Database Users

HTC said they would fix it but didn't

Because my Nexus one had a dead/stuck pixel, I called H.T.C. and requested a repair. I sent it to them, and a few days later they said that they had examined it and determined that I needed to pay for the repair. I asked them why, and they replied that it was scratched and cracked.
Well, when I sent it to them, I had an invisible shield (a full body one, mind you) on it, and there nary a blemish on the screen. I told them this, and after a few days (and a couple more telephone calls), one of their managers had a technician examine it, found that it was fine, and said that they would fix it for free.
I received it on Monday, but didn't touch it until Wednesday because I was busy at work and waiting for the new invisible shield that I had ordered. When I used it, I noticed that they had removed the invisible shield, which I expected, but they hadn't fixed the stuck pixel! (Besides this, I had returned it to them with the original box, which they didn't send back to me)
So I called them last night and requested another repair. The representative asked me if they had charged my account for the shipping, and I answered truthfully that no, they had not charged me at all. I suppose that I am fortunate that they didn't, considering the other things they did. So now I am sending my Nexus One back two weeks after I returned it to them the first time, hoping that they will fix it properly, and without any argument.

HTC never charges you for return shipping. You only have to pay to ship it to them.

I am sorry you are having these troubles!
I successfully swapped my Nexus One due to a dead pixel within 3 days! I made a call on Day one at 11pm and by Day 3 at 8 am I had my replacement phone.

uansari1 said:
HTC never charges you for return shipping. You only have to pay to ship it to them.
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That's a bit crap, in the UK they email you a pre-paid shipping label.

I live in the U.S.A., and they sent me a prepaid shipping label. I'm just ticked off because I sent it to them, argued with them for four days, and they didn't even fix it, and two weeks later I need to send it right back. Plus it cost me another Invisible Shield.

Swap method is always better, faster, and easier. Plus, you get a new phone. Who doesn't love that?

They said that they couldn't swap it because it was too far (a few weeks) the purchase date. Maybe the person I spoke to didn't know what she was talking about. That's sort of my impression of the support division of the company, though I know I'm probably having an unrepresentative bad experience.

keet said:
They said that they couldn't swap it because it was too far (a few weeks) the purchase date. .
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I think this is BS from HTC. I swapped my N1 after almost two months. They will put a hold on your credit card; if you can live with that the replacement is much faster than the repair.

I'll consider that if they don't fix it properly this time. I didn't want to swap it because of my engraving and the full-body invisible shield that I put on it, but if they don't fix it this time, I probably won't be willing to trust their repair department again.

I had much better customer service from Apple when I had my iPhone ..I'm getting really annoyed with HTC ...especialy with that multitouch issue..

I have a question. Did they release $28 after you got your 'repaired' phone?

bobdude5 said:
I had much better customer service from Apple when I had my iPhone ..I'm getting really annoyed with HTC ...especialy with that multitouch issue..
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I had a dead easy time with apple and my wife's 3G and her 3GS ... you walk in with the broken phone, they demand £150 (ish) for the repair which is always your fault. They then do an estimate and if its expensive (ie > £150) they turn round and say it's BER (beyond economical repair) and offer to sell you a new one. If it's a cheap fix (ie cracked glass) they repair it and pocket the £150.
Now that is customer service!
Other issues such as the 3G problem on the iPhone where it cascades from 3G to Edge to GRPS to No Service and the only way to get it back is to either power off or switch to airplane mode and back. Took it into two phone shops and then the Apple store in London and their solution? Turn off 3G.
Although their best to date is a macbook which I hardly ever use stopped charging. Rang up and they said bring it in to the Genius Bar in 2 weeks. I did, they then said it's warranty expired yesterday (13 days after I reported the fault) and refused to touch it. Demanded to see the manager said they would do me a favour and look at it for free as it was only 1 day outside warranty. They checked the battery and it had been charged 37 times in a year. The guy said this was quite heavy use and was a years worth and I would have to buy a new battery! Queue one massive kick off in the Apple store, resulting in them begrudgingly fitted a new battery!
Or the iMac 24" ATI I bought that crashed all the time, they gave me 3 units before I read on the internet that it was a software issue. I started running XP and voila ... sorted. Apple rolled out a fix quietly without telling anyone a month or so later.
Yes Apple support rocks!
All modern companies support sucks in some cases ... get used to it. Sell a million units and if you get 99% satisfaction you will get 10000 unhappy customers. Give them a platform to shout on and voila!
I bet not everyone gets Apple support like I do, some people probably can't believe how good they are.
Anyway, enough ranting, I wish google would fix the screen calibration issue although I only need to dab the power button and unlock it to fix mine.

keet said:
They said that they couldn't swap it because it was too far (a few weeks) the purchase date. Maybe the person I spoke to didn't know what she was talking about. That's sort of my impression of the support division of the company, though I know I'm probably having an unrepresentative bad experience.
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Having worked in multiple call centers let me be the first to tell you that it's hard to find intelligence or common sense in them. I work in a call center for AT&T right now and I do work for the Vice President and Assistant Vice President because nobody else knows what they're doing. As soon as they realized that I had common sense and knowledge of technology they took me off of the phone, gave me a raise and converted me from Contractor to Employee. I asked my Director "Why do you let the managers hire people who are so ignorant" His reply was "I'm paying them $17/hr, I don't expect them to think. We have the information and tools set in place to think for them. If I wanted them to think then I would hire people with a higher intelligence and I would pay them more. Instead, I have people like you come up with tools and other things to think for them"
So this is why I hate when people say "I called T-Mobile and they said..." because that means nothing. You can get a different answer every time because most of them don't know the answer because your questions are above their level of intelligence. Now, I'm in no way saying that every person who works in a call center is an idiot. I'm saying that a large percentage of them do not understand anything about what they're troubleshooting.

