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Nissan upgrades US Leaf warranties, will 'restore' batteries that lose too much charge
Nissan has thrown down the warranty gauntlet to other EV makers by announcing it would be the first to "restore" battery capacity if a Leaf's full charge fell below 9 out of 12 "bars" within 5 years or 60k miles. The new clause was announced by VP Andy Palmer and will go into effect in spring of next year on all models, including those sold in 2011 and 2012. The company stressed it would only "repair or replace the battery under warranty with a new or remanufactured unit to restore capacity at or above a minimum of nine bars," and not a full charge -- saying a gradual, but not excessive loss of charge was normal. Nissan added that it'd look to improve the accuracy of the battery gauge, since the aforementioned bars on the dash were computer managed and not exactly scientific. All of this applies to US-only vehicles for now, but similar policies will soon go into effect worldwide, according to the statement. So, if you've been starting to get range anxiety, check the PR below the break for more info.
Tablet maker Pandigital no longer offering warranty replacements, reminds us it's now out of business
To be completely fair, Pandigital officially called it quits back in July of this year, when it handed the remaining of its assets to a liquidator in order to comply with the don't-call-it-a-bankruptcy process. Now, however, the creator of that 7-inch Novel slate has been contacting former customers -- that are experiencing tablet woes -- to let them know it will no longer be able to offer such customer service, noting that "due to this liquidation process any further requests for warranty replacements cannot be honored." Given its earlier filing with the Credit Management Association, the notice doesn't exactly strike us a surprise, but it does tell us not to expect the Supernova maker to splash a comeback any time soon. You'll find the original email sent to troubled customers right after the break. Due to this liquidation process any further requests for warranty replacements cannot be honored. Please be advised that Pandigital, Inc (the 'Company'), executed a General Assignment for the benefit of its creditors in favor of Credit Management Association on July 13, 2012 (the 'General Assignment'). A general assignment is a common law means of concluding the affairs of an insolvent debtor as an alternative to the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process. Pandigital is currently in the process of liquidation by the Assignee. You are receiving this email as you have recently been shipped a warranty replacement for a Pandigital product.
Apple won't sell AppleCare in Italy, updates warranty terms on website
Apple and Italy's Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (Competition and Market Authority) have been at odds for a while over the AppleCare Protection Plan. The European Union requires sellers to provide a two-year mandatory warranty on products, and fined Apple US$1.2 million in March for not informing consumers of that fact. Now, according to a post on 9to5Mac, Apple has removed AppleCare Protection Plan products from shelves at Apple Stores and resellers in Italy. Apple still makes the product available, but only through the online store. The terms for AppleCare were updated on the Italian website, now noting that "AppleCare plans benefits are added to the two-year warranty of the seller, required by Italian regulators to protect the consumers." There's a good chance that Apple could be forced to make similar changes to the AppleCare Protection Plan in other EU countries where the warranty law is enforced.
Apple extends 1TB Seagate HDD replacement program to cover additional iMacs
Last year, faulty 1TB Seagate drives living in 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs purchased between May and July of 2011 were at the heart of Apple's HDD replacement program. Now, Cupertino has extended the initiative to encompass rigs sold between October 2009 and July 2011. Customers with an affected iMac are eligible to receive a free drive until April 12, 2013 or for three years after their desktop's original purchase date. Curious if your machine contains an afflicted hard drive? Simply visit the source link below and plug in your computer's serial number to find out. If you do need a replacement, an Apple Store or authorized service center will be happy to help -- just remember to back up your drive before parting with it.
Apple facing European investigation of Apple Care sales
European Union Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding is asking EU countries to confirm that Apple retailers are advertising the buyers' right to a minimum two-year warranty for qualifying products. Reding notes that "Apple prominently advertised that its products come with a one-year manufacturer warranty but failed to clearly indicate the consumers' automatic and free-of-cost entitlement to a minimum two-year guarantee under EU law" in a letter to EU members. You'll remember that Apple was recently fined heavily by the Italian Antitrust Authority for a similar issue. Specifically, Apple was found to have pushed its own Apple Care warranty while failing to inform customers of the two-year Consumer Code that's free and readily available to all. Apple was told to alter sales packages of the Apple Protection Plan to include information on the free service that's available to customers after two years. Apple did not offer comment to Bloomberg, which published the story.
