[Q] How Loose is Your Hinge? - G2 and Desire Z General

The subject of this thread says it all, how loose is the hinge on your G2?
OPTIONS DEFINED
Very Loose = keyboard opens on its own, doesn't remain closed when held upside down or sideways, screen wobbles when typing on it
Loose = keyboard opens with some effort (jiggling/shaking), opens a little bit when held upside down or sideways
Not Loose = keyboard feels secure, doesn't open on its own, keyboard remains closed when held upside down or sideways
Mine = very loose (after one week of use)

I think you need to add some objective qualifiers/descriptions for each of the categories to make this thread even remotely meaningful. The descriptions in the poll choices are completely subjective. What makes "extremely loose" different from " somewhat loose" or "not loose"? For instance, I've read some people's screens wobble when the keyboard is open and they are typing. Does yours do that? Is it looser now that one you first received it?

Mines not at all then again I don't really use the keyboard. I can hold it upside down and it won't unhinge, it does feel wobbly whenever I type on the keyboard though.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

redpoint73 said:
I think you need to add some objective qualifiers/descriptions for each of the categories to make this thread even remotely meaningful.
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Added some definitions to the choices. If you have anything that should be added/changed let me know. I'd really like to make this poll beneficial for all of us.
redpoint73 said:
Does yours do that? Is it looser now that one you first received it?
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Mine is very loose. It was nice & tight when I first got it, but about one week after receiving it (brand new) it's now very loose.

mine is pretty loose. it was when I got it and it hasn't gotten any worse. at first I was really annoyed but honestly, I got used to it and don't care anymore. I know that might sound hard to believe but it's true for me at least.
it only comes open at a strange angle that its never actually in. I can make it come open by itself but it never has just during regular use. the only part that still bothers me really that there is a give to the screen when using the touchscreen with the keyboard out. but just in terms of functionality, there's really no effect.

Please make sure you vote by selecting one of the radio buttons at the top of the first page.
Also worth mentioning about my phone is that it opens slightly when I pick it up from a flat surface (e.g. desk, table), so I have to remind myself to pick it up from the bottom of the phone versus just the top or sides.

My impression from reading the various threads on this topic is that the phone is not designed to stay closed when held upside-down or sideways. I haven't seen anybody mention theirs staying closed under these conditions. But I would be curious to hear if there are some like that.
Mine opens by itself when upside-down or sideways. But I have to try very intentionally to hold only the keyboard part, and not touch the screen part at all. Its so awkward and unnatural to hold the phone this way, that I'm on the verge of dropping the phone. Its never opened unintentionally from normal use. The screen does not wobble at all when the keyboard is open. I guess that makes mine "somewhat loose". The phone is exactly one month old, and the looseness does not see to have changed over that time period.

redpoint73 > Does your screen open up at all when you pick up your phone when it's laying down on a table or other flat surface? That's what bothers me the most about this loose hinge. Every time I pick up my phone I am reminded at how loose the hinge is.

dustrho said:
redpoint73 > Does your screen open up at all when you pick up your phone when it's laying down on a table or other flat surface? That's what bothers me the most about this loose hinge. Every time I pick up my phone I am reminded at how loose the hinge is.
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Maybe just a tiny bit (almost imperceptibly). Only noticeable by the fact that if I drop the phone lightly in the palm of my hand, I can hear the two halves "flop" back together lightly. This is the only case where I can raise a criticism (and a very minor one at that) regarding the hinge. I would prefer it to be tighter in the closed position, but it really doesn't bother me. Mostly only when I read threads like this that make me think about it

redpoint73 said:
Maybe just a tiny bit (almost imperceptibly). Only noticeable by the fact that if I drop the phone lightly in the palm of my hand, I can hear the two halves "flop" back together lightly. This is the only case where I can raise a criticism (and a very minor one at that) regarding the hinge. I would prefer it to be tighter in the closed position, but it really doesn't bother me. Mostly only when I read threads like this that make me think about it
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Have you thought about adding adhesive magnetic tape to your phone? There are threads that go into detail about that, and I think I'm going to give it a shot.

dustrho said:
Have you thought about adding adhesive magnetic tape to your phone? There are threads that go into detail about that, and I think I'm going to give it a shot.
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I saw that thread. I don't know if it bothers me enough to add magnets. I would also be concerned about the effect the magnets would have on the phone's magnetic compass.

My one would go to "very loose" categorie :-( Keeping in mind that my phone is just 3 weeks old, it's realy sad...
Sent from my HTC Desire Z, using magic XDA app

I did an online chat with a TMO rep today, and will be doing an exchange for my phone. Unfortunately they will be shipping me a refurbished one, even though my phone is just one week old. The TMO rep stated that "the loose hinge is a known issue," and if that's the case why are they not exchanging this phone with a new one? Seriously pisses me off.

