MBA-MBP purchase through Apple Store Vs. BestBuy

I was in a BestBuy store yesterday where they are selling the 13"-256GB MBA model for a $100 less than Apple through 9/17 ($1499 vs $1599) & the BestBuy employee said that it also included a $100 BB gift certificate (at least until 09/10 where it may or may not be extended he claimed) that could be applied to their Black Tie Protection.

He argued that after applying the $100 BB gift certificate toward Black Tie Protection plan that it would cost the same as Apple Care but that it would include accidental protection however for a total of 2 years instead of Apple Care's 3 yrs. He did say that if they could not repair any damage at any time during the 2 years (which could be extended he said) that a new current generation MBA would be given (even if it's a gen later than the 2011 purchased).

He said their Black Tie Protection covers everything except theft for which can be added if purchased with their credit care via some ~1.50/mo extra plan?

Thoughts on MBA-MBP purchase through Apple Store Vs. BestBuy considering this & other factors?

 

They are both going to be the same products, you are just going through a different medium to obtain it. The Best Buy deal sounds a lot better especially since they have more stores than Apple across the U.S. (meaning you would have an easier time finding a Best Buy for any warranty service).

Just a fair warning though, you have to jump through a bunch of hoops before you would ever be able to exchange the MBA for any future generation model. That includes sending your notebook off to one of their repair centers and letting them tinker with it for a few months. I would still go with the Best Buy offer since, as I said, they have more stores than Apple which would give you an easier time finding one for face-to-face service. Best Buy's Black Tie call-in center is just as bad as everyone else's but, just like Apple, the employees in the store tend to be a lot better.

Either way, I don't see any reason not to go through Best Buy since it is the better offer. On a side note, you could always buy AppleCare a year from now before it expires. Apple doesn't care which store you buy their products from, they will still sell you their warranty for them. 2-3 years is about the standard warranty time, I would be weary of increasing it beyond that simply because it will be expensive and, by the time 3 years comes around, you will have probably started looking at other systems anyway.

I have heard about Best Buy's anti-theft protection something or other. They offered it whenever I purchased my HDTV from them last year using a credit card I opened with them (that very same day in the stores) but I opted not to do it. Then again, I was dealing with a 47" LED LCD HDTV which is arguably a lot harder to take than a 13" 3lb notebook. Unless you plan on leaving your notebook unattended for periods of time, I wouldn't worry about it. The 13" MBA is light enough that you can pretty much take it anywhere. That is why I never opted for the 3rd party anti-theft warranty for my iPad 2. I can always take it with me if I feel uncomfortable about leaving it wherever I am.

 

I would definitely buy it from Best Buy (apple stores will help you regardless of where you buy it from). There is no reason to buy at apple when you can get it cheaper somewhere else.

However I would get Apple Care. The best part about buying a MBP is Apple Customer support at the stores. Its insane how good it is compared to customer support from Apple is. I for example had a small spot on my screen that was brighter then the other parts of my computer. After 5 days of trying to fix it and failing, when I called them the Apple store said that 5 days was too long so they were going to replace my computer with a current generation model. I'm not sure if they were more compliant because my last MBP looked like it did the day I bought it or not, but it was a great customer support experience. Also Apple generally knows more about their computers then best buy knows about their computers I would say.

However if you like the accidental protection plan you can get that, but I would say 3 years over 2 years is better because I mean you already get 1 year for free from Apple and that one free year includes a lot of great customer support from the Apple Store. Also I mean you can just use that $100 giftcard for something else. If Best Buy black tie is that expensive, it seems kind of questionable if its only 2 years and not 3 years like Apple Care (with one year free). Unlike another computer manufacturer you already have the convenience of taking your computer to a store. The only difference is if there isn't an Apple Store nearby. Where I live there are about as many Apple Stores as Best Buys and the Apple Store is 3 minutes closer then Best Buy. With Apple customer support I've seen them fix issues in under 5 days (and 5 days is pushing it, like I said mine took more then 5 so they gave me a new computer).

 

I agree that support in the Apple Stores tends to be a lot better than Apple's phone tech support, they would also get in-store support through Best Buy's warranty as well (something that is also better than their call center tech support).

Best Buy's warranties are generally more expensive simply because, in the end, they will offer a complete product replacement (at least that is what I have come across with their Black Tie service). You have to jump through all sorts of hoops to get it but essentially, if one experiences the same problem with a 2011 MBA three times and/or it can't be repaired a year from now, they can actually go in and exchange it for a 2012 MBA (they would actually get credit towards the upgrade to a new system in the amount that was paid for the older one). That is why the warranty is so expensive. I doubt it would ever come to that but it takes things one step further than AppleCare.

You also must live in a compact state to have so many Apple Stores near you. I currently live about 30 minutes from an Apple Store (5 minutes from Best Buy) and there other stores within a two hour drive. However, there are over 4 Best Buys within a 30 minute drive. There is only one Apple Store in my home state (New Mexico) and four others within a solid day's drive while there are three Best Buys in a 90 minute radius of where I used to live. Generally speaking, the amount of Best Buy stores greatly outnumber those of official Apple Retail stores. So, if someone travels a lot (especially to more rural areas), the Best Buy warranty would be a better option simply because they have a higher chance of being next to a Best Buy store instead of an Apple Retail store. Either warranty is going to provide the same level of service, the Best Buy one just doesn't last as long (technically speaking, it lasts the same amount of time as the AppleCare upgrade which is also only 2 years, you can just combine that with the 1 year of free AppleCare to get a total of 3 years).

 

There definitely seems to be more BestBuy stores than Apple Stores in my area. I have a couple BestBuy stores ~10 minutes away (many more if I'm willing to travel farther) with no-little hassle free parking where the Apple Store is in a mall (also ~10 min) where parking is a significant hassle or involves payment.

I still need to look into the terms & conditions of BestBuy's Black Tie Protection ( BBBTP) to make sure it really includes total protection (no loopholes) except theft as the BB rep suggests. I was hoping some here may have some experience with BestBuy's Black Tie Protection.

I was told BBBTP has to be purchased & activated within the 14 day return window but given the mobile uses of the MBA, accidental damage protection seems more carefree than Apple care alone.

Also I've been told many credit cards would offer an additional year of protection (I'll call to inquire about theft protection).

BTW, this would be for my parents (who have many young visiting grandkids from my older siblings) for whom I lately recommend Apple products like the iPhone & iPad. I would still install Windows via Boot Camp just in case my dad wants to run a Windows only app & for me to check out.

I still prefer more open Android but now with Lion have become interested in the new MBA as well at least until Win8. If the current MBA had an HD webcam I probably would gotten one for myself already. I really like the new multi-touch gestures but have a concern they might confuse my parents so if it proves to be an issue I may have to disable & enable those over time.

Any other thoughts or experiences would be appreciated, -Thanks

 

I have purchased several Macs through each of the mentioned stores as well as through Micro Center and also many used.

No matter where they are purchased you can add AppleCare up to the end of the 1st year they after they are sold.
I would never buy Applecare right away as the standard warranty affords almost complete protection anyway and I am insane about not letting them get damaged.

I am in the Electronics business too and am an Apple dealer for certian items and I can tell you that the aftermarket warranty business is purely the dealer "Printing Money" no matter what else you think or have been told.
They have to make it sound enticing or no one would buy them.
Pure Profit compared to the chance they will ever be needed in my 35 year experience.

I have also found most Portables will have problems within the first 30 days or so or not at all really so they are mostly covered by the Apple Warranty either way.

So I would find the best deal and buy that one.

Ed

 

Are you saying Best Buy's Black Tie Protection which includes accidental damage is not worth his peace of mind?

While I will certainly discuss it with my dad, I think he would want 2 year total protection with accidental coverage at 16.67% of cost especially if his office would be reimbursing him. If the MBA were for me that expenditure would be a harder choice.

 

That is essentially what they are saying, it is a waste of money. I don't see any reason to hold back on the accidental damage protection especially if he is going to be reimbursed. Might as well spend the extra money even if he never plans on using it especially since it will essentially be free.

I also disagree with most notebook problems popping up within the first 30 days. Yes, major issues with the hardware have a higher likelihood of showing their face within the first 30 days of ownership but there are other problems covered by extended warranties that take time to come out. Worn out batteries don't happen until after a year or two, hard drive/SSD failures generally don't happen for a few years unless there is something radically wrong with them, problems can come up over time from heat exposure (isn't that how the whole Nvidia GPU debacle came to be a few generations back), and various wear and tear problems don't come up until a few years.

Either way, there isn't anything holding him back from buying the accidental 2 year warranty if we will get the money back. Might as well go out especially if there are going to be grandkids involved. Kids can really mess things up. I know someone who purchased an iPad 2 from Best Buy with their accidental damage plan. Their kid was in a painting app using the stylus and then decided to bring out a purple, red, green, and black set of Sharpie markers to finish the shop. The display was completely ruined. They weren't able to clean it off in the stores so they sent it out to their repair center. They installed a new display but it wasn't working so, about 1.5 months later and a few phone calls, he was able to go in and get a new one off the shelf. Of course, he had to buy a new warranty along with his exchange so he lost the cost of that (twice) but it was still less than buying a whole new iPad 2.

 

I guess I didn't really see that this was for your parents and that children may be involved?
I would certainly look to get the most coverage I could if kids are going to be using it and sometimes parents are very much like children too.

That being said,I would never get my parents a machine without an optical drive.They likely would not need the light weight as much as the full features of the Pro I think.

Either way I do feel the warranty can be a waste of money and the amount of work required to make them stand behind it may be great.
Also like I said I know that for the store it is pure profit really during times where profit is slight on the machines themselves.

If you figure that for the price of the more expensive deal you can get the cheaper machine with more coverage then go for it.

Either way they are great machines.

Ed

 

I don't know about Best Buy warranty but the thing is with Apple if you go in with any problem they will help you right then or there and they will do their best.

Like I said before I literally had a 3mm dot on my screen that was brighter then the rest of the screen and since it took more then 5 days to fix they replaced the computer. I'm not sure if it was because my computer looked brand new or not (my old one) but it was pretty sweet. To get them to "stand behind their warranty" all I had to do was call and ask about the situation. Also for repairs and stuff if they have to order a part they'll let you wait for the part to come in.

Apple is pretty nice about honoring its warranty.

Also although an Apple Store may be farther away, I mean with Best Buy you only really can take it in when the computer is in a bad shape there is no reason to take it there other wise. Usually you should have no problems, commute shouldn't be a big deal. The Apple Store you can take it for whatever even with simple issues, but for the real issues you shouldn't have to go and/or it shouldn't be too many times.

Now the only thing is I don't know how much accidental protection is worth it to you. For me an extra year of warranty is nicer then accidental BUT I won't move my computer without putting on sleep mode, that is how paranoid I am about it, and I have to worry about other people regardless of how well I keep it.

 

Regardless of where you buy it Apple will give you the same service for it while within Warranty with them?

 

Yes. You can buy a MacBook Pro/Air (or ANY other Mac) from Best Buy, Sam's Club (if they had them), Walmart, Amazon, Newegg, Microcenter, or anyone else and Apple's standard one year warranty still applies while also giving you the option to upgrade to an additional 2 years of AppleCare (for three years total).

 

Buy it from amazon and you may get out of paying sales tax... Sign up for their credit card, it it may give you $50 off, + tripple points on the purchase which is probably another $60.

