warranty
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Sony offers 'adjustment' for NEX-5N camera to reduce clicking sound while recording video
Looks like we weren't the only one afflicted by the Sony NEX-5N camera's annoying click problem. In case you missed it, the camera displayed the disruptive tendency of producing an audible click loud enough to ruin any 1080/60p video if it was moved suddenly while shooting. Tonight Sony updated its support site to promise a "performance improvement" available to all owners under the camera's warranty that it claims reduces the sound. At the moment we don't have any more information on what's causing the sound or what the improvement entails, but owners can dial 888-868-7392 to get their units upgraded.
HTC explains official bootloader unlock process, asks you to sign away your warranty
You didn't think HTC was just going let you run wild with an unlocked bootloader and not require some sort of trade-off, did you? Of course not, that's why CEO Peter Chou updated the firm's Facebook page to spill the beans on the devil's deal. Yes, you'll be given the freedom to unlock your bootloader, but only after you accept a disclaimer notifying you that "all or parts" of your warranty may be null and void. After that it's all SDKs, device identifier tokens and unlock keys. It may be a little disappointing to discover that the official unlock procedure lacks complete support, but nobody ever said that freedom was without its risks. Chou reiterated that updates for the HTC Sensation and HTC EVO 3D will come later this month, making them the first devices eligible to lose their warranty use the unlock tool. Hit the source link below to see Chou explain the process on HTC's Facebook page.
Verizon's HTC Trophy hides the microSD, forbids you from touching it
If having a Windows Phone is hip, carrying around a warranty with you is apparently for the unpopular crowd. That's what it seems, considering the vast majority of them come with a super-secret microSD card slot that voids your precious one-year manufacturer guarantee if it's been tampered with. The HTC Trophy, the latest WP7 phone to make its way to the US, is no exception to that rule. Indeed, the microSD slot is definitely in there -- but it's only accessible after disassembling a good portion of the back and peeling off tape that's not meant to be messed with. While we can't encourage you to swap microSD cards, make sure you get one that actually is proven to work in a Windows Phone device (a compiled list is found in More Coverage). The fact that the Trophy has a forbidden card slot ain't much of an eye-opener since its European namesake was the same way, but we can always dream, right? Just remember: venturing into the magic land of voided warranties can be exciting and adventurous, but it's not for everybody. If you're willing to throw caution to the wind and take the risk, head to the source link to get more information.
Sony Ericsson will let you unlock the bootloader on new Xperia Android phones -- subject to conditions
While one group of Android phone makers is swinging towards locking their hardware down, Sony Ericsson is resolutely headed in the other direction. The Swedo-Japanese consortium has just announced it will provide a secure and legal way for eager Android hackers to gain full control of the bootloader on some of its upcoming 2011 Xperia line of phones. All four models are covered, the Xperia Play, Neo, Pro, and Arc, however you have to make sure you buy a handset that isn't SIM-locked to a carrier and then there are territorial considerations to take into account. Warranties may still be voided by fooling around with your Xperia's software (again, depends on individual handsets and markets) and SE warns gravely of the potential for "physical injuries or material damage" if you freak your Android into overheating or worse. So proceed with caution, but know that Sony Ericsson is by your side*. * Subject to terms and conditions, repair charges may be incurred, Android upgrades are promised but never guaranteed.
Have a MacBook Pro with a faulty GPU and no AppleCare? You may still be covered
If you own a MacBook Pro with an NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT GPU and an expired warranty, you may be unaware that since late 2008 Apple has offered a free out-of-warranty service program for the faulty graphics chipset. Apple's replacement program for the 8600M GT was initially valid for three years beyond your purchase date, whether you bought AppleCare for your Mac or not, but in 2010 the program was extended to four years from your purchase date. According to Apple, "If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within four years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty." My Early 2008 MacBook Pro's AppleCare expired last week, and many early adopters of the first MacBook Pro with a multi-touch trackpad will be in the same boat. The good news is that even though your AppleCare coverage may be expired, your GPU is still covered for another year.
