This is the old blog for AnthonyCoppedge.com. It will remain online as a search-able archive for all of the old blog posts and articles.

The new blog is at anthonycoppedge.com/problog

In my last post, I talked about how Apple Care misinformed me about the actual shipping date of my replacement MacBook Pro 17″. Fortunately, I had a recommendation from one of the Apple Care techs to downloaded a shareware version of Carbon Copy Cloner. This software has literally saved my presentations and computing for next week!

By making a true clone back-up of my MacBook Pro hard drive, I’m able to use my wife’s MacBook and boot from my back-up hard drive. The result? I’m working on my Mac again by using the hardware of my wife’s MacBook.

When I’m back from my trip I’ll be able to boot my new MacBook Pro from the back-up drive and simply use Carbon Copy Cloner in reverse to put my back-up onto the new hard drive. Once complete, I simply reboot the new Mac from the internal hard drive and I’m literally using my old Mac - programs, preferences, passwords and all - on new hardware.

On a PC, I’d be out of luck AND spending hours and hours installing software and transferring files.

As a result of this misadventure, I’m making a STRONG recommendation for churches to use Carbon Copy Cloner on ALL of their production Macs as a way to have a real back-up to boot from in case of a simple hard drive failure. Using Firewire 400 or 800 from an external 7200 RPM drive will ensure fast playback of even video loops in software such as Pro Video Player and ProPresenter.

I simply can’t say enough good things about Carbon Copy Cloner! This is MUST HAVE software for your Mac!

I’m a fan of ‘the right tool for the job’ and as such I’ve been a proponent of both Macs and PC’s for years. For most of my uses (business, personal, presentation, editing, graphics) I’ve been a big fan of Apple’s line of Mac products. Unlike many of the die-hard Apple fanatics, I don’t drink the Apple Kool-Aid that says they’re the ultimate company with the ultimate products. I do, however, think that they usually do a much better job of making stable, reliable products and almost always have better customer service.

Usually doesn’t mean ALWAYS, and I’m in what was a preventable situation because of Apple almost getting it right. And that’s why I’m ticked.

Sadly, I’m sitting here typing this up on my blog not on my MacBook Pro 17″, but on a 4 year old desktop PC I had moved away from after my upgrade to Mac. The reason I’m not using my Bluetooth wireless Mac keyboard and Mighty Mouse with my MacBook Pro is because I’ve had well-intentioned people in Apple Care (product warranty for Apple) not communicate some very important details to me during this week. Details such as “your replacement computer won’t get to you in 48 hours as promised because it’s coming from flipping CHINA!!!”

Like all computers, Macs are subject to failure rates. I accept this, which is why I purchased Apple Care to have a full three year warranty on my hefty investment. During the past 34 months, I’ve had three major issues and a couple of minor ones.

The good news: Apple Care looked over my account history and decided that I’d been through enough issues and are sending me a brand new MacBook Pro 17″.

The bad news: Because they have to match the specs as close as possible to the one they’re replacing, adding a 7200 RPM hard drive instead of the standard 5400 RPM hard drive means it’s shipping from CHINA and won’t be here until sometime late next week.

The REALLY bad news: I’m presenting three sessions at WFX next week. I use Keynote on my MacBook Pro. I leave Tuesday morning of next week and, as of this writing, will be without a computer or my presentations (the entire system was backed up using Carbon Copy Cloner onto an external hard drive AND via Time Capsule). Still, no computer, no presentations.

What ticks me off about this is how easily preventable this situation was just a matter of days ago. When the process started, I was ‘guaranteed’ (their words on the phone) by Apple Care that as soon as I shipped off my old Mac, when FedEx scanned in the item, they’d send me the new computer via next day delivery. Max downtime, 48 hours. Wow! That’s awesome customer service!

It turns out that, no, that’s not quite right. Because of the flippin’ 7200RPM hard drive, it’s now gotta come from CHINA. CHINA!!

“We’re sorry, Anthony, but there’s nothing we can do about this inconvenience.” Their one ‘helpful’ solution? GO BUY A NEW COMPUTER AT THE APPLE STORE AND THEY’D LET ME RETURN IT WITH NO RESTOCKING FEE ONCE I’M BACK FROM MY TRIP. Sorry, Apple, not everyone has billions like you do (or, in my case, $3,000) lying around in the bank just waiting to be spent on their products.

I went back and looked through my notes on this situation. To date, I’ve talked with four people in Apple Care, one person in Apple Agreement, one person at the local Apple Store (Southlake, TX - Nanci, the manager has been very nice and helpful, but policy is keeping her hands tied) and one person in Customer Support. 7 Apple people inside of a week. The evidence sure looks like Apple’s left hand (Apple Care) and right hand (Support) don’t communicate together very well.

I’ve tried getting my old computer shipped back (but it was shipped out ground by Apple and is still in route), tried getting them to change the order to a stock computer, tried getting a ‘loaner’, tried talking to supervisors and managers. Heck, I’ve tried everything I know. In the end, I’m stuck because I was given inaccurate information that, coupled with the timing of my trip next week, has me in an impossible situation.

I pay more for Apple products because, usually (though not in the case of my old MBP), they are better products with far better customer support. I seem to be in the small percentage of Apple customers that inevitably slips through the cracks. It just really, really stinks that this slip-up was totally avoidable by Apple and I’m the one stuck out in the cold.

Unhappy and very disappointed with Apple,

Anthony D. Coppedge