 

The $1499 Best Buy deal + $100 BB gift certificate through 09/17 still seems the best I can find & (Amazon charges NY tax-Amazon's other sellers are more expensive).

When I called a local BB to ask if they had it in stock, they told me they only had one left that they could only hold ~1hr but they should get more before 9/17 end of sale.

She also mentioned the $100 BB gift certificate could be applied to a 1 yr $149 Black Tie Protection Plan (effective cost ~$49) that includes Accidental Damage Handling coverage (that Apple Care does not) due to drops & spills (but not complete submersion in liquid e.g., pool, bathtub, flood etc.) that should be purchased within the 14 day return window which could be renewed. She said they typically fix items in 1-2 weels (not months) & if they can't fix it within a few weeks they may replace the item with a current model.

My dad said he should be reimbursed from his office up to $2000 & liked my original idea of the 128GB model + iPad but now that I will be putting Windows on there & rumored HD iPad for holiday time, 256GB $1499 model looks further consideration. If he wanted to buy the current iPad even with the $100 BB gift certificate with tax would bring us over $2000 (~$2040 without Black Tie Protection Plan with Accidental damage for MBA, +$ $2200 with), thoughts?

 

BTW, the following terms online are close but a little different from the printed copy I was given:

"Exclusions to Coverage.

This Plan does not cover: damage to your product caused by accident (unless you have purchased the optional ADH Coverage), abuse, neglect, intentional physical damage, misuse (including faulty installation, repair, or maintenance by anyone other than an authorized service provider), unauthorized modification, viruses and/or spyware (unless you have the Vi-Spy Coverage), performance failures due to not maintaining firmware updates, extreme environment (including extreme temperature or humidity), external condensation, complete submersion in liquid (e.g., pool, bathtub, etc.), lightning, static electricity, fire, flood, insect infestation, rodents, war, terrorism, computer software related failures, Acts of God or other external causes; products that have been lost or stolen (this Plan only covers products that are returned to us in their entirety); cosmetic damage to your product including but not limited to scratches, dents and broken plastic on parts, that does not otherwise affect its functionality or materially impair your use; products with a serial number that has been altered, defaced or removed; problems caused by a device that is not your product, including equipment purchased at the same time as your product; controllers, consumable parts, such as batteries, unless expressly provided for herein; damage to, or loss of any software or data residing or recorded in your product (when providing repair or replacement service, we will use reasonable efforts to reinstall your product's original software configuration and subsequent update releases, but will not provide any recovery or transfer of software or data contained on the serviced unit not originally included in your product); failures or parts and/or labor costs incurred as a result of a manufacturer's recall; fees or costs related to third-party contracts, consequential or incidental damages, including but not limited to loss of use, loss of business, loss of profits, loss of data, downtime, charges for time and effort, "no problem found" diagnoses, or failures that occurred prior to the purchase of this Plan; products used for commercial purposes unless expressly stated on your purchase receipt that this is a Commercial Plan; damage to your Xbox 360 due to Microsoft's "Red Ring of Death"; personal items left in the product (you are responsible for removing all personal items from the product before service is performed); parts and services covered under your product's manufacturer's warranty; remote control reprogramming; damage due to contact with any human or animal bodily fluids, or secondary damages. "


Full fun terms below:


"Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Plan Terms & Conditions
Buy Back Program Terms & Conditions

GEEK SQUAD BLACK TIE PROTECTION PLAN

This is a legal contract (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"). By purchasing it, you understand that it is a legal contract and acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to read the terms and conditions set forth herein. This Plan and your purchase receipt, containing the effective date and expiration date of your Plan, and the product purchase identification constitute the entire agreement between you and us.

Definitions
Throughout this Plan the words "we," "us," and "our" refer to AIG WarrantyGuard, Inc. ("AIGWG"), the Obligor of this Plan except in Oklahoma and the Administrator of this Plan. AIGWG can be contacted at 300 South Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606-6613, 1-800-250-3819. In Florida, the company obligated under the Plan is New Hampshire Insurance Company, whose address is 80 Pine Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10005, telephone 1-800-250-3819. "Best Buy" refers to Best Buy Stores, L.P. "Magnolia" refers to Magnolia Hi-Fi, Inc. The words "you" and "your" refers to the purchaser of this Plan.

A. Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Repair Coverage (GSBTP).

This Plan covers parts and labor costs to repair your product in the event your product fails to properly operate due to:
Defect in materials or workmanship
Normal wear and tear
Dust, internal overheating, internal humidity/condensation
A power surge/fluctuation
Defective pixels for those products that have a pixel-based display. Pixel repair will be based upon three (3) defective pixels located in a group less than one half (1/2) square inch or five (5) defective pixels throughout the entire display area.
If we determine in our sole discretion thatyour product cannot be repaired, we will replace it with a product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance or reimburse you for replacement of the product with a voucher or gift card, at our discretion, equal to the current market value of the product, as determined by us, not to exceed the original purchase price of your product, including taxes.
Technological advances may result in a replacement product with a lower selling price than the original product.
Replacement parts or products may be new or rebuilt to meet the manufacturer's specifications of the original product at our discretion
If your original product was delivered and/or installed by Best Buy or Geek Squad as stated on the same purchase receipt as the purchase of this Plan, and you receive a replacement product pursuant to these terms and conditions or it is necessary for us to remove your product from your home for it to be serviced, we will cover the delivery and installation costs for your replacement product or serviced product exclusive of parts such as mounting brackets, kits, etc., that may be needed to complete the installation.
Your coverage under this Plan is effective beginning on the date you purchase your product or on the date your original product was delivered to you as stated on your purchase receipt and will expire either one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4), or five (5) years from this effective date depending on the length of Plan you purchased and as stated on your purchase receipt.
Our obligations under this Plan will be fulfilled in their entirety if we replace your product or issue you a voucher or gift card for replacement of your product pursuant to these terms and conditions.
Parts replaced under the terms and conditions of this Plan become the sole property of AIGWG/Best Buy/Magnolia except where prohibited by law.
This Plan is inclusive of your product's manufacturer's warranty; it does not replace your product's manufacturer's warranty, but it does provide certain additional benefits as listed within this Plan during the term of the manufacturer's warranty.
Parts and services covered under the manufacturer's warranty during the manufacturer's warranty period or are the subject of a manufacturer's recall are the responsibility of the manufacturer and are not covered under this Plan.
After the manufacturer's warranty expires, this Plan continues to provide the benefits provided by the manufacturer's warranty (excluding manufacturer's loaner programs), as well as certain additional benefits as listed within these terms and conditions.
Coverage under this Plan may be available on a limited basis outside of the United States, for details call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.

B. Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Product Specific Repair Coverage (GSBTP).

