Flaking Paint, Loose Stylus, Flaking Buttons - 8125, K-JAM, P4300, MDA Vario General

I know you guys are probably sick of this, but I have an 02 XDA mini in the UK. My question is, has anyone managed to get a new handset under warranty for any of the following common issues?
Very loose stylus, flaking paint, flaking buttons and now the handsfree socket has gone funny too.
As a trainee solicitor, I know that the Sale Of Goods Act requires any goods to be:
1. Free from any minor defects.
2. This includes appearance and finish.
3. Products should be durable.
I would say that the Wizard fails on all these criteria. I've only had this thing since March, so its another 5 months before I can renew my contract and get a new handset. I really think that for the cost of these things you should expect a reasonable looking product. It's very nice that it has alot of features, but if it looks a mess when I get it out of my pocket at work it makes me look unprofessional. For the cost that is unacceptable. Also, the dodgy audio jack is making my tube journeys ever more unpleasent.
If you have any of these issues, please just make a post anyway, even if you've done it before. I managed to get a new BlueAngel once by proving the whistling screen was a warranty issue thanks to people posting on XDA-Dev. PPC GEEKS - STAND UP AND UNITE

iive had mine replaced in USA many times due to this..

Brilliant! Anyone else?

i havent had mine replaced.. but I do have the black paint flaking off of the device... I didnt know that it would be covered.

My O2 XDA Mini S (Wizard) had flaking black paint, a loose stylus (with a strip of selotape around it to stop it falling out) and also no logos on the email or internet buttons as they'd worn off.
I have just had a replacement through insurance as I dropped the phone, but if I hadn't of had that, I'd have been very interested in getting it replaced under warranty as I don't believe the finish is robust enough to stand up to normal daily use.
Good luck!

Cheers guys, keep 'em coming. The more peoplesay they have this problem, the better chance I have of getting a new one on warranty.
Myself and 3 of my close friends have XDA minis. Every single one (including the 2 extras we have had because of faults or insurance) have suffered the stylus and flaking issue. It usually happens after about 2 months. The stylus thing is most annoying because those things are expensive when they fall out!

