mitigates the issue--I have no doubt that it does. But Apple is spinning facts and pretending the issue is the typical attenuation issue other phones has. It isn't (otherwise the iphone 4's that left the store without a case would be dropping fewer calls, not more)
True, but a dropped call is a dropped call.
2) <1 per 100 more dropped calls by the iP4 than the 3GS. "< 1" can mean anything from, say, .0000000001 to .9999999999. Without knowing the real delta fraction it is difficult to base calculations on it.
We both know that's a crock. If "<1" was anything less than 0.8, Apple would have said "barely over one half of one percent". But they didn't. That means it's more like .97 or .98 (bet me an iPhone!)
3) The 3GS came into being with a plethora of available cases-- the iP4 with 1 case, that was in so short supply as to be non-available. Apple stated that 80% of the 3GSs left their store with a case. So, many 3Gs had 2 layers of antenna shielding, the 3GS plastic housing and an external case. The bulk of iP4s had neither-- 0 levels of antenna shielding.
Wow. Mr. Jobs, I didn't realize it was you.
The point isn't whether a case mitigates the issue--I have no doubt that it does. But Apple is spinning facts and pretending the issue is the typical attenuation issue other phones has. It isn't (otherwise the iphone 4's that left the store without a case would be dropping fewer calls, not more)
KnightWRX
Apr 27, 06:22 PM
For someone seeking our help, you sure are quick to dismiss it. Again, everyone in this thread has been trying to help you. A little cooperation on your part would be appreciated.
Help us help you. If we have questions, it's because we don't quite understand what you are seeking help on.
Help us help you. If we have questions, it's because we don't quite understand what you are seeking help on.
iCrizzo
Apr 29, 05:01 PM
Apple listens to it's fans. Yay! XD
They do.. look at the iPad, they brought back the "lock" switch. :apple:
They do.. look at the iPad, they brought back the "lock" switch. :apple:
thejadedmonkey
Oct 10, 05:11 PM
Perhaps Apple is selling less of the newly released iPods than they thought 'cos many people are holding off until the iPod Video is released...
They can't be bummed since they aren't advertising it. The average consumer probably couldn't even tell it's been upgraded (except for the screen brightness)
They can't be bummed since they aren't advertising it. The average consumer probably couldn't even tell it's been upgraded (except for the screen brightness)
arn
Apr 21, 10:37 AM
Hi,
You will notice a new feature we are testing. Each post now has an up/down arrow associated with it. Clicking on either arrow will record your vote for that post. Right now, the votes are simply tallied next to the post, but may be used in other ways in the future.
- You must be logged in for your vote to register
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- Please continue to use the "report" post button to report spam and other rules vioations.
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arn
You will notice a new feature we are testing. Each post now has an up/down arrow associated with it. Clicking on either arrow will record your vote for that post. Right now, the votes are simply tallied next to the post, but may be used in other ways in the future.
- You must be logged in for your vote to register
- Criteria for up/down voting should be relatively obvious. Posts you like or would like to see more of, you can up vote. Those you dislike you can downvote.
- Please continue to use the "report" post button to report spam and other rules vioations.
- Assume that your votes are public, even though at the moment there is no way to see how people have voted. That may change.
arn
MagicBoy
Mar 25, 06:10 PM
Did I miss something? I was talking about Eidorian. And I don't care if he's secretly Steve Jobs. A troll is a troll.
Yeah, I thought the same. Was trying to work out how Schmye made such a mad link!
He probably OD'd on Mountain Dew ;)
Yeah, I thought the same. Was trying to work out how Schmye made such a mad link!
He probably OD'd on Mountain Dew ;)
SeaFox
Oct 3, 10:58 PM
I reaallly don't see Leopard being out in January.
Yeah, I'm thinking March.
Yeah, I'm thinking March.
