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Apple Support Company Sues Customer For Complaint

tekgoblin writes "An Apple authorized Service Provider called System Graph is suing a customer who complained online about poor service from them. The customer Dimitrios Papadimitriadis took his iMac to them because he was seeing gray spots on his LED panel. The Greek company System Graph recommended a full interior cleaning of the iMac and performed the service for Dimitrios. He then got his iMac back and noticed moisture behind the screen and that it still did not work properly and took it back to the repair center. System Graph then told him that they needed to keep his iMac to replace the LED screen and he would be without it for another week.

292 comments

  1. That is one way to keep customer care costs down. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That is one way to keep customer care costs down.

  2. Re:LED SCREEN? by biryokumaru · · Score: 2, Informative

    Or maybe it's actually an LED screen. You may find that you are behind the times here, chum.

    --
    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  3. Midg by MasterMidgetMan · · Score: 1

    Goes to show that the customer isn't always the brightest or reasonable when it comes to thinking about the customer service he is complaining to, and how they use their resources.

  4. Re:LED SCREEN? by bsDaemon · · Score: 4, Informative

    No, newer Apple's use LED-backlit displays.

  5. PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Fast friendly service and if you say it wasn't we'll sure you". Apple needs to ship him a new computer and cut off ties with the service company. It'll cost them a 100X as much in the long run.

    1. Re:PR nightmare by FatLittleMonkey · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Apple also needs to lend him some lawyers. (He's being sued remember.) That act alone would undo all the brand damage this "support" company is causing.

      --
      Science is all about firing a drunk pig out of a cannon just to see what happens.
    2. Re:PR nightmare by mwvdlee · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Not only would it undo brand damage, but actually improve it.
      Apple would demonstrate to be on their customers' side for once.

      --
      Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
    3. Re:PR nightmare by Shivetya · · Score: 3, Informative

      Sorry, but Apple really doesn't care. My iMac was in for a warranty fix for over two weeks. The motherboard was replaced and then they had to replace the video card which was a separate unit. You can write them all you want, they don't even reply. While I like their machines their support does suck. If you have an iMac you have to bring it to an authorized service center which can be a real bear with the larger iMacs.

      Where as when my parents managed to fry one of the Dells I bought them the technician came out the next day and replaced the power supply and motherboard at their home. To think I paid for two extra years of warranty on my iMac and the cheap ass Dells get better support.

      --
      * Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
    4. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      what apple needs to do is reverse it recent policy of cutting off the smaller shops and service people. Just because we don't sell thousands or even hundreds of machines a year doesn't mean we weren't a valuable part of your support system. This is what happens when only the big boys are left shipping boxes. The customer experience is on the decline

    5. Re:PR nightmare by TCPhotography · · Score: 1

      I've found that if you pay for extra support from Dell (such as an at-home, or other higher end service plan) you tend to get quite good service I may bitch about how I needed 5 power bricks and 4 motherboard replacements for my Inspiron, but I did get them free of charge, and within 48 hours every single time.

    6. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Somehow I doubt they care, the local (Gainesville, Florida) AppleCare representatives are clowns, wouldn't come out to pick the machines up for "onsitte service", farted around with them for 6 weeks trying each incrementally more expensive possibility and waiting 2 weeks for "economy shipping" on the parts.

    7. Re:PR nightmare by aliquis · · Score: 1

      Apple would demonstrate to be on their customers' side for once.

      So, how's that infinite improbability drive working for you?

      Care to pick me up?

    8. Re:PR nightmare by aliquis · · Score: 2, Informative

      "Fast friendly service and if you say it wasn't we'll sure you". Apple needs to ship him a new computer and cut off ties with the service company. It'll cost them a 100X as much in the long run.

      Nah, that's not how Apple does business.

      Also they can just remove any negative posts or threads on their forum.

      Sites outside of Apples reach? They to will filter themselves, any negative comments on Slashdot for instance will soon find their way down below anyone's viewing threshold.

      So even if the Apple distortion field doesn't work for you, it will for sure work ON you. Problem solved.

      Cheers!

    9. Re:PR nightmare by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Sorry, but Apple really doesn't care. My iMac was in for a warranty fix for over two weeks. The motherboard was replaced and then they had to replace the video card which was a separate unit. You can write them all you want, they don't even reply. While I like their machines their support does suck. If you have an iMac you have to bring it to an authorized service center which can be a real bear with the larger iMacs.

      I have a slightly different experience with their customer service. My 24" iMac stopped working on Dec. 13, 2010. It was freezing on startup. I called Apple on the 14th, and explained to them that I didn't have a vehicle so I couldn't take it in to the retail store, so they arranged for an on site repair at my workplace. They overnighted a package on the 15th, since cut-off time for Fed-Ex had already passed. The tech wasn't in to get the package on the 16th, so he got it on the 17th and called me. We arranged for him to come to my workplace on the 22nd since that was his first available day. He came in and replaced the logic board but that still didn't fix it. So he called Apple back and they said it must be the RAM, so they overnighted another package to him, and on the 23rd he met me at my house since I started vacation that day. He had to drive about 70 miles one way to get there, vs. 45 miles to get to my workplace. He replaced the RAM, and that didn't work either, so I had to run it up to the Apple Store, which was about 70 miles away from my home. They couldn't get it working either, so I had to leave it.

      They didn't call me back to let me know it was fixed until the 30th. While a week was a long time, they did have to order the part on the 24th, they were closed on the 25th, so they didn't even get the part until the 27th. Still, it was a lot longer than I would have preferred. So I drove back up to the Apple Store and picked it up in the afternoon. When I got home later in the afternoon, I started to restore my computer from my Time Machine backup. It was going to take about 5 hours, so I let it run overnight. Next morning, I got up and the computer was sleeping, so I jiggled the mouse to wake it up. Nothing. I held down the power button to make sure it was off, then I started it up again. I got the chime & a black screen. I tried it again, this time unplugging it first, and also zapping the PRAM on startup, but still, nothing.

      I was steamed, so I called the Apple Store & set up another "Genius Bar" appt. When I got up there, they tried booting it and got the same thing. He said he was going to see if they had another video card in stock so they could repair it. I told him everything I had already been through, and explained how I didn't have access to the computer for my entire vacation which ended on Jan. 3, and I was highly displeased. He said he would talk to their manager, and they ended up offering me a new 27" iMac for my troubles to replace my 2 1/2 year old 24" iMac. Granted, it did take a much longer time than I would have hoped, but I got a better outcome than I expected.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    10. Re:PR nightmare by v1 · · Score: 2

      Sorry, but Apple really doesn't care.

      That so explains why Apple is consistently in the top three (and frequently the top 1) for large company customer service...

      --
      I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
    11. Re:PR nightmare by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      Yep I've actually been impressed at Dell's support these days. They just send someone to replace the damaged part. No crazy bullshit (apart from the fact that when replacing your hard drive, they'll just up and take the old one with no prior warning whatsoever. Not good for the Average Joe, who's just going to wonder where all his files went).

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    12. Re:PR nightmare by Low+Ranked+Craig · · Score: 1

      Not only would it undo brand damage, but actually improve it. Apple would demonstrate to be on their customers' side for once.

      While I'm sure you can cherry pick stories about how Apple has fucked some customers (all based on the customer's point of view, because Apple doesn't discuss such things publicly) I can provide personal evidence to the contrary, such as when they replaced my bluetooth earpiece no questions asked without a receipt.

      Apple has independently measured customer satisfaction ratings that generally greatly exceeds their competition. Simply repeating the slashdot mantra of apple sucks doesn't make it so.

      --
      I still cannot find the droids I am looking for...
    13. Re:PR nightmare by Low+Ranked+Craig · · Score: 1

      They only do that for businesses, and only if your company has a support contract. They are not sending some one to Average Joe's house to fix the Studio laptop that he didn't purchase a service contract on.

      --
      I still cannot find the droids I am looking for...
    14. Re:PR nightmare by E+IS+mC(Square) · · Score: 2

      Just like how every car dealership leads in satisfaction survey? But I am not surprised you believed in them - after all, apple PR has already worked their charm on you.

    15. Re:PR nightmare by fredjh · · Score: 1

      Consumer Reports says it based on surveys of Consumer Reports subscribers... below average problems and exemplary customer service, and I say that as someone who likes Apples but doesn't own one because I do believe they're overpriced (of course, I generally roll my own new systems for a few hundred bucks, so I'm just generally cheap).

      --
      Stupid, sexy Flanders.
    16. Re:PR nightmare by HiThere · · Score: 1

      Well, Apple sucks, but that sure isn't why. Apple *does* go out of their way to deliver a quality product. It's just that:
      1) I don't like their user interface choices, and
      2) Their EULA is unacceptable

      Other than that it's a good computer, and until they changed their EULA I was recommending it to all non-techie acquaintances. Now, if I don't think Ubuntu will fill their needs, I don't have a recommendation. Because I just can't recommend anything with an EULA like theirs. (Admittedly, it going on a decade since I last read an Apple EULA, but it's longer than that for MS and I doubt that either have gotten any better.)

      --

      I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
    17. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let's compare your story to what would have happened if you had a PC instead of a Mac.
      Your PC stops working on December 13th. You go to your local PC shop, buy the broken part, and insert it on the same day, and your computer works again.

    18. Re:PR nightmare by Belial6 · · Score: 2

      While I suspect that is part of it, my suspicion also is that a bigger part of it is that generally, a person has to already be convinced that Apple has superior service to be polled. Presumably they only poll Apple customers on their satisfaction with Apple. Given Apples position in the market, anyone who isn't satisfied with Apple will quickly stop being an Apple customer, as there are huge numbers of cheaper, high quality, more widely supported alternatives.

      Polling a group on their satisfaction with a product, when that group has gone out of their way to buy a less available product isn't going to get you a good gauge on the products quality.

      It is a little like polling buyers of Monster Cables on their satisfaction concerning their $80 hdmi cable. They would likely get very good marks.

    19. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You should have checked your coverage closely, desktop Macs generally have onsite service as part of their warranty/AppleCare. They will try to get you to bring it to an authorized service center/Apple Store, but if you say no they will schedule an onsite repair and it's generally within a day to two, mostly dependent on the part being shipped to the repair person.

    20. Re:PR nightmare by bonch · · Score: 1

      Apple would demonstrate to be on their customers' side for once.

      What do you mean "for once?" Apple regularly receives high marks in customer satisfaction surveys.

      The submitter's biased headline is totally doing its job. People are treating this company as if it's an offshoot of Apple or something. It's just another third-party repair shop that has Apple certification so that they can work on Macs and receive access to parts from Apple. It would be like bashing Microsoft for the actions of a MCSE-certified employee at some random company.

    21. Re:PR nightmare by bonch · · Score: 1

      The only reason there would be any brand damage is hyperbolic sites like Slashdot calling them an "Apple support company" simply because they are officially licensed to repair Macs. The company has nothing to do with Apple other than the fact they have employees who got repair certification and access to Apple parts.

      But, of course, this is Slashdot, so the headline has to call them an "Apple support company," and everyone in the comments is going to act as if they have some direct association with Apple. It's as stupid as treating every MSCE as a Microsoft employee.

    22. Re:PR nightmare by bonch · · Score: 1

      One of the dumbest comments from an Apple-hater I've seen on Slashdot in a while. It's like you're going out of your way to ignore every third-party customer satisfaction survey ever.

      Yes, you're the enlightened one, and everyone else is just brainwashed by P.R. You're very smart for calling people "Apple suckers" and "fanbois."

      Next.

    23. Re:PR nightmare by Peil · · Score: 1

      UK businesses generally have to pay for onsite support as well at time of purchase

    24. Re:PR nightmare by francium+goes+boom · · Score: 1

      You are right. Send your computer directly to Apple and they could care less how long the repair takes. Usually the repairs are completed in a reasonable amount of time.

      Take the repair to an authorized apple repair shop and they most certainly care. The shops get reimbursed based on how long the repair takes, how many parts are used in the repair, and customer feedback with several tiers of rates. The difference can mean $40 for a hard drive replacement or $65. Quite a big difference for a ~20 min repair.

      Apple also puts almost a draconian levels of expectations on the repairs. Each repair is expected to have ~3 day turn around time and no more than 1 part per repair. If shipping is delayed or the part isn't in stock, not their problem it goes against your record. Have a power supply go bad and take out most of the components? Too bad, your service rating takes a hit for that repair.

      Their are SOME cases where the service center can get the service rating fixed, like 3 week back ordered parts, but not many.

      I would always take my Apple to a service center and not directly to Apple for warranty repairs. 90% of the time it is faster and better quality work. The only advantage of taking it to Apple is that you can yell at them to get free stuff.

    25. Re:PR nightmare by bonch · · Score: 1

      These crazy Slashdotters who treat EULAs as life or death issues really need to take a step back and realize how silly they sound, especially since, after all the years of preaching about how evil Microsoft and Apple EULAs are, they have no examples of anything evil ever occurring because of them. Self-rightousness has blinded you to practical reasoning.

