After the intitial struggle to contact Centrecom due to gmail’s crappy filtering system, they decided to stop responding to my emails.
Today, I called them up.
I was told, “the best [they] can do for me” is let their techs take a look at it (thankfully, at any Centrecom store, not just Sunshine – their internet base of operations). I was informed that if its software related, I may be charged a fee. Yeah. Definatly software related. I’ve installed so much software since restoring my laptop from recovery CD’s. I’ve installed the following list of programs: Windows Live Messenger.
Somehow, the ASUS techies who looked at my ASUS laptop aren’t very bright, and Centrecom’s brilliant staff will be able to sort it out for me. Yeah. Right.
Anyway, if they’re going to try and fob me off (I’m guessing they’ll try and say that their techs will have to spend the best part of a month looking at it), my mother decided we’d be loud. Really loud.
But surely, ASUS have solved the problem by now? Nope, a thread that I linked to last time is still going strong, even with the latest v204 bios (released this year?).
To be perfectly fair, the ASUS after sales support has been pretty damn good. They escalated the problem really quickly, and were happy to courier to/from me. Heck, they called me to make sure I understood just how screwed up the F3 series is.
Thats why I’ve decided, if I get the refund, I’ll buy an ASUS A8JP (apparently the A8 series is not suffering this problem) from Myer (who have it for about $1700 I believe).
Its basically the same laptop, but with a bigger hdd, faster cpu, smaller screen…but higher resolution.
As Will ranted earlier, Apple’s iPhone – announced at MacWorld this month – is already out of date.
You know the worst thing? Its already mega-popular.
Not with Apple people, but with the ‘fashionable’. Those who just have to have the latest, shiniest gadget to look cool.
I’m not even talking geeks, but those who need to ‘accessorize!’
The Sunday Herald Sun (14/1/2007) has two articles on the iPhone (I’m sure the papers in the days earlier had more). The first is from a mac user, Denis Marinos, who doesn’t want a phone that is more than a phone (‘Leave me off the air’), so is completely baffled as to why you’d want an all-in-one type device.
The second article is, in a way, in response to Marinos’ peice, written by Charlotte Brundrett (18->20 year old), who just has to have it (‘ Quick, I want it now’).
Brundrett explains how her parents just don’t ‘get’ that she needs (not wants) the new phone so she can keep up-to-date with the latest fashion/technology trends.
Wait a moment, latest technology? What does the iPhone have thats new tech?
At best, the touch screen…but thats been done before. All-in-one device with touch screen? Maybe, but whats that in the distance? LG’s KE850 which will be launched a few months prior to the iPhone.
Actually, Conan O’Brien has the answer:
On Wednesday, News Ltd ran a more informative piece, simply titled ‘Apple unveils its iPhone‘. A basic rundown of the features, and a few speils about Apple and the iPod.
I think my favorite line is
The iPod now commands more than a 70-percent share of the US market for MP3 digital music players.
It fails to point out that it iPod market share was up around 91%, before falling to 87% in 2004.
I wouldn’t call that commanding so much as being the captain slowly going down with the Apple ship…
Cisco also have a few dealings with the iPhone. That is, their iPhone.
Apple, apparently, have been trying to barter the trademark off them for a few years, and as they were nearing an agreement, Apple decided to announce the iPhone, and do away with Cisco.
This, of course, has lead to Apple being sued by Cisco.
As details emerge, it’d seem like Cisco may have problems with the trademark, but overall, it would appear Apple is in a weaker position.
And people think Microsoft is evil? C’mon, at least Microsoft blogs, and gets down and dirty and talks to the ‘plebs’ at CES, which is something I don’t ever recall Steve Jobs doing…
Update #2: This is an apology to Centrecom. Gmail is stupid and deletes all emails with .zip or .exe attachments, and guess what? They attached a bios. So, it wasn’t in my trash, it wasn’t in my spam box, it was plain ole not there.
Well, I’ll officially stop using Gmail rather soon, because frankly, thats bloody annoying.
Deleting the entire INCOMING email because it had an exe/zip file is stupid beyond belief.
