Comments on: I’m sorry, Mike, I’m afraid I can’t understand that

By: Rayal

Rayal — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:16:13 +0000

Good play on 2001 and the misconception that you can not replace the battery in an iPod.
There is a certain amount of Apple bashing on the internet.

I replaced mine in ten minutes after getting a battery kit from an online retailer that came with instructions and a small plastic screwdriver like tool that allowed you to crack the case open without marring the surfaces.
Care was needed to not rip the tiny little wires. Move the hard disk, unplug the battery insert new battery put everthing back in place (carefully) and pop the case back together. Not for the timid but it can be done.

Total cost about $15.00

By: eeyore19

eeyore19 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:51:29 +0000

I used to have a T-shirt with the HAL9000 logo on the front and HAL’s shut-down dialogue on the back (”Dave, stop. Stop, will you? Stop, Dave. Will you stop, Dave? Stop, Dave. I’m afraid. I’m afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it.”).

I guess any problems customers encounter with their iPods can only be attributable to human error.

By: Adjusting

Adjusting — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:41:09 +0000

Cutting prices is a bad thing?

By: Dave Van Domelen

Dave Van Domelen — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:44:11 +0000

See also many of the recent Sunday strips of Pearls Before Swine. There’s no “punch line” outside of being able to set up the pun. The problem with this strip is that it peaks early…it should have been a three panel daily ending on “Hal, open the iPod door”.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:16:26 +0000

I laughed also, but the last panel almost killed the joke, since that was from another, slightly later, scene, and the caller did nothing to cause Hal’s mind to go.
This is one reason I avoid Apple products - that and them cutting prices randomly.
BTW, it was not intended for HAL and IBM to be one letter apart.

By: src

src — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:34:28 +0000

I felt that the 8th panel delivered the punch - that’s the way Steve Jobs feels about Apple products. Mere mortal consumers shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of the Gods.

The fact that he was able to craft a decent juxtaposition between 2001 and tech support dialog was just a bonus chuckle.

By: Neddo

Neddo — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:02:27 +0000

Is “Hal” a nickname for “Harold”? I never knew that.

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:53:28 +0000

Powers–for a group that doesn’t include me. I keep my personal audio on my BlackBerry, which has a replaceable battery, plus, you know, can do more than play music and video.

By: Powers

Powers — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:28:14 +0000

I believe one of the keys to the iPod’s small size is its lack of user serviceability. Obviously the consumer public decided the tradeoff was worth it.

By: Catlover

Catlover — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:08:19 +0000

Kubrick calls Apple tech support?
1) Tech support people are portrayed as inscrutable, resolute and unbending as Hal (I am one from a past life) - remember Hal is just one letter away from I- B- M
2) iPod door sounds like “pod bay door” (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2UFXQuT0PU)
3) The iPod is not user servicable
Ergo, our lovable main character pines for an even less reliable and ungainly audio device.
I give it a “meh”. Perhaps if they honed in on the tech support person’s red eye …
“Daisy, Daisy …”