Our completely arbitrary view of the best and worst of the year, from a Mac user's perspective...

It’s not scientific, it’s not even widely canvassed, but below is our view on the 2006, and the highs and lows for Macs users from a customer service perspective. These are the things we loved and the so-called providers that got under our skin! Enjoy.

Best product of 2006:

1. The new iPod shuffle: impossibly small, superb design around the clip function, and only 90 euro. This for us is the kind of device we want to buy just because it is out there. We already have full video iPods, but have the urge to buy a new shuffle anyway! Top marks Apple.
   2 The new MacBook: we love the new Intel based MacBook. Cheap, robust, and features such as the iSight camera and a Magsafe adapter.
   3 The wireless Mighty Mouse: what did we do before the track-pea was invented? Damn you Windows oriented USB mice- we don't want a clunky track wheel- the wireless Mighty Mouse just works perfectly for us. The wireless version appeared in July and is just what we were waiting for.
   4 Parallels Desktop- we run our accounts package on Windows, simply due to a request by our accountant. This is fine as we only use it for about 2 days a month. Parallels have developed one of the nicest Windows experiences for a Mac user (sounds like an oxymoron!). Plus the fact that the Intel chip now runs Windows apps at a good speed, this makes Parallels one of those break-through products that comes along every now and again. Makes Boot camp look so yesterday!
   5 Canon HV-10. We liked this HD video camera so much we jumped in and purchased one! Small, compact, light and superb picture quality. Alright, it costs over 1000 euro, but this is what we paid for our original DV camera five years ago at the start of the DV camera boom. Its form and shape means we can now bring this out without feeling like we are a film crew lugging around our equipment. A real gem.
   

Worst product of 2006:

1. Surely the Zune MP3 player. Chris Breen's review of the Zune for Playlist Mag really summed up all aspects of Microsoft's attempt to topple the iPod. The idea of wirelessly sending music between Zunes we liked- the idea of only being able to play the sent file only three times before it expired, even if the file is your own recording- that's just crazy! Just an ugly, awkward attempt at an MP3 player. Why bother?
   2 Blackberry and PocketMac: In 2006 Blackberry allows Mac users to sync their handheld to a Mac using PocketMac, one of the worst Mac applications we have ever seen. PocketMac is a poor substitute to a real sync application. In comparison, we use a Palm Treo 650 and sync with our Macs using Mark/Space's Missing Sync software. Its slick, intuitive, and covers everything we could want from sync software. PocketMac on the other hand has a mind of its own, syncs what it deems appropriate, and is cumbersome to set-up. We have rarely found a less comfortable or un-Mac-like application. Roll on the rumoured Mark/Space Blackberry application.
   3 Blue-ray and HD DVD: not invented in 2006, but these next generation DVD players began to emerge during the year. What we hate is watching this type of pointless battle being played out. It merely serves to persuade consumers to wait and see. We like the promise of better quality and larger storage capacities. We hate having to sit and wait. One thing is sure; most will not jump in until we have a clear winner. This type of problem simply leads to confusion for customers.
   4 iPhoto & iWeb- the products themselves are good, but there is one part which we find really annoying. In 2006 Apple removed the homepage feature of iPhoto, where you could post a series of photos on your .Mac webpage with such ease that it required very little Mac knowledge. In 2006 this was changed and iPhoto now hands the photos to iWeb. This just adds another layer of complexity to the process and ruins a little feature which we used again and again. Shame.
   5 Office 2004: OK so Office 2004 isn't exactly a 2006 product, but here is our gripe- in 2006 Office was updated to allow contact syncing with Apple's Address Book and iCal. Its great, works seamlessly and now avoids all of those duplicate entries we fought with for the last few years. So why couldn't Microsoft get this right for the calendar too? The current sync between iCal and Entourage calendar is awful. All Entourage calendar events sync into one calendar in iCal instead of separating into different categories such as "work", "office" etc.,. Come on guys- you can do much better.
   

Best customer experiences of 2006:

1. Crucial Memory: we love Crucial. They are the cheapest memory provider we have found. They deliver via UPS for about 8 euro and normally within 24hrs. In 2006 they had a store which quotes prices in euros. Simple, fast, cheap and efficient- what more do you need in a component supplier.
   2 Pixmania: we bought four items from Pixmania this year and each time found the service to be good. The prices are among the best on the internet (far cheaper than retails stores in Dublin) and their DHL courier delivery meant a fast delivery time and helpful tracking of our packages (Apple take note!).
   3 CompuB- to date we have only found one Apple retailer in Ireland which we would recommend to clients, and CompuB have continued to please our clients in 2006. We like the idea of buying local, but if the service is poor we have no problem looking for alternatives. Our experience of Apple agents in Dublin has been very bad, and so CompuB is a shining light in the Irish market. If you need a Mac repaired they are an automatic choice. If you want to buy a Mac you should look at the Irish Apple Store or CompuB. The real advantage is their knowledgeable and friendly staff- completely unique in Ireland. Don't be put off by their Limerick location- they will deliver to all parts of Ireland via courier.
   

Worst customer experiences of 2006:

1. BT Ireland and Eircom: We find it hard to contain ourselves when we begin to discuss BT Ireland and Eircom. BT Ireland-> approx 1 hour delay for their customer service phone line. -> Rarely is an issue resolved on the first, second or third phonecall. -> You need to "confirm" the closure of an account or the setup of a service at least three times to ensure that this is a fact. As for Eircom-> some of the most unknowledgeable staff out there. -> Wait times close to BT. -> we are generally transferred around their offices if we ask a tech question, and normally we will be passed around for 30-60 mins from dept to dept before being unceremoniously cut off. Eircom is like talking to a series of solitary workers who have no connection to one another. You may order a product from one agent, only to phone back the following day and to be told there is no trace of such a request. Well done Eircom and BT, you took customer service to new depths in 2006.
   2 AppleCare: Apple's removal of courier-in service for Irish customers was a low point for Apple support in Ireland. With such poor service providers in Dublin, the ability to deal directly with Apple was a lifeline for Mac users. The removal of this service, and lack of response from Apple PR when we requested a comment on this issue, was a real disappointment in 2006.
   3 AppleStore delivery: this is a relatively small quibble, but why does Apple not have faster delivery and better tracking for Apple Store deliveries? In our experience, iTunes cards or iPhoto books can take up to 2 weeks from the date of despatch. This is unacceptable. For computer and iPod orders, the delivery seems to fall into 3 sections- order assembly, order gathering and order delivery. The assembly takes a few days depending on the product you have purchased (e.g. customised laptops may take a few days to complete). Gathering is where Apple sends the parts of your order to one location before the delivery is made. For instance, a MacBook may come from China whereas your printer may leave from London. All parts must arrive in one location before they are handled by TNT and delivered as one order. The main gripe is that this "gathering" stage is too long and there is no way to track its progress. In 2006, with companies such as Pixmania and Crucial delivering in a few days, there has to be a better way for Apple to handle orders?