O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: Best Buy

  • Elaborate MacBook fencing operation surfaces, cites Best Buy and American Express

    Elaborate MacBook fencing operation surfaces, cites Best Buy and American Express

    A strange and potentially intricate fencing operation seems to have surfaced with a customer purchasing a new MacBook Pro from a Best Buy location, the computer launching the Remote Management screen upon initial boot and stating that the computer was owned by finance company American Express.

    Per Reddit:

    “Sorry if this isn’t the right group!

    But I just bought a brand new MacBook Pro. I was setting it up when a pop up came up saying — “Remote Management

    This max is owned by: American Express.”

    What the heck does this mean?…

    I’ll include a photo below. Did they accidentally give me a refurbished one? I do not understand.”

    The comments dig into potential details of the scam itself, including local thieves stealing notebooks, placing them in official Apple packaging obtained through Best Buy, and running refund scams all the while. Criticism also arose as to Apple’s official packaging and the ease of bypassing both Apple’s and Best Buy’s security protocols.

    If you’ve seen anything similar to this on your end, please let us know about it in the comments.

    Via Reddit

  • A mistaken Best Buy product listing could indicate iPad mini 7 arrival shortly

    A mistaken Best Buy product listing could indicate iPad mini 7 arrival shortly

    Sometimes it’s the mistakes that indicate whether a nifty product is en route.

    A recent Best Buy listing noting an unspecified iPad mini model on clearance “soon,” per the company’s website, could hint at an upcoming iPad mini model in the near future.

    The placeholder listing is for an Apple product with a “MINI WIFI” model name, and it is in the “tablets” section on Best Buy’s online store. Altogether, this strongly suggests that the listing will be for an iPad mini. The device will apparently be available for a clearance price of $359.99 in the U.S., down from a regular price of $599. However, the iPad mini currently starts at $499, so the listing appears to have a pricing error.

    There’s a chance the listing could be the current iPad mini 6, and the iPad mini 7 could be en route.

    Back in September, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman indicated that an updated iPad mini was “on deck” for an Apple event in October, alongside the first M4-based Macs. Gurman offered a more vague timeframe in his latest report this week, which stated that Apple was working on a new iPad mini that would “potentially” be released “by the end of 2024.”

    The iPad mini 7 is rumored to incorporate a faster chip, upgraded front and rear cameras, a fix for “jelly scrolling” screen tearing in portrait orientation, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, along with new color options.

    Apple released the current iPad mini in September 2021, with new features at the time including a larger 8.3-inch display, a USB-C port, a Touch ID power button, the A15 Bionic chip, 5G support on cellular models, a 12-megapixel rear camera with Center Stage support, compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil, and more.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors, Reddit, Best Buy, and Bloomberg

  • Apple removes Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 units from U.S. Apple Store inventory to comply with ITC ruling

    Apple removes Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 units from U.S. Apple Store inventory to comply with ITC ruling

    After days of hype, warnings, and workarounds, The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 units, which were removed from Apple’s U.S. online store on Thursday, December 21, are being removed from Apple Store inventory.

    When Apple Stores reopen today, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 won’t be available.

    The Apple Watch sales ban comes as part of a long-running patent dispute between Apple and the medical device company Masimo. The ITC ruled in October that the blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 infringes on two Masimo patents.

    Following the decision, the case was sent to the Biden administration for a 60-day Presidential Review Period. Throughout this period, Biden could review and veto the ruling but chose not to.

    As of today, Apple will be barred from importing or selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States. Apple made the decision to remove the devices from its website on December 21 and from Apple Stores after today as part of its efforts to “preemptively” comply with the ITC’s ruling.

    Per Mark Gurman, Apple Stores have been sent new marketing materials that promote the Apple Watch SE, which remains available to buy because it lacks the blood oxygen sensor.

    Apple has also stated that it will “continue to take all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.” The company also stated that it will file an appeal of the ITC’s final decision with the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit today.

    As it stands right now, there are no further details on how long the Apple Watch will be unavailable in the United States.

    In the meantime, Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 units can be purchased from other outlets such as Amazon and Best Buy, but will only be available while the current inventory lasts.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and @markgurman

  • Apple removes Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2 models from its U.S. online storefront to satisfy ITC ruling

    Apple removes Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2 models from its U.S. online storefront to satisfy ITC ruling

    The day Apple definitely didn’t want to arrive came yesterday.

    Aso of Thursday, Apple stopped selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in its online store in the United States, with the devices pulled from sale just days ahead of when an Apple Watch import ban goes into effect. When attempting to purchase an ‌Apple Watch Series 9‌ or ‌Apple Watch Ultra 2‌ to the online store, the devices say “currently unavailable.” Apple has also removed refurbished Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 models from its website.

    The company on Monday stated that it would need to pause sales of its Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models in order to comply with an International Trade Commission (IRC) order related to the Apple Watch blood oxygen monitoring technology from being imported into the United States. The ITC enforced after deciding that the Apple Watch blood oxygen sensor violates patents owned by medical device company Masimo.

    Customers can still purchase the Apple Watch models in question from Apple’s retail store locations, but Apple will stop store sales after December 24 in order to comply with the ruling. Third-party stores like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy can continue to sell the Apple Watch until supplies run out. Apple will be able to sell the Apple Watch SE, as it does not have a blood oxygen sensor.

    Sales could be reinstated should the White House veto the import ban, and the Biden administration has until December 25 to review the order and determine whether or not to intervene. Should the White House not veto the import ban, Apple will not be able to sell the Apple Watch until it removes the infringing technology.

    Apple is planning to appeal as soon as it can on December 26, and the company said it is “pursuing a range of legal and technical options” to get the Apple Watch models back on store shelves as soon as possible.

    Apple has posited that a software fix might satisfy the requirement, and Apple engineers are said to be adjusting how oxygen saturation is determined and how the data is provided to customers. Apple said that it is working to submit a workaround to US Customs to get the ban lifted, but it is unclear if a software fix will be sufficient because the patents in question pertain to the hardware.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors