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Sunday 5 July 2015

RIP IPhone

The only thing I have always with me is my IPhone. I could live an hour at most without my high heels, my colourful headbands or my pink outfits. But never without my IPhone. My whole life is in it: my clients' appointments, my drumming lessons schedule, my blonde notes, everything really. And to be honest, my phone became an extension of my arm. On Friday, The Universe decided to disagree with my addiction to my mobile phone though. Let me tell you my story. 

Last Friday started gloriously. Everything went smooth, my clients were amazing, my coffee was exactly as I liked it and every little thing predicted a fab day....up to 9am when my IPhone's screen tuned blue...then red....and lastly green. Then it died. No worries, I thought. I opened ITunes and tried to update my phone or even restore it to the factory settings. One or the other! But my phone was stubborn, more than I would have expected my best friend to act. I still hopped, so I started google-ing the symptoms and the result was clear. My iPhone died.

For a minute I was still in denial (a minute of silence in the memory of my IPhone really!), then I reached for my landline phone and rang Apple. They know everything....not. The guy who answered was really polite, I mean very, very. It was a shame I couldn't understand his accent. I thought I had a strong one, but wait to hear this dude. Somehow I got the fact that my IPhone had a hardware problem, unless there was some water in it. I tried explaining that I don't usually swim with my phone on me....just because I don't have a swimming pool. Also that it hasn't rained for a while and I kind of work long hours....indoor. But back to the options given at the end of the line. Two really. First, to get a new replacement phone until mine is fixed. Then ship it back. This comes with a charge, the guy said,....of $1,000. But apparently I would be reimbursed when I get mine back.....which, to be perfectly clear, I didn't rust...at all.  Second option was to send it to be repaired. Now wait cos it's not so simple. In the next 2 working days, Apple would post me out a box. Once I get that (in another 2 working days) I would have to pack my IPhone in it, phone the courier company they use and wait for another few day to be picked up.  After my phone gets to them, probably in another few days, I would have to wait for up to 10 working days, for my phone to be checked, then once all fine, they will ship it out to me, which would take another few days to get it. In total a minimum of 3 weeks...if I'm lucky. But wait. I won't get back my phone repaired. I will get another phone that has been "refurbished". Only God knows what that means. I think I do as well though. I would get an IPhone that somebody returned because it was broken....but not so screwed like mine so it has been fixed somehow and it would work great...... until the warranty runs out. After going through my brilliant options, I was left to think which out suits me best. Not before I was told the third option which was to drive to Auckland to a repair centre, then drive back home and back again in 3 weeks when I can pick it up. There are only 79km, the lad said. No there are not....more like 200km. No way, the guy argued, I checked it online, he said. I done it many times, I replied and I knew that there are 3 hours drive with a speed ticket and an extra half an hour without the ticket. 

Anyway, I started thinking what works for me and decided to go for the long 3 weeks option. No, I am not giving you my credit card details. And I am not driving to Auckland and back and again there and back. Two days work lost and lots of cash in petrol. So, I rang back. This time, another guy, same impossible accent.....but my ear already got used to the first one. I gave him my case number and I already felt kind of important because I was allocated one. He put me on hold...and cut me off. So I rang back. A lovely lady answered my call. She was from the same country as the other two before her. Case number again and 10 minutes later, all organised. Oops, I forgot to say that I needed a pen and a whole A4 paper to write down the details I have to give the courier company when they will (sorry: "if" they will) pick up my beloved IPhone. Something like case number followed by repair number, then Apple account number with them... I even forgot what else and I cannot find the piece of paper I wrote all these things down. But no problem, cos I received an email from Apple explaining that the courier company will pick up my phone....from an address that's not mine. So lucky me. Tomorrow is Monday and I will start again my calls to these lovely and polite people with weird accents and, if I am so lucky as I think I am, I will get another email with my correct details. 

Now in regards to my clients' appointments, no, I haven't lost them. Everything was stored on ICloud one would think. They were....some of them. I was even ecstatic that, according to ICloud, I have only 2 hours work a day the next few weeks. Only to reassure myself, I opened my calendar on my Mac laptop. Oppss. More appointments. Then my IPad...even more....and I am sure that there are more that got lost in ether between the cloud and my gadgets. But no worries. Life is good and in a few weeks time I, the one who always bought the latest Apple mobiles, all of them,  will get an old phone already used by somebody. To be honest again, whilst dealing with the nice call centre people, I started developing a backup plan. Just because, after all those phone calls, I don't believe that things would go as smooth as the nice customer service people assured me....but I would love to be surprised! :)

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