Preorders suck

I pre-ordered an iPod Touch from apple and they said it would be shipped by Sept 28th, the expected release of the new iPod. Unfortunately, they released it in stores the very next week. Well, it's been on sale for a week and a half now and mine still hasn't shipped. I have two problems withs Apple on this one.

First, they were kind enough to send me an email when it was released in stores to let me know I could go out and purchase one. Thanks Apple, I didn't think you played the pre-order game like every other company that has screwed me with "pre-"orders.

Then they had the audacity to change my order status cryptically to "Prepared for Shipment." It's been a couple days now and the iPod still hasn't shipped. As far I can tell the only reason they did this is to keep me from cancelling my online order and going to the nearest Apple Store.

I understand that they'll probably make the "by Sept. 28th" deadline, but that's not the point anymore. They released it in stores, I should have been one of the first to receive it, I shouldn't be seeing other people walking around with the new iPod who stumbled into the Apple and saw the new hottness. I guess I thought Apple wouldn't screw me like every other company I have attempted to pre-order from. Shame on me.

On the upside, at least the iPod won't suffer from the display problems that have plagued the early models. And don't tell me that's a bonus like the ability to add contacts. If you're going to deliver an iPhone interface, don't arbitrarily cripple features - let me do what I want with the device. I'd lay odds that this iPod doesn't ship until a couple days before the 28th.

Hiking

I went hiking today. It only convinced me that humans are the dumbeset species on the planet. Maybe I'm missing something, but hiking seems to be a mix of exercise and the desire to see the view from the top of the hill.

My favorite moment came on the way down, a dog was being dragged along on a leash and it finally decided it had enough. The owner was demanding that "Peanut" continue up the hill, but the look in his eye was more of despise toward its crazy master. I always like to think of the world from the perspective of an alien anthropologist watching from a distance. They would surely think a stream of people climbing up and down a hill for no obvious benefit makes no sense at all. We are crazy, crazy animals.