The following coverages are provided to you under this Plan for the following products and are in addition to the coverages provided to you as stated within Section A, Coverage:
Smartphones, Personal Digital Assistants and Subscription Based Mobile Phones:
One (1) battery repair or replacement, when the original battery is defective as determined by us, in our sole discretion. You may be required to return your original defective battery to us to receive a replacement battery.
Repair or replacement, in our sole discretion, of chargers or cradles that were included with your product at the time of purchase; these products may be mailed to you and are limited to one like item per Plan term.
Appliances: In addition to the coverages for the products specifically listed in this subsection, this Plan also provides for the removal and installation of an appliance in the same location for services purposes provided that the appliance was delivered and/or installed by a Best Buy Authorized Servicer, Best Buy Authorized Installation Provider or a Geek Squad Installation Technician as stated on the same purchase receipt as the purchase of this Plan.
Premium Plan - If you have purchased the Premium Plan for Appliances, this Plan also provides for preventative maintenance and telephone trouble shooting for washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers.
The preventative maintenance checks are recommended but not limited to one (1) per year. The maximum number of preventative maintenance checks is three (3) for the three (3) year Plan and five (5) for the five (5) year Plan.
The maximum number of telephone trouble shooting is four (4) per year. Telephone trouble shooting is defined as a telephone call to inquire as to basic fundamental product usage or connectivity/installation questions at 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.
Top/Front-Loading Conventional Washers:
Parts coverage to repair the transmission or drive motor for a period of three (3) years if you purchased the three (3) year Plan or five (5) years if you purchased the five (5) year Plan beginning after the expiration of the product's manufacturer's warranty.
Washers/Dryers and Combination Washer/Dryers:
Up to a $25 reimbursement for the Standard Plan and up to a $50 reimbursement for the Premium Plan for laundry cleaning services per qualified service repair if your product is out for service for more than seven (7) consecutive days.
You are required to submit an itemized list for each laundry reimbursement claim. This claim should be mailed to: Best Buy GSBTP Repair, Laundry Credit and Food Spoilage Reimbursements, 7601 Penn Ave South, Building C-8, Richfield, MN 55423, ATTN: Reimbursements
Refrigerators and Freezers:
Parts coverage to repair the compressor for a period of three (3) years if you purchased the three (3) year Plan or five (5) years if you purchased the five (5) year Plan beginning after the expiration of the product's manufacturer's warranty.
Up to a $200 reimbursement for the Standard Plan and up to a $350 reimbursement for the Premium Plan for food spoilage due to a covered product failure.
You are entitled to one food spoilage reimbursement per covered product failure. This claim should be mailed to: Best Buy GSBTP Repair, Laundry Credit and Food Spoilage Reimbursements, 7601 Penn Ave South, Building C-8, Richfield, MN 55423, ATTN: Reimbursements.
Air Conditioners:
Sealed system coverage and parts coverage for the compressor for a period of two (2) years if you purchased the two (2) year Plan or four (4) years if you purchased the four (4) year Plan beginning after the expiration of the product's manufacturer's warranty.
Personal Computers/Home Office Equipment:
Stand Alone Battery Plan - One (1) battery repair or replacement, when the original battery is defective as determined by us, in our sole discretion, for laptop computers, MP3 players and iPods.
You may be required to return your original defective battery to us to receive a replacement battery.
Repair or replacement, in our sole discretion, of chargers, cradles, and accessories that were included with your product at the time of purchase, these products may be mailed to you and are limited to one like item per Plan term.
Standard Plan - If you have purchased the Standard Plan for Personal Computers/Home office Equipment you will receive the coverages set forth in Section A, Coverage.
You may be required to return your original defective battery to us to receive a replacement battery.
One (1) bulb replacement of your original bulb for desktop projectors during the term of this Plan.
Repair of image burn-in for computer monitors.
Repair or replacement, in our sole discretion, of chargers, cradles, and accessories that were included with your product at the time of purchase. These products may be mailed to you and are limited to one like item per Plan term.
Premium Plan - If you have purchased the Premium Plan for Computing, this Plan also provides for battery coverage, preventative maintenance, telephone trouble shooting, Vi-Spy Coverage for laptops and desktop computers. The Premium Desktop Plan is not available for Apple Computer Products or All-In-One Desktop Computers.
The preventative maintenance checks are recommended but not limited to one (1) per year. The maximum number of preventive maintenance checks is two (2) for the two (2) year Plan and three (3) for the three (3) year Plan.
The preventative maintenance checks may be performed on a carry-in basis or by a remote process by calling 1-800-GEEKSQUAD. You must have a broadband Internet connection to receive this remote service.
You may be required to return your original defective battery to us to receive a replacement battery.
Repair or replacement, in our sole discretion, of chargers, cradles, and accessories that were included with your product at the time of purchase; these products may be mailed to you and are limited to one like item per Plan term.
The maximum number of telephone trouble shooting is four (4) per year. Telephone trouble shooting is defined as a telephone call to inquire as to basic fundamental product usage or connectivity/installation questions at 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.
Home & Car Audio Products:
Head coverage for cassette decks and laser coverage for CD players in home and car stereo systems
Laser coverage for home recordable CD players.
Coverage for blown speaker components for home and car stereo speakers as a result of normal usage. Intentional abuse or misuse of your stereo that results in blown speaker components will result in denial of your claim for coverage.
Home speakers will be covered for a period of four (4) years beginning after the expiration of the manufacturer's warranty.
Removal and installation of your home audio speakers or car audio product in the same vehicle for service purposes provided that the product was installed by a Best Buy Authorized Servicer, Best Buy Authorized Installation Provider, Geek Squad Auto Tech or a Best Buy Installation Technician as stated on the same purchase receipt as the purchase of this Plan.
Preventative maintenance checks and alignments for CD players. The preventative maintenance checks are recommended but not limited to one (1) per year and on a carry-in basis only.
Musical Instruments: Coverage as stated in Section A, Coverage and is provided on a carry-in basis. Includes Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Basses, Drums, Drum Machines, Cymbals, Pedal Effects & Mics, Speakers, Pianos and Keyboards, Synthesizers, Samplers, Workstations, Midi Processors, Amps, Mixers, Monitors, Signal Processors, PA Systems, Turntables, Various Audio Players, Karaoke Machines, and Receivers.
Video Products (purchased at Best Buy or Magnolia Home Theater):
One (1) bulb replacement for DLP, Projection LCD TVs and Home Theater Projectors of your original bulb during the term of this Plan.
One (1) battery repair or replacement, when the original battery is defective as determined by us, in our sole discretion for portable DVD players that are covered by our ADH Plan.
Removal and installation of your television in the same location for services purposes provided that the television was delivered and/or installed by a Best Buy Authorized Servicer, Best Buy Authorized Installation Provider or a Geek Squad Installation Technician as stated on the same purchase receipt as the purchase of this Plan.
Head coverage for VCRs and camcorders.
Laser coverage for DVD/Blu-ray players included in covered home theater systems.
Preventative maintenance checks and alignments for CD players, DVD players, Blu-ray players, VCRs and TV/VCR/DVD combinations. The preventative maintenance checks are recommended but not limited to one (1) per year and on a carry-in basis only.
The preventative maintenance checks are limited to projection televisions and are recommended but not limited to one (1) per year. The maximum number of preventive maintenance checks is two (2) for the two (2) year Plan and four (4) for the four (4) year Plan. The preventive maintenance check will be performed at the location of your television.
Repair of image burn-in for projection plasma and LCD televisions.
Premium Plan - If you have purchased the Premium Plan for Home Theater, this Plan also provides for telephone trouble shooting and recalibration.
The maximum number of telephone trouble shooting is four (4) per year. Telephone trouble shooting is provided for those televisions 30" or larger and is limited to a maximum of four (4) per year. Telephone trouble shooting is defined as a telephone call to inquire as to basic fundamental product usage or connectivity/installation questions at 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.
Recalibration is provided for projection televisions, flat panel LCD televisions 30" and larger and plasma televisions. This benefit is recommended after each repair where your TV is reset to factory standard settings. This benefit only applies if you have purchased TV calibration from Best Buy on the same receipt as this Plan.
It is your responsibility to schedule the re-calibration after the completion of a qualified repair by calling 1-800-GEEKSQUAD. This benefit also applies if your product is replaced under the terms of this Plan by calling 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.
Photo Products:
One (1) battery repair or replacement, when the original battery is defective as determined by us, in our sole discretion, for digital camcorders and digital cameras.
You may be required to return your original defective battery to us to receive a replacement battery.
Premium Plan - If you have purchased the Premium Plan for Digital Imaging, this Plan also provides for preventative maintenance for digital SLR cameras and telephone trouble shooting for digital cameras and digital camcorders.
The preventative maintenance checks are recommended but not limited to one (1) per year.
The maximum number of preventative maintenance checks is two (2) for the two (2) year Plan and four (4) for the four (4) year Plan. This must be performed on a carry-in basis only.
The maximum number of telephone trouble shooting is four (4) per year. Telephone trouble shooting is defined as a telephone call to inquire as to basic fundamental product usage or connectivity/installation questions at 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.
Remote Controls: Coverage as stated in the Coverage section is provided on a carry-in basis.
Fitness Equipment (Treadmills/Ellipticals/Exercise Bikes/Vibration Bases):
24-hour toll-free customer assistance (1-800-GEEKSQUAD).
Service performed under this plan will be provided on an in-home basis.
This Plan also provides for preventative maintenance for Fitness Equipment.
The preventative maintenance checks are recommended but not limited to one (1) per year. The maximum number of preventive maintenance checks is two (2) for the two (2) year plan and three (3) for the three (3) year plan.

C. Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Replacement Plan Coverage (GSBTPR).

This Plan provides for the replacement of your product, or for certain categories of products, will cover parts and labor costs to repair your product in the event your product fails to properly operate due to a defect in materials or workmanship, normal wear and tear, dust, internal overheating, internal humidity/condensation, or a power surge/fluctuation. If we determine in our sole discretion that your product cannot be repaired or your product provides for replacement instead of repair, we will replace your product with a product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance or reimburse you for replacement of the product with a voucher or gift card, at our discretion, equal to the current market value of the product, as determined by us, not to exceed the original purchase price including all applicable taxes.

This Plan covers the following products: boomboxes, shelf systems, portable radios, portable cassette players, micro cassette players/recorders, portable CD players, clock radios, microphones, phones, answering machines, calculators, computer scanners, select computer printers, computer DVD/DVDRW, joysticks, select remote controls under $300, camera lenses and camera flashes under $300, printer docks, prepaid mobile phones, PC speakers, caller IDs, radar detectors, CB scanners, pagers, FRS radios, handheld vacuums, select GPS units, select MP3 players, select iPods, select gaming hardware and accessories: Xbox 360 Software, Xbox Software, PlayStation 3 Software, PlayStation 2 Software, PlayStation 1 Software, PlayStation Portable Software, Nintendo Wii Software, Nintendo DS Software, GameCube Software and Game Boy Advance and appliance housewares under $300.
Your coverage under this Plan is effective beginning on the date you purchase your product as stated on your purchase receipt and will expire either one (1) or two (2) years from this effective date depending on the length of Plan you purchased and as stated on your purchase receipt. Our obligations under this Plan will be fulfilled in their entirety if we replace your product or issue you a voucher or gift card for replacement of your product pursuant to these terms and conditions. This Plan is inclusive of your product's manufacturer's warranty; it does not replace your product's manufacturer's warranty, but it does provide certain additional benefits as listed within this Plan during the term of the manufacturer's warranty. Parts and services covered under the manufacturer's warranty during the manufacturer's warranty period or are the subject of a manufacturer's recall are the responsibility of the manufacturer and are not covered under this Plan. Accessory replacements are limited to one like item per Plan term. After the manufacturer's warranty expires, this Plan continues to provide the benefits provided by the manufacturer's warranty, as well as certain additional benefits as listed within these terms and conditions. Coverage under this Plan may be available on a limited basis outside of the United States, for details call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.

D. Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Replacement Plan Product Specific Coverage (GSBTPR).

The following coverages are provided to you under this Plan for the following products and are in addition to the coverages provided to you as stated within the Coverage section:

Video Game Software Coverage
This Plan provides coverage for products that are defective due to scratches as a result of normal use.
This Plan provides for replacement of the product found to be defective with a product that has the same title as your original video game software excluding PC games. In the event that the identical product is no longer available, you will be reimbursed the product's purchase price. Once a replacement product or reimbursement been issued, this Plan is fulfilled.
Call-in solution only. To file a claim please call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.

E. Optional Coverage. The following optional coverages are available for certain products:

Accidental Damage From Handling Coverage (ADH).
ADH Coverage is only available for the following products: laptop computers, digital cameras, digital camcorders, MP3 players, iPods, GPS units, portable video game devices, smartphones, personal digital assistants, subscription based mobile phones and portable DVD players.
If you purchase ADH Coverage, this Plan will provide you with the coverages listed in Section B, Coverage and ADH Coverage, unless you purchase stand alone ADH coverage, not available on all products.
ADH Coverage will provide coverage for parts and labor costs to repair your product as a result of damage to your product that is the result of an unexpected and unintentional external event (drops and spills) that arise from your normal daily usage of the product as the manufacturer intended. Secondary damage or using the product in a manner the manufacturer did not intend is not covered.
If your product receives two (2) repairs as the result of cracked screens or has been replaced pursuant to this ADH Coverage provision, this Plan has been fulfilled in its entirety.
ADH Coverage expires one (1), two (2), three (3), or four (4) years from the original product purchase date as stated on your purchase receipt.
Vi-Spy Coverage.
Vi-Spy Coverage is only available for laptop and desktop computers that have a current antivirus and/or antispyware protection installed.
A Geek Squad technician must verify that your computer is performing to factory specifications and is free of viruses and spyware to qualify for Vi-Spy Coverage.
Vi-Spy Coverage will provide coverage for parts and labor costs to repair your computer as a result of damage caused by viruses and/or spyware. You are responsible to provide the operating system restore disk(s) and to maintain the antivirus and antispyware protection software installed on your computer at all times.
You must ensure that your computer maintains the most current updates, patches and other required security downloads as recommended by the manufacturer. Failure to do so may result in a claim for service being denied.
Vi-Spy Coverage will be considered fulfilled in its entirety when the virus and/or spyware is removed from your computer and your computer is restored and able to operate in a functional non-infected manner, or we issue you a refund for the Vi-Spy Coverage as stated herein.
In the event we are unable to remove the virus and/or spyware from your computer we will issue you a refund in the form of a gift card or voucher equal to the price you paid for the Vi-Spy Coverage plus applicable sales tax. The No Lemon Policy does not apply to damage caused by virus and/or spyware.
In the event you purchased the Premium Plan, your Vi-Spy coverage remains active for the term of your Plan as stated on your receipt.
F. No Lemon Policy:

After three (3) qualified service repairs have been completed on an individual product and that individual product requires a fourth (4th) qualified repair, as determined by us, we will replace it with a product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance or reimburse you for replacement of the product with a voucher or gift card, at our discretion, equal to the current market value of the product, as determined by us not to exceed the original purchase price of your product, including taxes. Replacement products may be new or rebuilt to meet the manufacturer's specifications of the original product at our discretion. Technological advances may result in a replacement product with a lower-selling price than the original product. For clearance, open-box and other products originally purchased at a discount, we reserve the right to issue a gift card or voucher for the current purchase price plus tax of a comparable product. The original product and purchase receipts must be returned to Best Buy along with authorized service repair receipts from three (3) separate completed service repairs to qualify. One (1) service request number, requiring functional part(s) repair/replacement or technician required adjustment is the equivalent of one (1) repair. Keep your service receipts! Copies of service receipts cannot be provided by us. Preventative maintenance checks, consumer requested alignments, bulb replacements, cleanings, product diagnosis, customer education, troubleshooting/telephone diagnosis, accessory repairs/replacements, ice makers, computer keyboards, speakers, headphones or ear buds, laptop batteries, mouse repairs/replacements, computer software related problems, no fault found diagnosis and repairs done outside the U.S.A. are not considered repairs for the purposes of the No Lemon Policy. This benefit does not apply to Renewal Plans.

