I’m honestly not sure if I should laugh or cry.
My Uncle, bless his heart, is a bit of a wanna-be techie. He’s always getting the latest and greatest gadgets, mostly because he sees me doing so. Over the last few years I’ve begun converting him to Apple’s line up of products. It started with the iPhone 3G, then the 3Gs and then an iMac. He’s also from another generation, and while he’s embracing technology often he needs his hand held when using it. Like many of you probably are I’m the “go-to” technology expert for my friends and family and my Uncle, more than anyone turns to me when he needs help.
When the iPad was announced he was the first to call me. ”Are we getting it?” He asked.
I replied, “I am!” and I knew he was too. He ordered the 3G iPad the day it was available just like I did.
Fast forward to today.
His 3G iPad was delivered. He called me to tell me so. But moments after he’d un-boxed it he called back.
“I have a problem” he said. ”I have to return my iPad, it’s scratched.”
I replied, “I highly doubt that” and told him to clean it with some Windex and I’d call him back.
When I did he was still convinced that the device was scratched although now he could no longer see the scratches on his screen.
He remarked that he’d changed the from the “blue screen the came on the device” (code name for the default wallpaper) to a customer wallpaper of his own and could see them before but not now.
I had to sit down to explain this to him
“Turn on the iPad and set the wallpaper back to the default one that came loaded on the device,” I told him and then instructed him on how to do so.
“Are those the scratches” I asked?
“Yes” he said almost sheepishly. Yes, my poor Uncle thought the shooting stars (or whatever they actually are) were scratches on his brand new iPad.
He immediately realized his mistake, thanked me and embarrassed said he catch me later.
I jokingly called him a few expletive words and told him he should immediately box up his iPad and return it to the store because he did not deserve to own one.
Now I’m all for EVERYONE, no matter their age or generation, embracing technology and I love my Uncle to death. He’s always been there for me and I know he’d do anything for me. But I had to share this story with you, the Gear Diary readers. I got such a laugh out of it, I figured you would too.
So let this serve as a warning. If you get yourself a new iPad and when you’ve powered it on for the very first time you see little white lines over the top portion of the screen……
THEY’RE NOT SCRATCHES!
Everything is fine, take a deep breath and move on.
