Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20-10-2024 — Madam Vice-President.

20th October, 2024: Madam Vice-president.

It’s officially official: it’s not just Evri that get deliveries wrong!

I was due a delivery, yesterday: from Amazon.

Some new bedsheets, and jogging bottoms, so you know.

What I got … ?

Was some shampoo, and toothbrushes.

As it turned out, the driver had delivered my package to a flat over the road: and their package to me.

I’m thankful the couple were in: as it meant I could wonder over and swap packages.

But?

You can bet I sent Jeff Bezos an email!

~≈📧≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-9-2024 — David McCullum

25th September, 2024: David McCullum.

Hmmm … 

Every so often, I’ll order something from Amazon.

Usually on payday: and usually for stuff that’s both cheap, and very useful.

One of the most recent ones?

Was supposed to be delivered by a third party delivery firm called Evri, yesterday.

By ten pm.

It hasn’t.

It’s been delayed: and will now be delivered by the 26th, at the earliest.

I had to pay extra for that delivery.

So, understandably?

I’m not happy.

~≈🏞️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 1-10-2019: Lincolnshire Day.

1st October, 2019.

It’s got to be said, Christmas presents are on the move.

At least … 

In theory.

I ordered a few bits on Saturday: from both Ebay and Amazon.

The 28th, so you know.

The stuff from Ebay?

Has been posted.

Dispatched.

Sent.

Shipped.

Transmitted.

You get my point.

The items from Amazon, on the other hand … ?

Are still in a warehouse, somewhere … 

Ho … 

Hum … 

~≈⇧≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th September, 2019.

6th September, 2019.

Yes: I officially have stuff going on.

Officially?   I have an interview on, at four o’clock: for a local bookies.

Yes, it’s the one I had reservations about, yesterday.

After a lot of persuasion?   I’ve decided to go along.

What’ll happen, whether I’ll get the job … ?   Considering I didn’t last time?

Who knows … 

~≈§≈~

You’ve probably worked out, over the years, that I’m something of an Apple fan.

Hadn’t you … ?

At least, certainly a technology watcher.

So … ?

Something grabbed me, yesterday: this piece informs us that Amazon are planning to introduce their own branded smart TV: and sell it in the UK, at Currys/PC World.

I’m … 

I remember — around the time of Steve Jobs’ death, in 2011 — that there were rumours that Apple were going to introduce a Smart TV: rather than the streaming box we see, today, and at a time when Smart TVs were a lot rarer than they are, today.

I believed that, after reading Jobs’ biography, and from the various bits and bobs from various Apple watchers.

In the wake of his death?

Nothing happened.   Not a thing.

We saw the upgraded streaming box: which is great, I should add, and very different to earlier versions.

But no actual Apple Smart TV.

I concluded that the Smart TV was a Jobs lead project, and one that died with him.

Which is a shame.

And, from a company with a reputation for innovating, and making innovative devices, a seriously dropped ball.

Fast forward to today?

Fast forward to today, and — seemingly — Amazon are apparently planning their own smart tv: following the likes of Microsoft, and Apple itself, in making hardware as well as software, and other services.

Personally?

I think Apple stopped innovating.

That’s not a good thing.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 10-12-2017: Mississippi

Hmmm … 

It’s a Sunday that I’ve got off.

And … ?

I’m off to Kent, today: to see my Aunty Bella.

Something I know I’m looking forward, to.

It has been a while!

~≈§≈~

On other fronts?

I’ve had another delivery from Amazon.

I have to give them credit for speed, certainly.

But they left it on my doorstep.

I — like many — have arrangements with Amazon: if I’m not in, they’re supposed to leave the package with a specific, named, neighbour.

They didn’t: again.

Which got me complaining.

Again!

I know it’s easy for even an experienced web user make a mistake: and wipe details from a web form.

Something I’ve confirmed I’ve not done.

I know it’s easy for a large organisation to lose basic information, on its way from a to b.

I work for a large organisation that does that, at least once a week.

Even so?

That’s the second time, in the space of a week, that’s happened: and something that also happened, last year.

Not quite what you’d expect, from the world’s biggest shop.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 2-1-2017

*Yawns* … 

You know, I think I need to go back to bed!

AFTER writing this post … 

And after mentioning Amazon.

I managed to order a few DVDs, and some new shoes, from the site: with some cash I’d been given for Christmas.

Work stuff and entertainment, basically.

Stuff the site told me was due to be delivered, last Thursday.

I wasn’t too worried: as, if I was out, it would be left with neighbours: neighbours who’ve been happy to do so for some eighteen months, and whose address Amazon have had for about the same sort of time.

