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JakeRich · 04-09-08, 04:18 PM

I don't usually rant, but I'm really unhappy with the shoddy service at HP right now, so I'm posting this as a warning to others.

I am the sad owner of an HP iPAQ 210. I bought it one month ago. It worked for a few days, then the battery started to drop from 100% to 0% instantaneously, with the effect that the PDA would shut down. If I plug it into a power supply, it will sit with the Orange charging LED for 5-10 minutes and then suddenly jump to 100% instantaneously. Sometimes it will run, even though at 0%, if plugged into external power, sometimes it won't. Sometimes, if it runs, when the orange LED goes out it shuts off, then the green LED comes on and the only recover is soft reset. Sometimes if it runs when the orange LED goes out it just dims to the battery screen brightness, then the green LED comes on and the screen brightens to external power settings. Very unreliable.

So, I called HP and the technician indicated that the problem was with the battery and a replacement was sent. It lasted a week until it, too, demonstrated the same symptoms. I called again and was told that HP would not replace the unit, but would send me a box to ship it back to them for repair. I didn't want to wait the week they said it would take, so they suggested that I buy the "HP Next Business Day Exchange iPAQ Service" Care Pack. I did that, registered and certified the purchase and opened a trouble ticket, fully expecting to see my replacement show up on the next business day.

Well, a day passed and nothing came from HP, no email, no notice, no iPAQ, nothing. This morning I called and was advised that they would "immediately" get the replacement on the way and that I would definitely hear from them by this afternoon and to call back if I had not.

I didn't hear, so I called back. They found the case number and told me that they had not shipped the replacement. It turns out that "Next Business" day does not mean the same to you and me as it does to HP. According to HP, when I called at 8 am this morning their action was to send an email to the repair center at 3:30 pm to see if they have any units in stock. The manager, Jennifer, whom I spoke with this afternoon insisted that my service agreement clearly spelled out that they would ship the replacement when they had it, not necessarily the "Next Business Day." As of now, I've had the HP for a month, it's worked 1 week of that month, it's unreliable, undependable and basically an expensive brick on which I've paid for a service contract that means nothing.

So, my warning is simple:

Don't buy HP iPAQ 210 series. The product is unreliable and the service is woefully inadequate. I'm posting this rant here, at Brighthand and on the HP Forums. (I suspect the HP forum police will kill it there, but if it sits there long enough for one person to be warned, that's ok.)

04-09-08, 04:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
JakeRich Aximsite Hall of Fame Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 7,875 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	A cautionary tale of HP woes I don't usually rant, but I'm really unhappy with the shoddy service at HP right now, so I'm posting this as a warning to others. I am the sad owner of an HP iPAQ 210. I bought it one month ago. It worked for a few days, then the battery started to drop from 100% to 0% instantaneously, with the effect that the PDA would shut down. If I plug it into a power supply, it will sit with the Orange charging LED for 5-10 minutes and then suddenly jump to 100% instantaneously. Sometimes it will run, even though at 0%, if plugged into external power, sometimes it won't. Sometimes, if it runs, when the orange LED goes out it shuts off, then the green LED comes on and the only recover is soft reset. Sometimes if it runs when the orange LED goes out it just dims to the battery screen brightness, then the green LED comes on and the screen brightens to external power settings. Very unreliable. So, I called HP and the technician indicated that the problem was with the battery and a replacement was sent. It lasted a week until it, too, demonstrated the same symptoms. I called again and was told that HP would not replace the unit, but would send me a box to ship it back to them for repair. I didn't want to wait the week they said it would take, so they suggested that I buy the "HP Next Business Day Exchange iPAQ Service" Care Pack. I did that, registered and certified the purchase and opened a trouble ticket, fully expecting to see my replacement show up on the next business day. Well, a day passed and nothing came from HP, no email, no notice, no iPAQ, nothing. This morning I called and was advised that they would "immediately" get the replacement on the way and that I would definitely hear from them by this afternoon and to call back if I had not. I didn't hear, so I called back. They found the case number and told me that they had not shipped the replacement. It turns out that "Next Business" day does not mean the same to you and me as it does to HP. According to HP, when I called at 8 am this morning their action was to send an email to the repair center at 3:30 pm to see if they have any units in stock. The manager, Jennifer, whom I spoke with this afternoon insisted that my service agreement clearly spelled out that they would ship the replacement when they had it, not necessarily the "Next Business Day." As of now, I've had the HP for a month, it's worked 1 week of that month, it's unreliable, undependable and basically an expensive brick on which I've paid for a service contract that means nothing. So, my warning is simple: Don't buy HP iPAQ 210 series. The product is unreliable and the service is woefully inadequate. I'm posting this rant here, at Brighthand and on the HP Forums. (I suspect the HP forum police will kill it there, but if it sits there long enough for one person to be warned, that's ok.)