Kibbles & Bytes Blog

  • Be Careful

    We’re headed into the fourth spill season of the year, the winter holidays. The other three are the end of the spring semester, Fourth of July, and the beginning of the fall semester. Typically during these times of the year we see an increase in the amount of machines checked into service because of some form of accidental damage, and we’ve seen them all: beer/wine/soda/tea/water/you name it spills, car damage from being run over, damage from being dropped (into Lake Champlain, out of backpacks or by airline employees), repercussions from abrasive cleaning solutions, nail polish and/or removers, random attacks by rambunctious children, and the list goes on…

    Just last week, we had a record number of liquid spills in our shop and all of the owners asked the same question: will my AppleCare cover this? Sadly, the answer is always no. AppleCare is not an insurance policy against accidental or other damage to your machine; rather, it’s coverage for manufacturing defects and provides unlimited, world class technical support. This might not seem like much, and a few people are always hesitant to pay for it, but I can say that it’s well worth it. One repair once your machine is out of warranty will often be more expensive than the AppleCare would have cost you. These are premium computers that can be expensive to fix.

    There are limits to this coverage though, and Apple makes these limits pretty explicit in the Protection Plan details. Unless you enjoy reading pages of legalese you’re not necessarily going to be aware of the limitations. Basically it comes down to two things: don’t drop your computer and don’t spill anything on it. Damage to the machine, even if it is unrelated to any problem you may be having, will prevent any authorized service provider from covering repairs under the warranty.

    Let’s say you had your brand new MacBook Pro in your backpack and you set that pack down a little harder than you normally did and you crunched the corner of the display. This is a common point of damage that we see in South Burlington. A month or two later, you notice that the backslash key isn’t working anymore and you bring it in to our shop. We’d be unable to repair your machine under the warranty ’til the damage to the display is fixed, after which AppleCare coverage would be back in place.

    Liquid spills can be even more destructive. Not only will it knock your machine out of warranty, but you risk your data as well. In the majority of cases, a laptop is powered on when accidental spills hit them. This means that some electrical current is running through your drive and the shock to the system can damage that drive. I am happy to say that a good number of people have backups now and some of those who don’t have only lost their computer and not their data. With the current trend towards solid state drives, the increase in the loss of data is going to go up. Even data recovery will be difficult because there are no magnetic platters that can be accessed–just more fried circuitry.

    To sum it up, evidence of (and not necessarily limited to) dents, dings, scratching, bowing, warping, melting, cracking, shattering, and soaking will prevent us from fixing your machine under warranty. This includes covering cosmetic damage to functional machines.

    While AppleCare may not cover the damage to your machine, many of our customers get coverage through either homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. There are also companies out there that just sell computer insurance. I’ve been seeing an increasing number of parents with children going off to college purchasing this, which is smart since more than half of our liquid spill and impact damaged machines seem to come from local college students. The thing to think of in this scenario is the child with the machine may be responsible and take excellent care of it, but not everyone they’ll be around will be as responsible. There’s always the story of “I left it in my room and when I came back it was on the floor in pieces.”

    You can read the “full terms of the AppleCare Protection Plan here.”:http://www.apple.com/legal/applecare/appgeos.html

    If you haven’t yet purchased AppleCare for your new machine, you have exactly one year from date of purchase to buy and activate it. Please be careful around your computers–they don’t like drinks as much as the rest of us do!

  • Happy Tuesday,

    Small Dog technicians in all three locations are at full tilt providing free data transfers, repairing customers’ machines, and refurbishing hundreds of iMacs and MacBooks. These refurbished machines are about two to three years old and are just the ticket for the Mac user who spends most of his or her time browsing the web, managing photographs in iPhoto, and keeping in touch with friends and family over email. They’re plenty powerful to run Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and the iLife 11, and they’re selling fast. Check out “Smalldog.com/used”:http://www.smalldog.com/used to see all of the used and refurbished gear we have available.

    I “traded in”:http://www.smalldog.com/trade my second generation 32GB iPod touch last week for a current-generation 32GB iPod touch. My older iPod has served me well by keeping my entertained on transcontinental flights and in touch while on the go. For the most part, though, I think of my iPod touch as Tivo for my favorite radio shows. Now more than ever, I am driving back and forth to our Manchester, NH store and find myself catching up on podcasts.

