LindaSF - 09 August 2005 09:26 AM

Can you go public with this in some way?  Since you’re in Virginia, are their media outlets (either print or electronic) that you could contact?  Some “Consumer Affairs” show or column? Here in San Francisco we have a guy who writes a computer column.  If our problems keep up I’ll write to him saying I know of others with 40 GB iPod hard drive failure problems.  Then others would respond.  Or—send a letter to Steve Jobs. Letters like that usually get bumped down to the appropriate level.  One other thought—Try Googling more to find others with similar problems.  That’s how I found you and this site.

Remember those kids who put up a web site after complaining about the iPod battery? That got a lot of attention (possibly more than needed), but there’s no longer a battery problem and Apple is more responsive.

A little publicity goes a long way. Have you posted anything on iPodLounge or other iPod sites?

Looks like Apple has a huge batch of BAD 40 gig iPods and they’re minimizing damage.

Ok… on Monday morning, I received an email from Apple Dispatch that my iPod was on it’s way to allow 2 days to receive it, and they sent me a DHL link to track it. Sounds good.  I track it, and there is No Record found.  I wait another day… No Record found.
Hmm… they said I should have it by Wednesday.. so what is going on.  I track it this morning, Thursday, and No record found.  Ironically, I hear a knock at the door. Dogs Barking alerted me.. they always go off when they think someone is here.
To my surprise, it’s a FEDEX guy!  I see my iPod box sitting on the ground as he gets his chart ready for me to sign it, so I am elated.
Downstairs I go, opening the box on the way to my Mac Mini.  I open the box, inspect the iPod, and get my dock plugged in. I turn the iPod over,  and guess what I saw?  The WRONG ENGRAVING!!!!
Am I mad?? Not now.  It is so ridiculous, now I have to laugh.  They totally missed the whole first line of what I requested.  Give me a break!!!  I pick up the phone, and leave a polite message at the Apple Care Executive Relations person I am dealing with. Will he call back.. I hope so.

Is it a huge freakin’ deal.. not really, but I am not waiting another 25 days to get my iPod back!

For those with similar problems, you can follow the whole saga detailed at my blog listed in my signature….

I spoke with Apple Exec relations that day, and I relayed my story… the whole saga.

From the feeling I got, I don’t think that I would have gotten a replacement if it hadn’t been for the wrong engraving.  He was polite though.  Since they didn’t have a 40gb for sale now, he agreed to update me to a 60gb color. 

One caveat though… I had to return the other iPod first… and then he would start the procedure to get the other one shipped out. 

I sent the Apple exec a copy of the tracking info on Friday, and he called me today and said it was on the way, and he had a tracking number. 

Now I just need to figure out how to transfer my Apple Care agreement for my old iPod to my new Replacement iPod.

one1step1 - 24 August 2005 01:13 PM

Now I just need to figure out how to transfer my Apple Care agreement for my old iPod to my new Replacement iPod.

Ask the folks at Apple to take care of that.  You’ve been through enough.  Congratulations on getting a 60!  You certainly deserve it.  BTW—I have a friend with a 20 who has had it replaced 4 times for hard drive failures.  So—it’s not just those with the 40’s.

Good luck with this one!  Linda in San Francisco.

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I truly hope that this will work well for me… I am excited to check it out.

It would be nice if it arrives before the weekend.  I hope this new one holds up,
as I am finding it increasingly difficult to recommend the iPod. I hate to say it.. but I feel like they are too fragile.

My new iPod arrived last week.  It was the new style 60Gb color.  It is pretty nice!

It didn’t have the same ‘packaged by apple’ feel as my previous iPod 40Gb, it seems they went a little cheaper on the packaging.  As everyone probably knows, the new iPods no longer come with Firewire cables.  I understand Apple needs to stay price competetive, but it does overall cheapen the feel of the product.

My Analysis of the 60GB.. well, There are a couple caveats…  one of them is that it doesn’t fit in my Dock I used with my 40GB. That’s a bummer..  it is just a little bit thicker than the 40, and the dock is a snug fit anyway.

The biggest thing I have had to deal with is adding artwork to all of my music.  The photo viewer is nice as well, but I haven’t had much use for it yet.  I probably will around holidays and such, or if I am visiting family/friends.

I have to ‘write’ to Apple to cancel my Apple care on my 40GB (they will pro-rate me a refund).  From that point, I will have to repurchase my Apple care on my new iPod.

I definitely can’t go without the Apple care .. not with the luck I have had. 

Thanks for everyone’s support through this arduous process of getting a ‘new product’... and good luck to anyone who has a 40GB go bad.

Good to hear your pains are finally over.

one1step1 - 03 September 2005 10:06 PM

The biggest thing I have had to deal with is adding artwork to all of my music.

MPFreaker is great for that. It was able to automatically add artwork from the Internet to most of my songs in merely one batch run.

Thanks for the info.  I will check it out.  Looks like a great program!

For all the problems listed above I’m still impressed with the iPod nano. ArsTechnica ran over it with a car. Twice. And it still worked. One guy reported that it got left in a pants pocket and went through the wash. And still worked. A few cracked screens here and there are a production issue. Running over it with a car or leaving it in the wash says something about durability.

And it says something about users. I’m going to stick with the large iPod for now. It’s enough money and heavy enough that I don’t think I’ll drive over it or stick it in the Maytag.

one1step1 - 03 September 2005 10:06 PM

My new iPod arrived last week.  It was the new style 60Gb color.  It is pretty nice!

It didn’t have the same ‘packaged by apple’ feel as my previous iPod 40Gb, it seems they went a little cheaper on the packaging.  As everyone probably knows, the new iPods no longer come with Firewire cables.  I understand Apple needs to stay price competetive, but it does overall cheapen the feel of the product.

Now we have iPods with color screens AND video playbook. Woo hoo! I’ve had six iPods and never one problem. Not even scratched screens. Why? I charge the iPods regularly, let the battery run nearly dry before a re-charge, and put the iPod into a case? Why a case, you ask? Because that prevents scratching. Duh.

I can’t believe Apple is getting sued by people who have scratched screens.