Don't you have trading standards or some regulatory body like that who can advise on your rights? A refurbished item in exchange for something a week old?.... that wouldn't happen here in the UK.

Mine is firm. and I got mine the first day radio shack started selling them which was 3 months ago if I remember correctly never had a problem texting upside down at all and never oppend byitself and best of all never exchanged it either 8D
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

dustrho said:
I did an online chat with a TMO rep today, and will be doing an exchange for my phone. Unfortunately they will be shipping me a refurbished one, even though my phone is just one week old. The TMO rep stated that "the loose hinge is a known issue," and if that's the case why are they not exchanging this phone with a new one? Seriously pisses me off.
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Don't stand for that. Call, talk to technical support, state your case and when they tell you they can't do anything because it's a known issue, ask for a supervisor, or customer loyalty.
They will send you a new phone, but I can assure you that the hinge will be just as loose as the one your exchanging it for. I'm 100% convinced it's designed that way.

For those who don't know me here, I previously owned the MT4G. I experienced major issues with the phone and exchanged it a total of FOUR times, meaning I had in my possession (not at once) a total of five MT4Gs. The first four phones had incredibly bad creaking buttons, the fifth one had perfect buttons but a washed out display. I refused to continue going the route of MT4G swapping, so they suggested me going with a different phone, and I chose the G2. The G2 they sent me arrived last week, brand new in a prestine unopened box. The hinge was perfect, not too tight and definitely not loose like it is now. Each day it got a little bit looser, and now it's just ridiculously loose to the point that it opens no matter how I hold it.
So, maybe they're shipping me this refurb because I've already gone through so many exchanges, but two of their top phones have so many issues that it just makes me sick. With all the issues with the G2, MT4G and Vibrant, I'm shocked I haven't heard about any lawsuits against TMO. Or at the very least, I think TMO should be proactive about this and admit that there are problems with these phones, and that they should be more than willing to do whatever it takes to make sure the customer is happy. I have to say I was treated very well during all those MT4G exchanges, and I feel they did everything they could to make sure I was a happy customer. But, I'm still not thrilled being told that I need to accept a refurb for a G2 that was technically brand new and just one week old.

digital_exhaust said:
They will send you a new phone, but I can assure you that the hinge will be just as loose as the one your exchanging it for. I'm 100% convinced it's designed that way.
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This.
My hinge is somewhat loose. It doesn't bother me at all, it doesn't affect daily use. I notice people on this forum and others are too caught up on this non-issue imo. Honestly if your one of those people where a loose hinge is gonna bother you, you might as well get another phone. No point in getting a replacement G2 for a loose hinge when its most likely gonna be the same.

boost3d23 said:
I notice people on this forum and others are too caught up on this non-issue imo. Honestly if your one of those people where a loose hinge is gonna bother you, you might as well get another phone. No point in getting a replacement G2 for a loose hinge when its most likely gonna be the same.
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It is an issue because some people have received a G2 that has no problems whatsoever with the hinge and others have received a G2 with a loose hinge (like myself). I'd be totally fine with the phone if everyone's phone was the same, but knowing that some have a normal/strong hinge (not loose) and mine is super loose makes me feel like I'm not getting exactly an issue-free phone. No way in hell was this phone designed to be loose like that. It shouldn't open up the second I pick it up off the table, but no matter how I pick it up or hold it the screen moves around or opens up. It's just not right. If it stayed closed until I gave it some force to actually open up, I'd be totally fine with it. Once it's open the looseness doesn't bother me one bit, but I can't have a phone that refuses to stay closed when it should be closed.

As I understand it (so take this with a grain of salt), this isn't illegal (at least in the US) and is actually standard practice for many companies (to use refurbished stock for warranty replacements and new ones if that stock has been depleted). If you have ever filed a warranty claim on a defective laptop for example, odds are you will receive a refurbished one in replacement (or if they are repairing it by replacing the motherboard, it'll most likely be with a refurbished board). In fact most warranties (probably all) clearly state replacements may either be new or refurbished. This is probably why you haven't heard about any lawsuits. Add to this the fact that this particular issue is very subjective (as you've probably noticed just by how dismissive many of the users are on the forum with regards to the issue) and making a legal case becomes even tougher. Also, unless T-Mobile or HTC has officially stated this to be an actual defect (and not just an offhand comment of a customer support rep), they can simply say it was working as designed (or at least within the spec'ed tolerances). While it all definitely feels unfair in some situations, it's unfortunately just how it is with US consumer protection laws. They have no obligation to replace your unit with a new one, only a working one. I believe if the replacement they send you is defective as well, you can get a refund for the phone (T-Mobile's policy).
That being said, if you are upset about it, I agree that you should try talking to T-Mobile again. Make a big fuss about it to them. More times that not, they would rather appease the customer than lose one or face bad press. With your phone being only a week old, maybe you can ask if they would do something like issue you a refund and then place another order for a new phone?