    “Vermont Public Radio,”:http://www.vpr.net “Northeast Public Radio”:http://www.wamc.org and “New Hampshire Public Radio”:http://www.nhpr.com stations are reserved as presets in my car, but there are plenty of spots around the northeast without radio coverage and I’m rarely listening to the radio Saturday mornings for “Car Talk”:http://www.cartalk.com and “Wait Wait.”:http://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/

    Just like Tivo lets me watch only the television I care about, my iPod lets me listen to everything I want to while on the go. The front and back cameras are pretty sweet, and the Retina Display is unbelievably sharp. Try as I might, my eyes simply cannot discern individual pixels.

    As always, thanks for reading, and keep in touch.

    Matt
    “matt@smalldog.com”:mailto:matt@smalldog.com

  • !http://blog.smalldog.com/images/2058.jpg!:http://www.smalldog.com/wag20448/at_dr

    *Save $50 on MobileMe! Get a $20 INSTANT rebate plus free shipping, and then save even more with a $30 mail-in rebate (actually, that’s $55 in savings!).*

    Click through for the single user deal; give us a call for savings on the 5-user Family Pack!

    Because we want to give you the best deals AND stay in business, Deal Retriever deals are valid for one week only. Quantities are limited; offers good while supplies last.

  • TopFive.plist #14: Top Apple Gifts of 2010

    The holidays are upon us, and Apple products are once again in ridiculously high demand. Though consistently popular year round, Nielsen this year…

  • Apple Slyly Updates Accessories

    Yesterday, Apple issued a series of minor updates to a few of their Mac and iPod related accessories. The first of these updates…

  • Hammerhead Flash Drive Review

    Back when I first started working at Small Dog, I purchased a 4GB Hammerhead Flash Drive. Though there were several great options available,…

  • Last weekend Grace and I went out to buy her a chainsaw so that she could help clean up the woods on our property. I have a big Jonsered chainsaw that I have had for over 30 years which still starts up and does its work great but it is too heavy for Grace so we decided to get her a smaller “Barbie” chainsaw.

    She has had a lot of chainsaw experience by being my “limb” assistant as we cleared our land or did chores around the house. We cleared our land using that Jonsered and my big workhorse who would haul the logs to the driveway where we would take them to the local sawmill to make timber when we built our house. So, she has some experience but I did teach her about binding, kickback and how much of a difference a sharp saw makes.

    Thank you for reading this issue if Kibbles & Bytes!

    Your Kibbles & Bytes team,
    _Don, Kali, Ed & Ben_

  • A Season of Savings from Small Dog Electronics

    Happy Holidays! Here in New England, the cold days and lengthening nights are brightened by colorful lights in storefronts, house windows, and on Christmas trees, wreaths and menorahs everywhere.

    We’re marking the season with our main holiday page posted “here.”:http://www.smalldog.com/holiday This page will be up until Christmas, and we’ll update the specials weekly until 12/25.

    We’ve also posted eight days of Hanukkah savings “here.”:http://www.smalldog.com/hanukkah2010 We’ll post a gift suggestion/special offer every day for the eight days of the Hanukkah celebration.

    Again, Happy Holidays from Small Dog Electronics. Latkes and candy canes for all!

  • TopFive.plist #14: Top Apple Gifts of 2010

    The holidays are upon us, and Apple products are once again in ridiculously high demand. Though consistently popular year round, “*Nielsen*”:http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/kids-in-the-u-s-eyeing-big-ticket-tech-this-holiday-season/ this year reports that tech products such as the iPad are topping lists around the country. While Black Friday may have come and gone, there is still plenty of time to shop for all of those on your “nice list.” To assist you in selecting the perfect Apple gift, we’ve polled our employees to discover the best ones of the season.

