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Apple Working on Local Backup Servers for iOS Devices Needing Genius Bar Replacement?
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When did it become Apples job to save customers data. Headache? Laziness.
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That's why you use iCloud. Enough with the excuses. I back up my personal data.. Why can't you?
Santabean2000
macrumors 68000
I guess the difference is that you're actively making a copy of your info and relying on them to delete it.
Just a first reaction I had. Prob not the best one, or required. 😱
charlituna
macrumors G3
Acually it is very different. Your data is only on your computer. They aren't copying it to their machines to not erase or put on another phone etc.
The issue isn't really the hardware. They can totally run a backup or a sync to their computers. The issue is the legalities. Such things could violate state and even federal privacy laws and opens up huge lawsuit risks. That's why if you get a hardware swap for say a broken screen they wipe it in front of you.
zorinlynx
macrumors G3
What's so wrong with syncing to your computer? It works really well, and unlike iCloud, you can have a second backup copy of your data (either a local Time Machine style backup, or keep an external drive locked in your desk at work).
iCloud just seems risky. One copy of your data, and you don't even have control over it. Not to mention it's a lot slower because you're backing up over the Internet.
iCloud just seems risky. One copy of your data, and you don't even have control over it. Not to mention it's a lot slower because you're backing up over the Internet.
charlituna
macrumors G3
Not true. You can totally use an iOS 5 device without a computer. My grandfather is a prime example. Has an iPad, no computer. Backs up to iCloud just fine.
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It does. Sync'd photos don't
faroZ06
macrumors 68040
Please, don't be paranoid about these things. It's silly.
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They make a copy of your Mac if they have to replace the hard drive or the whole computer. You still have to rely on them to delete it after.
charlituna
macrumors G3
From what I have heard something like 90% of the time the repair is software and the solution is a full wipe.
Thus why you need your data sync'd to something
Wot?
I can already back up any iOS device on my computer, I constantly do that with my wife's iPhone. Her phone is synced to her own laptop but because she hardly ever turns it on, I back up her phone on my machine.
Connect via USB, right click on the device in iTunes, select backup. Restore from backup works the same way.
So the only thing they need is a way to delete customer backups - a simple AppleScript should do the trick.
Edit: And yes as others have said, this takes a while over USB 2. Over WiFi it's going to be even slower. If they say "quickly" above do they mean "within 30 minutes"?
I can already back up any iOS device on my computer, I constantly do that with my wife's iPhone. Her phone is synced to her own laptop but because she hardly ever turns it on, I back up her phone on my machine.
Connect via USB, right click on the device in iTunes, select backup. Restore from backup works the same way.
So the only thing they need is a way to delete customer backups - a simple AppleScript should do the trick.
Edit: And yes as others have said, this takes a while over USB 2. Over WiFi it's going to be even slower. If they say "quickly" above do they mean "within 30 minutes"?
charlituna
macrumors G3
since when. They ceretainly don't here in Cali. If they have to replace the hard drive it has the same version of Mac OS you brought it in with and that's it. If you don't have your data at home you are screwed. They won't even let you have the busted hard drive to try data recovery. They say you have to do that before they repair the machine. Cause after the repair the drive is Apple property.
re: excuses
For starters, you make the assumption here that iCloud is working flawlessly for everyone who ever decides to use it. That's definitely not the case. One of my customers is pulling her hair out over issues with syncing her iPhone and iPad -- and this has gone on for MONTHS.
Her problems and confusion all started when her iPhone started acting up and was swapped at the local Apple store for a warranty replacement, but the timing was when Apple was moving people from MobileME to iCloud. The Apple Genius, trying to help her out, migrated her account over to iCloud before giving her the new phone .... but her Windows PC back at her house was still configured with Outlook using MobileME. She didn't understand the difference, having JUST learned how to do things with MobileME at that point -- and complicating matters? Her primary email and calendar info was still on MSN. (Turns out, iCloud refused to plug into her copy of Outlook properly to sync the email because she was already using the Microsoft Hotmail / MSN connector for Outlook to sync THEIR content. Outlook only allows ONE such plug-in to function at a time.)
All of this (compounded with the fact she now had a separate iTunes login and password AND a new one for iCloud) led to frustration, inability to keep her data synced between her PC and phone/iPad, and some data loss by the time we got it all sorted out.
And since then? For some reason, it seems like her iCloud login stops accepting her password every so often - forcing her to request a password change. And of course, THAT breaks all of her devices' ability to sync until each one is updated with the new password info individually.
QUOTE=MacMan1620;14741910]When did it become Apples job to save customers data. Headache? Laziness.
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That's why you use iCloud. Enough with the excuses. I back up my personal data.. Why can't you?[/QUOTE]
For starters, you make the assumption here that iCloud is working flawlessly for everyone who ever decides to use it. That's definitely not the case. One of my customers is pulling her hair out over issues with syncing her iPhone and iPad -- and this has gone on for MONTHS.