    26. Re:PR nightmare by bonch · · Score: 1

      With no disrespect to Dell, it's not clear from your post how Dell was the better support simply because they sent out a technician. You said Apple had to replace your iMac's motherboard and videocard for two weeks. iMacs are built like laptops in that they're cramped and require specialized hardware and complicated methods of access and repair, so yes, it's going to take longer than just sending out a technician to unscrew a power supply and motherboard in a standard tower PC. It ended up that the repair experience with Dell was better because it was an easy fix to do.

      Apple is known for being really good at customer support. Just one story found using Google.

    27. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm not kidding when I say this, but that is almost *exactly* what happened to my iMac 24". I did all the driving, but it was approximately 70 miles roundtrip, and at the 4th trip they gave me a top-of-the-line 27" as a replacement. To top it off, my computer was completely out of warranty.

      I'm not kidding.

    28. Re:PR nightmare by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 1

      Your PC stops working on December 13th. You go to your local PC shop, buy the broken part, and insert it on the same day, and your computer works again.

      They replaced the logic board, the RAM & video card, and none of those remedied the situation. How cheap would that have been under your scenario? I didn't pay a dime for any of the parts, it was all under warranty. The only money I spent was for gas for roughly 200 miles of driving. My wife's car has a V8 and probably gets 20 MPG/HW, so at $3 a gallon it cost me $60 over all. I didn't enjoy the added expense, but the results at the end were worth it. I got a much better computer for the time & money I put into the deal.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    29. Re:PR nightmare by E+IS+mC(Square) · · Score: 2

      >> It's like you're going out of your way to ignore every third-party customer satisfaction survey ever.

      Yes, I am ignoring every third-party 'satisfaction surveys' - not only for Apple, but for everything. They are basically flawed because they are nothing but post-purchase syndrome where human minds tend to approve of things they have already invested heavily in.

      For the same reason, when I do my research, I go to various forums and look for negative reviews. They are much more insightful then the OMG! BEST PRODUCT EVAAR!! ones.

      And I have my reason to hate Apple (post ipod). But at the same time, I don't go start sucking other companies. Being sucker basically means you are blinded already. Just look at your posing history.

    30. Re:PR nightmare by scot4875 · · Score: 1

      No user-serviceable batteries.

      Non-standard connectors for nearly everything.

      Those two right there should be enough to show you how much Apple cares about its users -- charging them $80 for their special power cables and $50 or $100 to replace a battery that they so kindly made impossible to replace without breaking open the device.

      My Macbook Pro has *zero* case screws on the back side. If I ever need to upgrade/replace anything, even as simple as a hard drive or memory, it's disassembly time. God forbid I should want to carry around a spare battery in case I'm going to be away from a power source for an extended period of time.

      --Jeremy

      --
      Jesus was a liberal
    31. Re:PR nightmare by 99BottlesOfBeerInMyF · · Score: 1

      While I like their[Apple's] machines their support does suck.

      Your anecdote is interesting, but it does not seem to be the general case. Consumer Reports does an annual study of computer support among major vendors, asking about several specific categories. Apple always wins by a huge margin. In 2010 Apple scored 86 out of 100, compared to Dell's 56.

    32. Re:PR nightmare by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      I bought an refurb iBook in 2006. At some point thereafter I wanted to do a clean system install and found that the install disks they provided at time of purchase were not the correct version for my model of iBook. Basic incompetence that. I contacted customer suppoort by e-mail requesting that they send me the correct version of the disk or a retail install disk. No reply from them ever. The only logical thing to do was find a free version of the retail install disk. I haven't looked back since. I'm convinced that good customer service is simply the exception not the rule regardless of which company it is.

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    33. Re:PR nightmare by 99BottlesOfBeerInMyF · · Score: 1

      Yes, I am ignoring every third-party 'satisfaction surveys' - not only for Apple, but for everything. They are basically flawed because they are nothing but post-purchase syndrome where human minds tend to approve of things they have already invested heavily in.

      First, companies like Consumer Reports don't ask people how satisfied they are. They ask how their support experience was in a variety of categories. Surveys like this often suffer from some self selection that tends to overrepresent those with very good or very bad experiences, but that doesn't not invalidate them, especially when they're comparing across vendors. You fail to mention by what mechanism Apple would score better than other vendors whose customers took the same survey. People looking for confirmation about their purchase is not limited to any one brand. Nor do other company's with high end products just as expensive as Apple's show results as good as Apple.

      For the same reason, when I do my research, I go to various forums and look for negative reviews.

      So you think people on forums get upset and complain and that is useful to you, but people taking the survey did not get upset and give poor scores? I don't follow your logic.

      And I have my reason to hate Apple... s. Being sucker basically means you are blinded already.

      Hatred blinds. Emotional investment instead of careful analysis based upon statistical evidence is just irrational and will only result in correct beliefs by chance. Cherry picking anecdotes instead of looking at a reasonably large sample set is unscientific. This is a forum for nerds, geeks, scientists. You're rejecting reason and intelligent decision making. Please turn in your kinda, sort scientific sounding username :)

    34. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have never had to replace a battery on an iPhone. These claims that it is a show stopper a a bit far fetched. As to their connectors, you can use them on any Apple device, from the first gen iPhone, to the latest iPad. They are about as standard as it gets from a 'non-standard' connector.

      I've also got an laptop that's pushing 5 years and regular use of the magsafe adapter without a single failure. I would imagine most folks on slashdot rarely keep either a phone, or a laptop for such lengths of time.

    35. Re:PR nightmare by _UnderTow_ · · Score: 1

      I wanted to second this. I dropped my iPad and cracked the glass. I took it to an Apple store mostly just to see how much it would cost me to repair.

      They replaced it for free even after I told them the damage was 100% my fault.

    36. Re:PR nightmare by stewbacca · · Score: 1

      Yes, this. Apple did exactly that for me in about 1995 with a bad design on one of their Performas. They swapped the MB out (and I got a faster CPU out of it) for free because an "Apple Authorized Service Provider" was giving me grief.

      Turns out it doesn't take much to get an "Apple Authorized Service Provider" title. All it means is they some training and some special diagnostic disks that the Geek Squad doesn't.

    37. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apple is consistently in the top three (and frequently the top 1) for large company customer service

      Yep, and winning the Special Olympics makes you a world class runner.....

    38. Re:PR nightmare by im_thatoneguy · · Score: 2

      Wait... was that supposed to be an example of a good experience with support?

    39. Re:PR nightmare by Rinnon · · Score: 1

      Speaking of Apple, let me talk about the iPhone for a moment. This anecdote may seem long, but I promise there is a point to be made.

      I have an iPhone 3g, it's the only piece of Apple hardware I own. I was relatively satisfied with it's performance (aside the fact that they don't let you change system sounds to your liking, a minor annoyance, but a perfect example of how Apple does not let go of it's stranglehold it has on how you can or can't use your device), but then Firmware 4.0 came out. I upgraded to it because well, why not upgrade to new firmware? iTunes bugs the hell out of you till you do, and some new versions of the Apps you have stop working if you don't, so really, they don't want you to have a choice in the matter. So I upgrade.

      Instantly the device slows to a crawl... I think maybe I've done something wrong so I restore... same problem. So I look for background things to shut off, I find some advice, it didn't help. Eventually as I keep reading, I discover that this Firmware is really not great for the iPhone 3g, as the 3g does not have the same amount of processing power as the iPhone 4 or the 3gs, so the new things they added that run in the background slow things down. Fine, I'll downgrade back to 3.1.3, I was happy enough there. Only... there is no way to downgrade back. At least, no Mac Support way to do it. I tried everything to downgrade back to that firmware within the bounds of the iTunes program, it's just not possible. So I did it the old fashioned way, with a guide from a jailbreak site. Got it downgraded, couldn't restore my contacts because my backup version said 4.0 and I was on 3.1.3... Now Apple is PUNISHING me for downgrading my Firmware by holding my Data hostage! So I tried to get my contacts out manually... There is no way to do this. Even if you didn't encrypt your data, it is unreadable (unless you've been uploading your contacts somewhere, or you have "Time Machine", but I don't own a mac). God forbid I lost my phone, I'd never get those numbers back again. I read horror stories while trying to find a way to get these contacts back from people in that situation. I considered myself LUCKY I still had my phone while I was trying to find these contacts. So I had to upgrade BACK to the latest firmware, write down my numbers, downgrade again, and put the numbers back on!

      At that point, why the fuck not jailbreak? It's not any more work from what I'm already doing, and look at that, suddenly there were programs going out of their way to help! It was easier to freaking jailbreak the damn thing than it was to downgrade to an official firmware version! This brings me around to my point. I don't like Apple (obviously). Their hardware is relatively well built, and they have good ideas how to use it, but their insistence on never letting go of your device after you've bought it, their unwavering refusal to let you make your own decisions makes their products a nightmare to work with. The fact that they created a firmware that didn't run efficiently on all devices they put it out to is bad enough (read: unacceptable to me), but to not let you downgrade if you felt you were better off, and then to hold data hostage for doing that... these to me are far FAR worse decisions with regards to how their company is perceived than how their customer support is handled. The point at which my situation changes from a Normal user to a Techy User, is when I actually when through the trouble of the downgrade, a normal user would have felt stuck with the new firmware, and that's pretty ridiculous in and of itself.

      Suffice it to say, that I will not be purchasing another iPhone when this one breaks.

    40. Re:PR nightmare by yoshi_mon · · Score: 1

      They replaced the logic board...

      It is called a motherboard. On the mobo, as we geeks like to call it, there are a number of chips, caps (you'll have to look that one up), and other components that can fail. Oh yeah, and the freaking CPU.

      Do you even know if the mobo failed or was it just the CPU? Oh...right your not really a geek your just some Apple nerd who does not even know what the parts of a computer are called.

      --

      Really, I know what I'm doing...Ohhhh, look at the shiny buttons!
    41. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    42. Re:PR nightmare by HiThere · · Score: 1

      You read things your way. I'll read them mine. I don't and won't accept an EULA that promises things I find unacceptable. I'll grant that it's probably only insurance against someone suing them, but I don't really *care* what their excuses are. And if one board of directors understands it one way, another, some time hence, will understand it another way. So I'm not going to either promise or recommend that others promise to do or allow something that I find unacceptable.

      I'll grant that the sky hasn't fallen yet. I'd prefer, however, not to make promises I'd rather not be held to.

      --

      I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
    43. Re:PR nightmare by BKX · · Score: 1

      Bizarrely, logic board is the correct name for what normal people call a motherboard when you're in Appleland.

    44. Re:PR nightmare by zeroshade · · Score: 1

      How about the court case determining that if the EULA says so, you can't resell your software, even if you otherwise would be able to? Allowing EULA's to utterly decimate the right of first sale.

    45. Re:PR nightmare by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      Back in the day we used to distinguish between motherboards, daughterboards (like a video card in a laptop) and PCBs (printed circuit boards such as backlight controllers).

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
    46. Re:PR nightmare by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      As someone who used to be lead tech at a Apple Authorised Service Centre, I can tell you we spent plenty of time yelling at Apple for free stuff on behalf of our customers when it was required.

      As a tip, the customer Service reps were generally more generous at the start of the month/quarter, than at the end, as they had quotas for how much they could give away.

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
    47. Re:PR nightmare by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      If you are referring to my post, I think it is quite obvious what I mean. Ignoring a valid request from a customer is bad customer support. In fact it is non existent customer support. I don't know why you scored a 3 for that.

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    48. Re:PR nightmare by CheerfulMacFanboy · · Score: 1

      Let's compare your story to what would have happened if you had a PC instead of a Mac. Your PC stops working on December 13th. You go to your local PC shop, buy the broken part, and insert it on the same day, and your computer works again.

      With the difference that because he didn't want to go to the shop, so would have to order online, and would have gotten his part 3 days from now because of the Christmas rush. And then his part wouldn't have worked.

      --
      Fandroids hate facts.
    49. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, no we don't call it a mobo. Only 6 year olds with Down's call them mobos.

    50. Re:PR nightmare by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, a good experience in the sense that they actually cared what happened to their customer. Dead parts happen, nothing you can do about it, it's just a fact of life. What separates good service from ok service is how they handle things when it does hit the fan.

      Granted, it's also what separates bad service from ok service, like what happened to the guy in the OP

    51. Re:PR nightmare by yoshi_mon · · Score: 1

      I stand corrected. I still have to wonder thou, once Apple made the transition to x86 hardware, if trying to keep their own lingo about hardware is viable. But that is another subject.

      All that being said I still was a bit hard on the OP and while I feel a little bad I still don't know if he even understands that there is a CPU there that could have failed, and or a cap, and or whatever that kinda does not make him very worthy to in my eyes. Sorry.

      --

      Really, I know what I'm doing...Ohhhh, look at the shiny buttons!
  6. Re:LED SCREEN? by Barny · · Score: 2, Insightful

    No, there is no way someone would pay that much for such a small screen, even if it does have a huge contrast ratio. The tech just isn't mature yet.

