Frustrated!!

[RJCaptain73]

Got my power adapter today (part of my $150 order for accessories that included a dock and two extra cables). The power adapter is the exact same one that was used for the older iPods with the 6-pin firewire port on them. It even came with a 6-pin to 6-pin firewire cable that is TOTALLY USELESS to me, since I have a new iPod!!!

So...to recap:

1) I've ordered a $49 hunk of plastic that's worthless unless I purchase a $19 chord to go with it so that I can charge my iPod on the road without having to remove the cable from the back of my computer every time I want to leave the house.

2) I've ordered ANOTHER hunk of useless plastic (this item only $39) that won't work as a means of connecting my iPod to my home stereo unless I purchase YET ANOTHER $19 chord!

Why does my buyer's guilt get WORSE every time I talk to Apple? I've spent $500 on a new iPod (which, although it is a cool device, didn't cost them much more to make than about a third of the $500 they're charging), and now I'm being nickled-and-dimed for cables that REALLY should come with the accessories I'm purchasing.

I was seriously considering the purchase of a new high-end G4 at the end of the year. I think I'll just call Dell instead if this is the kind of garbage that Apple slings it's customers regularly.

[dmt1]

I agree with you on all but one thing--that it costs one third of what Apple charges for the ipod to make an ipod....

The HD comes from Toshiba, and they in and of themselves are roughly 1/3rd the cost of the ipod. Add in the other electronics, and the markup is not as horrid as it may appear....

[RJCaptain73]

How many of these Toshiba hard-drives are bought at a time by Apple?

They may be expensive for end-users to buy...but I'm pretty sure (from my past experiences in the mass-produced computer industry) that Apple pays SIGNIFICANTLY less for them. I've seen bulk discounts range anywhere from 25% to 75% off of consumer single-unit pricing for items such as that.

[dmt1]

Actually, if I recall correctly, because Toshiba is the ONLY manufacturer of the HD, they weren't discounting it to Apple or anybody else for that matter...And that makes sense for Toshiba to do, since they are introducing an MP3 player based on the very same HD they sell Apple, except that it's going to be removable.

[Impulse29]

I partially agree with your statement's. Apple should make the customers happy, and tell them EXACTLY what comes with what you buy. I think that a cable SHOULD come with the dock, because unless you buy it as a stand (not likely), then you NEED the cable. Apple believes that the majority of people that buy the dock are people with the 10gb that only have the cable. I do not see how the cable can cost over $10 to the customer, and $2 for Apple.

I however think that with the charger, that there should be no cable coming with, unless Apple sells one with the old cable, and one with the new one. Apple should consider revising their whole store.

Apple does not support older products. I find it very poor for Apple to turn their heads on people with the AMP jacket. They supported it for a while, and now act as they have never supported it. Apple is obviously turning their heads on people with 'older' items. They will probably release a new AMP jacket which will have full compatability to the new iPod.