Does your N800 have a touchscreen issue? [Archive] - maemo.org

Adam_n800

03-16-2007, 02:20 PM

The old firmware had issues with lagging on unresponsiveness but you can go to Nokia's website and download an application which will update your n800 solving the touchscreen problem.

Having said this, I know someone who works in Home Automation and he told me if devices like tablets with touchscreens have issues with buttons not being responsive this may be caused by screen damage. What happens is that some people use the stylus more than the finger tip which results in faster wear of the screen. So the people who are complaining that their screen has problems it could be because they use the stylus too much and put too much pressure on the gel type film which damages the cells of the screen. It's kind of similar to a computer keyboard fialiar, some people press the keys too hard and damage the thin film layer inside which contains all the data.

I've had the n800 for about 2 and a half weeks now and I have no problems. Another note: if you are a new comer to the n800 and what to dabble with installing apps on the device dont just delve right in because others are doing the same. If you do purchase the n800 in my opinion you should only install proper full released and tested softwares not beta 3rd party ones, this could potentially leave your device as a miere paper weight.

But I wouldnt let this issue put you off, the only issue I have with the n800 is not finding a free wifi hotspot in London, most of the ones I come across outside you have to be a monthly subscriber not like the ones on the train where you pay for by half hour, 1 hr slots.

markku

03-16-2007, 02:30 PM

Hi. Yes, I have pressure dead zone on right side of touchscreen. It's slowly getting worse but I'm not going to send it yet to repair because I need it at work everyday. Besides it's not clear how long it will take to repair and I'm waiting the new software update to see if flashing will correct it. My N800 have software version which is not possible to get downloaded and flashed so I'll have to wait to get the newer update. N800 is really good but it will be better in future. Maybe it's better to wait a little while...

Markku

tabletfan

03-16-2007, 02:36 PM

The old firmware had issues with lagging on unresponsiveness but you can go to Nokia's website and download an application which will update your n800 solving the touchscreen problem.

I went to the Nokia support site, but can't find the app to solve the touchscreen problem. Can you provide a link to the touchscreen fix? TIA

geneven

03-16-2007, 03:19 PM

As I understood the comment about the touchscreen "fix", he was saying that flashing to the latest version of the software would fix it. I think that most recent purchasers have the most recent version already Perhaps there is a future improvement coming -
- I don't have a touchscreen problem that I know of anyway.

markku

03-16-2007, 04:04 PM

The touchscreen works over-all well but it's the right side that's getting worse and that's the area where is browser up/down slider. There's no scratch on screen yet so it's durable, 770 screen got two nasty scratch on it and those came easy, too easy. Sometimes the N800 screen is working better sometimes not. That's why I think it's depended on software, again I might be truly wrong about that. Anyway , it's something that will be fixed and maybe I'll have to take it to service finally . We'll see.

cryos

03-16-2007, 04:14 PM

Hi all! :)
I bought my N800 today and until now no dead zones (!!). Nonetheless, the vertical scroll is evidently less sensitive than the orizontal, so I voted Yes to this poll. I hope things won't get worse :/

Milhouse

03-16-2007, 05:35 PM

I can only vote once, but I've got two N800s both of which have poor pressure sensitivity (both on the right, and the second in the middle also). The first has gone back to Nokia (two days ago) and if it comes back with a perfectly functioning touchscreen (as it should have been from day #1) I'll send in the second for the same repair (this N800 also has a dodgey webcam and the retainer for the internal memory card is loose and doesn't click into place - great quality control there, Nokia!) ;)

The thing about this problem is that I bet a lot of people don't realise they have it - which is fine - but once you notice you have it, it really p!sses you off! :)

Adam_n800

03-16-2007, 05:57 PM

hmm alot of people seem to be saying the same thing, that there is a problem in the right corner so this could be down to its hardware. You'll just have to wait for a fix dedicated to this issue.

Bossyboots if you dont have OS 2007 edition v. 2.2006.51-6 then go this link to download the application which will update you to the latest one, which if just a firmware issue should resolve it.

http://europe.nokia.com/A4305010

bossyboots

03-20-2007, 02:32 PM

40% with the problem! Quite high, maybe, I hope, skewed by only those with the problem reading the thread. Though at least shows 60% don't have the issue at all, so chances are I should be ok.

jonstatt

03-21-2007, 11:02 AM

Hmmm....I don't have any issue about sensitivity at the top right or bottom right....but I do notice at the middle right edge, that I have to press a little bit harder for a reaction.

To see this, try clicking in the middle of the screen as gently as you can...find the minimum pressure that makes a cllick sound. Then try this at the right edge...I find it requires a little more pressure.

I would not have seen this as a fault though until I read this thread...and just assumed it wasn't as perfect as it could be.

Texrat

03-21-2007, 12:20 PM

This forum has the natural tendency to highlight problems, producing the impression that they are more pervasive than they really are. Plus, the poll is very broad... "sensitivity issues" is too big a bucket to get an accurate reading on individual issues, which can differ.

9a6or

03-21-2007, 03:52 PM

There were some pretty accurate reports of this problem in the thread mentioned in the original post (#1) supported by convincing screenshots of MaemoPad+ suggesting reduced sensitivity mostly along the right edge. Regardless of the results of this poll, the problem does exist.

I've just got back my 770 from warranty replacement of its screen but as a "side-effect" the screw covers got marked and the bottom plastic panel is broken. I'll think twice before letting a technician touch my N800...

Texrat

03-21-2007, 05:05 PM

Please don't take my comments to say that there is no problem.

geneven

03-21-2007, 05:48 PM

If there are ever problems with no response after clicking, they are often going to be along the right, because I spend a lot more time clicking there than anywhere else.

Sometimes my whole N800 seems to pause, like it's thinking or swapping. I think that's normal, and has nothing to do with screen sensitivity, but it is possible that someone might incorrectly identify it as having to do with sensitivity.

I am pretty sure that I don't have this problem. I am using the N800 many hours a day.

k.o.s.

03-21-2007, 07:38 PM

Hey if I buy one now is there a better chance I wont end up with a deffective n800? And if there is can I take it back for an exchange for a new one? Btw how long is the warrenty?

Milhouse

03-21-2007, 10:47 PM

That's the information we need from Nokia, to be honest. Is this an ongoing problem or has it been rectified on the production line?

EwanG

03-28-2007, 07:32 PM

Well, after a month of intermittent use, my N800's touchscreen has completely stopped working. I know the machine isn't frozen because I can still navigate with the controls on the left. Even running calibration again doesn't activate it.

Is there a way to reboot the tablet in case some setting is just stuck? I'd hate to think I have a $400 boat anchor...

Milhouse

03-28-2007, 09:09 PM

Have you got any protective screens in place - they can sometimes confuse the touchscreen layer if too thick, and should be removed if you are having problems.

If you don't have a protective layer or removing it makes no difference, then...

Step 1. Pull the battery for 5 seconds then power up the device

If that doesn't work...

Step 2. Reflash the device using the last known good firmware

If that doesn't work...

Step 3. Return to Nokia (warranty repair) or place of purchase (refund or replace) :(

EwanG

03-28-2007, 11:09 PM

Have you got any protective screens in place - they can sometimes confuse the touchscreen layer if too thick, and should be removed if you are having problems.

Don't use those for just that concern. Of course maybe I should have.

Step 1. Pull the battery for 5 seconds then power up the device

Tried that.

Step 2. Reflash the device using the last known good firmware

Actually, went ahead and upgraded thinking it might be some issue with the older version. No help.

Step 3. Return to Nokia (warranty repair) or place of purchase (refund or replace) :(

TigerDirect refuses to allow returns of the N800 after 3 days (so they told me). Wonder why...

So guess it's Nokia after all. I presume if I go to their web site all the info is there for getting service?

Thanks,
Ewan

Milhouse

03-29-2007, 12:43 AM

Maybe - I'm in the UK, and it sounds like you might be in Canada. I believe there may be some issues about warranty support as I don't think N800s are officialy available in Canada (from Nokia) and you may therefore have to send it to a US repair centre, who then won't ship it back to a Canada address, or something like that. :(

There are a few other Canadian owners lurking here, hopefully they can offer more useful advice. :)

EwanG

03-29-2007, 09:29 AM

Milhouse

03-29-2007, 11:03 AM

It's not a problem affecting everyone, but yes some of us do have the problem and to a lesser extent than yourself, most of us seem to have limited pressure sensitivity in a narrow area covering the vertical scroll bar - the touchscreen does work, we just need to press harder in that particular area.

Your case is different as it sounds like a total failure of the touchscreen and I've not seen that problem reported elsewhere. I would suggest you get it repaired by Nokia - it's an in-warranty repair, so Nokia shouldn't charge you a penny to fix it.

TA-t3

03-29-2007, 11:17 AM

My unit has no screen issues so far (knock on wood). My unit is Made in Finland.

Texrat

03-29-2007, 11:23 AM

Actually I'm in the US, but it turns out there are no Nokia Authorized Service Centers in San Antonio, TX. Evidently a city of a million people isn't big enough...

After reading their warranty info (I pay for postage both ways, they'll charge a flat $15 for looking at it, and if they determine it is my fault they'll then tell me what the charge would be), I'm thinking it isn't worth turning it in. Why? Because this thread and some other forums I've read lead me to believe that this is a problem with the N800 in general, not just unlucky me.

That said, if I could figure out how to launch the web browser without using the touchscreen, I'd probably still keep the unit. Can anyone figure out a way to do that using the built in controls? Otherwise it's probably time to turn to eBay and see what I can get for it as a "for parts" unit.

I'm just glad I found this out BEFORE I recommended this to a hospital consortium that I was doing research on touch screen data access solutions for. Being out $400 is bad enough. Getting sued for making a bad choice would be worse :D

Sorry for your experience, but I can guarantee you what you report is NOT a general problem. In fact, it has occurred in a very small number of units, not nearly enough to be statistically significant. What you're seeing here that makes it LOOK pervasive is the concentration of early adopters who are reporting similar problems. Assuming the seemingly disporportionate number of problems in this thread represents the whole is a common mistake but a mistake nonetheless.

