t3 - dead need help with warranty claim

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by Rizla

You put it FACE DOWN without a cover? OMG

well the Kobo Aura HD screen is recessed well into frame, so that seemed to be the smartest way to store it to me. that way, nothing can be dropped or spilled onto the screen. How do you store yours ???

re PSRx50 series & frisbees- we've owned 3 of these ( still have the 350) for ~3 years I reckon, never took "special" care, never had a screen fault. No games of frisbee as such but one survived several days in the wifes' handbag with only a plastic bag for scratch protection- that's almost as harsh a test

there are sites that test durability of USB sticks - put them in washing machines, drive cars over them,... then try to retrieve data. Pity there is no similar, but gentler testing for various makes of e-readers

[soulfuldog]

All ereader screens are fragile, and you have to be aware that it's not just rough handling, but any flex of the screen, or pressure on the screen that can cause the damage. Something hard leaning on the screen of your ereader while it's in your bag (like a book, your phone, the metal clasp of a purse) could be all it takes to damage that glass substrate and while it might not crack at the time, the slightest bump at a later date will cause it to crack.

Perhaps the PRS-X50 series were a little sturdier due to their metal frame (less risk of flex?) but the screen is still as fragile to any other damage. There are plenty of people who've had older Kindle & Kobo models (or indeed any brand of ereader) that still work fine today 4-5 years after they were bought. My old Kindle 3 has been dropped a couple of times but still works, and that's just sheer luck and not any 'better' build quality.

I don't keep my ereaders in a case, so they lie about the house and get used without any protection, but as soon as I take them anywhere, into a case they go.

[robko]

I have always stored mine face up naked (OK, that sounds bad ;-)) so I don't think you're wrong with how you're storing it. Some people think it's a big no no to ever have a naked device. Some of us have never used a case (although I have a wooden carrying box to protect it for travel) and have never had a broken screen to date. Different preferences.

[Ripplinger]

If you're only reading at home and the reader gets moved between a chair and your bed and nighstand for instance, it's fine without a case or cover.*

If you take it out of the house though, which means in pockets, purses, backpacks, where it's easier to even slightly flex or have some other object pressing against it even a bit, you need a good case/cover.

Whenever a reader is new, it never leaves the house until the cover has arrived also.

*That's provided you don't have cats jumping on it or kids pounding on it or married to a clutz who will simply make it fly off the nightstand.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by robko

I have always stored mine face up naked (OK, that sounds bad ;-)) so I don't think you're wrong with how you're storing it. Some people think it's a big no no to ever have a naked device. Some of us have never used a case (although I have a wooden carrying box to protect it for travel) and have never had a broken screen to date. Different preferences.

Oh, definitely. Though mine would be covered in a delightful quilt of feline sheddings if I left it naked and face up for more than a few milliseconds. Once someone's already broken a screen, though, I reckon "you need to get a good case" is good advice

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by meeera

Oh, definitely. Though mine would be covered in a delightful quilt of feline sheddings if I left it naked and face up for more than a few milliseconds.

in my case it's stray budgie feathers but yes..

....& then you are expecting the device to auto sleep but whatever's landed on screen keeps it awake and/or induces an orgy of auto-page flipping

[samhy]

Originally Posted by cybmole

well the Kobo Aura HD screen is recessed well into frame, so that seemed to be the smartest way to store it to me. that way, nothing can be dropped or spilled onto the screen. How do you store yours ???

The same way as you. It's been 13 months for the Mini and 9 months for the Aura HD and both of them are very fine thank you.
I followed the same thinking too.

In my purse, the Mini is in a pocket reserved for it and I put it in a sleeve that I sewed myself (with a plastic insert on the screen side coming from an ice cream box). I frequently ride on cobblestones and the Mini is as strong as the day I bought it.

[cybmole]

Originally Posted by snoeki

broken screen = no warrenty
Amazon would give you a discount on a new ereader, Sony won't.

well finally:

Hello Mr......

You have been refunded yesterday April 29 for 99.00 GBP.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Best Regards,
....
UK & ROI Customer Services
Sony Store Online
0207 365 24 13 (UK

[ but use option 2 for sales, never use option 1, (service outside of 30 days return window) ]


Let's see now, my thread started 23 feb, it has taken until 30 April, & about 50 emails, numerous threats of legal action [ I gave 30 days notice of intent to file a small claims court claim - in writing] , but finally, it's looks like Sony have given me my money back.

