For the "Genius" bar, I went a couple times and was very disappointed. I took the time to set an appointment and go to the store just to have this "genius" tell me he wasn't sure what to do and I should just run updates. Second time, same answer. That was it for me. I found this site and have gotten much better answers from nicer people. I will never ask for help from the store again unless something breaks or my MBP is completely inoperable.
As for the dslr, it really depends on a lot of things. How serious you are about photography, how much you plan to spend and other factors. I have a 400D and love it. IT's very comparable to it's big brother, the 30D at a lower cost. One gripe some have is the body is smaller and some find it more difficult to hold and the weight of body to lens disproportionate with heavier lenses, but I don't mind it at all. Plus you can get a battery grip that helps with that issue.
There are several manufacturers: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Sigma. You'll find Canon and Nikon at the top of anyone's list. After all the arguing, you'll also find that their performance is very similar. I just prefer Canon because they have a good reputation and their glass it top notch to me. Check out any major event and you'll see many distinctive white Canon "L" lenses being used by the photographers.
A good place to find out about Canon cameras, lenses, or anything else is at
www.photograph-on-the.net . I've found it to be the M-F of the camera world: lots of very good information, nice people, and many professionals who offer good advice. If you have any questions about the 400D in particular, let me know and I'll answer as best I can.