I would advise you return the unit for repair/replacement. Touchscreen defects were discovered in early lots and the root cause corrected. Ergo, more recent and future production runs will not exhibit this problem.

neiljerram

03-29-2007, 02:59 PM

I would advise you return the unit for repair/replacement. Touchscreen defects were discovered in early lots and the root cause corrected. Ergo, more recent and future production runs will not exhibit this problem.

Could we please have an official statement from Nokia on this, and ideally a problem tracking number that a Nokia service centre will understand?

I realize that you're acting as our kinda-Nokia-information-conduit here, Texrat, but for this problem I think we need something a bit more solid and attributable.

My N800 has the touchscreen problem, and I'd love if it could be straightforwardly fixed, but I really don't want to spend ages explaining the problem to an uninformed service centre person, if there's a Nokia number somewhere that would identify the problem and necessary course of action precisely.

- Neil

Texrat

03-29-2007, 03:47 PM

Could we please have an official statement from Nokia on this, and ideally a problem tracking number that a Nokia service centre will understand?

I realize that you're acting as our kinda-Nokia-information-conduit here, Texrat, but for this problem I think we need something a bit more solid and attributable.

My N800 has the touchscreen problem, and I'd love if it could be straightforwardly fixed, but I really don't want to spend ages explaining the problem to an uninformed service centre person, if there's a Nokia number somewhere that would identify the problem and necessary course of action precisely.

- Neil

I wish I could give you more info, but I'm not in that position, sorry. All I can do is assure you that my knowledge IS solid, attributable to first-hand observed fact, and from there you're free to accept or refuse it. Not trying to be rude, but that is the best I can do given my circumstances.

neiljerram

03-29-2007, 06:18 PM

I wish I could give you more info, but I'm not in that position, sorry. All I can do is assure you that my knowledge IS solid, attributable to first-hand observed fact, and from there you're free to accept or refuse it. Not trying to be rude, but that is the best I can do given my circumstances.

I understand that you can't do more publically in this forum than you are already doing. But can you perhaps encourage people at Nokia to make an official announcement about this, with a reference that I can take to a service centre?

(Does Nokia operate this way with their phones too, or is this particular to how they're handling Internet Tablets?)

By the way, by "attributable" I meant a number or name that I can quote to a service person. With respect, I don't think it would be effective if I said "there's this guy called Texrat on the forum, who says that ...". I didn't mean to dispute that your understanding of this issue is based in fact.

- Neil

Texrat

03-29-2007, 06:49 PM

I understand that you can't do more publically in this forum than you are already doing. But can you perhaps encourage people at Nokia to make an official announcement about this, with a reference that I can take to a service centre?

(Does Nokia operate this way with their phones too, or is this particular to how they're handling Internet Tablets?)

By the way, by "attributable" I meant a number or name that I can quote to a service person. With respect, I don't think it would be effective if I said "there's this guy called Texrat on the forum, who says that ...". I didn't mean to dispute that your understanding of this issue is based in fact.

- Neil

You can safely assume that I do communicate issues along proper channels. It would irresponsible of me not to. Never assume, however, that lack of formal announcement means that no one in the know (such as myself) has passed along the info-- sometimes it gets lost going upstream, sometimes people disagree with the originator on criticality, sometimes there's a political decision to keep certain info private, etc. *shrug*

As for phones vs tablets, I can't speak for the entire organization, just my small slice of things, but I can safely say that the tablets have indeed been treated somewhat differently than phones because they are different by their very nature. A good example is the confusion of many employees who don't understand this (despite communications intended to educate) and want to treat the tablet like a phone in reverse logistics activities. In addition, there are no carriers involved, necessitating a very different retail channel, and one that Nokia is really not that familiar with in the US. There are other factors as well.

And I had a good idea what you meant by 'attributable'-- I was being slightly facetious in my reply. ;)

EDIT: also, you must keep in mind that problems are corrected as a product goes on. So if defects are observed during production, efforts are put into place to identify cause, implement corrective/preventive action and to exercise containment. However, if product has already been released to the wild prior to defect discovery, containment can be difficult. Very early in production it isn't practical to implement a recall so companies tend to elect to handle returns on an individual basis. That's where the touchscreen issues are.

neiljerram

03-29-2007, 07:45 PM

You can safely assume that I do communicate issues along proper channels.

Thank you.

Very early in production it isn't practical to implement a recall so companies tend to elect to handle returns on an individual basis.

Which is fine, so long as there is an effective procedure for handling an individual return. As it happens, there is a Nokia service centre less than 5 minutes walk from my house, so I'll try taking the issue there and see what happens.

If they say "oh yes, an N800 internet tablet", and that takes them a list of known issues, and then they say "oh yes, reduced touchscreen sensitivity down the right hand edge of the screen, we'll have it repaired for you in a couple of days", I'll be jolly impressed, and everything that you have said will have been vindicated.

If they say "hmm, can I take a look, let's just see if it gets a dial tone", that's just not good enough.

If it's somewhere inbetween, like they have a rough idea that it's a tablet and not a phone, and that there's someone in the Brussels office who has a list of known tablet issues, but that list hasn't been entrusted to them, so they can send it off but can't say exactly what will happen ... that probably won't be good enough for me either. I'll probably prefer to live with the defect than to risk unpredictable consequences of organizational dysfunction.

I'll report back what actually happens!

- Neil

Milhouse

03-29-2007, 08:49 PM

Anyone got a direct line telephone number for Nokia UK Internet Tablet support?

The Nokia Helpdesk is outsourced and have no direct contact with Nokia. The outsourcing company arranged a pick up of my N800 TWO WEEKS ago and I've not got a tracking number to determine if Nokia have now received it.

I called the "Nokia Helpdesk" to find out the latest situation, only to find they rely on an automated telephone answering system tailored entirely around mobile phones - Internet Tablets are not mobile phones, and there is no option in the telephone system menu to get through to a knowledgable operative. So, I press zero until eventually the menu system realises I'm p!ssed off and puts me through to an operator - an operator who doesn't have a freaking clue what an Internet Tablet is. Eventually after much explanation the operator puts me through to some random telephone extension where I leave a voicemail message asking for a reply, but it seems to have been a waste of time - they didn't call back.

Basically, my N800 has disappeared into a black hole and Nokia appear incapable of accepting responsibility. Fscking joke. Milhouse is not happy. :(

If you send your N800 to Nokia UK, make sure you obtain the full name of the person you speak to, a full reference number, online tracking details and also their inside leg measurements.

My experience of Nokia Support? It's a fcking shambles, Nokia Support is incapable of providing support for anything that isn't a mobile phone. Nokia - get your sh1t together.

:(

Seb Per

03-30-2007, 02:44 AM

Actually I report 2 issues with my touchscreen

1- The LEFT side and the BOTTOM side are softer than the rest of the screen. THere is a 5 mm stripe (all along left edge) and 5 mm stripe (all along bottom edge) where the screen is definitely "spongy". THe rest of the touchscreen is hard. You can hear the difference of the sound physically produced and also in the response I get in my fingers. Analogy: tapping with a knife on a sponge compared with tapping with the same knife on a window.

NOTE: this is an issue, but not PROBLEM. it does not prevent me from typing and the speed of response is the same. But still, one get s a feeling of "unperfection".

2- After UPDATING to the latest OS version, the touchscreen started to emit a acoustic noise when typing with the stylus or the finger:
- when stylus/finger is touching
- 1 second or so after having stopped typing (as long as I type, no noise is produced).

this noise (exactly similar to the one produced by the head of diamond of the vinyl record player touched the record) seems to me of electrostatic source, and cab heard in the headphones. This issue is a PROBLEM. it s annoying.

S

luketoh

03-30-2007, 03:17 AM

yes, i noticed this static sound in the background whenever some system sound occurs. Eg. whenever a beep or something activates the speakers, there is a hissing background noise as well.

Luke

Milhouse

03-30-2007, 04:33 AM

luketoh

03-30-2007, 04:39 AM

Hi Milhouse,

Yes, I suppose so. I didn't really pay attention with the previous firmware, so I can only say for certain with the 3.2007.10-7 one. Thanks for raising it!

Luke

EwanG

03-30-2007, 09:26 AM

I would advise you return the unit for repair/replacement. Touchscreen defects were discovered in early lots and the root cause corrected. Ergo, more recent and future production runs will not exhibit this problem.

Well, here's the thing. I bought the unit as part of a review of options for a client. It came out of my fund, so I had hoped to be able to continue to use it, but I'm not going to live or die based on having it. To be honest, if I can find a way to use it WITHOUT using the touchscreen, then that would be my preference. Perhaps Nokia is different from the Tablet PC world, but every unit I've ever returned to a Toshiba or an HP or a Gateway that had a defective touchscreen I or one of my clients have been told that it was the "user" who was at fault. So I'm not keen to spend more money on something that I originally bought for limited use anyway.

The other issue, is the client recommendation. I appreciate that it is now being claimed that future production runs won't have a problem. But I didn't do an evaluation using a future production unit, and I can hardly ask my client to wait while I try to determine if that's correct or not. Which is a pity, because the N800 seems to meet a lot of their needs if I could reasonably assure them that if they bought a large number of units that they wouldn't constantly be sending them in. Particularly since they are based here, and so would have the same problem about not being able to get quick turn around in service.

So, that's the POV I was writing from. I hope that clarifies why I'm reluctant to send my unit in, and disappointed both that there isn't a local Nokia service center and that this problem had not been fixed before the initial production run.

FWIW...