    It will be an LCD screen with an LED backlight.

    --
    ...
    /me sighs
  7. Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by ibsteve2u · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But no, even worse: We're destined to entwine the legal system throughout every facet of our lives until we reach stasis between wanting to act and fearing to act and then entropy will take over and we'll just...stop.

    --
    Orwell: "In a Time of Universal Deceit, telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act"
    1. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Penguinshit · · Score: 1, Insightful

      That was poetry, sir. Bravo.

    2. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Null+Nihils · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This is the way the world ends
      Not with a bang but a whimper.
      -- TS Eliot

    3. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 4, Funny

      fearing to act and then entropy will take over and we'll just...stop.

      so..... uhh .... can we have your liver, then?

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    4. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by wtfbill · · Score: 1

      except for a tenth of a percent, and they'll have the opposite response...their aggressor response increased beyond madness, and they've become...nah!

    5. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by WindBourne · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Here in America, it is our legal system that is killing us. We have idiots running around blaming Unions, regs, and high labor/power costs. And yet, according to major industrialists who put up plants all over the world EXCEPT in America, they blame it on the fact that so many lawsuits are filed. According to them, our high costs are minor compared to the costs of dealing with GD lawyers. And what do these lawyers become? Politicians.

      I had hoped that ppl in America would take note, but we can not get slashdoters with the stories to even take note. I still see idiots here that blame unions, regs, while others blame business ppl. As such, I give little chance for the average citizen to figure things out.

      Windbourne (moderating)

      --
      I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
    6. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by FeepingCreature · · Score: 1

      Primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodents?

    7. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by 19061969 · · Score: 3, Funny

      We don't blame the lawyers 'coz they'll sue us into oblivion if we do!

      --
      bang goes my karma... again...
    8. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      America, where litigation is the national sport.

    9. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by arkhan_jg · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Lawyers don't file suits for the hell of it. They do it because they're hired to beat someone else in court.

      Who hires them? Big business. Who makes it easy for them by avoiding legislation for tort reform, and making new laws that are a lawyer's paradise? Politicians who were former lawyers, as you say.

      So it's not just the legal system. It's the whole culture that thinks lawsuits are the solution to any problem, a society that completely mistrusts government to regulate properly, so end up voting in complete scumbags because they had a better funded ad campaign, a society that worships big business; allowing them to buy elections, buy laws, buy politicians outright, buy media stations and broadcast lies, and sue anyone and anything that competes with them or they don't like into oblivion in a legal, social and political environment that positively encourages that.

      It's a much bigger clusterfuck than just shooting all the lawyers will fix.

      --
      Remember kids, it's all fun and games until someone commits wholesale galactic genocide.
    10. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by myowntrueself · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's a much bigger clusterfuck than just shooting all the lawyers will fix.

      No, I agree.

      One would need to shoot all the lawyers, all the former lawyers, all the student lawyers, all the law lecturers.

      In addition one would want to shoot anyone who does business with lawyers, people who owe money to lawyers and people who lawyers owe money to.

      The "Keyser Söze" solution.

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
    11. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by ScentCone · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Who hires them? Big business.

      Or, individuals who've been convinced by a contingency lawyer that they can hit the law suit lottery over every single thing in their entire lives that they don't like.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    12. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Truekaiser · · Score: 1

      i think you missed the earlier slashfot article about ibm patenting the process of filing and then protecting a patent.

    13. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Algorithmnast · · Score: 2

      I, for one, welcome our new Ratfish Overlords!!

    14. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I, for one, welcome our new Ratfish Overlords!!

      Hey, he said semi-aquatic. You should be welcoming our new Ratfrog overlords!!

    15. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that sounds like libel.
      watch your mailbox for our settlement offer.

    16. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most lawsuits are minor players. Why do you think the US is plagued with ambulance chasers and TV is nothing more than a barrage of law firm adverts? None of these apply to businesses fighting other businesses.

    17. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Securityemo · · Score: 1

      How beautiful. Then we can finally get all those hydrogen atoms accounted for.

      --
      Emotions! In your brain!
    18. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I realize you were being funny, but it's no longer libel if we can prove by your actions that it's true. :-)

    19. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by ibsteve2u · · Score: 1

      How beautiful. Then we can finally get all those hydrogen atoms accounted for.

      You appear to be assuming that a group of lawyers will not file a class action on the behalf of all hydrogen atoms everywhere (and any when) in order to protect their right to privacy.

      --
      Orwell: "In a Time of Universal Deceit, telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act"
    20. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What a wonderful black and white world you live in. There is plenty of blame to go around. If you think Unions are NOT a problem in American Industry, then you are a fool. Build any type of manufacturing plant in the US, and you'll have the union goons talking to the workforce before the ribbon cutting opening ceremonies(held by the town, since it's such a rare occasion these days). If you poo-poo the unimaginable drag Unions have on the economy, just look to what happened in New York with the snow storm . THAT is the union mentality.

    21. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by shentino · · Score: 1

      Sadly, I believe you.

    22. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I know it's only anecdotal, but when talking with lawyers, they, too, prefer that there be fewer lawyers in Congress. Non-lawyers make the worst laws which mean more business for lawyers.

      The poor, victimized corporations you cite are the worst offenders of the very thing they complain about. Who hires scores of lawyers every year? It's not the guy working at MacDonald's. It's corporations. I have yet to see any kind of tort reform that doesn't help those who hire the most lawyers.

      By the way, lawyers can't file law suits on their own. They need a client. So next time you're in trouble, take one for the team and drop the law suit.

    23. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by celtic_hackr · · Score: 1

      While there is no doubt that the US legal system is fscked, I see no link between the Greek legal system and the US, or that one can draw conclusions about the US legal system from actions in the Greek legal system. But is shows the Greeks do seem to aspire to imitate the US. Our US propaganda system seems to be working. At least in Greece.

    24. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 1

      Lawyers don't file suits for the hell of it. They do it because they're hired to beat someone else in court.

      Some times, they do. Many law firms will sue a company because they have a sense that they can win a judgement against them on behalf of a company's customers without the customers approaching them first. They're called class action suits. Not all class action suit are started this way, but some are.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    25. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reavers

    26. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The US has a lot of ambulance chasers because the insurance companies have a horrific track record of not paying up without the lawyers getting involved.

      In almost every car accident situation, there's an insurance company lawyer looking for a way to deny coverage, or pay less than actual damages.

    27. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      RIP Pete Postlethwaite

    28. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But... But... You shooting them means that you are doing business with them right?

      Put your name on the list, I'll be there shortly... er... wait...

    29. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      Sure, but it is going to cost you 4.3 Million dollars to prover your innocence in court.

    30. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Sorry, I haven't been following the news lately. Does someone have a link about the unions and the NY snow storm? I'm interested in reading more about this.

    31. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      already stopped.

      waiting for the other shoe to drop.

    32. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by canadian_right · · Score: 1

      But it is not the lawyers fault. It is the lawyers clients fault,plus a lack of "loser pays", laws that favour the filing of lawsuits, and a cultural norm to sue for every trivial thing. The clients are the scumbags, not the lawyers. The lawyers are tools being used to sue, they don't initiate the lawsuits.

      What to change this? Ostracize anyone who files a bogus lawsuit. Get tort reform on the political agenda. Loser pays and anti-slap laws are needed.

      --
      Anarchists never rule
    33. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by gophish · · Score: 1

      when sapiens, fraught with entropy\ began to stop, and die and bleed\ up from the muck, no kings did rise\ the ratfrog, maddened, claimed its prize\\ large, nocturnal, semi-aquatic\ ratfrog overlord, not bionic\ gnashing teeth, by night they swim\ kill people coming from the gym\\ if only human kind had done\ what nature wrought them to and run\ they might have had athletic thigh\ and claimed the wicked ratfrogs prize!

    34. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      What to change this? Ostracize anyone who files a bogus lawsuit. Get tort reform on the political agenda. Loser pays and anti-slap laws are needed.

      But thats not going to happen unless the former lawyers, ie the politicians, agree to it. Never Going To Happen.

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
    35. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by WindBourne · · Score: 1

      Actually, many law suits ARE filed by lawyers PURELY FOR THE FUCK OF IT IN HOPES OF WINNING BIG. For example, those ads on TV where a lawyer claims that they are putting together law suits against a drug company?
      Now, are there businesses and ppl that are looking to get rich as well? Absolutely. The problem is that the legal system has been rigged by the lawyer/politicians who make it so that they have places to go.

      No doubt just lining up lawyers and shotting them will not solve the issue. HOWEVER, as the saying goes, it is a DAMN GOOD START.

      --
      I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
    36. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In many other countries the loser has to pay the legal costs for the winner. So the little guy CAN sue and win. Someone suggested that here and the ABA immediately went into overdrive to put the kibosh on the whole idea.

    37. Re:Here I thought we'd end through nuclear war... by alexo · · Score: 1

      Lawyers don't file suits for the hell of it. They do it because they're hired to beat someone else in court.

      Lawyers get paid regardless of the outcome. It is in their financial interest to encourage as many lawsuits as possible, justified or otherwise, and to discourage any solution that does not involve lawyers.

  8. It's called System Graph by Stratoukos · · Score: 5, Informative

    You don't even read the stories you post, do you?

    The company is called System Graph.

    --
    It may be 7 digits, but at least it's a semiprime
    1. Re:It's called System Graph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You must be new here.

    2. Re:It's called System Graph by Lunoria · · Score: 1

      You don't even read the stories you post, do you?

      The company is called System Graph.

      TFA calls it Stemgraph too. Even with a link to the company at systemgraph.gr

      Maybe Stemgraph is the english translation?

    3. Re:It's called System Graph by TrentC · · Score: 4, Funny

      The excerpt above is from the linked article. Tekgoblin is the one that got it wrong.

      I went to Papadmitriadis's Twitter feed to see if "Stemgraph" was a local nickname for Systemgraph but it was...

      (wait for it...)

      all Greek to me.

    4. Re:It's called System Graph by arth1 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Indeed it is http://www.systemgraph.gr/

      C|Net, which the tekgoblin site pinched this from, had the name right. But tekgoblin got it wrong, both on their own site, and in the verbatim copy submitted here. And yes, samzenpus appear to have rubberstamped it without even some elementary link following.

      No, this won't be the last time we see this, but I still hope that we get served less copypasta and more verified news here in 2011.

    5. Re:It's called System Graph by sumdumass · · Score: 1

      Perhaps this is the entire problem and the guy is slamming the wrong company which is why they want to sue for slander?

      Nah, it's probably more like the one site is within the same legal jurisdiction and didn't want to be sued in the process too. So they changed the name to protect the innocent- namely themselves.

    6. Re:It's called System Graph by laci · · Score: 1

      Who has modded parent informative? The story clearly (whether correctly or not I do not know) says Stemgraph.

    7. Re:It's called System Graph by tekgoblin · · Score: 3, Informative

      I am very sorry for the mistake in the article it has been corrected on the site. I hope you will forgive us.

    8. Re:It's called System Graph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It was modded informative because that's the real name of the company. Apparently Tekgoblin made a mistake which has apparently been fixed.

      Hence the informative mod.

    9. Re:It's called System Graph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You don't even read the stories you post, do you?

      The company is called System Graph.

      TekGoblin Tried to get the news to the consumers as fast as possible. Have you ever read a newx collom in a newspaper that was written in a hurry. They have mistakes galor.
      KylePaddock-----Tekgoblin.com Product Reviewer/Blogger

    10. Re:It's called System Graph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you ever read a newx collom in a newspaper that was written in a hurry. They have mistakes galor.

      wow. that was verging on performance art right there O_o

    11. Re:It's called System Graph by 1u3hr · · Score: 5, Insightful
      TFA calls it Stemgraph too.

      No it doesn't. TFA says "An Apple authorized Service Provider called System Graph is suing a customer..." Perhaps it was corrected, something that Slashdot rarely bothers to do.

      However, this is yet another case of Slashdot promoting some link-whoring blog that reports a story instead of the real source.The actual (English language) source is CNET: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20026918-71.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20 which has a rather more complete story and background.

    12. Re:It's called System Graph by Sparrow1492 · · Score: 1

      I still hope that we get served less copypasta and more verified news here in 2011.

      Why start now when the previous system of post and run articles has worked so well in the past.

    13. Re:It's called System Graph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You really should sue, tg!

    14. Re:It's called System Graph by arth1 · · Score: 0

      Have you ever read a newx collom in a newspaper that was written in a hurry. They have mistakes galor.

      Up until Rupert Murdoch and his gutting the desk and firing all copy editors and replacing most of the journalists with copypasters, mistakes seemed to be far fewer. These days, mistakes not only survive to reach the customers, but once introduced, they get copied too. A typo on one site can lead to dozens web sites and newspapers all publishing the same error.

      I really wish we could turn the clock back on this one, and make copyreading mandatory, and lack of journalistic integrity (like copying without even looking at the source, never mind actually contacting sources) subject to internal justice.

