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> Baronic's Guide To Purchasing a PDA, For Newbies

Baronic
post Nov 1 2008, 10:22 AM


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Baronic's GUIDE TO PURCHASING A PDA


1) Original or "ap"


FIRST there is no such thing as AP for PDAS. AP = approved permit. These overseas PDA are imported, and considered illegal since if u call HTC, SIS is the distributer here

WARRANTY COMPARISON: look at the warranty. If you are careful, u'll see that the warranty for "ap" or overseas set PDAs is "free services". Which means u wont be charged for services, but what about spare parts, lets say 4 months down the road? A defective LCD screen would cost around 300-500 and YOU will be forking that out.

A warranty case for me with SIS Malaysia

1 month plus after using Diamond, i send my device to flash rom. They scratched the paint accidentally (minor). I asked to replace the part. They did it without question. They replace that part, then i realised they forgot to put the speaker in. wtf. So i tell them forget it. i want a NEW Diamond. They gave me. Realised the button was loose and G Accelerometer was defective, i asked for ANOTHER new replacement. They gimme again. Would a small fry "ap" company do this for u?. If the paint scratch they probably blame u.

Lots of ap companies will try to attract u with 15 months "warranty" and freebies, but like i said, be aware of warranty.

THE DANGERS OF BUYING AP SETS


QUOTE
I've always advised friends and customers to always stick with original items, from authorised distributers. The fact is small fry companies offering electronical devices at cheaper prices, with their own warranty, simply cannot afford to provide the real quality warranty u expect from authorised distributers. The most they'll offer is "service" warranty, which matters squat as stuff like LCD screen of your PDA for example, would cost about 25% of the entire PDA cost. An authorised distributer such as SIS for HTC products would change it free of charge if it isnt caused by end user.

This is a conversation i had with a Lowyat.net user, who came to me for help.


skyll:

hi.
dada just tell me dat u mayb can help me to solve dis prob
i just hardspl my phone when suddenly the usb connected the pc and the phone pulled off and disconnect.
the problem now is my phone cant be restart or charge.i tried pull off the battery and try 2 insert back after several sec.
do u know how much it will cost me if i send my phone 2 shop or any chance i can do it by myself to fix it?

pls.just bought it less than 1 week -,-





Baronic:

.....sigh, must be careful la bro. not sure if it can even be fixed. can u even switch it on? i'm not sure how much the charge is.


skyll:

=.=. i am very in deep trouble now. the main problem now is i cant switch it on.

i just ask ppl at gombak shop. 1 shop just said that they need 2 flash my ic and it will cost me around rm180.

another shop wanna me to drop the dopod to their shop for several days b4 they could actually know the main problem.

the situation is i when i pull of the battery and try charge the phone it will on the red led.but when i put back the battery and try charge nothing will happen and no yellow led.

u know sum1 that really pro in repairing hp?

i just need my phone to be work again and i dun actually mind the cost. but i hope it will not exceed rm200 coz i just bought it at rm750. -,-

make me wanna cry now =.='


Baronic:

thats the problem when u screw up hard-spl. quite honestly i dun think it can be repaired. if the gombak shop only charge u that 180 if its actually repaired then fine, otherwise dun bother. chances are its a permanent brick. especially if it cannot even turn on. i'm sorry bro.

skyll:

i just send it to d shop that i buy it.

1st of it. i am really disappointed with the shop want to claim warranty so i din have to bear the cost.but the shop cheated me.after about 3 hours waiting he said 2 me that water had entered the phone and now the is is totally broken. how the hell dat water can go to my phone when i know the story behind it.he wan me to pay about rm180.

i went to other shop to repair and they said to me that my phone is already into water. now i know that they intentionally put the water so the warranty will be void.

so. i dun have much choice now.i need 2 bear the cost of the phone by myself.the shop is located at petama complex. do u know anybody or anything that i could do so i can make them bear all the cost coz it is obviously see they cheat me.

can i make any police report about this coz it really make me feel angry when i think bout this?

thx



PURCHASING OPERATOR DEVICES

PDAs, with T-Mobile, Virgin, or other mobile branding are imported from overseas, and are deemed ILLEGAL. SIS Malaysia will NOT repair them even if you pay them.

SECOND HAND devices
1) for newbies who arent sure they can get familiar with a windows mobile device, a second device is good, since the resale value little change if u wanna sell a few days after buying. But if u plan to definitely stick, original brand new better because of the warranty.

WHAT TO CHECK (CRITICAL)

1. If its second hand, ask him NOT to hard-reset/factory-reset. Test the GPS if its working. The state must be a question mark or tick, and u must see several circles representing sattelites when looking at the globe of Earth, under GPS setting of the GPS program (Mapking, Garmin)

2. Check test a music file, play full blast, keep an eye out for CRACKLING of the speakers. May be problematic later

3. Check test bluetooth, send a file, or connect to handsfree to see if working

4. Check test mini USB port (or any other port for non HTC devices). Especially charger ports. See if the device charges normally

5. I'd be careful of non full box sets. POSSIBILITY: STOLEN GOODS. Unless got some sorta proof or purchase or u trust this person, be careful

6. Look at device LCD screen under the light at various angles. Check for dead pixels.

7. Check camera lense, test the camera.

8. Check battery, if its original or third party battery

9. Check basic call functions

IF second hand still under warranty

1. If seller claims still under warranty, check for receipt, if dun have, check for the warranty card for a stamp and a date of purchase. if got receipt dun need this however.