I was reading a survey in P.C. Magazine about customers' ratings of the service and product quality from companies such as Apple, Toshiba, and Hewlett-Packard. They rated things such as the frequency with which hardware was found to be faulty soon after purchase, how easy it was to have it replaced, and other such topics. Apple did rank first overall, and Toshiba ranked second. This doesn't surprise me, since I have a ten year old Toshiba Tecra 8100 that still runs fine, though I've fixed the screen hinges.
H.T.C. was not in their listing, and I had never dealt with their support before. I replaced my X51v's screen myself after having it for three years and getting some water damage (I also replaced the backup battery later), and that's working fine now. I'm kind of nervous now -- I half expect my Nexus One to come back with real scratches on the screen, or more dead pixels, or some other problem that it didn't have before. After they already accused me of damaging it last time, I sort of wonder what they might damage to do with it this time -- something worse than sending it back unfixed.

jin1207 said:
I have a question. Did they release $28 after you got your 'repaired' phone?
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Yes, they did; they didn't charge me any money.

dumbestcrayon said:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Having worked in multiple call centers let me be the first to tell you that it's hard to find intelligence or common sense in them. I work in a call center for AT&T right now and I do work for the Vice President and Assistant Vice President because nobody else knows what they're doing. As soon as they realized that I had common sense and knowledge of technology they took me off of the phone, gave me a raise and converted me from Contractor to Employee. I asked my Director "Why do you let the managers hire people who are so ignorant" His reply was "I'm paying them $17/hr, I don't expect them to think. We have the information and tools set in place to think for them. If I wanted them to think then I would hire people with a higher intelligence and I would pay them more. Instead, I have people like you come up with tools and other things to think for them"
So this is why I hate when people say "I called T-Mobile and they said..." because that means nothing. You can get a different answer every time because most of them don't know the answer because your questions are above their level of intelligence. Now, I'm in no way saying that every person who works in a call center is an idiot. I'm saying that a large percentage of them do not understand anything about what they're troubleshooting.
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dwl, classic!! Are you also saying any one with great talking skills can get the job as customer rep too?

keet said:
Yes, they did; they didn't charge me any money.
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Thanks, buddy. I can let mine go to repairing.
Hope you get what you expect

I sent it back to them last Thursday, of course, and received a message on Monday saying that they had received it. Today, I received another message saying that they had completed their diagnostics, and guess what my option was? Pay for repair, just like last time! I sent a response asking why and called them, but all the morons in their customer service department could do was 'escalate' it, so I just sent a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.

bobdude5 said:
I had much better customer service from Apple when I had my iPhone ..I'm getting really annoyed with HTC ...especialy with that multitouch issue..
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I would be careful saying anything pro apple on this forum, lol.
I have been pretty lucky with both of my htc products so far. My N1 is great and so was my G1.

keet said:
I sent it back to them last Thursday, of course, and received a message on Monday saying that they had received it. Today, I received another message saying that they had completed their diagnostics, and guess what my option was? Pay for repair, just like last time! I sent a response asking why and called them, but all the morons in their customer service department could do was 'escalate' it, so I just sent a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.
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By chance did they answer your question? or at least tell you the results of the diagnostics and how much they charging?

nothing here move along

deleted , move along

TLTR !!!!!

I read it. Sorry to hear about your EVO man.
I got my EVO through Craigslist new in box because all the Sprint stores in my area who had them in stock wouldn't sell them to people not adding a new line of service. (Which is another story in and of itself)
When I brought it in to Sprint to activate they let me add insurance and told me that I'd still be covered under warranty for a year. I would be steamed if I was in your shoes too.
Thankfully I have a HW revision 0003 and my EVO hasn't yet to display any of the known issues.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/13/htc-evo-suffering-from-glass-separation-issues/

Just a short while ago I worked as a CSR for AT&T. Your friend got really lucky because 99.9% of the time a broken iPhone, even with a known issue, means you're SOL. In my experience, Sprint is much more flexible.

I mean you guys have any suggestions for me at this point? I know its just a phone and all but damn. i posted this on sprint forums, androidforums.com,xda, ppcgeeks, and of course my phone calls and visits to the repair center at MACOM

You bought the $7 plan for this very reason-- a more-than-likely behaviorally caused ding. (yes I read your post, but look at this from someone else's point of view. You had/used the phone how long before you saw this?)
Pony up the deductable and get a new phone. You realize you're costing yourself way more than $100 in grief and wasted time?
Lastly, just in case this is a defect and a recall is issued, keep your documentation on your calls to CS, claim filed, and out of pocket money. At that point you should be able to recoup your deductible among other things.

illogic6 said:
Just a short while ago I worked as a CSR for AT&T. Your friend got really lucky because 99.9% of the time a broken iPhone, even with a known issue, means you're SOL. In my experience, Sprint is much more flexible.
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Sure, bro. Sure.