Apple's softened "water damage" policy gains notice
Quite a buzz has appeared recently about Apple's updated water damage policies. These policies actually came to light several months ago due to some clever sleuthing on the part of Boy Genius Report, which we posted on at the time. The same policies may even have gone into effect in Europe several months earlier than that. iPhone and iPod immersion sensors have long been notoriously unreliable. Despite insider claims that the indicators will not change color unless a device has been submerged for 90 seconds, consumers have encountered triggered sensors due to ambient moisture, sweaty palms, temperature extremes and (our favorite) using your iOS device as an ocarina. The revised policies added a visual inspection for physical signs of water damage to the existing sensor color change, likely because of class action lawsuits that state, in part, that "As a result of Apple's improper application of the Liquid-Damage Exclusion, Apple sells [devices] with the intent to exclude them from the warranty coverage Apple promises consumers it will provide -- even when consumers pay extra for Extended Warranty coverage -- simply because their Liquid Submersion Indicator has been triggered, without any attempt by Apple to verify whether the Class Devices actually have been damaged as a result of submersion or immersion in liquid." The policy revision may also have come about because Apple has begun to mistrust the reliability of the sensors. So while this isn't exactly news (despite recent wide coverage), it's a good thing for consumers to know about. If a technician suggests your unit suffers from water damage, and you know that it has not been submerged, caught in the rain, sent through the wash or similar, make sure you insist on that secondary inspection. Have them check the internal device indicators as well as the external ones, for units where that makes sense. There's a big difference between a drop of sweat and a dunk in the swimming pool. It's good to see that Apple now recognizes that difference.
Apple changes policy on liquid damage to iPods
According to a memo acquired by The Boy Genius Report (BGR), Apple has altered its policy on treating iPods with water damage. Under the new guidelines, service personnel will be required to do two things. First, confirm that the device's internal Liquid Contact Indicators (LCIs) had been activated. Second, the tech must positively identify secondary evidence of water damage. Previously, they were only required to confirm the LCI activation. BGR wonders if Apple has begun to mistrust the LCIs, and therefore ordered the search for secondary confirmation. Last year, a number of users complained of damage suffered while using the iPhone during a workout. Yes, the iPhone plays music and has that spiffy Nike + app, but if you're going to hit the gym, we suggest picking up a US$49 dollar -- and significantly more liquid-resistant -- iPod shuffle. [Via iPodNN]
AppleCare now transferable to new purchases within 30 days
According to an Apple Internal memo not yet release to the public, Apple will now allow transferring an AppleCare agreement on a product bought within the last 30 days to a another product of the same type. Previously, the policy stated that AppleCare must be canceled and then repurchased if you wanted it to cover another product you own. If you gift or sell your covered product to someone else, AppleCare could always be transferred with a simple phone call. AppleCare at present increases your warranty to two years on iOS devices and three years on Macs. I agree with TJ Luoma in believing that AppleCare is a necessity, since we have both used it to cover repairs that out-priced the plan. I don't understand the point of this policy though. It seems unlikely that a customer would buy an Apple product, have it covered with AppleCare and then within 30 days by another one and transfer coverage. Can anyone help me out on this? [via BGR]
AppleCare Adventures: How to get a faulty MacBook battery replaced
The old saying about cars depreciating the moment you drive them off the lot goes double for notebook batteries, which lose a bit of their maximum capacity with every charge cycle. The battery is the one component of your portable Mac that is all but guaranteed to fail eventually... though especially in the case of the newest integrated batteries, it may take as long as a decade to die out completely, depending on your usage habits. How can you tell if your battery is close to failing? More important than that, if it is close to failing, how can you get it replaced? Click "Read More" to find out.
