The iphone SCs cometh...

[Peppergirl]

While we are at it, can we please strive to avoid the typical Apple-people vs anti-Apple people debate that always tends to creep into these threads?

I'm sure CC2 would appreciate it, and we do too.

[prjkt]

I caught one of the competition's wonderfully sarcastic commercials today -- In essence, "congratulating" Apple for catching up to the larger screen size that [Competitor] was using two years ago. Was a nice touch, and hey, at least they have a sense of humor about it.

On that note, I don't understand the need for phones that big. Sure the iPhone 5 can be a little hard to read at times, but that's why I have a tablet... The larger screens (to me) are too big for a phone (won't fit in my pocket) and too small for a tablet ( even my iPad mini is a little small at times for comics)

[Jay 2K Winger]

I don't have an "iFruit" phone. I have a "Drone" phone. I'm not about to change up one for the other because, well, phones can be expensive, and I especially don't see the need to upgrade to the latest shiny toy just because it's shiny and new.

Oh, sure, I might want a shiny new toy, but when it comes to phones, at least, for the longest time I was on my parents' phone plan, and Dad flat-out refused to get a smart phone for me, or even a more advanced cell phone for me, while nevertheless buying one for Mom, despite her (at the time) technological ineptitude.

(For the longest time, Mom was stymied at even how to answer a flip cell phone. Much less send/receiving texts.)

The last straw was when he bought Mom a smart phone for Mother's Day. I had to help set it up for her, and then went to Red Checkmark myself and bought my number off of Mom & Dad's plan for myself and got myself a Drone smart phone. Dad was surprised, but I reasoned that at least this way I'll be more familiar with smart phones so as to explain it to Mom, and this was just one way for me to prepare myself for being on my own.

Now Mom has an iFruit phone which I can't really troubleshoot for her, but Mom's gotten savvy enough to troubleshoot her own issues.

[otakuneko]

When the iphone has a keyboard, I'll consider it.

[Shyla]

You mentioned cussing. I have a question. So I was talking with a rep from an evil corporation recently. This was the 6th phone call in two days with multiple missed service appointments. They had completely screwed up and admitted it. I even had a rep quoting non-existent laws to get me off his back. This call was a total of about 90 minutes. I was on the phone with a supervisor and I used the word hell. Not over and over just in a sentence. All of a sudden I'm being scolded and told she can't help me if I treat her that way. What is with that? Is that a power trip they let reps go on? It was not directed at her. More like What the hell is going on that we got this screwup. Why do they let reps be so high and mighty about a swear word but it's ok if they refuse to help? I personally think the swear thing is to give them an out if the rep can't help.

[Ben_Who]

You mentioned cussing. I have a question. So I was talking with a rep from an evil corporation recently. This was the 6th phone call in two days with multiple missed service appointments. They had completely screwed up and admitted it. I even had a rep quoting non-existent laws to get me off his back. This call was a total of about 90 minutes. I was on the phone with a supervisor and I used the word hell. Not over and over just in a sentence. All of a sudden I'm being scolded and told she can't help me if I treat her that way. What is with that? Is that a power trip they let reps go on? It was not directed at her. More like What the hell is going on that we got this screwup. Why do they let reps be so high and mighty about a swear word but it's ok if they refuse to help? I personally think the swear thing is to give them an out if the rep can't help.

You're probably right. I've read a few stories - don't know how true they are - of customers having problems with unhelpful or undertrained customer service reps, and the CSR suddenly blurts out, apropos of nothing, "I don't have to take that kind of language from you *click.*"

Given the way Comcast treats its customers, for example, we already know that some call centers will resort to desperate measures so as not to ding their numbers, sometimes going so far as to berate the people asking for service.

There's also a strange breed of, sometimes older, always sheltered, person who takes even the most mild profanity as a punch in the face. A woman ahead of me in line at the grocery store berated her seven-year-old for the duration of the transaction when he read aloud an Enquirer headline that contained the word "butt." When I was 21, I happened to say "Oh, my God," in a low voice after seeing something startling; my grandmother gave me a half-hour lecture for that.

Your CSR might have been one of those. In which case, she hasn't been a CSR for very long; given what we know of customers, her phone was going to melt.

[notalwaysright]

On that note, I don't understand the need for phones that big. Sure the iPhone 5 can be a little hard to read at times, but that's why I have a tablet... The larger screens (to me) are too big for a phone (won't fit in my pocket) and too small for a tablet ( even my iPad mini is a little small at times for comics)

I agree. I have a Galaxy S3, and I like that size. I like tech, but my phone does what I want. I can do the basics (make/recieve calls, text) and surf the web, take photos, check emails, use GPS... I don't want or need an upgrade. Plus I have a nifty case, in which I put my drivers license, Starbucks card, debit card, and a few dollars. I want a new laptop, but that's another story.

