Saturday, October 21, 2006

Companies We Hate - Apple iPod


It seems Apple and their iPpod range are continuing to use their customers as guinea pigs rather than bothering to test the products before launch. First there was the disaster that was the Nano launch. A great piece of kit as long as you wrapped it in cotton wool. I was one of the un-fortunate victims who bought a first generation Nano on day of launch and within a month it was so scratched it looked like the entire cast of the Ice Capades had gone over it. What was Apples response? You just need a cover! Shame the covers weren’t on sale till 2 weeks after launch by which time mine looked like it had done a tour of duty in Iraq!

Apple insisted the product was fine despite lawsuits and customer rage on their website, then they very quietly re launched it with an aluminium scratch free shell!

Then they launched their new version (5) of I tunes a nasty bit of software that un-checked seems to take over your whole bloody PC and for some users caused crashes and complete mayhem. Apple admitted some flaws and quietly set about fixing them. Now the final straw Apple have announced a "small number of video iPods (were) shipped with a Windows virus," Hmm a small number didn’t they say a small number of Nano’s were subject to scratching as well!

Given that Apple just announced record profits of $4.84 billion! Up 32 percent on last year and mostly due to iPod sales. You’d think they might want to plough some of that into product testing, instead of letting their customers do it for them!

More Rank & Bile

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I got one the other day and after initially getting use to the software I have found the Ipod to be really good

Only thing I didn't like was that it imported all my songs from my PC to my I-Tunes folder with out me asking it to, it then spent ages converting all my songs and then I had to untick all the songs I didn't want (I have over 5000 songs) only today did someone tell me there is an option to untick all.

Anonymous said...

My 11 year old daughter received an Ipod Shuffle for her birthday last year. After about 6 months, the battery stopped charging. We went through several troubleshooting steps - resetting, restoring, deleting and reinstalling software - to no avail. I contacted a local dealer, who told me the Shuffle batteries only last about 1 to 1.5 years and since the batteries aren't replaceable, they're basically disposable. I don't usually "dispose" of $100 so quickly. I was told that even if it was under warranty, Apple would probably still charge me $30 for S&H. I contacted Apple via their website and was told that my Shuffle was no longer under warranty, so I'm outta luck. I couldn't find anyplace to contact them, via phone or email, except the 1-800 number that was "complimentary for 90-day purchasers". So even if my iPod is under warranty, they're still going to charge me to talk to me about it.

This is the worst customer service I have ever received. And, yet their marketing is so successful, it's the only thing my daughter wants. I'll tell you one thing - my next iPod will be purchased at Costco - you can return it there regardless of date of purchase.

Anonymous said...

You're right the new generation Nano looks good but what about all the suckers who got stuck with the "experimantal" first version which ironically cost more! What a con no wonder they have record profits!I got burned with generation one I'm not gonna make the same mistake again!

Steve. said...

I have the other day got my 4th ipod in about the same number of years. I am wishing I hadn't bothered.

The first one was so difficult to work out how to even get music on it, as they do not come with instructions. The 3rd one simply didn't work even following instructions I had been given in the apple store, and the one I just got has really p****d me off. I had managed to get a really good selection of tracks on, then when plugging in just to charge it, it just started syncing, failed the sync and now won't let me put anything on.

They are the worst bit of hardware I have ever come across and I am certain that if I die prematurely it will be due to an ipod induced stroke.

I hate them and will never buy one again.

Steve. said...

P.S. I admit I am a mug for falling for the lure of "IPOD TECHNOLOGY" a fourth time.

I will not succumb a fifth...