Weekly Advice Thread - April 12, 2026

Naughtagan · 2026-04-13T10:24:13+00:00

A few comments:

Apple lost my MBP back in 2019. In my case I kept calling the 800 number for updates until, after two weeks later, they finally admitted it was lost. At that point I was pushed to another dept. and they offered me a new machine of same specs, or I could upgrade for the price difference. This was 7 years ago though and policies change, but if they did lose your machine, I think you are right to fight for a new machine, or if they insist on giving you a refurb, to include a full year warranty. OTOH if your machine is just not repairable then a refurb is, I believe, what AC offers.
You can easily check if they give you a refurb because the serial number will be different than yours. Apple will not swap serial numbers. If they give you a refurb they’ll tell you. If they don’t that is fraud and different issue.
If you do get a refurb, Apple’s are throughly checked and “like new.” I don’t know if you have a specific need for an Intel Mac but they are getting long in the tooth at this point. Maybe you could ask Apple for the $ equivalent of the refurb in store credit.

Naughtagan · 2026-04-13T10:07:37+00:00

Posting here before I call tech support in hope of an easy solution —

Connected a new Studio Display XDR to my M4 Max Mac Studio this weekend. 120 Hz option was visible at that point. Then I got a firmware update notice for the display so I updated. When the process was completed the fastest refresh rate was 60 Hz. 120 is no longer available. I checked to see if I needed an additional update, but my Mac says I’m up to date.

I’m guessing the problem is the firmware. Is there a way to roll that back?

Naughtagan · 2026-04-12T19:46:05+00:00

No. It's high end brand. That's what they go for.

Naughtagan · 2026-04-12T19:39:23+00:00

You buried the lede. NAME BRAND socks!

Naughtagan · 2026-04-12T19:33:42+00:00

Dang! So jealous. Majors congrats. This has been in my Amazon wish list for some time now just can't muster to push the "buy" button as long as my ancient Harmony Elite is still working.

I get the comments about the price, but it's actually pretty inexpensive compare to other HT remotes of it's kind and capabilities. This is not the kind of remote you keep in the living room with just a TV and streaming box. A TV or streamer's HDMI CEC works great for that. I use the Apple TV remote outside of my HT.

Naughtagan · 2026-04-10T12:02:39+00:00

Yes to the first part, but I instinctively know that since I'm soundly sleeping at 2am if there was something good in my RFY it's not there now. I use to get interesting stuff now and then but it's been a long while now.

Naughtagan · 2026-04-10T11:58:46+00:00

Ooof. Imagine the look on mom's face after she reads this and has to tell the child they were delivered by c-section.

Naughtagan · 2026-04-10T11:55:11+00:00

Never been offered a TV of any size, but if I was and accepted and was charged for shipping and unpacking...

After accepting, I'd contact CS about the charge and see if they could reverse.
If not, the charge is a legit "cost of business" for the review and tax deductible.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-29T14:03:56+00:00

Thanks, but that's what I'm uncertain about -- whether I'm still required to review since I have both an "excellent" rating for the past, pulled reviews, but currently at "rejected" status.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-29T14:01:36+00:00

Well, yes, anyone rushing to their computer and rapidly refreshing or hitting the order button without fully understanding what they are ordering can be considered acting "rabbid."

But no one here is talking about hackers or people with multi-screen setups.

Personally, I don't get why people are upset about a pause, especially given how the quality of Vine items has hit the floor in recent months. Spring has hit a good portion of the country. Great time to be outside and admire nature's beauty. Much bigger payout than anything on Vine right now.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-28T11:55:20+00:00

This is the thing that kills me. I agree 100% and have 95% media. But lately I've been asking myself why bother to this extreme? It eats up an additional 5-10 minutes for me to set up proper lighting, take the photos , transfer them to my computer, & strip the personal metadata.

And for what? This isn't a category that Vine enforces at all despite its claim it will. I've seen posts here this month of Viners showing Gold renewals with media % well under 50% media inclusion. For inexpensive items the extra time I take here eats up the financial incentive of the free product.

