Register of International Patents and Trademarks

Yet another fake patent bureau scam.

http://www.ript.eu

(nice name -- ript off -- get it?)

IBIP-International Bureau for Intellectual Property

Yet another fake patent bureau scam.

http://www.ibip-service.com/

Nokia 6220c (AKA 6220 Classic)

Firmware: 06.06.229.03 31-May-2008 RM-328 6220c-1

Physically this phone looks like a winner -- small form factor, good keyboard, nice screen.

Sadly, this Nokia suffers from the same new Access Point "Category" problem that the 5320 suffers from, namely that the Access Point categories appear to be uselessly named and add an extra level of confusion. You'll see:

Internet
"Vodafone live!
WAP services
"Vodafone live!"

You'd think that for e.g. an email application, choosing "Internet" instead of "WAP services" would do the right thing, but alas it doesn't.

Even though the first category is called "Internet" and there is a second category called "WAP Services", both categories are actually set to use the "Vodafone live!" APN and so only work for port 80.

You can see this and fix it so "Internet" uses "Vodafone Internet GPRS" by changing relative priorities under Phone settings/Connection/Destinations/Internet -- select the second one "Vodafone Internet GPRS" and Options/Organize/Change priority).

Note: It might be a bit unfair of me to blame solely Nokia for this -- it could be that Vodafone UK's device provisioning service isn't yet properly setup to handle these new Nokia's yet. Perhaps it's as simple as Vodafone tweaking their provisioning settings so that the "Internet" category gets assigned the "Vodafone Internet GPRS" access point.

SonyEricsson C902

Firmware: R3BH002 prg12041731_GENERIC_AO JP-8.3.0

(Press: * right * left left * left *)

This phone has been great so far. The only criticisms are minor niggles:

The screen is a little smaller that I thought it would be (it's not the width of the phone, it's actually narrower inside the black glass that you see).

The keys are hard plastic instead of the rubber you have on the K800i -- my finger nails keep slipping.

It's a little thicker than the W880i -- too bad they couldn't have kept it as thin as that phone -- but it feels fabulously solid and the slide-out for the 5 megapixel camera works well.

Dell Studio 17 -- Morals of the story (so far, after less than a month of ownership)

Don't buy a Dell (OK, that's a bit cynical).

If you have to buy a Dell, be prepared for their online order system to totally screw up your order.

In the end I had to resort to a phone call with a Dell business account representative just to get a (home) order sorted out. Lucky I have a small software startup that has bought a few Dell servers before...

Be aware that "Dell In Home Support" has lots of fine print -- they will probably end up wanting you to ship your computer away for 5-7 days anyway.

When I finally took matters into my own hands, I ended up being walked through a technical procedure. I was comfortable with it although I would rather have spent my time at my own job and let Dell send a guy to do their job. I work in a technical field, I'd be worried to think how this would have worked out if a non-technical person had a support problem.

Be aware that Dell support is a bit hit-and-miss, depends on who you reach. Try, try again (I would try again for someone else sooner next time).

Email support seems shoddy and far too disconnected as a process -- a bit of of a time waste.

Best to go for phone support right away if you have a problem, so you can keep the person on the phone until things are sorted out.

Note: Don't take this as too negative about Dell -- I haven't yet had a chance to blog my bad experiences with HP xw6400 workstations or CAD2 custom-built workstations. But I've had better experiences so far with IBM ThinkPads (A31p) and (HP Compaq laptops (nc8430).

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Another final follow-up email from Arun

Appears to be a form email exactly the same as first one from Arun:

Dear Sir / Madam,

Thank you for contacting Dell Technical Support regarding your Dell system with Service Tag: [snipped] / Order Number: [snipped].

We hope your query was addressed to your satisfaction.

Should the issue still exist or if you need any further clarifications, please feel free to reply to this email clearly mentioning the following:

1.Case Number / Reference Number
2.Preferred way to contact you (phone or email)
3.Preferred phone number for callback
4.Best time frame to reach you (Please specify a time window of 2 hours)

We will get back to you within 24 working hours of receipt of your email. Our hours of operation are Monday to Friday 8:00am to 8:00pm

Alternatively you can choose to contact us through our Chat Support by typing www.dell.co.uk/chat into your internet browser and selecting the Chat option.

