Posts by LOL123
72 posts • joined Thursday 26th August 2010 11:59 GMT
Re: Man...
Again, providing accommodation is *not* the same as being eligible for and claiming benefits. This as Daily Mail language, twisting words to imply something sinister.
Illegals have to put up somewhere, just like prisoners. The HMPS is responsible for providing accommodation for prisoners, just like the UKBA is for illegal immigrants. You don't go saying prisoners are claiming "housing benefit" because they are spending time in prison.
Stop using exceptions to define how the system is run. My original point remains - illegal immigrants are not allowed access to benefits - housing, Job seekers, whatever. They don't get NI numbers.
As for Panorama - what the GPs were doing is illegal. The way you are putting it, private medical care would be illegal because of the Human Rights Act. That is not true. Only emergency care needs to be provided under the Human Rights Act, routine care is not. A good example is cancer treatment, the NHS does not offer everything under the sun because of cost, this is not illegal.
So what you say is still misinformation.
Also Panorama prioritises sensationalism. The BBC's token vehicle for "balanced" reporting. But that bit would be my opinion.
The rest isn't.
The reason the guy tried to get into the country as a stoway was to hope to walk out of the airport without border control. I don't think there are any successful stories, but desperation can drive people to these unfortunate decisiosn.
Re: Languages? Its not just that
@dave15 "Good" engineers are rare and elusive creatures, they are inevitably well placed and well renumerated by the companies they work for. Short of those companies going out of business, they will be looked after. These engineers affect the company bottom line in a visible way. And if those sort of engineers do need work, hubs of innovation like the Silicon Valley beckon.
This article is about the average engineer. And the hiring challenges companies face mean that the gamble of taking on an engineer that needs to make the switch is a big one. The only practical way I can think of is to take a pay cut when crossing domains.
The software we make are again just tools. What people do with that is quite another matter. People make movies, music, art; there
And your final statement actually adds to my point - there are so many who can flash their cleavage, success is all the more difficult. You make it sound like autotune software+boobs = $$$$. That is simply not true. Making it as a "singer" in a world of instant music, x-factor, celebrity mags requires a lot of effort, and its own set of "skills". The social value of these skills is a different discussion, one that could also extend to those programming for the banks as well!
If an engineer is that good, and has got the knowledge to make something game changing, he or she ought to get into business.
I'd say the equation is more about risk/reward. There are bursts where the risk is low and the reward high, but that never lasts.
People and companies will flock to that anyway, and produce software that is turnkey and need fewer skilled engineers.
Planning or expecting a low risk/high reward existence is silly. If such a things comes your way, milk it for sure, but to wish for it to last forever is pointless.
Re: Man...
Your comments confirm it is misinformation. Asylum seekers are not "illegal immigrants". You need reasons to claim asylum. You cannot just walk into the country and be qualified to seek asylum.
And illegal immigrants do not qualify for anything legal - housing, benefits, etc. Some exceptions exist eg children.
I believe only A&E is available, where no questions are asked of your legal status, as it may deal with loss of life, where putting national boundaries and laws on hold does not seem to be the wrong thing to do to me.
Stop reading the Daily Mail.
Re: Languages? Its not just that
Software is a specialist skill. Management is not considered so (it is more about the politics and networking). So moving between software domains is not quite the same. We've had some people move from applications to embedded. Where is the RAM to implement my code, they ask.
The problem with saying something is in short supply is that it is relative. I guess 20 years ago, SW was less diversified, and the skill base was small. Come the internet, open source and cheaper computers, and programming ain't like nuclear science anymore.
Software has also massively diversified and has become specialised, and with globalisation, I think specialisation is becoming a requirement. But then picking some to specialise in is always a gamble.
PS: @Dave 15 According to you, if you aren't a millionaire or better, you haven't made it. That's BS. Grow up.
Re: basic microeconomics
Agree with Metcalf. Theory in this case has proven to make assumption that are not true, like unlimited investment and capex. It also makes no room for evolutionary changes to technology i.e. ones that operators can live without.
I think a spectrum rental model is best, where the rents and license are low to begin with and then ramp up depending on how well the operator has used the spectrum, coverage achieved, and customer satisfaction and/or numbers.
Some assurances need to be given to operators. Appropriate leverage can be applied if required by the regulator, without upfront cost loading.
The 3G auction in the UK killed R&D expenditure from the operators, and has moved most 4G+ development to mainland Europe and the US, for almost all real world testing.