00_MACKIE_00 said:
Ok, this is going to be a long post, full of detailed information regarding my purchase of an Evo. I will be posting this on every forum I am a member of and there are alot that I post on.
A buddy of mine contacted me to tell me he had bought an Evo on launch day from Best Buy. He activated it on 6/6/2010 from a Best Buy in Kentucky. He was told " The Evo has push to talk". Well he later found out that it did not in fact have push to talk and he needed that feature for his Sprint business account. He was outside his 30 day "happiness" window so he had to buy a different phone. He decided to put his Evo on Ebay and sell it to try and get some of his money back for his Evo purchase. He let me know he listed it on Ebay and provided me a link to it. I ended up winning the auction on 8/15/2010. I received the phone on 8/21 and received original box, original everything. Even had a cover. Phone looked and smelled BRAND new. I quickly called Sprint to activate it and within 10 min I was sporting my new Evo. Added my insurance/repair $7 dollar fee like I do with all my phones.
All was fine until 9/5/2010, I noticed on the bottom left of the screen over the home button, the screen appears lifted and a little dust had gotten under it. Ok no big deal to me at this point. I do keep my phones in mint condition but I was just going to monitor this situation. 13 days later is when I called Sprint asking for an explanation. I called the customer service line and explained the situation with the phone. They immediately started blaming me for it. I guess maybe they thought I used a screwdriver and lifted the screen, who knows. The girl told me she was in Charlotte, NC and that she had never heard of a screen separating from the adhesive and to go to the repair center.
On 9/17/2010, I went to MACOM here in Florida. A nice gentleman greeted me at the repair window and asked how he could help me. I said well I called customer service and explained to them that the phone screen seemed to be coming up and to pay you a visit so you could investigate. 4 screws later my Evo was in several pieces and then put back together. He asked me where I got the phone so I told him. He looked up my account and said "you’re inside your 30 day window according to the calendar here and you should go home and call customer service back". I told him I had no intention of being given a brand new phone. To me , that would be dishonest and I live by being honest and I teach my kids to be honest to people regardless of the situation. He handed me his business card, said call Sprint and call me back if you have problems. Seems he was trying to push me into a brand new Evo. I lay no blame on this guy; he was trying to do the right thing. He told me he could have it replaced but it would be a refurbished phone which I am ok with.
I arrive home on 9/17 from MACOM and about 7pm I start making some phone calls. I have been upfront with Sprint about the terms of my purchase. The first lady I spoke to said she understood my issue and that she would get someone on the phone to help me after we talked 10 minutes or so. She asked if I minded being put on hold and I said absolutely not. I waited for about 7 or 8 minutes or so and another lady got on the phone from a different department. I had a really hard time understanding what her name was, who she was with, etc etc due to the heavy accent. From what I could understand, she was from advanced exchange it sounded like. She asked for my telephone #, verified my pin and all that good stuff and asks me the reason for the call. I then had to go into the WHOLE story again. 10 minutes later she asked me where I bought the phone. I said I bought it off Ebay from a SPRINT customer, not some random power seller. She then told me well there is nothing she could do and that was there anything else she could do for me. I said I guess not and told her to have a lovely weekend. She then said I could always file a claim with Assurion and pay a $100 deductible for this obvious defect.
After speaking to my wife, I felt I needed to call back. Around 8:30pm or so I called back to customer service and once again explained the situation. I asked her over and over to tell me if I had done something wrong, or this was somehow my fault. She completely denied any knowledge of a screen separation issue and proceeded to tell me she was going to talk to her supervisor about it and placed me on hold. She came back on the line in short time and asked if it would be ok if I received a call back. I said ok and told the lady to have a nice evening. About 45 minutes or so later my phone rings. I go to answer it using the slider and because my screen is acting funny due to part of it being lifted, somehow the call was dropped and she left a voicemail and her name and phone number. I immediately called back off my house phone and received her voicemail. I left a message and asked that she call me right away. I have not received another phone call.
Remembering the conversation with MACOM, I woke up on 9/18, loaded up the kids and drove on over. The same gentleman was there again. He remembered me from the night before. I told him I had called customer service and had gotten nowhere. The tune quickly changed from ordering a refurbished phone to having to call his district manager but however the district manager was off and on his motorcycle for the day and it would be evening before he could have a chance to talk to him and it would be next week before he could get back to me. He was very nice and polite and told me to have a good rest of the weekend and he would get in touch with me.
Now that I have laid out the facts, I am now going to state my opinion on this. First off, Sprint denying the screen separation is a joke within itself. Searching on Google using the search criteria "evo screen separation" shows 6,700,00 results found. How could people not know about it that work for Sprint? The repair guy at MACOM had heard about it, but nobody else? How is that even possible? My next complaint is about the way I purchased it. If I was not tempted by all the Sprint commercials about the EVO and not being able to actually find one in Florida, I would not have had to go buy one of Ebay. I bought it from a valid Sprint customer not some guy on Ebay looking to make a few bucks. Sprint still should honor my purchase and either fix my phone or give me one that works, isn't that what I pay the TEP for?. I guess anyone who is buying either a barely used or brand new phone off Ebay should just stop doing it now before you run into a situation like what I am dealing with. I am a premier customer with Sprint; I have 3 lines as well so I consider myself an important customer. Plus it helps in the years I have had service, I have never missed a payment, been late, or anything. Sprint should not allow you to buy a phone from anywhere and activate it successfully if they do not want to honor an obvious manufacturing defect. This will not cost any money for Sprint to replace my phone because I am sure it would be sent back to HTC as a defect. I am not editing this post until there is a resolution so that the public sees what I have had to deal with. Once Sprint provides a resolution, I will then have this post removed and I will once again be a happy Sprint customer.
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I've had better luck. I was once placed in this exact situation. Brought my phone into Sprint to have it repair the lifting of screen. In-house techs repaired it, no questions asked (or blaming). One hour later, they called me back and issued me a new one, as their investigation determines hardware version 0002 was a manufature defect. Perhaps it's all based on locations, reps, your attitude towards them, etc. Where I'm from everyone one's laid back, reps are always friendly and don't really have to put up with too much of people's ****, because non really gives them **** to begin with. They even accept rooted phones too, where as I read that many other users have to unroot before bringing their phone into Sprint for replacement/repair.
If you don't mind paying a deductable ($100 max), call into customer service and request a replacement.
And to the dude who was previously on AT&T with iPhone, sure buddy. SURRRREEE. If you EVER had service with them, you of all people should know that AT&T & Apple will put you through hell. I should know, that's why I dropped AT&T & the iPhone 2G.

illogic6 said:
I read it. Sorry to hear about your EVO man.
I got my EVO through Craigslist new in box because all the Sprint stores in my area who had them in stock wouldn't sell them to people not adding a new line of service. (Which is another story in and of itself)
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That is actually illegal, they have to sell it to you, I actually did the same and had to mention that it is illegal to not sell it, after mentioning that they budged and sold it to me.
Back on your situation with your EVO, I would recommend posting on consumerist as that is more their territory. They have the phone numbers for executive customer support also, they WILL fix your issue ASAP. http://consumerist.com/2007/05/sprint-sets-up-consumerist-reader-executive-customer-service-hotline.html

tbh, I feel no simpathy since you being "honest" has nothing to do with the situation. You didn't steal the phone, the phone was defective therefore it's not like you were doing anything wrong. You should of returned it and gotten a replacement. There's been hundreds if not thousands of people that have done the same with the screen lifting issue.
Also if you didn't know before, google is based on keywords, it doesn't take the phrase and search for it. About 5million of those results were for the word "evo", other million were for "screen", and so on. Out of those results, only about 20-30 were for the evo issue. I've been doing SEO for a long time, so when it comes to google I know what I'm talking about.
Also sprint doesn't care if you took it apart, or if it came apart by itself, because they will tell you in the end to return it because of the issue. They know people do it, and it's perfectly okay, since you're not "cheating" anyone. The 30 day thing is made for a reason, it's not made for you to screw them over. Also the insurance that you put on the phone is made for a reason.
Either you're not telling the whole story, or you were too ignorant to return the phone.