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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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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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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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.

So many defects with the G1....

Ok, I purchased an ADP1 last month and have been running into issues since.
So far:
1. Phones been creaky. I had to fix this by putting electrical tape on the chin of the phone.
2. The earpiece makes a buzzing noise, occasionally harder to hear than the caller on the other end. Had to fix this with more electrical tape on the earpiece.
3. The back battery case was making a chirping noise when I held it with my hand. Had to apply electrical tape on the inside of the case to fix that.
4. Now -- Just discovered that my pictures I take have a huge black spot on each of them (I've attached a picture as an example... the spot is usually noticeable during the day time/outside, but thats a picture against a white wall). Does anyone know how to fix this issue/experience this problem as well?
So many problems with this product is really starting to piss me off. Can anyone offer any suggestions on #4? I've fixed the others with tape. But I just discovered #4 and I'm really beginning to lose patience here.
Defective phone, return it for a new one.
Yeah I would say that you have a defective phone need to look into getting it replaced or return for another one. As for number 4 the only thing I can think of is something on the camera lense or the backcover of the phone but that would be to easy
someprogr said:
Ok, I purchased an ADP1 last month and have been running into issues since.
So far:
1. Phones been creaky. I had to fix this by putting electrical tape on the chin of the phone.
2. The earpiece makes a buzzing noise, occasionally harder to hear than the caller on the other end. Had to fix this with more electrical tape on the earpiece.
3. The back battery case was making a chirping noise when I held it with my hand. Had to apply electrical tape on the inside of the case to fix that.
4. Now -- Just discovered that my pictures I take have a huge black spot on each of them (I've attached a picture as an example... the spot is usually noticeable during the day time/outside, but thats a picture against a white wall). Does anyone know how to fix this issue/experience this problem as well?
So many problems with this product is really starting to piss me off. Can anyone offer any suggestions on #4? I've fixed the others with tape. But I just discovered #4 and I'm really beginning to lose patience here.
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Get a new one.
man that buzzing sound is really annoying me too... disappointed...
i just dont want to send it in because i paid to have this one unlocked and paid to have a full body shield which i installed on it...
thats like 40 dollars i would lose out on
hopefully you have better luck
kp126 said:
man that buzzing sound is really annoying me too... disappointed...
i just dont want to send it in because i paid to have this one unlocked and paid to have a full body shield which i installed on it...
thats like 40 dollars i would lose out on
hopefully you have better luck
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Yeah, well actually I fixed the buzzing noise with black electrical tape on the keyboard ends. I havent heard the noise since.
As far as the spot goes on my camera lens, I'm going to write a perl script that undertakes gimp and automatically eliminates dust from any pictures I take with the click of a button. Hopefully that will fix that issue.
I'd hate to send it in too and get a 'refurb' that has different problems etc.
Open up the back cover and wipe the camera. Maybe that spot is just a spot on the lens.
someprogr said:
I'd hate to send it in too and get a 'refurb' that has different problems etc.
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Refurbs don't always have "different problems" a refurb is a remanufactured device. Which in most cases is better off then a "Brand New" phone because they go through more testing. I have a "refurb" because of the creaking and I have not experienced anything wrong with this device, and have had it for about 2 months. Not always the case but why "put up"with something that you can have fixed. Also refurbs are not always returned devices due to failure, granted the majority are but some also come back as "buyers remorse" type return. "I didn't like it, I don't want it."
Sorry for the long post but point is don't just "put up" with something because of the misconception that because you are getting a refurb it will automatically have problems. You are just cutting yourself short and will never be happy with your device.
savethechicken said:
Refurbs don't always have "different problems" a refurb is a remanufactured device. Which in most cases is better off then a "Brand New" phone because they go through more testing. I have a "refurb" because of the creaking and I have not experienced anything wrong with this device, and have had it for about 2 months. Not always the case but why "put up"with something that you can have fixed. Also refurbs are not always returned devices due to failure, granted the majority are but some also come back as "buyers remorse" type return. "I didn't like it, I don't want it."
Sorry for the long post but point is don't just "put up" with something because of the misconception that because you are getting a refurb it will automatically have problems. You are just cutting yourself short and will never be happy with your device.
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Sooth. The refurb I'm running (TMo forced me to RMA my initial one in November due to a dead cell tower in my neighborhood) was in better condition than my first one. I love customers at my job that whine, piss and moan about receiving a refurb as a replacement. New items aren't tested and there is an acceptable failure rate out of the box. That's the way it is with EVERY equipment manufacturer where as refurbs are tested and repackaged. Personally, I'll buy used if it was tested as functional and comes with the same warranty (which generally happens). But today's generation is now now now, new new new = better better better.
lol i was typing from g1 so i felt the post was getting to long thus i left out the testing that refurbs go thru. i hear this all day, this is always the biggest complaint but people really dont understand what goes into remanufacturing a device
how about removing the electrical tape from the camera lens.
Just a thought
Ok, well im considering returning it back to brightstarcorp.
There they have to conduct "testing" to determine whether its a hardware problem and its "damaged" or "defective"
Would a dust speck fall under this category?