Operators are also now more global so they'll spend where the returns are going to be best. Even if that means only a 100 people use the tech.
Re: Surface Pro will also fail
It's obvious you are not aware that the Mac OS and therefore all mac os software is also based on open source code called Darwin.
So Mac OS is BS??
PS: Everyone isn't buying Apple.
Re: Have any of you actully attempted to use any of Dyson's products?
Have to agree - my Dyson Ball Animal something is pretty darn good. It's significantly better than an older Miele.
My 2p
It is not necessarily wrong to react strongly especially when someone very senior, trusted with the stewardship of the code, is defending something so wrong. He is betraying the trust placed in him. ("ret == -ENOENT ? -EINVAL : ret"? Come on..)
This is community development, not some corporate development where things can possibly be tracked more closely, with more control over who gets the code and what happens. "Management" speak and HR theories are not fit for purpose here.
However, in this specific situation, it would appear that Linus may have reacted a tad too quickly. If you look through the thread, Mauro is trying to fix something, and yes went about it the wrong way, but is an issue that cannot be resolved as simply as Linus appears to think it can and should be.
Summary: Both sides are right in some ways, and both sides are also wrong in some ways.
But then that's almost always how it is.
Re: Terms and conditions
Is this not a hyper cynical view of things?
So even if you did your own cloud and/or storage, who would be trust with the hard disk? The computer parts? The power supply?
Protection from floods? What about cosmic rays bit flipping your data? Can't even trust the universe!
I think the obvious solution is to keep data local and in the cloud. You multiply the probabilities of failure there and things look good enough.
It's about redundancy and convenience.
PS: Those tenants were nasty though. But not paying rent was an early warning. One month and begin proceedings. Another two months and you're out.
$$$$ are too de rigeur..
Time to use App£€ I think..
Form over function.. again
Just imagine having to go from HR in the south arc to Corporate in the North Arc
It will probably be called an employment benefit - exercise, health and all that.
Or maybe a colloseum for Apple non-believers to be killed by Gladiatroids..
Re: Can this AC provide Lottery Numbers?
Hmm.. An AC. So insider info ? :D
@Ruairi
Yeah can't see how this is a big deal. It would be worth testing on an enterprise class AP/deployment. Though a non standard setting, almost all of them can be configured to do what is described.
Hmm..
From the description of what they have done, this is part of the WMM standard itself. Basically if the AP has traffic let it go out so AIFSN(AP) < AIFSN(STA) for all AC
I guess the difference is that their implementation is triggered based on traffic load. It is just an asymmetric traffic configuration. But then why not just enable it all the time?
Re: The bit that's valuable
Well since we're name calling, as an Apple f*ckwit you probably missed it, but dealing straight with a manufacturer is always faster and quicker - Dell or Apple.
In Apple's case you pay extra for the "privilege". So next time go to an Apple store.
Lighter heads need lighter wallets anyway, so it all works out eh.
Re: So where does that leave someone who's paid £129 to them for a refurb?
Warranty length != Contract length You might want it that way, but that is not how it works.
The manufacturer cannot send a buyer away for product failure. This is also the normal course of action when a retailer goes bust. It is legally protected. They CANNOT say "not our problem". Apple chooses to control the customer relationship and keep the operator out. Indeed they register the 12 month warranty and activate the phones themselves even for operator phones. Just put your serial number on Apple support!
And no they don't take back phones that need stripping for parts. As for refurb, you ignore scale. Even a 0.1% failure with intact pcbs make it quite economical for 3 month life. That's £40+ per month of life. It serves two purposes - reduce repair costs, pay for inventory and second create value for AppleCare purchases.
Offering the £129 phone is not the problem, a shoddy almost illegal warranty policy is.
Re: there are some advantages to apple care if you travel
Really? Then try getting an Apple Verizon CDMA iPhone 5 replaced here in the UK. In the first year of your warranty without Apple care.
You Apple fans are all missing the point - Apple is expecting you to purchase an extended warranty for what the law says they should already cover without one.
Any perks that come with purchasing an extended warranty are fine. But denying basic warranty service without the extended warranty is NOT.
THAT is what they are doing wrong. Apple are not above the law, even if they leave you fans starry eyed like those One Direction teenagers.
Re: So where does that leave someone who's paid £129 to them for a refurb?