Currently Chat support is available for DIMENSION and INSPIRON systems only; this service is available between 12:00PM to 9:00PM GMT from Monday to Friday.

You may receive an electronic invite to participate in Dell’s Customer Satisfaction Survey. Your participation and feedback are vital to improve our Services.

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Kind regards,
Arun NN
Dell Technical Support
Dell Hardware Support – UK & Ireland
http://support.euro.dell.com
Dell Hardware Support: 0844 338 1000 (UK)
1850 543543 (Ireland)

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Follow up call from Arun -- laptop appears to be fixed

Arun kept his word to check in on the system and called back on my mobile. I checked with my wife and the computer has been working fine this morning since the fix.

He also asked if I could take a few minutes to explain my customer support experience to his manager, Sharavanan, who said he would log this issue.

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Making sure the right hand knows about the left hand

Mr. Singh,

I'm sorry but I couldn't wait any further. I called in on the Dell
Technical Support For Home number 0844 338 1000 and spoke with Arun NN
in Dell Hardware Support – UK & Ireland.

He walked me through the process of re-seating the keyboard and
updating the BIOS.

He has informed me that he is handling this technical support call from now on.

Regards,

Michael Maguire

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Finally I give up and call tech support directly myself

Dear Sir / Madam,

Thank you for contacting Dell Technical Support regarding your Dell system with Service Tag: [snipped] / Order Number: [snipped].

We hope your query was addressed to your satisfaction.

Should the issue still exist or if you need any further clarifications, please feel free to reply to this email clearly mentioning the following:

1.Case Number / Reference Number
2.Preferred way to contact you (phone or email)
3.Preferred phone number for callback
4.Best time frame to reach you (Please specify a time window of 2 hours)

We will get back to you within 24 working hours of receipt of your email. Our hours of operation are Monday to Friday 8:00am to 8:00pm

Alternatively you can choose to contact us through our Chat Support by typing www.dell.co.uk/chat into your internet browser and selecting the Chat option.

Currently Chat support is available for DIMENSION and INSPIRON systems only; this service is available between 12:00PM to 9:00PM GMT from Monday to Friday.

You may receive an electronic invite to participate in Dell’s Customer Satisfaction Survey. Your participation and feedback are vital to improve our Services.

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Kind regards,
Arun NN
Dell Technical Support
Dell Hardware Support – UK & Ireland
http://support.euro.dell.com
Dell Hardware Support: 0844 338 1000 (UK)
1850 543543 (Ireland)

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Test STILL running

The tests I was instructed to run are STILL in progress after 4 days. Currently in the "Memory March LR" test. Unable to cancel out of the test (as later instructed) using the ESC key (likely because of the keyboard fault).

I didn't want to wait for someone at Dell to arrange to call me as instructed in the last email from Mr. Singh.

I decided to turn off the computer and call into tech support.

I speak with Arun N who walks me through the process of removing the keyboard, cleaning all contacts and re-seating the connections.

He also instructs me to download and install BIOS update A04 (was A02).

Computer restarts and appears to be working better.

Arun instructs me that he has taken over the case and will call back later in the day to verify that things are still working.

He seemed very competent.

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- The meaning of "In Home Support"

Dear Mr. Maguire,

Thank you for your reply.

I have gone though your mail that you want the technician will visit at your place and replace the faulty parts.

Have all my sincere apologies for any indiscretion that has caused you dismay.

I wish to send the technician and replace the parts onsite according to your system warranty if the issue has been isolated in your system but in your system issue has not been isolated and the technician does not diagnose the parts onsite in onsite service but in depot service the technician will diagnose the system and replace all parts which he find faulty how ever I will arrange the call back and our call back agent will call you and isolate the parts in your system and create the service according your system warranty.

We are operational between 10:00 AM to5 PM Mon-Fri.

Please provide me the following details:

1. Contact Name:
2. Daytime Phone Number (Cell# preferred):
3. Alternate contact number:
4. Best Day and time to call you.

Note: Please do not forget to write ?PREFERRED CALL BACK? in the subject line if you need assistance over the phone.

Eagerly waiting for your kind response and please be assured that your issue resolution to your complete level of satisfaction mean a great deal to me.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you. Your case number for this interaction is [snipped].