Manufacturing Imperfections (Sketchy Build Quality)

Alright, so right off the bat I just want to say that this isn't a doom and gloom thread (I hope), but it's an issue I wanted to ask you guys about since I'm on my 2nd phone now and I've had cosmetic issues with both. I want to love my phone, I just want one that won't give me problems first! I will post pictures soon, to show you guys what I'm about to describe below.
Both phones have had minor (but very annoying) imperfections involving the casing. My first phone was the most problematic. First off, the battery cover did not sit flush. I did not realize how much of a difference this made in terms of build quality until I got my second phone. My 1rst phone would creak and click when pressure was applied to the back and it just did not seem like a very sturdy device. This was not the case with the second phone (which had a back cover that fit perfectly) as there was no creaking or clicking, it felt rock solid just like its supposed to. Also, there was a small chip and discolouration of the teflon coating on the bottom left front face of the first phone. Again, nothing major but still not something that I was not pleased about given the price of the phone.
Unrelated but my first phone also had the purple tint issue which is the main reason I returned it and bought a new one (I couldn't outright swap because I don't live in the US). My second phone came in and luckily it did not have the tint issue. All I can say is WOW, what a difference it makes having a proper screen!! The black colours actually look crisp and dark, and there is absolutely no tint at low brightness.
So the screen was good. I checked the bottom left hand to see for any issues with the teflon, and there were none. I checked the backplate and like I mentioned earlier, it was perfectly flush. So far so good BUT.. again there were some cosmetic issues! Along the left side of the phone there was a tiny chip and some of the grey finish was off. Also, on the back, the bottom teflon piece did not sit flush with the rest of the device.
Once again, these are minor yet annoying things (but who knows, maybe I just have OCD!). The big issue from the first phone was the screen and the creaking, both of which are resolved with the second device, but I'm i'm contemplating whether I should return this one as well to go for one that is "perfectly built".. I mean, if this phone was store bought I would have no hesitation. I would just go there and make them open the boxes until I found a device that had no imperfections.. But it's just a real hassle having to continually ship my old device back, purchase a new one (while waiting two weeks to get credited back my $600 for the first device), and waiting for it to arrive. I also don't want to risk getting another phone with the purple tint issue..
Sorry for the long winded post, but basically what I wanted to ask was do you guys have any manufacturing imperfections with your phones??. I'm not talking about faulty screens or weak antennas, but actually design or cosmetic flaws. Do you guys have any and have you learned to just accept them or have you returned your devices and successfully gotten the "perfect" device.
Thanks, and hopefully I can get some pics up soon. Feel free to post your own so we can compare!
I got mine for free at this year's Barcelona MWC and luckyly i've had no issues whatsoever regarding hardware or aesthetics. An I say luckyly because obviously if I haven't bought it and I don't live in the US I would most definitely not get it replaced.
jasrups said:
Sorry for the long winded post, but basically what I wanted to ask was do you guys have any manufacturing imperfections with your phones??. I'm not talking about faulty screens or weak antennas, but actually design or cosmetic flaws. Do you guys have any and have you learned to just accept them or have you returned your devices and successfully gotten the "perfect" device.
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Click to collapse
So which are you really looking for? Manufacturing defects or design flaws?
Are you looking for functional defects or cosmetic only defects?
Are you look for process-gone-completely-wrong defects or are you looking for minor imperfections resultant of process variation?
It is certainly possible to have a bad screen or a bad antenna as a manufacturing defect. There is also minor variation in any manufacturing process - this is normal. The trick is to keep the variation controlled well enough that the process consistently produces acceptable quality product. Note: No manufacturing process produces perfect parts, and minor imperfections are not necessarily defects. Normally, a design flaw impacts manufacturing quality only if the design requirements are too stringent for manufacturing capability.
I know you started out saying you did not want yet another thread bagging on the N1, but without clearer objectives, you've left it wide open for just that.
Mmm I love the build quality, it's very rigid and solid.
There is one imperfection that I noticed like 3 weeks of constant use.. The bottom piece, the one with "htc" on it, is a little bit more raised on one side (in comparison to the silver band on the back) than the other side. I'm talking 0.5mm difference that you can't see, only feel when comparing.
I'm writing that off as absolutely negligible and too tiny to even think about.
DarkDvr said:
Mmm I love the build quality, it's very rigid and solid.
There is one imperfection that I noticed like 3 weeks of constant use.. The bottom piece, the one with "htc" on it, is a little bit more raised on one side (in comparison to the silver band on the back) than the other side. I'm talking 0.5mm difference that you can't see, only feel when comparing.
