I hate those fuckers too. They fix the initial problems but then make it so that problems will eventually occur again so that you have to call and pay them. Bastards.

Sorry ... anyone who's actually used Geek squad deserves everything they get!

@daftrok
I'm not a fan of the Geek Squad either, but could you provide some support for your irrational accusation?

Seems perfectly rational to me. Though I've never used geek squad, my neighbors did and after Geek Squad made them overpay for a Geek Squad brand battery backup/surge protector that they "needed" (according to geek squad), it failed the first time lightning struck, also killing the HDD. They then, of course, called geek squad AGAIN...

Ugh.

They give proper geeks a bad name they do.

Why do we hate geek squad? Because their name is a lie. They aren't geeks and they don't have a squad. It's usually just one guy behind a counter all day. I know geek squad employees aren't computer professionals either. They wouldn't hire me because I had "too much experience" back when geek squad first showed up in best buys. I don't believe their techs are certified. Some of them are even just Best Buy employees that work there sometimes.

daftrok is basically right. They don't really fix your problems completely, but then how is an untrained person supposed to fix anything? All local computer repair companies hate geek squad. They do a bad job and overcharge for it. I used to work for a small computer repair place and we were always fixing things geek squad supposedly 'fixed'. They don't know how to remove viruses and their abilities border on novice. I know someone who had a simple card installed and it took Geek Squad over an hour.

Hate to break it to you guys, but the typical Gizmodo reader isn't a Geek Squad customer - they pray on the technically inept and sadly those people don't know any better.

I am a member of Geek Squad, and while I'm not one of the guys who drives around in a VW Bug, most people seem to appreciate our services. Most of our customers are middle-aged and computer illiterate. The majority of our customers are happy to pay for our services and are quite pleased with the results. The only customers that ever seem unhappy are the ones with Best Buy "service plans" who want us to fix cameras that they spilled stuff on and laptops/ipods with cracked LCD screens.
I'm not saying we don't overcharge for some of our services, but I am saying that most customers don't complain as long as we fix the issue. Truthfully, though, if they didn't pay me as much as they did, I may wear one of those shirts myself. As a geek, it seems amusing that people pay for computer repairs. But then again, to an auto-mechanic, it's probably hilarious how much money some people are willing shove out for some repairs.

All this hatred for Geek Squad actually makes me feel a little bit sorry for them. I may need to make a T that says 'I don't entirely hate Geek Squad', just to try to bring some equilibrium to the world.

Well then I guess more people should be reading Gizmodo!

I called Geek Squad a while back to see if they can replace my laptop's fan & vacuum. They told me they don't do that. I assumed that they'd know everything about a computer, from the software to it's mechanical components.

Reminds me of those Geek Squad pranks where the guy smashed his PC...
http://www.squizzle.com/soundview.asp?id=477
=-D

They used to be pretty awesome when they were just a small, regular computer repair service out of Minneapolis. Once they signed on with Big Yellow Tag, it went downhill at almost terminal velocity. It's a pity. I always liked their style.

so it would be a good idea to buy this just to wear it to best buy right??

True story-I'm currently a systems admin with an MCSE and MCSA for the federal government and because the gov't is so dull, I decided to amuse myself by applying for a PT position at Geek Squad. I had an idea that they wouldn't be fond of my experience so I neglected to mention my current position and certifications and listed some basic skills and areas of expertise. I got the job and within a week, I was told I was performing to their expectations. The reasoning behind it, truely and honestly, was because I didn't get them to buy random crap I knew the customer didn't need. For example, you have a fatal error in the OS? You should buy some extra memory and a new hard drive. Needless to say, I told them what I did for a living and that they could take this job and shove it. Of course, I know I'm not the only person to suffer the same fate. Damn vultures...

Way to bash part of your readership. I work for the Geek Squad and I know what everyone says about them. A lot of it may be true but it doesn't mean EVERY one that works there is a complete idiot. I'm A+ & MCSE and a freaking Mac / Linux addict. I work there part time for extra spending cash and the kick ass discount. If you can bash a group of people as a whole with out taking into account it's not all true of everyone why don't you throw on some white hoods while you're at it?

And @daftrok- What 'proof' do you have of this? Do we supposedly install some magical software that has a time clock built into until it deletes a key out the registry or something? If this were the case Best Buy / Geek Squad would get sued into oblivion and rightfully so. Get facts or shut up.

And @Jesus Diaz - "not even Jesus loves them. Me neither." So you think calling people that work at the Geek Squad (most of which are gadget nuts or techies, your primary audience) hated and un-loved (most are Christians I'm sure) is a good idea? Killer move man.

I'm a little frustrated how people can judge others as a whole only from what part of their actions are anymore. Some of us are still Geeks and desire that title. Yes, large companies get a lot of news when the mess up but sometimes what we can do puts a smile on peoples faces because they don't know how to do it and we can often help. We're in business to fix things although it doesn't always happen due to hiring someone who didn't know better or whatever. The point is, for example, I know nothing about cars so when mine needs to get fixed I probably pay way to much as I havn't a clue about most of it. I pay for the knowledge. If I knew about the more I'd do it myself. Get it? Simple isn't it? Most of the readers here get calls all of the time from friends and family because they know about this stuff. If you're sick you call a doctor and so on.

Well, enough of my rant for now.

Are you a US citizen, jesus? 'cause you don't sound like one.

OK, as stated earlier, majority Gizmodo readers are tech savvy enough to be able to handle their own repairs, so they're not the target market for Geek Squad.