G. Exclusions to Coverage.

This Plan does not cover: damage to your product caused by accident (unless you have purchased the optional ADH Coverage), abuse, neglect, intentional physical damage, misuse (including faulty installation, repair, or maintenance by anyone other than an authorized service provider), unauthorized modification, viruses and/or spyware (unless you have the Vi-Spy Coverage), performance failures due to not maintaining firmware updates, extreme environment (including extreme temperature or humidity), external condensation, complete submersion in liquid (e.g., pool, bathtub, etc.), lightning, static electricity, fire, flood, insect infestation, rodents, war, terrorism, computer software related failures, Acts of God or other external causes; products that have been lost or stolen (this Plan only covers products that are returned to us in their entirety); cosmetic damage to your product including but not limited to scratches, dents and broken plastic on parts, that does not otherwise affect its functionality or materially impair your use; products with a serial number that has been altered, defaced or removed; problems caused by a device that is not your product, including equipment purchased at the same time as your product; controllers, consumable parts, such as batteries, unless expressly provided for herein; damage to, or loss of any software or data residing or recorded in your product (when providing repair or replacement service, we will use reasonable efforts to reinstall your product's original software configuration and subsequent update releases, but will not provide any recovery or transfer of software or data contained on the serviced unit not originally included in your product); failures or parts and/or labor costs incurred as a result of a manufacturer's recall; fees or costs related to third-party contracts, consequential or incidental damages, including but not limited to loss of use, loss of business, loss of profits, loss of data, downtime, charges for time and effort, "no problem found" diagnoses, or failures that occurred prior to the purchase of this Plan; products used for commercial purposes unless expressly stated on your purchase receipt that this is a Commercial Plan; damage to your Xbox 360 due to Microsoft's "Red Ring of Death"; personal items left in the product (you are responsible for removing all personal items from the product before service is performed); parts and services covered under your product's manufacturer's warranty; remote control reprogramming; damage due to contact with any human or animal bodily fluids, or secondary damages.

H. Obtaining Repair or Replacement Service.

To obtain service under this Plan, you can access Geek Squad ? Computers, Home Theaters, Appliances, Online Support & More or call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you have purchased a Plan which provides for in-home service you will need to arrange for nationwide factory authorized in-home service on major appliances, applicable air conditioners, desktop computers, over the range microwaves, and TVs 30" and larger, and we will include a fault diagnosis during this call to clarify the problem prior to scheduling any in-home service. Service performed in-home will be done during regular business hours. Premium Plan for computing will only be in home when necessary.
If you have purchased the Computing Premium Plan for your desktop and the fault diagnosis indicates that the problem is related to a peripheral, such as keyboard or mouse, and such peripheral necessitates replacement, then the replacement item may be mailed to you for self installation. All other Plan repairs, including those on peripherals (scanners, printers), will be performed on a carry-in basis and must be arranged through a Best Buy store.
Repairs or replacements will be performed at our discretion by a Best Buy service center or authorized third party service provider.
In some cases, you may be required to ship your product for repair at our cost. Be sure you have the original purchase receipt or exchange receipt available so that your claim can be processed.
Replacement parts utilized for repair service will be, at our sole discretion, new, rebuilt or non-original manufacturer's parts that perform to the factory specifications of the product.
If we determine in our sole discretion, that your product cannot be repaired, we will replace it with a product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance or reimburse you for replacement of the product with a voucher or gift card, at our sole discretion, equal to the current market value of the product, as determined by us, not to exceed the original purchase price of your product, including taxes.
You have up to ninety (90) days from the date of our authorization to you to complete your product replacement transaction.
Technological advances may result in a replacement product with a lower selling price than the original product.
In some situations, product replacements will be fulfilled by replacing a defective component of the product such as a power supply or earbuds if such components were originally included with your product; these products may be mailed to you and are limited to one like item per Plan term.
We may require you to secure your replacement product or part with a credit card number until we receive the defective product or part from you. If we do not receive your defective product or part, your credit card may be charged the value of the replacement product or part.
You must provide a safe, non-threatening environment for our technicians to receive service. Some products may need to be removed from the home to be repaired.
To obtain repair or replacement service outside the United States or Canada, call the international prefix of the country you are calling from, then the U.S. country code, then 800-556-56565. International service does not provide for in-home/on-site service, preventative maintenance checks, ADH Coverage, Vi-Spy coverage, nor does it qualify as a repair under the No Lemon Policy.
If you are paying for this Plan on a monthly basis, your payments must be current to receive any services under this Plan.
A service order disclaimer must be signed to obtain repairs. This service order disclaimer does not form a part of this Plan and is a separate legal document. Please refer to the service order disclaimer as additional terms/conditions may apply.
ou may be charged a diagnosis fee to determine the cause of the product failure. If it is determined that the cause of the product failure is covered under either the manufacturer's warranty or these terms and conditions, the diagnosis fee will be refunded to you.


I. Availability of Services:

While we try to complete service as quickly as possible, we are not responsible for delays caused by factors beyond our control, including but not limited to manufacturer delays, parts availability, shipping to a regional service facility, Acts of God or other external causes.

J. Purchaser Records.

You must have this Plan and all original purchase/exchange/service receipts to receive service under this Plan.

K. Web/Customer Service Portal:

You may access Protection Plans - Geek Squad to view your Plan; for self help or troubleshooting, review tips and general questions.

L. Limits of Liability:

For any single claim, the limit of liability under this Plan is the lesser of the cost of (1) authorized repairs, (2) replacement with a product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance, or (3) reimbursement for authorized repairs or replacement. The total liability under this Plan is the current market value of the product, as determined by us, not to exceed the original purchase price of your product, including taxes. Technological advances may result in a replacement product with a lower selling price than the original product. In the event that the total of all authorized repairs exceeds the current market value of the product or we replace the product, we shall have satisfied all obligations owed under the Plan.

M. Renewable.

Most Plans are renewable before expiration. If this Plan is renewable, its terms and conditions may vary from these terms and conditions. Renewal inquiries or purchases can be made by calling 1-800-GEEKSQUAD.

N. Transferable.

This Plan is transferable to another owner for the product identified by the serial number on this Plan. There are no restrictions to transfer your Plan provided your Plan is valid. There are no charges to transfer this Plan. The original purchase receipts, as well as any service repair receipts or exchange receipts, must be transferred to the new owner. Call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD or visit your nearest Best Buy store.

O.No Deductibles.There are no deductibles under this Plan.

P. Cancellation.

There are no fees to cancel this Plan. This Plan will be canceled by us for fraud, material misrepresentation or nonpayment of the monthly Plan fee if you have purchased a monthly bill Plan. In the event of cancellation by us, written notice of cancellation will be mailed to you not less than sixty (60) days before cancellation is effective. If we cancel this Plan, you will receive a pro-rata refund of the price you paid for the Plan based on the percentage of the Plan's unexpired term, less the cost of any service provided. This Plan can be canceled by you at any time for any reason by canceling at a store or sending in a notice of cancellation to us. If you cancel within thirty (30) days of your Plan's purchase or receipt of this Plan, whichever occurs later, you will receive a full refund of the price paid for the Plan less the value of any service provided to you under this Plan. If you cancel more than thirty (30) days after your receipt of this Plan, you will receive a pro rata refund of the price you paid for the Plan based on the percentage of the Plan's unexpired term, less the cost of any service provided. If you have purchased a monthly bill Plan, it may take up to sixty (60) days for the cancellation to be reflected on your credit card statement. Mail cancellation request along with this document and all original receipts to:

AIGWG
Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Plan
P.O. Box 9312
Minneapolis, MN 55440-9312
ATTN: Customer Care

Q. Insurance Securing this Plan.

This Plan is not a contract of insurance. This Plan is secured by an insurance policy provided by Illinois National Insurance Company, 80 Pine St, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10005 and telephone number 1-800-250-3819 or New Hampshire Insurance Company, 80 Pine St, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10038 and telephone number 1-800-250-3819 depending on the state in which you reside. If, within sixty (60) days, we have not paid a covered claim, provided you with a refund or you are otherwise dissatisfied, you may make a claim directly to the insurance company.

STATE VARIATIONS

The following state variations shall control if inconsistent with any other terms and conditions:

ARIZONA RESIDENTS: If your written notice of cancellation is received prior to the expiration date, the Administrator shall refund the remaining pro-rata price, regardless of prior services rendered under the Plan. The pre-existing condition exclusion does not apply to conditions occurring prior to the sale of the consumer product by the Obligor, its assignees, subcontractors and/or representatives.

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: For all products other than home appliances and home electronic products, the Cancellation provision is amended as follows: If the Plan is canceled: (a) within sixty (60) days of the receipt of this Plan, you shall receive a full refund of the price paid for the Plan provided no service has been performed, or (b) after sixty (60) days, you will receive a pro rata refund, less the cost of any service received. National Electronics Warranty Corporation ("NEW") is the administrator. NEW can be contacted at: P.O. Box 1543, Ashburn, Virginia, 20146-1543.

CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS: The expiration date of this Plan shall automatically be extended by the duration that the product is in our custody while being repaired. In the event of a dispute with the Administrator, you may contact The State of Connecticut, Insurance Department, PO Box 816, Hartford, CT 06142-0816, Attn: Consumer Affairs. The written complaint must contain a description of the dispute, the purchase price of the product, the cost of repair of the product and a copy of the Plan.

FLORIDA RESIDENTS: The Plan shall be cancelled by us for fraud or material misrepresentation, including but not limited to commercial or rental use. Unauthorized repair or replacement of covered equipment shall result in the cancellation of the Plan by us. In the event of cancellation by us, written notice of cancellation shall be mailed to you not less than sixty (60) days before cancellation is effective. This Plan can be cancelled by you at any time for any reason by emailing, mailing or delivering to us notice of cancellation. If the Plan is cancelled: (a) within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the Plan, you shall receive a full refund of the price paid for the Plan provided no service has been performed, or (b) after thirty (30) days, you will receive a refund based on 100% of unearned pro rata premium less any claims that have been paid or less the cost of repairs made by us. If we cancel the Plan, the return premium is based upon 100% of the unearned pro rata premium. If we determine in our sole discretion that your product cannot be repaired or your product provides for replacement instead of repair, we will replace your product with a product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance or reimburse you for replacement of the product with a check, at our discretion, equal to the current market value of the product, as determined by us, not to exceed the original purchase price including all applicable taxes. This Plan can be cancelled by you at any time for any reason by surrendering or providing written notice to the retailer at the address where you purchased this Plan or to the administrator.

GEORGIA RESIDENTS: This Plan shall be non-cancelable by us except for fraud, material misrepresentation, or failure to pay consideration due therefore. The cancellation shall be in writing and shall conform to the requirements of Code 33-24-44. You may cancel at any time upon demand and surrender of the Plan and we shall refund the excess of the consideration paid for the Plan above the customary short rate for the expired term of the Plan. This Plan excludes coverage for incidental and consequential damages and pre-existing conditions only to the extent such damages or conditions are known to you or reasonably should have been known to you.

