When i used to study in the UK i was using Macs at the university, so it was essential for me to buy a powerbook, along with an ipod (3g) for my needs. As soon as i returned to my homeland Greece, i was very frustrated to find out that there was no official support for the apple products, and when my ipod suddenly died the service dept of Rainbow computers was at least unnacceptable. Anyway, after a long struggle with all the unnecessary mumbo jumbo rainbow comp. needed i managed to swap the ipod harddrive with one bought from ebay. Logging on to applestore.gr you can see the outrageous prices they charge for apple products, beeing the only distributor, and charging extra for localization and greek support.

I wish you will hear our complaints and do something to end this stupid monopoly of rainbow computers.

Rainbow Computers? The reason why PCs have so overwelmed the Greek market.
My first and only experience with Rainbow computers is buying a mac and waiting 4 weeks for delivery (still waiting......)
If this is their response time, then I hope I do not have any maintenance problems.
Monopoly rules OK!!!!!

Steve, you have helped us once to bring the NeXT Products and software to GREECE thru our Company.
Please take a close eye on this Country

Regards
Ioannis

I want Apple in Greece

As a British graphic designer resident in Athens Greece for the last 12 years, and long time Apple user, and the proud owner of 4 Macs, I would like to add my voice to the beleaguered Greek Mac Users.

Our first and biggest problem is Rainbow, which has the most non-existent support system of any tech company I have ever seen. They are completely lacking in any form useful client service. To join Apple Stores and therefore be able to order products on-line, you have to go, PHYSICALLY, to their only store in central Athens and apply in triplicate, and they will send you your registration by normal mail!!! This effectively makes it impossible for Greeks residing outside Athens to buy Mac products on-line, without a trip to the capital. Another example of the ridiculous state of affairs is that even the most basic product support is outside the gamma of Rainbow to provide. Example, I wanted to buy a licence for Quicktime Pro. Not finding it on their site I phoned them. The person that answered me, supposedly their phone support and sales rep, told me that there was no such thing, and the only thing she could offer me was QT VR which costs 99 Euros. She had never heard of QT Pro.

Once you have become a member, it is still hardly worth the bother since the software and hardware that is available is so outdated, sparse and extremely expensive. For this reason I have personally ordered almost everything that I have, from software to hardware from abroad, which if it is from outside the EU, brings with it the ridiculously high taxation and customs duties, on top postage and packing. One company in the States told me that they used to ship to Greece, but stopped due to lack of support from Apple GR.

Basically the position of Rainbow in GREECE is one of monopoly and therefore they pay little attention to improving their services. Also in the years I have lived here not once have I seen any advertising for the Mac. Until recently the common response of average Greeks was that no one in this country uses Macs and that anyway they are terrible machines that do not work properly and are incredibly expensive. This is directly the fault of Rainbow since they have never even tried to introduce their machines to the market.

I think for this Apple as a company must accept some responsibility, since they seem not to care about the Greek market either. I know from the tech department manager of fnac that at present out of every ten computers they sell 9 are Macs, which shows how much this market has been waiting for Macintosh availability. But he also told me that though they have huge demand for Mac Books for example, Rainbow has such long delays in delivery, that many customers become frustrated and cancel their orders.

Well so much for what I have to add to this discussion/petition. There is a whole lot more that one can say, but I see that many others have already added their own complaints.

So Mr Jobs, please do something. This is a growing market for Mac and obviously people do want Apples here, just give them the chance to prove it by providing us with a real Apple company in Greece.

Dear S.Jobs

Please do something for our growing MAC community in Greece....Mac machines thought Rainbow are really very expensive 2times or 3times more than any other market in Europe. That makes MAC sales an expensive case and only some image developers with a good budget productions can have Apple products......

we are desperate.......Please we want Apple in Greece

Sincerely yours

Do you know that Rainbow remains closed for 3 weeks every August? Does Apple Int. find that normal? I hope not. I nearly lost my job because of that. Greek Mac Users should revel in the same rights and respect as all Mac Users.

Best Regards

I want to switch to Mac. But I won’t switch to a Mac that costs more than it’s worth, nor to Mac after sale services that will make me regret switching.

Till the above stop being the case, I prefer being unhappy with Windows (than becoming helpless with a Mac)..

We want Apple Greece!!! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rainbow in Greece sucks - we want Apple Greece!!!