Btw, side note for you. Check out the app TiKL for push to talk on your EVO.
sent from VooDooPhone

As a Sprint retention supersvisor, let me ask you something which I would have asked you if you were on my call. What makes you think SPRINT is responsible for a phone your purchased from somebody on Ebay wether it be a Sprint customer or not? You are LUCKY they even allow you to use TEP on a phone that was not purchased from them. Now, here's what we can do, make a claim, pay the $100 and have it replaced or go back to the store and speak with the idiot that told you to call in.
Let me put it in perspective for you, when your car breaks you take it to the mechanic right? You don't just call Ford and they fix it over the phone or send you out a new truck to your home. There is NOTHING someone over the phone can do, the repair center has to do it all, granted most the time they send you something over the phone or break policy it's to shut the customer up and get rid of them. The store has to fix it, if they can't fix it, make a claim for you through the warranty or asurion. I really don't understand why this is so hard to understand. And please don't take this the wrong way it is not an attack on you personally, but it is definitely an attack on what should be common sense.

6ixtynin9 said:
I've had better luck. I was once placed in this exact situation. Brought my phone into Sprint to have it repair the lifting of screen. In-house techs repaired it, no questions asked (or blaming). One hour later, they called me back and issued me a new one, as their investigation determines hardware version 0002 was a manufature defect. Perhaps it's all based on locations, reps, your attitude towards them, etc. Where I'm from everyone one's laid back, reps are always friendly and don't really have to put up with too much of people's ****, because non really gives them **** to begin with. They even accept rooted phones too, where as I read that many other users have to unroot before bringing their phone into Sprint for replacement/repair.
If you don't mind paying a deductable ($100 max), call into customer service and request a replacement.
And to the dude who was previously on AT&T with iPhone, sure buddy. SURRRREEE. If you EVER had service with them, you of all people should know that AT&T & Apple will put you through hell. I should know, that's why I dropped AT&T & the iPhone 2G.
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That is what he said, with AT&T you're **** out of luck

Beware if you buy parts from Global Direct Parts

Anybody looking to buy parts from Global Direct Parts .com beware of them, it's a scam.
I placed an order for 4 ribbon cables for HD2 phones on a sat. The next monday I wanted to add something the said it was already processed, so I had to place another order and pay shipping.
They FAQ says they can reduce min quantities if I buy at least $ 125 of parts, so I add a LCD and place order. They cancelled since now they want $ 149 min. They also went over and changed their web site, so I cannot prove anything.
After 2 weeks my parts are not here, so I call and a wiseguy said I still have to wait until the next 2 days since it was still processing.
The next day they email me they lost my package.
I reply demanding they ship another with Express delivery to make up for the poor service.
They decline and want to issue a refund, and guess what, price on items has gone up (what a coincidence).
I emailed today asking where is my refund (paid with Paypal) and they stated it takes 2 BUSINESS days to issue it.
I placed a claim on Paypal and they emailed back threaten me to stall refund indefinitely unless I remove the claim.
Sorry for this long rant, but such a poor customer service place shouldn't be allowed to do business. I invite anybody NOT to use this place.
They also falsely claim they have all the parts in USA, while they actually dropship from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Beware guys !!!

Wow. That sux
Sent from my Ally using XDA App

I will agree. Terrible customer service. They say they have new or "a" stock.... the "a" stock are used parts, including damaged and unusable. the others are just in poor shape. then there's the problem with them making you pay to ship their junk back, even after it has been determined to be their error. that's just shady. then the total bs they call customer service... if your lucky to get someone, they are uneducated and clueless about anything going on. good luck trying to get answers or some management to reply to you. i own a repair shop and have spent (wasted) thousands of dollars with these losers.
BEWARE AND AVOID!!!!!

thanks will know

I bought 10 Ffc and no problem I'm sorry you had pRoblems with them
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

I bought a Samsung Captivate housing almost a year ago and it took about 5 days to get it. Part was new with no scratches at all.
Had no problem with them

I have bought some FFC's from them before and didnt have any issue. Good to know though if I do anything through them in the future!

I bought some. Speakers for an evo 4g about 8 months ago and all went well. About a month or 2 later I got emails from them saying that they had a major employee leave and not to trust emails coming from a. Similar company.

I had a great experience with them and the parts were perfect
Hi All,
It seems that this company went through a bit of a struggle at some point. Being a business owner myself I know that dealing with the public is not always easy especially when you have employees that are not the right fit. You can only do your best and learn from your mistakes and successes.
I just purchased tablet frames from them and they were perfect, the customer service was perfect and I am going to their website now to purchase more. I found some really hard to find products in new condition and at a great price. Personally my experience was great and I would highly recommend them. Definitely NOT a scam. They delivered.
Lance

Clay333 said:
I bought some. Speakers for an evo 4g about 8 months ago and all went well. About a month or 2 later I got emails from them saying that they had a major employee leave and not to trust emails coming from a. Similar company.
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I think it is true that maybe a competitor is trying to sabotage them. I saw the same exact review plastered across several different review sites. I just got parts from Global Direct Parts recently. While I can't say the parts are so good, the customer service was very rapid and good. Apparently they sent an aftermarket that was suppose to be OEM. The customer service agent said the Huawei OEM parts are hard to come by and they usually get it out of refurbished phones now and some might have been refurbished before with aftermarket parts that they didn't end up catching. They immediately refunded me saying since the OEM parts is hard to come by, there is a good chance I'll get another aftermarket.
The other 3 parts they sent are good and as described. I would definitely do business with the company again.