      Is there any blogging software that provides copyreading tools and simple desk functionality? If not, would there be a market for it?

    15. Re:It's called System Graph by Legion303 · · Score: 1

      "appear to have rubberstamped it without even some elementary link following."

      Welcome to Slashdot. Enjoy your stay.

    16. Re:It's called System Graph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sorry, no. I'll have to sue you.

    17. Re:It's called System Graph by Thing+1 · · Score: 1

      Perhaps Murdoch learned from Slashdot that you'll get more ad impressions from being a certain percentage incorrect, consistently?

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
    18. Re:It's called System Graph by anyGould · · Score: 1

      I really wish we could turn the clock back on this one, and make copyreading mandatory, and lack of journalistic integrity (like copying without even looking at the source, never mind actually contacting sources) subject to internal justice.

      Sadly, there's no money in it. (As in, you won't see enough increased revenue to cover the cost of your copy editors.)

      Doesn't help that in order to try and be current, they're waiting until the last minute to put the stories in (removing any time to edit the piece in the first place).

      As I see it, the daily newspaper is stuck between a rock and a hard place - they can't compete with online media (much less TV/radio) in the "current events" market, and the weekly/monthly periodicals can beat them on "reasoned and informed" (not to mention some online media as well). There's just not much market for "slightly stale news with little context added".

    19. Re:It's called System Graph by joebagodonuts · · Score: 1

      I'm reminded of "Cheap, fast, or right. Pick which 2 you want."

      --
      "Give a woman two glasses of wine and some pad thai, and they'll agree to just about anything." the Sports Guy
    20. Re:It's called System Graph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      reposting someone elses content, without adding anything useful to it, and then screwing it up... money is the root of all evil. how lame, all to make a few dollars.

  9. Re:LED SCREEN? by Mitchell314 · · Score: 1

    Actually, it would be cool to have an 80x24 LED screen. And I mean the 14 segment display LEDs. Much easier and cheaper to fix dead pixels.

    --
    I read TFA and all I got was this lousy cookie
  10. Process Patent for Complaining about Bad Service by peterofoz · · Score: 0
    Yup, you heard it here first and now its prior art.

    A process and method to publicly lodge a complaint about customer service received using publicly accessible media, internet sites, or email distribution lists.

    (fill in the rest).

    So now anyone who files a complaint is using a patented process and is liable for license fees.

  11. damn customers... by Odinlake · · Score: 3, Funny

    ..why can't the gov't just give us the money.

  12. Re:LED SCREEN? by biryokumaru · · Score: 1

    So it is. I suppose I'm ahead of the times.

    --
    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  13. counter sue for court costs + a GOOD attorney + th by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 1

    counter sue for court costs + a GOOD attorney + cash for your time + the cost of a new mac.

  14. So what? by Weaselmancer · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You're allowed to sue anyone you like for any reason you want. I could sue every single person reading this post in a John Doe lawsuit because I believe that the gray aliens told me that people who read my slashdot posts are making the value of my stamp collection drop, so I want a million dollars from every one of you. Plus expenses.

    Here, read up on this guy.

    See? You can sue anyone you want for any reason you like. Stories like these are really non-stories. About the only value is in letting you know "hey don't use these guys, they're litigious jerks."

    You can sue anyone for any reason, sure - but winning your suit is of course another matter. Let these guys bringing the suit win, then you've got a story.

    --
    Weaselmancer
    rediculous.
    1. Re:So what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Personally, I'd say its worty of mention because suing displeased customers is not usually a company's best course of action, as far as public relations are concerned.

    2. Re:So what? by drooling-dog · · Score: 4, Informative

      Umm... I don't think anyone here is arguing that they don't have the legal right to file a lawsuit. The point is precisely as you say: "hey don't use these guys, they're litigious jerks." So what's the problem? We all like our daily righteous indignation.

      And why, more generally, is there always someone in every thread like this who suggests that no valid criticism can be made of behavior - however reprehensible - that violates no laws?

    3. Re:So what? by redherring728 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "Stories like these are really non-stories." "About the only value is in letting you know "hey don't use these guys, they're litigious jerks."" Contradictory statements. There is a *lot* of value in knowing that these guys are litigious jerks. Knowing that someone is willing to sue you after screwing you isn't even remotely a non-story. It's not insignificant to be sued, whether the person suing you has a chance or not.

    4. Re:So what? by Bill_the_Engineer · · Score: 1

      This is standard operating procedure for some Greek companies. I used to have to deal with them all the time. They are very litigious and get irritated when you charge them accordingly. I had personal experience with these companies and most were a P.I.T.A.

      --
      These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
    5. Re:So what? by bm_luethke · · Score: 2

      It is often not that simple - lawsuits also cost money and time for everyone. More than several companies use the fact that they have bigger pockets and can sue all they want as a weapon. In some cases it can be cheaper to create fear of a lawsuit than the amount of money lost through bad reviews. That's probably not very often and even if the person complaining is truly giving undeserved bad press it is usually worse to sue for it, but hey not everyone sees it that way (see the RIAA/MPAA for a great example). It isn't unreasonable to assume several thousand dollars in defense attorney fees.

      There is very much a story about someone suing because someone gave them a bad review. Not sure what to do about it, but there is a story there.

      --
      ------- Sorry about the spelling, I suffer from two problems. Dyslexia makes it difficult to spell well, lazy makes it
    6. Re:So what? by outsider007 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hehe pita. Seriously though I falafel for this guy.

      --
      If you mod me down the terrorists will have won
    7. Re:So what? by twisteddk · · Score: 0

      Not having read the criticism, how can you tell if it violates greek law ?

      Agree, there's no news value to the fact that someone is being sued, but I find it troubling that everyone is ready to stand on eachother shoulders to defend "the little guy", who from experience, I know is more frequently wrong than right in matters of consumer law (at least here in Europe, where the laws are clearly defined and upheld by the EU)

      Fact of the matter is that the service provider carries the costs of replacing parts, including labour, so it's not an unreasonable claim for them to ask the customer to have his parts replaced by the reseller he choose to purchase the product from, as they have the right to refuse service if said service incurs an "unreasonable" cost for them, which surely a replacement computer would be. So if the consumer complains about only getting the service he's entitled to, AND is being a bitch about it, I can see why the company wants him to shut the f**k up. I dont care if he bought an imac or a number 2 pencil. That doesn't give him the right to be an ass, so if what he's saying is utter bull AND it violates local law I'd slap him with a suit too, if it was my company.

      That said, my greek it bad enought that I might be misunderstanding the finer points of his twitters etc. But I'll leave the translation in more capable hands than mine, and reserve judgement until then.

      --
      --- To err is human... Am I more human than most ?
    8. Re:So what? by del_diablo · · Score: 2

      He had sent his iMac into the company.
      They repaired it. Or at the least they claimed so.
      When he got it back, the problem was not solved: There was even moist in the screen!
      He took it to a repair center, which means there was no post delay.
      He sent it in because of: "I have problem X, can you fix this?", they said: "Yes" and so he sent it in.
      He gets it back, problem still present, he goes BACK to the repair center, asks about it, and THEN they say something they should have said quite some time ago.
      He purchased a spesific service, they claim they can do the service, and they do not, they just take money for nothing.
      He is in his full rights to sue them, mainly because it seems the Italian costumer protection agency is not going to clear this up(which would have happened in some countries, like Norway).

    9. Re:So what? by julesh · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hehe pita. Seriously though I falafel for this guy.

      They clearly lack a sense of houmus.

    10. Re:So what? by twisteddk · · Score: 1

      I would be VERY worried if the italian consumer protection agency had anything to do with a case happening in Greece.

      That said, true, they might want to refund him for a bad repair job, if in fact they charged him for it, and it had no effect. But I dont see how a cleaning would be the cause of the problem. The fact that the problem persists after an attempted repair does NOT give you the right to sue someone (That is, you can try, but You'll get laughed out in court). While the problem might seem to get worse after the attempted repair, there's absolutely no evidence of that. So given that the customer is being a jackass and complaining left and right about "bad service", which is probably at least up to par, or would have been if he had been nice about it, I'd still offer my version:

      "Do NOT do unto others". There's no amount of justification for being a bitch about things, and even less so for slandering people or businesses. There's a reason it's called "slander" and not "facts in evidence", and yes, you get sued for slander.

      --
      --- To err is human... Am I more human than most ?
    11. Re:So what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let these guys bringing the suit win, then you've got a story.

      The odds are that they will win this case. Greece has a pro-America goverment.

      Anonymous for obvious reasons.

    12. Re:So what? by crow_t_robot · · Score: 1
      Interesting link.

      Riches continued, "Defendants put me in prison. I face imminent danger from violent inmates who played Grand Theft Auto who will knock me out and take my gold Jesus cross."

      Funniest thing I have read so far in 2011.

    13. Re:So what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just experiencing legal issues down this vien myself, no you cant. You dont just hire a lawyer and sue sue sue. You need to substantiate a reason for suing and you need to convince a judge to begin proceedings.

      Granted in the US you hear of these outragious cases being braught before the courts. Unless you have 10k upfront you wont even get a pretrial. Then compound the extra costs the actual proceeding and going to court it's akin to going to the track. Place your bets, win or lose. Right or Wrong it means very little.

      Anyone who has enough evidence and cash upfront to sue gets too. Most of the cases get sorted once the complaint is made offical, most companies just want the problem to go away and save in bad PR or serious finanical loss they settle out of court, this is where you get the kramer the coffee is too hot BS. So be a good poker player if you wish to play that game.

    14. Re:So what? by realityimpaired · · Score: 1

      Presumably, the warranty on the device is backed by Apple, and the authorized service center only needs to bill Apple for the time/parts, and if necessary, for the RMA.

      Apple's warranty in the US/Canada includes a replacement clause, where you can ask them to replace the system outright if a repair was botched, or if it's had too many repairs. I'd be very surprised if their European warranty didn't include the same sort of provision, though admittedly I haven't read their Euro warranty.

      His mistake was saying under consumer protection law X they had to replace it. If he'd instead asked them to replace it under warranty I doubt there'd have been such a problem. That said, any self-respecting repair center should be aware of the warranty conditions and just said "there there", and replaced it under warranty regardless of whether he was quoting consumer protection laws at them.

      Assuming, of course, that it was under warranty. Though even if it was an out of warranty service, their work should have itself been warranted... probably wouldn't mean they'd replace the system, but it should mean that they'd fix the faulty screen, at the least.

    15. Re:So what? by canadian_right · · Score: 1

      You guys need tort reform. Frivolous lawsuits just allow you to pay the other parties lawyers in Canada.

      --
      Anarchists never rule
    16. Re:So what? by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Sounds like there's some parallels between Greece and America: companies are highly unethical, and very litigious, willing to sue about valid complaints made in public. Also, each country is mired in debt and has a failing economy.

      Coincidence? I don't think so.

    17. Re:So what? by Scarletdown · · Score: 1

      We want to make certain he doesn't merely become yesterday's gyro.

      --
      This space unintentionally left blank.
    18. Re:So what? by Bill_the_Engineer · · Score: 1

      Yes it is coincidence. I think it's probably more of cultural thing.

      When I was in the maritime industry, I had a greek ship master demand that I put the average ship channel depth in writing. I refused and referred him to the NOAA charts. Besides I hired bar pilots for all of my ships anyway. He insisted that he needed something stating how large a draft his vessel could safely acquire. I grew suspicious since our port captains calculated all our cargo layouts and my stevedores monitor the watermark on the side of the vessel during loading anyway. The charter operators had to threaten legal action to get him to disembark with our cargo.

      Later I was notified that this wasn't the first occurrence with the vessel owners and, this being the last voyage under the current charter, they were attempting the stunt again. Basically they wanted to order extra bunker (fuel) after loading operations had concluded and expense it to the charterer. The problem being that they ran the risk of running aground (or having to wait until next high tide) with the extra fuel. They wanted legal fodder to try to make collecting any reimbursements from their shenanigans difficult. This is one of many examples.

      Believe it or not there is a difference between filing frivolous lawsuits to make a quick buck, and abusing the legal system to harass or seek retribution. None do it better and with more flair than the greeks.

      --
      These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
  15. Since the summary doesn't finish the story... by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

    After the moisture issue, he sent it back to the company, they told him it'd be a week, he demanded a full replacement of the machine according to some Greek law, the company refused since they weren't the original retailer, he posted about it online, and now the company is suing him. Blah blah blah.

    1. Re:Since the summary doesn't finish the story... by mysidia · · Score: 2

      After the moisture issue, he sent it back to the company, they told him it'd be a week, he demanded a full replacement of the machine according to some Greek law

      "Some greek law?" Well, as you can see from the OP, he obviously took it to them for warranty service, complaining about gray spots showing on the display, as an apple authorized service center, they would have an agreement to service Apple equipment under warranty for repairs and replacements.

      They took it in and according to them, performed the repairs.