Report: iPhone 4 "more prone to physical damage"
SquareTrade, a company that provides extended warranties for iPhones, is reporting that the iPhone 4 is "more prone to physical damage" than the iPhone 3GS, according to the warranty company's iPhone reliability report. In the report, SquareTrade compared over 20,000 iPhone 4 claims, from the first four months of its release, to the equivalent for the iPhone 3GS. They found that the overall reported accident rate for the iPhone 4 is 68% higher than the 3GS, and that iPhone 4 users reported 82% more damaged screens than the 3GS. The report goes on to say that "the aluminosilicate glass seems to crack at least as often as the old [3GS] glass, and there is now twice as much surface area to break," despite Apple claiming that the glass used in the iPhone 4 is 30 times harder than plastic, according to its website. However, SqaureTrade's report says that accident rates need to be taken into perspective, and that overall, the iPhone has a much lower non-accident malfunction rate than compared with most other consumer electronics. SquareTrade also notes that in its last smartphone reliability study, it found the iPhone to be "far more reliable" than Blackberry and Palm Treo phones, though, this was compiled in November 2008. Having just received my iPhone 4, I'm debating whether to get a case for it or not. I did purchase a highly rated case for my 3G, but it was more of a hassle than its worth, especially since I was particularly careful with the phone. I guess it boils down to how well you look after you gadgets. Nevertheless, accidents do happen. You can download a PDF of SquareTrade's report here. [via International Business Times]
Sony files to dismiss 'Other OS' class action lawsuit
SCEA has filed a motion to dismiss a class action brought against the company for its removal of the PS3's "Other OS" feature, which allowed users to install Linux on the system. Sony argues that the lawsuit, a consolidation of seven similar suits filed last spring, fails to present evidence that the company overtly advertised Other OS in its marketing campaigns or on PS3 packaging. Sony's filing also claims that the PS3 warranty, license agreement and the PlayStation Network Terms of Service "specifically provide PS3 purchasers with a license, not an ownership interest, in the software and in the use of the PSN, and provide that SCEA has the right to disable or alter software features or terminate or limit access to the PSN, including by issuing firmware updates," according to court documents obtained by IGN. (Other OS was removed with a firmware update; and users who decline any update are barred from PSN.) Additionally, Sony has requested that the "class" allegations be stricken from the suit because the plaintiffs did not all use Other OS in the same way. In fact, one of them never used the feature at all. With Sony presenting some seemingly solid grounds for the lawsuit's dismissal, it might be prudent for the plaintiffs to call a key witness to the stand when the two parties meet before a judge on November 4. How about ... the United States Air Force?
LGJ: Where's my refund?
Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: There's a bit of a rash of games breaking other games or DLC breaking games these days, especially when it comes to Achievements. Issues like these often leave a lot of people asking, "Where's my refund?" but, as my colleague Alexander pointed out, no one really knows where to direct that question, if anywhere. Downloadable content isn't something you can simply take back to GameStop or sell on eBay. And even if you know where to ask, can you get a refund for broken content? That's the issue we'll set out to resolve in this LGJ. To examine this, let's imagine a hypothetical: You buy "Fabled Halos" from the Xbox Live Marketplace, and at a later date, you buy the "Broken Code" expansion DLC. Broken Code not only causes Fabled Halos Achievements to stop working, but it also causes save game glitches with another title, Fallin: New Scottsdale, and somehow gives you access to the full version of yet another game Fortress Fighters. You're mad. The developer of Fortress Fighters is mad. Whose fault is this and who has obligations to fix what?
The Lawbringer: Rookie's guide to the EULA, part 2
Welcome to the Lawbringer, WoW.com's weekly examination of the intersection between law and the World of Warcraft. Your tour guide is Amy Schley, recent law school grad. Last week, we looked at the first half of the EULA -- the license limitations, the steps to terminate the agreement and a few other provisions. This week is the back half of the EULA -- the warranties, conflict resolution provisions and miscellaneous provisions. Export controls Section 8 prohibits the export and sale of the game to countries the United States has embargoed or persons that are on the "Specially Designated Nationals" list, essentially a list of terrorist organizations. Alas, this means that we won't be settling the War on Terror with world PvP death match.
Will jailbreaking your iPhone void your warranty?