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Thanks & regards,
Deepak Kumar Singh
8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Dell Hardware E-Support UK & IRE Support
http://support.euro.dell.com

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Another we-solved-your-problem SMS received

SMS received: 13-Aug-2008 13:26

Dell Support

Dell Support has responded to your email today. If your issue remains unresolved, please do not hesitate replying to email received from us.

Note: No email yet received.

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Losing my patience -- I paid for in home support

Dear Mr. Singh,

I submitted this problem report 10/08/2008 (3 days ago). I've followed your instructions. I tried cancelling out of the memory tests (which are STILL proceeding "Memory March LA Test, memory test activity CPU0@address00_26c00000 CPU1@adress idle 000") but I can't -- the ESC key doesn't appear to do anything. This is no surprise as the fault I reported is that the keyboard isn't working.

As I mentioned, I tried hooking up an external USB keyboard and mouse and they work fine -- the problem is clearly a keyboard hardware problem.

I feel like you have been bungling this service call (See email to "Mr. Davison" below) and causing delays to what should be a simple identification of the problem and arranging of a technician visit.

I do not want to be without the computer for another 5-7 days. When I bought this computer (a month ago) I paid for:

"754-10020 4Yr In-Home Warranty Support, including evenings and Saturdays"

(please see attached order)

From the Dell web site, "In-HomeWarranty Support" means:

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/learnmore/learnmore.aspx/hmc_warranty_support_inspn?c=uk&cs=ukbsdt1&l=en&s=bsd&~lt=popup

"However, with In-Home Warranty Support you can extend your cover for up to four years including the cost of repairs and replacement parts. In the event of a problem that cannot be resolved by phone-based troubleshooting, we can send a Dell-certified technician to your home at a convenient time to directly resolve hardware-related issues."

Please send a Dell-certified technician over immediately to fix this laptop per your contractual obligations or I will be forced to return it for a full refund.

Regards,
Michael Maguire

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Answer to the second time I asked the question about aborting the test

Dear Mr. Maguire,

Thank you for your reply.

Please do not worry, for your satisfaction I will go-ahead and would setup the service in such a way that your system can be picked and would be completely diagnosed at our Dell depot and all the faulty parts can be replaced by the new one.

Please provide the details which I have sent in last e-mail so that I will create the depot service for your system.

I will be waiting for your reply.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you. Your case number for this interaction is [snipped].

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Thanks & regards,
Deepak Kumar Singh
8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Dell Hardware E-Support UK & IRE Support
http://support.euro.dell.com

When responding to me, please use the *REPLY* function of your e-mail program. This will keep the SAME SUBJECT LINE of our e-mail. Otherwise your message may be delayed or lost.

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Answer to the first time I asked about stopping the test

Dear Mr. Maguire,

Thank you for your reply.

Please do not worry, for your satisfaction I will go-ahead and would setup the service in such a way that your system can be picked and would be completely diagnosed at our Dell depot and all the faulty parts can be replaced by the new one. The normal lead time in this service is 5 to 7 business days depending on the availability of the parts.

Please provide me the details which have given below.

To initiate the service, it is very important to have all the below mentioned information for an early closure of the current issue in hand. Please provide me the following details:

1. Contact Name:

2. Address: (from your original order/ invoice)

3. Address from where courier will pick up and deliver the system after repair:

Street Address:

City:

County:

Post Code:

4. Daytime Phone Number (Cell# preferred):

5. Alternate contact name:

6. Alternate Phone:

7. Please confirm if the following parts of your system are intact and functioning properly. This will help us to bypass any unforeseen trouble with the system that may arise in future. These parts if faulty are subject to replacement in terms with the warranty coverage of your system.

a) System plastics such as LCD hinges, LCD top cover, Media\battery bay latches:

b) Keyboard Keys:

c) Touchpad\Palmrest:

d) Systems Ports:

e) Optical drive such as DVD\CDRW Drive:

f) Any other noticeable technical disruption\suspect or system abuse visible:

g) Rubber Feet/LCD bumpers/Screws:

h) Frayed Cables on adapter and cord:

8. Any new fault found might involve few more interaction(s) to diagnose and fix the issue.

** Special Note: Please be informed that windows might require reinstallation; please make sure that you have backed up the data on the system. If any concern please let us know.

I will be waiting for your reply.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you. Your case number for this interaction is [snipped].

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Thanks & regards,
Deepak Kumar Singh
8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Dell Hardware E-Support UK & IRE Support
http://support.euro.dell.com

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Re-asking the ending the memory test question

Dear Support,

I still haven't gotten an answer to this question.