( but to do this they insisted shipping the faulty device back from repair center in Pencoed, back to me, then from me, back to Sales warehouse also in Pencoed ) all at their expense. But apparently it had to be done that way - they could not just walk it around the corner ! & they could not refund unless they are able to bin the broken T3 themselves & not have me do it for them.

The moral here, is don't ever bother to argue with Sony tech support / customer service as they are powerless. Go directly to sales & raise hell with those guys. I'll never know if looking up email addresses for various Sony chief execs & mailing those guys helped, as none were ever answered, ditto for he paper mail letters to head office, but as result is a result, however earned.

A mini survey to close:

1. will I buy another Sony reader ever , after this experience- NO

2. will I ever buy another Sony product - like my next TV /games console - maybe - that would have been NO also if the refund had not happened (although they do make good TVs )

3. will I ever shop online at Sony store website again - you've got to be kidding !, Next time it will be through Amazon or someone with proper customer service.

[meeera]

"The moral here, is don't ever bother to argue with Sony tech support / customer service as they are powerless. Go directly to sales & raise hell with those guys."

Yes. Even if the customer is not actually within their rights, sales/PR will often give in to them if they make enough noise, just to get rid of them/avoid unreasonable bad press.

Was it really worth all those hours for you, insisting that the company roll over and refund you for a smashed screen? More power to you, I guess.

[cybmole]

arguably no, financially it was not worth all the stress, but I fought it on principle because Sony would not accept that it had just failed in normal use - all I ever did with the T3 was read in bed & place it gently on bed site table, never dropped it, never took it out of the house even.

Then it became a farcical Kafka-esque run around between dysfunctional / incompetent depts, and an insane final process that probably cost them almost as much in courier fees as the refund did.. over the course of this affair, Sony have paid for 5 courier visits + god knows how much email answering time ( but they probably pay those guys peanuts only, judging by some of their responses)

what really irked was the "catch 22" defence of we are not aware of any manufacturing issues ( because we routinely deny all such claims) and therefore it must be user damage

see my older thread called customer care Sony style for some of the silliest previous responses

I probably would have gone for small claims court, as threatened, as I figured they were too dysfunctional to even respond to a court summons & they'd have been up for contempt + a win by default for me. Would have been a hassle though. I got as far as downloading the paperwork and giving the recommenced 30 days notice in writing though...

I have never ever dealt with a company where a paper letters addressed to Complaints and to Legal just get ignored! When I worked for a big company ( a large bank) - any complaint send directly to office of chief executive had everyone running around like headless chickens until a suitable reply was ghost written for him. Most big company employees will vouch for the same. usually, a paper letter that starts with "this is a formal complaint" does get results.

I don't want to come across as a professional complainer but I've had several occasions where I've complained to financial institutions ( mostly over will+probate delays & cock-ups on behalf of my later mother) & a grovelling apology + a bit of compensation seems to be the norm)

But this Sony MD ( assuming he is still in post) is like the original invisible man: & other Sony execs on the same list are no better:
http://www.ceoemail.com/index.php ( then sesrch for Sony)

Sony UK UK Mr Christopher Bowen, UK MD


I would have gotten them sooner than this, via Mastercard "goods not fit for purpose" / UK consumer law section 75 chargeback rules , but Asda Card took the pedantic view that it was a £99 item & those rules only apply to items costing upwards of £100. Also, they intimated I'd need to have it inspected by an independent expert & who but Sony knows anything about the innards of their readers ???

[speakingtohe]

Good you got your money back. No need to sell etc. Sorry it was a pain.

I think broken substrates are a rarity in ereaders, but can happen to any brand, cover or not.
I recently suffered a broken substrate on my Kobo mini. I've decided not to replace it till the fall and it won't be with a Kobo although I find the build quality of Kobo readers as good as any despite my broken mini.

I had a very sturdy leather case on my 600 and a light plastic one on my T1, Neither would have likely survived getting caught in a car door.

I would replace my T3 if it got broken, but each to their own.

Glad you got successfully through the process.

Helen