brick & mortar Apple Store - comp.sys.mac.misc

I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have various configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in and walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. What do you think my odds are? -- Tim

In article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> wrote: > I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm > thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how > they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have various > configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in and > walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz > i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB > drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. > > What do you think my odds are? You can't build-to-order in a store, but you can get standard configurations. And you can mess around with display units all you want, which is nice. -- Send responses to the relevant news group rather than email to me. E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my very hungry SPAM filter. Due to Google's refusal to prevent spammers from posting messages through their servers, I often ignore posts from Google Groups. Use a real news client if you want me to see your posts. JR

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:11:30 -0500, Tim Lance wrote (in article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>): > I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm > thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how > they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have various > configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in and > walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz > i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB > drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. > > What do you think my odds are? > > Thanks, nospam & JR. I'm not wanting the SSD (yet!), extra RAM (at Apple's prices!), nor the 2.3 GHz i7 so I may be OK. I had grown paranoid they'd have nothing. -- Tim

In article <9c5enmFcs7U1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> wrote: > On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:11:30 -0500, Tim Lance wrote > (in article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>): > > > I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm > > thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how > > they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have > > various > > configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in > > and > > > walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz > > i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB > > drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. > > > > What do you think my odds are? > > Thanks, nospam & JR. I'm not wanting the SSD (yet!), extra RAM (at Apple's > prices!), nor the 2.3 GHz i7 so I may be OK. I had grown paranoid they'd have > nothing. The SSDS and RAM are things I would add afterwards myself, personally. You'll save money that way. -- Send responses to the relevant news group rather than email to me. E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my very hungry SPAM filter. Due to Google's refusal to prevent spammers from posting messages through their servers, I often ignore posts from Google Groups. Use a real news client if you want me to see your posts. JR

In article <jollyroger-C8502C.19364430082011@news.individual.net>, Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote: > In article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> > wrote: > > > I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. > > I'm thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing > > about how they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they > > actually have various configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm > > wondering if I can just walk in and walk out with a MacBook Pro > > configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz i7/standard 4 MB RAM, > > either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB drive. BTW, I'll > > add a boot SSD in a few months. > > > > What do you think my odds are? > > You can't build-to-order in a store, but you can get standard > configurations. And you can mess around with display units all you want, > which is nice. You can of course order a build-to-order computer at the Apple Store and return to pick it up once it has been delivered (or have it delivered to you of course) - they simply order one via the website as you can do yourself with the same delivery timeframes. You do have to pay for it when ordering since they can't easily re-sell a custom computer if you simply don't turn up to collect it. Really the only bonuses of ordering it via the Apple Store are that you can pay using a non-credit card method and the Apple Store will have someone there to receive the delivery (during shop hours anyway) unlike perhaps your own house.

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:18:35 -0500, Your Name wrote (in article <yourname-3108111318350001@203-118-185-177.dsl.dyn.ihug.co.nz>): > In article <jollyroger-C8502C.19364430082011@news.individual.net>, Jolly > Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote: >> In article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> >> wrote: >> >>> I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. >>> I'm thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing >>> about how they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they >>> actually have various configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm >>> wondering if I can just walk in and walk out with a MacBook Pro >>> configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz i7/standard 4 MB RAM, >>> either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB drive. BTW, I'll >>> add a boot SSD in a few months. >>> >>> What do you think my odds are? >> >> You can't build-to-order in a store, but you can get standard >> configurations. And you can mess around with display units all you want, >> which is nice. > > You can of course order a build-to-order computer at the Apple Store and > return to pick it up once it has been delivered (or have it delivered to > you of course) - they simply order one via the website as you can do > yourself with the same delivery timeframes. You do have to pay for it when > ordering since they can't easily re-sell a custom computer if you simply > don't turn up to collect it. > > Really the only bonuses of ordering it via the Apple Store are that you > can pay using a non-credit card method and the Apple Store will have > someone there to receive the delivery (during shop hours anyway) unlike > perhaps your own house. Yeah, but I don't want anything special. I just need it ASAP. -- Tim

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:52:42 -0500, Jolly Roger wrote (in article <jollyroger-E4E7A8.19524230082011@news.individual.net>): > In article <9c5enmFcs7U1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> > wrote: > >> On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:11:30 -0500, Tim Lance wrote >> (in article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>): >> >>> I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm >>> thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how >>> they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have >>> various >>> configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in >>> and >> >>> walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz >>> i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB >>> drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. >>> >>> What do you think my odds are? >> >> Thanks, nospam & JR. I'm not wanting the SSD (yet!), extra RAM (at Apple's >> prices!), nor the 2.3 GHz i7 so I may be OK. I had grown paranoid they'd >> have >> nothing. > > The SSDS and RAM are things I would add afterwards myself, personally. > You'll save money that way. > > For sure. The price for the 128 GB SSD is tempting but they give no specs. And they want more than double for RAM than what you can get anywhere else. -- Tim

