Hi All, You may never have to visit your Apple Store for repairs, but if you do, it's possible to make on-line reservations for the Genius Bar at an Apple Store on line in a totally accessible fashion. My Apple Store told me about this web feature, and I used this about 4 months ago for a very speedy visit to get a quick diagnosis and minor fix done on my laptop AirPort card connection. This is a nice alternative to arriving and waiting for the next opening, and you can do it shortly before you leave.
This post gives detailed instructions on how to find and make reservations for the genius bar at your local Apple Store. The short version is: Google "Apple retail stores" for the web site store list, navigate pop-up buttons to select your store or use the link for the complete store list, first finding the link to change this to the page for your country, if not U.S. Find link for Genius Bar on Store Page, and select the reservation link below it. Identify yourself as "Guest". Click links to identify reason for visit (computer, iPod, operating system, switching to Mac), give your name and email address (and optionally, mobile phone number), choose a reservation day, and refine this to an book and open reservation time block (in 15-20 minute intervals). Show up 10 or 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. You can also cancel reservations on the web. For some stores, it's easiest to make reservations just as the store opens. The retail store pages also give opening hours, phone numbers, address, directions on how to get there, and a local events calendar. You can stop here, unless you need more specifics. The Genius Bar reservation pages can be reached via links through the Apple Retail Store pages, and you can get to store locations in the USA, Canada, UK (in Great Britain and Ireland), Italy, and Japan. This web list has not kept pace with the new store openings, but it's pretty handy. (I don't see Alaska listed there, Richie.) Just Google on "Apple retail stores" and you'll find http://www.apple.com/retail/ This page is set for U.S. users, so if you're in the UK, Canada,or Japan you'll first want to go to the links for those countries in either the Links Chooser Menu (VO-keys+u) or the Item Chooser Menu (VO-keys+i). Use VO-keys+space bar to activate the link to the desired country's web page. There are now a couple of ways to navigate the page to find your nearest listed store. You can either use the pop-up buttons for (in the U.S.) "Select a State" and then VO-keys down arrow to the next pop-up button to "Select a Store". What works for any country is typing "pop" in the Item Chooser Menu, since there's only one active pop-up button to start choosing, regardless of the country page or the language in which that pop-up button is written. If you're not in the U.S., your country will only have the one pop-up button to select a store. Alternatively, you can VO-keys down to the link for the complete list of stores for your country. This is nice, because it has address information for the stores given either below or to the left of the links. In the U.S. this is just a one-line description and the entries are grouped by state, but for other countries the full address appears. In case you're not sure which is your closest store or live near the boundary of a state, the complete store list may be handier to use. If you activate the link for a specific store (VO-keys+space bar), or if you selected it via the pop-up buttons, you'll be taken to the store's retail web page. Use the Item Chooser Menu to select "Genius Bar". VO-keys+down arrow to the reservation link and VO-keys+space bar. On the first Reservation page, you'll get a welcome message. Bring up the Link Chooser Menu (VO-keys+u). It will show "Guest", "Member", "Check Reservation", "Cancel Reservation", and "Pickup Repair". "Click" on Guest (unless you bought an Apple ProCare membership for a year of extra personalized support). On the next page you'll be asked to identify yourself. You can just tab through the entries and provide First Name, Last Name, email address, and optionally a mobile phone number for contact. Carriage return to go to the next page. VO-keys+right arrow through. You'll get a "How can we help you?" with links for "Mac","iPod", "OS X", and "Switch". Select one of these by pressing with VO-keys+space bar. You'll be taken to a reservations page where you can VO-keys+right arrow through to choose first the preferred day, then available reservation time blocks in hourly intervals, and finally time blocks typically in 15-20 minute intervals. Press (with VO-keys+space bar) to select your preferred times. There are buttons to confirm and cancel. Be there 15 minutes or so before your scheduled appointment time. Hope this is of use/interest to people. You can check on or cancel your appointment from the web page. It's all accessible. Cheers, Esther
