So I called the American Express number on the Gizmodo post thinking I would at least try to get a rebate on my iPhone due to the price drop. The rep was nice enough taking my info but when he realized that I had a 4G he said, "Sorry, we're not processing claims for the 4G because it's been discontinued." (Ouch.) Since he was apologetic about it I said thanks anyway and seethed at Apple some more.
That was almost a month ago. And I didn't think any more about it, especially since I was starting to feel okay about my $100 credit from Apple--more Apple shopping, how can I refuse? (Though could they finally ship that new thin bluetooth wireless keyboard?!? WTF?)
And then yesterday I get a letter in the mail from AmEx saying:
"Thank you for choosing to use your American Express Card for your purchases. Your recent claim with American Express does not fall within the normal terms and provisions of the Purchase Protection Plan. However, as we very much value and appreciate your Cardmembership with American Express, we have approved your claim as an exception to the program guidelines. Your payment of $100.00 has been processed as a credit to your American Express Account..."
And my account now reflects the following:
Holy crap! American Express is now my favorite company of all time. The letter makes it clear that this is not something they have to do. Just something they are doing because they are awesome. I have to agree. Goodwill indeed.
Thanks AmEx!
Probably should call this route Tour of 280 instead of Tour for Woodside. We crossed the highway 9 times in a kind of cloverleaf pattern. I did the 55 mile ride, but there is a century. I did make it up Kings Mountain Road for the first time. Woot. Four miles up and what felt like 20 switchbacks. According to this site, the max grade is 16%. My Garmin wigged out so I don't have max grade, but you can check out the rest of the ride profile data at Motion Based.
Rate-a-Ride #1
Decided I'm going to start rating these rides for posterity and Tour for Woodside gets to be my first victim. Definitely one we'll do again. 800 riders and this is their 2nd year. Good food, great support--cheering high school kids and rest stops were themed with big races (Tour of California, Vuelta a Espana, Giro di Italia) and they even wrote chalk names on the pavement :) Route was well-marked (though there are so many charity rides down there they are going to run out of colors--we saw old arrows from Bike4Breath, Stop, Drop & Roll and Tour de Peninsula). Route sheet was good, with accurate mileage, though there were a few spots where streets changed names that weren't indicated on the sheet, which made the descent on Skyline a little scary cuz I was afraid we took a wrong turn.) BBQ highlights included spicy and not spicy chicken, Nutter Butters, two kinds of salad. No ice cream :(. Points taken off because at registration in the morning, there was free espresso but no jugs of water or Gatorade to fill up bottles. huh? Well, I guess that's Woodside.
Check out me and Ed celebrating (?) at the top of Kings Mountain Road.
SA accurately characterized the effed up iPhone price drop today, saying I'd been "ipwnd". True. True.
Clearly I am one of the sad suckers just a little (maybe a lot) miffed that Apple dropped the price on 8G iPhones by $200. It has also not escaped my attention that not only is the 8G now $100 less than my 4G, but the phone I waited in line for (a mere 30 minutes but it's the principle, dammit) is now obsolete just 2 months after I bought it AND is on CLEARANCE for $299 at the Apple Store. So now I have an obsolete phone, am out $200 and am the object of ridicule by my "I told you so" friends who think early adoption is stupid. Thanks Apple.
Also - Am I the only one that thinks the open letter from Steve Jobs sounds like it was written by Fake Steve (only just the part where it's obsequious and arrogant and not the part where it's entertaining and hysterical)?
Oh yeah, and $100 credit from the Apple Store? That would make me feel better if it weren't clearly a backpeddle and it didn't mean that it would just be feeding what's clearly become an Apple addiction I need to break. Not that I won't take it. I mean, I acknowledge I'm hooked, folks. I can't believe I didn't see their drug dealer tactics before now. Only the first hit wasn't free. It was $499.
< /rant>
But dammit, that phone is still so pretty. Sigh.