Related

More Quality HTC engineering

High Tech Crap have once again surpassed themselves with the Wizard.
My stylus is held in by sticky tape and the paint flakes off, however even worse my good friend Alex's died a few days ago of its own accord. He thought maybe it had just run out of batteries so he plugged the charger in and within seconds it got so hot that it burned him and melted all the internal stickers off. god knows what would have happened if he'd left it.
Just a warning. Sounds like a lawsuit to me
Your issues seem atypical--I've been reading through this forum for a few months now and haven't come across a single one where somebody said their Wizard blew up/melted/what have you. Sorry you're having problems, but isn't that what a warranty is for?
Doubt the paint and stylus are covered by warranty, certainly not the paint as they know its just an issue full stop and would be replacing each and every unit constantly.
I disagree with your assessment. See here.
Well when your house burns down, don't say I didn't warn you
Doubt the paint and stylus are covered by warranty, certainly not the paint as they know its just an issue full stop and would be replacing each and every unit constantly.
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Click to collapse
They should do. You'd think for the price these things would be built to the highest standard. They MUST know these things are issues when they start producing these. Either that or they did NO product testing. I don't understand how it passes EC quality control.
If you bought a car and the paint fell off you'd expect it sorting out. I bet the paint won't flake off the Sony Ericssion p990.
If each of us here wrote to HTC/Trading Standards/our service providers we could get a brand new handset each.
In fact, if I start a petition on here that just requires name and email address, and sent it to HTC, threatening to send it to trading standards, how many people do you think would sign it if it meant a free device for each of us?
Because TBH, I'm pretty sick of spending hundereds of pounds on HTC junk only to have it fall apart after 2 months EVERY TIME, not to mention the software issues. In fact, I'm pretty sure they're required by law to replace things like that.
mike freegan said:
Because TBH, I'm pretty sick of spending hundereds of pounds on HTC junk only to have it fall apart after 2 months EVERY TIME, not to mention the software issues. In fact, I'm pretty sure they're required by law to replace things like that.
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Click to collapse
I am really sorry to hear about your issues. However, you must understand that the K-JAM is nowhere near the Casio E-200 as far as quality is concerned. I went through 3 E-200's and the product line was so bad, Casio eventually pulled it off the market and not soon later exited the PPC market altogether.
I am on many forums and have heard relatively few complaint other than the standard stylus-loose issue and maybe just a complaint here and there that the paint on the blue "E" for internet explorer came off. Considering that the Wizard comes from Imate, T-Mobile, 02, DoPod, etc it seems relatively few people have the same issues as you mention. Personally, I beleive either you treat your device harshly or you got one from a bad production batch. I have had my K-JAM for 8 months already, and aside from the stylus being loose nothing else is wrong with the device.
If you are that dissapointed, get on the phone with support and demand that you want a replacement unit. Tell them exactly what you complained about here that you didn't expect such an expensive device to peel and chip. See how that goes.
Please read properly.
My device is fine. I was talking about my friend's device. I assure you, I take excellent care of mine.
My point was that there should be safety mechanisms to prevent things getting so hot to the point that they melt and pose a fire risk, no matter how badly you treat it (which he didn't).
The only faults on mine are the loose stylus and the flaky paint -both known problems. My point is that for £400 you shouldn't have to put up with either. I mean, if you buy a cheap, low quality phone for £20 I bet the paint wouldn't flake off, so why do HTC who charge so extortionally for what should be quality products be forgiven for cutting corners and selling shoddy hardware?
Also, it's only because of the gurus on here like Vijay and Buzz that our devices work at all. We shouldn't have to rely on these guys working volentarily to try and patch up the bugs left in by HTC/Microsoft. It's not even like the odd bug; EVERY SINGLE ROM is full of serious errors that HTC know are there and affect even basic functions. I am grateful to buzz/vijay, but it sholdn't be their job to do it. They don't get paid to do it. For the price we pay, you should expect maybe the odd bug, but not some of the ridiculous and obvious errors that HTC sell these devices knowing about (talking more about the BlueAngel/Universal really, but alot of people report Wizard bugs too)
Also, saying a device by another manufacturer is worse does not justify making a sub-quality product. If the paint flaked off you car, I wouldn't try and defend it by saying that the wheels fell off mine so you should be happy. That's ridiculous. you paid alot of money for a product which you should expect a certain quality from.
I think if just a few hundered of us petitioned, threatening to involve trading standards, it might just give HTC a kick up the arse, show them that we won't just put up with this stuff because they can't be bothered fixing it and get them to put a little more effort into ensuring the hardware and software quality of their next device.
Viva la revolution
Sleuth255 said:
I disagree with your assessment. See here.
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Click to collapse
That maybe so but it doesnt change the fact that the paint flakes off.
What would the conversation to support go like ?
Consumer " Hi I bought a device from you and the paint is flaking off. "
Support " Yes but the device will survive should it be dropped in water "
Consumer " Really ? "
Support " Yes. "
Consumer " I didnt realise. Sorry to have troubled you. "
:roll:
right.... I guess I deserved that....
I'm actually wondering if HTC actually makes all the various cases for these devices. Or, do they sell the basic insides as an OEM provider and the end seller provides the rest. This wouldn't apply to Qtek devices of course as these probably would be completely produced by HTC.
Case in point: I'm not aware of paint peeling or loose stylus issues on the 8125. Perhaps somebody can correct me here.
now this is funny!!! I have not had any problems with the phone yet. But i would sign if anyone started it. I will stand by my boys in arms hehehehe
