This will be my last IT blog for a while … I’m going to return to Aviation shortly where I have a history of at least a modicum of success …
Ok, so if you’ve read some of what I’ve written in the past, you’ll know I’m not actually pro-Apple. Let’s get that right out in front, so we can move on with what I want to say. Because what I want to talk about is a recent Apple tech support query which was … downright pleasurable.
That’s right, you heard me – pleasurable. And no, I haven’t lost my mind. Remember – it’s all comparative. If you’ve ever rung Optus tech support with an internet issue, you’ll understand what I mean when I say the bar is pretty low. Calling Tech Support
Let me explain.
I went through the iPhone decision at the beginning of 2007. I bought one from the Apple Shop it New York (I mean, if you’re going to by an iPhone anywhere, it has to be from the NY shop, just for the kudos). After using it heavily for several days, I decided that while as a portable platform it was excellent, as a phone it was crap – and I went back and bought a 32GB iTouch instead. I kept the iPhone, returned to Australia and sold it for slightly more than I paid for it. Another IT first.
So we’ve had an iTouch in the family since early 2007. I say in the family because another thing I subsequently discovered is that the iTouch/iPhone was a crap PDA as well. Crappy calendar, no tasks, iTunes (read crappy) sync, etc. As such my wife appropriated it early, still has it, and she loves it. My eldest son bought one in 2008 based on playing with Meg’s, and finally culminating my other two kids spent their Christmas money early this year on the 3rd generation 8GB and 32GB versions. Up until now, the iTouch’s have not missed a beat – up until now.
You see the 8GB will play any video we throw at it few iTunes. The 32GB will not. Both of them are connected to the same computer, same (up to date) version of iTunes, both have the same firmware version. Hmmm.
So I rang Apple support. It took me only a couple of minutes to find a number for Oz Apple tech support. Two presses of the phone buttons and a human being (I didn’t even have to use GetHuman) who’s primary language was English (American English, but I’m not about to be picky). He was polite without obsequiousness, after listening clearly appreciated (a) the level of technical competency he was dealing with; while (b) not skipping over asking me the obvious steps to make sure. The culmination of the first call was to update my iTunes and iTouch to the latest firmwares, fully admitting that this was unlikely to fix the problem, but would establish a baseline. He then advised that I completely reset the 32GB to basic spec and try the synch again.
Which I did, without successfully achieving anything new. Still no video. Second call to support – even if just to see if lightening could strike twice. Two Rings, Two Button Presses – someone new but still someone who pulled off a good I-can-speak-English-and-spell-Apple-iTouch impression. My case number brought a quick review of what had been discussed to date. Very little covering of old ground and we were onto more discovery.
The culmination of this was returning the iTouch to Apple. Meg bought it through Amazon.Com and I picked it up in the US. I’ve bought things in different states in Australia (different stores in Dubai) and had issues with return. The Apple rep found my nearest support store (in the local Westfield Shopping Monster) and gave me a reference number. I dropped off the iTouch and apparently I will have a replacement sometime early next week.
What the Hell?
What is going on here? If there’s one thing we’ve all pretty much grown accustomed to, it’s that phone tech support no longer exists in any practical, useful form.
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Keep in mind that you’ll be able to read Ken’s IT stuff at http://www.internoetics.com