Palm offers refunds on M130

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1040-956650.html?tag=fd_top">http://news.com.com/2100-1040-956650.html?tag=fd_top</a><br /><br />This is waaaay off topic but since we had a healthy discussion about <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3084">PDA manufactures being honest about their specs</a> I thought I'd give you a quick followup. On the M130 color fiasco discovered last month, Palm has finally decided to either refund your money if you are a registered M130 owner or, if you decide to keep the device, you will get a free copy of SimCity. Not too bad - just two weeks to reverse course and do the right thing. I felt this would be the ultimate resolution and I'm glad it didn't take a court decision or class action settlement to resolve. Score one for the consumer and PDA enthusiast web sites that continued to press the issue. Source: Peter West.

[Jonathan1]

Hmmm maybe I'm wrong but didn't HP initially buck at refunds as well and then do a complete turnaround on that decision too? Someone at Palm must have done the math and found that X + $Y > Z Where
X = The PR nightmare and the potential sales loss that would result from this.
Y = The potential lawsuits that may occur.
Z = The amount it would cost to do a refund and give out free software.

In the business world there is no such thing as "doing the right thing" There are no morals in big business anymore its only what saves a company money and face. If someone found that cutting off the CEO's leg would save the company billions vs. leaving it on I'm quite sure the majority of the CEO's in America would be in wheelchairs right now. 8O

[cpoole]

Jeeez

The note on their web site sure was a reluctent admission of guilt. 58,000 instead of 64,000 colors? The marketing spin doctors are still at work.

[Jonathon Watkins]

Nah - it's on topic - we talked about this a week or two ago.
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3084&highlight=palm

It's about time really - mind you HP took a while to get round to offering refunds too. Better late than never!

[jdhill]

Good job Palm. You did the right thing.

[Foo Fighter]

No doubt this refund offer is going to butcher Palm's earnings this quarter. A good chunk of acquired revenues are going to be returned to consumers. Palm can't afford many more mistakes like this.

[pt]

No doubt this refund offer is going to butcher Palm's earnings this quarter. A good chunk of acquired revenues are going to be returned to consumers. Palm can't afford many more mistakes like this.

anyone have any guesses to the number they sold?

cheers,
pt

[Wes Salmon]

Bah, this is much ado about nothing, even if Palm is admitting wrong doing by offering refunds, it should disappear from the front page of any website that dared cover it. :roll:

[Ed Hansberry]

Bah, this is much ado about nothing, even if Palm is admitting wrong doing by offering refunds, it should disappear from the front page of any website that dared cover it. :roll:
Not sure I follow:
• It should disappear from sites that covered the problem?
• The resolution should disappear from sites?

[Wes Salmon]

Not sure I follow:
• It should disappear from sites that covered the problem?
That all depends on who provides the bulk of your site's funding.
• The resolution should disappear from sites?
Only if it's hurtful to those providing the bulk of your salary.

[It should be noted, my original comment is satire, not my real opinion on this matter. :)]

[Jonathon Watkins]

Yup - I got it Wes - though I had to read it carefully to check the [irony] tags. A casual reader would think you were being serious there. :)

Palm does try to rule with a heavy hand dosn't it. :?

[Ed Hansberry]

Not sure I follow:
• It should disappear from sites that covered the problem?
That all depends on who provides the bulk of your site's funding.
• The resolution should disappear from sites?
Only if it's hurtful to those providing the bulk of your salary.


Ok, I think I see where you are going. I'm not very [i]bright with this stuff sometimes. You have to give me a hand with it. :D

[jdhill]

Oh, I get it now! You are talking about BrightPalm, or PalmHand or whatever that site is called. :wink: :wink: :wink:

[Foo Fighter]

Oh, I get it now! You are talking about BrightPalm, or PalmHand or whatever that site is called.

And PIC.

[jdhill]

Sounds like a scene out of the book "1984". The m130 color debacle has been dropped down that tube that made all references to people disappear; they became 'non-persons'.

[mookie123]

Is it a full refund? If it is $280, than one can almost get a discounted Toshiba E310 with that much money.

(not to mention all the 16 bit colors) :roll:

[Wes Salmon]

Oh, I get it now! You are talking about BrightPalm, or PalmHand or whatever that site is called.

And PIC.
Nah, PIC is a one platform site so you'd expect these types of shenanigans there. :)

[Ed Hansberry]

Nah, PIC is a one platform site so you'd expect these types of shenanigans there. :)
Of course! Just like the shenanigans here! Oh, wait..... :oops: :wink: :lilangel:

[Jason Dunn]

Bah, this is much ado about nothing, even if Palm is admitting wrong doing by offering refunds, it should disappear from the front page of any website that dared cover it. :roll:

Heh heh. I get you Wes...very subtle. :lol:

[jdhill]

Jason,

Good to see your smiling avatar again !!!

[Jason Dunn]

Good to see your smiling avatar again !!!

I'll be back tomorrow...fear not. 8)

[jdhill]

Jason,

How's the weather in Calgary? I'll be up there next week. Hopefully it'll be much cooler than Phoenix!

[pt]

smart move-

-cut corners (and costs) and use 12 bit screens with 4096 colors.
-advertise it as 16 bit, 65k colors.
-if someone notices, just say "sorry" and talk about the dithering.
-wait and see if there's a class action suit and how many people call the customer service center about it.

in this case it worked out great for palm, from what they said only 8 people called. so that's like $1600 and now the class action suit is moot since they're giving refunds.

palm saved a bundle using the 12 bit screens and only 8 people noticed. they waited until they did the cost analysis on the number of potential refunds and now they said 'we're still sorry and now you can have a refund or sim city".

cheers,
pt