but i do think there is a diffrence between a car and phone, that the phone takes alot from being in a pocket or something ( how about we all put car paint on our phones) and a car is made to withstand rain and so fore. But i do think that it should be abit better for the price.
mike freegan said:
Please read properly.
Also, saying a device by another manufacturer is worse does not justify making a sub-quality product. If the paint flaked off you car, I wouldn't try and defend it by saying that the wheels fell off mine so you should be happy. That's ridiculous. you paid alot of money for a product which you should expect a certain quality from.
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I seem to remember the old Citroen BX's cost a lot of money in their day and the paint flaked off... people still bought them though.... and they still worked... not to mention the fact the wheel could fall off and it would work too :lol:
seriously though. i agree that the paint flaking is a bit of an issue, and the stylus not seating properly is poor design. I do think however that fighting via a petition for them to replace our devices with equally as faulty devices is a waste of time. Example for this is my friend and I both have owend smart roadsters. they both slightly leaked as with nearly all cabriolets, but he moaned and demanded they fix it (i didnt!)... it went in for the supposed leak fix and came back worse than before and he had to reject the car (upsetting himself at the same time because he really loved that car for what it was). I just dont quite see why i would want to cut my own nose to spite my face right now
Cry me a river, this is what is known as the bleeding edge.
Look what you are holding in your hand, its a miniature PC with bluetooth, wifi, a phone with gprs/edge, a PDA with a full keyboard. This is an incredibly elegant device. Yes my stylus falls out but when I took it apart I was totaly impressed by the elegance of the design, flawed maybe but not the china crap I've seen. Also understand how the supply chain works. HTC contracts out with flex or foxcon or whomever which actually manufacture these, most all electronic mfg do this. So as a mfg you are dependent on the quality of your sub, yes you can and do police them but with a mobile workforce you are going to get quality issues. It's just the way the world works and as was said, that's what the warrenty is for unless of course you flashed a new rom or opened the case and voided it, then tough luck.
Well, I would agree with thompsd. I mean, HP and others have phones that work much stable, better and the paint doesn't flake off. So, why don't you just go ahead and buy yourself an HP Phone? I'm not sure about your reason, but I just can't affort an HP, and I don't really like the bulky HP (though their recent device looks promising, not sure about the price).
Hey, consider the HTC company is like.. how old? Oh man, give them some slack. I think they are pretty good in putting in so many things into such a small unit and if they aren't that good with their paint job, so be it. However, having said that, I'm still expecting them to be getting much better soon, inside out. Go ahead with your petition thing and good luck.
BTW, how does the 'easily scratched' iPod case ended?
Anyway, as for the fire thing, it is not an HTC issue only. The invincible Apple had laptop camp fire here and the mighty Dell had their contribution on the conference.
My advise is, don't leave any electronic stuff left unattented.
@ JNGold
First of all sorry for deviating from the true subject of this thread.
I am glad that you are happy with the build quality of your wizard. Since you have been using your device for 8 months I would like to know if the keyboard sliding mechanism is showing any signs of wear / looseness. I am interested in this because previously I owned the i-mate pda2k (HTC magician) and over few months of use the keyboard became quite loose to the point that it would slide open by its own weight if held vertically.
I am now considering going for the HTC TyTn once this is out. My only apprehension is the quality of the slide mechanism and your comments would be really helpful.
Thanks and Regards
Why do you repeat buy HTC if you're having such issues with their devices?
My point is, if HTC can do such an excellent job (and it is excellent) of getting so much technology into such a small space, and charge so much for their devices, why not just spend the extra 5 minutes to make sure the paint doesn't flake off? I don't understand why they think they can sell something which is faulty.
It's a device designed to be mobile and carried in a pocket (hence pocket pc/windows mobile). For £400 you are entitled to expect that the paint will be to a reasonable quality like EVERY other phone on the market.
I have just noticed that every HTC device has a whole host of small flaws that could be avoided so easily and at no extra cost, if they just thought about what they were doing. My friend has programmed for Windows Mobile and he tells me that they know its full of bugs and clashing scripts because of a lack of cummunication between departments, but they just release the software anyway, where an extra couple of days resolving the clashes between each application would solve the problem.
I mean, someone's worked really hard making all the hardware fit in the case which is the difficult part, but then not bothered designing or testing the stylus issue, something which is obviously gunna suffer from wear and tear.
I don't want a replacement device, but I just think that if we scare HTC/our service providers a bit with threats of trading standards, and show that alot of us are interested then it might make them spend the extra couple of weeks testing their next device and making sure it works well before they sell it.
I mean, the Sony Ericsson P990 does everything the wizard does, and more, but I bet they made sure the paint doesn't fall off and the stylus stays in. high functionality does not have to mean low quality.
Err... Can't speak for the p990 but the p800 I had suffered from peeling paint and stylus issues as well (cracking styluses, styluses that fell off) as well as a notorious keyboard design that actually worked until you put it in your pocket and broke the two tiny tabs that held the top of the keyboard away from the screen. So Sony-Ericsson isn't the acme of product perfection you hold them to be.
The only peeling paint I have had with my wizard has been the qtek label on the bottom. Which to me was no great loss.
To me the biggest issue with this phone has always been the software. Which honestly has improved dramatically since the 1.x firmware days.
I knew going in that the wizard had the potential to be a disaster of a phone hey lets see, an innovative package and feature set and new software from Microsoft is quite the triple threat for product mayhem but 9 months into it I have little to complain about.
That may all change tomorrow when the phone decides to self-whimilate or some such thing. but for now I'm content.

