Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Hi Gang,

I'm writing a story about this entire episode for my blog (www.cnet.com/surveillance-state), as I think it's really interesting, if cruelly ironic.

While the company's intentions were great, the implementation of this program seems to have resulted in the company doing significant harm to its community relations. The very people who should have had the device soonest have been made to wait the longest.

Even worse, the deafening silence from Nokia on the issue is particularly troubling.

I called up one of Nokia's USA Multimedia PR people and asked for a comment. She said she'd call Finland and get back to me tomorrow.

If any Maemo developers are interested in being interviewed for this article, I'd really appreciate it if you could send me an email (csoghoian AT gmail DOT com).

Cheers,

Chris

(Disclaimer: I'm also one of the lucky 810 discount code recipients.. so I have a vested interest in getting this all sorted out).

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Pffff

So .... i ll not make any update of my applications until i get a n810... too tired and angry ... i ll read a good book from terry pratchett instead.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

I'm one of the "lucky" french and I have received my 810 Nokia for free + 7,5 euros for shipping yesterday.

Nokia try to cancel the order and call me to tell me that there were some logistics problems ... Hopefully my Nokia had already been delivered by UPS one hour before Nokia's call.

I'm not sure that the way they cancel (or try to cancel) the order during the shipping process is legal. Few happy users like me and many more upset I guess.

Too bad for maemo community but hopefully N810 is really a great device. I will try to make Streamtuner better than ever.
https://garage.maemo.org/projects/streamtuner/

I really hope that all this will not divide maemo community ...

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

I've ordered on Wednesday at the German shop (still at 0€ then, didn't fix it it seems), and got a shipping notice late(r) in the day. I expect delivery tomorrow, considering your experiences. Unless they cancel as they did in France.

Edit: Btw., did any of you Germans get an UPS tracking number? If so, where?

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

@Sho: no, I don't get an UPS tracking number.

Wish you and all others very luck to bring the device soon to you. I really know this feelings, especially for the users who don't have a N800 now and can't develope for the onboard GPS.
For the rest I think it's easier to be patient because the program looks like it's true.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

In france i didn't get one ... i didn't get the device too ... :(

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

I got the device today, but the bill of delivery is slightly scary. It says 459€ for the device, and then it says 459€ in the "discount" column - but as total sum, it's 459 + shipping, i.e. the full 464€. The credit card hasn't been charged yet, but I'm at a loss what that's going to be now - 5€ (shipping only)? 104€ (99 + 5, as originally anticipated)?, 464€ (no discount at all)?

Has any of the other Germans already paid?

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

The Nokia Online stores (France, Germany etc) are a complete mess. They promise you a UPS tracking number, but never ever provide one. You can't call them, and when you e-mail them, they don't respond (or they do 7 days later). Shame on you, Nokia!

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

For a company doing communicating device ... IT S A SHAME !

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Uh-oh - when I plugged it in, the screen came up all yellow and the "Charging" icon was hardly readable. I left it charge for a bit and then started it. Same image, I can't even read the startup screen. The Nokia hands were only visible as faint shadows on murky yellow. Looks like my unit is broken to top things off. Great. I can only imagine what FUN it is going to be to get this replaced.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

The bill that comes in with the tablet is showing the full price just for the insurance in transportation I think.
About the UPS track number, at least Nokia Italy does not send it to you. I called them to have it and one of the representatives on the phone told me "we don't have it either YET (note: this after it was shipped and almost delivered!). Call us tomorrow AFTER delivery and we will be able to give it to you as it will then be in the system".
I haven't understood this behavior yet.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Here's today's Maemo email:

"Dear maemo contributor,

Here is the correct link to US online shop to purchase N810 device with maemo device program discount code.

http://www.nokiausa.com/link?cid=PLAIN_TEXT_607318

Thank you again for your interest in the maemo platform and community.
Have fun!

maemo team - http://maemo.org"

So, good news for those in the USA, but as a Canadian, guess I have to continue to wait. They did promise something this week, so I'm sure there will be another email later. Maybe. Unless they forgot that Canada is a separate country. Maybe. Or they're too busy. Or they forgot. Or whatever.

If I'm Apple, seeing the joke that is Nokia's online "fullfillment" (sales), I'm licking my chops.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

My code is still showing no balance

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Same here... It tells me to enter a valid code.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

try it in the Gifts/Rewards box.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Same here...

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Tried both boxes... no change.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

I prefer when we didn't know anything, vs. being teased like this. Come on, Nokia, this is completely embarassing. Like a 16 year-old wetting his pants at his 16th birthday embarassing.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

I tried calling a few Nokia premium service shops in Berlin to find out whether I might be able to replace the defective unit locally rather than go through the pain of an RMA process with the online shop. Of course they don't pick up the phone either, just as the Nokia shop usually doesn't.

As a company, Nokia must really hate telephones.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Answering a telephone means you have to actually acknowledge that you screwed up, which, thus far, Nokia or Maemo has NOT done.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

I'm going to try calling in. I'll report back.

Edit: Leslie at LetsTalk was able to punch the code in and see that it was supposed to set the price at $145 (why she couldn't fulfill it, I don't know), but transferred me to Nokia Customer Care, spoke with Andre, the only discount he could see was the $75.

Nice, Nokia.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Tried calling in as well. LetsTalk showed it as a 0 balance, transferred me to customer care, where nobody had heard of the program and could offer nothing but $75 off.

They took down my case details and said they'd call me back this afternoon...

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Can you believe that in France, people who have received their tablet are being asked to send it back and order a new one, just because they got the discounts wrong ?!
Others have had their order canceled and the unit recovered from UPS, and are now being given yet another code (by phone, strictly nothing written - this is probably even illegal here, simple intimidation).