Update #1: Apparently they had sent a reply email, on the 3rd of December (a day after they returned to work), however I never got it – they suggested spam filters might have picked it up (which I doubt, centrecom is in my contact list, therefore they shouldn’t be filtered).
I’m just waiting for them to resend it…they said they would in their reply, at 1.23pm?
Good thing I like playing the waiting game :(
Centrecom have not responded to the polite and friendly threat request for a refund on my laptop, because of the screen issue.
I sent them the below email on the 31st of December (way back in 2006, woaw?).
Dear Sir/Madam
I purchase an Asus F3JP notebook on the 3rd October 2006 (order id = 15852).
On the 25th October 2006, I started support tickets with ASUS, about a problem with the notebook, specifically, grainy image quality on the screen. That is, a solid colour (particularly grey/earthy tones) doesn’t appear solid – it appears ‘splotchy’ or ‘grainy’.
This was initially met by Asus support with ‘I’ve never heard of this problem’, but it was eventually escalated to ‘its affecting all F3 series laptops with the X1600 or X1700 GPU’.
I’ve spoken to ASUS Notebook Techs (my laptop was sent to them on the 12th December), who have confirmed that it’s a spreading problem (although paraphrasing, I was told ‘[they’re] being flooded with emails about the problem on all F3’s using X1600 and x1700’s now’). The Notebook has been returned to me without the problem being resolved.
Basically I am not happy with the situation and as Asus cannot rectify the problem, I request a refund. While I realise this puts a strain on you as the retailer, ASUS have admitted to me that it’s affecting the entire series, therefore there should be no problem with you receiving compensation from Asus.
(Note, I’ve modified this, removing the specific support tickets)
Normally, I’d just think ‘oh, they’re taking their time to respond because they must be flooded with emails because they were closed over Christmasn/New Year’, however last night (being the impatient person I am), I decided to send an email asking if they had stock of a certain item, purely to see if they were answering emails.
Sure enough, about midday, I got an email saying certain stores did.
Time to resend the email, before I snail mail it to them with less…niceness.
That’s right, I’m reduced to just one computer again.
My desktops power supply, an Antec Smart Power 2.0 500w, has begun making high pitched noises whenever power is connected to it.
A quick google shows that this is common when this PSU is about to die.
Obviously, with my headaches (and the risk of damaging the other components), I can’t have my desktop on.
While its not such an issue now that I have a laptop, I’ve been away/busy for awhile, so I was really looking forward to some gaming – which is much better (smoother/etc) on the desktop.
Oh well, this gives me time to try out Expressions.
Update: Card still isn’t in today. This time, I was told they’ve only just posted it yesterday.
I’m not well enough to be travelling in to get angry, especially with exams starting on Wednesday…but if its not in by the time I start heading home (which will be Wednesday arvo, I happen to catch a bus past the store), I’ll get very angry, and actually continue my battle against them, rather than being full of harmless steam like I am at the moment.
Well, after sending them a letter informing them I wanted a refund, or I’d take the matter to Consumer Affairs, they called me up (12/10), saying they’d spoken to MSI, and they were able to give me a 7900GT (an upgrade from the 7800GT I had)
12/10 “It’ll take a few days to be in, but should definatly be in by next wednesday”
That I could accept, thats not such an issue. However, the issue comes from the events following
18/10 “Uh, its not in yet…try..after the weekend”
23/10 “Its uhh, been sent, it just hasn’t arrived yet. So, it will be in on Wednesday (25/10), its just on a truck somewhere”
26/10 (Today) “Uh, it’ll definately be in Friday…hey, thats tomorrow!”
I know this is being pushed back as much as DukeNukem Forever (Or Neverwinter Nights 2 Multiplayer Beta’s), but its ridiculous.
If it is not in by the weeks end, I’ll tell them I’ll just resume my case against them with Consumer Affairs.
This has been dragging on for almost three weeks, I can appreciate that it takes time to get from MSI’s distribution, but giving me the run around like this is just not on.