Paint problem really that bad or not?

Hello, im buying Touch HD and I saw people whining about paint getting damaged and dropping off. I have had 2 Diamonds, people said the same thing about these but I have never had paint problem myself.
So could you tell do you have this problem or not with paint. other threads are spoiled full with "it sucks" comments from same people 10 times which makes it hard to read is it major or just some people scratching phones with keys.
Maybe even tell when and where you bought your device from. This effects do I buy HD now or when invisible shield comes for HD.
Thanks!
If you dont have touch HD please press "View poll results"
Thanks
I can only vote once so I will add this: 2 of my friends have the HD and 4 colleagues have the dianond or the pro. NONE of them have paint chipping, only one has a single chip as a result of dropping it on a brick floor.
At this point, the only thing that really puts me off about this phone is the endless complainin and whining... it must be a certain type of person this phone attracts because e.g. the iphone 3g had similar and even worse problems: freezes, very poor call recepion, memory leaks, ****ty battery performance, super weak cracking and scratching plastic back cover and still it gets a religious following of people who believe and support it till the bitter end... ignorance? i doubt it, the iphone is an amazing phone, just like the HD.
I've been using HD for about three weeks now, and don't have any signs of paint coming off anywhere. I carry it in my pocket without any shield or case (although I don't carry keys or anything like that in the pocket).
nin2thevoid said:
I can only vote once so I will add this: 2 of my friends have the HD and 4 colleagues have the dianond or the pro. NONE of them have paint chipping, only one has a single chip as a result of dropping it on a brick floor.
At this point, the only thing that really puts me off about this phone is the endless complainin and whining... it must be a certain type of person this phone attracts because e.g. the iphone 3g had similar and even worse problems: freezes, very poor call recepion, memory leaks, ****ty battery performance, super weak cracking and scratching plastic back cover and still it gets a religious following of people who believe and support it till the bitter end... ignorance? i doubt it, the iphone is an amazing phone, just like the HD.
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I think the reason people winge on here is because we are geeks. fact. we want it to be the very best technically and also to look at. The Iphone is aimed at a different market. maybe the more fashion concious? i.m happy with my HD and I've been using wm since the first spv. go and get yourself one. they are great, I wish the rom chefs would get on it though. hope dutty starts cooking soon!
Have been using it for the last 2 weeks and I have purchased from orange. I had no problem with the body /paint. I am quite a heavy user and don't use any case.
In addition,every day at least for 2 hours, I use it for listening to music over A2dp, using opera and rss hub as well as checking, replying email/sms, freezing issue people mention did not happen once.
what the heck - I'll vote on this one
phone is now 2 weeks old, direct from Orange.
I tend to be reasonably careful with it - buit no more so than I've been with any other phone really.
This means it usually (but not always) get's carried around in it's sock.
It doesn't get put in the same pocket as my keys.
I not at all careful though when putting the stylus in / out.
No paint issues at all, nothing, nada, zip. Looks exactly the same as it did when I got it out of the box
That said, from looking at the (few) posted pics on the other poll, I would say that there is definately a (small!) batch of phones out there where the paint hasn't been put on properly.
In my opinion (form what that's worth LOL), those owners should be sending them back for a replacement unit.
A chip of paint coming off - could be anything.
A chip of paint where it has left a spot of paint in the middle of the chip - that doesn't sound right to me.
ok I'll bite....
had device for just over two weeks. Overall very impressed, just found opera a little slow, but not unuseable.
Then the paint started coming off. I haven't dropped it, it's been well looked after. At the stylus slot, there is maybe a 2 mm strip where the paint has flaked off. I found the more i used the stylus, the more the paint came off.
Then I found it coming off near the home button. So it would only get worse.
IMHO this is not acceptable for a £500 handset. That is a LOT of money. I'd rather the handset finish was better than the trendy packaging.
So I mailed HTC and they told me to return it.
I will wait until this has been resolved before getting another.
I dont own one so I didnt vote, but yes I would say there is an actual issue with the paint.
Just look at these polls
xda-developers - 37,9% having problems
A swiss forum - 9,4% having problems
A german forum - 17,5% having problems
My paint go off. Less than one week of normal use (never fallen, never clashed or shocked). Scandalous, 600 euro paid.
My serial start with "HT843..."
Thank you for your replies. maybe there was some batch with problems, but it doesnt seem too big problem to make me not buy touch hd :>
less than 20% with problems - some user faults (not blaming anyone) - and some inaccuracy from poll, cant tell everyone who voted has HD.
Id say it isnt so big problem and since stores and HTC said to replace the device its fine for me. Sooon touch HD <3
I was fortunate enough to read about this before I started using mine, so I've been EXTRA CAREFUL, and haven't had any problems so far... >fingers crossed<
I've had no problems, but then I'm being quite cautious after seeing the paint chipping others have experienced before I got my HD.
ordered my HD yesterday, I hope it was just one faulty batch or something, getting invisible shield asap it comes to zagg.
for what its worth, i had my HD ordered on the 19th of Nov. and after using it for 3 days i noticed two extremely small paint peals on the top left corner. device has been cared for like a baby!
Time to buy invisible shield :> ordered mine 4 days ago, should be coming sooon to save my HD from scratches and stuff.
I got mine since 4 weeks now. Carry it without any cover in my jacket or my pants. Sometimes together with my keys "shame on me". It even made one hard contact with the floor from 5feet. Not one scratch. Got lucky.
But since I read here, maybe invisible shild isn't a bad idea at all.
are here already some closeups of HD with IS installed?
If i knew this i would happen, i would have never have bought mines.. completely amateurish
Yes my paint comes off too.
Have a spot on top, 1 on the left and one on the right side.
All three are non-scratches, but 'round-ish' spots were the paint fell off.
On the bottom side the paint around the USB connector flakes off very baddly.
Going over it softly with my nail, you can feel the paint chip off like mad.
I was one of the first to own an HD in the Netherlands.(reference to the possible batch problems)
I'll post photos and serial later.
Paint scratched but only by keys
I scratched my phone badly with a set of keys placed carelessly in a rucksack. In a few weeks of ordinary use no other parts of the phone (except the parts scratched by the keys) show any sign of damage - even around the USB port where I always try inserting the cable the wrong way around appears undamaged.