Sprint Repair store (Very Troubling)

I just want to get a bead on what is going on here.
I was window Shopping in the Sprint store this morning & a guy had an OG EVO with a faulty charge port.
Before I go on, note the following:
1.I'm not sure of what insurance plan he had (it could be either TEP+Asu, or just Asurion) so this is where I need your help in clarification. But he definitely has insurance.
2. This particular Sprint Store has the Repair Center.
3. I didn't see a repair tech chime in on the conversation. (Odd as usually the repair techs themselves tell you what can or can't be done. Duties & Policies change so you never know here.)
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He explained this issue to the floor reps & the floor rep told him that they would have to refer him to Asurion ($100+) & get the phone repaired or possibly replaced that way as he claimed it was physical damage.
This customer was no newb (assuming, sounded like he had a clue & a goal anyway) to how this works & explained that he knew this was a common issue as at least two people he knew of, had that same issue with the charge port failing. He did not mention their experience on getting this issue resolved. He called it a defect & it wasn't from him abusing or dropping the phone, which he happily showed in great condition. (I agreed, silently).
They talked back & forth- in small circles getting to this:
The Floor Rep (who sounded very sure of this) said there was nothing this Sprint store could do, they couldn't fix or get him a new/refurb phone because it was technically still considered physical damage.
This went back & forth for about 10 more minutes & the customer was pissed. (Didn't curse or get childish) but he was disgusted that we would have to pay $100 for a manufacturer defect & that the Sprint "repair" center couldn't help him.
He rode on this wave of anger & promptly asked to cancel his service with Sprint. The floor rep easily complied to start the process. (Me thinking: WTF Idiot rep, get the manager!) I face-palmed after that & I left while they were going over the termination.
Now my question/s:
Was the rep right about what they couldn't do for that time of damage/defect? Was this the result because the customer lacking the TEP portion of his insurance?
Are some repair centers more capable than others for this type of damage?
Has some portions of coverage been removed recently aside from the "rarely charged for" $35 screen repairs?
Question for Sprint employees/ former employees: What options can you use to deter a customer from leaving in a situation like that? I feel the rep could've at least put up an inch of a fight to assist in a situation like that or request aid from a manager.
Excuse any spelling or editing errors.

I'm gonna go on a limb here and say that the sprint rep just wanted to show him who the boss was. I've never had any problems with the tech stores here repairing anything from broken screens to broken power buttons. Unless you bring your phone in two pieces or has been physically damaged they should warranty it out.

IMHO
The rep, IMHO, was incorrect for arguing with the customer over what was physical or man. defect. Being a Sprint TC, we are usually asked to go out and inspect the device, open it up and see whether the soldering points are intact or not. you can spot the difference rather quickly when it comes to defect or physical. The rep should have either gotten a TC involved or better yet a manager involved immediately. Most customers, and i mean that with all due respect to both parties, would much rather hear the reasoning from someone who is supposed to know what they are talking about. for some reason customers that i talk to seem to leave in a happier mood after speaking with me over the issue. I have had to step in during a heated discussion between a rep and a customer over issues like this, and I'm not even a lead, just a simple TC. Personally, I think it tends to sound a little more official from the person hired to actually WORK on the devices rather than hear from someone who simply sells it. We spend more time on our job opening them open and inspecting them, just like the reps spend their time selling customers on the device. just my opinion, I'm not looking to start a feud by any means

your response sounds more like a regular store experience for me..

Hypeo said:
I'm gonna go on a limb here and say that the sprint rep just wanted to show him who the boss was. I've never had any problems with the tech stores here repairing anything from broken screens to broken power buttons. Unless you bring your phone in two pieces or has been physically damaged they should warranty it out.
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Yeah same here, I never had an experience like that. But it's been since the HTC Hero (2 years ago) that I've flexed my TEP. At this very store.
And then the sight of this floor rep allowing a current subscriber to leave without any counter-action. (IMHO: is worse than some random would be customer leaving). You don't have to be in retentions to save a subscriber.
I always have the golden rule of try trice (with different reps/stores) before deeming a crap policy as fact. But this guy was understandably baffled at how useless his experience was that led up to him cancelling.
dgomez720 said:
The rep should have either gotten a TC involved or better yet a manager involved immediately. Most customers, and i mean that with all due respect to both parties, would much rather hear the reasoning from someone who is supposed to know what they are talking about.
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Click to collapse
Exactly. When he 1st came in explaining his visit, I thought he would log & direct him a TC.

dgomez720 said:
The rep, IMHO, was incorrect for arguing with the customer over what was physical or man. defect. Being a Sprint TC, we are usually asked to go out and inspect the device, open it up and see whether the soldering points are intact or not. you can spot the difference rather quickly when it comes to defect or physical. The rep should have either gotten a TC involved or better yet a manager involved immediately. Most customers, and i mean that with all due respect to both parties, would much rather hear the reasoning from someone who is supposed to know what they are talking about. for some reason customers that i talk to seem to leave in a happier mood after speaking with me over the issue. I have had to step in during a heated discussion between a rep and a customer over issues like this, and I'm not even a lead, just a simple TC. Personally, I think it tends to sound a little more official from the person hired to actually WORK on the devices rather than hear from someone who simply sells it. We spend more time on our job opening them open and inspecting them, just like the reps spend their time selling customers on the device. just my opinion, I'm not looking to start a feud by any means
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Click to collapse
I agree with you, as a customer it does sound more official to hear the response from the person who is paid to actually work on the devices. A lot of people view salespeople as just that, salespeople. Someone to sell you something that you probably don't want or need, not someone to fix something that you have already bought and need repaired.
However, from a customer's point of view, he also may be arguing over the fact that it is for things like this in which he bought the insurance to begin with. If I'm spending $8 per month for God knows how long, the last thing I want to hear is "No, we won't repair your phone." In that case, Sprint could really do a better job of educating its customers as to what the insurance really covers. Most people view it as the equivalent of the add-on service plan that you can get at Best Buy or everywhere else, which basically will get your device fixed or replaced (or some money back) if your device fails after the manufacturer's warranty runs out. Apparently that isn't the case with TEP, however that's not how the salespeople sell it. I was in a Sprint store last month with my Dad upgrading his phone, and the sales rep offered it to us by saying "If anything goes wrong with your phone, bring it in and we'll repair it."
He had to backpedal when I started asking him questions about fixing water damage and extreme gross physical neglect...
BigJohn

