New MBP NL Shipping thread

[maarten22]

Did you get yours already? I'm still waiting🙁
ROTTERDAM,
NL 11/13/2008 6:21 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY
11/13/2008 6:21 A.M. IMPORT SCAN
11/13/2008 6:18 A.M. DESTINATION SCAN
11/13/2008 6:18 A.M. IMPORT SCAN
11/13/2008 6:15 A.M. DESTINATION SCAN
11/13/2008 6:15 A.M. IMPORT SCAN
11/13/2008 5:45 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
KOELN (COLOGNE),
DE 11/13/2008 2:49 A.M. DEPARTURE

 

[macrem]

I rec'd my MBP mid-afternoon. Did you finally receive yours?

I'm typing on my new MBP right now. Wow, such a beautiful machine!!! I have to agree it was totally worth the wait. I made a mental note of complaints I have read about on this forum. As expected, this one is flawless!! I'll check back later...

 

[maarten22]

Congrats. Got mine around 3. It looks verry nice. Have to get used to mac os x. This is the first time I work on it but it goes ok. Have to find a lot of things but that probably will get better. Will install vista tomorrow.

 

[nipponfan]

NICE MAN! Nice to hear some good shipping news after mladenz and macrem shipping struggle. Waiting for the link... 🙂

so, here's my unboxing vid. sorry for my poor editing - i hardly could get it done in iMovie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE8zN8V9udM

It's not that easy to get used to Mac OS, some things really confuse me. Hope I'll get used to it soon. But other than that I'm still fully satisfied.

 

[Dipsausje]

Got mine today, and I absolutely love it. It's my first mac but I absolutely don't feel like using bootcamp to install windows. 😀

 

[fgd007]

I rec'd my MBP mid-afternoon. Did you finally receive yours?

I'm typing on my new MBP right now. Wow, such a beautiful machine!!! I have to agree it was totally worth the wait. I made a mental note of complaints I have read about on this forum. As expected, this one is flawless!! I'll check back later...

MACREM YOU FINALLY GOT IT, CONGRATULATIONS! Isn't a beautiful machine?

 

[Bobbi Flekman]

Not ordered on the website, but through iCenter in Amsterdam...
Odered a MacBook Pro (15", 2.53 GHz, 4GB RAM) on the 20th of October 2008. Asked them to replace the hard disc with a 320 GB at 7200 rpm.

The 7th of November I get a call that the laptop is there, but the external hard disc is not.... Què? External hard disc? Apparently the storeclerk f*cked up and ordered a 3.5" hard disc to replace the 2.5" hard disc that is inside a laptop. Ok, in the end the guy saw the error of their ways and changed the order to the new disc and to have it replaced. The disc in question was already in Uitgeest, so it wouldn't take a long time.

Yesterday evening I get a call: "Good news, the external hard disc has arrived!".
"Què? WTF? You mean to tell the discussion we had last friday was in vain?"
"Huh? What discussion?"
And once again I go over what I wanted... The disc was there (the one from Uitgeest), and it will be transfered as I write this down. They'll call when it is done.... Wonder what will go bump in the night now?...

As a summary... It takes 3 weeks (!!??) to ship a laptop from England to Netherlands? This is the famed Apple customer friendliness? Shouldn't the people working at the stores know what they are selling? Isn't it strange that I have to point out that the disc ordered was a 3.5 incher instead of a 2.5 one? Doesn't this mean that the Apple employees are the same disinterested people that populate other retail stores, instead of the experts claimed by Apple.

Let's just hope that the laptop itself is okay, before I have to go back and have them work on it... *groan*

Can you tell I am slightly miffed? 😛

By the way, don't get me wrong the computer/software is a-okay (so far). It is just personnel I am bitching about.

 

[macrem]

MACREM YOU FINALLY GOT IT, CONGRATULATIONS! Isn't a beautiful machine?

Thank you! How's it going with your new MBP??

I'm absolutely digging this machine, man! 😎 I have had a TiBook, PowerBook, MPB Classic before this one. I thought my MBP Classic was beautiful, which it still is but Apple really outdid themselves this time! This machine is a piece of art. I recently watched a disassembly video. The inside is beautiful and very accessible too.