Poll: IS your xperia X1 case cracked? Please contribute.

PLEASE ONLY VOTE ONCE YOU'VE HAD YOUR DEVICE FOR A FEW WEEKS - As pointed out below, if you vote the day you receive it it most likely won't have any cracks... only to find them later (by which time you can't change your vote).
Hiya,
I'm thinking of getting an experia X1 to replace my TC...
...but I beleive there are build quiality issues as highlighted by the post above.
Can we have a poll to see the actual % of people suffering from this problem?
So:
Yes - I have, or I've had a cracked X1
or
No - My X1 is fine
That would help potential buyers make decisions a lot easier IMO.
Ta,
Oms.
No - My X1 is fine
on request added colors to poll.
hi,
I have a silver Xperia.
One crack on the phone after 2 days .
It was exchanged at the phone shop.
Nicolas
ive not had a problem yet..... since coming across this issue on the board, ive been keeping a close eye on how i handle the x1a silver. im sure it will crack sooner or later just because its seems so thin of a plastic in that area. i have not removed my stylus and am using the spare. it would have been better if sony used metal just like the battery cover.
Many thanks for the contributions...
...and many thanks to the mods for adding the colour options.
I'd be interested to see how this changes over the coming months...
PS O2 - do they have both colour options?
this thread will have many "false negatives". people buying the phone one day and click "no crack" the next. If the crack was to appear in the next few weeks, there would be no way to change the vote.
Jabe said:
this thread will have many "false negatives". people buying the phone one day and click "no crack" the next. If the crack was to appear in the next few weeks, there would be no way to change the vote.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True... I've changed the original post to reflect this.
That said, there could be more 'false' reports by users who have had more than one device (ie - original faulty, and replacement fine).
It's good to see that there are people out there without faulty devices though..
well i haven't voted yet, but add me to the black-no-crack crowd for now. I've had it for little over 2 weeks. once a month passes, i'll vote in the pole, since most cracks have appeared around that time frame.
Any news from SE or HTC
Has anyone successfully challenged Sony Ericsson or HTC regarding this problem?
It's one thing to take the phone back to the shop, but you're just going to end up with a device that most likely will crack again.
My phone developed a crack very recently. I have had it about 6 weeks.
I think it may be due to the very poor battery cover design, which forces you to twist the device slightly when desperately trying to lever it off, or apply a lot of pressure when pushing it back on. As I have had a lot of problems with the battery cover and have also been taking it off A LOT (whilst swapping memory cards), I am sure this is the route of the problem.
these cracks look to be where the stylus goes into the case
maybe people are trying to put the stylus in at an angle and putting pressure on the case causing it to crack
ive had my xperia since uk launch and i havn't had any problems
No problems so far, mine fell already two times on a wooden floor from about 50 cm without any damage.
---
cu
Robert
There's lots of discussion about the craked cases in the thread at the top...
...I only started this thread to gauge a percentage of faulty units.
It seems that 50% of the silver units are faulty (based on the info so far), with only about 5% of the black ones.
I know what colour I'll be getting!
Potentially bad news for some people:
I've contacted O2 and the chap I spoke to believes that the X1 is only available in silver...
...he can't tell me for sure because they don't have any stock.
I really hope it's not true, or else I'll have to defect to Voda.
Update:
Still no stock as of 20/12/08.
I noticed my black x1 is cracked at the bottom of the key pad and on the right hand side. The cracks are very hard to see on the black units which may explain why the percentage is lower.
You have to look real close to see the one at the bottom in the black plastic but the one on the right hand side in the silver strip is easy to see.
Im thinking of writing a letter of complaint, its not what I expect of a 500 squid phone!
well i haven't seen any cracks on my month old xperia.. but now i am facing a problem with the batter cover, it seems that the hinge where the covers supposedly clips on.. no longer clips on.. i had to put a tape on the cover just to keep if from popping out... i'm dis appointed with that.. the phone is great.. but the casing sucks
I ticked the "no crack" option a while ago - unfourtunatley i need to change it dam cracks
Why is the poll closed? Or did I just vote some time ago?
Well, my Xperia has slight cracks near the stylus hole. Damn it.
But if it is not getting worse I won't replace it. Takes far too
much time and stress.
So long,
Kon
oTToToTenTanz said:
Why is the poll closed? Or did I just vote some time ago?
Well, my Xperia has slight cracks near the stylus hole. Damn it.
But if it is not getting worse I won't replace it. Takes far too
much time and stress.
So long,
Kon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly ima just put up with it
I've had three X1s from O2 UK so far... each I've kept for a month plus.
None of them have suffered from cracks.
I've had an 08 W48, 08 W52 and an 09 W??.
Looks like the problem isn't with any of the O2 UK stock?

