not all geniuses are created equal

I usually love Apple, but not today.

Mid-May

I have a problem with my computer.  It keeps freezing if I leave it for awhile. The mouse and keyboard work but the computer doesn’t respond.  I bring it in to Apple; they keep it for a couple of days to try and replicate the freezing.  They conclude there’s a problem with the logic board (whatever that is) and replace it.  I have a 90-day warrantee on the repair, which is good, because my three-year Apple Care runs out in mid-June.

Last Week thru Last Night

The freezing begins again.  On Sunday I bring my computer to the Genius Bar and the Genius I get is Francoise.  He doesn’t seem particularly interested in solving my problem, particularly since he can’t replicate it.  I try for about an hour while Francoise helps the many others in need.  Finally he agrees to take my computer in.  "This could take 2-5 days."  I leave empty-handed feeling I've left a good part of my life behind.

That was on Sunday.  For the past two days, I have felt lost.  No scale and no computer.  Yes, I have an IPad, and yes I have an iPhone.  But c’mon; it’s not the same as having a computer.

Last night around 10:30 I get an email from Apple. 

Thank you for bringing your Apple product to the Apple Store Grand Central for repair. Your product is ready. Please arrange for pickup in the next 7 days or contact the Apple Store Grand Central at (212) 284-1800, if you need to make other arrangements. Please remember to bring a photo ID. We look forward to seeing you. Thank you, Your Apple Store team, Apple Store Grand Central

Today

I get to the Apple store early, actually excited to get my computer back. “So what was the problem, and how did you fix it?” I ask.  The doey-eyed hipster with the raindrop tats on his legs looks at me sadly and says, “I’m sorry.  They couldn’t recreate your problem.”  In other words, “Here’s your computer back, same as when you dropped it off.  Sorry.  Next?”

Needless to say, this news does not make me happy.  I ask to speak to whomever is in charge.  It doesn’t take a lot of explaining for Don, the manager,  to see how wrong this non-solution is.

Don asks me to wait while he runs a few tests.  He determines my problem is in the hard drive.  Don must be more genius than the other geniuses. I wait an hour or so while the new hard drive is installed.

I come home and transfer all my data from my Time Capsule, and fortunately, the transfer is a breeze.  Now I just have to hope the problem is solved.