Seb Per

03-30-2007, 10:08 AM

Regarding the sound, I raised bug #1040 (https://maemo.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=1040) (2 seconds of noise after any audio) when using the original firmware. There has been no improvement with 3.2007.10-7, still 2 seconds of noise.

Does this bug cover the issue you are discussing?

Hello,

Yes, except that this did not happen with the prior OS version. I m 100% sure.

Or could the problem emerge because of the USB cable when updating has "charged" the n800 electrostatically?

I have a friend in Nokia Quality control Management . He s going to grin...

Texrat

03-30-2007, 11:00 AM

So, that's the POV I was writing from. I hope that clarifies why I'm reluctant to send my unit in, and disappointed both that there isn't a local Nokia service center and that this problem had not been fixed before the initial production run.

FWIW...

Understood... but in reading many of the complaints I get the feeling that there's a general misunderstanding over how the consumer devices industry works-- especially when the device in question is new.

There is always a risk that the Unknown will impact the first units distributed. Not necessarily the first ones produced, because test launch tends to occur under a microscope. During trial runs the bugs are expected to be ironed out so that consumers won't see defects-- and for the most part that works.

The problems such as those you guys are seeing typically occur when the process has been proven out but some fluke occurs-- in this case, with a supplier. It's not cost effective anymore to do 100% incoming screening so what's called an AQL (acceptable quality level) inspection is performed that balances the expectations of the customer against the needs of production. 95% of the time this is effective-- which is what I base my own confidence on here (not to mention direct experience with thousands of N800s).

Now, what can happen (and did) is that a supplier provides a defective component (touchscreen) but due to luck of the draw the small number of products affected are not found in the AQL sample. Now, AQL sampling is designed to provide a significant level of confidence that you are failing an inspection for the right reasons-- NOT to justify passing it (the default).

Next, that small batch of missed defective products is shipped out to the wild and stocked at various retailers, in all probability widely dispersed. Early adopters, unwilling to wait for the market to shake out such typical occurances, unwittingly buy the initial defective devices. Their next recourse is to congregate in a forum such as this one, creating the perception that the problem is pervasive. However, before they've even done so, the issue has been discovered internally as more are produced and corrective/preventive/containment measures are taken. Early in a device's life there won't be enough in the wild to justify a recall, so cases are handled as they are brought up. If this had happened later, odds are there would be many, many more devices affected and a recall would be more likely.

Now, that's all well and good IF the company involved has a robust reverse logistics system, which Nokia does in the case of phones. However, for reasons unknown to even me, gaps occurred with the tablets. I will make no excuse for this. There are the usual contributing factors, but they should have been addressed. The one comment I will reiterate is that, unfortunately, the tablet was launched just as its original packing factory was being shut down. No doubt that contributed to some issues-- but it also supports my assertion that many defects are "blips" that, once the new factory gets used to the product, will smooth out.

Bad devices happen. I can guarantee you all that there are no more than 5% defectives out there, period, and this is acceptable to most consumer device manufacturers. If that wasn't the case, cost would be significantly higher-- we'd be talking about a $600 USD tablet, not $400. That said, the repair/replacement process needs fixing. I am not happy that you all have encountered problems there. I will do what I can in that area but it isn't much I'm afraid. I suggest you all make as much noise with Nokia as possible, in any reasonable venue. BUT: keep in mind angry rants are counterproductive. You need to keep your complaints objective and fact-based.

Sorry for the "novel". I'm hoping it helped.

EDIT: and please note that I in no way meant a slam at "early adopters"-- I'm one myself. ;)

phi

03-30-2007, 11:20 AM

So if I bought an n800 today, would this specific issue have been fixed by now?

Seb Per

03-30-2007, 11:20 AM

Texrat

03-30-2007, 11:25 AM

Texrat,

This is an excellent Production approach explanation. However let's not forget another factor based on the consumer/end-user approach: disapointment/frustration is proportional to expectation so variation in quality fulfillment may be artificial boosted.

SP

Absolutely. Many of my colleagues often forget that Perception = Everything. ;)

And to the other poster: the original problem was, as I've said earlier, contained and corrected. Only very early releases were impacted. The actual damage was minimal, although not to public perception, of course. :(

treasonx

03-31-2007, 12:50 AM

I thought I had aproblem tonight at work. The right side of my screen was off by about 2cm. I tried calibrating it but it didnt work. Then I uninstalled maemomapper because that was the last thing that I installed on the tablet before the problem and everything is back to normal.

Something is screwy with that software..

Milhouse

03-31-2007, 01:22 PM

Only very early releases were impacted. The actual damage was minimal, although not to public perception, of course. :(

Both my N800s have pressure sensitivity issues, the first purchased on day of launch and the second at the end of January so thats at least an entire month of production that may be affected.

Good to know it's now no longer an issue. All I need to do now is track down someone in Nokia UK who can tell me what has happened to the first device I returned for it's touchscreen pressure repair, over 2 weeks ago - nobody seems able to find it. If it ever comes back fixed, I'll send in the second. :)

Texrat

03-31-2007, 04:02 PM

Yeah, Mil, I feel terrible about your experience. Frustrates the heck out of me when I see that the repair chain isn't working...

However, do note that the tablets are produced in large lots, so even if you purchased your tablets weeks apart you could still be buying from the same batch (ie, made on the same day)-- and given that I expect the problematic tablets to be clustered, your experience actually makes perfect sense. That still doesn't make me happy, though. :(

EwanG

03-31-2007, 06:12 PM

FWIW, I went ahead and sent mine into Huntsville (the repair shop that comes up on the form) via second day air. So we'll see if I just wasted $20 on shipping and insurance or not.

Based on re-reading this thread, I did a recalibrate, and realized that the touchscreen is working, but that presses on the device's right side aren't getting registered all the time. So it looks like it actually is the same problem.

Texrat

03-31-2007, 10:08 PM

Ewan, I apologize for not suggesting a recalibrate. That was an oversight on my part. Glad you got it anyway.

Anyway, I hope your device comes back working as it should soon.

Milhouse

04-02-2007, 09:12 AM

Yeah, Mil, I feel terrible about your experience. Frustrates the heck out of me when I see that the repair chain isn't working...

Made real progress today. I spoke to a service rep at the third-party firm Nokia UK use to handle repairs, only to find they have shipped my N800 to another firm for the actual repair. So I called the repair firm who - after asking me for an IMEI number blah blah - confirmed they have "Replaced the LCD, tested and calibrated".

Woohoo! It should be on it's way back to me in a day or two so I should find out perhaps Thursday or Friday if the touchscreen has actually been fixed by replacing the LCD. :)

Texrat

04-02-2007, 10:40 AM

Good to hear, Mil! :)

EwanG

04-09-2007, 05:53 PM

Well, several days after UPS claims that my N800 was delivered to the Repair Depot in Alabama, and no one can tell me if it actually was received by anyone there, or what the status was. Which is rather confirming my concern with going the repair route at this point...

Oh well, at least I can sit here and pretend to be using my N800... :D

munky261

04-09-2007, 05:58 PM

i bought my N800 in the middle of march and havent had any touchscreen issues at all.

Milhouse

04-10-2007, 10:19 AM

My N800 is in "quarantine" - I swear I removed the memory cards with all my videos... :)

Apparently "quarantine" is where the repairs are checked to ensure the fault is corrected, which is nice. The workshop manager is being chased for an update as the turn around is supposed to be 7-10 days and my device arrived 16 March.

EwanG

04-10-2007, 05:51 PM

At least you know where yours is. After getting a lawyer involved to "educate" Nokia on the law as regards "Theft by Conversion", I finally got the following:

Thank you for your response.

We understand your inquiry in regards to obtaining the repair status for your Nokia N800 Internet Tablet.

We have placed an order with the repair facility to obtain the repair status for your Nokia N800 Internet Tablet. Please allow 3-5 business days for a response.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience.

:mad:

I can guarantee that I will NEVER buy another Nokia product after this, and that all my current and past clients are going to be made aware that they should only buy Nokia products if they can afford to write-off broken items. Because this level of "support" is horrible. I've had better experiences with Dell, and I don't like Dell (usually recommend IBM... guess why...).

If there's anyone at Nokia listening, I would be worried less about whether Java enhances the user experience or not, and more worried about getting the repair chain fixed.

Milhouse

04-10-2007, 11:39 PM

I think that, as has been stated elsewhere, the problem is Nokia are geared up to repair mobile phones and the Tablets are a bit of a curve ball (to use American sporting parlance which I don't fully understand!)

I suspect Dell are good at fixing computers, but may not be so hot when asked to repair an esoteric device they've only recently introduced and have only sold in (relative) small quantities.

I'm not excusing Nokia here - they should be excellent at repairing everything they sell - I'm just trying to put it into some sort of context. Not that it helps much. ;) I have this vision where the Nokia computer system demands an IMEI number for every device that is received for repair, and the poor repair techs have to use a manual work around just to process Internet Tablets as Nokia haven't bothered to update their tracking software since they believe the cost outweighs the problem.

I totally agree that Nokia need to focus on improving the repair chain if they intend to continue with Internet Tablets in future - the reality is that Nokia needs to reinvent itself as a "devices" company as it is no longer just a "mobile phone" company.

Texrat

04-14-2007, 11:43 PM

The best way for Nokia to improve is to receive good, solid, informative feedback. The complaints directed here need to also go there. It's unfortunate that people here are experiencing this and I don't mean to be a buttwad for saying it, but this does tend to be the experience of early adopters. :/

On a positive note, I repaired a bad touchscreen problem by myself with no instructions! I described the adventure in another post somewhere...

I have this vision where the Nokia computer system demands an IMEI number for every device that is received for repair, and the poor repair techs have to use a manual work around just to process Internet Tablets as Nokia haven't bothered to update their tracking software since they believe the cost outweighs the problem.

Ooo, very good guess. I think you miss on the motive, but the cause... well... :x

jpj

04-15-2007, 01:59 AM

The best way for Nokia to improve is to receive good, solid, informative feedback. The complaints directed here need to also go there.

