Digital Society Computer Center

Went in with a drive that had stopped working. The guy at the desk listened to what I wanted– but only after he stopped to take several phone calls.
Then he told me that I needed to find a new part for it, which I told him I already knew but that I had looked everywhere for on the internet but was no longer available anywhere. He started to slowly, VERY slowly, look on the internet for it anyhow, as if he somehow had a secret internet that I did not have access to. I told him a total of five times that I had tried all the same places he was trying before he deigned to pretend to believe me.
Then he told me he’d have to take apart the drive and it’d take a really long time and be very expensive. He did not seem to give a crap about fixing it.

Do not trust Digital Society.
I paid them $ 225 to have my hard drive replaced back in May. I told them that my computer was painfully slow and the screen was flickering and freezing in weird fractal patterns and (most seriously) frequently crashing. I emphasized when I dropped it off that I was exploiting a window when I had to be out of the country on assignment and that I would need the computer in good working order when I returned to finish a manuscript.
When I sent DigSoc email for a status report, they told me they could not «reproduce the problem,» and that my computer was in good working order – which is simply insulting. They obviously didn’t work very hard to «reproduce the problem,» which I had no prob «reproducing» just a few minutes into every damn work session! They said they would replace the hard drive anyway, as this had been recommended by the Apple Genius Bar. In other words, they did NO independent diagnosis.
When I got back and retrieved the computer, nothing had changed. For all I know they didn’t even replace hard drive. There was no improvement whatsoever. I complained to DigSoc, and they took ZERO responsibility. They merely repeated that they couldn’t «reproduce the problem.» After my repeated complaints – including bringing the computer back into the shop to show them the frozen screen – on Aug. 7 I received email from DigSoc’s Mike Rowe, who said he would get back to me within a week after discussing with his staff to «see what we think is your best option.» He never got back to me, ignoring all further emails from me.
After a few more weeks of the screen freezing or whiting out on me while I’m working and having to reboot, I brought it back to the Apple Store. For a further $ 300, they replaced the logic board, which put an end to the crashing (at least). DigSoc couldn’t have thought of that?
The other problems persist. I play click and wait all day long, and have to reboot frequently. I lose work every day. A project that should take me 20 minutes takes two hours. In short: I DO NOT HAVE A WORKING COMPUTER. Consequently, as we approach the end of the year, I have made practically NO progress on my manuscript. This year has been a nightmare of battling the controls of my Mac and schlepping it around to DigSoc and the Apple Store. How I wish I had brought it to the Apple Store or Tekserve instead of DigSoc back in May. Then maybe at least I’d be a few months and $ 225 ahead of the game.
DigSoc gave me the shaft, BIGTIME. They are both incompetent and arrogant, a very bad combination.
Don’t let this happen to you. Take your business elsewhere.
You are warned.

They had my computer for 3 weeks and couldn’t find the problem. Within seconds of getting it home the problem ensued. While that may be a standard experience and not fair to hold the store accountable – they are accountable for the person who picked the stickers off my computer while it was in their care. WTF? That’s really disturbing to me that someone would have such disregard for my machine. I’ll stick with TechServe thanks.

Wanna drop by to get a service /​hardware checkup on your Mac? That will take you 4 – 5 days according to the staff. The cost for JUST a hardware check? $ 125 minimal.
Yep. 5-​day wait, $ 125.00, JUST for a diagnosis. Attitude of the employees appears to be free of charge.
Cost for the Apple Store’s Genius Bar to do the exact same thing, even on an older Mac out of warranty? $ 0. (I learned this only after being rebuffed by Digital Society Computer Center).
I’m not sure if this is a gouge or simply a failure to price appropriately. Either way, I’ll not be going back.

Wish i had something nice to say.
Actually, I do. The first time I brought my computer in Feb 2012, they got it diagnosed and fixed in record time. Under warranty so no charge.
Not so this time. I brought it in suspecting the hard drive needed to be replaced. They kept it for 3+ days, gave it back saying it was a software issue that they fixed and charged me $ 50. They never called me to say what they were doing or that I was being charged. The computer is still under warranty.
Fine. Whatever. I paid them and left. The computer was still malfunctioning — although they fixed the glitch in one program, the main issue was a disk utility failure and that was still happening.
I brought it back w/​in a week. Guess what? HD needed to be replaced. Did they refund my $ 50? Absolutely not.
I didn’t feel like arguing. I just wanted my computer back after 4 days.
When they gave it back, they told me the HD was now 500GB, Apple no longer makes 250 — great. They also told me they upgraded me to Mountain Lion from Snow Leopard. Again — I never asked for that. they never asked me if I wanted it. They just did it.
I didn’t want it. It screwed up some of my programs and, bonus, Now data is missing. Important data — calendars and pictures and who knows what else.
The upshot of trying to get this fixed is that the kid, Kevin Ho, put Mountain Lion on my computer and then slammed my old HD info filled with Snow leopard stuff back into it and caused so many problems that after clearing the HD, restoring with my Snow leopard disks, being on the phone with Apple for, I kid you not, 8 hours on Sat and 7 hours on Sun with more call in appointments set up with Tech Specialists (because the regular tech people can’t handle this level of disaster) for this saturday and sunday, not to mention the additional 10+ hours so far I have spent recreating information that was lost… Nightmare. Of grand proportions.
All because some kid did a few half assed repairs.
The worst part? When he ‘gave’ me MTn Lion, he didn’t register it. That’s why had to go back to Snow Leopard. When I called on Sat to get an id or serial number from him, the owner Mike answered. The guy is a lunatic. It would have cost him nothing to give me a key to use even temporarily. I told him exactly what happened and he said he didn’t *know* what happened. Like I’m making this up? Like it was any skin off his nose?
He wasn’t just rude and crazy, he was belligerent and combative.
I say stay away from these people. They suck.