Buying an 8525 from Craigslist for $100

This seems like a fair price to me. Is it? What hardware issues should I be looking for, common wear/tear's etc?
Thanks guys! This will be a nice (slightly heavier) upgrade from my Blackjack2 and 2125.
superultra said:
This seems like a fair price to me. Is it? What hardware issues should I be looking for, common wear/tear's etc?
Thanks guys! This will be a nice (slightly heavier) upgrade from my Blackjack2 and 2125.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's quite a list of things to look out for. Be aware that there are quite a few being dumped on the net because of pretty serious issues. Having said that, there are good ones around.
You should not buy one that:
1
has ever had a white screen or fading screen problem
2
Shows a "No GSM" error
3
has a screen alignment issue (even a minor one)
4
has a slide out keyboard so loose that holding it up to your ear makes it slide out a little (this fault is fixable - but not entirely straightforward)
5
switches completely off from time to time (may be a minor battery contacts fault, but can be cracked solder joints on the battery connector.)
6
has ever suffered from applications closing for no reason or the start menu opening for no reason. (can be a sign of alignment issues or contamination under the screen bezel)
7
ever had charging problems or other issues with the USB socket. This can be replaced but the cost is probably not worth it unless it's DIY
8
a loose stylus is a hassle. Some are so loose they just fall out. I have instructions to fix this but easier to avoid the issue.
Im sure other folk can think of a few other things.
It may be worth buying one that is cheap if the rear speaker or front speaker is not working. The rear speaker is of just a loose connector and is just under the rear casing. The front earpiece speaker can be faulty due to loose spring connector (fixable, but a major dismantle - it can be replaced if necessary with a relatively cheap motorola alternative)
Mike
PS I am not up on current prices. Just the other day someone got one at $120 which was not thought to be a bargain. However with the Hermes, I'd rather pay a few more dollars for one that works ok rather than one that has one of those white screen or alignment problems.
That is a great answer. Thanks very much Mike. I'll post here how it turns out.
thats where i found mine, turned out great. this may not seem like the obvious , but one of the main reasons i like craigslist purchases is that they are usually meet face to face affairs. people that are going to scam you by selling you junk are less likely to do so face to face, at least thats been my experience. I think thats price is fair if its in halfway decent shape.
go for it, not a bad price if specs check out like Mike said...
Picked it up, checked for all issues and asked some questions. Seller was mostly tech-illiterate but I dropped her down to $80.
Thanks so much for the advice all. I'll off to upgrade this puppy!
Excellent! Happy Flashing

