How to get your iPhone $100 rebate

For those of you who purchased an iPhone (like me) before August 22, here’s how to get your $100 Apple store credit:

1. Go to the Apple iPhone Store Credit request page
2. Enter your mobile number and your iPhone serial number
3. Within 5 minutes, you’ll receive an SMS message with a store credit access code
4. Enter the access code on the store credit request page and you’ll get a printable store credit coupon

There were rumors that the early, early adopters (i.e., those of us who purchased before August 22) weren’t eligible for a store credit but I can confirm that I received it. And, I purchased my iPhone 2 days after it was released (July 2?).

Now, go get your $100 credit!

EDIT:  Forgot to mention that the deadline to submit your claim is November 30, 2007.

Filed under: Apple, Apple Store, How-To, Mobile Phone, Smartphone, iPhone

How NOT to sell an Apple TV

Are you interested in buying an Apple TV? If so, I bet the first thing you would do is visit an Apple Store so you can demo it and see how it works, how good the video quality is, etc. Well, the good news is the Apple Stores have 3 of them – each connected to a Sony Bravia LCD. Great, right? Wrong.

I went to the Apple Store in Burlington, MA this weekend and watched National Treasure, Heroes, and Pirates of the Caribbean (each for 30 seconds) and the picture quality of all of them was terrible. Of the 3 Apple TVs, the two I tested had the same issues. In fact, the video quality was so bad that, if that was my only experience with an Apple TV, I would NOT buy one.  If the Burlington, MA store is indicative of all Apple Stores, then Apple has a problem.

My Apple TV is connected to a 50″ Panasonic plasma (TH-50PX60U) and the picture quality is 10x better. And, yes, I compared the same TV show (Heroes).

Why is the picture quality so much better on my display? Simple – the LCDs at the Apple Store weren’t calibrated. Sony Bravia LCDs are excellent HDTVs and are known to display a very good picture. I’m guessing they just took the TVs out of the box and set them up using the default picture settings (which you should NEVER do).

It wouldn’t be hard for the Apple Stores to calibrate a TV – all they need is someone who knows how to use a DVD calibration disc. Heck, I’ll be their consultant and travel to all of the Apple Stores to calibrate them…I’d be willing to take payment in the form of cash or Apple products.

To sum it up: Apple needs to calibrate those HDTVs if they want to sell Apple TVs.

Filed under: Apple, Apple Store, AppleTV, Digital Movies, Video

Shipments of Apple TV have begun!

This past Monday, people on Apple’s discussion forum noticed their credit cards have been charged for their Apple TV pre-orders and have been speculating that it will be shipped before March 20. Usually, a company charges your credit card when your item has shipped or is about to be shipped (I believe this is by law?). Well, g-Whiz has received confirmation from an Apple Store sales rep stating that the Apple TV is ready for shipping – sweet!

Maybe we’ll get it one week early??

Update (3/14/2007) Post has been updated since gwhiz showed me where the “chat now” feature is on Apple’s website.

Update 2 (3/16/2007) Just checked my order status and it’s still “not yet shipped” so it looks like mine will ship on March 20.

Filed under: Apple, Apple Store, AppleTV, Rumors

Apple TV Delayed Until March 20

I just checked my Apple Store order and my Apple TV ship date has been delayed from February 28 to March 20. Apple’s spokeswoman has confirmed the delay:

“Wrapping up Apple TV is taking a few weeks longer than we projected, and we now expect to begin shipments mid-March,” spokeswoman Lynn Fox said by email.

MacRumors is reporting that Apple Stores will still get the in-store display units on March 5. If this is true, at least, we’ll be able to check it out.

Since my estimated delivery date is March 26, the release date is effectively the end of March.

Well, those rumors about an Apple TV delay from a couple of weeks ago are now true. The thing that annoys me is how Apple officially denied those rumors.  Anyways, this blows.

Filed under: Apple, Apple Store, AppleTV, Digital Movies, IPTV

Apple TV Arriving in Apple Stores on March 5th?

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) is reporting that the Apple TV will be on display at your nearest Apple Store on March 5th, which coincides with the delivery estimate for my Apple TV (March 6). Supposedly, they will be hooked up to Sony Bravia LCD HDTVs.

I’ll be curious to see how much interest there is at the Apple Stores and how well they sell.

Update (2/27/2007) The release date has been delayed to mid-March but the Apple Stores are still expecting to have in-store display units on March 5.

Filed under: Apple, Apple Store, AppleTV, IPTV, Retail, Rumors, Technology

Apple Store Coming to Boston (Back Bay)

Looks like Massachusetts will be getting a sixth Apple Store – this time, right in the heart of Boston. It’s slated to replace the Copy Cop building on Boylston St., which is right across the street from the Hynes Convention Center. Apple is buying the Copy Cop building, will knock it down, and replace it with a glass-covered building (similar to the one in Manhattan).

I remember about a year ago there were discussions about Apple erecting a glass-covered building and some people affiliated with the city (I think it was the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay) objected to such a ‘modern design’ given Boston’s historical buildings. This time around, it seems like people are more open to the ‘modern design.’

Personally, I think Boston needs some more modern looking buildings and having an Apple Store lead the way would be great.

Filed under: Apple, Apple Store, Boston, Retail, Shopping