Why I'll never buy another Sony, any Sony, ever again - Page 2

Exer · 10-20-2010, 10:21 PM

A bit off topic, but the very first TV I ever bought myself after moving out on my own was a big ol' Sony "Trinitron" Tube TV. I got it home and was so excited to set the thing up, that I just about gave myself a hernia lifting it solo onto the entertainment shelf -- then it about crushed the life out of my body when it toppled back over and smushed me into the floor.

Needless to say, when I think of "Sony" I tremble a little.

BTW, the TV did survive, and is still in use hooked up to my little brothers Xbox 360.

Ervserver · 10-20-2010, 11:59 PM

Sony products have been good to me

dura · 10-21-2010, 06:01 AM

Sony Service is horrible!
3 months ago both my Ipad and my PRS-300 were defective.
Aplle sent an SMS 18 hours after I brought the Ipad to a service centre that I could pick up a new Ipad.
The reader repair lasted over 4 weeks, it went defective again a month later, after the warrant was expired.
However, Sony hárdware is the best, so I replaced the 300 for a 350, a beautiful little reader with exactly the right functionality for me, I just hope it will keep on working...

elcreative · 10-21-2010, 08:37 AM

Know just what you mean... my trinitron lasted about 15 years and three locations before finally expiring... then I had to dismantle it to get it out of the room, I'd added extra book storage since I installed it and couldn't get it out in one piece

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exer

A bit off topic, but the very first TV I ever bought myself after moving out on my own was a big ol' Sony "Trinitron" Tube TV. I got it home and was so excited to set the thing up, that I just about gave myself a hernia lifting it solo onto the entertainment shelf -- then it about crushed the life out of my body when it toppled back over and smushed me into the floor.

Needless to say, when I think of "Sony" I tremble a little.

BTW, the TV did survive, and is still in use hooked up to my little brothers Xbox 360.

dsvick · 10-21-2010, 08:57 AM

I'm very happy with my PRS-900, the functionality is exactly what I expected and the hardware is sturdy and, so far, has had no problems.

My problem is with the lack of updates for it. No added functionality, no firmware updates, nothing. I understand they're in it to sell hardware so why update the old when you can produce the new, but an update or two would have at least showed they cared

Wulf · 10-21-2010, 11:24 AM

Back in the 1960's Sony was the top shelf equipment. All the people talking about the Tirnitrons and old walkmans are refering to equipment built by Sony in JAPAN. A long time ago, Sony wemt the same route as all the other companys and just put their name on CHINESE made equipment. That is when the Sony name started to loose it's gloss. It really is too bad that they went that route. The almighty $ is the driving force everywhere. When I bought my first Sony TV in 1965 (a 5" screen portable) I received a letter from Japan from the head of Sony, thanking me for my purchase. It ceritnaly appears to hav an actual signature of someone on the letter and it appears to be a real type writer written document, ( I still have it in the envelope with all the Japanese stamps on it.) That kind of company is gone from this planet. What a shame...but I love my PRS 600.

nieperdragon · 10-21-2010, 04:36 PM

Their product quality is generally good.

There customer support is poor. I've had a few issues over the years (mainly due to poor software compromising their quality hardware), and I have never been dealt with competently.
The latest issue is their instance that I need to take my three week old PRS-350 back to the shop because the stylus is broken (it's a long way and not convenient), or send it back. It's just lack of common sense really.

BTW the Stylus on these things is really flimsy and you can't seem to buy spares anywhere which is annoying as nothing else fits in the recess in the case.

I generally don't buy much from Sony any more and this is really the only reason. Their not the only one's with issues but I generally go along with the mantra that things go wrong and stuff will break but if you get it sorted out smoothly then everything is fine. Sony have always made it hard. I've had to return a TV to the shop and demand a different brand before now.

It's a pity. I really love the PRS-350, but I feel really let down by the forthcoming hassle to get a stylus replaced.

Look on the bright side. I had CoolerReader. I had to get it replaced as their tech support wouldn't even reply!! It's been 6months now. I hear they've gone bust recently. Hardly surprising.

deekbee · 10-22-2010, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petercreasey

I don't understand the negative generalities about Sony. Any manufacturer has some problems.

Sony has always served me well, including with monitors, cameras, ereaders, etc., etc. And this includes their followup service.

Very true.

I've used Sony Ericsson phones (all good, solid, reliable), cameras (currently with a Sony Alpha DSLR), NetMD players (which were the best music players I've ever owned), CD players, amplifiers and the best of all their products - the WM-D6C pro-walkman. As they've been so solid, customer services have never been needed.

lacymarie7575 · 10-22-2010, 09:28 AM

i had the same damn problems with sony customer support...i sent in my PRS600 due to a cracked screen...they shipped it to their laptop repair center in California....then the couldnt find it after they were supposed to send it to Laredo...it took 29 days before i got it back. Every time i called to check the status of it i got some bumbling idiot that gave me a different line of shit. I LOVE my reader...i think its the best on the market!! But sony cust service sux!! I even got the run around when I called to file a complaint!! LOL they didnt know who to send me to....ugh!