Hi Texrat, I'd be happy to relate my own experience with the repair snafu (still ongoing) to any appropriate channels. Where might that be? Feel free to post me privately if you don't want to open the floodgates too widely.

EwanG

04-15-2007, 12:10 PM

I did reply with my concerns to the "Eight Question" feedback they give for service. But if it's like most organizations, that's used more to evaluate the support people than to evaluate if the company itself has issues.

I would also be more than "happy" to relate a more extensive version of my trials and travails to another location if there's some assurance that I'm sending it to someone who can make a difference.

As for the touchpad repair, I'd love to read the story if you can figure out where you posted it. So I can see if it's something I could have tried rather than what has ended up happening.

Oh, and as far as that goes, Nokia has indicated that they've decided that I need a new unit, but can't tell me when they will have one in stock, and/or when it will ship. Wish I could get people to pay me $400 and then tell them they might get their merchandise some day, possibly, in the future. I find it somewhat telling that they never state that they actually found the old unit...

Texrat

04-15-2007, 12:31 PM

Hi Texrat, I'd be happy to relate my own experience with the repair snafu (still ongoing) to any appropriate channels. Where might that be? Feel free to post me privately if you don't want to open the floodgates too widely.

There was an email address on maemo... I forget it offhand, something like qa@maemo.org. That's one venue. Another is Dr. Jaaksi's blog. Right now it's filling up with venting...

I did reply with my concerns to the "Eight Question" feedback they give for service. But if it's like most organizations, that's used more to evaluate the support people than to evaluate if the company itself has issues.

In this case it's both, although obviously not the company as a whole but rather this specific segment.

manux

04-16-2007, 05:54 PM

I took my N800 to Nokia Flagship Store in Helsinki. It seems that problem was well known to the tech support staff over there, because they did not need any extensive explanations about what's wrong with the device. The support person told me that, to his knowledge, there has been at least one complaint about the same issue. He said the device should be back fixed within a week.

Texrat

04-16-2007, 07:17 PM

As I suspected, the Americas reorganization and plant closures *could* be affecting the repair chain. That wouldn't explain issues in England and elsewhere.

Milhouse

04-16-2007, 07:31 PM

Nah, the UK repair chain is just very poor at communicating and certainly is in no hurry to ship back a device that has been fixed over two weeks ago! :) I phoned them on Friday and they said I should have it Tuesday at the latest. Yeah right. ;)

The repair chain in the UK are probably not used to dealing with individuals as most people "buy" phones as part of a contract with the network or through a retailer - if the phone develops a fault, it's down to the network/retailer to fix the phone by organising the repair with a Nokia repair center. I'm sure the experience for a business is better than it is if you attempt to go this route on your own. Quite often you get a replacement phone no questions asked, so any delays due to the repair chain are irrelevant although the one time I did have to get a Nokia phone repaired (via a retailer) it took about 3 weeks - I borrowed a shop phone in the meantime, a horrible brick of a phone! :)

EwanG

04-17-2007, 12:01 PM

Here's the latest email I have had to send Nokia as they are still unable to provide a date when I can expect to receive a returned unit. I have also been asked to see if there are other residents of the state of Texas who have been similarly inconvenienced to determine if broader action is necessary:

To Whom It May Concern:

Having already paid $400 for a Nokia Tablet on March 16th, having received said Tablet on March 20th, having turned in same tablet on March 30th with certified delivery on April 4th to your authorized repair depot, and having waited over two weeks with no notification of when I will receive either a repaired item or a replacement item, I am afraid that your inability to provide a date certain when I will receive said item is in violation of the consumer protection statutes here in the state of Texas.

I would prefer not to have to begin legal proceedings to assert these rights, but I must insist that you either provide a date certain when you will deliver a repaired or replacement unit of at least equal value to the item I sent to be repaired, or that you provide me the name, address, and phone number of your legal representative who my private council, and the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Texas may be able to contact to begin such proceedings.

If I do not receive an adequate response with 24 hours of this email being sent, I will understand that Nokia would prefer to handle this matter through the courts, and will make sure to instruct my attorney to take all actions necessary to protect my rights under the state statutes.

Respectfully,
Ewan Grantham

cc: {Name Withheld}, Texas Attorney General's Office
{Name Withheld}, Esq.

Milhouse

04-17-2007, 03:43 PM

Best of luck EwanG! :) I hope you get your device back soon, but I'd also like to see Nokia get a legal kick up the @rse for the appalling level of service they are giving you guys.

And surprise surprise, my repaired N800 yet again did not arrive today. Maybe I need to consider threatening legal action myself for the return of my property as Nokia seem unwilling to return it to me! :)

EwanG

04-18-2007, 12:50 PM

And here we have Nokia's response:

Dear Ewan ,

Thank you for your response.

We apologize for the delay in responding to your e-mail message and greatly appreciate your patience.

We understand your concern in regards to the repair status of your Nokia N800 Internet Tablet.

Ewan, we do apologize, however, we are not able to determine the exact date your Nokia N800 Internet Tablet will be available. Your Internet Tablet has been ordered. Please continue to monitor our web site at www.nokiausa.com for updates.

As stated in the user guide under the warranty section:

"Nokia will repair the Product under the limited warranty within 30 days after receipt of the Product. If Nokia cannot perform repairs covered under this limited warranty within 30 days, or after a reasonable number of attempts to repair the same defect, Nokia at its option, will provide a replacement Product or refund the purchase price of the Product less a reasonable amount for usage. In some states the Consumer may have the right to a loaner if the repair of the Product
takes more than ten (10) days."

If you have any additional questions, please contact us. To ensure proper handling, please continue to use the current subject line.

Thank you for choosing Nokia for your mobile needs.

Tiffany
E-mail Specialist
Nokia Inc.

---

Yeah, I know, I'm in one of those states that has the right to a loaner. In fact, in Texas the current behavior by Nokia could be prosecuted under either "Theft by Conversion" or as their not abiding by several consumer protection statutes.

Evidently they didn't take me very seriously, and I guess I shouldn't be surprised. We'll see if they take a letter from my lawyer seriously - but he's pretty sure that they won't pay attention until we get a ruling in the appropriate court here in Texas and then put a lien against some of their offices. It's amazing how a sheriff standing in front of a locked door gets people's attention :D

Since it looks like I'm going to have to go the court route, I will have to stop posting on here (or elsewhere) on this matter since that could affect the case. I'll let y'all know what the final outcome is, but if any of you have contacts within Nokia, you might want to let them know that they are about to have some problems that they could have easily avoided by just bothering to answer some polite questions with actual answers.

Oh - and y'all may remember I was reluctant to turn the N800 in for support in the first place since I'd had poor experiences in this area before. Well, I hate to say I was right, but...

Texrat

04-18-2007, 12:58 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your experiences, Ewan, and really hope the situation is eventually resolved to your satisfaction.

And I know you don't want to hear it right now, and it may sound like apologetics, but the following remain true nonetheless:

1) The device is new
2) What isn't new is this sort of adventure. Early adopters have historically borne the pain of a cutting edge product. The N800 is no exception to this trend.
3) Without people returning their devices and fighting the inefficiencies of the poor reverse logistics process, it won't be fixed.

That may sound unsympathetic, but it isn't intended that way. I'm simply pointing out the unvarnished truth. We all take a risk when we're the first to buy a product, whether it's an Edsel or an Xbox. That fact doesn't in any way mitigate Nokia's responsibility, though. They either need to right the wrongs or get out of this market segment. And in my opinion, the early adopters should be treated MUCH better than they have been-- but you are the victim of corporate bureacracy, another time-honored tradition. :/

fondoo

04-20-2007, 09:23 AM

the only issue i had was when i touched the screen with my finger, i would get the small keyboard instead of the BIG keyboard.

Milhouse

04-20-2007, 02:23 PM

Hurrah - my N800 arrived back from repair yesterday (almost 5 weeks elapsed) and I've just gotten the time to update it with the latest firmware and install Maemopad+ for a visual test.

The good news is the vertical scroll bar region is no longer an issue - sensitivity in that region is now very good.

The bad news is that there seems to be a minor calibration issue in the very bottom left hand corner extending diagonally down to the right corner of the screen. In this area, Maemopad+ will draw the pixels about 6-8 pixels further up the screen than where I am clicking with the stylus. I've uploaded an image of my screen, with the addition of a red border to make it obvious where this new problem is. The weird thing is that the touchscreen detects events just fine in the white area - the device clicks when I touch the screen - but the pixels are being drawn further up the screen! :)

I've recalibrated 3 times and it's made no difference, very strange.

This must be a firmware (or Maemopad+?) issue as the touchscreen is detecting the stylus events OK... has anyone else got this in 3.2007.10-7? It's only a minor issue and a vast improvement on what I had before so I'm not grumbling, but I'll just have to remember not to waste my time trying (and failing) to click a 6-point hyperlink in that part of the screen! :)

richie

04-20-2007, 02:41 PM

Hi Milhouse

I'll try later this evening, I'm about to update my firmware.

I'm on my 2nd N800, the first had a faulty home button. The new one is fine for the buttons, but has a more prominent shadow on the right hand side and may have a touch sensitivity issue.

Interestingly Texrat mentioned the touchscreen click prob was picked up and fixed, my device arrived with firmware version 2.2006.51-7 an increment on the firmware available for download at the time, 2.2006.51-6 (I think), so I was hoping all issues would be solved. However last night I noticed the right hand slider is not always picking up stylus clicks. Thus I'm going to try the new firmware to see if that is better, so I'll test the left hand corner at the same time and let you know.

Cheers
Rich

Texrat

04-20-2007, 02:49 PM

I can't claim that it was fixed in all cases-- just that it was discovered and addressed. Sorry if I misled anyone on that, but do note that the software version on your device, rich, still places it in a very early time frame. And there's no realistic way to achieve 100% perfection, so even if the root cause is corrected and prevented you're still going to encounter anomolous defects.