Hard to write a review when THEY STILL HAVEN’T RETURNED MY THREE CALLS!
Seriously, Im trying to get a business set up here and if they can help great and if not OK but no call back???
Here’s a piece of irony. My office is ON THE SAME BLOCK as they are!
SO they have lost me as a customer before we even started. Amazing.

These guys took an hour out of their day to set parental controls on my sons laptop. They patiently answered all my questions and not only set the controls for me but also showed me how; and, as if that wasn’t exceptional enough, their advice and immense help was entirely free of charge!

Exceptional. Been going here for 15+ years and they have never steered me wrong. The staff is really nice and they always provide a lower cost option if possible. Can’t recommend highly enough.

Best little Apple repair shop in NYC. You can talk right to the tech working on your machine (unlike the rude and overpriced Tekserve tools) and they have saved both my Mac and my money several times.
If you can’t handle the mob at one of the NYC Apple Stores go to DS.

GREAT service, fast, and half the price of Tekserv! I spilled coffee on my laptop and they had it totally up and running withing 24 hours, at minimal cost, with no attitude and no hassle. Definitely the go-​to place for Mac service in NYC.

Despite their interesting good stuff, They do not deserve your time, energy or money…
they were totally horrible to me. they got the wrong speakers for me, and then said they had them, and they did not and it was 3 entire months before I got them, each time they said they had them. they lied to me, and then did not want to give me a discount. It was hard and horrible to deal with them, and a total waste of time. Look for the same thing online and buy it there. I have never had such a time dealing with soo much rudeness. and mean people. Please, buyer beware of this store. I was so understanding about the confusion at first, but it just got too much. it was just toooooo much. Despite their interesting good stuff, They do not deserve your time, energy or money…
Look elsewhere!

They were able to request a part from Apple and replace the display on my Mac laptop overnight. I’m a fan!

I must admit, I was a big fan of Tekserve very early on – when they were in their first home, in the «Traffic Building» on 23^rd street – but they lost me by becoming too slick and trendy – it interferes with their original mission of providing honest service at fair prices. Digital Society is really good, and a no-​nonsense store with quality products and decent prices. I’ve actually only been to one Apple Store once – the former post office down on Prince Street to pick up a keyboard cover, so I have no official opinion on that.
The computer I’m using is from Digital Society and is going on five years old now. Recently, I had a crisis situation and realized I’d need a backup drive right away. I love that they’re so close by and open on weekends – and non-​judgmental, at least to my face.

I’ve dealt with Tekserve quite a bit, and some with the Apple Store. Digital Society is the best. They certainly are not the flashiest, and they are pretty low key people, but they get the job done very well and fast. I just took my MacBook in to get it fixed, the screen was totally dead. They replaced the logic board and had it ready in 24 hours! Tekserve always took 10 days for any service.

I have gone there a few times. The people are very nice.
On my last visit, they charged me the $ 50 diagnostic fee to tell me that my computer was not worth fixing. I took my computer back. A few days later I discovered that they forgot to put my hard drive back into my computer. I called them and they had it, but were not very concerned – more like, ‘hey wow, we did forget.’ I think the Apple Store offers better service. They are more responsive, responsible and knowledgeable– and cheaper.

Best Apple repair store in the City. Nick is amazing. Offers lots of free advice and the repair consultation cost is waived if they do work on your machine. Highly recommend!

Went today and got very quick service. I was under the impression that I’d have to wait an hour (like in TekServe or Apple) to get attention or the like, however I got attended to immediately and even sat down with one of the genius-​equivalents within five minute to discuss my problem.
prices are cheap in comparison to the other stores and i was told that i will get the computer back tomorrow at the latest! What a difference to the other places!

Avoid the mobs at TekServe and the Apple Stores. This store is empty, the clerks are knowledgeable, they sell all Apple products, and they honor your Apple repair warranty.

I had a friend who raved to me about this little shop when I had mentioned to her that I had to retire my laptop and was unable to make a decision whether I could make the jump from PC to Mac. I had been a PC user for as long as I could remember and was a little weary of making the transition.
She was 200% right! The owners here were extremely patient and helpful. I had a little glitch and they fixed the problem immediately. Thank goodness I bought the apple care. Quick, accurate and really sweet I am happy to go out of my way to bring my business here.
Date Rating: N/​A
Pick up Scale: N/​A (Well if you’re a Mac lover you might find one, or if you’re looking for a fast computer now you’ll surely be able to photograph, edit and post your own photos on the internet and can just pick up people there. *laughs* probably a lot easier on a Mac forum rather than in the store.)
Strong Suggestion: Even if they’re busy just buzz the door you will find plenty to look at while you wait. Great Service!

I have no idea how they hang on with the two huge Apple stores and Tekserve in the City. It’s such a small place. Perhaps they have a loyal neighborhood following. It’s also nice that you can walk in and talk to a person without making an appointment to speak with a «Mac Genius» at the «Genius Bar».
I bought my first modem here. It was 14.4K.
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