ILLINOIS RESIDENTS: This Plan is secured by an insurance policy provided by Illinois National Insurance Company, 80 Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10005. Telephone 1-800-250-3819. You may cancel this Plan: a) within thirty (30) days after its purchase if no service has been provided and a full refund of the Plan price, less a cancellation fee not to exceed the lesser of ten percent (10%) of the Plan price or fifty dollars ($50.00); or b) at any other time and a pro rata refund of the Plan price for the unexpired term of the Plan, based on the number of elapsed months less the value of any service received, and the cancellation fee not to exceed the lesser of ten percent (10%) of the Plan price or fifty dollars ($50.00).

NEVADA RESIDENTS: If the plan is cancelled, no deduction shall be made from the refund for the cost of any service received. This Plan may be cancelled due to unauthorized repair which results in a material change in the nature or extent of the risk, occurring after the first effective date of the current policy, which causes the risk of loss to be substantially and materially increased beyond that contemplated at the time the policy was issued or last renewed.

NEW MEXICO RESIDENTS: If this Plan has been in force for a period of seventy (70) days, we may not cancel before the expiration of the Plan term or one (1) year, whichever occurs first, unless: (1) you fail to pay any amount due; (2) you are convicted of a crime which results in an increase in the service required under the Plan; (3) you engage in fraud or material misrepresentation in obtaining this Plan; (4) you commit any act, omission, or violation of any terms of this Plan after the effective date of this Plan which substantially and materially increase the service required under this Plan; or (5) any material change in the nature or extent of the required service or repair occurs after the effective date of this Plan and causes the required service or repair to be substantially and materially increased beyond that contemplated at the time you purchased this Plan. NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS: The purchase of this Plan is not required either to purchase or to obtain financing for a home appliance. OKLAHOMA RESIDENTS: THIS PLAN IS NOT ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER OR WHOLESALE COMPANY MARKETING THE PRODUCT COVERED BY THIS PLAN. THIS PLAN WILL NOT BE HONORED BY SUCH MANUFACTURER OR WHOLESALE COMPANY. IF EITHER YOU OR WE CANCEL THIS PLAN, THE RETURN OF THE PLAN PRICE WILL BE BASED UPON ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (100%) OF THE UNEARNED PRO RATA PRICE OF THE PLAN, LESS THE COST OF ANY SERVICE RECEIVED. BEST BUY IS THE OBLIGOR UNDER THIS PLAN.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS: To prevent any further damage, please refer to the owner's manual. In the event the service Plan provider does not provide covered service within (60) days of proof of loss by the Plan holder, the Plan holder is entitled to apply directly to the Insurance Company. If the Insurance Company does not resolve such matters within sixty (60) days of proof of loss, they may contact the SC Department of Insurance, P.O. Box 100105, Columbia, SC 29202-3105, 1-800-768-3467.

TEXAS RESIDENTS: If you purchased this Plan in Texas, unresolved complaints concerning a provider or questions concerning the registration of a service Plan provider may be addressed to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, P.O. Box 12157, Austin, Texas 78711, telephone number 512-463-2906 or 1-800-803-9202. You may apply for reimbursement directly to the insurer if a refund or credit is not paid before the forty-sixth (46th) day after the date on which the Plan is returned to the provider.

UTAH RESIDENTS: NOTICE. This plan is subject to limited regulation by the Utah Insurance Department. To file a complaint, contact the Utah Insurance Department Coverage afforded under this Plan is not guaranteed by the Utah Property and Casualty Guarantee Association. This Plan may be cancelled due to unauthorized repair which results in a material change in the nature or extent of the risk, occurring after the first effective date of the current policy, which causes the risk of loss to be substantially and materially increased beyond that contemplated at the time the policy was issued or last renewed. Failure to notify within the prescribed time will not invalidate the claim if you can show that notification was not reasonably possible. If we cancel this Plan due to fraud or material misrepresentation, you will be notified 30 days prior to the Plan cancellation. If we cancel this Plan due to non-payment, you will be notified 10 days prior to the plan cancellation.

WASHINGTON RESIDENTS: You may apply directly to the insurance company.

WISCONSIN RESIDENTS: THIS PLAN IS SUBJECT TO LIMITED REGULATION BY THE WISCONSIN OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE. This Plan shall not be cancelled due to unauthorized repair of the covered equipment, unless we are prejudiced by your failure to obtain such authorization. We will not exclude unauthorized repair of the covered equipment, unless we are prejudiced by your failure to obtain such authorization. If you cancel this Plan, no deduction shall be made from the refund for the cost of any service received. This Plan is backed by a contractual liability policy with limits of liability of $5,000 per claim and $25,000 in aggregate per Plan.

WYOMING RESIDENTS: A ten percent (10%) penalty per month shall be added to a refund that is not paid or credited within forty-five (45) days after return of the Plan to us.

TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP

Call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD or bring to your local Best Buy Store

Date of Transfer (__________/____________/___________)
Name of Original Owner:
Name of New Owner:
New Owner's Address:
Original Owner's Signature:
New Owner's Signature:
We the above signers hereby acknowledgethe transfer of this Plan.
101954 (7/09)
BEST BUY BUY BACK PROGRAM AGREEMENT

This Best Buy Buy Back Program Agreement (the "Agreement") is a legal contract that governs the Best Buy Buy Back Program ("Plan"). The Agreement is between the individual that has purchased the Plan, ("you" or "your") and Chartis WarrantyGuard, Inc. ("CWG"). CWG is the obligor of the Plan and responsible for fulfilling the obligations of the Plan. Best Buy Stores, L.P. ("Best Buy") is the retailer from which you purchased this Plan and the related Device. Throughout this Agreement, the words "we", "us" and "our" refer to CWG. By purchasing the Plan, you acknowledge that this is a legal contract and you have had the opportunity to read the terms and conditions set forth in it. This Agreement and your purchase receipt comprise the entire agreement relating to the Plan. The sale and fulfillment of this Plan is only available in the United States.

1. DEFINITIONS. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings for purposes of this Agreement:

(a) BUY BACK AMOUNT. The amount that you will receive in the form of value on a Best Buy® Gift Card in exchange for you selling your Device to CWG and CWG buying the Device from you within the Plan Period, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The Plan Period is subdivided into a number of sub-periods ("Term Periods"), as described in this Agreement. The Buy Back Amount changes based on both the Term Period when you sell your Device under the Plan and the condition of the Device at the time of such sale as described in Paragraph 9.
(b) DEVICE. The consumer electronics product covered by this Agreement.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE. The date that you are eligible to submit a claim for a Buy Back Amount beginning thirty-one (31) days after the Purchase Date.
(d) EXPIRATION DATE. The last date upon which you may initiate a claim for the Buy Back Amount under the terms of the Plan.
(e) ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE. The price of the Device is the purchase price you paid for your Device minus any coupons, rebates, savings or price reductions, as documented on your purchase receipt. For Devices that are mobile phones, the original purchase price means the Best Buy retail price prior to any specific carrier based rebates, offers, discounts or promotions. In addition, for Devices that are mobile phones, this Plan may only be utilized for mobile phones that are under a carrier contract.
(f) PURCHASE DATE. The date that you purchase the Plan.
(g) PLAN PERIOD. The time period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the Expiration Date (the "Plan Period"), during which the Plan is valid. The Plan Period indicates the amount of time that you have to initiate a claim for the Buy Back Amount under the Plan.
(h) QUALIFIED TELEVISIONS. Televisions with an Original Purchase Price of less than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00).
(i) PLAN FEE. The amount that you pay to purchase the Plan.
(j) TERM PERIOD. There are four (4) Term Periods, each six (6) months long, except for Qualified Televisions, which has a fifth (5th ) Term Period of an additional twenty-four (24) months.
2. SCHEDULE OF DEVICE, TERM PERIOD AND BUY BACK AMOUNT:

(a) Laptop Computers, Tablet Computers, Mobile Cellular Telephones:

Term Period:*

1: 6 Months from Effective Date

2: After 6 Months to 12 Months from Effective Date

3: After 12 Months to 18 Months from Effective Date

4: After 18 Months to 24 Months from Effective Date

Buy Back Amount: **

Up to 50% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

Up to 40% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

Up to 30% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

Up to 20% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

(b) Qualified Televisions:

Term Period:*

1: 6 Months from Effective Date

2: After 6 Months to 12 Months from Effective Date

3: After 12 Months to 18 Months from Effective Date

4: After 18 Months to 24 Months from Effective Date

5: After 24 Months to 48 Months from Effective Date

Buy Back Amount: **

Up to 50% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

Up to 40% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

Up to 30% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

Up to 20% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

Up to 10% of the Original Purchase Price of Device

*Your Device does not qualify for a Buy Back Amount outside of these Term Periods
** Buy Back Amount is subject to the terms of Section 9

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN. The Plan allows you to sell to CWG, and CWG hereby agrees to buy, the Device at the Buy Back Amount during the Plan Period according to the schedule and the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

4. RECEIPT AND PHOTO ID REQUIRED. You will be required to have a Best Buy receipt and a government issued photo identification to initiate your claim for a Buy Back Amount. The receipt must include both your Device and unique Plan identification showing that you purchased both the Plan and the related Device. Your Device and Plan purchase must be on the same receipt to redeem. You must also present a government issued photo identification to confirm your identity as the purchaser of the Device and Plan.

5. WHEN YOU ARE READY TO CLAIM YOUR BUY BACK AMOUNT. You will need to return to a Best Buy store location with the Device and all manufacturer's accessories which came with the Device along with your original receipt documenting your purchase of the Plan and the Device and government issued photo identification. You will be required to sign an acknowledgment of transfer of ownership of the Device to the effect that: you are the rightful owner of the Device; all information you have provided is accurate; the transaction is final; it is your responsibility to remove all data from the Device; and you release CWG and Best Buy from any and all claims arising out of the transfer of the Device. This will also serve to notify you that after purchasing the Device from you, CWG intends on placing the Device in secondary retail markets where the Device will be sold to consumers and/or businesses.

6. TIME OF ESSENCE; FAILURE TO EXERCISE. Time is of the essence in this Agreement and is a material term of the Agreement. The Buy Back Amount decreases over time and if you fail to initiate a claim for the Buy Back Amount within the allotted Plan Period then your Plan will expire on the day after the Expiration Date as described in your Plan description on your original purchase receipt. After the Expiration Date you will no longer have the ability to sell your Device to CWG and receive a Buy Back Amount and CWG and Best Buy will no longer have any obligations to you under this Agreement and the Plan has no value after the Expiration Date.

