I have been in need of new Macs for some time. My desktop iMac is seven years old (I expected it to last for five years) and the Mac mini that I use as a server for my Plex library (that’s how I watch most of my TV and movies and other videos) is nearly as old. They each have an Intel chip driving them, so you know they’re old, and they both run HOT. As in a high temperature. So I definitely need to upgrade to Macs with Apple chips which run much cooler—and faster.
What with one thing an another I’ve been finding reasons to delay the upgrades, not the least of which is that upgrading the systems will entail a fair amount of work (work!) and I’m not sure how much. Sometimes an upgrade goes fairly smoothly, sometimes not.
But over the past few months I had already ordered all the new external hard drives that I wanted for the Mac mini, and they’ve been sitting around gathering dust, so it seemed silly to put that purchase off any longer.
Plus, that Intel Mac mini really has been running HOT. I made the mistake of leaving the trackpad on top of the mini and this is what I ended up with:
So first thing on Thursday morning I went on Apple’s web site and placed my order for the basic Mac mini along with a new keyboard and a new trackpad. I didn’t need a display as I hook it up to my big screen TV, but most of the time I simply access it “remotely” via the network from my desktop iMac. The order went through fine and I scheduled a pickup time at the Walnut Street Apple Store for 11:15. That meant 10:15 my time, as I steadfastly remain on Standard Time, none of this Daylight Saving Time nonsense for me.
I’ve picked up many items this way from the Apple Store previously, but I forgot one thing. They require a government issued photo ID, and I still haven’t gotten my new driver’s license. Worse, I have lost my expired one.
I wondered if they would accept my Septa ID? I have a photo of my old driver’s license, would they accept that?
I mulled this over and decided it should not be important. They’d have the Apple Pass in my Apple Wallet that they’d scan; that’s how they’d know what items to get in the back of the store. They’d know that I have my iPhone and that it awakens to my face. I’d have my Apple credit card with me. They shouldn’t be all that finicky about it. And the photos do show my face.
I arrived five minutes early for the 11:15 appointment. There were two people ahead of me for the store greeter and both of them seemed to take an inordinate amount of time. When she finally got to me and I showed her my Apple Pass, she directed me to the fourth table in the rear. Once again someone got to the only Apple employee there, a cheerful bald-headed guy, seconds ahead of me.
Finally, Baldy turned his attention to me and I showed him my Pass, having a firm grip on my Septa ID in case I needed it, and with the driver’s license photo queued up in the Photos app.
He scanned my Pass.
“James?”
“Yes,” I replied.
He indicated my iPhone. “Your flashlight is on.”
“Oh, thanks.” I turned it off. That seems to happen a lot. I must accidentally press the On button on the lock screen without realizing it.
“Your items will be down shortly.” And he turned to the next person who had shown up.
It didn’t take long before someone appeared from the back door carrying what looked like a mini, a keyboard, and a trackpad. She brought them to Baldy and he returned his attention to me.
“Here you are, James. Do you need a bag?”
“No, I think I can put them in my backpack,” I said as I gathered them up.
“Well, I sent someone to pick up a bag if you need one. Have a nice day.” And once again he turned his attention to another customer.
No mention of an ID.
Actually when I think back to my previous visits to the Apple Store, I would usually offer my driver’s license without being prompted and they would give it at best a cursory glance, so perhaps they only need the ID if there is some question in their mind as to the person’s identity.
As I finished putting the items into my backpack, the bag that Baldy had promised me materialized. But I was on my way.
I thanked the store greeter on my way out.
I arrived at the store at 11:10 (Daylight Time) and was back out on the street by 11:18. Not bad at all.
There turned out to be a hitch. For technical reasons that I won’t go into, I can’t easily use the external disk drives that I was using on the old Mac mini, and I didn’t order enough new disk drives to replace them. So I had to put in an overnight order to get one more disk while I’m copying files over to the new drives. And the copying process is taking a lonnnnng time.