I've been quite busy migrating. I wanted a clean OS install but did not want to reconfigure user settings manually. Migration Assistant & Time Machine made importing user settings & files a breeze! I have been installing 3rd party stuff on a clean OS install.

Btw, Snowleopard will make this machine kick @zz even more... as Grand Central will tap into unused GPU power for general processing.

 

[macrem]

Bobbi: unfortunately three weeks seems to be common at this time to buy a custom built MB from the assembly plant in Shanghai. Three weeks to get a machine from the UK would be too long.

If 2.53 machines are in stock, I would just buy one from the store, then for the HD, either:
a. put in my own 320 GB at 7200 rpm, sell or repurpose the stock HD, or,
b. wait for better deals on SSDs

*3 weeks ago I was ready to buy a stock machine in stores, but stores in Amsterdam were out of stock & expecting new shipments to arrive mid-November. Perhaps they have some available now or very soon?

 

[macrem]

Btw regarding the trackpad... I was already a tapper (as opposed to a clicker) but realized that I do click sometimes without paying attention. Sometimes I rest my thumb and click the bottom of the new MBP trackpad as if the button were still there, and that works! 😉 New gestures are very useful.

 

[macrem]

Got mine today, and I absolutely love it. It's my first mac but I absolutely don't feel like using bootcamp to install windows. 😀

Congratulations! I'm the same way on my MBP. I toy with other OSes on a desktop PC but on my Mac, its purely an OS X experience.

 

[maarten22]

Really like the laptop but there are a lot of things that I don't like. I hope there aren't too much things and that I will regret buying a mac. I use Windows Vista quit a lot because I need it for school. I use Catia and other cad programs quit often and they don't run under mac. I also hate office for mac and prefer working with office in windows. I also can't play x264 movies properly. The other problem is that the trackpad is a PAIN in the ass to work with in Vista. It misses a lot of clicks and it just doesn't work fine. I now work with my mouse a lot but the trackpad would be better for in the train etc. The battery also sucks under vista. I only get 80 minutes with low brightness and battery saving mode. This is just nog enough. I like mac osx but I have to get used to it. For now I like Vista better. I can just work quicker in vista but that will get better. Before the mac I had a Asus G50v gaming laptop and I really liked this laptop. It had the best trackpad and keyboard I ever had. It had the same cpu as the mac and a 9700m GT as GPU. I don't really mis the quicker gpu and the mac is A LOT lighter. This is one of the main reasons why I bought the mac. But what I do mis is the trackpad. With the asus I also had a battery time of 2 houres at least. I hope I really don't regret paying 700 euro's more for a laptop I now thinks performes less.....

 

[fgd007]

Thank you! How's it going with your new MBP??

I'm absolutely digging this machine, man! 😎 I have had a TiBook, PowerBook, MPB Classic before this one. I thought my MBP Classic was beautiful, which it still is but Apple really outdid themselves this time! This machine is a piece of art. I recently watched a disassembly video. The inside is beautiful and very accessible too.

I've been quite busy migrating. I wanted a clean OS install but did not want to reconfigure user settings manually. Migration Assistant & Time Machine made importing user settings & files a breeze! I have been installing 3rd party stuff on a clean OS install.

Btw, Snowleopard will make this machine kick @zz even more... as Grand Central will tap into unused GPU power for general processing.

The difference in design between the PowerBook and the old MacBook Pro wasn't so big as it is between the the old MBP and this one. This one is really a as you said a piece of art. I like the rounded corners with the sharp edges, and also the back lid (system) is nice!

I am also quite busy migrating my files, which basically comes to gathering files from 3 computers to one external harddrive. Quite a load of work to order and categorize everthing, but it will pay off!

The other problem is that the trackpad is a PAIN in the ass to work with in Vista.

I also installed Vista on a seperate partition for emergency purposes, but I noticed as well that the trackpad is a pain in the mother****ing ass, even after installing Bootcamp for Windows. Especially when you click, the cursors tends to move a little. But Windows sucks, it is one of the reasons I became a macfan.