On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:34:49 UTC, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> wrote: -> On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:52:42 -0500, Jolly Roger wrote -> (in article <jollyroger-E4E7A8.19524230082011@news.individual.net>): -> -> > In article <9c5enmFcs7U1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> -> > wrote: -> > -> >> On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:11:30 -0500, Tim Lance wrote -> >> (in article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>): -> >> -> >>> I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm -> >>> thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how -> >>> they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have -> >>> various -> >>> configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in -> >>> and -> >> -> >>> walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz -> >>> i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB -> >>> drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. -> >>> -> >>> What do you think my odds are? -> >> -> >> Thanks, nospam & JR. I'm not wanting the SSD (yet!), extra RAM (at Apple's -> >> prices!), nor the 2.3 GHz i7 so I may be OK. I had grown paranoid they'd -> >> have -> >> nothing. -> > -> > The SSDS and RAM are things I would add afterwards myself, personally. -> > You'll save money that way. -> > -> > -> -> For sure. The price for the 128 GB SSD is tempting but they give no specs. -> And they want more than double for RAM than what you can get anywhere else. -> Just to let you know, if you have to send it back to Apple for service they may pull your non-Apple RAM and insist that your use of such may have been the cause of any problem, no matter how unrelated that is. They did this to me a few years ago, but they at least returned the RAM packed with the MBP. Mark -- From the eComStation 2.1 GA desktop of Mark Dodel Warpstock 2011 - http://www.warpstock.org Warpstock Europe 2011 - http://www.warpstock.eu

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:32:16 -0500, Mark Dodel wrote (in article <cLdq6jdb1N4Q-pn2-sEHgsos7RQfq@localhost>): > On Wed, 31 Aug 2011 01:34:49 UTC, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> wrote: > > -> On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:52:42 -0500, Jolly Roger wrote > -> (in article <jollyroger-E4E7A8.19524230082011@news.individual.net>): > -> > -> > In article <9c5enmFcs7U1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> > -> > wrote: > -> > > -> >> On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:11:30 -0500, Tim Lance wrote > -> >> (in article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>): > -> >> > -> >>> I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. > I'm > -> >>> thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about > how > -> >>> they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have > -> >>> various > -> >>> configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk > in > -> >>> and > -> >> > -> >>> walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz > -> >>> i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 > GB > -> >>> drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. > -> >>> > -> >>> What do you think my odds are? > -> >> > -> >> Thanks, nospam & JR. I'm not wanting the SSD (yet!), extra RAM (at > Apple's > -> >> prices!), nor the 2.3 GHz i7 so I may be OK. I had grown paranoid > they'd > -> >> have > -> >> nothing. > -> > > -> > The SSDS and RAM are things I would add afterwards myself, personally. > -> > You'll save money that way. > -> > > -> > > -> > -> For sure. The price for the 128 GB SSD is tempting but they give no specs. > -> And they want more than double for RAM than what you can get anywhere else. > -> > > Just to let you know, if you have to send it back to Apple for service > they may pull your non-Apple RAM and insist that your use of such may > have been the cause of any problem, no matter how unrelated that is. > They did this to me a few years ago, but they at least returned the > RAM packed with the MBP. > > > Mark > > Yep! -- Tim

On 8/30/11 8:32 PM, Tim Lance wrote: > On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:18:35 -0500, Your Name wrote > (in article<yourname-3108111318350001@203-118-185-177.dsl.dyn.ihug.co.nz>): > >> In article<jollyroger-C8502C.19364430082011@news.individual.net>, Jolly >> Roger<jollyroger@pobox.com> wrote: >>> In article<9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance<nope@nada.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. >>>> I'm thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing >>>> about how they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they >>>> actually have various configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm >>>> wondering if I can just walk in and walk out with a MacBook Pro >>>> configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz i7/standard 4 MB RAM, >>>> either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB drive. BTW, I'll >>>> add a boot SSD in a few months. >>>> >>>> What do you think my odds are? >>> >>> You can't build-to-order in a store, but you can get standard >>> configurations. And you can mess around with display units all you want, >>> which is nice. >> >> You can of course order a build-to-order computer at the Apple Store and >> return to pick it up once it has been delivered (or have it delivered to >> you of course) - they simply order one via the website as you can do >> yourself with the same delivery timeframes. You do have to pay for it when >> ordering since they can't easily re-sell a custom computer if you simply >> don't turn up to collect it. >> >> Really the only bonuses of ordering it via the Apple Store are that you >> can pay using a non-credit card method and the Apple Store will have >> someone there to receive the delivery (during shop hours anyway) unlike >> perhaps your own house. > > Yeah, but I don't want anything special. I just need it ASAP. > If you don't need anything special, the stores generally will have a good selection of the standard configurations. You can also get more ram installed, but that is really too expensive and generally can't be gotten while you wait. -- Lloyd