It doesn't seem to happen in Germany, where they made the same mistake. They seem to be taking their responsibilities and image more seriously - after all, given the number of units involved, it's not like Nokia is going to go broke over this...

This is totally, unbelievably ridiculous. Developers have been waiting for over two months while end users blissfully bought theirs, and now that the codes finally work, they are again being made to jump through hoops and more delay, just because someone in the local Nokia shop couldn't type three digits in a row correctly !

Noki are really lucky that their competitors are even worse - more than two years after the 770 there is still nothing comparable on the market, and CES 2008 didn't show much progress. They better pray it stays that way...

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Same here. no joy:mad:

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Yes i'm one of this dev ... and i m furious ...

But if i want a discounted device i ve no other choice than to accept the 99 Euros + 7.5 Euros of delivery. And if i ven't call nokia to know where is my express delivery i ll still waiting it ...

Indeed i ve an electronic invoice with notified 13 Euros which i ve never received the product ... but i don't have the time, nor the found to fight against this.

Yes there are very lucky than there isn't real competitors ... but now i know how there are ... they have a good product ... but i ll don't forget this.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Please respond to this maemo post with complaints:

http://maemo.org/news/announcements/...pplicants.html

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Just remember that Nokia is a really really HUGE company. This happens all the time in organisations of this size. Things work well inside the scope of a suborganisation (e.g. the Maemo team), but once "outsiders" get involved (e.g. the online-shops and the distribution channel), everything falls apart.
I work for such a "monster" (GIF patent anyone :-) and have quite a few customers in similar landscapes and see it again and again.

OTOH, the code worked for me and I paid 99 EUR plus 25 EUR shipping. So they CAN get it running (pardon Benoît :-).

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

done. <filler>

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Yeah... I couldn't post that. Thanks. ;)

Still, I do agree with those frustrated here that such an explanation can't be used as a defense forever.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

I find it hard to believe that it would be so difficult to set aside 500 units and honor those discounts. If this was a HUGE discount program, sure. I could setup an e-commerce website and be able to sell you a product within an hour, and that's spending 45 minutes making it look pretty.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

My comment was removed. Seriously? Come on, Nokia. this is flat-out pathetic.

Edit: false alarm, suppose it needed to be 'approved' or otherwise moderated.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

rcadden,
I think you were right the first time. I just looked and I'm not seeing your post. I refreshed, and shift-refresh, and ctrl-shift-refreshed.... No new posts since the 26 of Dec.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Because, as he said afterward, it needs to be approved.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Theoretically it should be easy. But his point was indicative of bureaucracy. I shall say no more. :o

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

The n800 developer program was perfect and in minor time.
This time the excuses don't worth.
In two months they had time to arrange any problem they could had.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

That's fine and dandy, but there's absolutely NO excuse for the complete lack of communication. The emails we get are from a noreply address, there's no contact us link on maemo.org, and there have been ZERO posts on Maemo.org or elsewhere that Nokia/Maemo has come out and said, Hey guys, we realize this is frustrating. The codes have been delayed because of this and that. We will alert you when they're available.

There's been nothing but silence, and a message from Quim that they'd be active in December (which obviously never happened) and then we get an email this morning saying they're ready to rock. Don't tell us it's ready unless you've confirmed 2x that it is.

That's why I'm upset. I don't care *WHY* they're not active, I'm pissed because of the way it's been handled and the complete lack of communication from ANYONE other than you, frankly.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Ricky, I'm not making excuses. Read between the lines. No need to rant at me... unless it makes you feel better. ;)

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

For german users:

It's only the 'Lieferschein' and not the 'Rechnung'. And the 'Rabatt' is observed on the 'Lieferschein' ;)
And you get an email with subject 'Auftrags- und Lieferbestaetigung'. There is a notice, how much Nokia charge from your credit card and this is your 'Rechnung' too:
"""Bitte drucken Sie diese E-Mail für Ihre Unterlagen aus.
Dieses Dokument ist ein gueltiger Kaufbeleg Ihrer Bestellung."""

Sad, that your N810 is broken :( Please inform us about the RMA process in Germany. Thank you :)

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

Heh, you know that I know that it's not your fault. I suppose maybe THAT'S why no one from Nokia/Maemo has come forward to address it. Seems to me they don't have the juevos to handle all of our flames.

Seriously, though, I'm having a hard time convincing myself that Tablet-Guru is a worthwhile investment, due to the past 60 days of Maemo activity. The OS2008 update, the repositories, and this code ordeal. I'm having a hard time telling myself that it would be a great idea for consumers to pick this device up if this is the level of support they can expect to receive.

Obviously I'll use the tablet, but as a geek, I also have ALOT more patience than most in regards to tinkering with gadgets and crashing applications and performing updates and the like. I setup Tablet-Guru with the intention to use it to help promote the Internet Tablets as a consumer product, albeit to a slightly more educated consumer. But if Nokia's going to create the IT and toss it out there and then seemingly walk away, I personally will look like an idiot to the person who read my site and thought, "Oh, yeah, this guy thinks this is awesome and shows me how to use this thing, I think I'll get one. Surely he wouldn't suggest it and invest so much time in making it seem easy if it was a crap product."

Again, I'm not railing against the tablet or the apps or anything. I'm honestly deeply concerned over the complete lack of involvement from either Nokia or Maemo.

Re: Discount Codes Being Sent Now
 

I'm very concerned over this developer glitch too. I have some firm and serious thoughts on the subject that I just... can't... share. I only hope the situation is resolved soon, to everyone's satisfaction, and that this little episode does not taint the N810's success in the long run.