I'm writing that off as absolutely negligible and too tiny to even think about.
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Click to collapse
Same here. I thought about popping it off (it's just retained by a couple of clips) and attempting to re-seat it, but I see no problem with it. It's not like the 2nd batch of the iPhone 3G, where there was 1mm gaps between the plastic back and chrome bezel. I'm shocked no news blog picked up on that, it was fairly widespread.
ATnTdude said:
Same here. I thought about popping it off (it's just retained by a couple of clips) and attempting to re-seat it, but I see no problem with it. It's not like the 2nd batch of the iPhone 3G, where there was 1mm gaps between the plastic back and chrome bezel. I'm shocked no news blog picked up on that, it was fairly widespread.
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Well it's the almighty apple, they don't wanna disappoint their readers that the calculator that they paid $500 for is also cheaply built.
I have a question that (um..) kinda relates to this. I'm having a hard timing saying this so bare with me. You know when technology is first released that is has alot of problems and bugs but overtime it seems that the problems die down because the companies that produce the phones (xboxs, iphones, ps3, etcs) get smarter and make things differently or better...
Well my contract with t-mobile is up in 46 days and I was planning on getting a nexus one. I don't plan on getting it engraved. My question is that do you think my phone will be made when I order it or do you believe its been sitting in a warehouse since March 26th (guess) just waiting for somebody to place a call? I've seen those cool "making of nexus one" videos on youtube and figured i'd ask you guys. Thanks to whoever answers.
yup, i have similar issues. i initially thought they actually shipped a refurb unit to me. turns out i'm not the only one. now i'm not that worried
attn1 said:
So which are you really looking for? Manufacturing defects or design flaws?
Are you looking for functional defects or cosmetic only defects?
Are you look for process-gone-completely-wrong defects or are you looking for minor imperfections resultant of process variation?
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Click to collapse
attn1, I could have been more clear in my last statement, 'design flaw' was a vague term. I meant cosmetic only defects and minor imperfections as a result of process variation. I know that with any product that is mass produced on an assembly line you will get variation from device to device. This thread wasn't meant to bash this variation but just to compare what other people have experienced with their phones.
Like I said, my first phone was awful, it had both functional and aesthetic problems. My second phone seems to be fully functional but still has a few (albeit minor) aesthetic imperfections. I must say though, I got my Brando Gel case in today and it looks great on the phone! It covers up the unevenness on the bottom teflon piece as well as the blemish on the left side of the phone very nicely.
My nexus came with a scratch or bubble on the inside of the screens glass. They told me i'd get a refurb in exchange(even though it's about a week old), I told them i'd think about it. Think i'll be calling back and demanding a brand new device.
ihearttreo said:
My nexus came with a scratch or bubble on the inside of the screens glass. They told me i'd get a refurb in exchange(even though it's about a week old), I told them i'd think about it. Think i'll be calling back and demanding a brand new device.
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That kinda scares me because I'm picking up a nexus one in 46 days (contract with t-mobile will be up then) and I dont want something like that to happen to me. I'll keep my fingers crossed. I would demand a new one too
Have had no issues with mine until yesterday when the trackball stopped scrolling left. Refurb sans engraving rolling in tomorrow. All told still much better quality then my G1 or Blackberry.
Sent from my Nexus One using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
No tint nothing amiss as far as build quality that I can notice. This is the best built (visually and as far as any creakiness or such) phone I have ever owned and the first one I have had without any perceptible flaws out of the gate.
OK! So to all of you who has a Nexus One with cosmetic imperfections on the BOTTOM plastic piece on the BACK, with the labeled HTC, i may have a cure for you.
So, with me I HAD a slight imperfection on the right side, about a 1mm gap. It was annoying and I have some slight OCD (used to be worse). One day last week or so, that part of my phone became VERY hot, probably 101-105℉. While that plastic was hot, it was a little bit bendable. I used a rather large amount of force, and over about three times of doing this, the plastic is flush with the metal, and the rest of the phone.
So try that if you're super partial to your device like me. Or if you dont wanna deal with HTC, like me.
ZachTM
"refurbished" sounds bad but really its a more taken care of device isn't it? It's been tested to a further degree so its more likely to come without flaws perhaps or am I reaching?
DMaverick50 said:
"refurbished" sounds bad but really its a more taken care of device isn't it? It's been tested to a further degree so its more likely to come without flaws perhaps or am I reaching?
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no. you're reaching high... its been refunded and fixed.. haha
so you are using someone else's phone who now owns probably a new device. brand new is the way to go, especially if your device is a week old...

