When You Fall Out of Love with Your iPad

About a month ago, after much cajoling and harassing from a couple of friends, I made the leap to purchase an iPad.  I bought it as a convenient way to check my emails and check the MLS while working with buyers.  Well, it was such a nice convenient size and I thought it would be so much easier than trying to open up my notebook in the car.

So, I bought this thing for only two purposes, right?  Much to my surprise, after trying to work with GoDaddy for nearly an hour, we weren't able to access my emails.  I became frustrated as I needed to board a plane and decided to abort the process until I had a bit more time.  Lately, finding another hour in my day has been pretty much impossible.

Okay, so at least I can check listings on MLS, right?  While working with a client looking for a rental condo, he presented me with his "surprise list" of other properties that he found on the internet.  So I thought, aha, this is a great job for my handy, dandy iPad.  After 5 minutes, the MLS still had not loaded.  I became very frustrated with this slow process and again, decided to abort the process.

After cooling off, I considered my iPad purchase.  It didn't seem that it was making my life easier, just more complicated and slower.  So, I screwed up my courage and decided to go back to the Apple Store in the mall, plead my case and try to return my iPad.  When I got to the mall, there was a line of about 50 people waiting to get into the store to buy the newly released iPad.  The Apple guy at the head of the line, sent me directly into the store, where another Apple guy was waiting for me.

I told the smiling Apple guy my story.  He began texting on his iPhone.  Within seconds, he was saying, "I'm sorry you had an unhappy experience.  Would you like the full amount credited to your credit card?"  What? No restocking fee, no hassle?  I said, that would be lovely.  Then I asked, what about the AT & T account I set up?  He replied, "I've already canceled that account for you, Mam. You will only be billed for the one month you had the account."

WOW!  Now that's service!  I found out a few things last night:

1. Apple is very customer friendly.
2. GoDaddy email works on POP which is not iPad friendly.
3. The MLS uses an antiquated platform that does not work smoothly with iPad's more contemporary system.

So, if you're considering an iPad, you might just want to go to your local Apple store and have a chat with one of the friendly Apple guys.  Tell them what you'll be using the iPad it for and have them demonstrate it.  But, if it doesn't work for you after you buy it...you have a safety net.  Apple is very customer friendly!