As a late birthday gift to myself, and after a year or so of research and some saving, I took the plunge this past weekend and bought myself a blu-ray theater.   I actually didn’t buy the one I’d been researching and set on (a Panasonic to match my TV), but it had the features I’d been looking for.  It was also a bit more than I thought it’d be, but oh well.  

It’s Sony’s latest Bravia model – complete with wireless rear speakers (a must for me) and home wireless networking.  I got it Sunday afternoon, and after the requisite two hours of running all the cabling to my TV, Cable Box, etc, was working through the instruction manual (for once).  I got to the part about running a firmware update (Blu-Ray is constantly updating, apparently.  Nevermind the single standard to run a standard DVD.)  The system downloads the firmware from the internet, then starts into the process.  This needs a reboot (it’s a PC, in essence, right?)  Well, something screwed up and it was stuck cycling the update.   Here’s where the fun comes in.

I called Sony’s customer support.  I despise tech support.  With a passion.  Being in customer service, I understand that you need to respect the customer.  But for heaven’s sake, don’t apologize and give me the canned response of “it’s broke, you have to have it serviced.”  Give me a solution.  Give me an answer.

I was a bit short with the rep I spoke with.  I was polite, to a degree, and told him that I wasn’t angry or upset with him – but the situation.  I also informed him that I was calling looking for a viable solution that didn’t involve me pulling the unit back out of my entertainment center, packaging it back up, only have to get it returned to Best Buy or shipped to Sony and out for 2-3 weeks.  Does that sound like too much to ask for?  I spend several hundred dollars, I expect something to work with minimal fuss (especially when I’m following the directions.)  Anymore, it seems, that’s too much to ask for.   Like I said, it’s a single-task computer – you’d think there was a hard reset process or something.  Nope.

So, after the hour spent on the phone, I acquiesced, packaged up the unit, and managed to exchange it at Best Buy.  The new unit is installed, but I’m not doing an update until it’s officially posted on Sony’s site.

That should teach me to get the absolute latest model.  Officially, Sony hasn’t even released this model for sale (official release date of 3/31).  I know there’s a big firmware update coming 3Q to provide the 3d technology as well as truly allow me to network it with my PC’s.  When that gets released, I’ll be really happy.

Speaking of new technology, I saw a news tidbit that Amazon is adapting the Kindle App for the iPad.  It’s the best thing that both companies can do.  Apple can convert the Kindle users like me, as well as provide an additional source of revenues to the publishers.  I doubt it’s the unified standard that needs to happen, but it’s a step in the right direction.  I still won’t purchase an iPad (at least the first generation).  e-Ink technology is so much easier on the eyes than LCD.  Not to mention, when I want to do something from fanfic or the web, I can convert it much easier.  I’ve got issues transferring data to my iPhone, and I would imagine that the iPad is going to be in a similar boat.