I myself am a Geek Squad Agent, and I am not some guy who "just" stands behind the counter all day, Geek Squad is my side job. My regular job is as an IT Professional at a local University where I help to support over 700 staff PCs and hundreds other network/IT related devices, so I share a level of abilities and expertise with many of you. I will admit that some other Agents aren't necessarily up to par to most of your standards, but keep this in mind, people who come to Geek Squad can't fix it themselves, so they use Geek Squad. Geek Squad services sound like a rip off to people like us, but a person who only wants the constant porn pop-ups to stop in front of their 8 year old is more than willing to do what is necessary to keep their family safe.

Also as an Agent at Best Buy, we don't just work on computers, we are expected to inspect everything in the store to see if it is working order including, but not limited to computers, TVs, cell phones, cameras, car stereos, microwaves, and even vacuum cleaners. Often times, the more tech savvy Agents are expected to repair these items.

I'll admit that on occasion, things don't always get fixed the first time, but they do get fixed. And as for the local shops fixing stuff that Geek Squad has messed up, I see weekly problems where people who went to a local shop are having problems with Windows Genuine Advantage Validation because the local shop formatted their computer and installed WinXP Pro Corporate Volume License with an illegal product key. So just because you wouldn't use them and you think they're a rip off, doesn't mean they're not doing good things. And as a company they're doing very well, I wish I could have a business doing as well as they are.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,191593,00.html
http://consumerist.com/consumer/geek-squad/geek-squad-sued...

I would hate it if anyone I knew had to go to them for tech support. The 3 I have gone to (1 in Hawaii, 1 in Oakland and 1 in San Francisco) have been condescending and "trying" to be funny.

Of course so am I, but my sister-in-law doesn't have to pay me for tech support.

It's kind of asinine to keep posting these things. I worked PC sales at Best Buy and Circuit City at one time or another. Geek Squad usually has one or two guys who really know their stuff and a whole bunch of people pulled off the sales floor to sell services.

The problem is that helping the customer inevitably comes second to selling the services due to pressure from management, who are always conspicuously absent when angry customers come back (or don't). This is a conflict of interest that ends up with a lot of people getting screwed over.

Not everyone is up to fixing their own PC, and my advice for them and the advice I tell others to give is to patronize your local computer service providers. They rely on repeat business and are much more interested in doing right by you.

Hmm...

Honestly, I've got to agree with BigTime (and not just because we worked at the same store). I was an on-site Agent while I worked there, but before that I was behind the counter. I've got to tell you that some of the people I met while working there straight-up *scared* me with the amount of technical knowledge and savvy they possessed. As far as sales associates just being pulled off the floor, it doesn't quite work that way, either. If a position opens up, there are generally TONS of applicants for it. All of them get interviewed (and this includes people from other stores, external applicants, etc) and about 99% of the time the best candidate gets it. Just like anywhere else, though, you'll have politics and friendships that can affect the line of promotion, but what workplace doesn't have that?

I can say that while I was behind the counter at GS, I gave 110% to my clients and had a lot of repeat business for it. I enjoyed the job, and my clients enjoyed the experience... is that bad? Is that why you guys hate GS? Because some of us really know how to talk to/treat people who don't know how to replace their own HDD, or don't know how to set up a wireless network? Are you jealous of the advertising and overall attention they get? Deal with it! It's competition in a service industry, and complaining about it isn't going to help get YOUR (company's) name out there! If you think GS is really a problem and that they really need to just "go away", then show them up. Do better than them. You can't? Then STFU, move on.

/end rant

omfg, you guys aren't taking this as just a joke?? could it be argued that the lack of thick skin on people today has hastened, perhaps even fashioned, the 'pc' culture that I so abhor? grow the frick up, boys, and get over yerselves - it's a funny t-shirt, and it would be even funnier if some GS staff actually wore it to work!! (Be sure to post pics of it, plus you getting yer azz fired faster then you can say "My God, it's full of stars"!!)

banmojo,
It's not about the T-shirt. Things like that I expect. It's the constant winning from others techy people about the Geek Squad that gets old.

@banmojo: The shirt is a joke. The guy's reason for making the shirt is a joke, as far as I'm concerned. What's not a joke is people *constantly* attacking the credibility of perfectly good techs because they work for Best Buy. I take that personally, because I WAS, until very recently I might add, one of those techs! Yeah, there's a few bad apples, like anywhere else, but the vast majority of us knew what we were doing.

/end 2nd rant

The Geek Squad, Circuit City Dirty Dogs I mean Fire dogs, Staples Easy Techs do not know any thing. They are good sales man not techs I own a computer shop I been i n business for a long time and It makes me lough at how little they really Know. The only reason you have the Geek Squad ones like it is because they could not get a job in a REAL IT Environment I had to stop and pick up a Switch that would handle VLANS I talked to 4 of those so called techs that had no Fucking idea what a VLAN was or what it did man I love seen those so called techs on the road I flip them off every time I see them but I have gotten smarter I just order my customers stuff through my whole saler. Better prices.

So if you are trying to sick up for those fuck tards then you must be a jack ass your self I have one thing to say Fuck the GEEK SQUAD EASE TECHS AND FIRE DOGS nothing more but a way to rip some one off

And whats up with the out fits you guys look like you are part of a cult like the Mormans or joba witness and you use dump names like agent who the fuck do you think you are Skully and Molder from the X files man Go fuck your self and my web site will be up soon feel free to check it out and if you are a tech that hates clones please vist our site at www.angrytehcs.org site will be up at the start of the new year PS Fire dogs go sit on the porch and eat a dick.

@mcdonnr: You are not fucking agents your are not evan techs geek squad is nothing but a bunch of jack asses who do not know tcp/ip from a winsock file you guys are the reason they came up with the error =id10T pebkac go sell some more cheap ass hp shit and shut up.