Problem
- Harry Campbell
Alex Demel, Plano, Texas
OYS Responds: Sony officials acknowledge that Demel's warranty coverage should not have started the day he ordered the PC; normally coverage begins when a product actually ships, in order to protect it while it's in transit.
Demel's VAIO shipped three weeks after he placed his order, so his complaint that he was being shorted on warranty coverage was valid. After we contacted Sony, the company changed the warranty start date to the day that Demel's system was delivered.
Sony is not alone in starting warranty coverage when a PC ordered by phone or online ships: Dell says its policy is essentially the same. Hewlett-Packard, however, says its warranty coverage begins when the customer receives the PC. In any event, if you notice a discrepancy in coverage dates, be sure to insist on speaking with a supervisor.
Finding a Company's Number
San Francisco reader Adam Lazar wrote to seek help contacting eMusic about changed account settings. He was unable to locate a customer service phone number on the music download service's Web site, and had received no response to four messages he had sent over ten days using a customer service Web form.
EMusic told us Lazar could have found a corporate phone number by clicking Contact Us on its site (Lazar looked only under Customer Service), and said it generally responds to user messages within 24 hours. The company attributed the delays in Lazar's case to problems relating to a rollout of new software, and has since resolved his issue.
OYS tip: Try the Better Business Bureau Web site for phone numbers if you can't find any on a company's Web site.
Hard-Drive Heat Problem
I-O Data Device USA has recalled about 740 AC adapters sold with network hard drives after learning that some of the adapters can overheat and deform or melt, posing a burn hazard. The company says no injuries have been reported, but is urging customers to stop using the products immediately.
The affected AC model number is IO-ACADP1510UL; the adapters were sold with I-O Data network hard-drive models UHDL-160U and UHDL-300U (check the base of the console for the model number) between December 2004 and February 2007.
Owners of these adapters can receive a free replacement by contacting I-O Data at 877/878-2926 or by filling out the company's AC adapter recall program inquiry form.