Regards,
Michael

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- The we-solved-your-problem SMS

SMS received: 12-Aug-2008 20:43

Dell Support

Dell Support has responded to your email today. If your issue remains unresolved, please do not hesitate replying to email received from us.

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Asking for clarification -- I don't want to have to start this all over again

How do I stop running the memory test and run the keyboard test?

It would appear to be that the only option available right now on the
screen is to "Abort tests". Should I do that?

Regards,
Michael

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Acknowlegdement of the Davison error and answer about the memory test taking so long

Dear Mr. Maguire,

Thank you for your reply.

Please ignore my last reply, it was sent mistakenly.

Have all my sincere apologies for any indiscretion that has caused you dismay.

Please do not run memory test any more and please provide me the result of keyboard test.

I will wait for you kind response, and please be assured that, we are ready, willing and able to assist you in all possible means, and to help in clearly mapping out interest-based future relationship with you.

I will be waiting for your reply.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you. Your case number for this interaction is [snipped].

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Thanks & regards,
Deepak Kumar Singh
8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Dell Hardware E-Support UK & IRE Support
http://support.euro.dell.com

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Re-asking the memory test length question

Dear Mr. Singh,

Please note that you have confused my email with one belonging to Mr. Davison.

Can you please read my email below and answer my question? The
"Memory March B test" has been going for over 12 hours now,
progressing (very slowly) through the memory test.

Regards,
Michael Maguire

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Davison, Davison, Who the Hell is Davison?

Dear Mr. Davison,

Thank you for your reply.

I have gone through your mail that the external monitor works fine, the screen shot has shown the vertical line on the screen and diagnostic has been passed.

Please provide us the details for service which I have sent in last interaction so that I will create the service and replace the faulty part.

I will be waiting for your reply.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you. Your case number for this interaction is [snipped].

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Thanks & regards,
Deepak Kumar Singh
8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Dell Hardware E-Support UK & IRE Support
http://support.euro.dell.com

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Wires crossed, does not seem to have received my Aug 12, 2008 at 12:56 AM email

Dear Mr. Maguire,

Thank you for your reply.

I understand from email that you have still not performed the troubleshooting steps so once you will perform the steps please come up with the results so that I will be able to assist you further.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you. Your case number for this interaction is [snipped].

Thank you again for contacting Dell Hardware E-Support.

Respectfully,

Deepak Kumar Singh,
4:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Mon ? Fri
Dell Hardware E-Support
UK & IRE Support
http://support.euro.dell.com

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Still no answer -- Ping!

Dear Support,

I still haven't gotten an answer to this question.

Regards,
Michael

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- The memory test is taking hours!

Dear Dell Support,

I've been following the instructions you sent and the computer has
been busy beeping loudly and running through tests, all of which have
passed so far.

However, it seems to have been performing the:

"Memory March B test"

for over 6 hours now. The system does have 4 GB of memory, but this
seems like it's taking a long time. Is this normal?

Should I let it continue?

Regards,
Michael Maguire

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- My response to the fact that the service tag is wrong and statement that I've already diagnosed the problem

Dear Friendly Dell Support,

Please note, the service tag is [snipped] (as noted in the original
email below) not H06P82J.

I'll try these steps as soon as I get home this evening.

Note, however, that I hooked up an external USB keyboard and mouse and
they worked perfectly -- I hope that already helps you a bit with the
diagnostics in eliminating a software/OS problem.

Regards,
Michael Maguire

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Initial support response

Dear Mr. Maguire,

Thank you for contacting Dell Hardware E-Support.

I will be assisting you with your Dell Studio 1735 system (service tag: H06P82J) and running on Windows vista operating system.

I understand from your email that you are facing the issue with Keyboard.

I truly apologize for the inconvenience this matter has caused.

I would personally look into the issue to provide you the best possible resolution. I am providing you the steps to isolate the issue, please perform the steps which have been given below.

Please run the Dell GUI diagnostics on the keyboard.

To run the Dell GUI diagnostics on the keyboard, perform the following steps:

Press and hold the key, and then press the power button to power the system on.

Release both buttons.

The PSA diagnostics sequence begins.

The PSA diagnostics completes.

The Dell GUI Diagnostics sequence begins.