Only because they can refurb the phone you just returned. If you do your research or know anyone who has worked at an Apple store, you will realise that the refurb option is generally only available if you return a phone than can be repaired.
Your argument will hold water when they give you refurbed phones without asking you to return a pretty much fully functioning phone save for the power button.
Re: Screw the EU
Seriously either you have never used another brand, or are comparing £100 laptops with £1000 Apple laptops.
Besides, advertising worldwide coverage as the addon you buy with Applecare is fair enough, paying for basic warranty provisioning, as required by law, is not. Apple are exploiting people's lack of awareness of their rights.
I am really amazed at how people take anything, just by making them feel "pretend special".
I've seen this in relationships, but didn't for the life of me think it would work when buying a fu!*ing gadget.
Re: So where does that leave someone who's paid £129 to them for a refurb?
I don't get people like you. Apple has shafted you, and you're still going back. For more!!??
I guess now you'll buy their Applecare!?
If you're a fan, I'm afraid that's what you will need to do.
Re: The bit that's valuable
My Dell monitor - with a three years dead pixel warranty. Two years after purchase - a row of dead pixels. Next day collection AND replacement with a brand new one - NOT refurbished like apple, all at no extra charge or cost. Total downtime - 20 minutes.
And no cooked up bills to show me some pretend savings.
No I did not buy their on site warranty package. Yes it is their upper mid product range, not their cheapest product. The price for the specs was the best in market, and far cheaper than the Apple equivalent.
Sorry, real life experience that is narrow is also useless. I can't believe you actually fell for the invoice they pretty much created. Another Apple marketing score. Can't deny that.
Re: Well
I have used this directive against Apple and as per the directive they are correct. To invoke the EU directive, the burden of proof is on the consumer, while according to Apple's claims, if you purchase an Apple care product, the benefit of doubt is given to the consumer. (You basically are given somebody else repaired product as they only need it to last the rest of the warranty)
However you are right, Apple do try to ignore any local laws as far as they can get away with. (Contempt of court and the law of the land.) Perhaps the difference with other companies is that they outright lie to you. They did so in my case as well asking me to pay £200 for a replacement at first, stating that EU directives do not apply in the UK. Genius isn't it! ;)
I had the iPad display go faulty about a month after the warranty, and argued that a HW defect of that nature cannot be caused by any consumer interaction, and since iPads do not show the same behaviour after 13 months of use, the only possibility was that it was faulty at the point of manufacture.
It went quiet for a week after that, and then they came back and offered a replacement.
IMHO, for tech products, it is more or less easy to argue this for HW failures. Since the products are manufactured based on probability of failures (HTOL, MTBF, etc), almost any HW failure is pretty much a manufacturing fault at the component/soldering/design level. Right now, manufacturers target a 1 yr life, with wider knowledge of this EU directive, they will have to target 2 years.
Needless to say that iPad was and will be my last Apple product. I thought I was buying a quality brand, turns out I was buying a logo, and supporting corporate arrogance.
Posted in WTF is... RF-MEMS?
Re: How's that software-defined kool-aid?
Thank you! I was cringing reading the earlier commentary of how SDR is doing it all, right here and right now.
iPad Mini traffic
Apple is trying to avoid the iPad Mini traffic to the website seeing the judgement. It will really hurt the brand. After all they removed the link to the original "apology" quickly enough :D.
I think the apology should be extended to show regret for non-compliance of the court's original order. That will really dent their brand image.
Re: But...
Yes I did as well. I think the first gen were not built well and there were bad batches. The official lines of support do not address this, if you indicate you will go to small claims and give a reason they know they cannot refute, they will handle it.
How much is too much?
The costs of such an obligation must be understood, before it is promised. Wherever costs can be cut, that must be also considered. It may just simply be too expensive. I do not agree with spending say £100 bn for rural broadband. It may mean rural communities will have to wait until technology catches up to cost effectively provide broadband,
Posted in Now Apple cuts back on Samsung displays
You're churning through them so quick you probably don't even see them break down! Galaxy S, S2, nexus and S3? Ask the people you've sold all this stuff to.
My Nokia is 4 years old and going strong. My HP laptop is 7 years old. Still going fine. My Canon camera is 9 years and guess what? Still going.
I think your mileage most certainly varies!
Posted in UK ISPs crippled by undersea cable snap
Re: I'z can doo reedingz, me!
