apple-ipod-touch-screenLast week I downloaded the Pandora app or the iPod/iPhone. Awesome! I’ve been plugging it into my stereo and enjoying some great internet radio. However, I was having some difficulty getting the line in to make a good connection with my headphone jack. Then yesterday morning I left for work. When I plugged my headphones into the iPod, it didn’t stick. The headphone connector just fell out of the iPod. Crud! I broke my iPod. On my way into work, I started thinking of all the things that could have been wrong. Ultimately, I figured it would be an expensive fix to replace the headphone jack. If it’s too expensive, maybe I’d be better off getting an iPhone. Seriously, I can’t live without my iPod and if my iPod isn’t going to work, I might as well have an iPhone.

I decided to try out the Genius Bar at the Apple store. I went online and saw that I could make reservations. I made two, one for the iPod issue and one for a Quick Time Pro issue I was having. I was very impressed with the customer service/tech support of the Genius Bar. It’s simply genius!

Well, the genius took my iPod, pulled out one of those things the Dr. uses to look in your ears and said, “there’s your problem, your spring is all bent back.” Crud! That’s gong to be expensive. “Looks like you’ve got some junk in there too.” He pulls out a can of pressurized air and starts spraying into the jack. After a few seconds a huge dust/lint ball falls out. He looks in again. Wow, there’s still more. He get another tool and starts digging around, spraying in more air and digging some more. A few minutes later he pulls out two more huge dust/lint balls. Then he say’s, “there you go” and he he hands it back to me. I plug my headphones in and they stick. I hit play and there’s music. Wow! Three ball of lint/dust broke my iPod touch! Thank goodness for the Genius Bar.

Oh, and the same genius fixed my Quick Time Pro issue in less than five minutes too.