UNBELIEVABLE ! - TX fails just like the T3 did.... :-(

Well after less than 6 months from new usage, my previously very good TX has done just what the T3 did twice on me and it doesn't bode well...The touch screen/digitizer developed permanent drift in the lower 3rd of the screen nearest the hard buttons making the status bar almost unusable - only pressing at the extreme edge of the screen there sometimes works the buttons. Due to the drift, using the stylus above that leads to presses of keys on the keyboard - or activation of keyboards/Graffitti area etc Using the keyboard is a joke with pressure on one key activating a different key above instead....

The TX has been kept in a hard case continuously so I can't see how this can have come about except poor quality components / manufacturing.

I am now awaiting Palms' response after the usual slow routine they demand via of applying for a warranty repair via their website of showing you've done all the checks and emailed loads of info - because they don't trust us to know after years of Palm use (in 7th year now) when we have a hardware failure. Oh yes and I have had to spend a load of time to load my data /apps to a back up unit so I am not without a usable pda.

It's so frustrating when one has got so many uses for such a device - which when it works is so incredibly worth having & using every day- often many many times - only to find that the manufacturer of the hardware just doesn't seem to either know the meaning of quality control - or maybe even care ?

So far I've had only one Palm pda which managed to last a years use without needing to go for replacement or repair...and I don't throw these things around. Granted I've broken the odd screen or two, but really - I'm beginning to ask if - horror of horrors Windows Mobile / Pocket PC hardware is better made & longer lasting. I like Palm OS and DO NOT want a Windows OS device in my pocket - but if the darn things last longer & don't need to keep being sent for repair & replaced well maybe it's worth the GRIEF of Microsoft Windows ! ...My HP Desktop PC has been running about three years so far with no hardware issues - and it's certainly run for a lot of hours....why can't Palm manage that ?

After all the mucking about with silly designs they bring in a decent pda which the TX is - and still the same quality control issues. I wonder what I will get back - presuming they do actually repair/ replace it ? The T3 - which thankfully I got from a retailer who gave a 2 year warranty (yes 2 years - which it needed as it had two digitizers fail identically) was second time replaced with a 'reconditioned ' unit with no SD card slot door where there should be one; a scuff mark on the back; a less than tight slider and a dent in the case - all be it not huge. What will I get back for my TX I wonder - which is still almost pristine ?

Well, all I can say is that I wonder how annoyed I'd be if I'd spent the money on a Treo and had similar problems - £185.00 is bad enough to get this but £300 to £420 ?

Well I'd better stop ranting, maybe I'll check out the PPC forums to see if they have hardware issues just the same...I just have som much stuff I keep on the pda now - so many useful apps & databases I NEED A RELIABLE PDA MANUFACTURER !!! AAAARRRRRHHHHH.!!!!

.....m130fullbutcontent now exits ranting like a bit of a madman, no doubt to the great relief of those who didn't fall asleep reading such a long rant....

oh...poor baby...

here's a thought, are your pdas being exposed to high temperature? - given that the digitizer is stuck over the screen I wonder if temperature is damaging the screen/digitizer bond and thereby affecting functionality?

Zinzan,

Interesting idea about the temperature, but the highest temperature the TX gets exposed to is 'body temperature' when in ones pockets so to speak - (despite what I might like to think) I'm no 'hotter' than the average red blooded male

I work out doors some of the time so the TX more often gets a bit cold - but it doesn't reach near frozen or anything like that.

I can't help thinking that someone who works with these devices somewhere - like the touch screen manufacturers - or Palm themselves must have some idea why this happens. Could it be that quality of components - or lack of - is about profit margins ?

PS : 'Jays333' - one of your middle names must be 'helpful' -not.

... and to add insult to injury, despite spelling out that this problem with my TX remains after a hard reset to Palm technical support I have just been emailed back as follows by Palm Euro. Tech. Support: (I quote in part)

\"From the information that you have provided it seems that you may be experiencing a software problem which may be a result of installing 3rd party applications. To solve this problem we suggest that you try a hard reset and remove the 3rd party applications from the backup folder before synchronizing. We do advise to back up your data, if possible, before you perform a hard reset. Please read below for instructions:....\"

..so to cap it all Palm Technical Support staff can't - or can't be bothered to - read...

Heads & brick walls spring to mind...