Xian Zhu Xuande
Jul 21, 10:21 AM
Completely incorrect, I have always been an Apple customer. I just recently bought an i7 iMac and own a Macbook pro, an iPod touch and an iPhone 3G. I waited in line for the iPhone 4, and I absolutely love the thing to bits. It's the fastest, most awesome phone I've ever owned. But what annoys me is that you have to agree that this is the most serious problem relating to signal attenuation ever been seen. I mean yes, it has been blown out of proportion by the media but when you get down and actually test it out in different signal strength areas, you definitely notice it pretty severely.
But what annoys me the most, is Apple's "couldn't give a s***, let's point out other people's similar mistakes." Apple has never been like this before. Jobs may have saved the company but he's also going to ruin it with this attitude. Wozniak would have recalled the phones.
I'm quite familiar with the circumstance. Placing the antenna on the outside of the unit has changed the way attenuation of the phone's signal manifests. Apple probably failed to predict the way in which this was received. I agree completely with Gruber on this one, though: it is a two steps forward, one step back sort of thing. I have lost a call that I probably wouldn't have lost due to this issue, but at the same time, I have kept far more calls than I would have, in those poor signal areas, had I been using my 3GS. It is a tradeoff (a word Jobs was probably concerned to use) but one I feel is acceptable. That said, discussion of the issue is fine�it really is there�but discussion blowing it clear out of proportion is just mind numbing.
Now, on to your second line, you clearly don't understand PR and how a company Apple's size has to react with the media. They've certainly misstepped at times, but as they have chosen not to do a recall (reasonable, I feel, and it seems their customers are voting with their dollars that they agree) they have to back their decision to support the phone as is. Competitors have gone out of their way to target this issue and Apple has to respond. And it is fair, too. If Nokia is going to come out and say they don't have issues like this they should be prepared to have their products tested and the same goes for other companies. Apple's on the defense here and it has nothing to do with them not giving a ****.
"Jobs is going to ruin the company with this attitude," is hyperbole.
The Woz, as much as I love the guy, absolutely would not be capable of running a company like Apple (or one even remotely near as successful)�or how to resolve a PR issue. He's an engineer through and through. Not a businessman or any sort of social wizard.
LOL. Grow up. You sound paranoid: Everyone is out to get Apple.
Actually, the media does target Apple disproportionately, but it is not because they are haters. Apple is a large, successful company which people have passionate opinions about and that generates interest, page views, ratings, advertising revenue. So actually, that was right in one sense, wrong in another.
And there's something entertaining about the line, "LOL. Grow up."
But what annoys me the most, is Apple's "couldn't give a s***, let's point out other people's similar mistakes." Apple has never been like this before. Jobs may have saved the company but he's also going to ruin it with this attitude. Wozniak would have recalled the phones.
I'm quite familiar with the circumstance. Placing the antenna on the outside of the unit has changed the way attenuation of the phone's signal manifests. Apple probably failed to predict the way in which this was received. I agree completely with Gruber on this one, though: it is a two steps forward, one step back sort of thing. I have lost a call that I probably wouldn't have lost due to this issue, but at the same time, I have kept far more calls than I would have, in those poor signal areas, had I been using my 3GS. It is a tradeoff (a word Jobs was probably concerned to use) but one I feel is acceptable. That said, discussion of the issue is fine�it really is there�but discussion blowing it clear out of proportion is just mind numbing.
Now, on to your second line, you clearly don't understand PR and how a company Apple's size has to react with the media. They've certainly misstepped at times, but as they have chosen not to do a recall (reasonable, I feel, and it seems their customers are voting with their dollars that they agree) they have to back their decision to support the phone as is. Competitors have gone out of their way to target this issue and Apple has to respond. And it is fair, too. If Nokia is going to come out and say they don't have issues like this they should be prepared to have their products tested and the same goes for other companies. Apple's on the defense here and it has nothing to do with them not giving a ****.
"Jobs is going to ruin the company with this attitude," is hyperbole.
The Woz, as much as I love the guy, absolutely would not be capable of running a company like Apple (or one even remotely near as successful)�or how to resolve a PR issue. He's an engineer through and through. Not a businessman or any sort of social wizard.
LOL. Grow up. You sound paranoid: Everyone is out to get Apple.