7. RETENTION OF PLAN FEE; PAYMENT OF BUY BACK AMOUNT.

(a) RETENTION OF PLAN FEE. The Plan Fee will only be returned to you upon a cancellation of this Plan subject to these terms and conditions. See Paragraph 10 for specific details.
(b) PAYMENT OF BUY BACK AMOUNT. Payment of the Buy Back Amount to you by CWG constitutes fulfillment of all of CWG's and Best Buy's obligations under this Agreement and terminates this Agreement.
(c) TIMING OF PAYMENT OF THE BUY BACK AMOUNT. Payment of the Buy Back Amount by CWG shall be made following receipt of the Device by CWG, subject to the Acceptance Testing set forth in Paragraph 9. Upon CWG's successful completion of Acceptance Testing your Buy Back Amount will be paid in full in the form of value on a Best Buy Gift Card based on the schedule of Term Periods, the corresponding Buy Back Amounts, and the condition of the Device as described in Paragraph 9. At that time, all rights, title and interest regarding the Device will transfer to CWG.
(d) SALES TAX. You are responsible for paying and accounting for any sales tax that may be applicable to you in your home state for the sale of the Device to CWG. CWG and Best Buy make no representations or warranties regarding your possible sales tax liabilities for this transaction. All sales tax liabilities for your sale of the Device to CWG are solely your responsibility.
8. MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, NO WARRANTY, LOSS. You assume all obligations and liability with respect to the possession of the Device, and for its use, condition, and storage during the Plan Period. You will, at your own expense, maintain the Device in good condition and working order. You agree to comply with all requirements necessary to enforce all Device manufacturer warranty and service plan rights, and if the Device breaks while under manufacturer warranty or a service plan, you agree to cause the manufacturer or service plan issuer to perform the appropriate repairs before you initiate a claim for your Buy Back Amount pursuant to this Agreement. CWG will not be under any liability or obligation in any manner to provide service, maintenance, repairs, or parts for the Device. At all times prior to receipt of the Device by CWG, the risk of loss of the Device shall be on you. The risk of loss shall transfer to CWG upon acceptance of the Device by CWG or its assent following the testing described in Paragraph 9.

9. ACCEPTANCE TESTING. If you initiate a claim for the Buy Back Amount in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, CWG, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to adjust the Buy Back Amount according to the following grading system as part of its inspection of the Device ("Acceptance Testing"). PLEASE NOTE that CWG will not make a claim on any manufacturer warranty or service plan on your behalf at any point in time. You must make any manufacturer warranty or service plan claim prior to initiating a claim for the Buy Back Amount. The three condition grades used in the Acceptance Testing are as follows:

(a) GOOD or FAIR. The Device is fully functional with no technical problems, with only a few scratches due to normal use. If CWG grades, in its sole discretion, the condition of the Device as Good or Fair, no adjustment will be made to the Buy Back Amount.
(b) POOR. The Device has one or more of the following issues: 1. The Device has sustained minor functional damage or product failure that can be easily repaired; 2. The Device has more than normal visible wear and tear, including, but not limited to, cracks, dents, scratches, dirt and user-added stickers. If CWG grades, in its sole discretion, the condition of the Device as Poor, the Buy Back Amount will be adjusted down by 50%.
(c) SUBSTANTIALLY IMPAIRED. The Device has one or more of the following issues: 1. The Device has functional damage or product failure that affects its ability to perform its function or impairs its use and cannot be easily repaired; 2. The Device has been recalled by its manufacturer and has not been repaired or replaced prior to sending it to CWG; 3. The Device has water damage or damage from bodily fluids; 4. The Device shows indications of a serial number modification; 5. The Device has insect/rodent infestation, damage. All damage described above must be repaired either under manufacturer warranty or service plan, or at your own cost, before providing the Device to CWG. The Device will not be accepted in Substantially Impaired condition and CWG will retain the Plan Fee you paid. If the Device is considered to be Substantially Impaired, the Device will be considered a Rejected Device as provided in Paragraph 11.
SCHEDULE OF BUY BACK AMOUNT AS ADJUSTED TO ACCOUNT FOR ACCEPTANCE TESTING*

TVs, Laptops, Tablets & Mobile Phones

TVs Only

Acceptance Testing Condition Grade

6 Months from Effective Date

After 6 Months to 12 Months from Effective Date

After 12 Months to 18 Months from Effective Date

After 18 Months to 24 Months from Effective Date

After 24 Months to 48 Months from Effective Date

Good or Fair

Up to 50%

Up to 40%

Up to 30%

Up to 20%

Up to 10%

Poor

Up to 25%

Up to 20%

Up to 15%

Up to 10%

Up to 5%

Substantially Impaired

0

0

0

0

0

* The Buy Back Amount is expressed as a percentage of the Original Purchase Price of the Device. The Buy Back Amount may be reduced from that listed in the schedule due to missing or inoperable accessories or included items, as provided for in the paragraph below.

Accessories and Included Items. The Device is expected to be returned with all original accessories and included items ("Accessories"). These include, but are not limited to, original software, power adapters, cables, pedestals (TV), remotes and batteries. Each Accessory is expected to be in good condition and in working order. Buy Back Amounts will be further reduced at the sole discretion of CWG by the replacement value of each such Accessory that is either not included with your Device or is not in good condition or in working order regardless of the Acceptance Testing Condition Grade that is ultimately assigned to your Device. As a result, even if your Device is assigned an Acceptance Testing Condition Grade of Good or Fair, your Buy Back Amount will be reduced by the replacement value of each such Accessory that is either not included with your Device or is not in good condition or in working order.

10. CANCELLATION. There are no fees to cancel the Plan. This Plan will be cancelled by us for fraud or material misrepresentation, as determined by us. In the event of cancellation by us, written notice of cancellation will be mailed to you not less than sixty (60) days before the cancellation is effective. If we cancel the Plan, you will receive a pro-rata refund of the Plan Fee based on the percentage of the Plan's unexpired Plan Period. If you cancel within thirty (30) days of your Plan's Purchase Date, you will receive a full refund of the Plan Fee. If you cancel more than thirty (30) days after the Purchase Date, you will receive a pro rata refund of the Plan Fee based on the percentage of the Plan's unexpired Plan Period.

With respect to a Device that is a mobile phone, if you have cancelled your contract with the mobile phone carrier, during the mobile phone carrier's product return or exchange period, then you are not eligible to receive a Buy Back Amount but, instead, may cancel the Plan and receive a pro-rata refund of the Plan according to this Paragraph of the Agreement. You are solely responsible for any and all penalty fees, activation charges, early termination and similar such charges imposed by your wireless carrier because of the cancellation of your contract with your mobile phone carrier. All cancellations will need to be done at Best Buy store location and with all original receipts.

11. REJECTED DEVICE. If the Device is considered to be a Rejected Device you will be given your Rejected Device back for you to do with it as you choose. The Rejected Device may be eligible for Best Buy's Electronics Recycling Program. You are responsible for additional charges that apply should you elect to participate in the Best Buy Electronics Recycling Program.

12. OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

(a) DEVICE PURCHASED CONCURENTLY WITH THS PLAN. You warrant that you are the legal and beneficial owner of the Device as of the Purchase Date of this Agreement. You further warrant that you have purchased the Device concurrently with the Plan, and agree that the terms of this Agreement cover only the Device and NOT any similar or alternative Device except as specified in Paragraph 12(g). CWG reserves the right to terminate the Plan for individuals who have not purchased the Device concurrently with the purchase of the Plan.
(b) PURCHASER RECORDS. You may be asked to provide information from your purchase receipt as a condition for receiving the Buy Back Amount under the Plan. YOUR ORIGINAL SALES RECEIPT SHOULD BE KEPT WITH THIS AGREEMENT IN A SAFE PLACE.
(c) TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS. In order for the Plan to be valid and effective, the actual technical specifications of the Device must match the technical specifications, including the model number ("Technical Specifications") of the Device you purchased for the Plan, except as specified in Paragraph 12(g). In cases where Paragraph 12 (g) does not apply and the actual specifications of the Device you bring to a Best Buy Store location do not match the specifications of the Device covered by the Plan, or if the purchase receipt cannot be produced or does not match the device you provided, the Device will be considered a Rejected Device, as provided in Paragraph 11.
(d) PERSONAL DATA, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. You hereby acknowledge that it is your responsibility to remove all personal data (e.g., files, photos, videos, music, etc.), confidential, trade secret, and/or proprietary information from the Device prior to initiating a claim for the Buy Back Amount. You agree that CWG and Best Buy and the respective parent companies and affiliates, are not responsible for the loss or destruction of the hardware or media containing any personal data left on or in the Device. You understand and agree that any data or files stored within the Device will be unrecoverable. To the extent permitted by applicable law, you hereby release us, Best Buy, and the parent companies, and affiliates, from and against any liability arising out of or related to the deletion of any data or files from the Device and the non-availability of the Device after it has been accepted by CWG.
(e) PERSONAL USE OF DEVICE ONLY. This Agreement may only be purchased for Devices that are utilized for personal, family or household use only and is not eligible for purchases of Devices that are utilized for commercial purposes.
(f) EXEMPTION FROM EXPIRATION DATE. You may qualify for an exemption from the Expiration Date if the Device is being repaired or replaced by a manufacturer under its warranty or a service plan provider or through a recall process by a manufacturer during the Expiration Date. To qualify for this exemption, you must complete all of the following:
(i) Notify CWG, at a Best Buy store location, that the Device is being repaired under warranty or a service plan or has been recalled by its manufacturer, within three (3) days of sending or delivering the Device to the manufacturer or service plan repairer/issuer and before the Expiration Date; and
(ii) Bringing the Device to a Best Buy store location within three (3) days of receiving it from the manufacturer or service plan repairer/issuer; and
(iii) Included with the Device to CWG the paperwork on either (I) the warranty return from the manufacturer warranty or service plan issuer or (II) the recall from the manufacturer, which identifies the date you sent or delivered the Device to the manufacturer or service plan repairer/issuer and the date you received the repaired Device from the manufacturer or service plan repairer/issuer.
(g) EXEMPTION FROM TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS. You may also qualify for an exemption from the Technical Specification requirements in Paragraph 12(c) if the Device is replaced by a manufacturer or service plan provider or through a recall process by a manufacturer. To qualify for this exemption, you must complete all of the following:
(i) Notify CWG, at a Best Buy store location, of the change in serial numbers within ten (10) days of receiving the replacement Device; and
(ii) Include the original paperwork for the manufacturer or service plan replacement or recall replacement from the manufacturer or service plan repairer/issuer from the manufacturer or service plan repairer/issuer clearly identifying the old serial number of the Device and the new serial number of the Device when providing the Device to CWG.
(h) PLAN ADMINISTRATION. Your rights under these terms and conditions, including, without limitation, the payment of any Buy Back Amount, are expressly contingent upon your complete and full compliance with each and every one of the requirements set forth in this Agreement. All eligibility and other matters relating to your purchase or use of the Plan will be determined by CWG, in its sole discretion, and each such determination will be binding on you.
(i) TRANSFERABLE. The Plan is not transferable to another owner of the Device.
(j) EXCLUSIONS. This Agreement and the Plan is not an insurance policy, warranty or service contract and does not provide coverage for Devices that have been lost, stolen (the Plan is only for Devices that are provided to us during the Plan Period) or for the repair or replacement of damaged Devices. The Plan does not cover failures or parts and/or labor costs incurred as a result of a manufacturer's recall; fees or costs related to third-party contracts, consequential or incidental damages, including but not limited to loss of use, loss of business, loss of profits, loss of data, down-time, charges for time and effort, or failures that occurred prior to the purchase of the Plan.
13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, CWG'S AND BEST BUY'S TOTAL LIABILITY (WHETHER IN CONTRACT, WARRANTY, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE, PRODUCT LIABILITY OR STRICT LIABILITY), OR OTHERWISE), ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE PLAN SHALL NOT EXCEED THE BUY BACK AMOUNT PAYABLE TO YOU FOR THE DEVICE GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM. Some states do not allow the limitation of liability, so the foregoing may not apply to you."

