They're kinda like Apple's hardware designs, very slick, real purty and NO SUBSTANCE! 
It's only my not so humble opinion, but gimme a down-home kinda joint like Tekserve any day of the week over that translucent treaded stairway to the RDF the clowns from Cupertino built in SoHo.
BLEEEE-EEEEE-YECHHHHHHH!!!! =8-P
OK, now that the faithful are busy flaming me, HEH! :ebc:
. . . does anybody with a clue know of a righteous source of MacGoodies in the Raleigh-Durham area? There appears to be another Apple branded foo-foo emporium over in Durham, but I'll drive farther to support another good independent MacShop if there is one to be found in this area.
Even Data-Vision was vastly superior to the SoHo Apple Store, any suggestions?
I've finally discovered something I REALLY miss about the Big Apple besides family and friends.
jt :cry:
I'm far more comfortable in an Apple store than I've ever been in say a Circuit City or Best Buy. I agree the small reseller does have a certain charm, especially if they specialize in beige boxes. But if you think the Apple store's "trendiness" is disturbing, walk into any Amberchrombie & Fitch store (shudders) Those are unsettling.
. . . in NYC you sorta have to be able to get past that kinda crap. So long as a store actually has the goods, I can put up with just about anything, but the only video card I found there was about $450. ACK!
The real killer was the time I asked for an IDE controller for my G4. The assistant manager (?) said they didn't carry them and he couldn't seem to imagine why I even wanted one! What's the point of selling expandable pro-level machines if they stock the "stores" like they only sell those freakin' slotless disposables?
Tekserve had two or three choices in both catgories, IIRC. Soho didn't have what I was looking for the last time I tried it either, but at least they made up for it that time by having the Nostromo SpeedPadn50 on display. I glommed onto one so it wasn't a totally wasted trip.
jt
Those places are disturbing. They're trying way too hard.
Actually, when I visited the Apple store out at one of the malls Plano, I found that most of the staff knew what they were talking about.
I just recently visited 2 apple stores, One in Novi and one in Troy, I was carrying my modded newton and I was going to purchase a 40GB iPod to replace my 15gb. And they ask me what im gonna be running it on, So i rattle off what i got, A pretty much stock beige g3 cept with a 15GB HD and added just usb and firewire and panther on it. They are like you cant run an iPod off a system like that it just wont work. and get this they wouldnt sell one to me. Then i was like well see this and pulled out my newton, im like this is one of the most reliable things i own made by apple and went to see if the knew there products lol, they are like what the hell is a newton. I just messed with them, They were a bunch of young 18 and 19 year old fresh outta high school punks, mind u they were stoned at that. Really Really bad service. I ended up driving to compusa and bought an iPod with no frills
Apple stores are only good for buying Apple products or a few accessories. If you want to get a peripheral, look elsewhere. Apple devotes more floorspace to the Macs themselves simply because that's what they want to sell--Apple doesn't want to sell other companies' products, they want to sell their own products.
hey!! Thats the one i go to!! The "geniuses" have no idea what theyre talking about. Believe me.
From the four or five apple stores I have been into in the los angeles area, they devote most of the space in those stores to sweet crap all. There is more empty space in those stores than you can shake a stick at.
for the 5-10 bucks the beverley hills store is paying per square foot, (conservative estimate) you think they'd put more stuff in those stores.
as for the geniuses, they only know what the apple training course and service source disks tell them. They arent as passionate about computers as we are. I have, overall had good service at all of the apple stores I've been to. The best one though, is store #001, Glendale.
anyway, thats my opinion. I think they need to stock more stuff, from manufacturers that don't pay them shelf slotting fees to have their products displayed there.
CCC
Store #001 is Tysons, not Glendale. We beat you by the time difference.
There is a great little store called MacAuthority in my home town. They have every Aple product plus a bevy of third party peripherals from belkin, griffin tech., etc. Great stuff!!! They also sponsor free community wireless around town, and they will order any part for legacy macs that you want. Plus, these guys just know, you know? They have been at it for years, and have seen all of it come and go..actually in most cases keep going and going! I will take them over the ignorant school children with summer jobs that Apple employs any day!!!
They are more like art galleries than stores.
I was called that my iPod Shuffle 1G was in. I travel over 40 miles to get to the store at 11:30 AM and they tell me that it was a mistake. They told me that never received any and it was a mistake to call you. I told them that I have traveled 40-miles to get here and all heard from the store manager was too bad and we will call you back.
There was no apologize for their mistake. This is a classical example of how companies behave when they think they own the customer. If Apple does not take notice of it and address it soon, some other company will take this opportunity. We don't have to look far, auto industry is a good example, where American companies thought that they own the customer and we all know what happen - Japanese came and captured the market.
Companies need to provide a complete expereince to their customer nowadays not just the product otherwise, it will become harder and harder for companies to survive.
Deng
I'm always confused when someone says they need a 'complete experience' from a store. Granted, you should get good solid service, but do you really buy a product so that you can go to the store?
Could you further elaborate on what you mean by 'complete experience'.
-BDub
Puh-leeze. Tekserve used to great. Then -- like many stores -- it's success went to its head. I no longer use Tekserve because I'm sick of the posing and attitude of the know-nothing staff. Plus, everything but the Cokes are overpriced. I'm going to buy a new Mac in the next six months. I'll do my homework and buy at J&R.
I don't know af any local Mac shops in Raleigh, but there is a Comp-USA with the Apple Store-in-a-store on 70/Glenwood shortly after passing Millbrook.
I don't live too far away from the Apple Store in Durham (I'm off of 540), but I don't like going to the Streets at Southoint mall so I haven't been. Besides, if I want to go to something like that, I would like to be able to buy something. Until then, I'm still using my Beige G3/333 DT.
If you are looking for reasonable prices on Mac Products please visit my online store. We are located in South Eastern Massachusetts. We don't have everything, but we have most things. If you don't see it please ask, and odds have it we can get it. Visit www.macsamust.com to check us out.
Thanks!
Hey, I hang out at the plano one once in a while, I got some people to buy ram for an imac at frys electronics for 99 bucks instead of apple's 360$. They thanked me a lot.