For me, the Hazing of weaning off of windows is complete. I’d been a user since I was 4 . Here’s how I was finally initiated into the Mac Fanboy fraternity (cult?) after being on the mac for nearly 19 months, complete with secret hand shake and membership card.
I flew back to Beijing from Shanghai on Thursday to get some work in during my vacation. There’s a company based in China that has a web property we want to purchase.
While standing in the elevator that just overshot my floor, I asked someone to point me in the direction of the Chinese characters that were displayed on my my Macbook Air. Just then, the elevator doors slammed shut on my Mac Book Air’s screen – crushing and breaking it.
In my mind, I’m like “this is Apple, there goes a quick $1000”. After the meeting, I went to the first (and maybe only) Apple store in China:
Here are the pics of the Damage:
The guy says “you know this isn’t covered under Apple care”
I’m like “Well, obviously not.” I didn’t think Applec Care covered elevator accidents. But I need to have a computer. I can’t exactly wait til my trip’s over here. I’d sooner keep traveling without underwear or a toothbrush.
Total cost to repair the thing came to 5478 yuan ($800 US). I was expecting this and pretty promptly signed the papers to get the thing repaired.
While signing, I remarked that I had recently purchased a laptop for my father-in-law for less than this – but said it with a smile. I wasn’t bitter. It was my own damn fault and sometimes shit just happens.
Just then, the manager walks over. He’s from Southern California and in his mid 40s or so.
He asks “So, how long have you have that?”
I replied “Since March”.
We get to talking and in the end he says “You know what, we want you to have a good experience and feel bad about it breaking so quickly. How about we just swap out your old MacBook air for a new one – free of charge. They have the option of doing either, so let’s just get you a new one.”
OMG – how fucking awesome is that!?!
Apple’s products are expensive. But they ‘just work’ and take care of their customers. I’ve already purchased 2 MacBook Pros, a MacBook Air, the TB Time Capsule, an Airport Express and a Mac Mini for my mom. So it’s not like they’re losing any money on me.
My business partners are even more into Macs than I am and are the ones that really pushed me into going Mac in the first place. They upgrade so often that Jon was like “We should give our old macs to some kids in Africa or something”. We bust out laughing “what the hell are they going to do with our old Macs? - they don’t even have electricity!”
We ran with what that might look like in this mockup:
Anyway, take it from me, once you go Mac, you never go back.
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