PRS-350 Broken PRS-350 screen :(

[BeccaPrice]

I think I'm glad I just got a Square Trade warranty for my new 350 - it was only $37 for 2 years (cheaper than a like warranty through Borders, which is where I bought my Sony). They have an accidental damage coverage, and will replace the broken unit no questions asked.

[Lynn W]

Hi all, thought you might like to know the outcome of this. After emails and phone call to Sony (to agree that they would waive the inspection charge) I returned the reader and they have repaired it free under warranty and sent it back special delivery, no charge. So I am well pleased with Sony, although I think it must be a recognised fault or they would not have done this. I am not pleased with PC World, they just did not want to know although it was their resposibility as the retailer, not Sony's. I won't buy from them again. Thanks for your advice Pinecone.

[Poppaea]

Hi Lynn,

glad everything worked out fine for you!!!

[Pomtroll]

Thanks for letting us know your outcome Lynn. I didn't get the extended warranty at first but decided to a week after my purchase (got it at Best Buy) to get one. They wanted to see the Sony 350 before selling me a warranty but that was fine. I'm so glad I got it now. I got the Drop & Drip warranty.

[Halk]

Originally Posted by blacksharpie

Here's a screen shot of my reader. What do you think?

Since nobody has come out and said it... that looks like a broken screen to me. I had two broken screens on Bookeen Cybooks... they have a plastic shell which does not respond well to torsion. Both of my screens looked similar to that.

[jaxx6166]

Originally Posted by Halk

Since nobody has come out and said it... that looks like a broken screen to me. I had two broken screens on Bookeen Cybooks... they have a plastic shell which does not respond well to torsion. Both of my screens looked similar to that.

I was just going to say that. It looks like a broken substrate, I've done 'em before. So far I'm lucky to not have any issues with my 350 and all the abuse it's taken lately.

[chezanova]

Hi all, joined the forum just to comment on this issue...

My PRS350 has exactly the same problem and looks almost identical to the shot above.

Bought in Dec 10 so still under warrranty- took it back to Waterstones who packaged it off and sent it back to Sony- no questions asked.

Today I got an email from Sony for money to repair it!

I called the repair centre who said this was a symptom of the reader being dropped or twisted. i explained that I have not dropped or twisted it- one night it worked fine, the next morning it had this problem. The chap at the repair centre gave me the number for customer service.

I've just got off the phone from them where I explained in no uncertain terms that I look after my reader and have not dropped, twisted it etc at all. (If I had broken it myself I would have just gone and bought another!).

This has now been 'escalated' so I am waiting to hear back (no timescale given).

I am expecting that someone at Sony will see sense and repair what is a faulty product. If not, I will not give up chasing them- I love my ereader and think it's way better than all the other readers out there (including the ubiquitous market leader) and I would hope that Sony won't let themselves down in such a competetive market by accusing a customer of lying.

I'll let you know the outcome...

[Sivodsi]

This happened to my Sony 950 just after I bought it. I had put it in a case along with earbuds, and within a small backpack. Unfortunately something pressed the earbuds into the screen with similar effect.

I described the problem to Sony support, and they suggested I send it in to them. Didn't hear from them for a long time, and so I got in touch. They had lost my e-reader! The outcome was that they sent a replacement.

I was lucky, because I doubt they could have done anything with the screen like it was.

[helliebean]

I am new here and am adding to this thread because I have a cracked screen on a PRS350.

The service from Sony has been absolutely diabolical. They have virtually ignored me. They say my E-Reader is 'cracked, dented and scratched'. Now, bear in mind, I spent 20 squid on a padded leather case to keep it in and I have only read 3 books on it, I am not a happy bunny! It looks like new.

They offered to repair it at a charge of £167 to me (a new one only costs £139.99) and they say I have damanged it. I went to sleep with it next to me on a sofa and when I woke up the screen was glazed, black in parts with faint writing.

I am determined to get them to either replace or repair it and I have now gone to the top... (Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony) because it is so unfair. We have three Sony E-Readers in our family and always buy Sony products but this is testing me greatly as you can imagine. I go on holiday shortly and I have nothing to read. If anyone else has managed to resolve this in any way and can offer some help, I would be grateful.

It has been to their Repair Centre in Bridgend and is now in Basingstoke and I am waiting to hear.

Wish me luck!

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by helliebean

I went to sleep with it next to me on a sofa and when I woke up the screen was glazed, black in parts with faint writing.

Over the years I have broke things in my sleep by moving in my sleep and putting pressure on the item in question.

Originally Posted by helliebean

Wish me luck!

Good Luck.

[carpetmojo]

Looks like you're in UK - your contract is with the retailer, your claim is against them under the Sof Goods Act, and they need to prove you damaged it.

The Sony practice of charging more for repairs than sale price is, sadly, not unusual - they don't wat to repair them, basically, toom much hassle I suppose !

But concentrate on the retyailer.

And if you really can't face a Small Claims Court claim, do check your Household Contents Insurance - most decent ones have an accidental Damage cover, which you will only pay your excess figure on. ( I know this, after running over my own nice new camera ! Don't ask, it's too complicated...! ).

[helliebean]

dwanthny... thank you for your reply. No, I didn't roll onto it! (you are sounding like Sony ) It was on a shelf as I slept and I know I have done no damage to it whatsoever... as I say I have only read 3 books on it and I have looked after it really really carefully ('cos I loved it so much grrr).

Carpetmojo... thank you. I am sure my excess is probably £100 and really don't see why I should have to claim on insurance for accidental damage because I have not damaged it.

I bought the E-Reader from the Sony shop so my beef is with them through and through and I am not going to away. I will however post back here when it is resolved in any way just to help anyone else in the same position. I have given them 2 weeks to respond to me and I have set out what action I propose to take if they don't.....

Thanks all

[DoctorOhh]

I'm curious, has anyone from Sony looked at it? Are you sure it is cracked? Could it be that the screen controller (a warranty item) has gone bad?

[helliebean]

Thanks dwanthny. It has been back to Sony's repair centre in Bridgend and they insist the screen is cracked. But they tell me that the 'crack' is invisible to the naked eye. How it can be cracked when all I did was put it on a shelf in a padded case for 2 hours whilst I napped, I do not know. They were very rude and insinuated I had dropped it. They have taken some very close up pictures of it showing the tiniest marks on it (all magnified hugely to look bad. There are no marks on it that are visible to the naked eye). The general condition of it was described as 'chipped, marked and dented'. This is obviously underhand tactics to try and assert that I have damaged it. That incensed me given that I bought it from the Sony shop originally and when I took it back there they agreed with me that the Ereader looked like new (well... it would do given that I have only read three books on it and had it encased in a leather padded case all the time. It could be put on display and sold, that is how immaculate it looks).

Through some digging and delving I have acquired the personal email address of the CEO at Sony UK and I have written to him both by email and letter. I am giving them two weeks to sort this out before I take the matter further. (am on holiday next week with nothing to read arghhhh) I refuse to let this drop and I have outlined very carefully with them what I plan to do in 2 weeks time (and it aint pretty!). Did you know there are three forums with lots of threads and people with the exact same problem... I am not alone, and I will not give up. The Ereader is at present at Sony Basingstoke 'for investigation' so we shall see.

[helliebean]

It pays to go to the top!

I have had an email from the PA to the Managing Director of Sony UK & Ireland (a division of Sony Europe). She is personally going to progress the matter with the Customer Services Manager and will be in contact shortly.

The moral of the story is... do not give up and do not accept shoddy service.