It took them three days to do so.

Three days, a whining email to Jeff Bezos, and a lot of time on the phone.   Explaining that, not, I hadn’t updated my details, that the neighbours concerned were still happy to take packages in, and at the same address.

And, talking of which … ?   Why on Earth should I have to put that address on Amazon’s systems: when they should’ve been there in the first place?

It took a lot of talking with a Customer Services wonk to get that updated: and I finally got the goods, yesterday.

That … and a tenner’s worth of free credit in my Amazon account.

I can’t complain too much.

A tenner’s a tenner, after all.

But for Amazon to have lost some details?

Sounds a bit … 

Odd.

~≈Ç≈~

The Daily Teaser — 6-1-2016

Right, I think I use Olga a bit of a thank you: her giving me the email for Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, has had a bit of a result.

As you’re probably very aware, just after Christmas, I managed to order a four terabyte internal drive: to use as a back up drive.

Which then got lost in transit.

!*

At ANY rate, Olga, bless her, managed to dig up the email address for Jeff Bezos: at least the one he uses so people can have a really GOOD whinge!

I sent Mr Bezos an email: explaining what had happened, and politely asking what on EARTH had gone on.

I got a reply, later that day: from a chap called Joe Ryan, working on behalf of Mr B.

Firstly?   He managed to reduce the delivery time: so, hopefully, the drive will be with me, by 1 o’clock, tomorrow.

Secondly?   He’s told that that, while he can’t pass on any results, he has passed on details of what happened to Amazon Logistics: the people who actually deliver stuff for the company.   That way, at least the company can say they’re doing something about the cock-up, even if it’s just asking what happened.

And as a final point … ?

They put twenty pound’s worth of credit onto my gift card balance.   Which frankly, has got me some bits already.

Either way … ?

That’s a result.   I don’t know if the blessed thing WILL turn up: but feeling a touch reassured about.

But will say this: Thanks, Olga!

~≈Â≈~

The Daily Teaser — 4-1-2015

Again with the Amazon delivery … !

You know I’ve had an internal hard drive on order?

Since Tuesday, so you know.

And one that was supposed to get here, on New Year’s Eve.

And didn’t.

It got re-scheduled for yesterday.

And still didn’t arrive.

Amazon have assured me it’s due, today.

Are you feeling vaguely cynical?

I know I am … !

That’s a hell of a way to start some time off!

~≈fl≈~

The Daily Teaser — 3-1-2016

Arrghgh!

Amazon still haven’t delivered!

I managed to get in touch with them, yesterday: to try and find out what sort of time my delivery — a four terabyte internal drive I’m going to use as a back-up drive — would turn up.

They couldn’t tell me.

It has to be said, I ALSO mentioned that I’d been in all day, Thursday: and not heard a thing from them.

Guess what … ?

They’ve decided to reschedule the delivery for today. 

Which mean’s I’m going to be stuck indoors, again … !

~≈Ú≈~

The Daily Teaser — 2-1-2016: Isaac Asimov

I’m going to be stuck indoors, today.

Waiting for an Amazon delivery*: an internal hard drive, if you must know!

The thing that gets me?   Is that they tried delivering the thing on Thursday.

But couldn’t, for some reason.

I can’t see why, I was in at the time the delivery was made: and happy to take the thing.

If I’ve understood the web-page, correctly?   They tried delivery at 15:25 … on my day off!

When I was in … 

That’s … 

Well, puzzling.   And rather frustrating … 

I hate being stuck indoors …

~≈Â≈~

The Daily Teaser — 10-5-2015

Ye gods, but that’s SOMETHING … 

I told you — yesterday — I’d dropped a terabyte capacity external drive: complete with some 800 gigabytes of media and family photos.

I’m … 

Well, the word ‘unhappy’ is the one that sums it up best.

Or, at least, most politely.

At any rate, I’ve managed to find a local local computer repair place: one that’s happy to try getting what it can off the drive.

I’m thankful I’ve a little cash to at least put down a deposit, there.

Otherwise?   I’d DEFINITELY be onto a losing streak.

~≈∏≈~

The Daily Teaser — 9-6-2015: Les Paul

RIGHT at the moment … ?

Right at the moment, the word in my head is ‘BUGGER’!

I have an external drive: that I use to store my iPhoto library, AND my back-up TV shows.

Some 800 or so gigabytes of data.

To be strictly accurate?   I should say ‘HAD.’