S4 amoled screen broken

Hey everyone!
Longtime lurker/first time post here. I have had the very unfortunate experience of pulling my S4 out of my pocket to check the time only to have my heart and jaw drop at the sight of a broken screen. It seems to be the same problem that others have reported where the glass is fine but the touchscreen is cracked, starting on the right side directly at the power button.
I have NEVER dropped this phone. It has been handled with great care at all times. It was always in an Otterbox Defender series case. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened to it while in my pocket (bumping into something, etc) and there was never anything else in the pocket with it. I have really enjoyed this phone and was mindful of it at all times.
So... where do I go from here? I'm looking for some good advice before I take a next step in trying to get a replacement. I do not have insurance on the phone (yeah, I know), but the price each month plus the deductible for a refurbished phone didn't sound like a great deal to me since I'm able to take care of my things for the most part. If it was an accident, I'd bite the bullet and replace the screen myself or get a new phone but this either a design flaw or a manufacturing defect. Has anyone here had success through Sprint or Samsung in getting a replacement or repair? I'm rooted and running The Blu Kuban right now. Do I need to try to ODIN back to stock for warranty purposes before doing anything from here or is there a better option for me? The phone works but I can't see or operate the screen in anyway.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Google... 1st search result.
Are you a homeowner? Try your homeowner insurance. I added coverage for my phones, tablets, and laptops that cover all loses. I think it only added $15 a year to my cost and the deductible is only $25.00 on a replacement. Maybe your insurance may cover the cost of a replacement phone.
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Thanks for the useful reply Joe! How did I possibly forget to search for information on the subject before going through the trouble of making my first post on XDA despite being here for awhile?
Seriously... Read the thread. Its filled with disagreements as to what has been successful and turns into accusations of being too rough on the phone. I was asking if anyone here has successfully gotten their phone replaced and what to best method of going back to stock would be without being able to use the screen at all.
Cruise350 - Thanks alot for the suggestion man, but I'm not a homeowner.
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I know when I got my replacement for my evo 3d it wasnt refurbished it wasn brandnew still in the box and seals were not touch.Im hoping that the flaws in the screens are just because it was early in production.
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SierraGT said:
Cruise350 - Thanks alot for the suggestion man, but I'm not a homeowner.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
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More and more insurance companies are offering tech insurance and it is very affordable. I don't carry Sprint's insurance either (bad experience many years ago) I generally just keep my newest 'old' phone as a replacement in the event my new phone gets broke or dies.
It pays to shop around (or google) in trying to find good ways to insure devices. I realize this doesn't help you in your current predicament but perhaps for future reference.
You might search youtube for similar experiences which might tell you how they were fixed or offer affordable solutions for replacement.
Good luck.
Search YouTube for complete galaxy s4 teardown. A replacement screen and digitizer and frame is about $241. I've watched the 37 minute process on the video and feel it is way beyond my skill and patience. I don't know what else to tell you other than insurance might have made this easier and more affordable. Depending on where you go, who you deal with, who you talk to, this process can be expensive and full of hassle. Might I suggest, when you do get a replacement, that you invest in a tempered glass screen protector. There are topics in the accessory section on this topic. It will help protect your device better than simple screen film.
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The one common theme in all these broken amoled screens under the glass are pocket users. Not one of these posts have come from someone that uses a case with holster. The gorilla glass on these phones is very strong, but the screen underneath can flex while in your pocket. I know everyone says they don't abuse their phone, haven't bumped it in their pocket, don't carry anything else in their pocket, but something that is happening is flex. With the plastic back of these phones they will definitely flex while you sit, bend, walk, or whatever during your normal routine. The amoled screen probably has a limit to the amount of flex it can handle before it fails. I know, you didn't abuse your phone but calling it a manufacturers defect is just ridiculous. Suck it up, fix or replace your phone, and next time don't put it in your pocket.
cruise350 said:
The one common theme in all these broken amoled screens under the glass are pocket users. Not one of these posts have come from someone that uses a case with holster. The gorilla glass on these phones is very strong, but the screen underneath can flex while in your pocket. I know everyone says they don't abuse their phone, haven't bumped it in their pocket, don't carry anything else in their pocket, but something that is happening is flex. With the plastic back of these phones they will definitely flex while you sit, bend, walk, or whatever during your normal routine. The amoled screen probably has a limit to the amount of flex it can handle before it fails. I know, you didn't abuse your phone but calling it a manufacturers defect is just ridiculous. Suck it up, fix or replace your phone, and next time don't put it in your pocket.