 

Yeah, I don't think anyone is going to read that. As for what your Dad you should do, that is all up to him. The idea of an "HD iPad" has been floating around the internets for a while ever since the iPad 2 was released without that patented "retina display." Ever since the iPhone 4 came out, people were expecting some high resolution iPad with something similar. Right now, ARM technology just isn't there to drive something like that. I forget what the resolution would have to be but I calculated it out one day and it was around 2048X1536.

Essentially the iPad would need a quad-core ARM processor just to drive apps at that resolution without skimping on the details and, unless Apple decides to upgrade the iPad line sooner instead of falling within the ~1 year timeline, I doubt we are going to see an "HD iPad" until next year. Apple has been sticking to their traditional schedule with the iPad. The first one came out in April 2010 while the iPad 2 was released in March 2011 so there was 11 months between the two models. If anything, I would expect an iPad 3 around March/April of 2012 but that is it.

There is actually code in the beta for iOS 5 hinting at a higher resolution iPad but I still wouldn't expect it until next year. Why? Apple normally releases new iDevices about once every year (though the iPhone 5 is proving to be an exception and there are a few others throughout Apple's history) and they have no reason to come out with a high resolution iPad when the iPad 2 is still selling like hotcakes.

If anything, your Dad could buy both an iPad 2 and the 256GB MBA while paying the $200 out of pocket. That would be a rather good deal on his end. Either that or he could go all out with the 256GB MBA along with a few accessories (external hard drive for Time Machine backup, AirPort Extreme base station, slipcase, etc.) to go up to the full $2000 with the warranty and then buy the iPad 3 next year when it comes out.

 

Yeah even I haven't read it yet beyond the Exclusions to Coverage but will skim the relevant sections before advising dad & think people should do the same before laying out $150(1yr)-$350(2 yr)-$450(3yr) of their cash. If it is $50 after the $100 BB gift certificate to try out accidental coverage from drops & spills to protect dad-his grandkids for a renewable year term it may be worth it.

I happen to agree with your analysis kornchild2002 (derivation from the band Korn?) but there is an unbelievable amount of rumors of an HD iPad3 ~2048X1536 res in the near pipeline & may feel some pressure from the already higher res 16:9 & soon quad-core ice cream sandwich Android tablets coming for the holidays. My sister almost exclusively uses her iPad2 now but it certainly wouldn't suit my needs but next gen tablets like the ( Asus Transformer 2) seem interesting.

The iPad 2 is already a good product for most users like my parents but do think next gen tablets arriving for the holidays may cause some regret.

I'm still surprised iCloud & iPhone5 don't have firmer dates yet but I do appreciate your advice on his options.

 

Well, this is going to skew things a little bit but there currently isn't much competition from Android tablets. I think Motorola, Asus, and Samsung are all making fine products so don't get me wrong there. The Motorola Xoom was a nice attempt at essentially making the first Honeycomb tablet, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer has a nice assortment of accessories that put it beyond most other tablets, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the standard for Android 3.0 tablet design (its even thinner than the iPad 2).

Having said all of that, iOS is still where its at. Honeycomb has more features and whatnot but the main goal of any tablet is to run apps. Apps are still a better experience for the iPad and there are far more iPad centered apps than there are for Honeycomb. In fact, many Honeycomb apps I have come across tend to be sloppy ports of their iPad versions or worst yet, ports from lower resolution Android 2.x versions of the app. Conan O Brian's app for Honeycomb is just awful as it is nothing more than the Android 2.x version poorly upscaled.

So even though companies will be releasing their new quad-core systems with Honeycomb, they still won't be able to compete with what Apple is doing with the iPad as that platform has had a full one year head start, Apple has been enticing developers left and right, there is a lot less fragmentation meaning that developers can make a single iOS iPad app and it will work across the iPad and iPad 2 (unless it uses the rear/front camera, but it will still work across all iPad 2s whereas not every Honeycomb app is going to work on every Honeycomb tablet), and it is going to take years before the sale from all Android tablets lumped together even begin to equal that of the first iPad meaning that the iPad/iPad 2 have a much larger install base.

So while I think the competition is actually doing something nice, they still can't provide the same experience as the iPad even though they are offering more features and possibly better hardware (we will see what Apple's next chip does since the A5 outperformed the Tegra 2). Either way, I wouldn't really worry about the next iPad unless your Dad happens to be a power user. I know people who purchased the first iPad weeks after the second one started shipping and they are perfectly happy with their decision and haven't looked back. Most of the apps still work (except ones using the camera), it is still a thin design compared to what is out there, etc.

If anything, I see an iPad 3 coming out around 6-7 months from now approximately one year after the iPad 2's introduction. The whole iPad HD by this holiday rumor is just that and it is something that website keep harping on simply because there is code in iOS 5 that supports a higher resolution display. It was a rumor that someone came out with shortly after the iPad 2's release since Apple didn't slap that highly user hyped "retina display" on the iPad 2. So I wouldn't worry about it for your Dad. I have had my iPad 2 for a while now (I picked it up three weeks after it launched) and absolutely love it. Although it had less features than the Android 3 tablets that were coming out, it still provides a much better app consuming environment.

 

You seem like a cool person to air out some of my gripes with Apple: Next gen quad core ICS Android tablets may change the experience. I'm certainly happier with my more open, larger, louder, flash enabled EVO than the iPhone I got for my dad but Android is still probably too complicated for his needs otherwise I'd tell him to get the Asus Transformer which could be both a data productive pc & data consumption tablet in one for ~$550.

Google is a far more important company to me and the development of the open internet I feel than Apple but the MBA with Lion is the first Apple product I seriously considered buying for myself however there will be more innovation in upcoming Android hardware & let's see what happens with late to the party Win8. Despite ongoing HTML5 development, I still find it obnoxious that there is no flash you can enable on demand on iOS devices & even the MBAs out of the box but at least you can install it there without a jailbreak.

You don't find Apple's proprietary & dictatorial behavior annoying?

 

I did at first way back in 2003 when I purchased my first iPod (the 3G iPod, it was the first one that could sync to Macs or Windows right out of the box instead of having two separate ones). I downloaded iTunes and didn't like that it wanted to control ever facet of my music library. I didn't like that iTunes wanted to automatically sync everything over and that it wanted me to use playlists if my library went over the 40GB mark (which is did a year after that). The whole thing just seemed far too controlling after coming from my Rio 600 which used Diamond Blue's software to sync content over. Their program didn't want to take over my music library and was actually pretty terrible at playing back anything which is why I stuck to Winamp for that.

I got used to it though and even like some aspects of Apple's control especially over iOS. I say this because I have had an app crash on me only twice. It was the same app and it crashed on my first launch iPad and then crashed again a little later on my iPad 2. However, I have had a bunch of apps, widgets, and even Android (both 2.2 and 2.3) crash on my Droid X. I also hate having to read through all of the permissions of an app before installing it. One example is something called LED Flashlight. It is a simple app that can control the LEDs on the back of my Droid yet it wants to read my phone's state, look through my contacts, be able to control phone calls, and do all sorts of other stuff that an app like that has no business doing. Take things over to iOS and I can download an app from the official App Store without worrying about things like that since Apple has a tight control on app permission. I already know that Apple won't allow that type of functionality out of an app that wasn't designed to look at phone calls, contacts, and whatnot.

Even now, iOS is a lot simpler than Android 3.1 but it is also a smoother experience. One of the guys I work with wanted an iPad 2 but went with an Acer Iconia Tab A500 for a much lower price. It pretty much had the same specs to match the w-fi only 16GB iPad 2 but its retail price was $100 less and he was able to pick it up for $350 new at the Microcenter up here during their Android tablet "extravaganza" one weekend. Switching between desktops, opening apps, browsing the web, etc. all feels a tad more sluggish than iOS. Granted, he is running a handful of live updating widgets and Android 3.1 is visually a lot more complex than iOS but you get the idea. There is about a half a second response time on his tablet when switching to a new desktop and yet that is done instantly on the iPad 2. I have heard that the Motorola Xoom exhibits the same type of behavior though the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 doesn't. Go figure.

The one thing that I do find annoying is the lack of Flash. I absolutely hate Flash but I also don't think that HTML 5 is the future it has been hyped up to be. The reason why I hate Flash is that it is such a resource hog whether I am under OS X, Windows, or on my Droid X. Flash can easily drain my Droid X's battery in half the time. To me, that is just unacceptable and something that both Adobe and Google need to work together to fix. However, I think Apple should leave it up to consumers if they want to drain their iPad's battery in 3 hours by watching a Flash video, playing some heavy 3D game, or doing something else. I understand why Apple locks out Flash but I think that should be up to the consumers.

Either way, I still think that iOS and the iPad 2 provide a much better all around experience than Google with Android 3.1 and all the other table companies that are using it. As I said, it all comes down to running apps and the iPad 2 is just better at doing that. Both Android 3.1 and iOS 4.x have their strengths and weaknesses and, if given enough time, I think that Google could do good things with their tablet platform. It is just hard to catchup when Apple has a one year advance. It seems like other companies will always be playing catchup especially since the iPad 2 continues to dominate slate tablet sales. Much like MS with their Zune, those other companies may never fully be able to take majority tablet sales away from Apple and that is always going to be used as a tool to entice more developers over to iOS.

 

a) Google is not your friend. They do not represent all that is good and open. The cake is a lie. (Seriously). Google and Apple are approximately equally large and equally evil. If you think Apple is more evil, that just means Google is better at hiding it. Neither company is a champion of open standards.

b) Very few products ship with flash out of the box. The MBA does not, but neither do windows computers. Not everyone wants flash installed on their devices, so it's generally left omitted. When the decision to omit flash completely from iOS happened, it was inconvenient, but the expectation was that the web would change (for the better) to fit that restriction. That has largely happened. We're also right at the point where adobe is releasing flash development tools that produce HTML5 products, rather than flash products. That is pretty much as ideal as it gets.

 

I still use Winamp but my music collection could definitely be better organized. I'm not an iTunes fan though & try to avoid any overly controlling app-ecosystem-walled garden that seems more interested in the company's control than my control whenever possible. (I do think this ecosystem-walled garden has enabled Apple to offer the iPad-MBA at lower prices however)

If control freak Apple had allowed the user to enable Flash on demand in Settings (I'd be OK with it being off by default) I'd probably have an iPad2 (I would not have considered iPad1 without cameras). Android dominates smartphones & there are professional analysts seeing it dominate tablet market share by 2014-2015. This does scare Apple & they have become increasingly litigious (to defend their empire).

Apple should be friendlier to power users & even offer more customization options including the look of their OS (but they seem more interested in brand hypercontrol or hubris.)

It's like they have become that big brother they portrayed themselves as fighting against in their famous 1984 commercial..

 

As previously pointed out, Google is just as bad. They seem to hide it better though. They definitely aren't the saviors of the open world as they portray themselves to be. If that were the case, I would be able to take any "S" labeled smartphone and completely customize Android without having to Flash the ROM or anything else like that. Gmail is also a pretty closed universe though it works with everything (if that makes sense). Android 3.x still has a long way before its proven itself as a viable tablet computing platform. Android might dominate the smartphone market over Apple but Apple has the upper hand when it comes to tablets. I also don't think Apple is scared of Google simply because Apple has always been the underdog at almost everything they have done. Their computers still represent only ~10% of the PC industry, more copies of Windows are sold in a few months than a new release of OS X in half a year, etc.