How to not get a loose hinge G2

Hey, im going to switch to Tmobile on Dec 26th and really want to buy this G2 but i heard that it has loose hinge. Im a person that uses my phone on my bed and this is a problem for me. However, I also heard that some g2s are perfectly fine. Any help please???
hyunnnnny said:
Hey, im going to switch to Tmobile on Dec 26th and really want to buy this G2 but i heard that it has loose hinge. Im a person that uses my phone on my bed and this is a problem for me. However, I also heard that some g2s are perfectly fine. Any help please???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The loose hinge thing is really bunk. Yes, if you tilt your phone a very specific way and hold it, it will unhinge. The question is, after months of use, is it a *PROBLEM*? The answer is no. It has never (not once) caused my any angst in common use.
Very true. But it will be better to have a g2 with no loose hinge at all. I know some people asked the employee to open all the g2s until he/she found a g2 without a loose hinge. I really want to buy this phone but the loose hinge part is making me consider more about buying it.
Hi, honestly theres no way in not getting one I have had 4 g2s 3 have had them, I finally just settled on it. The 1st thing I checked was the hinge when I got each phone and was unhappy when I found out that it had it but after using it for 2 weeks it doesnt effect usage at all. Theres no way the hinge will open by itself under normal use....even texting in bed normal way you hold the phone will keep the screen up you have to go out of your way hold it in a awkward position that isnt ideal for texting inorder to get it to fall. I used to be worried about the loose hinge but I think its a non issue that people just made an issue. I used the g2 with the non loose hinge exactly the same as the one with the loose hinge and couldnt tell the difference unless I specifically tried to prop it up.
I would recommend buying it from tmo using it for 2 weeks (unless ur in Cali then 30) and if you dont like it return it. I have also put it in gym bags, basketball shorts (baggy roomy things) and have no had it open once.
To be honest, I feel that the phone will probably fall out of your hands before it closes on you if you hold it in such a way where the screen can close on its own.
But there are still some chances of getting a g2 without a loose hinge right?
And its been two months since the phone was released so dont you think htc will fix this problem in the future?
Anyways, someone asked for a freshest batch and his g2 was perfect without any problems.
there not gonna fix it because its not an issue, i got mine last week and it has the "loose hinge". but I realize its not an issue and some people are blowing it way out of proportion. Like i said out fo 4 g2's 1 had a stronger hinge the rest were normal the one with a stronger hinge had a defective screen so i returned it, but havent noticed the difference at all in normal everyday use.
I just bought a G2 like 2-1/2 weeks ago and got a loose hinge. It's not really a big issue, I thought it would be, and was disappointed at "how loose" it is, but really as people have said (and I admit I didn't believe them when I didn't have the one) you pretty much have to try to make it open, or try to hold it in a way that would make it a issue, for it to be so.
I find that when I slide out the keyboard I naturally the placement of fingers above the keyboard in any natural way causes the hinge to hold even when holding it above your head in bed (the only position the hinge would be a issue).
Thats how it is for me anyways.
This loose hinge business gets me angry.
The hinge is supposed to be free flowing, it's designed to slide open, spring assisted which makes it even more desirable.
It's not loose, in no normal usage would it ever open accidentally etc.
This "loose hinge" business has been dreamt up by chavvy iGays.
If my G2/DZ's hinge was stiffer, it would ruin the effect of the velvety smooth opening mechanism.
I certainly prefer it to my stiff touch pro 2.
dazkeirle said:
This loose hinge business gets me angry.
The hinge is supposed to be free flowing, it's designed to slide open, spring assisted which makes it even more desirable.
It's not loose, in no normal usage would it ever open accidentally etc.
This "loose hinge" business has been dreamt up by chavvy iGays.
If my G2/DZ's hinge was stiffer, it would ruin the effect of the velvety smooth opening mechanism.
I certainly prefer it to my stiff touch pro 2.
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Click to collapse
Yeah but no one can guarantee if some g2 will open by itself. There are actually numerous people saying that the phone opens by itself. And i think it depends on our personal taste to like the g2's very loose hinge. One can like a loose hinge thats annoying when laying down on bed and another one can like a stiff/not loose hinge because it will never open by itself and have no problem in anyway.
