Dumping Grounds

I’m on a roll today with posts, eh?

Just a note about the upgrade that is listed on xlr8yourmac.com, among other places on how to upgrade your CoreDuo MacBook Pro with 802.11n functionality. (Core2Duo machines already have this card, and all you need is the 802.11n enabler, available for $1.99 from Apple or included in the CD-ROM that comes with the Airport Extreme Base Station)

A couple of notes, actually:

• The card is easy to obtain. Ask an Apple Store near you (if you are lucky) or maybe a friend who lives near one. I’d avoid the Ebay auctions, as these are most likely scams. You might be able to check with Apple authorized Repair Centers or Dealers in your area. List price is $43. Compared to ExpressCard solutions, this really would be a bargain at twice the price.
• Apple acknowledges the upgrade, but does not support it. It DOES void your warranty. They will sell you the part, no questions asked.
• The upgrade is not terribly difficult. I had a few hitches with mine, but I think those were largely because I was stupid, and were easily resolved. The MacBook Pro is FAR easier to pull apart than its g4 cousin was.

Here’s the biggie, and the one that xlr8yourmac.com does not tell you about.

• Bluetooth functionality for your MacBook or MacBook Pro is located on the same card. The Mac Pro substitute card does NOT have Bluetooth on it. You will lose all Bluetooth functionality by doing this upgrade.

Now, I would have made this trade anyway, but it would have been very nice to have known this before I started. Apple Stores are getting LOTS of calls from people who do the unauthorized upgrade, and were not aware of the side effect.

In the end, I didn’t have to make the trade (read some of today’s other posts and see if you can put two and two together) but I certainly would not EXPECT the same treatment. I got lucky.

Hopefully Google will get this indexed nicely, and at least one Bluetooth addict who is not aware of the effects of their actions will be saved a little anguish. If you choose to do it anyway, good luck. 802.11n ROCKS!

While I am posting quick notes… my soon to be London-bound sister asks:

Do you tip at Sonic?

Seems as though someone was a bit miffed at her today when she did not leave them a $1 tip on a $4 tab. She thought the expectation was a bit unreasonable. I know no one comments here anymore (except the sex spammers), but I’ll throw it out there anyway. Does a carhop deserve a tip?

My answer? Almost never. Unless it’s well under a dollar in change… then, sometimes I’ll say, “Keep it.”

I did however once have a crusty old carhop at Keller’s on Northwest Highway throw a hamburger at me for not tipping her. Jeez, that was probably 15 years ago… and I haven’t been back. Keller’s wasn’t that great anyway.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s been forever since I posted.

Been busy.

But I had to take time to again post about the excellent service I received at the Apple Store in Willow Bend Mall in Plano, Texas.

Three times I have gone into the store for some sort of repair, and three times I have left feeling like I was treated very fairly, and with a smile on my face.

This time I think they went completely over and beyond what they had to do according to the letter of the law. My MacBook Pro thanks them very kindly.

Those guys (and gals) totally rock.