2. Open the back battery cover, check the screws all there, and look for the VOID sticker. Without this sticker, any warranty will be useless, cuz means the device has been opened by non SIS people. Of course if warranty is void, then this is no big deal.






Thats all i can think of for now. Any other Critical checks inputs are welcome

This post has been edited by Baronic: Feb 12 2009, 02:42 PM
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dadarouch
post Nov 1 2008, 10:58 AM


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dead pixels are black spots rite?
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Baronic
post Nov 1 2008, 10:59 AM


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yes smile.gif
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dadarouch
post Nov 1 2008, 11:00 AM


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roger that. lol
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fonda82
post Nov 1 2008, 12:48 PM


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very useful tips! gd job!
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ahnien
post Nov 1 2008, 02:30 PM


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hmmm... last time dunno who teach me how to check dead pixels by:

turn on ur phone camera. then put ur finger covering the whole camera.
n of course, ur screen will be pitch black.

but let say u got dead pixels on ur lcd. then u will have white dots or lines on ur screen smile.gif
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Baronic
post Nov 1 2008, 02:45 PM


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QUOTE(ahnien @ Nov 1 2008, 02:30 PM)
hmmm... last time dunno who teach me how to check dead pixels by:

turn on ur phone camera. then put ur finger covering the whole camera.
n of course, ur screen will be pitch black.

but let say u got dead pixels on ur lcd. then u will have white dots or lines on ur screen smile.gif
*



thats not dead pixels la. under bad lighting condition pda camera sure got white dots and lines
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alien0110
post Nov 1 2008, 02:46 PM


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check wifi, check phone call quality, check phone signal strength. gps usually hard to check without installing gps software because by default the system doesn't come with any gps software.
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Baronic
post Nov 1 2008, 02:48 PM


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QUOTE(alien0110 @ Nov 1 2008, 02:46 PM)
check wifi, check phone call quality, check phone signal strength. gps usually hard to check without installing gps software because by default the system doesn't come with any gps software.
*



wifi depends on the server also, phone call quality is network and radio rom, nothing to do with any problem the phone is facing
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alien0110
post Nov 1 2008, 02:53 PM


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QUOTE(Baronic @ Nov 1 2008, 02:48 PM)
wifi depends on the server also, phone call quality is network and radio rom, nothing to do with any problem the phone is facing
*



Better to check those like you buy a handphone. The main function is still to make phone call, if the quality bad, no point to buy.
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Baronic
post Nov 1 2008, 02:55 PM


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QUOTE(alien0110 @ Nov 1 2008, 02:53 PM)
Better to check those like you buy a handphone. The main function is still to make phone call, if the quality bad, no point to buy.
*



well, like i said, its radio rom dependent. so it can be changed. but i'll add make sure call functions working
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Seaedge
post Nov 1 2008, 04:52 PM


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QUOTE
6. Look at device LCD screen under the light at various angles. Check for dead pixels.


Better way to check,

activate camera and then cover the lens with ur finger until the full screen is black. usually dead pixels is show as red. seen n proved by me.. hehehehe

but seriously, sometimes u cant see the dead pixels by tilting angle.


Added on November 1, 2008, 4:54 pmand u shud check for the vibration as well.. go change to vibration mode and see if its working. i seen pda without vibration working...

This post has been edited by Seaedge: Nov 1 2008, 04:54 PM
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ryder
post Nov 2 2008, 12:03 AM


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this might go under second hand under warranty, check rom version is original or cooked

just my 2 cents
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ahnien
post Nov 2 2008, 01:24 AM


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QUOTE(Seaedge @ Nov 1 2008, 04:52 PM)
Better way to check,

activate camera and then cover the lens with ur finger until the full screen is black. usually dead pixels is show as red. seen n proved by me.. hehehehe

but seriously, sometimes u cant see the dead pixels by tilting angle.

*



see... lidat oso can see dead pixels.

but i tot its shown in white??
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beatlesalbum
post Nov 2 2008, 01:35 AM


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I think best way to check dead pixel is to create a fullscreen RGB and also B&W pciture and put it in the memory card and then fullscreen display all those colors before purchasing. what do you think?
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Baronic
post Nov 2 2008, 08:37 AM


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u'd have to prepare that in advance beatlesalbum

@seaedge, eh, serious? hmmm, but i tot dead pixels means no colour = black??
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vhs1
post Nov 3 2008, 02:39 AM


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i dunno same or not , Pda and notebook dead pixel

last time miy notebook on dark wallpaper, the dead pixel was in tiny white dot.
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ahnien
post Nov 3 2008, 03:36 AM


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hmm... but according to wiki

A dead pixel is a defective pixel that remains unlit. Dead pixels are usually best seen against a white background.

so many different stories geh...
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Baronic
post Nov 3 2008, 08:58 AM


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lol. well, look out for ABNORMALITIES lah anyway lol
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beatlesalbum
post Nov 6 2008, 11:33 PM


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What happen to HTC Viva thread ar, Baronic? I realized it went missing after searching for it in PDA section. I thought you were selling VIVA units. care to post a review at the Review&Essentials section. very interested in getting a non-3g pda but waiting for your wise feedback.
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