      The problem, and it would appear, cause for him to complain, is he got it back in even worse shape. Complaint of moisture behind the LCD panel.

      This would mean not only did they fail to perform the proper cleaning procedures, but they caused more damage to his display, and tried to hand it off to him as repaired.

      Demand for replacement of the entire iMac may have been a bit much, but it seems like their customer could have good reason to be upset.

      A week is a long time to go without a computer. If he were relying on this in some professional capacity, their 1st attempt failure at repair and unreasonably long timeframe for fixing their mistakes (A week?!) can be incurring significant costs for their customer.

    2. Re:Since the summary doesn't finish the story... by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      What are you talking about? I summarized the remainder of the article, since the summary did a lousy job of doing so. That's it. I didn't offer an opinion on the matter (aside from boredom with the whole idiocy of the matter), so I have no idea why you're trying to argue with me.

    3. Re:Since the summary doesn't finish the story... by Algorithmnast · · Score: 1

      I think that he was trying to argue with you ....

      because this is Slashdot?

      And for that sort of reader, we need a graphic for "just reporting the facts, nothing to argue with here, move along..."

  16. Re:LED SCREEN? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    It will be an LCD screen with an LED backlight.

    How is that different from any other recently-produced LCD screen, then? Or is Apple just putting their name on it, calling it something more specialer, and charging three times as much? Like they always do... wait, never mind.

  17. Re:LED SCREEN? by biryokumaru · · Score: 1

    Psh, 14 segment LED displays? My 80x24 uses Nixie tubes.

    --
    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  18. Re:Process Patent for Complaining about Bad Servic by sumdumass · · Score: 0

    I already have a similar patent. Perhaps you lawyer should contact mine and I will work out a licensing deal for you to cover the parts you are infringing on.

    Wouldn't that be the outright dumbest thing in the world. Needing to get a patent license just to patent a stupid Idea?

  19. SLAPP anyone? by FooAtWFU · · Score: 4, Informative
    Around these parts, we call that a SLAPP.

    A strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) is a lawsuit that is intended to censor, intimidate and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition.

    It's illegal in 26 states, and can sometimes make a nice countersuit.

    --
    The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
    1. Re:SLAPP anyone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought a slap was how you challenge someone to a duel to the death.

  20. Re:LED SCREEN? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    No, you aren't, if you actually read the product you linked to, you'd have seen

    "A 27-inch widescreen display with LED backlight technology. Stunning is an understatement.".

    Now, in all fairness, it doesn't explicitly say it's an LCD, but a true LED display wouldn't usually use a backlight, as the color source themselves are the light source as well. Thus I'd say it's safe to assume that the product you linked to is in fact LCD technology with an LED backlight source, as apposed to the standard flourecent tube.

  21. Shameless attempt to boost pagerank? by mysidia · · Score: 1

    Remember No Press is Bad Press Even Online?

    Could this be a copycat effort to boost pagerank ultimately by posting comments containing their domain name?

    1. Re:Shameless attempt to boost pagerank? by RichiH · · Score: 1

      No, as they would have made sure the company is named correctly. Which it is not.

  22. Re:LED SCREEN? by Urkki · · Score: 4, Informative

    So it is. I suppose I'm ahead of the times.

    That's not real LED screen, that's LCD screen with LED backlighting.

    There are real LED screens too, such a Sony XEL-1 OLED display, but their cost is way out of the budget of most iPeople, not to mention they're also a bit small for iMacs... And by "real" I mean, actually displays the image using LEDs.

    The whole fad of marketing LCD displays with LED backlight as "LED displays" is really confusing for the consumer. Many less-clueful buyers believe they really got a LED panel on their "LED display".

  23. Re:LED SCREEN? by quenda · · Score: 2

    Yeah, an LED-backlit LCD display. AC is right.
    My car has many electrical parts, but that does not make it an electric car.

  24. Has anyone patented ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... suing your customers if they aren't happy with your efforts/products/lies ?

    I smell profit!

    1. Re:Has anyone patented ... by Kitkoan · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I'm pretty sure the RIAA did, with all the lawsuits they keep filing.

      --
      Attention... all grammer nazi"s! Is they're anything; wrong with: my post,
  25. Re:LED SCREEN? by OrangeTide · · Score: 1, Interesting

    are they the typical 10 segment nixie. or are they 16 segment Burroughs B7971 tubes which are neon tubes like a 7-segment numitron, often confused with nixies because the technology is the same.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  26. Re:LED SCREEN? by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I agree. Unfortunately, LCD TVs with LED back lighting appear to be widely marketed as LED TVs in ads, sales flyers and on the packaging. I really haven't been paying close attention to whether it's true with computer screens too.

  27. They are not a non story on the receiving end by aepervius · · Score: 1

    It cost money to defend yourself from a lawsuit if it is not dismissed outright, and from the description, it is not one which will be. Case in point, JREF/James Randi had to defend themselves agaisnt scammer because they had shown that the scammer were offering a bogus item. They won naturally, but they did not get any money back (and it was rather expansive 4 zero non trivial amount). So this guy you are saying a non story, it could ruin his life, and if the greek law are the same as in the US, worst case scenario he doesn't get a pip money back once he won.

    --
    C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
    visit randi.org
    1. Re:They are not a non story on the receiving end by twisteddk · · Score: 1

      It's not. Cosumer protection is very efficient in Europe. Only if he looses and wants to appeal will it cost him a bundle.Then again, if he looses it'll cost him a bundle anyway ;)

      I'll withhold judgement untill I get a decently translated version of his allegations, but frivolous suits are rarely brought in Europe, because only the accused have the right to free counsel, usually.So for the time being I'll assume that the company has tried to reason with the guy first.

      --
      --- To err is human... Am I more human than most ?
    2. Re:They are not a non story on the receiving end by mcgrew · · Score: 1

      Then again, if he looses it'll cost him a bundle anyway

      I coudn't find "looses" in my dictionary, did you mean "loosens"?

  28. Deceptive title by yotto · · Score: 2

    The title of this summary, while technically correct, is deceptive. I read it as "Apple's support sues customer for complaint."

    I'm gonna sue!

    /Not actually gonna sue.
    //Please don't sue me for implying I would sue.

  29. Re:LED SCREEN? by rrossman2 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The Samsung Galaxy S phones also use OLED screens.. Super AMOLED = Super Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Dioide

  30. It's a shame... by cskrat · · Score: 0

    that he can't just hook up a loaner monitor to his computer while he sends in for a RMA replacement.

    --
    My God! It's full of eval()'s.
    1. Re:It's a shame... by CharlyFoxtrot · · Score: 1

      The iMac has a displayport output. So he could in fact hook up a second monitor while waiting for a replacement to be shipped in if the retailer allowed it.

      --
      If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
  31. I had the same problem, but with Sony. by arunce · · Score: 4, Interesting
    After 20 pixels went out I took my Sony Vaio to repair, as it was under warranty terms. After 40 days they call me back and said that it didn't qualify under warranty because it was dirt between LCD and backlight, and yes, they would repair if I pay 800 euros for a 16.4 inch panel. I must say that at that time a new one laptop cost exactly the same price. We have a law in Portugal that any repair can't exceed the original equipment price.. it's funny.

    So I didn't accept it and after 200 or 300 pixels, I just disassembled my Sony Vaio 16.4 inch panel made in North Korea (yeah..) by Sharp and cleaned it, it took about 4 hours of my time but its perfect now.

    Don't ask me how the hell the dust got between those two layers.

    1. Re:I had the same problem, but with Sony. by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Just be happy you didn't have it plugged into a surge protector

    2. Re:I had the same problem, but with Sony. by am+2k · · Score: 1

      Don't ask me how the hell the dust got between those two layers.

      It probably happened right at the repair facility.

    3. Re:I had the same problem, but with Sony. by arunce · · Score: 1

      No. The cause of "dead" pixels was dust as it didn't let them to be back-lighten. These LCD metal frames aren't sealed or tighten.

  32. SystemGraph by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    minor correction, it's not stemgraph but SystemGraph.
    source:
    http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.systemgraph.gr%2F&lp=el_en&btnTrUrl=Translate

    other than that, the real issue is that Apple doesn't have apple stores in Greece but rather authorizes retailers and "service points" with really loose terms and no supervision.

  33. Re:LED SCREEN? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    $1,799.00 isn't out of budget for most iPeople.

  34. Idiots all around by DurendalMac · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They're tards for leaving crud inside the glossy panel. Yes, the glossy panel is a pain in the butt to clean, but you'd better be sure it's clean when the computer leaves or you'll have more fun on your hands. In addition, be sure you properly test it once you've installed replacement hardware.

    He's a tard for thinking that they have any obligation to replace the computer under these circumstances. As they rightfully pointed out, they are not Apple, just a company authorized to service Apple computers. Having worked for an independent Apple service provider in the past, this is a maddening mistake that many customers make, especially irate ones who don't want to listen to a thing you say. The bottom line is that if he didn't buy it from them, then they have no obligation to refund the item. If he wants a refund, THEN TAKE THE ISSUE STRAIGHT TO APPLE.

    It doesn't help that this guy has been throwing an utter tantrum to everyone within possible earshot about the issue. It's impossible to say if this is a justified suit as there are no details about what he's said to a ton of other parties about this. If he has indeed lied (and from the grotesque levels of butthurt coming out of the guy, it's possible), then it's a justified lawsuit. We just don't have enough information, and I think too many people are kneejerking in favor of the guy. Having seen some truly idiotic, angry customers, I'm going to reserve judgement here until more comes out.

    1. Re:Idiots all around by AlexiaDeath · · Score: 0

      Suing a customer, no matter how ludicrous and slandering his claims are, is a retarded move. It will cost customers, both the good and the bad kind.

    2. Re:Idiots all around by perryizgr8 · · Score: 1

      He's a tard for thinking that they have any obligation to replace the computer under these circumstances. As they rightfully pointed out, they are not Apple, just a company authorized to service Apple computers. Having worked for an independent Apple service provider in the past, this is a maddening mistake that many customers make, especially irate ones who don't want to listen to a thing you say. The bottom line is that if he didn't buy it from them, then they have no obligation to refund the item. If he wants a refund, THEN TAKE THE ISSUE STRAIGHT TO APPLE.

      you're a tard if you seriously believe that. consider this:
      the screen on my sony phone acts up, stuck pixels sprayed across the whole thing. i go to an authorized service center. guy there looks at the thing, says its too expensive to change screens on this type of phone, hands me a new phone. he charges me nothing, because of the warranty.
      if you are a 'company authorized to service Apple computers', you must repair faulty screens and replace the screen if you fuck up the repair.

      --
      Wealth is the gift that keeps on giving.
    3. Re:Idiots all around by DurendalMac · · Score: 1

      You're right, they do have to fix it if there's a problem, but you're a tard if you think an INDEPENDENT (as in not Apple owned) shop has any authority or would ever get paid by Apple to do a full unit replacement without explicit authorization from Apple first. I fucking worked at an Apple shop. You do NOT replace a customer computer through the shop, PERIOD, unless you also happen to sell Macs and the guy bought from you. That is done through Apple. The shop seems to have screwed up, yes, but it seems they were going to fix the problem and the guy was screaming for them to replace it, which is utterly unreasonable on his part.

      Apple and a random mobile phone maker are not the same thing. A corporate-owned Apple Store can do a lot more than a locally-owned authorized shop.

    4. Re:Idiots all around by bonch · · Score: 1

      As they rightfully pointed out, they are not Apple, just a company authorized to service Apple computers. Having worked for an independent Apple service provider in the past, this is a maddening mistake that many customers make, especially irate ones who don't want to listen to a thing you say.

      Isn't it wonderful when sites like Slashdot further that misinformation by blindly referring to them as an "Apple support company" right in the headline? It's almost as if the submitter did it intentionally to create a provocative article and rile up the usual peanut gallery of Apple-bashers.

    5. Re:Idiots all around by indiechild · · Score: 1

      That's exactly the intention of posting this story. Apple bashing = lots of eyeballs and pageviews.

    6. Re:Idiots all around by qpqp · · Score: 1

      There's no "straight to Apple" in Greece! He could try Elite Systems in Thessaloniki instead of Systemgraph. They actually know what they're doing.

    7. Re:Idiots all around by qpqp · · Score: 1

      Oh, and those guys actually replaced a logic board for *free* on one of my MBPs that was out of warranty for well over a year having the burnt nvidia GPU design-flaw; something I was surely not expecting in Greece!

    8. Re:Idiots all around by fiddley · · Score: 1

      here here! Customers are all dumb fucks who need to learn to grow up. They run around waving around legislation that they haven't even read, much less understood, shouting and screaming, claiming all manner of things they're not entitled to. True, there are things frontline staff can do to help, but a) they're not miracle workers, (sometimes your ONLY recourse is a repair) and b) they have discretion to only give that extra help to those who aren't complete assholes - like this guy clearly seems to be. Hope the company wins and Apple ban the dickhead from owning any more of their stuff.