It requires LOS, cannot work over a curved surface (which the earth is) and also no obstructions or interferers.
Throughput(Guided (Fibre) Optics) > Throughput(Unguided Optics)
at any moment in time.
Doing optics without the fibre and calling it wireless isn't really a substitute, which is what I think you are trying to say?
Greedy Governments and citizens
Some of the arguments here demanding taxation seem a little strange to me. Some of the "socialist" arguments here are so irrational, it becomes tempting for me to dismiss the whole concept. One person's definition of middle class is easily another's definition of rich and wealthy.Hardly absolutes.
Are all of us who use pensions in the UK guilty of tax avoidance? I'm sure there are plenty of people in the UK who do not have the money to put into these "tax avoidance" schemes?
Exploiting loopholes and paying no tax for eg, can be described as immoral, but not illegal.
But renouncing citizenship, and its benefits, to not pay tax? Why the hell not? Freedom goes both ways, for the individual as well as the citizens. The rights of a commune do not supersede the rights and freedoms of an individual, especially when the individual no longer benefits or belongs to that commune.
Sometimes I think people are so fixated on what should be taken away, they forget what should be given up as well.
A question to those, from what I can tell, seem to advocate tax payments "if you can": when do you deem a government and its citizens to be greedy when it comes to taxation? Individuals aren't the only ones who can be greedy!
I think spectrum auctions are ok in principle, but in practice, has resulted in massive debt burdens on operators in the industry.
This money simply must come from somewhere. It will be in consumer prices, in reduced infrastructure spend, and R&D. R&D in particular is always seen by big management as the least necessary.
This is disastrous long term. It is far better to come up with rental type model maybe, rather than this sort of lump sum deposits. I don't think Governments ever spend money wisely, democracy or not, so large sums of pocket money like this is not doing good for the countries.
The UK used to be a leader in cellular industry technology, but ever since the 3G auctions, a number of R&D and deployment type projects have moved elsewhere.
American consumers today have LTE, and they are now slowly driving the industry. Inevitably real world tests in LTE development now happen in the US and mainland Europe, making the case for UK based development very weak.
This will leave UK the follower, where once it was the leader in this particular industry. There is already talk of fitting the LTE frequency bands to that of other countries.
I fear it is already too late for the UK.
The same is now beginning in India. A case of greed, but this time from government, not big business. I don't think by any measure, can one say that growth of this industry will not be dented. It is basic accountancy, your costs are artificially being driven up. Without larger revenues, growth will be dented.
It is worse in the case of India, where infrastructure spend is already weak, and should be encouraged. It will now make more sense for operators to load more users at lower call qualities for eg..
Re: Not illegal?
Not very correct..
ANY wifi device can see the air packets (and needs to be able to for scans to work). When you scan for a list of APs, you are kind of listening in to all data. By design, in order to be seen, the AP ssid data is almost always unencrypted. The equipment used is no different from an out of box wifi adapter in promiscuous mode.
This is wireless, wiretap analogies don't apply. It's like saying enabling wireshark in promiscuous mode is illegal. Any ethernet adapter will work in that mode.
In unencrypted mode, there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. Educating the lay user is a different matter. Ignorance does not automatically entitle one to legal protection.
I am not saying Google did not have intent, but equally I don't agree with the comment that it is an illegal act.
Re:They're the wealthiest corporation in the world because they don't do stupid things.
Oh good you put iTunes *Music Store*
For a second, I thought you were actually going to put in iTunes as a shining beacon of Apple magic.
I still waiting for Apple to learn on that one.. It's been four years now..
iTunes Match OK.. iCloud? Really?
You're joking right??
Re: Thanks for the link...
While his comment about no DRM is great, I don't buy the article.
"the internet is an intrinsically disruptive force in traditional distribution channels because it makes disintermediation very easy."
"the publishers handed Amazon a monopoly on their customers—and thereby empowered a predatory monopsony."
With Amazon's monopsony and monopoly, they still got Amazon to switch to the agency model? And hike prices up? Why did Amazon agree with all their market distorting power?
Actions speak louder than words. Publishers, why not just go direct. The internet makes disintermediation very easy right?
They all got together to choose a minimum retail price, but can't get together to sell direct?
There are three DRM schemes - Adobe, Kindle and Apple as far as I am aware in eBooks.
Just use Adobe and cover the largest market - everyone except the Kindle. If Amazon wrings the publishers hands for exclusivity, that would be very illegal, and a slam-dunk antitrust case for the DOJ.