Kolenka · 10-22-2010, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wulf

Back in the 1960's Sony was the top shelf equipment. All the people talking about the Tirnitrons and old walkmans are refering to equipment built by Sony in JAPAN. A long time ago, Sony wemt the same route as all the other companys and just put their name on CHINESE made equipment. That is when the Sony name started to loose it's gloss. It really is too bad that they went that route. The almighty $ is the driving force everywhere. When I bought my first Sony TV in 1965 (a 5" screen portable) I received a letter from Japan from the head of Sony, thanking me for my purchase. It ceritnaly appears to hav an actual signature of someone on the letter and it appears to be a real type writer written document, ( I still have it in the envelope with all the Japanese stamps on it.) That kind of company is gone from this planet. What a shame...but I love my PRS 600.

Sony and Sharp still currently produce their high-end TVs in Japan. Sony is shutting theirs down in the near future though.

windmill · 10-22-2010, 10:35 PM

I'm not sure whether this question is in the correct thread: I have a Sony e-reader since about a month. I notice that the battery is pretty quickly empty. I have to recharge after flipping only a few hundred pages, even though it is specified that this should happen only after flipping several thousand pages.
Sony does not sell these e-readers in the country I'm in (Japan). I imported it from overseas. So I don't count on any support from them.
Is there any advise on how to improve this? Does it need a hardware replacement? Or a software replacement? Or is there no improvement available?

boxcorner · 10-23-2010, 01:04 AM

Edited by boxcorner

nieperdragon · 10-23-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boxcorner

Has your stylus actually broken, or are you just concerned that it might?

As I said. It's three weeks old and the stylus is broken. The tech support actually want me to return the whole unit to either the shop or the a Sony Repair Centre.

I have tried reasoning with them at the madness of this, but clearly the mail are being answered by someone referring to a script rather than using any form of common sense. Here is the latest reply.

"As my colleague has advised, as we have not directly sold the product we would be unable to provide a refund or replacement. As we supply the one year guarantee for your product we would be happy to have the unit inspected by Sony central services (details of which were passed by my colleague in previous e-mail), however if this is due to accidental damage, it will not be covered by the warranty.

Sony spare parts and replacement supplied accessories can be ordered from the company detailed below:

NEDIS UK
Hudson Road
Melton Mowbray
Leicestershire
LE13 1BS"

Obviously if the actual reader really was broken this would be fine, and is no doubt the normal standard company policy. It's the inability to do something different when it is clearly the sensible thing to do. If I go to the trouble (and is a bit of problem as I didn't buy it locally) of going back to the shop, what will happen? It's unlikely they will have a stock of spare stylus so they will have to open another unit and give me the stylus, or replace my unit. Either way there is a PRS-350 that has to be returned to Sony. Worst case they ask me to send my unit away for "repair". I just can't see how this helps me, the retailer or SONY.

BTW don't bother contacting the company address given. They don't in fact list any parts for the PRS-350 but out of curiosity I looked up the stylus for the PRS-600. They want £21.95 for it!

There is a big issue here, of having a Customer Service Centre staffed by low cost staff who are given little opportunity to do anything other than repeat the script to you, as opposed to a more professional outfit who actually deal with problems.
This is what makes me feel cheated. I'm sure we all love our eReaders. They are good devices, but they are not cheap. If you buy a premium brand like Sony I feel that quality service should be part of the package. If you go the low cost route then you have to expect that corners are cut. Sony is clearly marketed and priced as a premium brand and should therefore have the customer service organisation needed to support this. In my experience they don't. Looking at the posts in this thread I can understand why people object to random "I had a Sony TV and it broke" comments. You'll find a story like that for every brand. Things break, but like I said good Customer Service can sort these things out and bring a customer (and their wallet) right back.

Anyway, I've already spent more time on this than I should. I'll probably call them this week and see if talking rather than emailing makes a difference. If not I guess I'll just have to arrange a day off and make the trip back to the shop where I bought it.

doreenjoy · 10-23-2010, 04:50 PM

^^ IME, calling has worked better than e-mails to Sony. Good luck.

boxcorner · 10-24-2010, 03:41 AM

Edited by boxcorner

10-23-2010, 01:04 AM	#27
boxcorner »(°±°)« Posts: 826 Karma: 775629 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: divisive reader	Edited by boxcorner Last edited by boxcorner; 10-26-2010 at 02:41 AM.

10-24-2010, 03:41 AM	#30
boxcorner »(°±°)« Posts: 826 Karma: 775629 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: divisive reader	Edited by boxcorner Last edited by boxcorner; 10-26-2010 at 02:42 AM.

