Geniusbar Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Apple comes out on top in Consumer Reports tech support ratings

by Michael Grothaus (Apr 30th, 2013)

Consumer Reports has announced that Apple has come out on top again -- and bested its previous score -- in providing consumer tech support to its users. The company scored far higher than the other big companies for the elements that make for successful online and phone support: ease of ...

Apple now asking potential Genius Bar customers to reboot iPhone before making an appointment

by Steven Sande (Nov 12th, 2012)

So, your new iPhone 5 is acting quirky, and you want to make an appointment at the Genius Bar to see what's wrong with it. You go to the Apple website, enter the location of your local store and let the concierge know what device you want to get help with ... and you're promptly greeted with ...

Apple Store remodel to introduce two-row Genius Bar

by Kelly Hodgkins (Sep 13th, 2012)

The Apple Store of the future could feature not one, but two Genius bars for technical service support, says a report in ifoAppleStore. The Garden State Plaza store in Paramus, NJ is moving to a significantly bigger location and redesigned the store to include the company's first double-row ...

Daily Update for August 20, 2012

by Steven Sande (Aug 20th, 2012)

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player ...

Apple Stores have had 300 million visitors so far in 2012

by Mel Martin (Aug 20th, 2012)

If you thought those Apple stores were pretty crowded you'd be right. The Loop is reporting Apple has had 300 million visitors to its retail outlets in fiscal year 2012 (which started in October 2011). That's a big number. For comparisons, the total US population is 311 million people. Here's ...

Dear Aunt TUAW: My Lion-only MacBook just died. Help! (Updated)

by Erica Sadun (Aug 1st, 2012)

Dear Aunt TUAW, The hard drive in my late 2006 black MacBook died this week. I purchased a new hard drive for it, used my OS X 10.6 install CD and then updated. I then went to the Mac App Store and found I can no longer download Lion, even with trying to hold the Option key down. What can I ...

Best Buy retail borrowing ideas from Apple Stores

by Mel Martin (Jul 5th, 2012)

That's the word from the Wall Street Journal, in a report that says Best Buy has a "Solution Central" table filled with Geek Squad employees at a test location in Minnesota. It's similar to the Apple Store Genius Bar. Best Buy is also trying methods to let customers pay at several locations, ...

Daily Update for July 2, 2012

by Steven Sande (Jul 2nd, 2012)

Apple trying new Genius Bar layout

by Mike Schramm (Jul 2nd, 2012)

IFO Apple Store has spotted a new trend in a few Apple Stores around the country: Apple is trying a new layout for the in-store Genius bar, turning it perpendicular to the store wall instead of running parallel along it. The new layout is designed to make things more accessible, and provide ...

Dear Aunt TUAW: Retina MacBook Pro, buy now or wait?

by Erica Sadun (Jun 13th, 2012)

Dear Aunt TUAW, My brother is getting one of those devilishly good lookin' new Retina MacBook Pro's. Should he order now and wait the 2-3 weeks? Or wait and see when it comes in stock at a local Apple Store? Your loving nephew, Jesse Dear Jesse, Do you need to customize your processor ...

AT&T concept store uses iPads, iPhones for checkout

by Michael Grothaus (Nov 17th, 2011)

An AT&T concept store opening this weekend in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights aims to "differentiate the AT&T experience," according to AT&T retail president Paul Roth. Roth told AllThingsD that AT&T needs to do more to lure the shopper into its stores now that most ...

Hackintosh repaired at Apple Genius Bar

by Steven Sande (Jul 29th, 2011)

So, you're in Shanghai, China with your fake MacBook Air when it suddenly stops working. What do you do? Make an appointment at the real Genius Bar for the Apple Store, Pudong in Shanghai and get help. Fortunately for the man who brought the "MacBook Air" into the store, the Geniuses behind ...

Rumor: Best Buy stores to add more Apple products, get Genius Bars

by Steven Sande (Jan 10th, 2011)

An anonymous tipster who works at a Best Buy store let us know this morning that he was informed by his Apple rep that the Apple section of the computer department will be going through a transition sometime this spring to allow more products to be displayed. At the same time, the stores will get a ...

Proximity sensor woes caused by reflective ear canal

by Aron Trimble (Jul 6th, 2010)

Following the recent release of iPhone 4 several of you reported an issue with the proximity sensor running amok during your calls. Our poll results were dead even with 50.1% of readers seeing issues and 49.9% having no problems. At the time I considered myself in the all-clear category, but ...

Readers: How to get satisfaction from Apple support on iPhone 4 issues

by Steven Sande (Jul 2nd, 2010)

Apple's rumored policy is to not give away the $29 bumpers to consumers, and DIY bumpers may not suit your style. So, how do you get the golden ticket, in this case the free bumper? It seems that documenting your case carefully and showing that you've performed all of the recommended fixes in ...