      --
      If medicine were ever perfected, we'd all be the same.
    9. Re:Idiots all around by DurendalMac · · Score: 1

      Oh really? You can't call Apple from Greece? Because that's all it takes. If Apple does a system replacement, it's via a mail-in, not a shop. The shop can help, but they're not needed.

    10. Re:Idiots all around by qpqp · · Score: 1

      Sure, they're gonna go to the post office and *pay*. You don't know Greeks.

  35. This story can't be real by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Everyone knows that apple products 'just work' and never break or ever have problems. Just look at all the mac fanbois comments everytime something is said about apple.

  36. Re:LED SCREEN? by Urkki · · Score: 1

    $1,799.00 isn't out of budget for most iPeople.

    Ok, that was a bit of a flamebait, bad me. However, that buys you an 11 inch display. That might possibly make sense as an external display for iPod (assuming latest and greatest iPod has an HDMI output?), but TFA is about iMac.

  37. Typical Greek company reaction by FithisUX · · Score: 0

    I am a Greek and when I see such stories I keep remembering the situation in my country. On the other hand where there is shiny expensive products you see such attitudes. Apple please make us a favor and start releasing Darwin CDs at cheap prices to boot the OS on commodity hardware. 50$ sounds a good price. Not everybody needs Quartz or Quicktime.

    1. Re:Typical Greek company reaction by Elbereth · · Score: 1

      Uh... so, you want BSD + Quartz, but without Quartz.

      If only such a thing were possible...

    2. Re:Typical Greek company reaction by JonJ · · Score: 1
      --
      -- Linux user #369862
    3. Re:Typical Greek company reaction by CharlyFoxtrot · · Score: 1

      It's been tried before by the OpenDarwin project. I hope there's enough interest to sustain it this time.

      --
      If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
    4. Re:Typical Greek company reaction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is not updated nor maintained. But yes, I had high hopes on this project.

    5. Re:Typical Greek company reaction by FithisUX · · Score: 0

      They offer an X11 package.

  38. Re:LED SCREEN? by garyisabusyguy · · Score: 2

    LED screens are common in outdoor displays, like the big TV in the Cowboy's stadium:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboys_Stadium#Video_screen

      maybe iMacs are much larger in Greece

    --
    Wherever You Go, There You Are
  39. This is in Greece by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Apple products have a very low penetration rate in Greece due to the absymal support and commercial channels we have to put up with. Greek users have begged SJ in the past to get rid of the local reseller that up to a year ago worked under an exclusivity contract. There was no way to get an Apple computer directly from Apple, you had to get it from them and they would charge something like 50 or 100 euros more for the greek support.

    It's easier now to get an Apple computer from big consumer electronics stores but it's still a nightmare when it comes to support quality... so yea, people complain but Greek law allows companies to take people to court for libel and since the courts do not follow the spirit but the letter (the one that best suits the guy that bribes more or has better connections) of the law, if this guy wrote something wrong among 10 valid complaints, he might get the shaft...

    End result: apple products in greece will still remain a niche and I will still provide them to my parents through the Italian Apple Store :(

    1. Re:This is in Greece by drkim · · Score: 2

      Perhaps he should have taken it to the Greek Squad. :)

    2. Re:This is in Greece by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Admittedly isquare, which is the official apple reseller in Greece for like a year is trying to fix this. For example, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the greek thesaurus for osx is available free of charge on their web site. Now if only they could get the iPad in Greece before the iPad2 comes along....

  40. Re:LED SCREEN? by mwvdlee · · Score: 1

    Kinda like TV's that can't display HD are sold as "HD ready".

    Lies, damn lies, statistics and marketing.

    --
    Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
  41. Re:LED SCREEN? by billsayswow · · Score: 1

    "Many less-clueful buyers"? Oh, well, then it's a good thing that Apple doesn't rely greatly on the strength of their marketing division.......

  42. Re:LED SCREEN? by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

    There are also building-sized LED screens but I believe they cost a bit more.

    --
    Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  43. Re:LED SCREEN? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 0

    The whole fad of marketing LCD displays with LED backlight as "LED displays" is really confusing for the consumer.

    No it's not, nobody has any bloody idea. Look at you' you're muddying OLED with LED just to make your point. You're just mugging for mod points.

    --

    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  44. Re:LED SCREEN? by Kalriath · · Score: 2

    "HD Ready" means "supports 720p, and fakes 1080i"

    --
    For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
  45. Re:LED SCREEN? by DeathElk · · Score: 1

    cricket... cricket...

  46. Re:LED SCREEN? by Nick+Fel · · Score: 1

    If they're that clueless, they probably won't know the difference between an LCD and LED screen to start with. It's just another meaningless term to indicate why this year's model is slightly better than last year's model.

  47. Re:Streisand effect by Gnitset · · Score: 4, Informative

    Because you can't read?

    This isn't Apples doing.

  48. Re:LED SCREEN? by Barny · · Score: 1

    Nah, 'LED Monitor' is the buzzword at the moment.

    Its fun to point out to people that for the best colour quality an LED back light is not what they want.

    --
    ...
    /me sighs
  49. Re:LED SCREEN? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you sure are dumb!

  50. Re:LED SCREEN? by thegarbz · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yep these things are actually quite easy to make in small sizes. Scaling them to the size of a tablet or a monitor is prohibitively expensive, something like $3000 for a 15" display. Samsung and Sony are the two main companies actively researching OLEDs and Samsung is aiming for 55" TVs by 2012.

  51. Re:LED SCREEN? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    Here's a hint, if it's the size of a computer screen and it's currently selling for under $3000 then it's not an LED screen, just an LCD with LED backlight.

  52. Re:LED SCREEN? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    oled / amoled / samoled screens don't exist
    not until his jobness invents it with a new product release

  53. Re:Streisand effect by DeathElk · · Score: 2

    Guess what? It ain't Apple. RTFA; or are your comprehension skills that poor?

  54. Not Greek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You're obviously not aware of the fact that the world does not use the Anglo-American court system or laws.

    It's a natural cultural bias, preconceived notions on how a legal system works, most of the world uses the Civil Law system (Roman).

    I don't know the Greek legal system in details myself, in some systems you cannot sue for non-economical damages, you can however be awarded court costs.

  55. Re:counter sue for court costs + a GOOD attorney + by Haedrian · · Score: 1

    = Waste a bunch of time and money, probably losing the case anyway because your lawyer isn't good enough OR winning and then having to go to court again and again and again when they sue again until they win.

    --> Huge waste of time, effort and money.

    See also: SLAPP

  56. Bad publicity for Apple & it will cost them by t2000kw · · Score: 1

    I was thinking of my next laptop being a MAC. It won't be now, unless Apple takes action here in favor of the customer.

    This will cost Apple more in lost sales than it would have cost to replace the laptop. And letting a company like that continue as an authorized service center is certain to have adverse impact on the Apple name.

    1. Re:Bad publicity for Apple & it will cost them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I was thinking of my next laptop being a MAC.

      It's Mac. MAC is something completely different.

    2. Re:Bad publicity for Apple & it will cost them by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      Yes, it's a cosmetics company...

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
    3. Re:Bad publicity for Apple & it will cost them by jo_ham · · Score: 1

      No you weren't, so Apple hasn't "lost a sale" that it was never going to get in the first place.

      If you actually *were* then, goodness, you're fickle. It must be a minefield trying to navigate through your life on a day to day basis.

  57. Details of BSD and Mac OS X by andersh · · Score: 1

    Mac OS X is not BSD.

    Many buzzwords are associated with Mac OS X: Mach kernel, microkernel, FreeBSD kernel, C++, 64 bit, UNIX... and while all of these apply in some way, "XNU", the Mac OS X kernel is neither Mach, nor FreeBSD-based, it's not a microkernel, it's not written in C++ and it's not 64 bit - but it is UNIX... but just since recently.

    This video and powerpoint clears up the confusion by presenting details of the Mac OS X kernel architecture, its components Mach, BSD and I/O-Kit, what's so different and special about this design, and what the special strengths of it are.

  58. My Fry's Electronics LCD repair nightmare by noidentity · · Score: 1

    In October 2007 a friend bought a $240 Samsung 205BW LCD monitor from Fry's Electronics, with a $30 three-year Performance Service Contract (PSC). She ended up not getting a computer until July 2009, when she first truied the Samsung. Occasionally it would go black and stop responding. The same problem occurred on my computers. Smartly, she delegated repair to me.

    In July 2009 I took it to Fry's and brought the original box for protection, but Fry's didn't want it. It was ready in September, but still had the same problem. The screen now had a scratch in the middle and a very visible lint ball INSIDE the LCD. I returned it to Fry's for service, along with a page-long problem description to be sure they fixed it this time. I picked it up in November, but it still had the problem. Both times, "lamp failure" was listed as the (non-)issue. I also noticed more damage: a smashed corner, cracks in the stand, and pry marks around the edge of the case. At least the lint ball had been removed from inside the LCD.

    In November, I returned it to Fry's a third time. On Thursday, February 18, 2010 I went to pick it up. I had them test it in the store, and it went black in less than five minutes. The PSC specifies replacement after three unsuccessful repairs, but the manager told me that the second and third didn't count because they were "reworks", since both times I had returned it within 30 days of picking it up. He confirmed that this literally meant that they could keep "repairing" it over and over and never have to replace it, if they deemed that the most cost-effective approach. For each repair to count, I had to keep the broken monitor 30 days in between. The PSC offers you a loaner monitor during repair, which you wouldn't be able to keep during these 30 days. Defeated, I left the Samsung there for yet another "repair".

    In March I received a certified letter stating that since I hadn't returned the loaner, they were charging me for it and involving their legal department, even though they still had the Samsung and had said in February to keep the loaner. I panicked because I didn't have enough in my account to cover it at the time. I called and was told to ignore the letter. This pushed me past my limit; it was time to make them follow their PSC and provide a replacement. I contacted Fry's corporate customer service and my local Fry's called back with the same "most cost-effective approach" line about continuing to "repair" instead of replacing. After faxing them a copy of my PSC, their legal department finally agreed that they had to replace the Samsung.

    Two weeks later they offered a replacement Asus 20" 1600x900 that "meets and exceeds the specs of your unit", even though the Samsung 205BW is 1680x1050. I couldn't understand why their replacement had 18% fewer pixels, and was another brand, even though they had a 20" Samsung model in stock. I explained this and several days later they offered an Acer 22" 1680x1050. The HP loaner monitor had been working perfectly for 6 months, and I didn't want to have any more surprises with another monitor, so I took store credit and paid $32 more to buy the HP. They pointed out that the remaining 7 months of the PSC wouldn't apply to the HP, so I wouldn't be able to take it in to Fry's for repair. As if I'd ever bring another LCD there for repair.

    This was frustrating and took many hours of visits to Fry's, troubleshooting, and phone calls. Though they finally replaced it, we're not very satisfied with what we had to go through. Clearly we made mistakes. My friend shouldn't have gotten the PSC, as Samsung already has a 3-year warranty. And we should have tested the Samsung immediately, rather than waiting almost two years. These don't excuse what happened, though. I'm also left with questions. How did they fail to repair it after three attempts? If they had finally repaired the original problem, would the other damage done during repair just have to be put up with? Fry's told me that their technicians are Samsung-authorized. Would I have gotten the same poor service if I had sent this directly to Samsung for repair? A final note, Fry's current PSC apparently does have a "rework" clause, unlike the one from 2007 when the Samsung was bought, so beware.

    1. Re:My Fry's Electronics LCD repair nightmare by gnasher719 · · Score: 1

      What I find strange is that anyone would try to repair an LCD screen at all. I have had a few defective electric devices in the past few years, but not once did anyone try to do any repairs. In every case, I went to the store, they took my defective item, and told me to get a replacement from their shelves, or refunded the money, or in one case with an item with extended warranty, gave me the original purchase price towards a new item. In your case, if you received the purchase price of a 2007 LCD screen towards purchase of a new screen, you'd probably get a much better screen now. The defective items go straight back to the manufacturer, as far as I know. (This is all in the UK. ).

      Only logical explanation is that they didn't actually have any intention to fix the problem, but were trying to make you give up and go away.

    2. Re:My Fry's Electronics LCD repair nightmare by Skapare · · Score: 1

      Being "authorized" has nothing to do with being "qualified".

      One likely problem with repairs is they (much like those customer DISservice people we call on the phones) follow scripts. That is, if a certain problem is presented, a certain "solution" must be applied (despite the fact that many problems can have a variety of causes).

      I had a Dell laptop at work periodically fail to light the screen up. They send a tech out with a replacement LCD. He replaces it and it lights up. But it also has some discoloration streaks in it. The tech wasn't even happy with that, so he calls someone and orders another LCD. He's back 3 days later to try again, and still no joy as this one won't even light up. Next week yet another LCD and it won't stay lit.

