Category: Annoyances

Apple Family Sharing woes

When trying to accept the invite to Family Sharing on Amy’s phone, I’m stuck at the step “Share your location with your family”. Trying to continue with either of the two available options (Share Your Location, or Not Now) results with:

Cannot Complete Action

This action cannot be completed at this time.

Sadly, I’m not finding any solutions when searching DuckDuckGo or Google with the terms:

“cannot complete action” “family sharing” apple

Looks like I need call Apple Support. I’ll make sure to update this post. 🙁

Update 2015-11-24 16:25 PST: Amy just upgraded from an iPhone 5s to an iPhone 6. Fortunately, she was able to accept the invite this time! 🙌

PayPal, I’d like to use my password manager

After news broke of the eBay security breach, I updated my account passwords for eBay and PayPal1.

With my trusty password manager, KeePassX, I cloned my current PayPal entry in preparation to generate a new password. To my horror, I saw the following password requirement pop–up:

Screenshot: PayPal change password screen

I’d like to use much more than 20 characters, and not be able to easily type my password. Kthxbai. 🙂

  1. PayPal is owned by eBay Inc. ↩

Don’t trust Amazon’s automotive part finder

Several months ago, I ordered a FRAM CF8392A Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter for Amy’s 2009 Toyota Corolla. Amazon’s part finder indicated that it would fit the car.

After checking FRAM’s official site, the correct one is the FRAM CF10285 Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter.

Sadly, I didn’t read the Amazon customer reviews for the CF8392A; at least one person left a comment that it would not fit a 2009 Corolla.

Another bummer — I can’t sell the brand new filter (which won’t fit our cars) on Amazon:

Please note: The item for which you have attempted to create a listing is a restricted item.

I’ll list the FRAM CF8392A Fresh Breeze Cabin Air Filter on eBay soon enough, but hopefully someone contacts me directly for it. 😛

Tortilla Jo's in Anaheim doesn't want money

We will never attempt to dine at Tortilla Jo’s again.[1. I haven’t given their food a chance, but after you finish reading this, can you blame me?]

Last Wednesday, I went to the House of Blues (Anaheim) for Scream It Like You Mean It featuring Silverstein and Emery. We got there a bit early to grab dinner before doors open.

We randomly chose Tortilla Jo’s.

There weren’t many customers, so we were seated quickly. The host gave us menus, someone else brought us chips and salsa, and…that’s it.

About 5-7 minutes later, the host that sat us asked, “Are you done looking at the menus?”

“Yes,” I replied.

He took them and walked away. There wasn’t an employee that offered us water or took our order. I counted at least twenty times where an employee or manager[2. I think he was the manager because he was wearing a long sleeve dress shirt.] walked by our table. Nobody acknowledged us.

After being there for 23 minutes, we left. (I know the photo shows 18 minutes, but we were there for about five minutes before I started my stopwatch.)

I didn’t want to say anything because of principle. We waited until after the concert for In-N-Out (La Mirada) on our way home — six hours later.

We will never attempt to dine at Tortilla Jo’s again.

Confused Twitter users and cluttered @replies

My first name is my Twitter username (@bryan). I love that!

Downsides:

  • New users don’t realize that you need to input the exact username.
  • Spammers know they can flood your @replies tab. (Of course, you can easily block and report them as spam.)

Tip: I understand that many Twitter users have difficult names to spell. Don’t rely on your memory. On the website, hover over the message you want to reply to and click “reply.” (End tip.)

At the time of this writing, the last four pages of my @replies tab only has nineteen legitimate @replies to me. (Well, technically fourteen because five are mine.[1. I sign my Twitter updates from @scarletparadigm with @bryan.])

Each page has twenty (20) Twitter updates. So, if I use fourteen in my math, 17.5% of 80 @replies are from Twitter users who don’t know how to @reply their friends correctly.

I’m leaning toward blocking repeat idiots offenders, but that’d take a lot of work. Maybe I should block anyone who can’t @reply properly. Is that too harsh?