Same exact thing happened to me. I called Sprint and still no luck. I eventually had a screen problem and the store replaced the phone for me.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium

I think that is a prime example of ignorance and lack of care for customers. I have been to many crappy sprint stores who have done similar things. Fortunately I have found a sprint store in my neighborhood who treats their customers with respect and are mostly knowledgeable. Tbh that customer should have escalated it to talk to the manager or just go to another sprint store.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

The repair stores are filled with 1 good person to fix phones and 5 idiots. They all depend on 1 tech to actually fix things, and when they can't, the only solution to their problem is.. uh.. Ill have to have u call Asurion. Idiotttts.

This is exactly why the reps in my store immediately hand off any problem phones to a tech. They ask qualifying questions but never argue with the customer. It's up to the tech to determine what's wrong with the phone, and if necessary, "argue" with the customer.
I always explain TEP with a car analogy. You pay an insurance premium on your car in order to carry coverage. If you wreck your car, you pay a deductible and have it fixed.
Evo charging port is a very sensitive issue. I've had some that are obvious physical damage yet the customer still argues and calls me a liar.

So what does TEP actually cover?

cmsjr123 said:
So what does TEP actually cover?
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Ability to get upgrades every 1 year instead of every 2 years. That's about it.
Sent from my EVO

I find that going to an authorized retailer with a repair center works better, I went to a sprint store and they wanted me too buy this or that, battery, etc... Went to a reseller and they replaced my uninsured phone for $35, under faulty USB charger. Also try to go on days they aren't slammed with customers so they can give you the proper attention..

mbaseball3 said:
Ability to get upgrades every 1 year instead of every 2 years. That's about it.
Sent from my EVO
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Click to collapse
Seriously?
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

DirtyShroomz said:
Seriously?
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
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Lol, yeah! I envy everyone else here with their success stories. Sprint stores do chit here for their customers! I'm on a 6 line business plan and they say sorry can't help you any time I walk in to a repair center. We been with sprint since a little before Nextel merger; how ever many years ago that was. I have yet to get a phone properly taken care of even with our insurance. I feel that when they see that there is an issue in device and that they should fix, they just point me to asurion. They never help. Feed us excuse after excuse. Anyone in the orange county area of California have good repair center experiences? Won't be surprised if all responses are No!
Sent from my EVO

mbaseball3 said:
Ability to get upgrades every 1 year instead of every 2 years. That's about it.
Sent from my EVO
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Umm, absolutely not.

Hmmm
I've had my share of issues with the Sprint store where I live. Almost from the time I got the phone I was having issues with it and all they were willing to was a factory reset. They actually let me sit in the store for over an hour (with my two year old son) the last time I went. After we were both tired of sitting I got up and asked the tech about it. He told me "Oh yeah, well the screen is locked and I couldn't get into it" I was floored and pissed off. Someone could have asked me considering I told them I would wait. After that I decided it was time for me to figure it all out on my own.

mskeys2xx3 said:
I've had my share of issues with the Sprint store where I live. Almost from the time I got the phone I was having issues with it and all they were willing to was a factory reset. They actually let me sit in the store for over an hour (with my two year old son) the last time I went. After we were both tired of sitting I got up and asked the tech about it. He told me "Oh yeah, well the screen is locked and I couldn't get into it" I was floored and pissed off. Someone could have asked me considering I told them I would wait. After that I decided it was time for me to figure it all out on my own.
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Wow
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

mskeys2xx3 said:
I've had my share of issues with the Sprint store where I live. Almost from the time I got the phone I was having issues with it and all they were willing to was a factory reset. They actually let me sit in the store for over an hour (with my two year old son) the last time I went. After we were both tired of sitting I got up and asked the tech about it. He told me "Oh yeah, well the screen is locked and I couldn't get into it" I was floored and pissed off. Someone could have asked me considering I told them I would wait. After that I decided it was time for me to figure it all out on my own.
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Click to collapse
We have data preservation sheets for that, which all customers are required to sign. It includes a place to draw your pattern lock or write down any other codes.

Well it would have been nice if someone had asked/told me that when they took my phone. I like just stop talking and give me my phone back before I am unable to control this urge to punch you in the face.