According to the manufacturer, maybe. Intrepid Apple blognaut Leander Kahney rang up Apple, asked the question above, and got a response. This was more than we got when several of us asked Apple multiple variations of the same question. Apple's statement, as seen on Cult of Mac: "Apple's goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience. As we've said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably." Well that's clear as mud, isn't it? Apple points to a knowledgebase article here, indicating how much instability you might expect after jailbreaking your iPhone. Of course, now that jailbreaking is legal, Apple can't really go after anyone doing it, but that doesn't mean they have to support your functionality habit, either. Because, as Apple has vaguely worded, it might void your warranty. Not that it will -- because if you don't mess with baseband and restore your phone, no one would be the wiser. A simple complete restore really does bring your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad back to factory conditions.
Laptop's 2010 tech support showdown reveals ugly truth: you're (almost) on your own
Dealing with warranties is one thing -- it's almost always a crap-shoot, and you're continually pressing your luck when trying to get something covered without any out-of-pocket expense. But how's about the tech support that's so whimsically promised with so many laptops these days? Our pals over at Laptop put in an inordinate amount of work in order to find out, pinging a full dozen manufacturers via phone and chat in order to measure hold time, level of support offered and overall satisfaction. Just about every major laptop maker was included (Acer, Apple, Dell, Lenovo, HP, Toshiba and Fujitsu, just to name a few), and an in-depth report of their findings was posted for each one. In general, though, they found that most companies wouldn't hang around long enough to answer those nagging questions that typically end up in forums ("How do I remove bloatware?"), oftentimes pointing the caller to a paid alternative that would actually take the time to address their issues. If you're considering a new machine, and you aren't exactly one of those nerdy go-getters who can troubleshoot everything yourself, you should certainly give the source links below a look. Just try not to get too depressed, cool?
Study: iPhone 3GS more reliable than 3G
Poor little iPhone 3G. You are my first iPhone, my first smartphone, my first "I got it the day Apple released it" device. I love you so, and yes, I will miss you when you are gone, replaced by the shiny iPhone 4. Apparently, I was one of the lucky ones. First off, the iPhone 3G is forsaken by several of iOS 4's new features (wallpaper, multitasking, etc.). As an added bonus, warranty provider SquareTrade has released a report showing their repair rates on the iPhone 3G and how it compares to the 3GS. In short: the iPhone 3GS is more reliable than the 3G across the board. I'm guessing this is because the 3GS was an evolution of hardware, so they had a second "model year" to make refinements and changes. However, the 3GS had more power and battery related issues in the first year than the 3G did, so it wasn't flat-out superior hardware. But the 3GS did have less overall trouble in year one the the same period in the 3G's history. [via Macsimum News]
Sony selling 'PlayStation Protection Plan' warranty extension for PS3, PSP
Sony makes some pretty resilient game consoles, and while you'll certainly hear about the occasional glitch, they aren't exactly plagued with RRoD. That said, there's always room for worry, and if you're willing to pay for peace of mind, Sony has a brand-new service agreement with your name on it. Dubbed the "PlayStation Protection Plan," it simply extends the full warranty on your PlayStation 3 or PSP for another year or two, and optionally covers your handheld's five-foot swan dive onto solid concrete for an additional fee. While replacement won't quite be no-questions-asked and the warranty explicitly fails to cover dead pixels, liquid damage and loss of data (among other things), we can still imagine some will pony up the $30 to $50 for extra insurance. Not us, though. Since you can only buy if you're still within the original warranty period, it won't help us replace our backwards-compatible 60GB PS3... and honestly, we think we've had enough of Sony's protection.