How do you deal, if at all?

If you’re in your RSS reader, please click through to vote in my [unscientific] poll, and feel free to elaborate in the comments. (If your URL seems suspicious, I’ll remove it.)

Do you block people who can’t @reply on Twitter correctly?customer surveys

Update 2010-07-07: Derek Powazek wrote “Press the Magic Button” the same day I wrote this. I feel like he was reading my mind.

I'd prefer to opt in, thanks

Why did you add me to your email newsletter without my permission? (Strike 1.) Where’s the unsubscribe link? (Strike 2.) Why did you paste everybody’s email address in the To field? BCC Please. (Strike 3.)

Please read “Stop adding me to your email newsletter” by Chris Brogan.

When you’re done, setup an account with MailChimp. Then, you’ll have a legitimate email newsletter with a subscribe form for your website, an unsubscribe link in your emails, and keep your recipients’ email addresses safe.

Office Depot killed a tree for me

I got to the office this morning to find a package in my box from Office Depot.

I didn’t order anything. The last two things I ordered the past couple months was a 8GB CompactFlash card and a 4GB USB flash drive.

When I opened the box, an Office Depot catalog is staring at me. I didn’t request it.

On the back of the catalog cover, small text says:

This 4-page cover is printed on paper containing 10% postconsumer fibers.

What about the rest of the catalog?

Ooh, and there’s a $20 off coupon (with an order of $100 or more). Office Depot murdered a tree to thank me and send a coupon.

To make matters worse, I don’t see any way to opt out of this catalog.

At the bottom of the enclosed thank you letter, it was signed by Christine Buscarino, Sr. Director of Marketing.

Until your website includes a check box to opt in requesting a catalog (read: Don’t just send me one for kicks!), you won’t see me again.

Update (seconds after I posted this) — In small text on the back of the catalog, it states:

To update or remove your contact information from our mailing list, please call 800.915.4624, send an email to mailoptout@officedepot.com or send a copy of the address panel to: Office Depot Mailing List, P.O. Box 5009, Boca Raton, FL 33431-0809.

I still shouldn’t have to opt out of a catalog just because I ordered something and had it delivered to my place of work.

Chase also has a rough opt-out process

While sifting through papers, I found that I needed to call Chase to opt-out of sharing information to third parties and affiliate companies.

Why isn’t there a way to do this online?

Calling wasn’t difficult. But, their prompts are confusing.

“Do you wish to limit information…?”

Then again, I’m not sure how I’d word it. Whatever.

Related: Chase sucks with new privacy policy, opt-out process is painful! (DygiScape, August 12, 2009)

Jump thru hoops to opt out at 1-800 Contacts

I received a snail mail notice from 1-800 Contacts about my contact lens expiration. A few days later, I get a phone call. (It went to voicemail.)

There are currently no options in my account page that lets me opt out — why?!

As of March 2, 2009 in the Privacy Policy:

How do I remove my information from email, postal mailing and telephone lists?

If you prefer not to receive notice of promotions, reorder information or updates on contact lens laws by email, please click the “My Account” link at the top of any of the pages on http://www.1800contacts.com, enter your email address and password and click on “email options”. You will be able to specify your email preferences on this page. If you wish to be removed from all email communications not related to your order, you can call one of our Customer Service Representatives at 1-800 CONTACTS (1-800-266-8228). If you prefer not to receive postal mail, please let us know by sending us an email at info@1800contacts.com or call one of our Customer Service Representatives at 1-800 CONTACTS (1-800-266-8228).

PLEASE NOTE: Requests to be removed from the postal mail list may take up to 6-8 weeks to become effective. In addition, if you ask to remove your name and address from our email or postal mailing lists, we will maintain your name in a “do not mail” file to ensure that we can honor your request. When you make a purchase, we will send you an email to confirm your order, and send an email when your order is shipped. We may also need to contact you via phone, postal mail or email if we have other questions regarding your order.

Don’t make us do all this work to reduce junk mail and unwanted phone calls. We can easily get email notices, you know.