Click the Symptom Tree button.

The Symptom Tree window appears.

Click Keyboard keys not responding.

The keyboard test begins.


After performing diagnostic, please update the bios in your system with the help of this web link.

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?&fileid=268856

Please reply us with result so that we would resolve the issue earliest.

Your patience and co-operation in this regard will be highly appreciated. I shall be waiting for your response in anticipation.
Mr. Maguire, thank you again for giving me the opportunity to assist you. Your case number for this interaction is [snipped]. Please keep this number for your records; it will help us keep track of this issue so we can better assist you if you have any further questions or concerns about your issue.

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Thanks & regards,
Deepak Kumar Singh
9.00 AM to 7:00 PM
Dell Hardware E-Support UK & IRE Support
http://support.euro.dell.com

When responding to me, please use the *REPLY* function of your e-mail program. This will keep the SAME SUBJECT LINE of our e-mail. Otherwise your message may be delayed or lost.

********************************************************************

Original Message Follows:
------------------------
* * * PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE SUBJECT WHEN REPLYING * * *
* * * This is a feedback Message from the Dell Online Communications Center. * * *

Customer Information:
**************************************************
Name:Michael Maguire
Email:[snipped]
Daytime telephone number: [snipped]
Service Tag:[snipped]
eTrack:[snipped]
**************************************************
System Label:Studio Laptop 1735
Problem:Keyboard/Mouse
Operating System:Windows Vista
Problem Description:
No error displayed
Studio 1735 keyboard began to stop working. At first it was just omitting the odd key, then it stopped registering any keystrokes whatsoever. Rebooting didn't help. Problem evident across all software applications. Also, fan seems to have begun running on highest setting non-stop.
I tried rebooting laptop. I also made sure the problem was evidenced in several different software programs. No new software was recently applied since this problem started showing up.

**************************************************
Sent to: UKI_TS_Inspiron@dell.com
Referring URL: [snipped]
Date submitted: 10/08/2008

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Initial support mail

Damn, everything was so nice about this computer, then the keyboard and trackpad stopped working:



I decide to contact Dell. It's a Sunday, so I choose email support. Here's the automated response after filling in the web form:

Thank you for choosing to Communicate Online with Dell Computer

Your request has been sent to a Dell Technical Support Representative. Please note that all correspondence is tracked by the e-mail address you provided in this form.
Please reference [my-own-snipped-email] when referring to this electronic request. If you change your e-mail address you may be required to provide any other addresses you may have used in previous correspondence.

Case number: [snipped]

If you are getting an error, Please include the exact text of the message.

No error displayed

Description of problem

Studio 1735 keyboard began to stop working. At first it was just omitting the odd key, then it stopped registering any keystrokes whatsoever. Rebooting didn't help. Problem evident across all software applications. Also, fan seems to have begun running on highest setting non-stop.

Description of any troubleshooting steps you have taken

I tried rebooting laptop. I also made sure the problem was evidenced in several different software programs. No new software was recently applied since this problem started showing up.

SonyEricsson W960i

Firmware CXC 162146 R6F41 CXC 162037 R9J005

In progress...

Dell Studio 17 -- It arrives!

Finally arrived 25/07/2008. Yay!

Looks pretty nice. Vista seems to work reasonably well -- not as bad as all the negative press seems to indicate. Happy wife.

Date Time Location Activity
25/07/08 12:46 MICHAEL DELIVERED
25/07/08 07:59 TNT - PARK ROYAL ORDER ON DELIVERY.
25/07/08 02:25 TNT - PARK ROYAL ORDER COMPLETE IN DEPOT.
25/07/08 01:45 TNT - PARK ROYAL FIRST BOX SCANNED INTO HUB.
24/07/08 19:22 TNT - HUB ORDER COMPLETE IN DEPOT.
24/07/08 19:16 TNT - HUB FIRST BOX SCANNED INTO HUB.
24/07/08 11:32 PLAN COMMITTED NOTE.
23/07/08 17:00 RAHEEN DEPARTED EMF.

Nokia E66

Firmware: 102.07.81 12-07-2008 RM-343 Nokia E66-1 (01)

The build of this phone is fantastic -- the screen is huge and the keypad is the best one I've seen in ages.

Now using the phone's software...

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Shipment now arranged for 28/07/2008

Dear Mr.Michael Maguire,

Confirmation of your recent Dell order is attached.