Actually, the media does target Apple disproportionately, but it is not because they are haters. Apple is a large, successful company which people have passionate opinions about and that generates interest, page views, ratings, advertising revenue. So actually, that was right in one sense, wrong in another.
And there's something entertaining about the line, "LOL. Grow up."
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.
Cougarcat
May 2, 01:31 PM
I have been playing with the Lion Preview for a few weeks, on and off, and I am not liking what I see.
I like the minimalist look, to some extent. It feels very clean and Jobsian, but I feel like many of the features I rely on have been changed. For example:
for irthday cakes they
in 1st birthday cakes
Kids Birthday Cakes and Kids
1st birthday cake - No 1 shape
Cake Gallery | Birthday Cakes
Categories:1st Birthday Cakes,
1st Birthday Cakes
I like the minimalist look, to some extent. It feels very clean and Jobsian, but I feel like many of the features I rely on have been changed. For example:
MattInOz
Sep 30, 06:27 PM
In the architectural drawing, above the kitchen and below the bedrooms (using the top of the image as up and the bottom of the image as down) there is a rectangular room with an arch inside it. It's not labeled like the rest is. Any ideas what that is?
Initially I thought large pantry due to its location from the kitchen, but the pantry is labeled to the right of that area.
Perhaps a library with round desk / seating? Sitting room with a circular hearth in the middle? Breakfast nook?
The great thing about an open kitchen is the cook/s of the family isn't out of the life of the family, the bad thing is all your cooking mess is out there with you. So Best guess it's a "Butler's Pantry" or a service kitchen.
Always the first luxury to be included in houses where space allows in even.
Plus it's in the service core of the house so that would fit.
Gives you some where to dump the dirty dishes if you don't want to deal with them till after guests leave or the next morning. To get round this you have two kitchens one in the main space for main meals another tucked away for prep and clean, plus the microwave or machines that make noise and go ping when you make popcorn to eat while watching the drop down home cinema screen as shown on one plan. Also if you have catering coming in for a formal diner it gives them some where out of the way to do their work.
As for the round thing which is the only round element in the house.
Well if it was my house that would be a wood fired dome oven or pizza oven.
Great for roasting veges (and meat but doubt there will be any of that) and your own bread.
Initially I thought large pantry due to its location from the kitchen, but the pantry is labeled to the right of that area.
Perhaps a library with round desk / seating? Sitting room with a circular hearth in the middle? Breakfast nook?
The great thing about an open kitchen is the cook/s of the family isn't out of the life of the family, the bad thing is all your cooking mess is out there with you. So Best guess it's a "Butler's Pantry" or a service kitchen.
Always the first luxury to be included in houses where space allows in even.
Plus it's in the service core of the house so that would fit.
Gives you some where to dump the dirty dishes if you don't want to deal with them till after guests leave or the next morning. To get round this you have two kitchens one in the main space for main meals another tucked away for prep and clean, plus the microwave or machines that make noise and go ping when you make popcorn to eat while watching the drop down home cinema screen as shown on one plan. Also if you have catering coming in for a formal diner it gives them some where out of the way to do their work.
As for the round thing which is the only round element in the house.
Well if it was my house that would be a wood fired dome oven or pizza oven.
Great for roasting veges (and meat but doubt there will be any of that) and your own bread.
quagmire
May 5, 09:27 AM
You must not read the news much. Or check out the robbery, rape, and murder statistics for your town. But I'll bet you're a nice friendly guy, and you live in the nice part of town, so it couldn't possibly happen to you, am I right? :rolleyes:
The better question here, is why do you feel so immune to violent crime?
Why are you using fear as part of your argument? I shouldn't have to have a gun on me to feel safe in my community. It's not saying I feel immune to crime, but fear of crime shouldn't drive a person.
At any rate, I don't think anyone here is going to argue the self-defense aspect of guns. Some people just don't understand the gun culture of this country.