had my dz for a month now. it is actually true that it is designed to be "loose." sent an email to htc and they said that they tried various mechanisms but the z hinge is "optimal." i believe that because there are no stress on any part and mechanism. unlike other brands with slide, you see a spring that pushes and pulls the mechanism creating stress in the parts. i think that the z hinge will last longer than others.
hyunnnnny said:
one can like a stiff/not loose hinge because it will never open by itself
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't open by itself when it's "loose"
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 running Cyanogenmod.
Just get the phone and jf you don't like it, return it. The hinge isn't loose, it's just not stiff. It works as it was designed to. If you really want it to be stiffer than it is, pull it apart and stretch out the spring.
I first purchased a G2 on Oct. 31, and I, too, experienced the infamous loose hinge issue. However, I agree with the many users that it does not really interfere with daily usage. I was, however, bothering by my pivoting screen. When I applied pressure to use the screen, I could feel the screen being pressed down and it bothered me. As a result, I exchanged the device for a new one which I got for a few days now. The problem that bothered me is gone, however, the screen on my new device is clearly looser than my first one but it does not bother me as I thought it would.
What is this talk I hear about "opening by itself"? The phone cannot "open by itself". You have to go out of your way to hold it on a specific angle and position for it to, in your words, "open by itself".
Now, unless you tell me that you use your phone in that position where the screen will droop, then the hinge "problem" really isn't a problem.
And many others will agree with me when I say that there is absolutely no hindrance caused by the hinge that will affect your everyday use of the phone. Also, you have the option to simply buy the phone and return it if the hinge bothers you that much. It's actually quite convenient that there's no "action-reaction" caused by a spring in tension (like in the G1). What I mean is, if you open the G1, the spring will project the screen upwards causing a somewhat "large" force directed AWAY from your hand, so it would be wise to open the phone with two hands. Mind you, I had a lot of fun playing with that screen mechanism when I was bored. However, the G1 allows the user to open the screen with 1 hand and it's generally quite convenient (for me anyway).
IMO, if you own the G2 (DZ) you have in your hands a very solid piece of technology along with some good human engineering.
Anyway, thats my two cents on this topic. Base line is, you can go try the phone out. If you like it, keep it, if not, return it. If you can't be bothered by the idea of even possibly returning it, then perhaps go for another phone. But many users will tell you the hinge "problem" really isn't a problem.
loose hinge is a big issue but HTC decided to ignore cuz of the cost and no competitor for this phone now. it's so annoying not only in the situation you use keyboard on bed but also like pick up the phone on the table, the keyboard will open if not careful or the screen wobbles when touch.
if you buy it at t-mo store, they will replace as many as you want cuz they want sales commission. if you return the phone, they can't get commission but exchange doesn't cost them.
even if same batch, the build qualities are so different. you should try as many as possible.
Weaseal said:
The loose hinge thing is really bunk.
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Click to collapse
What he ^^ said. My hinge if graded by those that say they have a loose hinge would be really loose. Yet I have never run into an issue with it as I just don't hold or operate my device in any manner that would reveal an issue. Who holds their phone upside down anyway...
Now if it's wonky as in doesn't seat properly and is wiggly when closed or open that is a different story. This video shows a different kinda loose hinge problem...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvHE5lZ1tCs
A better question would be "how to not get a loose hooker?"
I would take a loose hooker too...... I upgraded the battery on my Bell Des Z to 2400mAh with accompanying cover. It adds significant weight to the back of the phone with should make the "loose hinge" an even bigger issue. IT DOES NOT!!!! So, the loose hinge is mostly myth unless some peeps really hold their phones different.
Smartenup said:
So, the loose hinge is mostly myth unless some peeps really hold their phones different.
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Click to collapse
lol
"you are holding it wrong"
-steve