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 21:32:16 -0500, "Mark Dodel" <madodelNOSPAM@ptd.net> wrote: >Just to let you know, if you have to send it back to Apple for service >they may pull your non-Apple RAM and insist that your use of such may >have been the cause of any problem, no matter how unrelated that is. >They did this to me a few years ago, but they at least returned the >RAM packed with the MBP. This used to be common, but I haven't had any problem. I've heard that they stopped doing this, but don't know for sure. -- "In no part of the constitution is more wisdom to be found, than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace to the legislature, and not to the executive department." - James Madison

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:11:30 -0500, Tim Lance wrote (in message <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>): > I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm > thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how > they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have various > configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in > and > walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz > i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB > drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. > > What do you think my odds are? > > If it was me, I'd pick up my phone and give the store a call and ask if they had on hand what I wanted. tom koehler -- I will find a way or make one.

In article <0001HW.CA831C72000644A5F04075D0@news.frontiernet.net>, tom koehler <tvnospamkoehler@nospamfrontiernet.netinvalid> wrote: > On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:11:30 -0500, Tim Lance wrote > (in message <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>): > > > I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm > > thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how > > they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have various > > configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in > > and > > walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz > > i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB > > drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. > > > > What do you think my odds are? > > If it was me, I'd pick up my phone and give the store a call and ask if they > had on hand what I wanted. If it was me, I'd also check the prices at other official resellers and reliable webstores. (I can't remember which website it is, but either AppleInsider.com or Macrumors.com, or both, often has a list of discounted prices for those in America.) Here in New Zealand and Australia there's are the JB Hi-Fi and Good Guys chains of stores that sell Apple computers at prices which are often cheaper than Apple's own website (and only a little more than Apple's Educational pricing) ... although again, that's standard off-the-shelf stock, not build-to-order.

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:02:10 -0500, tom koehler <tvnospamkoehler@nospamfrontiernet.netinvalid> wrote: >If it was me, I'd pick up my phone and give the store a call and ask if they >had on hand what I wanted. But going to The Apple Store, talking to the salesmen, and getting hands-on experience is not an onerous task. Maybe he'll find something that works better for his wants ready to take home. -- "In no part of the constitution is more wisdom to be found, than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace to the legislature, and not to the executive department." - James Madison

On 2011-08-30 20:20:45 +0000, nospam said: > In article <9c5912F5sqU1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> > wrote: > >> I have always bought online - sometimes Apple, sometimes 3rd party. I'm >> thinking to try the local Apple store and realize I know nothing about how >> they really work. Are they merely showrooms or do they actually have various >> configurations of stuff. Specifically I'm wondering if I can just walk in and >> walk out with a MacBook Pro configured the way I want - the 15" 2.2GHz >> i7/standard 4 MB RAM, either the 5400 RPM 750 GB or the 7200 RPM 500 GB >> drive. BTW, I'll add a boot SSD in a few months. > > they're definitely more than a showroom but they do not do build to > order there, only the standard configurations. IIRC they sometimes have some /slight/ variants - e.g. MBPs with more RAM - but mostly they stock the online store's good/better/best/etc configurations. -- Chris

On 2011-08-31 01:34:49 +0000, Tim Lance said: > On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:52:42 -0500, Jolly Roger wrote > (in article <jollyroger-E4E7A8.19524230082011@news.individual.net>): > >> In article <9c5enmFcs7U1@mid.individual.net>, Tim Lance <nope@nada.com> >> wrote: >> >> The SSDS and RAM are things I would add afterwards myself, personally. >> You'll save money that way. >> >> > > For sure. The price for the 128 GB SSD is tempting but they give no specs. > And they want more than double for RAM than what you can get anywhere else. Except that Apple (still!) disable TRIM on after-market SSDs, so there's still some merit in getting the SSD built-in. -- Chris

On 31/08/2011 02:18, Your Name wrote: > You can of course order a build-to-order computer at the Apple Store and > return to pick it up once it has been delivered (or have it delivered to > you of course) - they simply order one via the website as you can do > yourself with the same delivery timeframes. You do have to pay for it when > ordering since they can't easily re-sell a custom computer if you simply > don't turn up to collect it. It'll often end up being re-sold on the refurb section of the Apple Store website in that case... which I mention only to remind folk that a surprising amount of the kit you can buy at a discount that way is actually brand new, for reasons such as this.