      Finally he gets an "idea", mentioning that it isn't in their "procedures". He calls and orders a different part. He brings that in after a couple days. It's a voltage converter feeding power to the display. While replacing that part, we both see the previous one had some serious burn marks on it, which could not be seen until removed. Now the screen lights up and stays lit just fine. The LCD modules were probably all fine, and just this power unit was at fault.

      I asked him where all those LCD modules went. "We trash them because they cannot be repaired".

      --
      now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
    3. Re:My Fry's Electronics LCD repair nightmare by noidentity · · Score: 1

      What I find strange is that anyone would try to repair an LCD screen at all. I have had a few defective electric devices in the past few years, but not once did anyone try to do any repairs. In every case, I went to the store, they took my defective item, and told me to get a replacement from their shelves, or refunded the money, or in one case with an item with extended warranty, gave me the original purchase price towards a new item.

      If we had tried it when we bought it, and it didn't work, we could have exchanged it for a new one of the SAME MODEL. That was a BIG error not testing it immediately. That leads to a good lesson: always test anything you buy new within 30 days, EVEN if you're giving it as a gift to someone.

      In your case, if you received the purchase price of a 2007 LCD screen towards purchase of a new screen, you'd probably get a much better screen now.

      I think we paid $240 for the LCD and $30 for the PSC in 2007, and received $190 in credit for the replacement monitor they gave. Given all the bullshit they put us through, it was not adequate compensation, even though $190 would have bought an equivalent screen in 2010.

    4. Re:My Fry's Electronics LCD repair nightmare by noidentity · · Score: 1

      Being "authorized" has nothing to do with being "qualified".

      Indeed; the point was that had we chosen to use Samsung's warranty service, we'd probably have gotten the same poor service, and have been paying shipping each time as well.

      One likely problem with repairs is they (much like those customer DISservice people we call on the phones) follow scripts. That is, if a certain problem is presented, a certain "solution" must be applied (despite the fact that many problems can have a variety of causes).

      Yeah, I can understand them replacing the lamp the first time, because that's probably a common cause of a black screen after two years. But the second time, when I gave a long description of how the unit would stop responding to the power button (power light wouldn't respond until a minute or so after it went blank), they did the same "repair". And the third time as well. Their system is utterly broken in that there is nobody at any stage that could correct this sphexish behavior.

      I'm betting that it was the power supply, probably some bad electrolytic capacitors from the problem batches in 2006-2007. I'd have repaired it myself if it weren't still under warranty (such irony that the warranty probably made things worse).

    5. Re:My Fry's Electronics LCD repair nightmare by jbenwell · · Score: 1

      With regard to Samsung's customer service, I had a 23" display develop stuck pixels after about 8 months. I called Samsung. They set up a pickup with Fedex (who collected my monitor), and two weeks later I had a brand-new display. My only issue was that they didn't update me. I called them and the new monitor arrived the next day (it had been shipped a few days previously without notice to me).

      The new monitor is fine, a year later.

      Happy camper here.

  59. The customer is not always right in Greece by pz · · Score: 2

    One of the unwritten issues here is that in the Greek society, the idea that the customer is always right does not hold true. Customers can, and often are, berated by the stores, not because of any inherent evilness, but because that's just the way things are. In Greece, where the economy, before it collapsed recently, was still primarily cash-based, most transactions were between individuals. Stores are primarily mom-and-pop operations, although that is changing, and the mentality between a customer and the seller is still very much one individual to another. Couple that with a society where macho-ness (manga in slang Greek) is valued, it's easy to imagine a shopkeeper and an individual getting their horns locked.

    I've experienced this myself (BTW, I'm of Greek descent, living in the US) when dealing over the net with Greek companies; I found a reasonably serious bug in a company's web site, provided a solution (without being asked), and suggested they might send me one of their magazines (USD $10) as a thank-you. Based on the vitriol spewing forth from the site owner, you would think that I was trying to rob them and had caused the bug myself (the bug was that their shopping cart wasn't detecting if javascript was running, and when it was disabled still produced a valid cart order, but with incorrect values)

    --

    Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
    1. Re:The customer is not always right in Greece by Ecuador · · Score: 1

      Actually, the idea that the customer is always right does hold true in Greece (and is a very common saying). The problem is that the store owners strongly disagree with it and tend to express their disagreement as often as possible. It is then up to the individual customer to make a stand...
      And the root of this problem is that business owners in Greece have almost always no business sense. Given the option of making $10 today or $5 every week, they will almost always choose the former.

      --
      Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
    2. Re:The customer is not always right in Greece by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "... and suggested they might send me one of their magazines (USD $10) as a thank-you"
       
      You had my vote right up until this point. Being a pompous ass to people telling them where they went wrong and to give you stuff for your services is just idiotic. Get off your high horse and realize that helping people out shouldn't come with a reward. No, you don't have to tell him about the bug. But that's better than telling him about it and demanding compensation.

    3. Re:The customer is not always right in Greece by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One of the unwritten issues here is that in the Greek society, the idea that the customer is always right does not hold true.

      I thought everyone knew that doing things "Greek style" meant taking it up the ass.

    4. Re:The customer is not always right in Greece by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Greek 'manga' aspect should be emphasized for people who have not had the direct experience. It's quite amazing. Absurdly small misunderstandings balloon to astounding proportions. There is a crucial concept of Face which is based on never admitting being wrong, especially to oneself. Debates _must_ dance carefully around this aspect of the Greek experience. Just slip slightly over the edge, and my god, it's like you've started a generational blood feud. How small or manageable the original problem is, becomes completely irrelevant once It Starts.

      In University I knew a Greek grad student finishing up his MBA. Smart, smooth, courteous, and really a nice guy to have both coffee and beer with, popular with guys and gals alike. One day he was a bit of an asshole by parking briefly in the resident handicap spot to do a pickup; didn't want to carry something to official parking, which was indeed quite a walk away. Fine.

      A tire was flat on the car when he returned. The spare had no air. He had to move fast to avoid getting towed. He called me in the building to ask me to pull the flat off the car while he ran across campus to borrow another friend's car, then return for the flat spare, then take the spare to the nearest garage for air, and return again. Fine.

      A little after I got the flat off he returned with the filled spare and slapped it on the car in silent passion: he was late, and his brief asshole-parking-job was becoming a very public embarrassment. Then we drove both cars away so he could return his buddy's car to legal parking. About half a mile away the spare fell off the 'repaired' car. From my view, driving, the world suddenly tipped, and the spare leapt up through the front fender in an explosion of bondo shards. It was magnificent. I was still laughing in the seat as my friend screeched back in reverse & leapt out to see just wtf was going on.

      He hadn't tightened the wheelnuts down. A grotesque embarrassment, and I tried to comfort him as we cleaned up pieces and jacked the car (again). But as soon as he managed controlled speech, he tried to blame it on me. "Why didn't you check they were tight!" I was astounded, but not angry, and still trying to be helpful. "What?! Alex... can you imagine? You never would have accepted me supervising your work!" He gave me a look like he would kill me. He /needed/ to blame someone and he Could Not Admit Wrong. He didn't say another thing for the rest of this pantomime, and never spoke to me again.

      That 'manga' is something else. The Dutch can do nearly as good a job of it. Scots like me are bloody slackers by comparison.

    5. Re:The customer is not always right in Greece by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > I thought everyone knew that doing things "Greek style" meant taking it up the ass.

      Actually, that's the "Turkish style", according to Greeks.

    6. Re:The customer is not always right in Greece by tzot · · Score: 1

      The conclusion is that Alex was kind of disabled (can I say "responsibility-challenged"?), so he had a right to park there in the first place, so the blame was on the guy that deflated the tire. Ergo, not Alex' fault. :)

      (Yes, I'm Greek too, and I'm using sarcasm; forgive my taking the liberty, the word being greek and all...)

      --
      I speak England very best
    7. Re:The customer is not always right in Greece by pz · · Score: 1

      "... and suggested they might send me one of their magazines (USD $10) as a thank-you"

      You had my vote right up until this point. Being a pompous ass to people telling them where they went wrong and to give you stuff for your services is just idiotic. Get off your high horse and realize that helping people out shouldn't come with a reward. No, you don't have to tell him about the bug. But that's better than telling him about it and demanding compensation.

      Talk about being a pompous ass, assuming that I was on a high horse, and telling me how to act. I identified the bug *and* provided them with the solution. Gratis. I demanded nothing. I did not withold the solution. Along with the problem identification and code to fix it, I made a carefully-worded suggestion of how the shop might express gratitude for fixing something as serious as a shopping cart bug.

      --

      Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
  60. Re:LED SCREEN? by realityimpaired · · Score: 1

    For best colour quality, no. An LCD (at all) isn't what they want for best colour reproduction. But it's the same sort of deal as when somebody's trying to convince you to buy the $1500 stereo. 99% of users will never really notice the difference between the $600 amplifier and a $1500 amplifier, and we both know that neither is top-of-the-line... if you want to get the top end system, you're going to have to expect to spend upwards of 10-20x as much.

    The question is where the butter zone is. For most people out there, and LCD with an LED backlight gives the best compromise between image quality and screen usability, at a price point that's comfortable. The enthusiasts and the people who actually need higher quality image reproduction have their options, but it's not something that's designed/intended for the general masses.

  61. Re:LED SCREEN? by Crudely_Indecent · · Score: 1

    They are referring to the LED backlight. If you take the time to review the spec sheet, you'll realize that it's an LCD screen:

    FTS (From The Spec):

    27-inch (diagonal viewable image size) thin film transistor (TFT) active-matrix liquid crystal display with in-plane switching (IPS).

    --


    "Lame" - Galaxar
  62. Re:LED SCREEN? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    Yes, that is totally horrible. But you can navigate through these dangerous waters. Any actual LED TV has another letter before "LED" like "WLED" or "OLED"

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  63. Re:LED SCREEN? by DrXym · · Score: 2

    In Europe at least HD Ready has quite a precise set of minimum specs that TVs must be compliant with to sport the logo - HDMI, 720 lines or higher and being able to accept PAL and 720p / 1080i at 50 & 60. Most TVs go higher than that these days and there is also an HD Ready 1080p standard which goes even higher and mandates DVB-T and AVC decoding too. I realise some US sets might take the piss, but that kind of underscores the importance of producing a reasonable standard of compliance so consumers know for sure what they're getting.

  64. Re:LED SCREEN? by mwvdlee · · Score: 1

    The problem remains that "HD ready" is in no way "ready" to do what a "HD" TV can do, as the term implies.

    --
    Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
  65. Re:counter sue for court costs + a GOOD attorney + by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    SLAPP is never enforced. It is a nice law in theory, but in reality, a judge never allows it. If you have a good legal staff, one can just keep piling on lawsuits, in YOUR jurisdiction of choice (east Texas for patents), and the defendant now has to fly to whatever bumpkin town you as a plaintiff chose to present your case.

    I'm just waiting for companies to have web crawlers to automatically grab data and automatically sue for libel. This was something out of a Piers Anthony book, but I'm sure this is coming. We already have people doing this with dubious P2P data; it is only a matter of time before we see motions of discovery to places because someone posted "blahblah company sucks".

  66. Re:LED SCREEN? by biryokumaru · · Score: 1

    Yes, it was an LED backlight. Which is why I said he was right, that it was an LED backlight, and I was wrong. I don't see how this could be so readily misunderstood.

    --
    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  67. Re:LED SCREEN? by biryokumaru · · Score: 1

    Um, which is the discussion we were having. I said it was an LED screen, he said it was just LED backlit LCD, and he was right. I don't understand how that wasn't clear.

    --
    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  68. Re:LED SCREEN? by biryokumaru · · Score: 1

    Yes, I know. That's why I put in that link, so you could see that it was just an LED backlit LCD. How was that not clear?

    --
    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  69. Re:LED SCREEN? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    HD Ready means no such thing. It means it supports at least one of the HD standard resolutions. I had a CRT TV that was HD ready because it supported 480p via RGB.

  70. Original story here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    original story appeared in http://www.avclub.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=67483 start your translators if it sounds all Greek to you

  71. "never-in-time" parts shipping by JSBiff · · Score: 1

    Part of the problem here is that the repair centers/techs don't apparently *already have* the parts they needed for repairs. This has become common in recent times, and it just guarantees that huge amounts of time are wasted shipping one part at a time, they call it "just-in-time" but it's really "never-in-time". Imagine what that 3-week cycle would have been if their had been local parts available? What took 3 weeks might have taken 2 or 3 days.

    But, companies don't want to keep an inventory of spare parts on hand for repairs, because it's 'too expensive', so they end up wasting a lot of time shipping one or two parts at a time.

    1. Re:"never-in-time" parts shipping by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      Really, that is companies abusing the term "just-in-time". Unless I am mis-remembering, the term originally meant that you kept one or two of your product in stock instead of 100. Then you could replenish your stock at the rate that it is sold, so you would always have stock on hand, "Just-In-Time". It didn't originally mean that you ordered the product AFTER the customer asked for it.

    2. Re:"never-in-time" parts shipping by im_thatoneguy · · Score: 1

      Yeah "Just in Time" inventory assumes that the customer doesn't wait any longer than a normal order.

