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Multiple Simply Mac Stores Shutting Down Across the U.S.
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I've had some family members get their devices completely screwed up going with a random local place. iOS devices are especially really tricky to repair, which is why iFixit gives them such low repairability scores.
A bigger issue, IMHO, is the size of the Apple market. Independents compete with Amazon, Apple and local chain retailers; all of whom can offer better deals than the independents. Apple's razor thin discounts don't help, and then you are trying to sell accessories that can be bought elsewhere for less. Unless you can build up a profitable service / consulting business to go with retail I wager it's tough to stay in business; especially when most customers are looking for the best price and probably will walk out the door and not return again if you can't price match Amazon or another retailer.
BINGO! This is the cancer of the American Corporation! Good luck to the new Administration in "creating jobs".
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err, you said it yourself...2019 is the time.
time between now and 2019 includes building and designing the satellite
Hardly. The article said one internal engineering document mentioned 2019, a very optimistic date. Taking a single statement and stating it as a fact the system will be up and running by that date is a stretch. I doubt they can design, test, build and launch enough satellites by 2019 to have any sort of network in place; something the article points out as well. Even SpaceX hasn't formally announced when it expects to have them up and running, and given their challenges with launch vehicles I suspect it will be a while before we see this network available to the public, let alone at an affordable price.
Only in the context of "it ain't happening by then..." You're original post implied it would be up and running by then, something even SpaceX isn't claiming.
you asked for a date. technical document from SpaceX mentioned 2019. so there's a date. what is the issue? i never said it's a 100% guaranteed-or-your-money-back date. like that's ever going to happen. even ask Apple about their Airpods date.
anyways, my original point was that time will take care of these things. Germany WILL have better internet OVER TIME. they will not be stuck with 2Mbps connection forever even if it seems like that would be the case. satellite internet is one solution. if not, there will be another.
My issue wa two fold:
1 - You said target date which seemed to imply that that was a date SpaceX set as a target vs some internal speculative date from one engineering document. If you didn't not intend to imply that SpaceX would have it operational by then, my bad.
2 - You also said the latency wold be less than traditional ISPs whereas SpaceX is shooting to match current ISP latency
I agree Germany, and other places, will get faster internet over time; however your setting SpaceX targets 2019 for their satellite service doesn't jive with anything SpaceX has claimed.
Large amounts of HD space coupled with faster internet and no caps will drive digital distribution to the point where physical media is not very prevalent, but that isn't happening near term. With cellular phone internet access, as the primary access point, becoming more popular as well also will negatively impact the desirability of digital download for large files such as games.
Either way, Gamestop's model is not very promising long term, especially since companies like Amazon are also in the used game business and content providers seek to limit resale by having d/l content that is limited to the original purchaser and not transferable. Simply Mac may have been an attempt to diversify it's product base bu clearly that is not working.
1 - All you asked for was a date. Even if it was implied, it's still a date. And yes, Arstechnica reported 2019 was a mentioned in the SpaceX Technical Document
2 - It would be less latency in certain situations. Current routing of packets are extremely inefficient. By connecting via satellite, you can reduce the hops from the typical 50-60 hops to just a few hops and it'll still be lower even factoring the propagation time due to distance of the satellites. But yes, you're right SpaceX is targeting matching latency. I was proposing less latency because the routing would be much more efficient.
Arstechnica reported 2019 was a mentioned in the SpaceX technical application.
Also SpaceX isn't the only company planning on satellite internet broadband. Another company is shooting for a 2019 availability to consumers for an internet broadband satellite service.
ArsTecnica said;
SpaceX recently said that its satellite service’s commercial availability date has not yet been determined, but the application’s technical description mentioned 2019 as a possible time for launching satellites into orbit.
SpaceX said in Oct 2016:
Where are you with your satellite constellation and what’s the time frame?
The time frame is pretty TBD. We are looking at building a broadband constellation in LEO, low Earth orbit. We’re definitely in the development phase, although we’re not really committed to that right now.