    5. “*11-inch MacBook Air*”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|MacBook_Air

    Though it may not be the right machine for all users, there is no denying the popularity of Apple’s newest and most portable notebook. Boasting next generation features such as solid state storage by default, an amazing display, and ample battery life, the MacBook Air is a glimpse of the future in a machine that’s available now! To read a more extensive review of the 11-inch Air, click “*here.*”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/4020/11-inch-macbook-air-review/

    4. “*4th Generation iPod touch*”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|iPod_touch

    In many ways, the 4th Generation iPod touch is just as revolutionary as the iPhone which inspired it, and shares its digit. Though it doesn’t sport an identical line-up of features, the touch maintains an edge over the iPhone as it is contract free. If you don’t need constant access to data or the ability to place traditional phone calls (touch owners can place VoIP calls via Skype or other apps) then the touch is an enticing and affordable alternative to the iPhone 4. With the amazing Retina display, front and rear facing cameras, and speedy A4 processor, the 4th gen. touch bundles great features into a gift that’s perfect for all ages.

    3. “*iPod shuffle*”:http://www.smalldog.com/category/x/x/x/Apple|iPod_shuffle

    The iPod shuffle had a return to form this September. The buttonless design of the 3rd generation model worked for some users, but was widely regarded as a bit of a flop. Based directly off of the 2nd generation model, the new shuffle brings back button controls while carrying over the VoiceOver capabilities of the previous generation. The smallest shuffle yet, its square design is very akin to a postage stamp. With an array of flashy colors available and an attractive price of only $49.99, the shuffle is a sure-to-please stocking stuffer, or a great first iPod.

    2. *iPad* (In-store only)

    2010 is certainly the year of the iPad–as far as Apple products are concerned at least. Launching to tremendous success earlier in the year, the iPad has quickly become the fastest selling Apple product of all time. Moving over 8 million units in under six months, it is no surprise that it nears the top of the list for the best Apple gifts of the year. With the recently released iOS 4.2 software, the iPad is even greater than before. With changes so extensive, some users are reporting their iPads feel like an entirely new device post update. Spawning a myriad of exclusive HD apps in under a year, the iPad’s biggest strength is its software. Combining the nearly endless offerings of the App Store with a intuitive, portable, and affordable touch screen tablet is clearly a recipe for success. Though a bit pricier than some of the other items on the list, the iPad is sure to be in increasingly high demand as the holiday season progresses. Get them while you can!

    1. “*Apple TV*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/76960/apple-tv-2010/at_kb

    Though the iPad trailed a close second, the Apple TV is the absolute favorite gift of 2010 here at SDE. While the device may not be fully realized yet, Apple has already hit a home run in terms price, content, and convenience. For a mere $99.99, the Apple TV allows for rentals of the latest HD movies and TV shows, AirPlay from iTunes and iOS devices, and much more. The inclusion of Netflix Instant Stream integration is another huge plus. As the Apple TV is relatively simple to set up, it makes a great gift for anyone with an HDTV–even technophobic parents. While the device does include an Apple Remote, you will need to purchase an HDMI cable separately.

    To browse our selection of HDMI cables click “*here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/search/?find=hdmi&refinecat=Cables_and_Adapters|Video

  • Apple Stealthily Updates Accessories

    Yesterday, Apple issued a series of minor updates to a few of their Mac and iPod related accessories. The first of these updates involved the Universal Dock for iPod and iPhone. Apple updated the kit to include the re-designed aluminum Apple Remote, a USB power adapter, and a USB sync cable. The latter two items were previously sold separately, forcing dock owners to purchase them if they wanted to charge their device from a wall outlet. Also included in the package are a series of five redesigned dock adapters which bring compatibility with current generation devices. To account for the newly included accessories, Apple has raised the kit’s price from $49.99 to $59.99.

    The second update comes in the form of a discontinuation. In an ongoing effort to “cut” wires from their desktop lineup, Apple has discontinued its shortened wired aluminum keyboard. First introduced with the second generation of 20 and 24-inch aluminum iMacs, the diminutive keyboard never saw tremendous success. Lacking a number pad, yet still restricted to the desk by its wire, many users opted for the full size wired keyboard instead which is likely the reason for its discontinuation. Apple currently includes a wireless version of the keyboard with many of its desktop models. For users seeking a full sized solution, an aluminum keyboard with number pad is available “*here*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/44253/apple-keyboard-w-numeric-keypad/at_kb for $49.99.

    The third and final product update is the most minor. Clearly based on the changes made to the Universal Dock kit, Apple has adjusted both its composite and component AV cables. Dropping the price by $10, each cable now retails for $39.99. As the Universal Dock now includes a USB power adapter, Apple has dropped the adapter–which was previously included at the $49.99 price point–from both sets of cables.