Do you use a screen protector? Sometimes I've noticed that when one of my screenprotectors would get to close to the edge that I would experience problems on differant devices.

sorry i was kinda mad that day, hope you fix your problem


-jays333

The mother of all info on digitizer problems- http://palmdiscovery.netfirms.com/nfblo ... zer-fixes/

Thanks for your posts chaps :

PacManFoo- I don't use a screen protector - I've tried them but never got on with them.

Jays3333 - I'll forgive you, thanks.

legodude522 - I'm working through that link page now thanks for that , though three hard resets later I'm not optimistic....

.. I still await a further response from Palm Tech Support re a request for repair following pointing out their error in simply not reading my initial request
...

This is a very common problem with the TX. The digitizer is of low quality. Pressing hard when you write makes it wear out sooner. You mention that you have broke screens before so that suggests that perhaps you press too hard unless you dropped them.

When my digitizer started drifiting after about of years worth of light use I replaced it with a 'glass' digitizer bought at gethightech.com. So far it works much better than the original, i.e. it is more accurate with graffiti. It draws on Note Pad with cleaner, less jagged lines.

Another solution to the drift issue is to calibrate your screen using Dmitry's PowerDigi application. It has many calibration points instead of Palm's measly three targets. This compensates for a damaged digitizer that exhibits drift (offset) of certain areas.

I feel your pain
I am having the same trouble with my T|X and It's about 10mths old.
All Palm really has to do is update the digitizer to take up the full 320x480 screen and that would fix the prob.
I even tried using the digitizer in landscape mode but it automatically realigns the screen to portrate.
I'm guna have to give this PowerDigi a go and see what happens.
If that doesn't work I'll have to try my own luck with Palm's tech support here in Australia.
On the note you made about going to a WinMob PDA manufacture to look for better build quality I wouldn't recommend it.
PC Authority (one of the 3 most popular PC mags in Aus) recently awarded Palm for there build quality and after sales service above all the other PDA and smartphone manufactures based on a survey of its readers experiences.
From my own experience in IT retail and the survey backs me up if you're not going to go with palm HP is probably your best choice just don't go with O2 or the other manufactures that use the same ODM (is it HTC?) they scored poorly in the survey and we get a few back for repair.
A note on O2 that only really affects us Ozzys.
They only have one repairer in Aus and thats in Brisbane.
I'm in Melb so thats like sending a repair from Florida to Mane for you Yanks who are listening (sorry I don't know distances in Europe) and to top it off they don't open till 10:00 and Queensland (the state Brisbane is the capitol of) doesn't have daylight savings (they complain it'll disrupt the cows or something. Victorian cows don't seem to have a problem with it[any way I digress]).
This means I can't contact them until 11:00 and even then it's more than not busy with calls from all over the country for a few hours.
Anny way what was the point?
Oh Yeah.
You wont get any better build quality from anyone else.I feel your pain

Thanks for your posts Gregte & Sungod..

Gretge - I have to say that in retrospect some signs were there from when I got the TX that the screen was of low quality: - it had uneven responsiveness - and mostly needed heavy pressure to work at all compared to most previous Palms I used. Interestingly the 'recon.' T3 I was given under warranty for the last of two similar T3 failures has a much nicer screen - I think it's a Sony screen from the bright 'spotlights' at the bottom. This needs little pressure & works beautifully....but I want that on my TX !

I'm going to stick out for a warranty repair though as it is clearly a hardware failure - and it's not resulted from a drop..

Sungod,

Thanks for the sympathetic and informative post - and the entertaining digressions ....

- Okay - will stick with Palm for now annoying as they are and resort to HP PPC as a last resort !

.. Palm Support have not even acknowledged my second email from 5 days ago explaining that it is not a software issue & a repair is needed- and that was one I asked to be dealt with by a manager ! I will be complaining again.

.. Very frustrating


Do Palm treat Treo owners this badly ? Or do they get preferential treatment ? Any Treo users want to comment ...?

Frustratedly

'm130fbc'
- who got a TX & wishes he still had his little old M130 sometimes !

Update...

I have now been waiting 9 days since first seeking help from Palm for a warranty repair. I have been fobbed off /ignored 4 times by their technical support people...

And then they sent me today a 'satisfaction survey'.....

As you'd imagine I responded appropriately with the lowest rating available. Do I think it will make any difference ? Sadly I doubt it.

Perhaps I can pursue them under consumer protection legislation or something....
.... I'd rather they fixed it but.

If you want, I can give Palm a nudge. I can email my contact at Palm. He was able to help once before. I'd rather not bother him but if so...

legodude522
...Now that's an offer I can't refuse - very kind of you legodude
Yes please !
Shall I 'PM' you some details ?

m130