SquareTrade

Could this be love?

I made it. Normally an early adopter, this time I resisted the urge for about a year. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly stand it another day without an iPhone, Steve Jobs held a press conference to lure me in. “Jill... it’s time,” he said.

Well, he kind of said that. He might have actually said something more along the lines of “more affordable, GPS, faster, blah, blah,” it doesn’t matter. I’m in. But, is the iPhone really the best? Or do I want one  because it’s, well… just really cool?

Are iPhones so popular because of rationality and a straight up comparison of features with iPhone competitors, or is it an emotional decision people are making? I'll admit it, my iPhonelust is purely emotional. But what about the rest of us -- is it true love or rationality? Maybe a little bit of both.

Let’s look at the original iPhone. Our data shows that people who bought the first generation iPhone wanted to protect it more than people who bought other phones that cost the same. This could simply mean that people view the devices as more fragile than other devices, but it could also mean that the gadgets have a higher perceived value as compared to a device of comparable retail price.

               

Model	% Electing ADH Coverage
Apple iPhone	72%
Blackberry Curve	60%
Other Models in Price Range	42%

Buy a $200 Treo and stuff it in your purse or pocket. Addicting? Yes. Moving? Not so much. Buy a $200 iPhone 3G and I’ll bet you’ll find yourself checking up on it just to see how it’s doing in there. Sounds like rational love to me.

In case you’re one of those people (like me) who plans on waiting in line on July 11^th, keep in mind that SquareTrade is the only warranty service that intends to offer Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) coverage on the new iPhone 3G.  Not even Apple or AT&T are offering it.  Check out the details of ADH here.  And you can sign up right from your shiny new iPhone as you walk away with it, eliminating all the risk when you do your little uncoordinated victory dance in the parking lot.

Calling in Cali goes hands-free.

Much to my mother's dismay, I've been known to drive and dial from time to time.  But how dangerous is it, really?

According to CBS News and researchers at Harvard University, 1 in 20 accidents involve cell phone use.  But these same researchers wonder if that number is significant enough to make changes to state laws.

California thinks it is.

Starting July 1st, hands-free cell phone use will be the only way to talk and stay ticketless in the state.  So unless that phone call is worth a big hassle and 20 to 50 bucks, you might want to hang up your handheld or use a wireless device.  Some key things to keep in mind about the new law:

• Don't use a hands-free device that covers BOTH ears.  I'm guessing that means no iPhone headsets (boooo!), but you could probably get away with taking one of the ear buds out of your ear.
• You don't have to be committing another infraction to get pulled over for this.  Yep, police officers can pull you over if they see you talking on your handset.
• Text messaging is not specifically against the law, but just don't do it.  It's not safe.

Sadly, my Honda Element doesn't have Bluetooth built in.  Your car doesn't either?  You don't have to quit motor mobile-ing cold turkey.  Some options:

• Use the speakerphone function on your mobile phone.
• Get a headset.  Check out CNET's quick guide to Bluetooth headsets for the best picks.
• Get an aftermarket hands-free kit installed in your car.

Since we're all about protection at SquareTrade, we love the better-safe-than-sorry mindset of the Golden State!

Plan to protect your precious new iPhone 3G.

Ahhh, the dreaded cracked screen.  I’ve heard of it happening a lot with the first generation iPhone.  In fact, I just came across this support group for people who’ve actually had it happen and lived to tell about it. 

With all the hype and excitement about the new iPhone 3G, we’ve been hearing lots of concern about the lack of phone insurance available from Apple and AT&T.  You can get AppleCare directly from Apple, but it won’t cover you if you accidentally break your phone.  Plus, it's a little pricey.  And AT&T won’t let you insure the phone through their regular monthly phone insurance plans either. 

So if you think there’s even a slight chance you could drop your new iPhone, accidentally toss it, mistakenly dunk it into a liquid of some sort, unintentionally freeze it, bake it, feed it to your dog, or step on it after your child's toy choo-choo train gently nudges it off of a TV tray, you might want to consider getting some accidental damage coverage just in case.

 

So far, SquareTrade is the only full-service warranty company that will offer Accidental Damage from Handling protection for the new iPhone 3G.  Since you can do it all online, you don’t have to deal with a bunch more paperwork on top of everything you already got from Apple and AT&T for the phone and the wireless plan.  On the $299 16 gig iPhone, you can expect to pay about $35.99 for 3 years of basic coverage that'll cover you if the phone stops working on its own -- and tack on another $39 to guard against any drops, spills, and slips you might have.  Learn more about the coverage here.

 

Bonus: It’s so easy that you don’t even have to actually talk to anybody if you don’t feel like it.  But you can always call us up too... even if it’s just to say “hey,” and brag about your awesome new phone. 

A Blogger's No-Good, Very-Bad 3-Week Battle with a Store Warranty

Just found Christopher's blog post about his terrible experience with Best Buy's warranty claim service for a busted HDTV.  In fact, his three-week battle with Best Buy for a resolution has led him to consider switching to SquareTrade!

Thanks for the shout-out, Christopher!

In fact, Christopher's experience with Best Buy is something we hear a lot from our customers about other warranties – weeks to get service, not being able to reach people by phone, lost paperwork headaches, total hassles trying to get service.

Well, Christopher, it doesn’t have to be that painful!

When you file a claim with us, we'll take care of you in 5 days guaranteed or your warranty is free.  Christopher battled through various departments and service providers to find out what he would get from his Best Buy Product Service Plan for three weeks.  THREE WEEKS.  That's insane.

We work hard to make your warranty experience hassle-free at claims time:

• There’s no messy paperwork to fill out and file away – just find us online.
• Should you want to talk to someone, call our warranty service agents at 1-800-649-5307 -- Our average wait time is less than two minutes.
• We’ll give you free shipping
• Never lose track of your claim – you’ll get status updates every step of the way.

It’s why 98% of our customers are satisfied with the service they receive from SquareTrade.

Compare Christopher’s experience to what “barrelracer318” said about his experience with us for an LCD TV claim on ePinions.

The moral of the story… Pick us!  It’s 40% less expensive and 100% less hassle!