Sony PRS-500 going back to the service center after upgrade

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by kilohertz53

Due to the nature of the work required, you will need to send your PRS-500 Reader back to the Sony Service Center. We have already taken steps to send a pre-paid box to you in which you can pack your Reader with as little hassle as possible. Sony will pay the postage and have your Reader back to you promptly.

Ok... Sony gets major Karma for this. One big reason I love the Kindle so much is that Amazon is VERY customer friendly.

Sony is moving up the list. If only they could get their software to work as well as their customer service in this case.

BOb

[wyldkit]

Originally Posted by kilohertz53

I just got an email from Sony Service:

So I'll give them a few days to get the pre-paid box to me before I call them. I guess they'll either fix our 500s or offer us newer model refurbs.

I just got this email too. I'm pretty close to having enough Sony rewards points to upgrade to the 300 for free, so I don't think I'm going to bother sending mine in. As far as I'm concerned, being able to read for a few days without charging on an almost three-year-old device is just fine. But it's awesome of Sony to do this fix for free!

[JSWolf]

I've received the email today and I'll wait to get the box.

I have to give Sony brownie points for this.

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by kilohertz53

I just got an email from Sony Service:

[I]Dear PRS-500 Reader(TM) Owner,
.....

I haven't yet received the e-mail, but my sigh of relief from your post blurred my monitor!

Thanks for posting the whole message. Looks like that's all the info we need to make the call.

While it's too bad the Reader has to go back, I too am impressed with Sony for fixing this problem on such old hardware.

This leads my back to my defense of Ron_SC. The Kindle and Nook are providing very solid competition, and I'm betting that has lit a fire under Sony's feet. There's something to be said for brand loyalty, and their work to fix the PRS-500 very likely has a lot to do with that. Keep your original customers (of the original US Reader!) happy, and when they upgrade, they won't bail to a competitor!

-Pie

[kilohertz53]

Just an update:

The UPS guy delivered the box from Sony at noon today with ample amounts of bubble wrap, a pre-paid label, and packing instructions. My PRS-500 is already on its way back to Laredo, TX.

[JSWolf]

My box arrived today. So the 500 may go back out tomorrow.

[EatingPie]

I called the 877 phone number, and was told they were "escalating" the issue to the Repair Center in question (presumably Laredo). That repair center is supposed to call me back with the actual details on the repair.

I think someone posted the Laredo number in this thread already. Might be faster to just call them direct.

EDIT: I called Laredo direct. It sounds like they are automatically sending the boxes. They will e-mail you a label if you ask, but you have to pack the Reader yourself. That may be my option, since I originally returned my Reader through the SonyStyle store, I suspect that's why I haven't heard/received anything.

-Pie

[Snassek]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

EDIT: I called Laredo direct. It sounds like they are automatically sending the boxes. They will e-mail you a label if you ask, but you have to pack the Reader yourself. That may be my option, since I originally returned my Reader through the SonyStyle store, I suspect that's why I haven't heard/received anything.

-Pie

I haven't heard anything yet, but I followed the normal procedures for sending it in for the original upgrade.

Maybe they are sending the labels/boxes out in the order that they received them? I waited almost a month before sending mine in.

[JSWolf]

Well, the 500 I sent in is going to UPS today. So I'm hoping it'll just be a week again.

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've received the email today and I'll wait to get the box.

I have to give Sony brownie points for this.

Did you do anything to instigate the e-mail? Or was it automatic? Since Laredo was thin on details, I'm curious if you did anything to receive the email/box, or if they just came.

Thanks.

-Pie

[kilohertz53]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

Did you do anything to instigate the e-mail? Or was it automatic? Since Laredo was thin on details, I'm curious if you did anything to receive the email/box, or if they just came.

Thanks.

-Pie

The email and the pre-paid UPS box were completely unsolicited. I sent my PRS500 in for the original update, but I never complained afterwards about the battery drain problem. I really thought I'd just have to learn to live with it as a trade-off for epub compatibility.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

Did you do anything to instigate the e-mail? Or was it automatic? Since Laredo was thin on details, I'm curious if you did anything to receive the email/box, or if they just came.

Thanks.

-Pie

I got the box without doing anything. I was going to call Sony on Monday to find out what's what if I didn't get the box by then. But the 500 has been taken to UPS and should arrive back at Sony (I think) on Tuesday.

[Snassek]

Now how quickly did you all send in your PRS-500 when the original fix was announced?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Snassek

Now how quickly did you all send in your PRS-500 when the original fix was announced?

Fairly quickly.

[junkml]

Originally Posted by Snassek

Now how quickly did you all send in your PRS-500 when the original fix was announced?

Almost immediately. And I'll be shipping it off today for this fix.

If I had known the epub support on the 500 would not show justified text, I would have never sent it in the first time and saved myself all this trouble.