Are you also confused about our obsessions with free speech? freedom of religion? or freedom of the press perhaps? Because those are protected in the Bill of Rights as well. Guns however, are unique in that they are the only material object, the only physical thing, that the Bill of Rights expressly protects ownership of. So we don't take to kindly to confused legislators who would try and take them away, or place unusual restrictions on that right.
So not understanding the gun culture in this country means we are against the 2nd amendment? Having the right to own guns and the gun culture are two separate matters, IMHO. I believe in the right to bear arms, but I don't understand the gun culture.
The better question here, is why do you feel so immune to violent crime?
Why are you using fear as part of your argument? I shouldn't have to have a gun on me to feel safe in my community. It's not saying I feel immune to crime, but fear of crime shouldn't drive a person.
At any rate, I don't think anyone here is going to argue the self-defense aspect of guns. Some people just don't understand the gun culture of this country.
Are you also confused about our obsessions with free speech? freedom of religion? or freedom of the press perhaps? Because those are protected in the Bill of Rights as well. Guns however, are unique in that they are the only material object, the only physical thing, that the Bill of Rights expressly protects ownership of. So we don't take to kindly to confused legislators who would try and take them away, or place unusual restrictions on that right.
So not understanding the gun culture in this country means we are against the 2nd amendment? Having the right to own guns and the gun culture are two separate matters, IMHO. I believe in the right to bear arms, but I don't understand the gun culture.
smadder
Jan 14, 05:32 PM
Worse than lame.
Where does Gizmodo operate from? I'm going to pay them a visit and turn their monitors off. If you can't tell that's a metaphor for kicking them in the shins and then the face.
And then maybe if there's enough time, I'll force them to watch Dark Planet or that episode of Battlestar Galactica 1980 where the kids go up in a tree and turn invisible and start throwing apples at the people down below and they have those ridiculous viper bikes.
Anyone remember Tek Wars? What a show!
That... that was something.
Where does Gizmodo operate from? I'm going to pay them a visit and turn their monitors off. If you can't tell that's a metaphor for kicking them in the shins and then the face.
And then maybe if there's enough time, I'll force them to watch Dark Planet or that episode of Battlestar Galactica 1980 where the kids go up in a tree and turn invisible and start throwing apples at the people down below and they have those ridiculous viper bikes.
Anyone remember Tek Wars? What a show!
That... that was something.
cult hero
Mar 24, 09:26 PM
Downhill since Tiger.
I don't think I've ever seen such a consistent troll on any forum.
I don't think I've ever seen such a consistent troll on any forum.
DoFoT9
May 15, 01:39 AM
Wirelessly posted (nokia e63: Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.2; U; Series60/3.1 NokiaE63-1/100.21.110; Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413)
twoodcc, logmein.com is a wonderful (free) web based app. You install a task bar application tht runs whenever the computer turns on.. You then connect in via a web based interface.
Also you could use team viewer to connect. Its free as well but is an app that needs to be opened (auto start might work), its a much much better experience then logmein.com but not as reliable/portable/accessible.
You could also setup port forwarding yourself and run vnc servers :)
twoodcc, logmein.com is a wonderful (free) web based app. You install a task bar application tht runs whenever the computer turns on.. You then connect in via a web based interface.
Also you could use team viewer to connect. Its free as well but is an app that needs to be opened (auto start might work), its a much much better experience then logmein.com but not as reliable/portable/accessible.
You could also setup port forwarding yourself and run vnc servers :)
phytonix
Nov 24, 12:03 AM
plz discount AppleCare...
turbobass
Apr 5, 03:27 PM
brilliant! i find myself "surfing" free apps to find certain iAds. I've always wanted a database of all of the iADs in one place to reference and inspire. I see 2 in the macrumors screen shot that I personally have worked on. Cool!
Congratulations sir or ma'am, you are the one human being on the planet who can actually call this "brilliant" and have a use for it that is not completely retarded and/or make me wish a meteor would hit earth.
Congratulations sir or ma'am, you are the one human being on the planet who can actually call this "brilliant" and have a use for it that is not completely retarded and/or make me wish a meteor would hit earth.