Apple facing European investigation into how it sells AppleCare
Ever hemmed and hawed over buying AppleCare with your shiny new gadget? European chiefs are worried that you don't know all of your rights. They're concerned that Cupertino's warranty-selling practices hide the fact that all customers are entitled to a statutory two-year warranty to fix defects present at sale. The company has already had to open its checkbook to Italian regulators, but pointed out that the protection plan is there to remedy issues that may crop up after you've taken your new toy from its perfectly-engineered box. Nevertheless, commissioner Viviane Reding is pushing for a Europe-wide inquiry into the company, contacting all 27 member states to look into the matter. In the meantime, we're left working out how many times we're likely to drop our new device in the next three years.
Americans reportedly spent $6B on broken iPhones
Warranty provider SquareTrade queried 2,000 iPhone owners and discovered that they have dumped an estimated US$5.9 billion into repairing their iPhones over the past five years. This figure includes repair costs, insurance deductibles for phones with a warranty and full-cost replacements for iPhones that are broken beyond repair. The company looked at how owners were destroying their iPhones and found that most people damaged their phone when it dropped from their hand. The second most common accident is a plunge into a toilet, sink, hot tub or other body of water. Rounding out SquareTrade's top five list are a fall from a lap, a drop from a table and a liquid spill. Interestingly enough, a small percentage of iPhone owners (11 percent) don't get a replacement and use their iPhone with a cracked screen. Some owners even tape their iPhone as a makeshift repair. Even though I've dropped my iPhone plenty of times, I've never damaged it because I use an OtterBox case. Have you ever cracked or broken your iPhone? If so, share your story in the comments. [Via Orlando Sentinel; image from Flickr member DaveOnFlickr]
Apple accused of misleading EU customers about warranties
The Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection, DECO, is unhappy with Apple's representation of the European Union's warranty policy. DECO has filed a lawsuit accusing Apple of misrepresenting the EU's warranty policy in a way that encourages customers to buy the company's optional and pricey AppleCare warranty. The lawsuit cites statements like the one found on Apple's website which says the EU's two-year consumer protection law only covers defects present at the time of delivery. According to a report in The Verge, the EU's warranty policy covers any defect that occurs within this two-year timeframe. Apple is facing a similar suit in Italy that threatens to shut down retail sales for 30 days in the country.
Apple faces potential suspension of sales in Italy
Apple is in hot water in Italy over its warranty policy, which does not comply with Italian law. Apple products come with a free one-year warranty that can be extended with the purchase of an AppleCare warranty. Under Italian law, the company is obligated to provide two years of free warranty service. The country's AGCM competition and market authority has warned Apple about its non-compliance and fined the company 900,000 Euros for pushing its paid service and failing to disclose the free technical assistance. Apple appealed the fine, but lost in court earlier this year, says Reuters. Despite the ruling and the fine, Apple has not changed its policy. As a result, the AGCM has threatened to close Apple's operations in the country for 30 days and levy another fine (300,000 Euros). Apple has 30 days to respond.
Apple may get the Italian boot, has 30 days to push a 2-year warranty for locals
Italian regulator AGCM is clearly on a short fuse with Apple. After issuing a €900,000 fine ($1.1 million) to Apple for not properly offering the free 2-year warranty required by national law, the agency is now warning the iPhone maker that it could face a temporary exile -- and we don't mean to Elba. On top of an additional €300,000 ($377,490) potential fine, Apple now faces as much as a 30-day shutdown of all its Italian business for allegedly doing too little to tell customers they don't always need AppleCare for extended coverage. Having lost its appeal on the original fine, Apple's main buffer is a 30-day window to address the complaints before the hammer drops. We have yet to see if Apple will tweak its policies in time, but it's hard to believe the American firm will risk even the momentary closure of an important European wing.