Also, on the swearing thing... I'm probably uptight about it for my age group (I just turned 28, so most people my age swear a lot more). I mean, I don't make an issue of it or anything, I just don't care for it every other word. But I don't consider "hell" a swear word! Especially when used like "what the hell?" That's so mild that even my mom wouldn't care...

[simplyanother]

See, I thought somehow this was going to be about people bitching about U2's album being just...given to them, or some shit. "omg, what is this shit ?!!?! Get it off!"

I kind of covet idevices. A little bit. I did buy my kid a refurbed ipod a few years back. He broke the screen. I'm still miffed about it... My phone is a samsung..something, it's a straight talk phone, runs on verizon's network, which is fine here.

i don't even know where the nearest apple store is. makes me sad.

(Note: U2 is actually my favorite band, seriously. I've been waiting for a new album since the last one, and especially for the tour that should follow...so...)

[Seanette]

You mentioned cussing. I have a question. So I was talking with a rep from an evil corporation recently. This was the 6th phone call in two days with multiple missed service appointments. They had completely screwed up and admitted it. I even had a rep quoting non-existent laws to get me off his back. This call was a total of about 90 minutes. I was on the phone with a supervisor and I used the word hell. Not over and over just in a sentence. All of a sudden I'm being scolded and told she can't help me if I treat her that way. What is with that? Is that a power trip they let reps go on? It was not directed at her. More like What the hell is going on that we got this screwup. Why do they let reps be so high and mighty about a swear word but it's ok if they refuse to help? I personally think the swear thing is to give them an out if the rep can't help.

When I was doing tech support for a shipping company (think brown), I had a caller cut loose with some profanity aimed at his computer, then promptly apologize to me. I told him, quite truthfully, that I didn't really care about language if it wasn't aimed at me personally, which it obviously wasn't in this instance.

I think that you're unfortunately right that someone wanted to get out of doing their job or was worried about their handle time.

[wolfie]

On that note, I don't understand the need for phones that big. The larger screens (to me) are too big for a phone (won't fit in my pocket) and too small for a tablet

One app I plan to get when I upgrade to a smartphone is "Smart Truck Routing" (basically turns the phone into a truck-aware GPS). With putting the phone in a dash mount, the extra screen size is handy. Also, for a phone without a keyboard, it lets you see more of an e-mail message while still allowing for a decent text size and the on-screen keyboard.

When the iphone has a keyboard, I'll consider it.

I believe a third-party company offered a keyboard for the iPhone 5/5c/5s, but Blackberry sued them over "look and feel". Also, I've seen in the trade press that 2T.com is offering a "repackaged" large-screen Android in a "ruggedized" case complete with keyboard. I wonder what MRSGARRET.com is offering (cookies for reference).

[prjkt]

One app I plan to get when I upgrade to a smartphone is "Smart Truck Routing" (basically turns the phone into a truck-aware GPS). With putting the phone in a dash mount, the extra screen size is handy. Also, for a phone without a keyboard, it lets you see more of an e-mail message while still allowing for a decent text size and the on-screen keyboard.

ok, that reason has merit, as it does for a co worker with VERY large, arthritic hands, but for most people, I think they buy because "bigger is better" and constantly bitch about it not fitting in their pocket...

[EricKei]

2T.com ... I wonder what MRSGARRET.com is offering (cookies for reference).

Well, whatever they're offering, we know that the SC's will come out in force to get it, but that's just one of the facts of life

I had a caller cut loose with some profanity aimed at his computer, then promptly apologize to me.

"Damn computer! It ate everything! Big, fat, smug, damn stupid crappy piece of crappy crap!"

[Demolition Man]

Looks like Red Checkmark is giving some folks early upgrades....

http://www.droid-life.com/2014/09/15...earlier-dates/

[Fudgethatkay]

Looks like Red Checkmark is giving some folks early upgrades....

http://www.droid-life.com/2014/09/15...earlier-dates/

I'm on family member's plan and they are getting their upgrade
Just no iphone. XD

[Lace Neil Singer]

I have a Samsung Galaxy mini and I'm cool with that. I have the phone cuz my mum bought a new phone and said I could have the old one. I like it very much, but I still have my old Nokia Craporola just in case I need a spare. XD