Apple has excelled when it comes to the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. I think you are also forgetting that, just like their Macs, Apple is competing with multiple companies when it comes to Android and the iPad. Apple's iPhone is going up against Samsung, Sony, Motorola, HTC, and a million other companies all running some flavor of Android. So having a marketshare of 20% means that they are actually doing really well especially when companies like Motorola have less than 7%. The same thing with tablets. Apple is not going up against Google per say but rather Motorola, Acer, Asus, Sony, HP (no more though), HTC, and whoever else wants to release an Android tablet. So, when they have over 90% of the slate tablet market, that is a huge deal.

It still surprises me when people complain about Apple's closed worlds especially since that is nothing new for them. Apple's products have always been about doing things Apple's way and, if you don't like it, go with someone else. It doesn't matter if it hurts their market share (I have a hard time believing people are going into Best Buy lambasting the iPad because it isn't as customizable as the Acer Iconia Tab when most people just want to run apps) because Apple doesn't care. They had a closed ecosystem with OS X, a close ecosystem with the iPod, one with the iPhone, and now one with the iPad. It is common practice that, in the end, provides a much smoother experience and better app consuming world.

 

Sorry masterchef341, I just saw your reply. How dare you, Google is my BFF

Apple is a far older company with > 2x the market cap (currently 352 billion making it the highest market cap company) vs Google's ( 171 Billion) that monetizes end users while Google primarily monetizes businesses through advertising services. Personally I feel Google has created more good faith in their services to the world than Apple. Google products also feel far more open than Apple. I do still have more privacy concerns with Google however.

I'm all for HTML evolution but flash is still out there..

 

If Google is so open why is their search algorithm guarded more securely then Fort Knox? Google may give you some stuff away as open source (e.g. Android) but when Google knows they can make more profit by keeping their proprietary technology under lock and key they do that just fine.

Android is Open Source because Google thinks they can earn the most money that way. Android is not open source because Google loves giving things away for free without making money from them. Google gets about $10 per phone for Android in advertising per year. That is about $20 for a 2 year contract and the phones can be resold. That is actually on the level if not more then what Microsoft gets for Windows Phone 7. So Android is open source because a key part of capitalism is product differentiation and because Google can make more money that way.

Google knows how to make money. If Google thought being closed could make them more money they would close some things off just like how their search algorithm is a heavily guarded secret.

Finally nobody wants a world where every product and ecosystem is the same. Apple's is a little more closed off. Some people like this. I prefer downloading an App from the App store when its not from a verified publisher because well it feels safer if somebody looked at the code and made sure it works properly and its not a virus. Plus billing is a lot easier and feels safer.

 

Google did try to change the wireless carrier game but ultimately the power still resides with the carriers and phone manufacturers. Let's see what happens with the Nexus Prime & now that Google bought Motorola.

It could be argued that Apple's hypercontrolling ecosystem is more about objective monetization than subjective user experience.

I'm not trolling & appreciate the open discussion

 

Yes, that argument can be made but it also can't be denied that app consuming on iOS in general is a lot less confusing (i.e. you don't have to read through a list of permissions and see something such as "make phone calls" on there when Apple weeds out apps like that) and apps tend to run better on iOS simply because many of the Android versions tend to be sloppy ports (just as many OS X games tend to be sloppy ports from their Windows counterpart). There are also a lot more apps out there specifically for the iPad. So Apple has that three part "trifecta" going for them even though they are providing a more closed ecosystem. In fact, I would say that apps running smoother and them being easier to purchase are a direct result of Apple's controlling nature whereas Google takes a backseat approach with app in their Marketplace. They will put apps up there and not really do anything until people start complaining.

Oddly enough, Google is protective of their marketplace though. Not every Android device out there runs the marketplace so they are controlling that to some degree. Those cheap $100 Android tablets down at Walgreens might run Android 2.2 but they won't have Google's Marketplace.

 

For the record, android is not open source anymore.

 

But Google is God, how can their mobile OS not be open source (unlike that Satanic Apple)?

 

Love those links kornchild2002

How successful do you all think Win8 will be?

Windows 8 for tablets hands-on preview (video) -- Engadget

I'll be making the MBA decision by Saturday, should I go to the dark side?

 

Microsoft and others have been trying to put Windows on notebook tablet convertibles for 9 years now and it still hasn't caught on. You can actually go back prior to 2002 if you count versions of Windows CE. Either way, Microsoft and other companies essentially skin Windows to make it pen friendly, they are also doing the same thing to Windows 7 to make it touch friendly. The main issue is that we are talking about a desktop OS that isn't designed for touch/pen input.

Windows 8 is still going to be Windows at its core but have one section that is touch friendly. That part looks fine but most programs will still be traditionally run on Windows 8 which means applying more touch skins over sections of an OS that were designed for keyboard and mouse input. Although I think MS is improving touch capabilities with Windows 8, it is still a far cry from having an OS built around touch input only. That is one of the reasons why iOS and Android have been so successful. Google and Apple aren't taking a desktop OS and skinning it for touch input, they built their mobile OS's from the ground up specifically for touch input. They are also mobile OS's meaning they take up a much lower profile than OS X, Windows, or even many Linux distros. That is the key combination allowing for ultra thin slate tablets that can go all day (and then some) on a single charge.

That is why I was actually disappointed whenever MS announced that they were working on a slate tablet OS (that looked promising) only to come out a few months later saying they stopped developing it in order to focus on Windows 8. I think the real promise with future slate tablets will be their ability to run Windows 8 with a keyboard and mouse while being able to dual boot into Honeycomb so that people can use a mobile touch friendly OS while they are on the go and then, when they get home, dock their tablet (hooked up to a larger display, external hard drive, etc.), and boot into Windows. Right now manufacturers insist on taking dinky Intel Atom hardware, putting Windows 7 on it, and skinning the OS for their slate tablet devices running Windows and that just isn't cutting it. I am afraid they will continue to do the same thing with Windows 8 until ARM processors become powerful enough to provide a better experience than what we currently have (I would hate to see Windows 8 running on an iPad 2, that seems like it would be slow as hell).

I could be wrong, those are just my thoughts. MS could really turn things around and show me what they have to offer with Windows 8 and that it can be used on slate tablet devices or it could be another thud just as Windows XP, Vista Business, and Windows 7 have been (in terms of running on tablets, not the OS's themselves though anything with the Vista moniker should be buried in the desert next to the landfill housing all of the copies of ET for the Atari 2600).

 

The "touch" looking interface in Windows 8 is forced on you... There is no more start menu, when you press Start, you get that screen... thats not just on tablets, thats all of Windows 8... yuck. I haven't really been able to stand it.

 

Really? Microsoft made it look like that was only going to be a certain aspect similar to Media Center in that the OS itself would still be Windows (especially since I have come across Windows 8 desktops that look a lot like Windows 7 including a fully organized Start menu) while the touch part would come up only when selected (or automatically go to it with tablets).

 

Well the current version I downloaded didn't ... maybe they'll have different versions that do and this is mainly for tablets, but from what I heard, they want to unify and make everything work the same on all platforms.

You can download and play with the current Dev version of Win8... anyone can.

Windows Dev Center

apparently you can disable all of Metro if you want an old start menu...
http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-8-how-to-re-enable-the-classic-start-menu

 

Well, there goes that idea. I would hate navigating around a touch interface with a keyboard and mouse. It isn't that bad on my MBP with Lion's app Launchpad and the Magic Trackpad (or the built-in trackpad) but doing that throughout the entire OS in a similar interface with a simply two button mouse (which is what the majority of Windows users have) seems a little off. I could be wrong but it appears to be a step backwards for traditional desktop computer but a large step forward for slate tablets. I could understand MS combining some elements from Windows Mobile 7 just as Apple did with OS X Lion and iOS but not changing the interface all together like that.

 

I keep reading that Win8 is "optimized for touch" unlike Win7..but so far I'm not a huge fan of metro..

This BestBuy sale has been extended until 10/1 & they were sold out of the 256 GB MBA the other day but said they could get it from another store or order it when the purchasing decision is made..

I remained impressed by the 13" MBA & even its speakers compared to the 11" but thought its webcam was still unimpressive. May want to get a PowerSupport anti-glare screen film & trackpad film as they have improved experiences with iPhone. Anyone have any experience with these on MBAs?

-Thanks

 

BTW, on CNBC an Apple analyst stated there would be new MBAs in Q1 2012, possible?

I'm sure the next MBA will have an HD webcam but I would be surprised if came before next summer..

 

New MBAs? I doubt it. The 2011 models just came out so Apple isn't going to come out with new ones here in a few months. I wouldn't be surprised if there are updated models in February/March of next year approximately 6 months after the 2011 release. The update will more than likely follow the typical Apple flow in that the 2012 MBAs come with faster processors (whatever Intel releases, they could be inconsequential 100MHz updates or somewhere around 200-300MHz), maybe the option of having more than 4GB of RAM, maybe higher capacity/faster SSDs, and maybe an HD webcam. I would expect the next update to be a small capacity bump while a major update likely won't happen a little less than a year from now.

Then again, nobody truly knows what Apple is going to do until Apple officially announces it. So I could be dead wrong, I am just stating what I think. Either way, I don't think there is any reason for you to hold out especially since any spec bump is still going to be ~5 months away and, unless the person you are buying the MBA for is really chomping at the bit for an HD webcam (and has the bandwidth to support HD video chatting), there really is no need to not buy a MBA now (that is even if the next update comes with HD webcams).

 

Well even March would still be Q1, I was just surprised to hear the Apple analyst state it so confidently, I was hoping the interviewer would challenge her there given the recent refresh & as her other predictions sounded in line with what I've heard elsewhere.

I personally want my next notebook to have a built-in HD webcam & may be getting a free one soon but my dad doesn't seem to care as much & wants to get his mom an iPad when he visits her & likely the current MBA 13" for himself. We all have the bandwidth for HD video.. Apple's market cap continues to astound me so they should be able to afford more frequent refreshes but I still won't hold my breath.

Do you think the MacBook Air will ever have a touchscreen as some predict & when?

 

Apple "analysts" almost always state their predictions confidently, they have to so that people will click on links to websites giving them (or others) advertising revenue (thanks Google Ads). These so called analysts have been wrong more times than right. If they were right, the iPad would have come out in 2007 and the iPod touch (with a hard drive) would have been released in 2005 and again in 2006. So I would take anything they say with a grain of salt.

Apple has kept a pretty scheduled update pattern with their computers regardless of how much revenue they are pulling in. Things have changed up a little bit with the switch to Intel but Apple still generally updates computers once every 6 months. That seems to be the going trend from PC makers of late. Dell, HP, etc. used to update their notebook lines in much shorter amount of times but now they too are doing something similar to Apple in that they release a new notebook, spec bump it ~6 months down the line, and then either release another spec bump, something with new innards (both depending on what Intel does), or release a complete re-design.

I also don't see the MBA ever having a touchscreen simply because that is not the direction Apple is going. They released the iPad for full touchscreen navigation. Jobs even laughed at the sketch Apple threw together in 2010 showing off the (then unreleased) MBAs with the large multi-touch trackpad. The sketch showed a MBA with a touchscreen and that is how some companies access their programs/apps. Apple has the large multi-touch trackpad for that type of navigation. Otherwise, if you want a touchscreen from them, you have to buy an iPhone, iPod, or iPad and it looks like things are going to stay that way for a while.