The Estimated Delivery Date for this order is on or before 28/07/2008.

To check on the progress of your order please click on this link: http://support.euro.dell.com/support/order/emea/OrderStatus.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=gen&on=[snipped]

Please regularly check the Email address you supplied for up to date information about your order.

For answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions please go to: http://www.dell.co.uk/help

Thanks,

Abhisek Sinha


View your order with Adobe(R) Acrobat(TM) Reader which can be obtained free from: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

Dell Confidential.
Adobe and Acrobat are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- My company's Dell business sales agent saves the day

Abhisek sorts everything out and to boot even arranges for delivery to my work address (much preferred) instead of my credit card billing address.

Thank you, I'm happy to proceed with the order.

Regards,

Michael Maguire


On 7/8/08, abhisek_sinha@dell.com wrote:
>

- Hide quoted text -
> Dear Mr. Michael Maguire,
>
> Please find attached the requested documentation regarding your Quote request from Dell Computers.
> I trust this is to your satisfaction, please do not hesitate to reply with any queries or questions, or to progress your Quote to an order.
>
> View your quote with Adobe(R) Acrobat(TM) Reader, which can be obtained free, if required, from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
>
> Regards
> ABHISEK SINHA
>
> Quote prepared subject to Dells Terms and Conditions of Sale and Service.
> Adobe and Acrobat are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
>

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- "Step away from the Dell website, sir"

Why do I even bother. After much calling, no luck.

This it not the first time I've had problems with an inability to actually get get Dell to take my money.

Usually when this happens at work, I've just walked away and bought HP.

But my wife really has her heart set on the Studio 17, so time to see if our Dell business sales contact agent can help.

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Order cancelled a few minutes later because I haven't confirmed the address

Nice. It takes them 5 days to get the bogus "Address confirmation required" email out to me, and then right away (Jul 8, 2008 12:15 PM) they've cancelled the order:

Dear Customer,

We have cancelled your Dell order GB0132-[snipped]


This problem is usually caused by one of the following:


§ Card details are registered to a different name than the billing name given on the order

§ Card details are registered to a different address than the billing address given on the order

§ Incorrect card details given on the order – Card number, Expiry date, CSC code/number etc


Please check these details – and once the issue has been solved - place your order again by going to www.dell.com or talking to your sales agent.

Thanks,

Dell

Please do not reply to this automated email, it will not be delivered.

Dell Studio 17 Problems -- Address confirmation required even though they have my address

This is bizarre. They have my address details (they were in the initial order confirmation email under billing) and the website refused to allow me to enter different delivery details (probably for security reasons).

This email was marked as received in my GMail Jul 8 but the email itself is marked Jul 3, 2008 10:00 AM.

It took 5 days for them to actually send the email.

Dear Customer,

We’re unable to process your Dell Order GB0132-1022-96866 as we cannot deliver to the address you gave us.

Please confirm your delivery address by taking the following steps:

1) Click "Reply" button - (at the top of this email)

2) Put an "X" in the right box (this cannot be done before you've clicked "Reply")

3) Click the "Send" button

Please note, you only have the options below, we won’t be able to see any additional comments you write. Information we need Please enter your details in this column
Contact Name

House Number / Name

Street Name

City

Postal Code



If we do not receive a reply to this email within 3 working days your order will be automatically cancelled.

As soon as we receive your reply we can process your order as a priority.

Thanks,

Dell

Dell Studio 17 -- Initial order

A birthday present for my wife, who really needed a 17" LCD laptop for her design work to replace the 17" Toshiba on which the screen started to die just after the 1 year warranty was up. Buying a new Toshiba was out of the question, and there aren't a lot of other 17" LCD laptops out there.

HP was considered for a while, but their laptops are unusable for a lefty like my wife because of USB port placement (all along the left-hand side) for a mouse.

reply-to "Dell Inc."
to [snipped]
date 3 Jul 2008 03:54:11 -0500
subject Dell Order Acknowledgement - Internet Receipt Number: GB0132-[snipped]

This e-mail is an acknowledgement of receipt of your Dell Order.

You will receive an order confirmation by e-mail after your payment is authorised, so please check your e-mail regularly.

For your Estimated Delivery Date (or to check on the progress of your order) go to ‘My Order Status’. You will need your Internet Receipt Number GB0132-[snipped] and your e-mail address.