I… don’t know what I can say. The new Dead or Alice: Xtreeme Volleyball 2 trailer is interesting. Not good interesting
I’m simply amazed that people can get a budget for such a thing.
Apart from looking terrible in all aspects apart from boobs, they don’t’ even resemble boobs physics.
There hardly even boobesque (I learnt that word in my degree on Boobology)
I feel kind of sick now.
If you actually watch the video, you’ll notice the physics is nuts. Boobs move completely randomly, and separately from each other…the hair, ugh, the girls hair moves despite them not moving.
CAD Comic creator Tim has a great diagram explaining my feelings on the matter
Lets get this clear, OS X has some damn fine points, but it also has a very dark side which Apple and its users cover up to defend their choice of operating system/hardware.
I don’t get why they are so fanatical about their systems either – the general *nix/Windows user accepts the flaws in the system, and will admit it, but no, you don’t dare insult Apple, else a pox be on you.
Apple’s suckiness has been made apparent a fair bit lately, come to think of it.
A bunch of iPod’s got infected with a virus (Windows only) because one of the machines in the manufacturing plant was infected. Apple’s response was “we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses”.
This is funny for two reasons.
First, why were they using PeeSee’s in their factory? Are you telling me..no..its not possible…Mac’s aren’t up for the job?
Secondly, Apple take every turn to attack Microsoft, and always attempt to shift the blame. What are they? Three years old?
Vista has its own spotlight – there are claims all over the net that Apple didn’t actually invent this. Anyway, those who have used Vista know how much better Window’s Search is compared to Spotlight, which isn’t nearly as integrated.
“Alt tab” now coming to Windows (which…uh…has been there for a loooong time)
“He was so anti mac”. Well. Good thing Apple would never be like that. Good thing the last Apple WDC didn’t have Steve Jobs talking about how OS X was better than Vista. Or that they had they had Anti-Vista banners for the last little while at such events. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks this.
One of the greatest comments comes from Dave, “same old you need a virus program and spyware yadda yadda yadda “. One virus, or one spyware program (if apple admitted it existed), and you’d see the species known as Apple Users wiped out.
Even if anti spyware/virus programs existed, I doubt many mac users would install it. They just don’t believe in them.
As I’ve indicated, I’m currently using my mothers computer, or my old system.
For the most part, I’m hating it – it is slow(er), it isn’t ‘mine’, and its noisey because of the cheap case.
There is, however, one part I am absolutely loving. Sound output quality.
On both ‘my’ system, and this system, onboard sound is used, hooked up to my Sennheiser HD-497′s.
My system uses a Gigabyte K8NF-9 is an nForce4 based motherboard, featuring 8 channel sound output. Compared to the Abit NF7-S, only sporting 6 channel output, as well as being nForce2 based, the Gigabyte looks like the clear winner.
Sadly, thats not the case.
On nvidia’s nForce2 boards, many boards (including the NF7-S) had ‘SoundStorm’ certification.
This meant it had to have a certain level of quality, as well as certain outputs, to be qualified as a ‘SoundStorm’ motherboard.
This was abolished for the nForce3, 4 and 5 series, although its rumoured to come back in the next generation of nVidia boards (although its been rumoued to be coming back in the ‘next’ version since it was removed).
The sound is much richer, not to mention the software is plain ole better too (there are other pro’s of the soundstorm, such as encoding stereo as a Dolby Digital stream, but I can’t test them without plugging in my speakers, which are currently tethered to the TV/STB/DVD Player)
This has, yet again, sparked my interest in getting a dedicated sound card for my rig (once its running again).
Contenders are HDA’s X-Plosion/X-Mystique – providing better music/movie quality, or Creatives X-Fi XtreemeMusic/Audigy 2/4 series, which provide better game quality through Creative’s EAX5.
Update #2: Well, I called up CAV, and then later CPL.
Although the CAV “Officer” (I don’t know what they are called?) couldn’t give me 100% certainty, after explaining the situation, she thought I would be entitled to a full refund.