 

[maarten22]

The difference in design between the PowerBook and the old MacBook Pro wasn't so big as it is between the the old MBP and this one. This one is really a as you said a piece of art. I like the rounded corners with the sharp edges, and also the back lid (system) is nice!

I am also quite busy migrating my files, which basically comes to gathering files from 3 computers to one external harddrive. Quite a load of work to order and categorize everthing, but it will pay off!



I also installed Vista on a seperate partition for emergency purposes, but I noticed as well that the trackpad is a pain in the mother****ing ass, even after installing Bootcamp for Windows. Especially when you click, the cursors tends to move a little. But Windows sucks, it is one of the reasons I became a macfan.

I wish I could use only mac osx but a lot of programs just don't work onder osx. What do you guys think of office for mac?? I thinks it is just a joke.

 

[fgd007]

I wish I could use only mac osx but a lot of programs just don't work onder osx. What do you guys think of office for mac?? I thinks it is just a joke.

why exactly?

 

[macrem]

I wish I could use only mac osx but a lot of programs just don't work onder osx. What do you guys think of office for mac?? I thinks it is just a joke.

OpenOffice (latest v3 RC-4 Aqua build) is free and quite nice. Have not had any problems at work sharing docs with colleagues who use MS Office and OpenOffice. I also use OpenOffice on Linux and there is a Windows version. The price for MS Office seems totally unjustified IMO.

 

[Bobbi Flekman]

Bobbi: unfortunately three weeks seems to be common at this time to buy a custom built MB from the assembly plant in Shanghai. Three weeks to get a machine from the UK would be too long.

Last time I bought an iMac I heard they came from the UK, so I assume this one does too. Then again.... It may come from anywhere.

*3 weeks ago I was ready to buy a stock machine in stores, but stores in Amsterdam were out of stock & expecting new shipments to arrive mid-November. Perhaps they have some available now or very soon?

The saga continuess... The disc is there, the laptop is there, the employee said it would be transfered to the Techie Dept. to handle, and friday I would be called when it was done.

I waited all friday, no phone. Not at work, not at home. So saturday I went to the iCentre store and asked: "Wazzup?" Turns out the two weren't dumped by the Techies to work on. So the guy walks over there, delivers it and I get to hear I can pick it up in 2 hours. Yaaaaaay! Finally... I go home, and go about my business.

"Ring ring....Ring ring..." "Yep" "Hi, this is iCentre" "Ehhh.... okay...." I get a weird story about how the hard disc will be € 93,00 extra because they cannot take back the disc that is already in it. In other words, the simple equation of laptop - hard disc + new hard disc = total cost does not fly. As to why they couldn't tell me that when I was in the store just 30 minutes earlier I get no answer. But in the end it is either pay the 93 extra or wait until the MBPs arrive that are outfitted the way I wanted... This is getting extremely annoying.

 

[fgd007]

Last time I bought an iMac I heard they came from the UK, so I assume this one does too. Then again.... It may come from anywhere.
The saga continuess... The disc is there, the laptop is there, the employee said it would be transfered to the Techie Dept. to handle, and friday I would be called when it was done.

I waited all friday, no phone. Not at work, not at home. So saturday I went to the iCentre store and asked: "Wazzup?" Turns out the two weren't dumped by the Techies to work on. So the guy walks over there, delivers it and I get to hear I can pick it up in 2 hours. Yaaaaaay! Finally... I go home, and go about my business.

"Ring ring....Ring ring..." "Yep" "Hi, this is iCentre" "Ehhh.... okay...." I get a weird story about how the hard disc will be € 93,00 extra because they cannot take back the disc that is already in it. In other words, the simple equation of laptop - hard disc + new hard disc = total cost does not fly. As to why they couldn't tell me that when I was in the store just 30 minutes earlier I get no answer. But in the end it is either pay the 93 extra or wait until the MBPs arrive that are outfitted the way I wanted... This is getting extremely annoying.

Jeeez...

 

[EricAmsterdam]

Finally: my macbook pro has arrived in Store (apple reseller)

Around 6pm today I finally recieved the long-waited call that my new (and first!) MacBook Pro (BTO) has arrived in the Apple Reseller Store in Amsterdam...
So tomorrow is THE DAY. I'm going to get my first MAC. Will no longer be a PC anymore...
Hope I like it and get no regrets.... Will take some time to get used to the new OS, but OK.....