And again, even though I've seen no correllation proven, I'm not very surprised to note right-side shadow and right-side sensitivity issues occurring together.

Milhouse

04-20-2007, 03:10 PM

Thank richie - much obliged, if your results are inconclusive I might even flash back to 2.2006.51-6 to see if that makes any difference - there were some touchscreen related improvements in 3.2007.10-7.

2.2006.51-7 appeared on shipping units within a few days of launch, not sure what it fixed though - the firmware was never released for download.

Texrat

04-20-2007, 03:16 PM

I think it can be said now-- it is my understanding 2.2006.51-7 was released to correct power and/or flash issues. Note that I could be wrong.

richie

04-20-2007, 06:40 PM

Hi Milhouse

Sorry I'm late, I got distracted by Midsummer Murders!

I've flashed the latest firmware and the left hand area of the screen shows nothing wrong. Maybe worth flashing back just to double check.

Unfortunately for me, it didn't make the slider any better. I have a dead area on the right hand side, in the middle of the slider when in full screen mode, approx 8mm (alongside where the drilled holes start). I personally may have an option to exchange mine through the retailer, so this may be quicker than Nokia repair.

After two devices both with different faults, its a shame. From the little time I spent with it, I found it is great to use, the software has been fine, but the hardware seems to let Nokia down. Though I accept it is a new device and I'm probably just unlucky. Though I've owned many Nokia phones without any problems. Maybe third time lucky.

Anyway Milhouse, I hope things go alright with yours.

Cheers
Rich
Edited

Frankowitz

04-21-2007, 07:00 AM

My N800 has a touchscreen issue too. I bought it in february, and that's long after the fixes mentioned in this post.
The right side slowly becomes less sensitive as the device warms up. Not to the point that it won't work at all, but considerable nevertheless.
I won't bring it in for repair as I don't trust Nokia support with it.

The touchscreen of the N800 in general is not as good as touchscreens on other portable devices like PocketPC's. My HP iPaq has a WAY beter screen that is much more responsive. It's a treat after using the N800.

N800: click, -wait-, action
PocketPC: click, action!

A shame really.

Milhouse

04-21-2007, 03:57 PM

Thanks for trying richie. I just reflashed with 2.2006.51-6 and it's identical :( In fact i've noticed there's a slight sensitivity issue in the top left corner as well.

Oh well, at least it's better than it was but Nokia really, really need to improve here as devices with faulty touchscreens is not acceptable in the long term. I expect perfection - no dead pixels and an accurate touchscreen over the entire surface area isn't asking too much, is it?! :)

jaebird

04-22-2007, 05:18 PM

Unfortunately for me, it didn't make the slider any better. I have a dead area on the right hand side, in the middle of the slider when in full screen mode, approx 8mm (alongside where the drilled holes start). I personally may have an option to exchange mine through the retailer, so this may be quicker than Nokia repair.

I also have an area that is not very sensitive (not quite dead yet) on the right middle of the touchscreen. Makes the "backspace" key and scrollbar hard to navigate.

Jae

manux

04-26-2007, 10:57 AM

My device came from repair yesterday. It took 5 business days for Nokia Finland to repair it. They simply replaced the LCD. I cannot see any sensitivity issue anymore :-)

EwanG

04-26-2007, 01:28 PM

Just to keep everyone up to date...

As expected, letter from my legal eagle to Nokia US was met with a rather generic form letter. Still haven't received the device, or any notification of when I will receive the device, so now it's a question of whether I want to front the money to go ahead and sue, or just walk away and let Nokia keep my $400.

While I was originally interested in taking this all the way through the court system, I'm now thinking that it isn't worth making the point. Even if I get my $400 and lawyer fees back, I'm going to be out a fair bit of time I could be charging to clients. And I doubt the financial inconvenience would even be noticed by Nokia.

So I'm thinking I'm just going to write off the cost, and make a point to never buy another Nokia product again. Which isn't as fulfilling as taking a big corporation to court with an almost guaranteed to win case, but is probably better for me personally in the long run.

FWIW,
Ewan

manux

04-26-2007, 06:12 PM

It seems that my fireworks went off too early. After not-even-a-day long use I noticed that dead zone started to develop on the new display. It was perfectly responsive when came back from service and now again it's clearly less responsive along the middle part of the right edge :-/ Looks like they quickly replaced the old LCD with a new one most likely suffering from the same disease.

Texrat

04-27-2007, 12:12 AM

My N800 has a touchscreen issue too. I bought it in february, and that's long after the fixes mentioned in this post.

That's still early enough to pick up a device that had sat in inventory or lagged in the channel.

Looks like they quickly replaced the old LCD with a new one most likely suffering from the same disease

Or, as another poster offered, the problem might exist (in some cases anyway) in other device hardware.

Frankowitz

04-27-2007, 04:08 AM

That's still early enough to pick up a device that had sat in inventory or lagged in the channel.
Or, as another poster offered, the problem might exist (in some cases anyway) in other device hardware.

For three full months? Hardly realistic considering the demand, but possible.
To be more specific, it was late February, and through the official (online) Nokia channel.

Touchscreen defects were discovered in early lots and the root cause corrected. Ergo, more recent and future production runs will not exhibit this problem.

A lot of 'early lots' around then, the N800 must have done exceptionally well in early sales. :rolleyes:

This thread is eight pages long -and growing- so this IS a significant problem. Agreed, some are support related.

Like I said, I won't send mine in (for now).
Difficult to imagine how many customers are affected by the same issue, but I bet there are lots of 'em who don't do anything about it because they don't know it's a defect.

Sensitivity issues are reported on a somewhat larger scale, to add to the discussion:

http://a1.blogspot.com/search/label/Nokia%20N800

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/maemo/developers/18162#18162

http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4690

http://uk.geocities.com/gabor.barton@btinternet.com/ScreenPressure.jpg

Though this shouldn't be blown out of proportions, I think 'not enough to be statistically significant' is a bit besides the truth also. Potential buyers have a right to know what problems -might- occur should they decide to buy one.
To potential buyers: try one in the store before you buy and don't buy online to prevent getting a device with the above mentioned problem(s).

I'll watch this thread with great interest!

manux

04-27-2007, 09:07 AM

Though this shouldn't be blown out of proportions, I think 'not enough to be statistically significant' is a bit besides the truth also. Potential buyers have a right to know what problems -might- occur should they decide to buy one.

I would say that most of the devices on the market may be more or less affected by the touchscreen issue. I currently live in Finland and I know at least 10 person owning the N800 here in Finland as well as in other European countries. So far I met no one whose device's touchscreen was free of the issue we're discussing in this thread. But most of these people weren't aware of the issue until I showed it to them.
Also, as I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I tested a few devices and Nokia Flagship store and every single of them had the pressure dead zone on the right. Could it be a coincidence that I could not meet even a single fault free device? It must have been a very big coincidence. Otherwise it's against any statistical rule I've ever learned.

To potential buyers: try one in the store before you buy and don't buy online to prevent getting a device with the above mentioned problem(s).
I'll watch this thread with great interest!

The problem is that the issue may appear after a couple of days/hours of even light use. Yesterday I received my device from repair. The touchscreen worked perfectly fine... for a couple of hours (I managed to flatten one battery, starting from two bar level).

What I am sure about now is that Nokia, at least in Finland, may be aware of the problem but they did not identified its reasons. What service does is just replacing possibly faulty part. I understand it's the only they can do until the real cause is discovered. Let's hope it's going to happen soon.

Texrat

04-27-2007, 09:21 AM

Though this shouldn't be blown out of proportions, I think 'not enough to be statistically significant' is a bit besides the truth also. Potential buyers have a right to know what problems -might- occur should they decide to buy one.
To potential buyers: try one in the store before you buy and don't buy online to prevent getting a device with the above mentioned problem(s).

I'll watch this thread with great interest!

I don't lie. I have no reason to.

Are there touchscreen issues? Yes. Do they affect more than 5% of devices manufactured? Highly doubtful. It's fine to speculate either way but I've seen the evidence first-hand.

I'm not going to go on another spiel about quality assurance practices and probability. I think I've done it to death. But people would do well to remember: happy customers don't complain. The silent majority isn't experiencing these issues. Even if this thread was filled with a majority of owners reporting touchscreen problems (50% at the moment) that STILL does not mean that the majority of devices manufactured exhibit the reported problem. It simply means a group has aggregated on a dedicated forum.

I quite frankly don't understand why this is so difficult for some to understand.

I'm not trying to be a jackass but please-- a little intellectual honesty goes a long way. I also don't appreciate insinuations that I'm lying about the scope of this issue.

And of course potential buyers have a right to know about problems they might encounter-- but there's no relationship between that obligation and the magnitude of the problem... so I'm confused why you strung those sentences together.

Texrat

04-27-2007, 09:27 AM

I would say that most of the devices on the market may be more or less affected by the touchscreen issue. I currently live in Finland and I know at least 10 person owning the N800 here in Finland as well as in other European countries. So far I met no one whose device's touchscreen was free of the issue we're discussing in this thread. But most of these people weren't aware of the issue until I showed it to them.
Also, as I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I tested a few devices and Nokia Flagship store and every single of them had the pressure dead zone on the right. Could it be a coincidence that I could not meet even a single fault free device? It must have been a very big coincidence. Otherwise it's against any statistical rule I've ever learned.

The problem is that the issue may appear after a couple of days/hours of even light use. Yesterday I received my device from repair. The touchscreen worked perfectly fine... for a couple of hours (I managed to flatten one battery, starting from two bar level).

What I am sure about now is that Nokia, at least in Finland, may be aware of the problem but they did not identified its reasons. What service does is just replacing possibly faulty part. I understand it's the only they can do until the real cause is discovered. Let's hope it's going to happen soon.