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10-20-2010, 10:21 PM	#16
Exer I see Russia! Posts: 205 Karma: 234787 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Alaska Device: Etch-A-Sketch	A bit off topic, but the very first TV I ever bought myself after moving out on my own was a big ol' Sony "Trinitron" Tube TV. I got it home and was so excited to set the thing up, that I just about gave myself a hernia lifting it solo onto the entertainment shelf -- then it about crushed the life out of my body when it toppled back over and smushed me into the floor. Needless to say, when I think of "Sony" I tremble a little. BTW, the TV did survive, and is still in use hooked up to my little brothers Xbox 360.

10-20-2010, 11:59 PM	#17
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	Sony products have been good to me

10-21-2010, 06:01 AM	#18
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	Sony Service is horrible! 3 months ago both my Ipad and my PRS-300 were defective. Aplle sent an SMS 18 hours after I brought the Ipad to a service centre that I could pick up a new Ipad. The reader repair lasted over 4 weeks, it went defective again a month later, after the warrant was expired. However, Sony hárdware is the best, so I replaced the 300 for a 350, a beautiful little reader with exactly the right functionality for me, I just hope it will keep on working...

10-21-2010, 08:57 AM	#20
dsvick Wizard Posts: 2,737 Karma: 635747 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northeast Ohio, USA Device: PRS-900	I'm very happy with my PRS-900, the functionality is exactly what I expected and the hardware is sturdy and, so far, has had no problems. My problem is with the lack of updates for it. No added functionality, no firmware updates, nothing. I understand they're in it to sell hardware so why update the old when you can produce the new, but an update or two would have at least showed they cared

10-21-2010, 11:24 AM	#21
Wulf Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Connecticut, USA Device: Sony PRS-600	Back in the 1960's Sony was the top shelf equipment. All the people talking about the Tirnitrons and old walkmans are refering to equipment built by Sony in JAPAN. A long time ago, Sony wemt the same route as all the other companys and just put their name on CHINESE made equipment. That is when the Sony name started to loose it's gloss. It really is too bad that they went that route. The almighty $ is the driving force everywhere. When I bought my first Sony TV in 1965 (a 5" screen portable) I received a letter from Japan from the head of Sony, thanking me for my purchase. It ceritnaly appears to hav an actual signature of someone on the letter and it appears to be a real type writer written document, ( I still have it in the envelope with all the Japanese stamps on it.) That kind of company is gone from this planet. What a shame...but I love my PRS 600.

10-21-2010, 04:36 PM	#22
nieperdragon Member Posts: 11 Karma: 12 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Musselburgh Device: Sony PRS-350	Their product quality is generally good. There customer support is poor. I've had a few issues over the years (mainly due to poor software compromising their quality hardware), and I have never been dealt with competently. The latest issue is their instance that I need to take my three week old PRS-350 back to the shop because the stylus is broken (it's a long way and not convenient), or send it back. It's just lack of common sense really. BTW the Stylus on these things is really flimsy and you can't seem to buy spares anywhere which is annoying as nothing else fits in the recess in the case. I generally don't buy much from Sony any more and this is really the only reason. Their not the only one's with issues but I generally go along with the mantra that things go wrong and stuff will break but if you get it sorted out smoothly then everything is fine. Sony have always made it hard. I've had to return a TV to the shop and demand a different brand before now. It's a pity. I really love the PRS-350, but I feel really let down by the forthcoming hassle to get a stylus replaced. Look on the bright side. I had CoolerReader. I had to get it replaced as their tech support wouldn't even reply!! It's been 6months now. I hear they've gone bust recently. Hardly surprising.

10-22-2010, 09:28 AM	#24
lacymarie7575 reading about reading ;-> Posts: 44 Karma: 30 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Houston Device: Sony PRS-600, BB	i had the same damn problems with sony customer support...i sent in my PRS600 due to a cracked screen...they shipped it to their laptop repair center in California....then the couldnt find it after they were supposed to send it to Laredo...it took 29 days before i got it back. Every time i called to check the status of it i got some bumbling idiot that gave me a different line of shit. I LOVE my reader...i think its the best on the market!! But sony cust service sux!! I even got the run around when I called to file a complaint!! LOL they didnt know who to send me to....ugh!

10-22-2010, 10:35 PM	#26
windmill Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: PRS-600	I'm not sure whether this question is in the correct thread: I have a Sony e-reader since about a month. I notice that the battery is pretty quickly empty. I have to recharge after flipping only a few hundred pages, even though it is specified that this should happen only after flipping several thousand pages. Sony does not sell these e-readers in the country I'm in (Japan). I imported it from overseas. So I don't count on any support from them. Is there any advise on how to improve this? Does it need a hardware replacement? Or a software replacement? Or is there no improvement available?

10-23-2010, 04:50 PM	#29
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	^^ IME, calling has worked better than e-mails to Sony. Good luck.

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