 

[fgd007]

Around 6pm today I finally recieved the long-waited call that my new (and first!) MacBook Pro (BTO) has arrived in the Apple Reseller Store in Amsterdam...
So tomorrow is THE DAY. I'm going to get my first MAC. Will no longer be a PC anymore...
Hope I like it and get no regrets.... Will take some time to get used to the new OS, but OK.....

listen up, there's no way that you are going to regret this switch! it will take you 1 to 2 weeks, and you will never return to windows again in your life...

 

[macrem]

Bobbi: interesting how the store's mistake makes no sense whatsoever other than a way for them to sell you a hard disk you don't need...

I would recommend calling Apple to explain how the store made a mistake, they are trying to make you pay for it, now you're stuck as you can't wait longer, its not fair you should have to pay for 2 harddrives & request that Apple mediates a solution. Its possible that Apple will offer you a discount so you'll get an extra free hdd.

 

[peterdevries]

@Bobbi:

In the event that you can't wait and icentre doesn't budge, do the following:

Insist on it that you also take the other HD (after all you paid for it). Go to Paradigit and buy an enclosure for the HD and use it as a time machine backup.

Next time go to Prowarehouse for your Apple stuff. They are nice, helpful and understand that a happy customer comes back. ICentre and MacHouse just try to max it out until the first Apple Store in the Netherlands opens. Don't know when that is going to be, but that will be their deadsentence. They wouldn't be able to compete with store geniuses and the stock that an apple store has.

Enjoy your MBP!

 

[Bobbi Flekman]

Around 6pm today I finally recieved the long-waited call that my new (and first!) MacBook Pro (BTO) has arrived in the Apple Reseller Store in Amsterdam...

Which store is that? My current enemies at iCentre? Or MacHouse on the Rozengracht? Or still somewhere else?

Well, I'd like to have my computer as I have a certain use for it. I need it to drive a bunch of synthesizers for live and studio use. As I'll be recording in December it would be nice to have a working laptop with all my sounds. Also, as I will be recording I don't really have the time to mess around with the laptop itself.

The thing I was planning on doing was (after making sure everything is there, and is correct) to completely reformat, reinstall OS X because I don't need about half of it as its only use is synth. I don't need printers, I keep the language to English, so I don't need other languages, no iLife, no stuff like iChat, iTunes and God knows what else is there. I just need it to have OSX, Logic, Native Instruments Komplete, GForce M-Tron and GForce MiniMonsta, and the drivers to talk to the various MIDI interfaces and keyboards. As I'm busy with other things I don't have the time to do all that. In other words I will have to bring along my iMac and that I don't like as it is meant to be my workstation at home.

That is the only time restraint there is, so I hope the thing is delivered within two weeks, so I can still do that and test it out in our rehearsal studios.

Prowarehouse? Hmmm... Never heard of it, time to Google. 😀

Edit: http://www.prowarehouse.nl

Looks very interesting, and how come they are cheaper than Apple themselves? Tried out my configuration (Apple MBP 15" 2.53 GHz) with the different hard disc (320 GB @ 7200 RPM) and Apple says € 2294,01. Prowarehouse: € 2181,05. A difference of € 112,96.

 

[EricAmsterdam]

It Works!

Hi guys,

This morning I went to the Apple ICentre Central Station Amsterdam to pick up my ordered MacBook Pro. I ordered a 'built to order' model (320 Gb; 7200), and it really took a long time: from oct. 18th till now.
BUT I AM REALLY HAPPY NOW.
Being used to a Sony VAIO, Windows laptop this machine is amazing!

 

[fgd007]

Hi guys,

This morning I went to the Apple ICentre Central Station Amsterdam to pick up my ordered MacBook Pro. I ordered a 'built to order' model (320 Gb; 7200), and it really took a long time: from oct. 18th till now.
BUT I AM REALLY HAPPY NOW.
Being used to a Sony VAIO, Windows laptop this machine is amazing!

Congrats, good lcuk with it!