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Just to clear this up... I did say design flaw or manufacturers defect. I've had many phones over the last 15 years. I have never had one break in anyway except for my Samsung Epic 4g, which took a 2 story fall (while in my pocket lol) onto a very hard surface. All it did was crack the screen a bit but was still functional for the next year until my contract was renewed.
To say that I should expect a $650 dollar phone in an Otterbox case to completely break to the point of not being able to use it just by being in my pocket in normal everyday situations is RIDICULOUS.
Should consumers really expect this level of quality? Imagine if a salesperson told you this as you were thinking of buying a phone... "Now just to let you know, never keep this phone in your pocket and then sit or walk because it'll break."
If this phone breaks in peoples pockets and isn't intended to be there, then Samsung would've/should've provided holsters with the phone.
Straight from Samsung - "Offering a highly crafted design with a larger screen and improved battery life, the sleek and innovative Galaxy S4 is slimmer yet stronger, with less to hold yet more to see." Sounds like we should expect a strong, well made phone. Not a something that will break this easily. My phone looks exactly like 4 other pictures I have found of other user's broken screens... all at the exact same spot. I maintain that this is either a design flaw or manufacturer's defect. Yes, as you said - the gorilla glass is strong. I just wish they would of made the frame stronger. Then I'd still have a working phone.
Btw, I am an unabashed Samsung fanboy. TVs, last 3 phones, monitors, etc. I talked 4 different people into getting this phone after I had it. I think normally Samsung makes great products with a high level of quality but they made a mistake on this one. I'm no longer looking forward to the S5 that comes with the required fanny pack... well, not until they make this situation right.
Now... does anyone have any info on my question on returning to stock? Thanks!
This is a tough one. I'd suggest at least attempting to contact Samsungs warranty dept. Perhaps they can offer a better solution than sprint.
Back in the Treo days I actually sent in a phone or two to palm, and got refurbished replacements.
The tough part is your defect.
I provide warranty work for appliances, manufacturers know or believe they know how and why something has failed. Glass stove tops are a prime example. Whirlpool will only cover heat fractures. I have to submit pictures of the top and, 99% of the time, the claim is rejected. Mostly because these tops break from impact or improper installation.
Point being, if you send your phone to Samsung, they may not cover it. But if you're optimistic and patient a few minutes on the phone may yield positive results.
http://m.samsung.com/us/support/service/warranty/SGH-T959HABTMB
Definitely unroot and return to stock.
SierraGT said:
Just to clear this up... I did say design flaw or manufacturers defect. I've had many phones over the last 15 years. I have never had one break in anyway except for my Samsung Epic 4g, which took a 2 story fall (while in my pocket lol) onto a very hard surface. All it did was crack the screen a bit but was still functional for the next year until my contract was renewed.
To say that I should expect a $650 dollar phone in an Otterbox case to completely break to the point of not being able to use it just by being in my pocket in normal everyday situations is RIDICULOUS.
Should consumers really expect this level of quality? Imagine if a salesperson told you this as you were thinking of buying a phone... "Now just to let you know, never keep this phone in your pocket and then sit or walk because it'll break."
If this phone breaks in peoples pockets and isn't intended to be there, then Samsung would've/should've provided holsters with the phone.
Straight from Samsung - "Offering a highly crafted design with a larger screen and improved battery life, the sleek and innovative Galaxy S4 is slimmer yet stronger, with less to hold yet more to see." Sounds like we should expect a strong, well made phone. Not a something that will break this easily. My phone looks exactly like 4 other pictures I have found of other user's broken screens... all at the exact same spot. I maintain that this is either a design flaw or manufacturer's defect. Yes, as you said - the gorilla glass is strong. I just wish they would of made the frame stronger. Then I'd still have a working phone.
Btw, I am an unabashed Samsung fanboy. TVs, last 3 phones, monitors, etc. I talked 4 different people into getting this phone after I had it. I think normally Samsung makes great products with a high level of quality but they made a mistake on this one. I'm no longer looking forward to the S5 that comes with the required fanny pack... well, not until they make this situation right.
Now... does anyone have any info on my question on returning to stock? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
***must bite tongue***
Thanks Biff. I think that's what I'm going to do.
Dave, remember to at least nibble your fingers as well next time buddy!
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SierraGT said:
Thanks Biff. I think that's what I'm going to do.
Dave, remember to at least nibble your fingers as well next time buddy!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
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LOL ok, ok, nibbling fingers

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