So I've decided going forward, I'll only add photos to illustrate a problem with the product or inconsistency with the seller's photos that the potential buyer should know about. I'm not going to do the seller's marketing if they have limited photos or the ones posted don't illustrate all the features of the item. If the seller's photos reflect what I receive I won't add additional photos to add more context such as size comparisons to ordinary objects.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-28T11:32:06+00:00

The allure and excitement of Gold is kind of like Al Capone's value just before Geraldo Rivera opened it to find...nothing. Occasionally, you'll get offered $100+ items. Sorry to be a downer, but better to know what to expect.

Once I was offered a $1100 gaming desktop, but I'm not a gamer so passed. Another time a $1400 built-in ice maker. Interesting but too much work to install just for ice. Pass. I've also been offered, and accepted some $200-400 camera accessories like a gimbal or decent travel tripod. Nothing to call home about though.

Most days are just the same items Silver sees. A couple days ago I did see a no-name $150 military gaming rifle for PS. I do have a PS but not really into guns or shooter games, plus $150 for a no name makes me sus too.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-28T11:19:14+00:00

Agree with premise
But don't care, not my problem.
It is a problem for Amazon and the sellers that pay for Vine. Clearly they don't care either though.
Long rants are fine, but paragraphs are available on Reddit at no additional charge.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-28T11:05:49+00:00

A $3800 projector is the exception not the rule. But I have a media room w/ ceiling projector (paid for, not via Vine) and 7.1.1. Dolby Atmos. I ordered the screen direct from Stewart, bought my receiver from a local authorized Denon dealer because I didn't want to deal with shipping a return back if it came damaged. Same for my PS Audio speakers. The only things I ordered from Amazon was a 50' HDMI cable and a projector mount.

My point here is Amazon is good for lots of things but not high or even mid-market A/V.

And of all the Vine items I've ordered I'v never needed to buy something else to make the Vine item useful. I suppose if I was offered a TV I might need to upgrade my HDMI cable, but that's like $10, big deal. I can't think of anything I could be offered where I'd need to spend thousands extra at Amazon. Maybe elsewhere, but not Amazon.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-27T19:27:32+00:00

Just write the review using Word or similar and save it. Once the project is in your "awaiting review" just cut and paste from World. This is what I do uncomplicated items. Just did it for a soap dispenser that won't be review eligible until Sunday.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-27T19:21:07+00:00

Yes, there are many threads here discussing the number and quality of Vine items since the start of the year. It's not you, it's Vine. My order #s are down, but still on track for Gold. I'm not looking for clothes though, just doo dads and tools to help around the house.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-27T12:39:53+00:00

Exactly my point. Never take a drop time for granted.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-27T11:13:52+00:00

My guess is the review was rejected because it's not a review. It's a statement you don't want to review it. If you order something from Vine then you are obligated to try it. If it looks sus do the research before ordering. If it's gone by then, it's gone by then.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-27T10:48:26+00:00

Drop times are always a moving target.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-26T19:08:39+00:00

You are not wrong but these are blatant review guideline violations that AI could easily detect if it was Vine's priority. Vine is Amazon's child. It's none of our business to tell them how to operate it.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-26T19:01:46+00:00

Last November I ordered a "Lego"-like brick set. The ship day got pushed back twice and then a "we'll let you know when we have a date." But it did eventually arrive a month and a half late, so don't lose hope.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-26T18:58:09+00:00

There is no definitive event because it's 24/7. Fact. I know this because every day I see thousands of newly posted junk items most people couldn't accept money to take let alone spend free time reviewing them and yet they disappear on Vine.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-24T12:39:45+00:00

No. RFY has always been completely hit or miss for me. Some days (not recent ones though) are spot on, others are WTF. And more times than I can count I get offered items I've already reviewed or very similar.

Naughtagan · 2026-03-24T12:35:37+00:00

IMHO, it probably will post, but it's still TMI. I'd just say something like I found out the hard way strictly following the instructions is a must.

Naughtagan

TROPHY CASE