This is Cult of Mac’s exclusive column written by an actual Apple retail store genius. Our genius must remain anonymous, but other than “Who are you, anyway?” ask anything you want about what goes on behind that slick store facade.
Answers will be published first in Cult of Mac’s Magazine on Newsstand. Send your questions to newsATcultofmac.com with “genius” in the subject line.
This week we cover which Apple products are too old to get fixed by the Genius, how to skirt around the need of a credit card to buy OS X updates and whether Geniuses ever imbibe on the job.
What are the oldest Macs you guys get for repairs?
It’s pretty rare for someone to bring in an old Macintosh Classic and expect us to fix it. Apple has an official cutoff and the oldest Macs we perform hardware repairs for in the store are around five years old. Once its been five years since a product has been discontinued, Apple slaps a on it and no longer offers service for it.
To check if a product you have is vintage or obsolete, check Apple’s guidelines here to see if it’s still serviceable before coming to the store. If your Mac is running OS X then we can still provide software support. That’s good news for those of you still running Cheetah out there!
How do I update my system to the newest versions of OS X without a credit card to download it?
Apple doesn’t sell physical copies of OS X at Apple Store any more, but there are still ways around that if you just want to pay cash. You can always purchase an iTunes or App Store gift card at the Apple Store or many other retailers with cash. Once purchased, redeem the gift card on your account in the iTunes or App Store app. You can then purchase your OS X upgrade or and any apps with the credit added to your account. Make sure to update your payment information for card type to “none” by signing into your account in the iTunes Store or App Store.
Have you ever worked drunk?
The job can be pretty stressful sometimes. Occasionally, I’ll have a drink before work or on a lunch break. It’s not a bad way to relax and most of the managers at the store don’t care unless you’re always coming in sloppy drunk.
There are always a few situations throughout the day where it’d be great to take a short drink break after helping out a particularly horrible customer, but I don’t make it a habit. Fixing people’s iPhones really isn’t any easier after a few drinks so there are few benefits to being hammered on the job. As for what happens after work, it isn’t uncommon for employees and managers to meet up and toss back a few.