The problem is your sample size is still WAY too small, so no, your experience isn't violating rules of probability. You're making the common error that what you view represents the whole. Same goes for "testing a few devices". You are conveniently ignoring what I've said about the problem occurring in batches.

As I've also said before, I've touched thousands of these devices at this point (just a few more than 10). Out of that number released for sale, less than 5% have exhibited touchscreen defects. Most devices that exhibited the problem were removed from sale lots.

I'm curious as to how you're sure that Nokia has not identified the reasons. ???

EDIT:

As long as we're talking personal experience-- I own several N800s. Not one has any sort of touchscreen issue. In addition to those, I worked with about 15 devices for testing purposes. Out of that number, one exhibited problems with the scroll bar and that was corrected with a firmware update. In addition, 1 pre-production device had a problem with the touchsreen frame (I documented that one here) that did not make it into production devices. So... about 20 or so devices with 1 hardware touchscreen issue out of that number.

Again, I'm not trying to trivialize the actual problem for those experiencing it-- just trying to introduce some perspective. The issue itself isn't overblown, but the discussion around it sure is IMO...

manux

04-27-2007, 10:14 AM

I'm curious as to how you're sure that Nokia has not identified the reasons. ???

I am not trying to say I am sure. I am making this assumption based on the way they do repairs. Can't they identify faulty batch of touchscreens and try not to replace one faulty piece with another? And if it is something else than a touchscreen why even try to replace the LCD? Isn't it so that identified cause ~= known solution (exceptions apply)? Or isn't that knowledge company-wide? I know that also 3rd parties do repairs for Nokia but at least this kind of information should be shared to repair networks. Why don't they have this knowledge here in the very heart of Nokia land?
I've always believed that internal information interchange works fine inside Nokia as I've worked for them since 2001 (or I did work until moved to newborn Nokia Siemens Networks). That's why it sounds so unreal to me that they identified reasons but they actually do not implement their knowledge.

Texrat

04-27-2007, 11:35 AM

Unfortunately, there tend to be disconnects (in any large corporation) between development and repair-- especially with new devices. Corporate bureaucracies are a normal (unfortunately) situation that inhibits the spread of information within an organization.

I'm surprised to hear you say that information exchange works fine in Nokia, given what I've experienced. Information flows down well, sure, but the upstream situation... could use serious improvement. Same for outward dissemination of info, especially where field defect discoveries are concerned. I can't say any more on that.

This does not excuse the situation, just explains the biggest stumbling block to resolving the current flawed N800 repair/replacement process.

EDIT: I've repeated this ad nauseum, but the recent reorganization within Nokia and especially the closure of the last US production facility have had a SEVERE impact on reverse logistics.

geneven

04-27-2007, 12:57 PM

This has been an interesting thread. I see that the poll, which was at first overwhelmingly negative, has finally pulled into being even. This goes to show that what has inadvertently amounted to a lengthy campaign can tilt an issue significantly,

And I see that the person boasting about legal action has come to the sensible decision not to sue after all.

Texrat

04-27-2007, 01:23 PM

Well, I can't blame EwanG for being angry. He deserved better treatment, as does everyone experiencing problems of any kind. The part that worries me is, how many other tablet purchasers feel the same way? I don't think Nokia can afford to anger a new user base if the tablet platform is to survive.

neiljerram

04-27-2007, 02:07 PM

As it happens, there is a Nokia service centre less than 5 minutes walk from my house, so I'll try taking the issue there and see what happens.

...

I'll report back what actually happens!

Well I don't have a fixed screen yet, but the guys in the service centre were familiar with the N800, and seemed confident that all that was needed was to replace the screen component. They don't yet have this component for the N800 right there, so they gave me a choice between sending my N800 off for repair - taking one to two weeks - or waiting until they get the replacement components in the shop. Since my N800 is still far from unusable, I chose the latter.

They couldn't give me a precise timescale for when the components would be available, but they seemed confident that it would be pretty soon.

Any comments? Is that consistent with others' experiences?

- Neil

Frankowitz

04-27-2007, 02:31 PM

Milhouse

04-27-2007, 03:53 PM

I think Texrat sees the problems from a different perspective to the rest of us, and his comments shouldn't necessarily be taken as bias, perhaps he is more informed or differently informed than the rest of us.

Texrat is probably right that this problem is affecting only a small percentage of units actually sold, and you have to remember this is a user forum and people will post most about their problems thus making a problem that affects only a few units look far worse than it really is.

Texrat is openly critical of Nokia Customer Service, while he also defends the hardware when perhaps we as users over inflate the scale of a particular fault. I'm not sure he's biased although he is a Nokia employee, he certainly doesn't defend Nokia blindly and I welcome his input. :)

EwanG

04-27-2007, 04:11 PM

Oh, it just gets better...

So I got a padded envelope from the Nokia repair folks this afternoon where the flap on the envelope was sealed to the inside - IOW, the envelope was sealed OPEN. There's a letter inside apologizing for the delay in replacing my device, but THERE'S NO DEVICE INSIDE.

I give. Seriously, I can't imagine a more f'd up handling of a situation in my life than what has happened here. I really can't decide whether to laugh or cry at this, but I know that I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER buy another Nokia product again...

Frankowitz

04-27-2007, 04:15 PM

Yes milhouse, I can agree to some extend: Texrat really adds to this forum. But I just think he's a bit biased in threads that are potentiallly harmful for the n800.
But it's alright to have different opinions. :)

akonradi

04-27-2007, 05:03 PM

I sent my n800 in yesterday as almost the entire left hand side of my device's screen was dead. I had to use a great deal of force with my finger just to get the application button to open up. Quite frankly, this is unacceptable. I bought the device for a trip to Europe and I have already spent more than $200 on accessories for it. After reading this thread, it looks like I won't have it back before I leave (June 26) since Nokia is streching their 7-10 days to a matter of months. I knew that I should have opted for the in-store warranty....

Texrat

04-27-2007, 05:21 PM

Texrat, I examined your posts on this forum a bit more closely and came to the conclusion that you are (at least on some occasions) somewhat biased. Any remark that could be harmful the N800 (sales) in some way or another, is bashed. Understandble, but hardly constructive.

This is not a Nokia 'sales rep' forum, so I think it's not helping this thread to comment on your remarks other than what I've said earlier. I stand by my post.

You need to read again. Milhouse is correct. You are not, sorry.

I am biased in that I want the platform to succeed. However, I am objective in a) wanting to stick to facts, logic and common sense and b) acknowledging where Nokia has actually screwed up... as opposed to where justifiably angry people leap to unwarranted assumptions.

I stand by MY posts too, bud. And I'm not a sales rep. Not even close.

I also think you owe me an apology for implying I lied about the scope of the touchscreen problem.

EDIT: I'd also like you to point out ONE example of where I "bashed" a complaint post. Just one. Hint: doesn't exist.

EwanG

04-27-2007, 06:10 PM

Anyone who can recommend an image hosting site? I'd like to post the pictures of this envelope and the Nokia form letter that came with it. I'm still just totally amazed that the repair center could have made such a mistake.

- EDIT - OK, got photobucket, posted images in later message

Worse, while you are required to ship the item to them insured, they used USPS with NO INSURANCE to ship this back. So now I really have to either write this off as lost, or sue if I want to have anything to show for my $400 besides an empty box, a charger, and an empty envelope...

Frankowitz

04-27-2007, 06:33 PM

You need to read again. Milhouse is correct. You are not, sorry.

I am biased in that I want the platform to succeed. However, I am objective in a) wanting to stick to facts, logic and common sense and b) acknowledging where Nokia has actually screwed up... as opposed to where justifiably angry people leap to unwarranted assumptions.

I stand by MY posts too, bud. And I'm not a sales rep. Not even close.

I also think you owe me an apology for implying I lied about the scope of the touchscreen problem.

EDIT: I'd also like you to point out ONE example of where I "bashed" a complaint post. Just one. Hint: doesn't exist.

Bud?? Sorry, I don`t fancy that kind of 'Texas style' choice of words.

You are not a sales rep? Then stop to sound like one.

I am sorry that you seem to think I owe you an apology; typical, as I never specificly said you were a lyer. We only have a difference of opinion. I will CERTAINLY NOT apologise to you. Arrogance in it's most obvious form.

You state that you also acknowledge where Nokia screws up. I only find threads were you question support chain problems.

I think I posted in this thread in a decent fashion. The 'tone' of your reply is too 'agressive american' for my taste. This is Europe, 'Bud'. Zak onmeunig in oe eig'n driet hoop.

EwanG

04-27-2007, 06:34 PM

OK, I've added two pictures via Photobucket. In the one picture you see the envelope, the form letter, and a little sleeve that the device was probably supposed to be in. Notice that the sleeve wasn't closed either. Quality work Nokia...

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q144/ewangr/IMG_0040_web.jpg

Second image, somewhat blurry, showing how the envelope was sent with the flap glued to the INSIDE, keeping it open.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q144/ewangr/IMG_0043_web.jpg

Texrat

04-27-2007, 06:52 PM

I am sorry that you seem to think I owe you an apology; typical, as I never specificly said you were a lyer. We only have a difference of opinion. I will CERTAINLY NOT apologise to you. Arrogance in it's most obvious form.

My nominee for best unintended irony of the day.

Nice equivocation though. Saying someone isn't telling the truth is the same as calling them a liar.

I have nothing more to say to you. I think I've reached my tolerance threshold for hypocrisy and hyperbole. Believe as you will-- you have every right to be wrong.

I do apologize to the board for my part in this exchange though. I'll go back to trying to be more objective now.

Frankowitz

04-27-2007, 07:05 PM

Thanks for making my point so obvious.

Texrat

04-27-2007, 07:07 PM

lol... more irony.

Time to add another troublemaker to the Ignore list.

Adios... bud.

