Apple Stores & Software

[*monkey*]

I've heard great things about GarageBand ... has anyone bought the new iLife suite yet? If so, where can one buy a copy?

[splam]

If you use file vault for security ( which I think is the only reason to use it ) you might want to try PGPdisk. I have used PGP 8.0 on OSX for quite a while and it has never given me any trouble.

[pinesay]

I've heard great things about GarageBand ... has anyone bought the new iLife suite yet? If so, where can one buy a copy?

Tried to buy it at the newly renovated Apple Shop on Jinhua St. behind Shitda. All I wanted to do was PAY MONEY TO BUY SOMETHING. I knew what I wanted. No problem, right? Wrong. First, they looked at me funny. Then they said they didn't have it. Then I asked where I could get it. They looked at me funny. Then they said they had a "refurbrished" version of iLife '04. I have no idea what refurbrished means. Anyway, they handed me a box of the PREVIOUS version and insisted it was the '04 version. I told them it couldn't have been as the box doesn't say "iLife '04" and there's no mention of GarageBand. They looked at me funny. Eventually, they admitted they made a mistake and that they don't have it. Why does every Apple retailer in Asia have to be so aloof and presumptuous??

[roc]

As to Pinesay's "why," try to think of it as a desire to please rather than a bald-faced scheme to relieve you of your money. You know where NOT to go next time...

And, yes, Garageband is friggin' brilliant.

I managed to buy a copy last week... PM me.

[pinesay]

The problem is that Apple dealers in Asia (I speak from experience in a few Asian countires) seem to lack the passion of other Western countries ... OK, they're Asian. I get it. Of course they're not goint to start jumping up and down about how much they love what they sell. BUT, it is so insulting to have these guys not give a rip about me in the store and act like I'm inconveniencing them. Happened at two other stores in Singapore too. It's really embarrassing when customers gravatate to me when I'm in the store because the owner doesn't want to demo or show an interest in the products he or she is sellling. He or she might as well be selling cardboard boxes. I'm the only one in the store giving demos to other customers.

[amos]

pinesay, that's quite a surprising comment to tell you the truth. I know Alien as well as I have nothing to say but very good things about the Jinhua store. I also saw similar positive comments said about it on Taiwanho.com. Who did you speak to? Each time I've been in I've spoken to Randall or Elvis who have both been awesome to say the least, and that is understating my experiences there.

[igorveni]

Where exactly is this store you guys are talking about?
I just got iLife this morning, it's awesome.

[Poagao]

I also had a good experience at the Jinhua store today. I took my Powerbook in to get an airport extreme card as well as some more RAM, and I got iLife 04, FCP 4, office no problem. Elvis was very helpful and showed me several tips for using the machine, and the other staff were helpful as well, asking me what I needed and giving it to me without any fuss whatsoever.

Elvis also told me that they are opening up a larger shop over near the northwest entrance of the SYS Hall MRT station. While it isn't a real Apple Store, it's going to be quite large, with free wireless Internet and a full staff. It's scheduled to open in a few weeks' time. Technically, the shop on Jinhua mainly only a repair shop, while this one would be primarily about sales.

[igorveni]

WHERE...PLEASE?

[amos]

igorveni, it's on Jinhua st Taipei near Alleycat's restaurant. Go down Jinhua until you see an apple sign. Now I'm hopeless with directions but if you were at the corner of Lishui st and Jinhua st, then you'd be about 100meters away.