WARNING! Buy At Your Own Risk

I would like to say first that I absolutely LOVE my Nexus 7 tablet. Having owned a couple of different Android tablets made by those other people (Samsung...even an iPad Mini), I can honestly say the N7 really is the best. With that being said, I would like to share my experience with them today, and I hope it helps others in being more informed about their decision to purchase in the future. Its kind of a long read, but you will be shocked at the end, so please see it through.
A week or so ago my tablet developed an issue where after waking it from standby I would have to toggle Airplane Mode on and off in order to access the internet. I was off work today so I called Google warranty about the issue. The gentleman I spoke with was very kind and, I believe, as helpful in the situation as he could be. After explaining the issue and running through some standard trouble shooting, the first technician I spoke with from Google concluded it was most likely a hardware issue and that someone from a different department (mind you, I was speaking to the warranty department already) would contact me via email in 24-48 hours.
After I hung up from him, I thought about it and something wasn't quite right. The warranty department should be able to generate a replacement or at the minimum an RMA right then, right? So I called back and asked to speak with a manager. I was transferred to a floor supervisor, explained everything that had transpired up until then, to which he promised to get to the bottom of the issue right then. He asked for my email address, which I provided, when he stated he could not find an order for a Nexus tablet. I proceeded to explain to him I purchased it from GameStop, I had the receipt with the box and date of purchase, when he abruptly cut me off to tell me he could not do anything about my warranty issue because it was bought from a third party. He explained I would have to go through the retailer or through Asus. Now, here is where my trouble with this begins. Is this not manufactured for, branded, and advertised as a GOOGLE Nexus 7 tablet...or is it brand, advertised, and sold as an Asus Nexus 7 tablet. Yes, I understand who actually manufactured it. But that is transparent. There are A LOT of products made by other manufacturers that are sold under a different brand name. In fact, there are actually quite few true "manufactures" in the world but they make and sell products daily under a different name. However, this floor supervisor was unwilling to provide me with any assistance at all. He did offer to connect me to Asus customer support.
Another hold later, and 20 something minutes into the call, I was connected to another very nice customer service rep from Asus. I again (third time) explained the issue and the steps already performed to remedy the situation. After speaking with him for a while, he agreed to issue an RMA so that one of there technicians could diagnose the problem and do a repair or replace. I asked at his point how long this process takes...TWO WEEKS. Mind you, I have only owned the tablet a total of exactly 7 weeks and 2 days. I told him that this was completely unacceptable. He then offered to upgrade my case to priority service. Again I asked for a time frame and was told this time...1-1/2 WEEKS, or 3 days faster. At this point I am furious. I asked if I could have a replacement sent out...NO. I asked if I could have one sent out with a hold on my credit card until my defective unit was received...NO. I asked if I could have a refund arranged...NO. I asked if he would be kind enough to contact GameStop to request an exchange be made...NO. MY ONLY OPTION ON A 7 WEEK OLD TABLET...A GOOGLE TABLET MIND YOU...WAS TO BE WITHOUT FOR 2 WEEKS! You have go to be kidding me! I sincerely thought Google was better than this.
I used the following analogy...you buy a brand new car. It has a warranty issue that needs fixed so you take it to the dealership at which point they say, "sorry but we cant fix it for 2 weeks" and leave you with no car. I honestly can not believe the customer service between these two companies is this poor. As well, I have had cell phones replaced by AT&T under warranty that CERTAINLY were not made by AT&T, yet Google does not share the same mindset although the tablet was clearly a Google product.
So, I write this as a warning for any of you that have purchased your tablet from GameStop, Best Buy, Staples, ect. what challenges you face should you ever need warranty service. And to those who did purchase off the Play Store exactly how Google is treating their customers. I love Google (a lot less now) but I will NEVER buy another Nexus/Google branded product again...not so much as rent a movie or buy a song from the play store. And I will take to any forum I can access to share my experience in an attempt to convince Google/Asus to improve their customer service. They have lost a customer and I implore you to share my experience with as many people as you can that may be considering a Google product or service in the future.

Here's another analogy: You buy an Apple phone from Best Buy and it develops a fault, where do you take it back to?
Buy a Google product direct from Google next time and learn about Consumer rights.

Apple is the exception in that example. Buy a Samsung, Motorola, LG, Blackberry, ect. and who handles warranty replacement? AT&T, right? ALTHOUGH it is clearly stated the MANUFACTURER warrants the product against defect. And yes...I am very aware we are not talking about AT&T, simply using it as an example.
Furthermore, I never once stated my consumer rights were violated, in fact I clearly said they offered a solution. However, from a consumer stand point, and in this case especially with the INTENDED transparency between Google and Asus, the issue was not handled with the consumer (me) in their best interest.
Feel free to flame me if you'd like, but I would put nickles to dimes that if it was you, you would feel the same way.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium HD app

/waaa?
You are completely right tho. The should have a shop on hand for when you call. Just for you. Only you. You. Did I mention you?
Yeah i'm talking to you.

sigaiser said:
Apple is the exception in that example. Buy a Samsung, Motorola, LG, Blackberry, ect. and who handles warranty replacement? AT&T, right? ALTHOUGH it is clearly stated the MANUFACTURER warrants the product against defect. And yes...I am very aware we are not talking about AT&T, simply using it as an example.
Furthermore, I never once stated my consumer rights were violated, in fact I clearly said they offered a solution. However, from a consumer stand point, and in this case especially with the INTENDED transparency between Google and Asus, the issue was not handled with the consumer (me) in their best interest.
Feel free to flame me if you'd like, but I would put nickles to dimes that if it was you, you would feel the same way.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For more reports of mishandling and cruddy CS, go here:
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/mG4JXaT-SHs[1-25-false]
Feel free to add your experience....

danvee said:
For more reports of mishandling and cruddy CS, go here:
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/mG4JXaT-SHs[1-25-false]
Feel free to add your experience....
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the link...I posted there as well. It is cruddy. I would
D have expected more from Google in a situation like this.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

tweaked said:
/waaa?
You are completely right tho. The should have a shop on hand for when you call. Just for you. Only you. You. Did I mention you?
Yeah i'm talking to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not going to reply, much, to your sarcasm other than to say that if you think I expect more from Google than anyone else, then you're sorely mistaken but entitled to your opinion. If you read any of the post, and you comprehend written text, you could easily deduce that I was stating their current policy (unwritten mind you) on buying from third party retailers.
With that being said, how about being constructive vs. Being a smart ass. Thanks for reading.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

djsubterrain said:
Here's another analogy: You buy an Apple phone from Best Buy and it develops a fault, where do you take it back to?
Buy a Google product direct from Google next time and learn about Consumer rights.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Buying direct from Google won't help. When I had to have my Nexus phone replaced, under warranty, I called Google since I bought it on the play store. They gave me a number to Samsung(It was a Galaxy Nexus) and Samsung did exactly the same thing. I had to go to Wal-mart and buy a cheap flip phone to use for 2 weeks while Samsung replaced my 2 month old phone which I had bought from the Google Play Store.

It is definitely nice to go to an apple store and have a replacement in 10 minutes if you have a bad phone... I had an issue with my galaxy s4 and at&t didnt have any in stock to replace it with.... Bad experience.