It seems to be more about the fear of Amazon's success, and also related to some distrust of Jeff Bezos.
Sorry but still smells a lot like greed.
Re: Problem
I can see potentially how pricing and Amazon's size can be an issue for paper books.
How is it an issue for eBooks? The music industry has managed to sell through different stores despite iTunes' size and without any price fixing arrangements.
I really don't understand either the article or these comments. Fast forward this idea, and let's say the Amazon monopoly is prevented. How would competition enter, if everyone was priced the same because of this collusive dealing? Will publishers out of the goodwill just reduce prices? Why? Where is the competition?
Instead of Recommend Retail Price, this is a fancy way to ensure a Minimum Retail Price. The only thing it allows is for a hundred+ stores to offer the same price, that is neither competition nor choice. The only people who win in this arrangement are the publishers!
I would still end up buying at a big name retailer (Amazon?) just to be safe, because there would be no reason to go anywhere else. The price is the same! It's digital, exactly the same quality!
This is just scaremongering from the publishers. Even with Amazon, eBooks are not sold at a loss, as there would be no point for them to be in business. They can also easily offer ePubs cheaper than AZW which is Amazon's Achilles heel. Right now it's just words, excuses, sob stories and rising prices.
Mr Orlowski should do some more investigation and show the numbers here.
Silly article
Prices rose. For ebooks. Above cost. Margins simply must be higher for ebooks.
While stopping Amazon from potentially becoming a monopoly is great, any means to do so should not be employed.
Price fixing is most certainly not a way. Free markets must reign. Until the monopoly position is abused.
Remember that a monopoly is not illegal per se, abuse of that position is. Apple today has a tablet monopoly. This is not illegal. Telling anyone selling any other tablet to match iPad pricing would be.
Innocent until proven guilty I'm afraid. For Amazon too, even if you don't like it.
If the publishers are really in that much trouble, they can get together and make their own store front, and sell things cheap and get all the margin.
Undercut Amazon. Legally.
Greed
This is all just greed. Publishers want more money. Apple gave them a way and an excuse to do so. Win-Win for them lot. A total loss for end users. It isn't like the Apple store books became cheaper or something. Apple can happily do the same, but want nice fat margins.
If someone want to compete on price they should be free to do so (Tesco). If someone wants to compete on value addition, they should be free to do so (Independents). The end user gets to choose.
If a seller cannot discount the price when it can be done, and without subsidy, it is price fixing. The price is fixed and above cost price!
As an end user, I have actually seen the prices rise after this. There was no real reason for this, just a legal document.
DOJ FTW!
Re: economics @ AC posted Wednesday 11th April 2012 21:20 GMT
I remember reading a cost breakdown of an ebook conversion from some pretty well off author's blog. The problem is I think the typesetting and format conversion work, which is not ebook friendly and the process is inefficient for ebook publishing.
Separate license agreements are also required, meaning that some of the publishing costs of paper books are not a one off.
Also because of the lower volumes in ebook sales, I think many of them are going for part profit payment deals. I know for magazines this is definitely the case.
So ebooks seem to have separate costs related to generation of the epub/mobi/amz.
This is MPAA/RIAA part 2 in the making IMHO. The middlemen want their cut, but they are not the publishers themselves.
Re: Nope..
Downvoters need to research more.. probing analyst is right..
I purchase ebooks from Amazon, Kobo, ex-WHSmith, Watersmiths (depending on where it is cheapest) and read them all on my iPad and Android phone. Strangely Apple's store has never been the cheapest (at least in GBP).
However, the DOJ is correct. Banning the Amazon app would have immediately brought in charges of abuse of its tablet monopoly, given Amazon's size. So that is a pretty lame defense, they did not really have any other choice.
The most favoured nation clause has caused prices to artificially rise, and price fixing or buffering is cartel behaviour. I saw the prices rise after this 30% commission and most favoured nation clause was added, notably the Zinio mags and The Times in-app subscriptions.
Apple needs to defend the most favoured nation clause they demand. They are free to ask for 30% but not to demand that, even with that cut, the price is also the lowest. The only way to achieve that is to increase prices elsewhere, given the margins involved for the content makers. Remember that it is 30% of sale price and not 30% of the profit made on the sale.
If some competitor, say Kobo, wants to offer a 2% cut, then the price should be allowed to go down by 28% in the Kobo store.
