Like an English rain shower or a groin strain, these things happen without warning.
Your gadget is working perfectly normally. And then it isn't.
There I was, you see, perfectly content with my still shiny blue iPhone 12[1] when I realized it was ailing.
The power button had gone a touch limp. It had begun to recede into the body of the phone. When I pressed it in the usual manner, nothing happened.
When I pressed it a little harder, it might work. Or it might wake Siri from her almost-permanent slumber.
This seemed odd. I hadn't dropped the phone. I hadn't done anything to it at all, as far as I was aware.
So what to do but to make an appointment at an Apple store[2] and meet a Genius who'd tell me I'd done something wrong? (Apologies, but I generally think most bad things are my fault.)
There's No Masking It.
For some, Apple stores are mere brand exhibitionism. For many, however, they represent a lifeline between the user and the brand.
You have somewhere to go when your gadget malfunctions. You have someone to talk to who is likely not a patronizing younger relative.
I arrived and secretly celebrated the fact that California had finally gone maskless. A cheery greeter stood outside and was absolutely prepared to believe I'd been vaccinated. She didn't need to know which vaccine I'd enjoyed or in which supermarket the great event had taken place.
I was slightly early, so she asked me to wait outside for a few minutes. Yet, as I peered inside, all of Apple's staff and most of the customers were wearing masks.
Was this the unvaccinated hour? Or is emerging into the