I’m missing a single screw on my Black Macbook.  Now I live near not one but two Apple Stores.  I haven’t had a chance to drive in so I just wanted to check the Apple website to see if they had any listed or if they had any that I could just have sent to me, cause come on its a screw we’re talking about.

I couldn’t find anything immediately on the online Apple Store website so they have  chat feature.  They immediately ask me to call Apple Care (1-800-275-2273).  And along the way ask if I’m under warranty.  I’m not, but all we’re talking about is a screw here again.

I call the number, wait just a couple minutes which is great for support hold time.  I get a support person who asks for my serial number and reminds me that yes, I have a 13″ Black Macbook, and yes its not in warranty.  I politely inform her I know that and was told by the Apple Online Chat/Store people to contact them.

She informs me that I need to go to an AppleStore.  I then ask what if I can’t get to one - she tells me that they could send it she thinks but it would be a charge of shipping etc.  But she wasn’t sure.  Come on, we’re talking about a 5 cent screw here.

Just for the heck of it I go back to the Chat online, this time I took screen shots.  Basically if you live far away from an Apple Store and need a screw, you’re screwed.

Apple Chat referring me back to Apple Care

We don't sell parts online...

So here are your options.  Either A) You drive to the nearest Apple Store.  B) You find out where an “authorized” apple retailer is.  All for a SCREW!??!

Update: (8/17/08) I went by the domain store and met a really helpful Apple employee, he took my laptop and said “No problem, I’ll go see what I can find in the back for you.”  I in turn waited around with Jenn in the Apple store and we looked at MacBook Pros (something I think about upgrading to).

About 5 minutes later the employee came back, handed me my laptop and said “I’m sorry, we don’t have any black macbook screws.  We’re going to order some consumables and have them back next week so you can either schedule a time to come in or just swing by.”

A FREAKING SCREW?!?!?!

Anyway, I thanked him, and I’ll go back.  While there is another store, its way down South Austin, so it looks like I’ll be heading out again to get a replacement screw, that I can’t order online, can’t get used…etc..  I feel bad for people who don’t live near Apple stores or retail outlets.

Update (8/22/08) I ran by the domain store again and YES! They had a screw, put it in for me and took like less than 5 minutes.  I have absolutely no complaints about apple employees at the store and for the most part on the phone (aside from not knowing their own policies).  My main complaint is what it took to get a screw.  Again, what if I didn’t live in Austin?  Why does Apple Corporate have these strange processes where you can’t get a screw?

This is an article about how to create custom ringtones for the iPhone or iPhone 3g for capturing movie quotes or music from a DVD using a Mac. I’ll follow up later with one specifically for PC. This article assumes that you know a few things about how to setup itunes, audio hijack, and the built in DVD software. I also use Sound Studio Pro but Audacity will work too.  *disclaimer I am not suggesting creating copyrighted ring tones - that would be wrong…

1. Launch Audio Hijack Pro and select your DVD player then click the Hijack button.  Play your movie, click on record during the part of the movie that you wish to sample.

Audio Hijack

2. Open the sampled audio that you have recorded in Sound Studio Pro, or Audacity and edit it to get the amount of spoken word or music to under 40 seconds.

Sound Studio Pro

3. In sound Studio you’ll next go to File>Save As>  give the file a unique name

Choose File Format of AAC (m4a)
Choose a Bit Rate, I usually go with 112 or 96kpbs.
Click Save

Saving in Sound Studio Pro

4. Now that you have saved the file you need to change it to an iTunes recognizable format for ringtones. To do this, simply right click the file and choose Get Info.

Get info of file

5. Where it says Name & Extension you want to change the extension from .m4a to .m4r

Change File Extension

6. You’ll receive a warning that says “Are you sure…” Click the Use .m4r because yes, you are sure.

Use .m4r

7. The last step, right click again on your file and choose to open with iTunes.  This should put the file (if you have itunes auto-copying) in your ring tones section.

Open with iTunes

8. As you can see in my ringtones is my new sample.  When I sync up my iPhone it will automatically be transferred as long as I have ringtones selected to transfer.

Voila

If you have questions post a comment.

First off, they had some this morning.  Apparently there were multiple rumors flying around about apple telling stores not to sell anymore because of the itunes server issues.  This morning though, the apple store had some in stock.  The Lakeline mall did not nor did the store near there in Texadelphia.  But, a few scattered AT&T stores near Parmer/35 and also near the domain/arboretum did have some.

One of our readers “superman” went this morning to be number 16 in line at a store and talked to a guy who was 2 away yesturday from getting one and had he arrived 5 minutes sooner he would have got one today.  That has so got to suck to wait for 6 hours and still have nothing to show for it.

As far as my own iphone goes - last night I was able to activate as soon as I got home from work.  iTunes backs up your iphone, syncs of contacts if you have that setup on your apple computer - syncs with mobile me, and then syncs any applications you’ve already downloaded.

One of the cool features (and slightly scary): Sitting on my couch in the corner of my house and then clicking on the maps - finding my location and having the blue dot right on the corner of my house where I am - with the satalite hybrid picture of my roof.  I also like the twitter plug in - it allows you to show pictures really quickly to others.

Go here to Ebay

go to ebay and pay $2,000 and someone is more than willing to part with a phone.

It seems every day this week apple is releasing some more information on the iphone from the contract costs with at&t to how you use the keyboard that is touchscreen. Its pretty amazing. The question is: How is the phone portion of it? There is no doubt about it, the software running on it will be fairly stable much like the OSX style operating system. We’re looking at a phone running widgets basically. But there are a lot of what if questions that will need to be answered as Friday rolls on.