Order Information

Internet Receipt Number: GB0132-[snipped]
Order Date: 3 July 2008

Payment Information

Contact: Michael Maguire

Phone Number:
[my complete work and mobile phone number information, snipped]

Address:
[my complete address with post-code, snipped]


Payment Method:
Credit / Debit Card
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx[snipped]
Your order will be released into production as soon as your Bank has cleared your payment.

Total Price:
£ 882.00

Delivery Information

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Order Details

Product
Unit Price
Quantity
Price

STUDIO 17 (N0773502)
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.4 GHz, 800 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2 Cache), Genuine Windows Vista SP1™ Home Premium - English
£ 759.15
1
£ 759.15

Item
Description

Base
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.4 GHz, 800 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2 Cache)

Memory
4096MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x2048]

Keyboard
Internal UK English Qwerty Keyboard

Video Card
256MB ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3650

Hard Drive
250GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive

Microsoft Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista SP1™ Home Premium - English

Optical Devices
Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Slot Load Drive including Software

Wireless Networking
Dell Wireless 1397 Mini Card (802.11 b/g)

Cables
1 Meter Power Cord (3 Wire) - UK

Shipping Documents
English - Documentation Studio 1735

Gedis Bundle Reference
N0773502

Standard Warranty
1Yr Limited Warranty - Collect & Return

Enhanced Service Packs
4Yr In-Home Warranty Support, including evenings and Saturdays

Order Information
Studio 1735 Order - UK

Primary Battery
Primary 6-cell 56 WHr Lithium Ion battery

Carrying Cases
No Carrying Case

Dell System Media Kit
No Resource CD

Camera
2.0 Mega pixel Integrated Web Camera - CCFL

Colour Choice
Lime Green Colour with Microsatin Finish

Accidental Damage Support
No Accidental Damage Support

Labels
Wireless Label (Dell Wireless Cards)- Core 2 Duo

LCD
17 Widescreen WXGA+ CCFL (1440x900) TFT Display with TrueLife™

Microsoft Application Software
Microsoft® Works 9.0 / English - (Does not include Microsoft® Word)

Protect your new PC
No Security/Anti-Virus Protection - English

Power Supply
90W Power Adapter (3 Wire)

Biometric Identification
No Biometric Fingerprint Reader



Total excl. VAT VAT Rate VAT Total incl. VAT
Sub-total(s): £ 733.62 17.50% £ 128.38 £ 862.00
Delivery Charge: £ 17.02 17.50% £ 2.98 £ 20.00
Total Price: £ 750.64 £ 131.36 £ 882.00

Nokia N78

Firmware 10.136.051.1 08-05-2008 RM-235 but updated immediately using nifty new *#0000# menu to 12.046.051.1 25-06-2008 RM-235

I've only just started using this phone, so can't comment yet, except to say that while the phone is light and small, the screen is beautiful and large and already it looks like there have been many software improvements (nice to see over-the-air flash update finally working) in a typical Nokia fashion they've improved everything and then made some stupid blunder that ruins the whole effort.

In this case, it's the keyboard. It's unredeemably stupid, with really narrow "button bars" instead of actual keys. There's a stupid dedicated "Music" key just to the right of the 5-way directional button where usually you'd expect the 'C' delete key to be. Instead of having actual buttons for the hotkeys or the 'C' key, you press in on the front of the phone in certain positions for those -- it's like the worst of a touchscreen (no tactile positioning feedback) combined with the worst of dedicated keys.

Any yet-to-be-discovered software flaws aside, this phone sucks.

Nokia 5320 XpressMusic

Firmware: 03.08.C04.01 11-Jun2008 RM-409 5320

This phone seems like a really great little small phone. It's nice to see Symbian Series60 power making it into a cheap, Series40 style handset. If this is the death bell for Series40, I welcome it.

However this phone has 2 flaws:

1. There is a red directional button with a black center. They appear to be 2 separate pieces. You'd think that pressing in on the black center is the select button (FIRE), and pressing on each side of the surrounding red directional button gives you UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT. Unfortunately, however, Nokia designers chose to make the center black button also be directional. It's extremely to click in on the black center button and have the cursor go UP, then FIRE. Fatally annoying.

