geek squad
Music
The Geek Squad’s Newest Racket: CD Ripping
9:40AM John Herrman | Building on a proud tradition of charging for things that shouldn’t cost anything, Best Buy’s crack team of dudes will now rip your CDs, for the low low price of $US1 a disc. More »
Gadgets
Verizon Rolling Out Geek Squad Knockoff Called ‘Expert Care’
6:00AM Sean Fallon | Starting today, Verizon will join a growing list of companies including Best Buy and AT&T that offer a service dedicated to in-home customer support. Verizon’s ‘Expert Care’ will offer a ‘protection pack’ that provides home repair and replacement coverage for your computers, televisions, and telephones as well as monitors, modems, keyboards, mice, OEM remote controls and FiOS backup batteries. Service starts at $US5 a month and can run up to $US20 depending on your equipment. They are also offering a “Premium Technical Support” service that adds 24/7 phone and online support for $US15 a month.
Phones
Best Buy iPhone 3G: Buy BS Accessory Package, Geek Squad Will Do What Apple Store Does for Free
11:30AM Matt Buchanan | The iPhone 3G is making its Best Buy debut this Sunday, and a copy of the ad you’ll see in your local paper confirms that even though Best Buy has the distinction of being the iPhone’s first independent US retailer, it’ll be the same old Best Buy peddling it. More »
Press
Wal-Mart Fires Broadside Into Best Buy With Talk of Geek Squad Knockoff
8:00AM Gizmodo US Edition | By way of sister site The Consumerist comes word this afternoon that big box chain Wal-Mart is “very interested” in expanding its services into Best Buy’s Geek Squad territory. “We are looking at different options,” said Gary Severson, a Wal-Mart senior vice president. Tough luck for Best Buy on that one, should it come to pass. According to MarketWatch, analysts consider Best Buy’s Geek Squad operation a key differentiator compared to Wal-Mart. So, the question is, if Geek Squad guys drive those black and white VW Beetles, would Wal-Mart stormtroopers technicians fly Star Destroyers drive SMART cars? [MarketWatch via Consumerist] More »
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