6 Sep 2007
When I learned that Apple reduced the cost of the 8 GB iPhone by $200 after two months (now $399), I was pissed–as was many early adopters of the iPhone. “Can I be paid my $200 for being a beta tester?” wrote one on a MacRumors forum. Others calculated what this “Early Adopter Tax” cost per day: $3. Like many, I expected the price to drop possibly for Christmas, but not $200!
Hundreds of letters poured into Steve Jobs’ inbox and as blogs and sites continued to post anger and disappointment in Apple, Steve realized he made have made a bit of a mistake and lost some trust with their most loyal customers.
So, Steve Jobs published an open letter on apple.com telling everyone that all early buyers of the iPhone before the price drop will receive a $100 credit that can be used at the Apple Store. This was a good decision and a good change of heart.
“… we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers … Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these.”
4 Sep 2007
It finally happened. A few weeks ago I dropped my iPhone on the sidewalk as I was trying to plug in my headphones. The result was a few dents and nicks on one side and the casing popped out a bit. While the phone still worked, my nerves were cringing.
The Apple Store would not help me since the phone was still working. I guess I’d have to live with it the way it was. Just then I realized I had purchased the phone with my American Express card. It had the Purchase Protection Plan!
I ran home and looked up the terms and conditions and discovered that accidental damage was covered within 90 days of purchase. I went to americanexpress.com/onlineclaim to determine what documentation I needed: Your Amex charge receipt (statement), original store receipt, photograph or repair estimate for damage, and any insurance documentation if you went through homeowner’s or renter’s insurance first. I went to the Apple Store to get a repair estimate ($279.45). I faxed the documents in and two weeks later I got a communication saying that this payment has been approved and will be credited to my account!
It worked. Now I have to go to the Apple Store, set up the repair, get their loaner phone, and smile. Hooray for American Express.
23 Aug 2007
Playboy is 54 years old and apparently their readership is declining. In response to that and to contribute to the world of social networking, they have launched Playboy U. The non-nude social network is open only to college students and requires a .edu email. “Sorry, but high schoolers, old dudes and your Mom can’t join,” says the site.
Playboy Enterprises Inc. is hoping to build more brand loyalty through a cable television program, Sirius channel, and now Playboy U. The company is now returning to profitability after a heavy loss in 2000.
The social network prohibits nudity although, I think you will find, it leans toward more provocative message board topics and racy photos. Can professors join? Sorry, Playboy U claims it will cancel membership of any faculty, staff, or alumni it discovers.
>> More about Playboy’s attempted profit recovery at Time.com
17 Aug 2007
Pomegranate Mojito? Pomegranate Ice Cream? Pomegranate Frappuccino? Or, my favorite, POM tea!
The fruit is hip and trendy and popping up everywhere. According to a recent USA Today article, in 2000 only 4% of those in the United States had ever eaten a pomegranate. It has been shown that they can reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, and of course, there are high levels of antioxidants. You’ll even find Häagen-Dazs has released a Pomegranate Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Bar.
>> Read some more about pomegranate’s health benefits [1, 2]; Read the buzz!
14 Aug 2007
Wow! This is worth buying an iPhone for! SHAPE Services, based in Germany, has released an online web-based access to Skype through your iPhone. Now you can make cheap or free international calls on your cell phone! The service uses your SkypeOut credits.
But here’s the best part: After you log in and enter a phone number to call, the service rings your phone and then connects you to the number you’re calling. Simple and free (for now during beta). Just point your iPhone browser to skypeforiphone.com.
10 Aug 2007
There are some great sources for election data. Newsvine’s ElectionVine (right) tracks the election consensuses site by site. Bloggers and sites post polls on their sites and Newsvine aggregates the results. What does this give? A view of the race “across the independent internet and blogosphere.”
More people seem to be paying attention this election too. With so many important issues at hand, a chart showing each candidate’s position would be helpful! Below is a tiny snippet of a much larger chart showing all the candidates, divided by party, and their standings on all the major issues. Click the image to see the full-size version.
7 Aug 2007
I never realized how cheap GPS units have become for your car. After research and speaking with others, not long ago I bought a Magellan Maestro 3100 GPS ($200) and I have been quite pleased! All the reviews give it a thumbs up for value and quality. While there are only 750,000 points of interest, the map is pre-loaded and cannot be updated, and there is no traffic or voice recognition, I’ve found the device to be perfect for a first-time buyer like myself. The Maestro 3100 gives clear verbal directions, quite accurate travel time, and has a simple user interface.
Today I was travelling about 20 miles, part of which was on the highway. The traffic slowed down quite a bit so on the Maestro display appeared an detour icon. This appears when the unit notices you’ve slowed down in a traffic jam. I pulled out my iPhone with Google Maps and checked to see what the traffic was like ahead (very slow for the next 2-3 miles). I then hit the detour icon on the GPS and chose to avoid 3 miles of the current road. The Maestro took me off the next exit and lead me down a few roads, spitting me back on the highway about 3 miles from where I was. The traffic was moving speedily at that point. Fantastic.
>> Read a detailed review and the Engadget review
I’ve been keeping a budget (PearBudget) fairly well, however there are times where I tend to spend over budget and I don’t really see that until I enter my receipts and see the totals. So how do I stay on budget? It’s something, for some reason, I had never thought of before: Write it down.