I call CPL, and I was told that it was entirely up to MSI to refund/replace/whatever the card, not them. (The claim was it was a manufactures warranty. While yes, MSI do provide a warrenty, the contract I have is with the retailer in this case. Just because MSI offer a warranty, it does not overwrite the statutory rights I have)
Going on the advice of the CAV officer, I’ll write them a letter today/tomorrow, and request they refund my money within 7 days, else I’ll hand the matter over to CAV, and VTAC if I have to.
Update #1: Well, I called up, they couldn’t give me MSI’s number, and they said nothing could be done other than sending it to MSI.I then went into the store (today – 8/10). And again, I was rejected anything other than sending it to MSI.
I started telling the lady about consumer law and how I actually had more rights than she said, to which the response was ‘I know about consumer law‘.
The best bit was what followed ‘Within 7 days we can do a refund, after that, we cannot‘, which, if you’ve read any consumer law document on refunds, specifically uses ‘7 day refund only‘ as an example of a breach of the Trade Practices Act.
I pointed out this, and various other things, she scurried away to her manager, who said they couldn’t do anything until the ‘Warrenty Manager’ was around – and she doesnt’ work weekends.
So, I’ll be calling back tomorrow. If I don’t get a resolution from them tomorrow, I’ll immediatly call up CAV and ask them to help me out.
Earlier in the year I bought me a shiny new computer.
I was super excited about it.AMD Althon X2 3800+, 1gb (2×512) PC3200 OCZ Value Ram Kit (which is now a 2gb – 2x1gb – Team Xtreeme Kit), MSI 7800GT, Gigabyte K8NF-9.
It was a huge step up from my 512mb (2×256!) PC2100, Althon XP 2600+, 256mb 9600Pro.
My old system was considered a ‘mainstream‘ system – every part was a mainstream/budget part, and not an enthusiast/’hardcore‘ gamer part, while my new system..my new system, well, ever component in it was a gamer/enthusiast bit (although not ‘top of the line‘).
I saw performance that to this day, I still fully appreciate.
There isn’t a game out that I can’t run…and run well at that (okay, excluding Oblivion).Over time I’ve upgraded various other parts of my computer – I replaced my 17″ CRT for a 20″ Widescreen Dell LCD – I replaced my $20 2.1 speakers with Logitech’s Z-5400 Digital 5.1 speakers, a new burner (old one just stopped burning, and I’ve had reports that its now starting to stop reading!), and thats about it.
For the most part, everything has been fantastic – except my video card.
so…pretty…
MSI seem to have shocking quality control issues.
My graphics card originally had a weird problem, that once or twice a month, it’d decide to give a weird graphical glitch, and shut down my computer.
No big deal, I thought, it only happens once in a blue moon – or twice in a purple moon. Thats where I was wrong.
The problem persisted, and slowly got worse - from once a month, to once a week, to once a day.I returned the card to the store (CPL), and it was sent to MSI to ‘repair‘.
In the end, it was replaced.
I was happy again, the XFX 7600GT (which is a fantastic card for the money) could finally be put into my girlfriends computer, and I’d have my 7800GT (sorry, 7600GT’s don’t cut it in 1680×1050) back and functional. I was right, for a week. After which time, I started to develop artifacts, and a similar locking up to the first card.
The artifacts weren’t the same, oh no, they were the ‘common‘ artifacts.
Believe it or not, this is a screenshot from my computer, after 15mins usage
The card is faulty.
Right now? I can boot into Windows for about half an hour, before a) the screen is unreadable from artifacts, or b) the computer locks up.
Games? You’re kidding me, thats an instant lock up.
So where does this leave me?
I’ve posted on Whirlpool about the problem, and I’ve recieved some helpful advice.
I’m going to call up CPL, and (politely) ask for a full refund, which I expect they’ll refuse, so I’ll ask (again, politely) for a partial refund so I can buy an ‘equivalent’ video card (which will probably also be refused), so I’ll ask for MSI’s number.
If I get nowhere from there, I’ll call CPL back up, and start mentioning their obligations to the consumer under the trade practices acts (both Federal and State Consumer Affairs documentation leans to being on my side).
I’ll possibly call up Consumer Affairs Victoria before calling CPL the second time.