I actually feel nothing is wrong with the warranty service options the OP mentioned.
It would be above average for the industry.
If I bought a premium car like Lexus then I would expect a nice loaner if my car needs works.
But if I paid for a Toyota, then it's up to the dealer ... a shuttle ride is nice enough.
I even bought my 2012N7 over ebay, haha. Worst case, I just call Asus.
Unless Google promises something and doesn't deliver ... otherwise, it's up to them (that's why I normally
talk nicely to the customer-service people).

sigaiser said:
I'm not going to reply, much, to your sarcasm other than to say that if you think I expect more from Google than anyone else, then you're sorely mistaken but entitled to your opinion. If you read any of the post, and you comprehend written text, you could easily deduce that I was stating their current policy (unwritten mind you) on buying from third party retailers.
With that being said, how about being constructive vs. Being a smart ass. Thanks for reading.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, I'm only good at smartass comments.

i had my nexus 4 RMA due to faulty screen and i had the most wonderful experience, the lady i spoke to gave me no trouble what so ever promptly sent me an email with the order replacement link, put the hold on my card and 2 days later brand new N4 at my door, i would actually prefer to order directly from them after that experience

Also had a good experience with the nexus 4, screen was super dim, Google sent me a new one and have me a shipping label to send my old one in the same box
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

One of the reasons why I always buy from companies with excellent customer service.
Few examples..
Bought a Galaxy Nexus from Amazon and after 6months+ it developed a fault.. cant remember what it was. So me being me... its been 6months+ I contact Samsung because its been so long. They told me they can get it fixed within a week. I get it back and its worse then when i sent it. I tried again.. sent it, came back and still as bad. I contact samsung again and explain to them. They said they will contact me within a few days.
While waiting i thought what the heck... Contacted Amazon and explained Samsung has wasted my time and if possible would like a refund. They said ok right away and got my money back! Samsung contact me and I vented out to the manager/supervisor on the line and all he could say was thats great that you got a refund....
Bought a Nexus 4 direct from Google.. Again after 6months+ it starts over heating. Contact google and they said we can replace it for you no problem. They sent out a new one while i still had the faulty one.
I would pay more for a product just to have great customer service then to get it a little cheaper and have next to no customer service.

So uh, you're mad because you have to ship your tablet back to the manufacturer to replace it?
Yeah man, that's total BS! Having to send it back to the manufacturers so they can fix it, it isn't like you do that with any other product you own right?

N7 2012 woes
@ sigaiser
I understand your frustration. I have an old Nexus 7, which I bought in the UK from PC World. It developed a fault where it would not charge. PC World referred me to ASUS, who ran through various ideas to fix it (most of which I had tried after internet forum searches), gave me a code and an RMA, and told me 7 to 10 days. It was picked up by the courier for next day delivery to Triage Services, who do ASUS repairs in the UK. After 4 weeks, it came back and still had exactly the same fault. (Later, I found that Triage had replaced the motherboard.) SO after another couple of days of trying to sort it out again, I rang again and got another RMA and an email telling me to book it in. I was also told that I should have been told "up to 30 days" not 7 to 10. The courier web site this time told me I'd have to pay for the return (different courier first time) though subsequently ASUS complaints told me that that was a courier error. Away it went again, and came back with the battery re-seated. It did not charge up, so off it went again. After another couple of weeks, making a total of 8 1/2 weeks, it came back with a new wall charger - supposedly that was no longer charging (even though when it left, it happily charged my Nexus 4). I HAD told them it was not that, as 3 different chargers would not charge The Nexus 7. It lasted that day, then refused to charge fully overnight, and charging to a lower % each night. All ASUS would offer was another RMA. :crying:
In the end, I threw myself on the mercy of the team at PC World, and asked if there was anything they could do - perhaps a discount on a different tablet. They had a chat, and gave me a new Nexus 7, this time with their "Whatever Happens" replacement insurance. Result. In future I think I will be getting my stuff from them with that guarantee.:laugh:
The current Nexus 7 charges up MUCH faster than the first one ever did, so either something had been changed, or the first was always faulty.
ASUS had been helpful, but they required THREE parts of the tablet replaced before they'd replace the whole thing. I had only had one so even though I'd lost it for more than 2 months out of the 12 month guarantee they would not consider either a replacement, or even extending the warranty for the 2 months I had been without.
Triage services, on the other hand, who supposedly did the repairs, I have no time for. First time round, they booked the tablet in to their workshop 5 days after they got it (thus showing ASUS that they were working on it faster than the truth). Then clearly they never actually tried it any of the three times before returning it.

joshyc5 said:
So uh, you're mad because you have to ship your tablet back to the manufacturer to replace it?
Yeah man, that's total BS! Having to send it back to the manufacturers so they can fix it, it isn't like you do that with any other product you own right?
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No, I'm not mad I have to send it back to the manufacturer. I'm mad because that is the ONLY option to send it back. Google told me on the phone if I bought it direct from them, they would send out a replacement right then and there. So what's the difference? GameStop is an authorized retailer. It's not like it was a black market knock off from Amazon. And as far as Asus goes (who is the manufacturer yet not a reseller), they offer no way to have a replacement sent, even with a credit card hold. So the ONLY option is to go without and wait 2 weeks, or whatever the turnaround time ends up being, without the product you paid for. That's what makes me mad.
And maybe I'm missing something, but what I can't get over is the fact that it's made for Google and sold by Google, yet Google is not supporting products sold by third party retailers although it carries their name.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I really don't see a 1-1.5 week wait as being that big of a deal, sure it would be nice to get it replaced with a new one but they do not have to offer that to you. The warranty doesn't say that they offer replacements at the first sign of an issue. Since you bought it from a 3rd party retailer I wouldn't expect Google to take care of it since it is an ASUS tablet. If you'd purchased it from the Play Store and they wouldn't help then that would be a problem.

They just couldn't move as fast as you *commanded* them too? F off.

aiiee said:
They just couldn't move as fast as you *commanded* them too? F off.
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Lol, whatever. Easy to hide behind a screen name. You wouldn't say it to my face so why say it online?
Either way, moderators, just close this thread. Obviously no one has the intelligence to understand the point I was attempting to make so it does no one any good for it to remain open as its only going to turn ugly.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app