I was planning to settle, last night, with the first two episodes of Penny Dreadful: something Sky’s been showing for a while, now, and been getting good reviews for.

Without thinking … ?   I moved my chair.   Which hit a stool.   Which knocked a door.   Which closed.   Hitting a printer on the table with my computer.   Which knocked the external drive.   Which landed on the floor.

After that?   After that, the ominous clicking sound from the drive — and it’s refusal to show up in the Finder — told what what it was knackered.   I extracted the drive from it’s container, and put in the spare bay of my Mac Pro.

It clicked ominously, and refused to mount.

What I’m HOPING’S happened is that falling off the table means the arm that moves across the platters of the hard drive has been damaged: and is easily repairable.

I don’t know that it is, though.

If it is, that’s all good.

If it isn’t, I’m not going to worry too much about losing the TV shows.   Those would be easy to replace.   Expensive and tedious, but easy.

The photos, on the other hand, including those of my nephew?   Are gone.

I’m not happy, understandably.

Especially when you consider the reason I was shopping on Amazon, last Friday — when I started having problems with Amazon Prime — was to buy a 2 terabyte internal drive, to replace this external drive.

I’m having a bad week.

BUGGER … !!

~≈Ÿ≈~

The Daily Teaser — 7-6-2015: Cricket, Lovely Cricket … !

Well, it’s Sunday: officially Sunday, I should say.

And … ?

Right at the moment, I’m up and about: and (mentally) preparing my self for work.

After finishing at 12:30, last night.

And … ?   Well, it has to be said, I’m feeling relatively non-tired.

How long that will last?

I really couldn’t tell you … !

~≈Â≈~

The Daily Teaser — 6-6-2015

Ye GODS, but Amazon are sneaky bar-stewards … !

I’ll happily admit, they’re good at what they do: I’ve been using Amazon’s shopping site for a while, and — generally —don’t have a problem.

But at some point?   I’d signed up for a free trial of their Amazon Prime service.   It allows for free video streaming, music streaming … and for free deliveries of stuff you’ve ordered.

Which is why I’d signed up for the free trial.

But … ?   Well, yesterday, I tried ordering an internal hard-drive, along with a couple of other bits.   Only to find my card getting declined for a lack of funds.   Funds I’d believed were available.

It turns out they weren’t.   Amazon had automatically charged me £79 for a year’s subscription: without sending me a reminder email, or warning that the trial was over.

Now, from what I can tell, they do tell you, in the Terms and Conditions that they’ll do this.

But how many of us sit down and read those?

I’m … annoyed.   Yes, you’re right, I could well have read the terms and conditions.

But equally, Amazon could easily — oh so easily, I suspect, and much more preferably, from where I’m sitting — have sent out a reminder email: to tell me the trial was coming to an end, and asking if I’d like to continue using the service at such and such a price.

They didn’t.   I spent about half an hour, yesterday, phoning my bank to see what had happened: then then getting a refund from Amazon.

That’s due in within the next few days.

Now … annoyed?   Yes.   Angry?   Incredibly.   Frothing at the mouth?   You bet!

I could well have read the terms and conditions.   But in burying the explanation of what will happen in the terms and conditions, and in NOT sending a cancellation email?

In behaving like this, I believe Amazon* have indulged in the worst kind of sharp practise.   And would do themselves a huge favour, publicity-wise, in changing this practise.

Because I’m not the only one.

~≈Ê≈~

The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies: I’m Glad THAT’S Over … !

11th April, 2015.

You know, I’m something of a film fan.

Well … 

I’m someone that likes watching films, let’s put it that way.

I think the term film fan possibly implies a level of geekiness that really isn’t me.   At least, as far as films are concerned.

At any rate, I like a film, every-so-often.   I’ll quite happily sit through something … if I believe it will repay me with an evening’s entertainment.

I’ve done that, tonight.

In purchasing — purchasing, note — the third part in Peter Jackson’s take on J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit: called The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies.

And having sat through some one hundred and forty-four minutes of movie?   Can’t help but think someone’s bitten off a bit more than he can chew.

I don’t know about director, Peter Jackson … but I know I’ve got work in the morning!

Right at the moment, it’s 22:50.   And I’m due to whole my ageing carcass out of bed incredibly early: to get myself into work for 10:30.

I’ve done stupider things, in my time: as I’m sure friends and family will tell you.

Right now … ?

Right now, I’m trying to think of a stupider one than watching a long movie, before a seriously early morning.

And RIGHT NOW … ?   I’m going to hit the save button on TextEdit so I can climb into the sack … 

~≈†≈~