Apple certainly enjoys capitalism, well free markets are part of that, and abuse of monopoly positions isn't.
Best of both worlds?
Last time in Heathrow my wait was about an hour and a half. So if the tech makes things faster, I'm all for it.
How about the gates opening into the normal manned queues if validation fails, and if it does, the exit queue?
Would help everyone, and speed up things as well. The non-tech savvy, non-bio passport holders go into the manned queue and wait, the tech-savvy, bio-passport holders get into the exit queue and leave.
ZOMG the sky fell!
A bit of an overreaction IMO.
*Wealth gaps are increasing globally (after taxation and excluding voluntary contributions mind!). The difference in Western countries is that the worse off are the middle class, and not below the breadline. In India, that $1.25 was less than a dollar, and the $250 million was a lot more.
*This has nothing to do with the caste system.
*True, all governments do. Over here in the UK they really need to get a clue. For a "developed" nation, youth unemployment is abysmal for eg.
* No India is independent, and free to choose her own destiny. The end of British imperialism is a victory in itself. And peaceful protest is as valid as ever.
* Big business is nowhere more alive than the West. That LCD TV you bought has made a global megacorp richer, but also created jobs. You have to give and take. At least in India, people are not swiping away and balance transferring themselves out of existence. There are also public private partnership structures that prevent NHS style fiascos.
So it's good that India is a democracy, people can vote for themselves.
Posted in The iPad 3 would make me so horny...
Re: 2048 x 1536
The iPad3 screen res does make sense for text. The text quality is excellent. And no anti-aliasing is not quite the same.
For those who claim it is, please provide evidence or proof. Otherwise all this academic commentary of how sub-pixel rendering *could* do this at lower dpi is pointless.
Arguing a feature against a different way of doing it is fine, but only if someone is actually doing it. If someone else was doing sub-pixel optimised rendering on a tablet, then fine you'd have a point. But no one is, especially given that Apple's competitors would love to do so.
If it were feasible, and economical Hell Apple would do it! This retina stuff could wait until it became a cheaper "gimmick" as you put it.
<joke> I'm only getting broadband when I get at least 10 Gbps. My ebook reader will be 64bit colour, reflective, 0.1ps response time with subpixel rendering and with 1PB of storage for all my holographic 3D videos and my laptop/smartphone one will have at least 2 years of battery life at max screen brightness, it will have a replaceable nuclear fusion battery. </joke>
Yeah you are not that far fetched, but one can always N years for some product definition that will fit what one wants, That's great but that does not make a certain product out today pointless.
Regarding storage, I think the idea is that everything is in the iCloud and not on the device to make sure that you stick with Apple.
As for the article itself, it is pretty sad and quite pointless. It reads of an Apple fanboi's mid-life crisis.
I think it is just wisdom of the years and rational thought becoming part of the buying equation.
Don't want one, don't buy one, end of.
Just stop whining about it!
Re: "Buy a new one"? Not really.
Well three 15 minute store appointments, one phone call and one call back.
I've spent longer reading Apple fanboi comments over here, and pondering how silly some of there are, so not too shabby I'd say.
Re: The warranty shell game - is it under 1, 2, or 3?
What you have said is partly what I used with Apple to make them honour their obligation under this law. The others were a very technical explanation on solder joint failure and an offer to contradict my statement and prove me wrong :)
They try to force you into getting the £249 refurbished replacement, that I think a lot of people, certainly non-techies, end up paying, even in cases where they don't need to. That £249 for a device they would otherwise have to discard adds healthily to their bottom line.
The weakness in this law (for consumer goods) is that a non-embedded engineer probably could not argue their case on their own without hiring pretty expensive help.
Re: "Buy a new one"? Not really.
Well that's great for people who actually break their devices, throw them around and want a replacement.
However for devices that are genuinely breaking down beyond a year are also expected to pay up under the original policy.
I used this EU law personally here in the UK to get them to replace my iPad without the fee. The fault it developed was something that could only have come up during manufacturing.
It was escalated after me arguing with more than three different Apple drones (aka Geniuses), with them not giving an explanation as to how the fault could develop with user intervention. All I was told was that, I quote, "It should not happen" and "I've never seen anything like it." You'd think that would be a clue for them to at least escalate the matter on their own. No. I was expected to purchase Applecare warranty apparently or pay this fee and get a refurbished product.