Sony launches official 'Protection Plan' for PS3 and PSP
While the PS3 hasn't been plagued by RROD levels of system failures, it is still vulnerable to its own share of problems, most notably the "yellow light of death." Should your system experience an irrecoverable crash after Sony's official one-year warranty, there isn't much you can do except send the system to Sony for repair -- a process that carries a hefty price tag of $150, plus shipping costs. Sony has announced an alternative solution: the PlayStation Protection Plan, which allows new PS3 and PSP owners currently covered by the standard warranty to purchase additional coverage. According to SCEA's VP of operations, Glenn Nash, the PlayStation Protection Plan was created for "consumers looking for added peace of mind ... interested in an extended service plan that's backed directly by SCEA and leverages our technical expertise." However, while Nash touts Sony's reputation for "the highest quality in engineering and design," Sony is charging a sizable sum for the extended warranty to protect all that high-quality engineering -- especially compared to Microsoft's no-cost three-year warranty for RROD-related damages. A one-year extension for the PS3 will cost $44.99, while a two-year plan will cost $59.99. The PSP plan is $29.99 for one year, and $39.99 for two years. An "accidental damage" option is also being offered for $10 more. Ironically, Nash adds that "it's because of the reliability of the PS3 and PSP systems that we can offer the PlayStation Protection Plan." Additional details are available on Sony's official website.
What to do when your Mac dies
In general, Mac hardware is very reliable. Like any complex gizmo, a Mac will have its quirks, but only rarely do those quirks turn into a full-on, machine-killing meltdown. When that does happen, as it recently happened to my wife's MacBook, there's a few things you can do to keep the death of your Mac from becoming more of an ordeal than it has to be. Before your Mac dies: Back up your data. Your Mac is humming along nicely now, and if you've never had a computer die on you before, you might think it'll go on crunching binary bits forever. Unfortunately, it won't -- eventually, something on the Mac is going to fail. And when it does, it'll take all your music, documents, games, videos, and family photos down with it... unless you have those things backed up in another location. At a bare minimum you should be using Time Machine to back up your entire Mac to an external hard drive. Considering that Apple bundles this simple-to-use backup software in OS X, and considering how cheap even terabyte-capacity external hard drives have become, there's really no excuse for not backing up your data. Having all of your data backed up to another drive makes a dead Mac an inconvenience rather than a full-blown catastrophe. There are other third-party tools you can use, like CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper, but if you're looking for a solution that doesn't require an additional download (or much conscious thought to implement), Time Machine is the probably simplest backup tool available. More suggestions, both pre- and post-death, after the link below.
AppleCare without Apple stores... still worth it
Once upon a time, I worked for a major American retailer in its electronics department. The manager of that department, above and beyond all other considerations, wanted us to push extended warranties to customers. These warranties represented almost pure profit for the company, because they cost nearly nothing to implement while costing the customer anywhere from 10-40% the value of the item they were buying. The profit margin on a $2500 LCD TV was very slim, often gaining the company no more than $100 of profit; by contrast, the $549 extended warranty was nearly 100% profit for the retailer. From the retailer's perspective, it's easy to see why they push these extended warranties. From a customer's perspective, though, it's a potential source of confusion or even animosity toward the retailer -- I had more than a few customers (usually older ones) ask me why they needed this warranty in the first place, why the company wouldn't just "stand behind their products." More interested in helping people than trying to BS them for either my own profit or the retailer's, often as not this meant I ended up not selling those extended warranties... it also meant I wasn't a salesman for very long. I won't say which retailer I worked for, but I will say that the memory of working there sears my mind to this day. Most purchasers seem to think that extended warranties are a huge waste of money, and in many (if not most) cases they're correct. Like an idiot, I bought an extended warranty for my Wii back on launch day in 2006 -- that was $60 down the drain. I'll blame that one on standing in line all night in sub-freezing temperatures outside of Target to snag one. But when it comes to AppleCare, I have no hesitation about laying money down for that. We've hit on the value proposition of AppleCare a few times on TUAW before. Sang related Megan's story of a dead MacBook, complete with a detailed analysis of why AppleCare is worth it. Robert made the case for AppleCare, and Cory's answer to the question, to buy AppleCare or not, was a resounding "Yes." I'll add my voice to the chorus of TUAW writers in support of AppleCare -- not because I'm trying to sell it to you (despite the word "Apple" in "The Unofficial Apple Weblog," our only affiliation with the company is as fans and buyers of their products), but because AppleCare has saved me literally hundreds of dollars in repair costs, even though I live in a country without a single official Apple store. Read on to find out how AppleCare saved my bacon, and then decide for yourself whether it's worth it for you.