There have been a number of attempts at doing something like this, and all of them have largely failed. So you don’t go and spend $5-plus billion on a system that’s not going to be a benefit to folks. We are developing test-flight satellites that we hope to launch next year. But really the key for us is the technology for the user equipment. If I can’t build an antenna that’s going to install easily on your roof or in your yard for a couple of hundred dollars, then it’s going to be very difficult to compete with the existing systems.
So we really need to crack that code. We’re working, but we haven’t quite cracked that yet. Once we’ve done that, then we will pretty much go all in on the constellation. Sorry to be a little vague on it, but we’re still trying.
Overall the 2019 date seems to be a pipe dream; even Space says it has some significant hurdles to overcome to make their idea a reality.
It's easy to throw out a date but reality tends to be a bit more challenging.
you're really trying to right your wrong here.
possible time is still a time. i never said it was definite. i never implied it. you asked for a time. i gave you a time which SpaceX mentioned it.
and you're missing the point here. the point is, satellite internet with low latency is coming. and it'll solve the original problem that the other guy was complaining about. you would be a fool if you think satellite internet is never coming. if you think it's actually coming in 2029, ok fine. it's still coming. and my original point still stands. time will take care of these things.
Heh, OK. No, an awful lot of us smaller independents hate SimplyMac, no matter where in North America we are. My being critical of them doesn't automatically make me the owner of Expercom, but by all means, please go on thinking that if you want to.
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Unfortunately, no. Not yet, anyway.
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You did say "target launch is in 2019," which really isn't what SpaceX is saying, as i pointed out. We'll just have to agree to disagree on that point.
It probably will come, the question is price and when. It sounds like we agree it isn't happening in 2019 by SpaceX, and per SpaceX they may never do it due to the cost issue; which is the real challenge. It can be done, but will it be affordable and perform similar to wired ISPs?
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If they are as bad as everyone says it would seem to be easy to compete with them on the basis of service. I've been into Peach Mac and they weere unimpressive.
really you're sounding like a hypocrite.
I'm saying it is 2019. You're saying SpaceX is saying 2019 is possible. But you're also saying it's definitely not in 2019. And somehow I'm incorrect but you're correct. you're contradicting yourself.
and no. i do not agree that it isn't happening in 2019.
you asked for a date. i gave you a date. no one can dispute this. whether the date was "possible" or not, it's still a date. you didn't ask for a HARD, 100% CONFIRMED date. if you disagree with that, then there's something wrong with your thinking.
i don't want to spend more time on this since it sounds like you're trying to cater towards your ego. feel free to reply, but i don't have time to fix your ego.
Whatever.
I actually never asked for a date, you gave one in response to someone else; ArsTechnica referenced internal technical document as saying a possible 2019 date, which you apparently are using.
I pointed out SpaceX hasn't committed to a date, in fact has specifically said they have concerns over cost and unless they crack that it won't happen, at least not by them. The date you referenced was in an internal technical document, and my experience with projects like this leads me to believe it is optimistic to the extent having such as system up and running to actual customers is probably unachievable, especially in light of SpaceX' public comments.
Personally, I don't care what you think or who is correct.
Junky, the one plus is they offer higher trade-in for iPads most of the time, but their services and customer service are horrible.
Kallum.
Yeah, they offered a good price and bonus for my Mid-2011 27" 3.4 GHz iMac, but now I still have a Simply Mac store card and my local Simply Mac is closing and doesn't have much for stock for me to burn it on. I was originally going to buy the new MBP with it, but I decided to hold out to see what Apple does with the MacBook or refreshing the MacBook Pros. So I'm probably going to hold onto this card and purchase a MacBook from one of the stores still left and pay for shipping. I did talk to a different Simply Mac that is apparently one of the primary ones in the US and it sounds like they are still waiting to learn from corporate how they will handle stuff like their "Simple Care" service and store cards that can no longer be used locally.
Personally I burn it as fast as possible, even if it means paying a bit more, so you don't get stuck with so if they suddenly decide to close up shop or that cards have some rule that they only are good at the original store.
Compare Apple training for service requirements today cs 6 years or more ago. Big difference. They even held back funds for independents to do Apple advertising, submit a claim and get it back. Margins sucked to begin with. Absolutely no valuable support unless for sales.