EwanG

04-27-2007, 09:14 PM

And in case you're wondering what Nokia's response to this is:

Dear Ewan,

Thank you for your response.

We understand your concern with regards to the return of your Nokia N800 Internet Tablet.

Ewan, we have placed an order with our repair facility to investigate the shipment of your Nokia N800 Internet Tablet. We recommend that you continue to check with our web site regarding the status of the shipment of your tablet. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

If you have any additional questions, please contact us. To ensure proper handling, please continue to use the current subject line.

Thank you for choosing Nokia for your mobile needs.

Dan
E-mail Specialist
Nokia Inc.

---

Yeah, I'd hate to think that they'd go to any special effort on this. I'm sure this happens all the time...

Milhouse

04-28-2007, 02:13 AM

Ewan - my N800 came back from repair in a very similar padded envelope and the same bubble wrap pouch - I did think at the time it wasn't very much protection for such a large and fragile screen, but at least in my case the envelope had been closed correctly! I suppose it's possible someone opened and incorrectly resealed your envelope having emptied it of it's contents, but either way you shouldn't have to sue or write this off as a loss - Nokia should be liable and should now send you a replacement device, hopefully brand new (more spare accessories!) :) Or a full refund.

PS. Nice carpet! ;)

EwanG

04-28-2007, 08:00 AM

Ewan - my N800 came back from repair in a very similar padded envelope and the same bubble wrap pouch ...
PS. Nice carpet! ;)

Carpet is a throw rug so minimize the impact of the dog on the real carpet... :D

As far as the bubble wrap pouch - you'll notice that in my picture the adhesive strip is still there, and so was never removed to seal the device in. Did you notice if your bubble wrap pouch was closed? It occurs to me that if they only carry one standard size for their phones, that they might never close those on the N800s...

Just trying to figure out how someone could have "accidentally" sent the package in that condition.

Frankowitz

04-28-2007, 11:48 AM

Indeed, time to put you on ignore, Texrat.
You can't really help being what you are. Tip: get a life. Scrolling through your post makes me wonder if you have one. Guess not, you seem to be on this forum 24/7.

Milhouse

04-28-2007, 02:55 PM

My bubble wrap pouch was _not_ closed - I still have it, and it has a bluey-green (cyan?) strip of plastic covering the adhesive, the pouch itself is pink. :)

geneven

04-28-2007, 02:59 PM

Texrat

04-28-2007, 04:15 PM

Putting Texrat on ignore will only locate you even further away from authoritative opinion from Nokia than you are already, which is saying something. Personally, I think that Texrat is being heroically objective in this thread, except that he is sometimes a bit too nice for my taste.

lol... thanks geneven.

I did get a little irritated with the little malcontent and regret descending to that level but it was only because I'm a little tired of counterproductive hyperbole and abject nastiness clouding constructive dialog. I can't get irked like that with EwanG because, even in his righteous anger, he's very methodically documenting his frustrating situation ( a benefit to everyone) and avoiding mere irrational outburts. I wish more people experiencing problems with Nokia's service would learn from his example. Even more I wish Nokia would get the message and fix his problem properly! *sigh*

I thought about this sitation a bit though and came up with what I think is a reasonable approach to illustrating why a few people are going overboard on this.

Looking at the member count here, let's make a safe assumption and say 3000 registered forum members represent actual tablet owners. Out of that number, let's say 1500 own N800s. Now, looking at the poll here, let's assume the number represents half of the 1500 owners experiencing the reported touchscreen defects. That leaves 80 out of 1500 for a defect rate of 5.3%. A bit over my max estimate BUT not too far off and certainly within reason.

I do understand that to the person buying a defective unit and dealing with EwanG's nightmare this is cold comfort at best-- but when I post these little spiels it's in order to educate the general public on the reality of consumer device production, NOT to diminish the experience of the individual. I realize most here get that, but some obviously resist the acquisition of knowledge with the ferocity of a hurricane...

sdrman

04-30-2007, 12:17 PM

My n800's touchscreen seems to have improved over the weekend. Maybe the sunglasses case allows too much pressure on the screen? It's usually inside my pocket, but for the weekend it sat on my desk.

EwanG

05-02-2007, 04:09 PM

So, it's been several days, and the only further communication I've had from Nokia was a request to respond to a customer satisfaction survey. Geez, I wonder how surprised they'll be that I'm "Very Dissatisfied" at their service since I now have no device and am out the $400 I spent on it because they couldn't be bothered to purchase insurance when they sent the device - even though they require YOU to do so when you send it in...

EwanG

05-03-2007, 03:14 PM

Still nothing from Nokia about my missing N800. Seriously, do y'all know of anything I can do about this short of going the legal route? I'm not keen to get lawyers involved in anything given another choice, but I have a hard time just sitting here looking at my empty N800 box and thinking that's all I have to show for a $400 investment.

Anything I can do?

Milhouse

05-03-2007, 06:42 PM

Are you in contact with anyone at Nokia? You should be pursuing this through the support team and seeking resolution that way - it's not right that Nokia aren't dealing with this on your behalf.

What has the response from Nokia been so far - still only the customer satisfaction survey? It might be worth contacting someone (anyone) you have a number for at Nokia and getting them to direct you to the relevant group.

EwanG

05-04-2007, 03:08 PM

I just keep getting referred back to the email support and the website since they are supposed to be "handling it" since I have an issue ID.

Guess there's really nothing to do then. Oh well, hope that none of y'all have the same experience I've had. Guess there's not much point to my continuing to drop by here since I don't have an N800 anymore.

Good luck all...

Texrat

05-04-2007, 03:12 PM

Ewan, don't give up yet! Keep badgering them! This should not and cannot be allowed to happen!

Man, this experience is really irritating the crap out of me... :mad:

jussik

05-05-2007, 01:48 PM

Well I don't have a fixed screen yet, but the guys in the service centre were familiar with the N800, and seemed confident that all that was needed was to replace the screen component. They don't yet have this component for the N800 right there, so they gave me a choice between sending my N800 off for repair - taking one to two weeks - or waiting until they get the replacement components in the shop. Since my N800 is still far from unusable, I chose the latter.

They couldn't give me a precise timescale for when the components would be available, but they seemed confident that it would be pretty soon.

Any comments? Is that consistent with others' experiences?

I took my device to the Nokia store in Helsinki on Monday, got it back on Friday the same week, exactly as estimated (with a replaced screen). This is a huge improvement to my experiences with the 770 repairs -- several weeks without communication and no time estimates.

The only thing I can complain about was the queue: I'd have thought it would be stupid to make people with broken phones crowd and get pissed off in a "flagship store"...

manux

05-07-2007, 09:45 AM

My N800 is going to service point once again as soon as I have time to go to Helsinki downtown. A bit more than week after the first repair the touchscreen sensitivity (or its lack) is slowly reaching the level from before repair. It's progressing even when the device is left unused. I was not using it for about three last days. It was just laying on but untouched for three days and now I can see that screen behaves noticeably worse. At the very right edge of the screen I again have to push hard to drag a slider and move it. Is this really a touchscreen issue or some other part of the device making touchscreen damage?

Texrat

05-07-2007, 10:41 AM

Is this really a touchscreen issue or some other part of the device making touchscreen damage?

As has been suggested previously, there are indications that in some cases the GPU itself may be corrupting the touchscreen. That would explain the situations where an LCD is replaced and the problem recurs.

griz

05-07-2007, 07:16 PM

No touchscreen issue, but tons of other problems. Contact import does not appear to work. The Opera browser is not compatible with Google documents. The CKJ fix for Chinese characters does not have an installer. The PDF documentation is devoid of procedures and valuable information. There's no visible method to exit to the OS for command line work.

Texrat

05-07-2007, 11:00 PM

griz, some of these are widely-discussed issues with explanations and work-arounds heavily discussed in this forum. For example, you'll need to install an xterm client such as osso-xterm for the latter issue. A search can turn up the other discussions.

EwanG

05-08-2007, 09:01 PM

Nokia has not answered any of my emails since I filled out the questionnaire, so it's obvious that they are not willing to take any responsibility for what has happened, or to even be honest and tell me that they aren't going to make things right.

So I'm faced, again, with either filing some type of legal action, or writing the cost of the unit off. Can I assume those of you who keep pushing me to keep pushing Nokia will agree that it's pretty pointless at this juncture?

Milhouse

05-08-2007, 09:27 PM

I would phone someone - anyone - and get put through to the right person at Nokia. It's easy to ignore emails, it's more difficult to ignore a phone call. I think legal action is a hammer to crack a nut and I'm sure you must be able to contact someone at Nokia that will accept responsibility for what has happened. I know when I sent my N800 in for repair I had no contact details other than the generic "Nokia Helpline" email address and by hook or by crook I managed to track down the phone number for the group within Nokia responsible for my repair (I'm in the UK so can't help you I'm afraid). Did you receive any paperwork with with phone numbers in the envelope that should have contained your N800?

mar

05-09-2007, 02:17 PM

Same here, before I found this forum I filled out the form "E-Mail service" on Nokia.de. No one has answered yet. I own two N800 and both have touch screen issues.

Saturn

05-11-2007, 08:10 PM

EwanG

05-15-2007, 09:38 PM

Well, the story continues. Evidently someone on here (thank you, whoever you are) put the Executive Support folks on my case. And last Wednesday they called, and faxed me an affadavit to sign and fax back. Of course I was a little miffed that they misspelled my name, referred to me as "her" and had filled in the date as 2006. I faxed it back the same day, and they said they'd be shipping me a new unit shortly.

Today I got the new unit via FedEx. However, I was a little concerned that it came wrapped in a baggie with the camera sticking out. IOW, it wasn't a boxed unit, and no idea if it was new or not. So went to open it to make sure nothing was broken AND...

