Category: Technology

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Random thoughts Technology

Like leaving a cult…

I’m not particularly enamoured of Telstra at the moment. Which is quite a turnaround since March 7, when I was ecstatic with my purchase, a Telstra “Ultimate” USB Modem. The modem which I have since discovered is NOT compatible with my gorgeous new Macbook Pro.

And it’s not a case of ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Telstra employees recently. Hours and hours and hours worth, actually. On the phone with easily a dozen different people (the one called Nicole hung up on me, which I was pretty disgusted about. I don’t think I’ve ever been hung up on before… ever!) plus face to face with Dave at Caloundra (lovely person but unable to help) and then again with Casey and another young man – Mac owner, even! – at Morayfield yesterday.

The long and the short of it – I’ve been referred to yet another phone number. This one’s a 1800 number for Customer Relations, apparently. And it’s the only way I can actually start the process to cancel my Telstra contract.

The way  I see it: I signed up to a 24 month contract under the proviso that the USB modem would be compatible with the Mac I would be buying. And it’s not. So, in my opinion, I shouldn’t be forced to continue upholding my end of the contract, when they broke it first. I think that’s reasonable. And it’s only taken about 18 hours to get to this point. But I guess I need to keep fighting for what I want – to get out from this contract.

Ridiculous, really. All I wanted was a device that would do what it said it would do. And instead of spending upward s of 18 hours sorting out a compatability issue, I would have really appreciated only spending two minutes installing it, and then connecting to the net so I could keep on working. But no. And now I’m going to spend yet more time – time I can’t afford cos those Uni assignments are looming very fast! – on the phone with Telstra trying to sort out a problem which shouldn’t have even existed in the first place. yay.

It feels like breaking a contract with Telstra is like leaving a cult. And I know. I’ve been there before.

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momentous events Random thoughts Technology

Pride to the winds…

Today is going to be HUGE. Really, really, really HUGE! You know, one of those days that you’ve already invested so much of your time and effort in, even though it hasn’t yet arrived, kind of huge.

Today is photo day.

My new(ish?! Started Feb 14 this year) job is marketing St Paul’s Lutheran Primary School, Caboolture. And I ABSOLUTELY love it – it’s the best job in the world! And today is photo day. Today’s the day we get a Library of shots done by the best photographer I know. So I’ve been planning this thing for what feels like non-stop, for what feels like ages. (But is actually instead more like for several hours per day for the last three weeks.)

So we have a cast of close to 60, from 4 year olds to those well into their 50’s (actually, more like 60’s but I’m not entirely sure). We have close to 20 locations. We have props. We have costume changes (which in reality will look more like uniform changes, but that image doesn’t fit with my metaphor here, okay?!). And of course we have cameras and all their associated paraphenalia. And we have a LOT of work to do in a very constrained time period. So…

It’s Monday, 28th of March, and I’m off and running on what is quite likely going to be a strong contender for the prize of ‘Busiest Day of My Year’. Running as fast as I can with no thought to my technique or my looks – running with my pride to the winds.

Wish me luck – it’s a distinct possibility that I’m going to be needing it!

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momentous events Random thoughts Technology

WOOHOO!!!!!

I’m blogging from my Mac! I’m SOOOO ecstatic right now!!!! Thank you, God! Thank you Vodafone and a HUGE thank you to Daemon Singer from Footprint IT (already valued due to his prestigious standing as a member of goodoldtalk.com – but now heading towards that ‘priceless’ status that American Express likes to call themselves) due to his succinct and ACCURATE diagnostics. (Yup, the 2011 Telstra Ultimate is not compatible with the 2011 Macbook Pro.) And his donation of a USB case to contain my old Vodafone SIM, which (strangely enough!!!) works out to actually BE compatible with the 2011 Macbook Pro that I’m currently typing on (this keyboard will take a little getting used to, BTW!)

So THANKS, Daemon, AppleCare, Vodafone etc etc. And thanks in advance to Telstra for letting me out of the contract that I’ve just signed with you – even though you don’t know that you’re about to do that yet! But I can’t see how your ‘Ultimate Mobile Broadband USB Modem’ (which says on the box that it will operate on the Mac OS X 10.5 or later!) is actually all that ‘ultimate’ when it actually does NOT work on my computer. So thanks for that, too!

Here endeth today’s post. Now I’m off to play!

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Technology

It’s a fine line between furious and depressed, don’t you think?

And I’m walking that line right now. It’s pretty insane the rollercoaster ride of emotions I’ve been on over the last day.

I am now the proud (I think!) owner of a 13inch Macbook Pro. I am also the owner of a two week old, top of the range, Telstra Ultimate Mobile Broadband USB modem.

And who would have thunk it – the two ain’t compatible. And it’s taken over TWELVE (insert the worst expletive you can think of) HOURS of sitting on the phone to close to ten ‘consultants’ between the two companies. Plus the hour I spent sitting in the Caloundra Telstra shop today, getting their version of Tech Support. BTW there is absolutely no comparison between f2f and phone support. I was my usual polite self, but Nicole from 133933 must obviously have felt that hanging up on me was an appropriate way to treat a customer. I happen to disagree.

So now I’m on the downward slope. Heading towards depression. The best Telstra can do is offer me Tech Support with someone ‘who knows Macs’. Thursday of next week. The best Mac can offer is an appointment at their Chermside Genius Bar; Wednesday of next week.

Yay.

I wonder if I’ll ever actually blog from my own computer ever again?

blah.

Sorry for venting. And thanks for reading. I appreciate thinking that someone out there may actually care about the crappiness that I find myself in.

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momentous events Random thoughts Technology

Hey ho; hey ho! It’s to the store I go…

Today’s the day! Hopefully this will be the last time that I need someone else’s computer to write my blog!

Catch you all soon when my wallet’s a lot lighter! (And yes, Uni assignments… here I come…)

 

Categories
Random thoughts Technology

Any views on Android out there?

I had a long conversation today with someone I respect. Owns a computer shop, but doesn’t sell Macs. And when I mentioned the iPad, I could almost see him recoil. When I pressed him for his opinion, he then offered ‘They’re too easy. They don’t make you think.” A better alternative, in his opinion? An Android.

So, dear readers, what do you think? Used one before? Got one? What’s YOUR opinion on them? I’d love to get your thoughts…