Defective design - Treo Forums

senor_jt · 06-09-2003, 11:55 PM

Yes, I'm an unhappy consumer... the only sort motivated enough to post on this board, I see.

I'll be brief... Like so many others, I loved the functionality of my Treo 300. Good apps, decent voice/data service through Sprint. And then I started hearing about the lids on these things snapping off. Through regular use -- no dropping, abuse, etc...

And now it has happened to me. *2 support at Sprint wasn't helpful at all other than to direct me to the nearest Sprint store. I'll let you know what happens there.

But until there is a real fix in place, DO NOT BUY/RECC this device! I realize it may not be that hard since these things are underselling as it is, but responsible consumers should stop these sales cold. Dead in their tracks.

FYI, I just saw a report on one of these Treo fan sites about the new model... Treo 600. No flip lid, bless their little hearts.

Where are the rest of you that have had this problem? And for those of you that haven't YET... you heard it here first. There's a good chance a significant percentage of you WILL experience the broken lid defect!

millerhifi · 06-10-2003, 12:24 AM

Maybe if you didn't jam it against your ear and push too hard on it while you're talking it wouldn't break!
I've had mine for a year without a scratch or flaw on it!

senor_jt · 06-10-2003, 01:16 AM

This defect has nothing to do with "jam[ming] it against [my] ear" or "pushing too hard on it". In fact this was an unrushed opening of the flip lid with one hand while the device was cradled in the other hand.

I presume, as you seem to, that the hinge design is the same for your 270? You're fortunate. Did you ever own a Pinto and never had a problem?

To the extent you're just out to insult me, I'll end my response here. If however, you've got something enlightening to pass on, I'll engage in discussion.

imported_chris · 06-14-2003, 04:28 PM

Did you visit the Sprint store or the retailer you bought it from? I bought mine w/ a service warranty. Anything happens and MicroCenter replaces it. I haven't had any difficulty with mine. Love it. Looking forward to the next generation.

-Chris

Calvin · 06-25-2003, 08:25 AM

I agree with senor_jt on this one... I have had mine since Sept 2002. I love it's usefulness, but bad design on the cover. Mine broke off about 3 weeks ago. I called Sprint, and they also told me to go to the nearest Sprint PCS store which is like 40 miles away. I went there and they told me they were out of stock, but that they verified it was a warrantable problem, and would mail me a new one. A day later I got it in the mail, and 10 minutes on the phone and it was up and running.

The big problem is... My warranty is good for 90 days on the refurb phone I got, and otherwise, my existing warranty is good until one year from purchase. I was hoping to see that the Handspring would see this poor design and start shipping them with a metal hinge or something to fix this. The phone is exactly the same model, and I am hoping to prevent this from happening again, but even if it lasts twice as long this time... Its not enough for a friggin $500 phone.

... And I don't Jam the phone against my head either, just normal use. Just bad design on Handspring's part.

-Calvin

justinkelly · 07-16-2003, 12:56 PM

senor_jt-

i have to say that i was very releaved to come across this discussion forum. my handspring treo lid came off last night, and i was furious. i plan on visiting a sprint store today with a printout of this forum and other discussions that i have come across, in hopes of a replacement phone.

i do have to say, however that as an employee of best buy, i have seen numerous handspring treo 300's come in with problems. these problems have reanged from broken lids, OS failure, battery draining in roaming areas, weak service ranges, and so on.

it seems that the product's design was hurried and flawed from the beginning. i puchased the treo 300 right after its release on the market and a few weeks afterward ... i recieved a box with a new car charger and a note warning: "DISCONTINUE THE USE OF YOUR FORMER CAR CHARGER IMMEDIATELY, IT HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. PLEASE USE THE REPLACEMENT WE HAVE PROVIDED." the defect was in the way that the charger was detached from the treo 300, the hinges would catch and break off. i experienced this problem many times and spent countless frustrating minutes on it.

since my handspring treo 300 experience has left a bitter taste, i have been searching for a different sprint model to replace it. does anyone have any suggestions?

-Justin

buttrpecan1 · 08-20-2005, 09:37 PM

i had my 300 for about a year and never had the problem of the lid coming off, but i did have a worse problem. the phone would just reset itself constantly, erasing everything that was programmed into it. or if it wasn't resetting itself, it would just go out of service, completely blank, for days at a time! it was under warranty when i had it exchanged for another. it happened again constantly, so i had it replaced once more. when it was still doing the same thing, and i asked for another, i was pleased to find that they had upgraded me to the 600! i haven't had any problems w/this phone now. i also, would never recommend the 300 ever again, i think there was def something defective in it's programming and the whole lid thing that i've been hearing about. good luck this time...

chris · 08-23-2005, 08:53 AM

Quote:

i also, would never recommend the 300 ever again, i think there was def something defective in it's programming and the whole lid thing that i've been hearing about.

I had my 300 for years and it was awesome. I was surprised to see your post about stability. I found it to be rock solid (from a software perspective). Unfortunately, it suffered an untimely death when I dropped it one too many times on concrete. It still worked, but the lid popped off. It gave me a reason to move to the 600 which was such a big step from the 300. All in all, I look back on my 300 with nothing but positive experiences. (outside of a few friends claiming my phone looked like a communicator from Star Trek).

dylish · 11-21-2005, 09:22 AM

Congrats to all who did not have the problem with the lid. I however had two treo 300. The first flip broke after a year. I got a cheap replacement off of ebay. Three months later the same thing. Sprint refused to help and so did the place were I originally purchased the phone. I upgraded to the 600.

By the way I kept my treo 300 in a case. No noticeable wear and tear. I paid full price for my phone. I did not man handle it at all!!!