Yeah, I confess… like a pimple-faced nerd I got the latest iPhone… but before you start jeering, hear me out.
Two weeks ago I dropped my older iPhone4 to the ground.
After I picked it up everything seemed to work properly but I soon realized that something was amiss.
When somebody called me I could hear the ringtone and I could faintly hear the voice of the person calling me, but he/she couldn’t hear me. Bummer!
After a few unsuccessful problem-solving attempts I went to Apple and asked the Geniuses if they could bring back my device to life.
They tested my phone and they said that they couldn’t fix it.
They gave me two options: replace my baby with a similar model (at a cost of $150.00) or get a newer iPhone5 (not the S model) for $200.00.
It was a no-brainer; I went for the iPhone5.
I was aware that the iPhone5/S was coming, but nobody knew how much it would cost.
The experts expected it to be priced around $400.00.
I thought that this was a little bit too pricey, and I decided to buy the iPhone5 for $200.00 (and a renewed commitment to stay with ATT for another 2 years).
Two weeks after I purchased that phone, Apple introduced their much-touted new device and low and behold, it was priced at $200.00, well below the expected price.
I rushed back to Apple and asked them if I could exchange my newly purchased phone for their latest model.
OK they said, but you must do it within a 30-day window of your original purchase date.
So it is why last Friday afternoon I trekked to the Corte Madera Apple store to exchange my newly purchased phone for their latest wonder.
When I arrived, there was a line all right, but it was not excessive. Maybe 30 feet long. And it moved fairly fast. One more time I credit Apple for its organization.
They were plenty of blue-shirted, bluetoothed Apple surrogates, and they did an excellent job of controlling the queue and keeping people abreast of what was happening inside the temple.
What model do you want, what color, and what is your carrier they wanted to know.
And they would tell you right away if what you wanted was currently available.
Me? I just wanted a 16GB iPhone5/ S. I didn’t care about the color.
We have it said one of the Apple minions.
Allright!
I waited about 20 minutes before being allowed into the Temple.
Apple wisely controlled the flow of people and authorized only 2 or 3 individuals at a time to enter its store.
When my turn came, a young man took me under his wing and after a few paperless formalities he presented me with a new shiny phone.
He backed up my old phone and after about 20 minutes my new iPhone5 was in my pocket, ready for action.
I am not ashamed to say that I was extremely excited. When I left the store, it felt like a Christmas morning, when kids are allowed to play with their new toys.
The iPhone5/S is a little marvel able to do unimaginable things. The list is too long to mention them all, but take my word for it, this phone is more intelligent and knowledgeable than the average citizen.
Siri for instance allows you to enter a variety of voice commands/questions, and understand what you say. She (it?) even talks back.
When I asked: Siri, do you love me?
Siri answered:
Let’s just say… that you have my utmost admiration.
Whoa… I wish that my wife could say that!
Alain La Foudre