Dick Smith Electronics: 1 / Next Byte: 0
I just went into the city. I wanted two things: a DVI video cable (with a full-size, male DVI connector at both ends), and a cover for my new iPod Nano. Adelaide doesn't have a proper Apple Store, so I went to Next Byte in Gawler Place.
Now, admittedly, my requirements for the iPod cover were pretty specific: I have a Nike Plus pedometer, so it not only had to fit a third-generation Nano, but it needed to leave the dock connector exposed (so that the Nike Plus receiver could be attached), and I had to be able to attach it to myself (for example, with an arm strap) or my clothes (with a clip). Let me cut to the chase: you cannot buy such an iPod cover at Next Byte.
Next I approached the desk to enquire about what I figured would be a pretty standard item. This is how that went:
So I went to a Dick Smith Electronics store. I picked up a DVI video cable for $A 30, and while it's not white, it does the job. (The obvious follow-up question to the Next Byte droid would have been, “So how do you recommend someone connects a Mac Pro to a monitor?”—the Mac Pro's DVI output ports are full-size.) Little did I know that Dick Smith's also sell iPods, and they had a pretty decent range of covers as well. I bought one for $A 25 which almost fulfilled my requirements—when I got it home, I realised that what I thought was a clip on the back was actually just a thing to wind the headphone cord around. So I guess I fail at iPod covers. And, once again, Next Byte fails at everything.
Now, admittedly, my requirements for the iPod cover were pretty specific: I have a Nike Plus pedometer, so it not only had to fit a third-generation Nano, but it needed to leave the dock connector exposed (so that the Nike Plus receiver could be attached), and I had to be able to attach it to myself (for example, with an arm strap) or my clothes (with a clip). Let me cut to the chase: you cannot buy such an iPod cover at Next Byte.
Next I approached the desk to enquire about what I figured would be a pretty standard item. This is how that went:
“Hello. I need a video cable with a full-size, male DVI connector at both ends.”There was some keyboard tapping, and some muttered confirmation from a fellow droid.
“Uh, lemme check… I don't think we have those…”
“Yeah, uh… we don't have those, just Mini-DVI to DVI. You could try Dick Smith's.”I thought momentarily of asking whether he meant that the store didn't have the item in stock right now, or whether they really didn't stock them at all. And then I realised not only that the answer didn't matter, but I actually didn't want to know.
So I went to a Dick Smith Electronics store. I picked up a DVI video cable for $A 30, and while it's not white, it does the job. (The obvious follow-up question to the Next Byte droid would have been, “So how do you recommend someone connects a Mac Pro to a monitor?”—the Mac Pro's DVI output ports are full-size.) Little did I know that Dick Smith's also sell iPods, and they had a pretty decent range of covers as well. I bought one for $A 25 which almost fulfilled my requirements—when I got it home, I realised that what I thought was a clip on the back was actually just a thing to wind the headphone cord around. So I guess I fail at iPod covers. And, once again, Next Byte fails at everything.
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