Dr Kevorkian94
Mar 24, 03:03 PM
Happy Birthday now there should be a party
twoodcc
Aug 11, 09:03 PM
i prefer the number 9 to be honest :p 9ghz! phoar!
what temps are they running at? had you considered water cooling?
i was running around 90C. i've now taken it down to just 3.9 ghz. it's still up close to around 85C. i really don't feel like messing with water cooling on this system. maybe next time
what temps are they running at? had you considered water cooling?
i was running around 90C. i've now taken it down to just 3.9 ghz. it's still up close to around 85C. i really don't feel like messing with water cooling on this system. maybe next time
phillipjfry
Jan 15, 12:09 AM
...
"I love practical jokes" is just another way of saying "I don't have the intelligence or sophistication to appreciate genuine humour, but I know how to hurt people".
Morons.
Practical jokes are very possible to pull off while being humorous and not hurt anyone. It's the dumb "jokes" that hurt people (if you mean physically). I've pulled practical jokes a lot over the years and the people I did it too took it very lightheartedly and went home unscathed.
That said, I do agree that maybe once (maaaybe twice) would have been a good chuckle, but the line was drawn and passed after they did it to the moto guy. They owe him a serious apology cause that's just too harsh to have things messing up in his face. He probably spent a lot of time getting his stuff together to stand up there and jabber on in the name of his company.
My .02$, I've never read Gizmodo and will probably pass up the opportunity seeing as how they don't have much regard for reporting the news as they do BEING it.
"I love practical jokes" is just another way of saying "I don't have the intelligence or sophistication to appreciate genuine humour, but I know how to hurt people".
Morons.
Practical jokes are very possible to pull off while being humorous and not hurt anyone. It's the dumb "jokes" that hurt people (if you mean physically). I've pulled practical jokes a lot over the years and the people I did it too took it very lightheartedly and went home unscathed.
That said, I do agree that maybe once (maaaybe twice) would have been a good chuckle, but the line was drawn and passed after they did it to the moto guy. They owe him a serious apology cause that's just too harsh to have things messing up in his face. He probably spent a lot of time getting his stuff together to stand up there and jabber on in the name of his company.
My .02$, I've never read Gizmodo and will probably pass up the opportunity seeing as how they don't have much regard for reporting the news as they do BEING it.
Glideslope
Apr 15, 05:01 PM
Ho hum...
Competition for itunes would not be a bad thing but those record companies are just too greedy!
They also know that they have been completely taken by Apple in an almost comical way.
This is the main reason the TV/Movie industry has been so leary of Apple. It's not simply greed. They don't know how to negotiate at Apple's level.
When Apple releases their new HD TV the networks will have complete control on pricing with Apple getting it's cut. Apple will provide a complete hardware delivery system for them that operates seamlessly with a click, and has a magical (could not resist) effect on the end user.
No needing to try all this crap streaming through Amazon and such BS. Could even give Netflix a run.
It's the logical next step, and Steve has already laid out the vision. :apple:
Competition for itunes would not be a bad thing but those record companies are just too greedy!
They also know that they have been completely taken by Apple in an almost comical way.
This is the main reason the TV/Movie industry has been so leary of Apple. It's not simply greed. They don't know how to negotiate at Apple's level.
When Apple releases their new HD TV the networks will have complete control on pricing with Apple getting it's cut. Apple will provide a complete hardware delivery system for them that operates seamlessly with a click, and has a magical (could not resist) effect on the end user.
No needing to try all this crap streaming through Amazon and such BS. Could even give Netflix a run.
It's the logical next step, and Steve has already laid out the vision. :apple:
balamw
Apr 27, 07:45 PM
I have to say this thread has me captivated. First time ever..... code talk went from learning code to pooping in a pool within 3 pages.
By this point I would have expected Nekbeth to have called us "Nazis" instead of "Pros" in order to satisfy Godwin's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law).
Which of course I have now done. :p ;)
B
By this point I would have expected Nekbeth to have called us "Nazis" instead of "Pros" in order to satisfy Godwin's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law).
Which of course I have now done. :p ;)
B
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