Device bend!!?!?

Help me. I was just walking with my device in my pocket. Then I sit down and I see that my device is bend?! What Can I do? And why my device is bend? Hasn't everybody other got that problem?
I really can't understand! If I send my device to assistance they will fix it for free? (I'm under warranty) Thanks for answers and Sorry for bad english
wow, you need to apply a lot of force to bend it, I think the guarantee can not do anything for you, but you can try.
bend test: (see from 1:50) It looked resistant for me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkg28dRJXQ0
My G4 Plus is also bent! I only had it in my front pants pocket, not sat on it or done anything out of the ordinary.. I've been in touch with Motorola support but they say that their warranty doesn't cover physical damage, I argued that this is a design flaw but they aren't budging, they keep saying it's a "chargeable repair". I've been a loyal Moto G user since the 2nd Gen, I've never damaged a phone before (not even cracked a screen!) and certainly never bent one! So for them to imply I've not taken proper care of it is a slap in the face. In fact, here's the last email I received from them:-
"According to our warranty terms and conditions, physical damages are out of warranty regardless of the circumstances.
As this phone is bigger than the ones you had before, it is indeed more likely to get damaged if you leave it your pocket and sit on it for example. It is up to our repair centre to look at your phone and see if there is a manufacturer's fault or if it is proper physical damage that happened because you did not take proper care of the device.
Unfortunately, we cannot tell you in advance what this diagnosis will be since only our certified repair centre will see your phone. But as physical damage is never repaired in warranty, it is very likely that you will get a quote.
I understand your dicontent, but our warranty terms and conditions cannot be bypassed, I am truly sorry.
For any further assistance or information please do not hesitate to contact us, quoting your Customer Reference number."​
I'm extremely disappointed and angry that I've wasted hundreds of pounds on the top-spec G4 Plus, only for it to basically be made of chocolate! If this is what they call product design and customer service then I will never buy Motorola/Lenovo anything ever again.
My phone also bent (g4+). Having problems with customer service. Any one ever had this problem resolved?
umm
They don't bend by themselves
Obviously not a warranty issue.
I bent my my Nexus 5 ruined it. My bad.
That sounds bad dude.
Can you upload a photo of the phone bend?
wearing mine in my front pocket as well. It seems that a lot of force is required to bend this. The guy from the video that hyof posted actually bends it back to straight once he applied an excessive force to it to get it to bend slightly.
You could actually advertise your Moto G4 Plus as curved screen smartphone .
Hopefully you get your issue resolved. May the force be with you...
Well I gave up on the G4... a month or so ago it stopped charging properly unless the phone/USB cable was balanced just so, and then it would take hours for full charge. I'm currently in NZ until next year and they said I had to send the phone back to UK for repair for software reasons, which would have cost a bit and then probably cost me for a "repair". I said I won't buy Lenovo or Motorola again (shame, as the P2 with 5100mAh battery sounds pretty good) so have bought a replacement OnePlus3.. which it turns out is a much better phone than the G4. Well, for now at least! :fingers-crossed:
Wow, I was going to buy this device, but this may be a deal breaker. Can someone post a picture of the bend? I'd like to see how bad it is.
m4tt94 said:
Wow, I was going to buy this device, but this may be a deal breaker. Can someone post a picture of the bend? I'd like to see how bad it is.
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Click to collapse
Bending isn't something that happens easily. I have 2 G4s and they bend no easier than the G2 or G3 I owned. Any phone will bend if you apply enough pressure to it.
Tel864 said:
Bending isn't something that happens easily. I have 2 G4s and they bend no easier than the G2 or G3 I owned. Any phone will bend if you apply enough pressure to it.
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Click to collapse
Maybe I tend to be a bit paranoid about my devices. I know that any phone bends or breaks if enough force is applied, but some are more fragile than others. I had the first G, the X and the second E, and they all were very sturdy devices. I was very surprised reading this tread.
I like to think I also take care of my phones, but I feel that this one was a bit too delicate. I've owned many phones over many years without damaging them, and specifically a Moto G2 and a G3 for a longer period than 5 months without damaging either, but the G4 was bent within a couple of months of ownership (to be honest, I don't think I could bend a G3 without snapping it! The G4 is only about 1cm taller but quite a bit thinner) Now the bend itself didn't seem to damage the phone, it still worked fine but when it stopped charging a month or so ago that was the last straw for me.
https://goo.gl/photos/SdoQvGQmAxhibr4K8
I've attached a photo of the bend (I think, never done this). It's difficult to make out but it's around the area of the volume rocker. It doesn't seem much of a bend but you can definitely feel it in your hand, especially with the back not fitting flush and creaking - I noticed it myself within a few seconds of picking it up the next morning.
Now I was very happy with the phone, I was recommending Moto Gs to all my friends before this and before the charging problem I could have easily lived with the slight bend. So if you are certain you won't put too much (but how much?!?) pressure on it then get yourself one, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Unless it mysteriously stops charging properly that is
definitely visible, sorry to hear about your experience. I will definitely pay more attention with my phone now after seeing this. Btw. the best way to show the bend is to look along the edge of the phone back to front while holding it horizontally.
Pretty much any phone will bend if mistreated.
If i bend mine i'm gonna whine in this thread.
That really sucks so see that happen to your phone.
I feel like a lot of the issues that have been happening to people like overheating and so, seem to be determined by pure luck.
I've been putting my screen face down when I sleep and because of the tempered glass screen protector and no case, it's been sliding around while I sleep, I find myself waking up on my side with my phone directly under my shoulder and it doesn't seem to have bent in any way.
Hopefully you get this sorted out.
trsix said:
Pretty much any phone will bend if mistreated.
If i bend mine i'm gonna whine in this thread.
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Click to collapse
Yes you do that. Now we know that just putting it in your pocket is 'mistreating' it, we know not to do that. Thanks for your informative and helpful post.
meamo said:
Yes you do that. Now we know that just putting it in your pocket is 'mistreating' it, we know not to do that. Thanks for your informative and helpful post.
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Click to collapse
Don't feed the trolls. It happened and anybody should feel sorry for the person this happened to - it could be me and you next. We all know how to be careful with our devices. We also understand that this is not a widely reported bend-gate issue. We therefore expect the manufacturer's response to warranty claims to be most likely negative.
It could be an isolated device build problem that made this particular phone or phones more susceptible.
Personally, i would try to live with the bend if hardware is not affected, or try to bend it back, or try to wear it facing the other way for a little bit too see if it bends back.
Good luck.
Wow! I've carried my phone in my front pants pocket numerous times and have never seen any bend in it. It is as straight as it can possibly be. However, I do have a case on it so maybe that is the difference?? Don't know, just wondering.
Hell, do you use it naked? I mean without any case? Have not happen to me and I do have a rude use with it. Hope warranty makes it for you, cheers.
no bend

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