Canon confirms PowerShot S100 lens error, offers free repair for affected cams
Select PowerShot S100 cameras are encountering a lens error, Canon confirmed on its Product Advisories page. An undisclosed number of the high-end point-and-shoots have had issues with a "disconnected part inside the camera," which causes the optic to malfunction. Canon suggests that the issue may be connected with exposure to heat or humidity, but regardless of the cause, the company is offering free repairs, even for out-of-warranty cameras -- assuming the issue is caused by this specific part. Qualifying S100s should have a serial number that begins with any number ranging from 29 though 41 (29xxxxxxxxxx, for example), and this specific offer only covers residents of the US and Puerto Rico, though owners in other countries should be able to reach out to their local support centers for assistance. You'll find the full advisory at the source link below.
Apple patent shows designs for more accurate water damage sensors
Without a doubt, the purveyance of personal electronics has changed our lives -- not only have they put oodles of information at our fingertips, but they've also made pushing fully-clothed friends into the pool a warranty-voiding social faux pas. If you do get dunked, however, Apple wants to make sure you aren't going to blame your phone's apparent water damage on one of the (potentially faulty) detection stickers in use today, rather than your own perilous plunge. A new patent application uncovered by AppleInsider imagines an iDevice that detects water damage using a sensor covered in water soluble conductive glue that, when dissolved, allows the sensor to detect its absence and log damage. The patent outlines several different setups using one or more sensors, and hopes to provide a more reliable indicator of water damage than today's methods. Of course, you wouldn't have to worry about that if you were insured, would you?
ASUS offers refunds and extended warranties to piqued Prime customers in the UK
If the Ice Cream Sandwich update, bug fixes and piles of apologies from the folks at ASUS just aren't cutting it and you happen to live in the UK, then we've got some good news for you. You are free to take your Transformer Prime back to the shop for a full refund. Don't expect turn around and pick up that updated TF700T with your haul, though, it won't be hitting shelves in merry ol' England till at least June. If you choose to keep your dockable tablet, ASUS will offer an extended warranty of 18 months, just to soothe your panicked mind that wakes you with night terrors about GPS issues and unknown serial numbers.
Deadline nears for claims over frayed MacBook MagSafe connectors
Apple's MagSafe power cables are great. They quick release from their port and protect your notebook from clumsy adults and over-zealous children who get tangled in your power cord. The first generation of these cords, however, had a defect that caused the wires to fray; that posed a potential fire hazard to customers. The problem was widespread enough that customers with these early cables filed a class action lawsuit that Apple settled in November 2011. Under the terms of the settlement, customers are eligible to receive a cash payment that covers some or all of the cost of a replacement cable. Those affected by this lawsuit have until March 21, 2012 to file a claim for this replacement cost. You can read about the terms of the settlement and a FAQ at a website dedicated to this case. [Via ZDNet]
HTC updates bootloader unlock utility to support latest Android lineup
It wasn't long ago that HTC's bootloader unlock utility hit the masses, thereby righting the company's silly decision to lock its phones down in the first place. Now, continuing its commitment to mod-lovers and those who appreciate freedom, The House of Chou is announcing that its latest lineup of Android phones can find a similar (and proper) fate. The company has released an updated bootloader unlock tool that supports all Android devices released after September of this year. Naturally, this includes such handsets as the HTC EVO Design 4G, Rezound, Rhyme and Vivid. The company has yet to release an updated list of supported devices, but promises to do so in the coming days. While we're still not crazy about users losing their rights to a warranty, for the moment, that seems to be the price of freedom.
PSA: Western Digital and Seagate commence bonfire of the warranties
Seagate and Western Digital really do have the spirit of the holidays running through their veins, as both companies are slashing the warranty periods on hard drives for the new year. Gone are the days of five-year safety periods, instead owners of Seagate's Barracuda XT, Constellation 2, ES.2 and Momentus XT drives will have three years protection. SV35 Series and Pipeline HD drives have two years while Barracuda, Barracuda Green and the 2.5-inch Momentus get a measly one year. Western Digital on the other hand, will be hacking a year off the Caviar Blue, Green and Scorpio Blue drives that ship after January 1st, each coming with just two years warranty. On the upside, you'll be given the chance to extend the package for a modest fee -- nothing like the odd nickel-and-dime to hasten the post-holiday slump, eh? [Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures]
Didn't get the AppleCare+ with your iPhone? Worry not, you now have 30 days to change your mind
AppleCare+, Cupertino's latest protection plan, debuted on the same day the iPhone 4S was unveiled, but anyone wanting to take advantage of the two-year warranty and accidental damage coverage was required to fork out an extra $99 at the same time they bought their phone. While Apple allowed early adopters to buy the service until November 14th because they weren't offered it upon pre-ordering, it appears the company's extended that window until December 15th, according to an internal memo leaked to SprintFeed. What's better, it seems that Apple's softening up its policy for everyone else during the holidays, as the company now offers a 30-day window just in case you walk out of the store with your glass-laden treasure unprotected and change your mind later. Apple's site confirms the policy (shown below), but as always, there's a catch: if you choose to get it after point of purchase, you'll need to either call up Apple directly or schedule a Genius Bar appointment, bring your receipt in and have the phone inspected to ensure it's not already damaged. Seems like a lot to do, but just make sure you use that Reminders app to keep track of it all.