No battery or internal SD card. Which means I have a new unit that may or may not work, but won't know until I can get them to at least ship me a new battery. Now, I had shipped mine with the battery and the internal SD card they sent because "I" didn't know if those were part of the problem or not. Considering that the unit won't run without a battery, I would think they might realize most folks would ship it back with the battery in place. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on the internal SD card (though since I sent mine in, that means I'm out one), but the battery?

I'd like to report a happy ending. I really would have liked to have reported that there would have at least been a note with an apology (if not some free swag like Amazon used to give when they screwed up). But to ship an N800 in a baggie in a manner that it can't even be tested to see if it was ok...

Hopefully I still have the Exec support number at work. I'll call them and give them another (!) chance to make things right. But this is certainly not adding anything to their "sterling" reputation...

Texrat

05-15-2007, 09:54 PM

I'm glad there was at least some resolution to your issue! It's my understanding there is a renewed emphasis on fixing customer service. Cases like yours have proven the need. Your diligence has no doubt helped many others!

But I will repeat: ONLY send the stripped down device for repair. No battery. No back cover. No SD cards. Strip and ship! Trust me: they can troubleshoot without them, and if the device works without your own battery, then you know where the problem lay. ;)

Oh, and I'm personally trying to use the generic term "device" as much as possible. ;)

akonradi

05-15-2007, 09:57 PM

My n800 arrived at the repair facility five weeks ago (April 10) via express mail. On May 1, the website recorded the status as "recieved." On May 2, it said "Awaiting Parts." It still says the same thing.
1. Shouldn't they have the parts at the repair center, saying that it is a NOKIA REPAIR CENTER?
2.Since when does it take two weeks to ship something?
When I call Nokia, they tell me that I cannot speak with a repair escalation person because they claim that I was lying about it getting there on the 10th. Come June 1, I'm calling and demanding a full refund. I can be on the phone for five hours for all I care. Somewhere in that company there is a huge, unrecgonized problem that nobody wants to address. If they will not fix my unit in "7-10 days" they should not promise me that my unit will be fixed in "7-10 days." They have three options:
-Fix my unit before June 1.
-Give me a full refund of $400.
-Be contacted by my lawyer.

It should be interesting......

EwanG

05-15-2007, 11:34 PM

-Be contacted by my lawyer.

I feel your pain. Rather literally. However, unless you happen to be independently wealthy, or your lawyer is a relative willing to work pro bono, you probably don't want to go with that option.

First, since the device costs less than $1000 you're looking (in most locales) at small claims court - and there you aren't supposed to have an attorney. Odds are Nokia won't even show up if you pursue a claim, but then it's up to you to collect. Which really doesn't put you in any better position than you are now.

Second, if your state attorney general's office is anything like mine, they will be happy to record your complaint and be willing to be cc'd on any correspondence. But unless you can find several other folks in your state willing to sign the same complaint, they aren't going to prosecute.

Best option, as you've already noted, is to be tenacious, make sure you've documented every step of the way, and be willing to hang in there while folks try to shuttle you around so you aren't THEIR problem.

Good luck!

james.bottomtooth

05-16-2007, 01:08 AM

damn, i spent 2.5 hours reading this thread (i go slow).

since i bought my unit via nokia.com last week, and since i notice all of the issues as well, i take it it's a feature not a defect.

the problem with companies and defective products is the cost of repair. they probably continue selling the units even the ones with suspected issues. its a matter of degree. cheaper to deal with it only if someone complains. hopefully customer won't return it.

i will try to see if i can live with it. i bought Fellowes WriteRight Screen Protectors, but seems like n800 won't work with it... what is the expected life of the unit anyways? i hear that using the stylus will wear it out? how soon?

akonradi

05-16-2007, 06:26 PM

Yeah, I know. That's why I made it the last resort. I'm planning to sell the tablet anyway if I ever get it back, the main thing is that I want my money back. If for some reason they try to avoid that, the law will intervene to fix that.

Texrat

05-16-2007, 07:53 PM

akonradi

05-16-2007, 10:27 PM

Yeah, I know that it's been outsourced. But if there is such a huge problem with them getting other companies to repair Nokia devices, is it a good idea? Sure, it keeps a few extra dollars in the company's pocket, but it also makes many customers move away from Nokia. Something is wrong with their current system. There's a huge problem and if it's not fixed, it will only grow larger.

profusion

05-18-2007, 12:10 AM

Again for those who have not visited the other thread on this I have posted a picture of what mine looks like here:

http://www.internettablettalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=48955#post48955

akonradi

05-18-2007, 06:59 PM

I got it back today. Funny how it shipped on the same day that I sent a demanding inquiry to customer service via email.....

Saturn

05-19-2007, 08:00 AM

But I will repeat: ONLY send the stripped down device for repair. No battery. No back cover. No SD cards. Strip and ship! Trust me: they can troubleshoot without them, and if the device works without your own battery, then you know where the problem lay. ;)

Hi Texrat,

It seems that this is not quite true for everywhere. In Switzerland the repair center has refused to receive my N800 if I don't provide them with the stylus, battery and battery cover. Actually, over the phone they asked me to bring to them the whole package!

What i did was to ask them to note in the receipt what they have received and i got all back.

Finally, I noticed on one of their papers describing this as the procedure to send any Nokia phone for repair and also warning that all data (numbers, photos etc) will be lost..

What i understand is that since the repairs are not handled by Nokia each center works with its own rules.

Saturn

05-19-2007, 08:28 AM

:mad: My N800 is for the last 3+ weeks in the nokia service.
I managed to get someone on the phone today and I was told that my "phone" (he actually repeated this several times in a 3 minute conversion) will need to have its screen exchanged and they are expecting the needed parts.
He concluded that they will need minimum 10 more days!

I finally got back my N800. They have exchanged the LCD, an operation that took them a little bit more than 1 month. Now there are two new problems..

1. the metallic cover is not sitting correctly and you see a wide space on the side of the zoom buttons. Actually you see the white plastic which is (probably) the cover of those buttons. If you hold the device with both of your hands you notice this cover moves inside a little and comes up again if you press diagonally on the other side (like floating). There are also some marks (not serious but ugly) from a tool (probably screwdriver) on the top side of the plastic around the cover.
It seems that they had no clue how to open properly the device and ****ed it up.

2. The new LCD is highly responsive. Great improvement even on the areas that i thought it didn't have a problem. Nevertheless, the right side has now a shadow! It is like if you are looking an LCD from an angle..

It is really sad the whole thing.

Milhouse

05-19-2007, 09:09 AM

Faz

05-20-2007, 12:02 PM

In the UK the instructions are to send only the device and for the owner to keep the battery/battery cover/memory/stylus.

I don't understand why so many people are arranging repairs under warranty, especially with all the problems being reported.

My N800's touchscreen is fine on the left, pretty bad on the right and requires a lot of pressure in the middle. Plus in the past week it's developed a burnt pixel, probably due to all the excess pressure.

I'm simply going to arrange a replacement with the retailer, under the UK Sales of Goods Act, which states goods must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose.

Should it develop a fault after 12 months I'll do the same again. I'm not aware of any special 12 month rule in consumer law. Remember, manufacturer warranties are in addition to our usual statutory consumer rights. Our sales contract is with the retailer not the manufacturer.

Couple of quotes from http://www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/fact-sheets/page38311.html

Q2. Do I only have rights for 30 (or some other figure) days after purchase?

No. Depending on circumstances, you might be too late to have all your money back after this time, but the trader will still be liable for any breaches of contract, such as the goods being faulty. In fact, the trader could be liable to compensate you for up to six years.

Q6. Is it true that I have to complain to the manufacturer?

No. You bought the goods from the trader, not the manufacturer, and the trader is liable for any breaches of contract (unless he was acting as the manufacturer's agent).

9a6or

05-20-2007, 04:50 PM

... It seems that they had no clue how to open properly the device and ****ed it up. ...

It made me annoyed, just reading this. How can the authorised service centre allow a dumb technician touch our prescious devices without proper training! If there is a sign that I opened my own device even with the greatest care, I lose the warranty. I wonder what that technician will get for opening and damaging your device...

I would complain until my nose bleeds (or theirs) :mad:

Texrat

05-21-2007, 01:26 AM

Hi Texrat,

It seems that this is not quite true for everywhere. In Switzerland the repair center has refused to receive my N800 if I don't provide them with the stylus, battery and battery cover. Actually, over the phone they asked me to bring to them the whole package!

What i did was to ask them to note in the receipt what they have received and i got all back.

Finally, I noticed on one of their papers describing this as the procedure to send any Nokia phone for repair and also warning that all data (numbers, photos etc) will be lost..

What i understand is that since the repairs are not handled by Nokia each center works with its own rules.

That's disturbing to hear. The policy should be consistent regardless of locale. And I would personally hold firm on returning just the stripped down device, but that's me, and I'm a troublemaker. ;)

They don't need the parts they're asking to be included. There's just no reason to send them.

I finally got back my N800. They have exchanged the LCD, an operation that took them a little bit more than 1 month. Now there are two new problems..

1. the metallic cover is not sitting correctly and you see a wide space on the side of the zoom buttons. Actually you see the white plastic which is (probably) the cover of those buttons. If you hold the device with both of your hands you notice this cover moves inside a little and comes up again if you press diagonally on the other side (like floating). There are also some marks (not serious but ugly) from a tool (probably screwdriver) on the top side of the plastic around the cover.
It seems that they had no clue how to open properly the device and ****ed it up.

2. The new LCD is highly responsive. Great improvement even on the areas that i thought it didn't have a problem. Nevertheless, the right side has now a shadow! It is like if you are looking an LCD from an angle..

It is really sad the whole thing.

Sounds like they did not replace the faceplate. I don't know specific policy on that one, but I'd like to think it would have been. Anyway, see my thread in Accessories here about how to get free extra faceplates. That one may be messed up.

And yes, very sad. :(

I have a design for a faceplate removal tool. I hope to get it to the right people soon.