I refused to pony up. Then sent to telephone customer service. More refusal there, but they were nice. Escalated again to their Customer relations department.
This department was interesting, they've got pretty good PR people in there I have to admit. Got the same stuff, was given the same drill, refused, gave explanation, then after a week an exception was approved with a callback spewing some BS about them misunderstanding that I wanted a refund. <sarcasm> because that would have happened under Applecare?! </sarcasm>
Apple customer care is no better than average. You judge these things by how well they handle genuine customer issues, not where you pay up £249 for a refurbished product, that was probably someone else's faulty product to begin with, and they couldn't ever shift legally anyway.
Somebody out there has my original iPad I bet :)
Patiently waiting..
to see how the Apple fans spin this.
I have been surprised..
Re: @AC 06:41
I will be among the unpopular who actually thinks what Elop did was reasonable.
Nokia had nothing to show, and could not, with its pace of development, be able to sustain Meego development and an ecosystem for it. Between WP8 and Meego, WP has a better chance. It was, at the time, simply more mature. Even if they have the engineers, the sad fact is the company does not have the leadership and middle management acumen to half decently do SW on its own.
It has no relevant track record of it. Let alone in a manner to deal with competitors like Google and Apple.
The choice between WP and Android is one of ambition and thus the gamble - Nokia becoming a me too like Sony or something unique and different.
Strategically this is more robust, especially with the cash from MS.
Apple - iOS
Motorola - Android
Nokia - Windows Phone
Rest - Leftovers of Android that Google desires to give out. Not an unreasonable existence, but not one of control either.
Business Model
What about a business model where the DRMd version is first purchased, if you don't like it refund (maybe not 100% depending on the product), otherwise a DRM-free version and no refund.
Discuss.. :)
Re: Stupid Comparison
> If they were so bad then people wouldn't want them so much.
Seriously, get a clue, those Chinese people lining up haven't got a choice.
You would also be queuing up for crumbs if you were starving.
This isn't charity, they work and deserve a fair deal, given the massive profits are created. It's amazing how crude the argument to keep the status quo is.
It's the Western asshats that think just because they are poor and desperate that anything goes that is the real problem. The company involved has $80 BILLION *CASH* in its coffers!
"Oooh I'm better off so I get to give desperate people jobs.. I feed them, just enough to prevent them starving.. How noble of me..."
Self indulgent narcissists.
<sarcasm> Probably part of the Apple branding exercise </sarcasm>
Re: @LOL123: Why would Apple manufacture in China ?
Don't muddle the point. It is not asking the Chinese to change, this is about Apple telling Foxconn to raise the wages of the labour involved in the manufacture of their products. This could be condescending to no one but Apple. Read my point regarding child labour seen in other industries in China.
Cheap labour was the original reason 20 years ago, today, only China can manufacture at speed, flexibility and scale. No other country is even remotely close in terms of costs and scale. Even if they raise the wages of their labour.
Time for Apple to innovate in manufacturing morals and make some progress in the way they manufacture, using some of that cash they are hoarding. They profit the most from this, they must make the first move with real action.
Re: @TheReg: Rationality, Please
The problem here is the margin involved in the products sold. Every business has the right to lower their costs, but there must be some ethical responsibility attached to it as well. Apple's extraordinary margins make them a worthy target.
The same rationale is used to argue for child labour, that they would have nothing to eat otherwise. However that is considered scandalous enough that Foxconn would not dream of hiring kids to make the iPad. Apple would most certainly insist on that.
People with a job committing suicide, at their workplace, reflects on the seriousness of the situation. They are after all employed and in a far better situation by your argument. Given that Apple is involved in capex for their supply chain for favourable deals in return, they are absolutely in a position to improve the conditions way beyond just giving these people a job.
They could easily insist on a hazard pay for those manufacturing their products. That would be just say 1% of their margin to make a socially responsible difference. They would not need to change anything except improve the conditions of the workers, given how well they are doing.
You say other countries did this with their own manufacturing. South Korea and Samsung. This however is a case where an already extremely successful, ridiculously cash rich company is involved. They CAN insist on western standards of manufacturing. The things needed to improve the situation are here and available to Apple now. Yes it will cut their margins, but they are doing far too well at such a moral cost. The point is they can and need to do more.
Comparing the absolute worst situation in India, with as you put it, the best working conditions in China's leading industry shows how desperate your argument is.
You need to get a perspective.