Plextor outs M3S SSD: SATA III and an 'ironclad' five-year warranty from $199
Harken to the news of Plextor's latest 2.5-inch SSD, which beats previous offerings with three things you can't complain about: a lower price, a modest spec bump and an extra two annums beyond the usual three-year warranty. The M3S employs SATA III and a Marvell controller to deliver speeds of 525MB/s and 445MB/s for sequential reads and writes, and 70,000 and 65,000 IOPS for random reads and writes. The lowest 128GB capacity will sell for $200 from the end of this month, alongside a 256GB variant for $350 and -- from early next year -- 512GB for $700. The company's proprietary True Speed software is also in attendance, which claims to preserve "like-new" rapidity even as the drive fills up with fragmented data. You'll find further specs in the PR after the break, but alas it has none of the third-person narrative flair we saw last time.
Apple launches MagSafe adapter replacement program
Apple's MagSafe adapter solved the number one source of catastrophic laptop damage; pets, children, and oblivious adults often tripped over the old-style power adapters and brought the entire device crashing to the floor. But the MagSafe adapter came with problems of its own. Fraying cables were a fairly common occurrence among the first-gen adapters, and the problem became widespread enough that Apple started replacing frayed MagSafe adapters free of charge in 2008. Three years later, most of the MacBooks and MacBook Pros with those old-style adapters are now out of warranty; Apple redesigned the MagSafe connector last year, presumably to address some of the physical strain that may have been causing the cable to fray. Those of you who still have the old-style MagSafe adapters are in luck, because whether or not your Mac is under warranty, your MagSafe adapter is eligible for replacement under Apple's Adapter Replacement Program. This program has come about as the result of a lawsuit settlement over the frayed cables. In addition to providing free replacements for MagSafe adapters, Apple is also offering refunds to customers who paid for a replacement from their own funds. The amount of the refund depends on how much time elapsed after your Mac's purchase before you bought the replacement. US$79 within the first year of the Mac's purchase US$50 during the second year following the Mac's purchase US$35 during the third year following the Mac's purchase The type of damage covered is very specific and is known as "strain relief." Apple will still deny coverage if your MagSafe adapter shows signs of accidental damage. What isn't yet clear is whether Apple will be replacing the old MagSafe adapters with the same model or one with the newer connector. Based on TUAW's experience at the Genius Bar, probably the redesigned connectors.
AppleCare+ debuts for $99, offers to cover accidental damage in addition to the standard fare
Once upon a time, the AppleCare Protection Plan was a service provided by Cupertino to extend out the life of your iPhone warranty for an extra year and enable Apple reps to help with additional customer service concerns. It still offers all of that, but now a Plus has been added to the title. The new plan was revealed as the cloak over the Apple Store lifted after today's keynote, with the boxes shipping out the same day as the iPhone 4S. What's so "plus" about it, you might ask? It's plus $30, for one, getting a price bump from $70 to $100. The good news, though, is that it also now offers two instances of protection from accidental damage... for a $49 fee each time. It's a fair deal less than shelling out full retail price for a fresh one, of course, but there doesn't appear to be any other new features beyond what we're already used to getting. Oh, except for "one more thing": whereas its predecessor could be obtained and activated anytime within the first twelve months of your purchase, it appears that AppleCare+ has to be bought at the same time as the valuable treasure it's protecting. We're still sifting through the fine print, so we'll holler if we come across any other changes. This raises the question: does the accidental damage handling justify the higher cost? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