      Which works great with someone like Amazon who might drop-ship an item direct without holding it in a local warehouse. But if it's a service shop you should have everything ready.

    3. Re:"never-in-time" parts shipping by Macgrrl · · Score: 1

      It's over 10 years since I last worked as an Apple warranty repairer, but I would assume that their process hasn't changed significantly.

      Most major components are serialised, when you bring a computer in for repairs (especially a warranty repair), parts are ordered against the SN of the computer and specific parts (with a logged SN) are dispatched for installation in that specific computer.

      Our order deadline was 2:00pm for overnight delivery, which would typically arrive mid morning. Our standard practice was to diagnose in the morning, order parts by lunchtime, fit replacement parts in the afternoon.

      Because parts are allocated to specific computers, it was hard to carry additional spares for major components (I used to order extras of 'consumable' items at the launch of each model to have on hand), for non-warranty repairs we would often use parts cannibalized from second hand machines to get them up and running earlier. we offered the same service warranty for parts ripped from second hand computers as we did for parts ordered from Apple.

      --
      Sara
      Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
    4. Re:"never-in-time" parts shipping by Belial6 · · Score: 1

      So, Apple had a bad system then, and they have a bad system now. Ok.

  72. I think suing your own customers by gelfling · · Score: 1

    Is about about slanderous as you can be. Mission accomplished, Apple Service Dudes! Seriously, this like getting an apology from my mother, e.g. "I'm sorry you're such a jerk!!!" Gee thanks mom. I think I'll take back that car I let you use for free now.

  73. Re:LED SCREEN? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, did you learn your lessor? Next time when you open your mouth, use at least one brain cell. And stop Apple whoring while you are at that.

  74. Re:LED SCREEN? by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

    Now, in all fairness, it doesn't explicitly say it's an LCD, but a true LED display wouldn't usually use a backlight, as the color source themselves are the light source as well. Thus I'd say it's safe to assume that the product you linked to is in fact LCD technology with an LED backlight source, as apposed to the standard flourecent tube.

    The problem is that you're obviously not a marketer. There's no "true" LED screens out there at all, at least not the size of a typical monitor or TV; that technology doesn't exist. However, if you go shopping for a new TV, you'll see lots of them advertising in big letters, "LED". The descriptions on the shelves will say "LED TV", not LCD. Of course, what they really mean is LCD with LED backlight, but that's not the way the short descriptions are worded, and laymen don't know the difference.

  75. So... by Dephex+Twin · · Score: 1

    Apple is performing inception?

    --

    If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. -- Carl Sagan
    1. Re:So... by Dephex+Twin · · Score: 1

      Crap, wrong thread. Strike me down.

      --

      If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. -- Carl Sagan
  76. Re:LED SCREEN? by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

    Huh? Maybe I'm missing something, but from what I've read, LCDs with LED backlighting have better color reproduction than LCDs with fluorescent backlighting. From Wikipedia: "Liquid crystal display (LCD) screens filter the light emitted by a backlight. The gamut of an LCD screen is therefore limited to the emitted spectrum of the backlight. Typical LCD screens use cold-cathode fluorescent bulbs (CCFLs) for backlights. LCD Screens with certain LED or wide-gamut CCFL backlights yield a more comprehensive gamut than CRTs."

    Now, if you're comparing LCD (either backlight) to some other display technology, I'd understand, but good luck buying a 24" monitor these days that isn't LCD; it doesn't exist. No one makes CRTs any more, and OLEDs haven't been scaled up past the size of phone screens.

  77. Sensationalist Headline by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This has nothing to do with Apple. It's a third party company certified by Apple. Customer can file complaint formally with Apple against service provider, but don't write headlines to sensationalize.

  78. Speaking of it being "all Greek" by Critical+Facilities · · Score: 1
    Now listen, I realize that Google Translate is...well...imperfect. But you have to admit, this distorted paragraph from his blog post has got to be in the running for most awesomely bad translation ever. These words make my head sad:

    Now I'm a complaint to the Ombudsman and the general. Consumers of the Ministry of Economy, and against systemgraph isquare. O and the PC is in the service of infoquest. Also send in extrajudicial systemgraph and isquare because it met the provisions of S 2251 and 540 of Public stores and to me that I did not start from the shops Public, but the authorized service (!?), them through oral and gentlemen Pardalis Kaloritou the customer service of iSquare AE.

  79. Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I hope Apple wakes up and does damage control (like calling off the legal dogs in this fight and making it right with the product). People already pay extra for Apple. What this demonstrates is that Apple's so-called partners are rip-off thugs. This story is going viral and Apple will get the black eye on this.

    1. Re:Anonymous Coward by bonch · · Score: 1

      Apple has nothing to do with this. This company is a third-party repair shop with a certification to work on Apple hardware and purchase spare parts.

      Fucking Slashdot and its intentionally misleading headlines.

    2. Re:Anonymous Coward by tzot · · Score: 1

      > Apple has nothing to do with this. This company is a third-party repair shop with a certification to work on Apple hardware and purchase spare parts.

      - Apple has *nothing* to do with this.
      - Apple *certified* the repair shop to work on Apple hardware.

      See what I did there? I know what you meant, but I also know what you wrote. Yes, the title is slanderous; no, Apple has a share of the responsibility.

      A third-party repair shop could be the only after-sales connection between Apple and a customer. What exactly are the criteria for Apple to certify a repair shop? And what procedures are defined, ensuring that the third-party service stands up to the challenge set by Apple's highly-valued customer satisfaction?

      --
      I speak England very best
  80. LG OLED screen by jones_supa · · Score: 1

    Not only the XEL-1 anymore. LG now has a 15" OLED screen (actually a television), the 15EL9500 / 15EL950N (the latter variant includes media player features).

  81. "Apple support company" by bonch · · Score: 1

    The annoying part is that this company has nothing to do with Apple. It's a third-party repair shop with a certification to work on Apple hardware and purchase spare parts. It would be like treating MSCEs as Microsoft employees. But since the submitter is plugging their site, they intentionally used a provocative title to rile up the usual peanut gallery of Apple-bashers, and it's going to get a bunch of attention here.

    There are already misinformed comments acting as if this involves Apple. Fucking Slashdot and its intentionally misleading headlines.

    1. Re:"Apple support company" by makomk · · Score: 1

      The annoying part is that this company has nothing to do with Apple. It's a third-party repair shop with a certification to work on Apple hardware and purchase spare parts.

      ...which, apparently, Apple have decided you have to deal with if you live in Greece and want your faulty Apple products repaired (under warranty or otherwise).

    2. Re:"Apple support company" by stewbacca · · Score: 1

      Well, I'm not sure if Greek law trumps the US law, but it is illegal for Apple to require you service your computer with the provider of their saying.

    3. Re:"Apple support company" by zeroshade · · Score: 1

      But it is not illegal for Apple to withdraw their warranty if you do not use a provider of their saying.

    4. Re:"Apple support company" by stewbacca · · Score: 1

      Yes it is illegal under the Magnuson-Moss Act. You can have your stuff serviced anywhere you like without voiding your warranty. However, you can't insist that Apple pays for it if you use somebody they don't certify. That's to say, if you use Joe's Computer shack to fix a broken flux capacitor, and it breaks again under warranty, Apple can't deny your warranty claim if you choose to use Apple the second time.

      Besides, that's not what the guy posted..he said "under warranty or otherwise".

    5. Re:"Apple support company" by petteyg359 · · Score: 0

      The United States is not Greece. The U.S. Congress and Senate that passed the Magnuson-Moss Act have no authority in Greece. The Magnuson-Moss Act does not apply in Greece.

    6. Re:"Apple support company" by makomk · · Score: 1

      Sadly, it's not illegal for them to refuse to supply spare parts to companies other than their chosen provider.

  82. Re:LED SCREEN? by I8TheWorm · · Score: 1

    That was his mea culpa... I think you misunderstood.

    --
    Saying Android is a family of phones is akin to saying Linux is a family of PCs.
  83. Re:LED SCREEN? by DJRumpy · · Score: 1

    Having just shopped for a 65" LED - LCD TV, I noticed that most manufacturer's note them as such "LED LCD TV" or something similar, and they usually group both (Florescent backlit and LED backlit) under the LCD category in either case, so it's rather hard to not know that they are indeed LCD T.V.'s.

    LED TV's are more energy efficient, but they also suffer from common LED issues in that the light is very directional and tends to have bright spots where an older florescent model may not.

  84. Re:LED SCREEN? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

    I think it's sad my post was modded down. I remember TV shopping in early 2009 and my friends were telling me "GET THE LCD! It's better than the fluorescent!" But today.. it's 2011 and we've got karma fueled posts with people acting like they're confused about what an LED TV is.

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    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  85. Re:LED SCREEN? by DJRumpy · · Score: 1

    Actually you're both close. HDTV ready was typically used for televisions that did not include a HD Tuner (in other words they supported the standard 480P, 720P, 1080i, but didn't typically have the HD tuner (1080P was unheard of back then in a TV). They were ideal for folks using HD boxes like Cable and Satellite that came with their own tuner, as well as for progressive scan DVD players and whatnot.

  86. [hand wave] Move along by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    these aren't the post your looking for

  87. Re:LED SCREEN? by Whatchamacallit · · Score: 1

    Depends on where the LED's are placed in relation to the LCD panel. If they line the edges of the glass LCD panel then you can get some bright spots near the edge of the screen. Some LED TV's place the LED's behind the screen, thereby needing a lot more of them and increasing the cost quite a bit.

  88. public unions are to blame, though by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We have idiots running around blaming Unions, regs, and high labor/power costs.

    Not all unions, but Public Unions. They are a monster which should not exist. What capitalistic entity are they fighting against? the taxpayer! they help the politicians and the politicians help them at our cost.

    If you look at the budget crisis of California for example, you will see that pensions and other public employee entitlements are already taking more than it's coming in in taxes and by 2012 the state will have to pay four times as much as it takes in taxes.

    Why do these entitlements even exist - the public "servant" makes more than an equivalent private employee and has more benefits - what is the reasoning behind the generous "defined-benefit" retirement plans for entire families because one member was public employee ?

    What do you give up by being a public employee ? NOT having a guaranteed cushy job with guaranteed pay raises and making more than private employees ? NOT getting health insurance for entire family for a pittance (if at all) ?

  89. Last year by korgitser · · Score: 1

    Suing your own customers is soo 2010.

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    FCKGW 09F9 42
  90. Re:LED SCREEN? by toddestan · · Score: 1

    I would guess that those are just standard LEDs. When people talk of LED screens, I think of OLEDs as that's what you use to get them small enough to be pixels on a standard display. Though common usage nowadays thanks to marketing people is that an LED screen is just an LCD with LED backlight.

  91. Re:LED SCREEN? by toddestan · · Score: 1

    I consider the move by the marketing people to call their LCDs with LED backlighting "LED displays" as a deliberate attempt to get people to confuse them with OLEDs. I've talked to several people who didn't realize that the so-called "LED displays" are just LCDs with a different backlight.

  92. Re:LED SCREEN? by toddestan · · Score: 1

    It all depends on what you buy. Cheap LEDs usually don't have a very good color spectrum, so cheap LCDs with LED backlights generally look crappier than the cheap LCDs with fluorescent backlighting, in my opinion. On the other end, high-end LCDs with LED backlighting look gorgeous, but so do high-end LCDs with florescent.

  93. Re:LED SCREEN? by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

    I consider the move by the marketing people to call their LCDs with LED backlighting "LED displays" as a deliberate attempt to get people to confuse them with OLEDs.

    I'd be more likely to agree if OLED displays were actually being used in anything TV sized. They're not and I'd happily bet that the vast majority of the American consumers have no idea what OLED is.

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    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  94. Re:LED SCREEN? by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

    What brands are selling monitors with cheap LEDs? I want to be sure to avoid those.

    I currently have a 24" LG that's LED backlit, and it seems to look pretty nice to me, but I can't say I've compared it to other similar-size monitors. It looks far better than the 6-year-old 17" Dell LCD monitor I use as a second monitor.

  95. Re:LED SCREEN? by biryokumaru · · Score: 1

    My Nixies have 256 segments. Whats the point unless you can do full ascii?

    They asked me why I wanted two segments that consumed power but were completely blacked out. They just don't understand.

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    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  96. Re:LED SCREEN? by Barny · · Score: 1

    Check out the Dell Ultrasharp range of LCD screens.

    Had a few of them now (after recommendations from a graphic designer) and they are simply a beautiful display.

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    /me sighs
  97. Re:LED SCREEN? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you really only need 64 segments to do comfortable ASCII.

  98. Re:LED SCREEN? by DrXym · · Score: 1

    HD and SD are completely arbitrary terms. At least the European HD Ready logo sets a minimum requirements for the resolutions and inputs a TV supports.

  99. Re:LED SCREEN? by biryokumaru · · Score: 1

    Not if each character has its own segment, like a proper Nixie.

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    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!