2. Nokia appear to have tried to "fix" the Access Point problem on newer Series60 phones.

On Vodafone UK you're presented with a "Select connection"
dialog with 2 choices:

Internet
"Vodafone live!
WAP services
"Vodafone live!"

You'd think that for e.g. an email application, choosing "Internet" instead of "WAP services" would do the right thing, but alas it doesn't.

Even though the first category is called "Internet" and there is a second category called "WAP Services", both categories are actually set to use the "Vodafone live!" APN and so only work for port 80.

You can see this and fix it so "Internet" uses "Vodafone Internet GPRS" by changing relative priorities under Phone settings/Connection/Destinations/Internet -- select the second one "Vodafone Internet GPRS" and Options/Organize/Change priority).

Sadly this new Access Point category problem appears to afflict the 6220 as well.

Nokia E71

Firmware 100.07.76 08-06-2008 RM-346 Nokia E71-1 (01), unlocked from Nokia store

This phone came so close. I was really cheering for it. It's probably the best looking qwerty keypad phones I've ever seen. Even my wife, who is an Italian designer and thinks all the qwerty dedicated email devices out there look horrible, likes the look of this one.

Unfortunately, I've been extremely disappointed with the software. Yesterday this phone froze with a dialog popped up that said someone was calling. The phone didn't actually ring and I didn't get the call -- I had to take the battery out to fix it.

Any time I use any applications that use data, I keep seeing "Maximum number of connections in use. Close an active connection first." I see this all the time -- sometimes even if only using one application. My coverage indicator says I'm in a 3.5G zone. This seems like a total step backwards in terms of Symbian OS phones -- none of the others I've used have this problem.

Other people seem to be having the same "Maximum number of connections in use" problem.

Verisigned MIDlets run, but don't autostart and constantly ask to select access point.

This phone sucks.

Lenovo ThinkPad R61i

My father-in-law asked me to recommend a new laptop for him. My suggestion based on my own experiences was either an HP Compaq like my nc8430 workhorse, or a ThinkPad based on my experience with the A31p.

In the end he felt better about the price and features of the ThinkPad, so we went for the R61i (apologies for the Italian):

Descrizione Prodotto: Lenovo ThinkPad R61i 8943 - Core 2 Duo T5450 1.66 GHz - 15" TFT
Dimensioni: (LxPxH)33.2 cm x 26.9 cm x 4 cm
Processore: Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 / 1.66 GHz ( Dual-Core )
RAM: 1 GB (installati) / 3 GB (max) - DDR II SDRAM - 667 MHz - PC2-5300 ( 1 x 1 GB )
Controller grafico: Intel GMA X3100
Uscita audio: Scheda audio
Garanzia del produttore: 1 anno di garanzia
Peso: 2.9 kg
Localizzazione: Italiano / Italia
Alimentazione: 120/230 V c.a. ( 50/60 Hz )
Batteria: Ioni di litio
Memoria cache: 2 MB - L2
Disco rigido: 120 GB - Serial ATA-150 - 5400 rpm
Memorizzazione ottica: Masterizzatore DVD - modulo plug-in rimovibile
Networking: Scheda di rete - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g
Sistema operativo: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Dispositivo di input: Tastiera, TrackPoint, UltraNav
Schermo: 15" TFT 1024 x 768 ( XGA ) - 24 bit (16,7 milioni di colori)
Telecom: Fax / modem - 56 Kbps
Tipo di sistema: Notebook
Dispositivi incorporati: Altoparlanti stereo, antenna wireless LAN, ThinkLight, antenna Bluetooth
Wireless NIC: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
Tecnologia piattaforma: Intel Centrino Duo
Sicurezza incorporata: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Security Chip , lettore di impronte digitali

From http://www.misco.it this was € 619,05 + VAT.

He has been very happy with this laptop (and I have had minimal suppport calls ;-). I've played with it a bit myself and find it to be rock solid with a great keyboard.

Nokia 6650

Firmware 03.09.TMUK.05 16-05-08 6650d-1c RM-400

Very nice looking Symbian s60v3fp2 clamshell. Keyboard and build quality are great.

Software apps up and running for days on end now, with no apparent system memory leaks (e.g. a la E65).

The 3-button "touch screen" on the top, closed surface of the phone is a little annoying -- my wife finds that it's easy to inadvertently end up with the stop watch or timer going.

This is a winner from Nokia.