Her problems and confusion all started when her iPhone started acting up and was swapped at the local Apple store for a warranty replacement, but the timing was when Apple was moving people from MobileME to iCloud. The Apple Genius, trying to help her out, migrated her account over to iCloud before giving her the new phone .... but her Windows PC back at her house was still configured with Outlook using MobileME. She didn't understand the difference, having JUST learned how to do things with MobileME at that point -- and complicating matters? Her primary email and calendar info was still on MSN. (Turns out, iCloud refused to plug into her copy of Outlook properly to sync the email because she was already using the Microsoft Hotmail / MSN connector for Outlook to sync THEIR content. Outlook only allows ONE such plug-in to function at a time.)
All of this (compounded with the fact she now had a separate iTunes login and password AND a new one for iCloud) led to frustration, inability to keep her data synced between her PC and phone/iPad, and some data loss by the time we got it all sorted out.
And since then? For some reason, it seems like her iCloud login stops accepting her password every so often - forcing her to request a password change. And of course, THAT breaks all of her devices' ability to sync until each one is updated with the new password info individually.
QUOTE=MacMan1620;14741910]When did it become Apples job to save customers data. Headache? Laziness.
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That's why you use iCloud. Enough with the excuses. I back up my personal data.. Why can't you?[/QUOTE]
APlotdevice
macrumors 68040
iTunes content can easily be downloaded through the device itself. And I'm not sure about the iPhone or iPod touch, but the wall charger is preferable with the iPad since it will recharge the battery much more quickly.
Santabean2000
macrumors 68000
You can put 'precious' data in FileVault though which encrypts it all.
Is there an encryption for your iPhone?
AidenShaw
macrumors P6
Is that why Apple fans have stopped making fun of Windows as needing a "reformat and reinstall" to fix problems? 😱
More than cute, I'd say "hot".
faroZ06
macrumors 68040
My iMac had some problem, and they replaced the computer. Before they did that, they copied my stuff onto a hard drive then put it back on the computer. I didn't lose anything. This is at the 3rd Street Promenade. Maybe the guys at your store were just jerks?
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True, but I don't know how secure it is if someone physically has your computer or hard drive. The root password on a Mac can be cracked using the product disc or by booting into single-user mode (unless you lock your firmware, which I heard is also unlockable on the new Macs). I don't know if that would allow them to get your FileVault password or not, but I think it will.
Also, if it doesn't ask for your FileVault password every time you log in, it must be storing it somewhere. It must be storing it somewhere even if it does ask you (unless it asks every time you want to access a file). There must be a way to get it.
Besides, what kind of sensitive data would be on your iPhone? If you have some kind of business secrets on your Mac or iPhone, don't just hand them over to Apple! But I don't know anyone who has any confidential info on their iPhones (but I know someone with secrets on his Mac).
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faroZ06
macrumors 68040
Windows Mobile? It's near impossible to make fun of something that is so rarely seen.
Content (Music/Videos/Apps) is not part of an iTunes/iCloud backup.
Unless you're filling the entire 64gb device with photos and videos in the camera roll, backup files are usually pretty small, it just takes forever to do an iCloud backup in-store because it has to go out over the internet connection.
So long as they get the security side of things done properly this will be a great idea. I know some people who own just an iPhone, or just and iPad (i.e. no desktop/laptop computer) so this would be of benefit to them as they are unlikely to backup to iCloud either. And before we judge remember most people aren't techies and wouldn't even think of doing a backup - they simply don't care how it works, they just want to use it. For this reason I think it's a very good idea.
Dionte
macrumors 6502a
I made up a new user account for them to use. I'm gonna leave it there just in case the issue I am having happens again.
PinkyMacGodess
Suspended
I'm sure that the TSA has such a device already.
I've worked with some clients who have had their computers seized and their phones and notebooks copied by agents at borders while they are coming back into this country. It is happening. No one seems to want to discuss it much, and it's patently illegal. And yet backdoors are being introduced into nearly every product involving security. Chances are that if you have a home alarm system, that there is a backdoor in it too.
This device to help geniuses at Apple stores can very easily be used by a paranoid and illegal government to seize more data from all of us...
I've worked with some clients who have had their computers seized and their phones and notebooks copied by agents at borders while they are coming back into this country. It is happening. No one seems to want to discuss it much, and it's patently illegal. And yet backdoors are being introduced into nearly every product involving security. Chances are that if you have a home alarm system, that there is a backdoor in it too.
This device to help geniuses at Apple stores can very easily be used by a paranoid and illegal government to seize more data from all of us...
if data was synced, you'd just bring back whatever the error was. Unless it was narrowed to only certain data.