I just grabbed an App Store gift card from a JB HiFi store as I was running for the train, there's an app I wanted to test out for work on my way to town. Jump on the train and go to redeem it, and the clear plastic scratched off as well, leaving no PIN number! I stopped when I realised what was happening, so I have half the number. What can I do?

iCal on my iPad has just started to crash whenever I try to look at September 2013! Anyone got any ideas?

I have gone in to iCal on my laptop and its fine, so I deleted all the entries out of there and tried resyncing, no luck. I have turned off syncing and deleted all the entries on the iPad - I can then look at September 2013 fine, then turned it back on and resync through iCloud - everything comes back fine, and September should be empty - but it crashes again so I can't tell?

Help?

I have probably been one of the more negative posters lately about the direction I see Apple heading - but credit where its due - had a fantastic experience at the apple store in Sydney this week.

I finally dropped in on Friday afternoon to pick up an external super drive (see my other posts about how knees and internal super drive trays don't play well together), and I also needed an in car charger for the new iPhone.

As it would have it I was also running short of time and the shop was packed - not a good start I thought, but I would not be back in this part of the city for a while, so figured I just have to suck it up and hopefully not be to long.

Wanting to be as quick as possible I grabbed the first red shirt I saw as I entered the door (really Apple - you know what the red shirts are for in the Star Trek world right) and told him what I needed. He directed me exactly to the two locations at opposite ends of the second floor I needed to go. Race up the stairs, grab both items and before I can even begin to look around for how to pay the next helpful staff member is right there asking if they can help - she takes my credit card, swipes it through the iPod in her hand and asks if I want a printed receipt or if email would be fine - email fine I say, and race down the stairs and out the door.

As I'm crossing George street out the front of the store I hear the email arrive on my phone.

Time in a very crowded store would have been less than 5 minutes, no waiting in any lines, and I walk out with exactly what I needed and made it to the next job on time - so well done Apple, the service in the stores really is second to none as far as I am concerned.

OK, had a slight collision between myself and an open DVD drive this morning - 4 inch scar for me and a cactus DVD tray for the Mac Pro.

Now, before you all scream DVD is dead (I am almost with you) the fact remains some clients still want/need projects delivered on them, so I still need to be able to make 'em.

So - any recommendation on the best option for me - pull it out and try and get it repaired, pull it out and replace it, or pull it out and get an external burner?

I have not had a look yet, but I'm guessing its probably cheaper and quicker just to replace it, so I guess I am really after opinions on whether its worth getting internal or external, and suggested sources for said replacements.

For now I can move the image to my laptop and burn from there.

Thanks in advance!

Apple launched some new ads during the opening ceremony.

http://www.apple.com.../#tv-ads-mayday

Thoughts?

Me, don't like them at all, think they are pretty bad.