Palm Pilot class action

[claude]

I got a lengthy email today wrt a class action suit against Palm claiming damages relating to the M500 & M505 Palm Pilots (I have the M500). I'm tempted to ignore it since I haven't had any problems with my Palm, but I wonder if there is a hidden problem lurking.

I haven't had time to read the email in detail, does anyone know what this is about?

[moneyp]

Originally posted by claude
I got a lengthy email today wrt a class action suit against Palm claiming damages relating to the M500 & M505 Palm Pilots (I have the M500). I'm tempted to ignore it since I haven't had any problems with my Palm, but I wonder if there is a hidden problem lurking.

I haven't had time to read the email in detail, does anyone know what this is about?

It's an issue with the M50x series not syncing properly via USB. Palm's tech support has been acting like it's user error and directing Palm users to buying a serial sync (much slower and more expensive) to remedy the problem. Hence, the lawsuit.

If you're connecting via serial, than you shouldn't have a problem, but if you're using USB, you might want to get a refund and another type of PDA.

[claude]

Originally posted by mone peterson
It's an issue with the M50x series not syncing properly via USB. Palm's tech support has been acting like it's user error and directing Palm users to buying a serial sync (much slower and more expensive) to remedy the problem. Hence, the lawsuit.

If you're connecting via serial, than you shouldn't have a problem, but if you're using USB, you might want to get a refund and another type of PDA.

I've been synching via usb and have never had a problem. If I haven't had a problem to date (~ 1 year of use) do you know if this might be something that will crop up down the road?

[moneyp]

Originally posted by claude
I've been synching via usb and have never had a problem. If I haven't had a problem to date (~ 1 year of use) do you know if this might be something that will crop up down the road?

That depends. Are you only synching it up to one computer? Many of the complaints have been the variety of, "I was synching up fine at home, than I tried to synch up at work and it wouldn't work anywhere." If you're only using it on your computer and it's been working for a year, you're probably safe. If you plan on switching computers, or you synch it regularly elsewhere, I'd be concerned.

Just out of curiosity, what OS are you using?

A lot of customers have complained that it's happened past the time of the warranty, which I think is a measly 90 days before they start charging you for phone support. A lot of the results have been Palm replacing the unit with "enhanced" units, but they wind up having the same problem. One guy wrote that he was on his fourth Palm because of this problem. Which is like a living example of the Darwin theory. Get a new PDA already, dumbass.

[claude]

Originally posted by mone peterson
That depends. Are you only synching it up to one computer? Many of the complaints have been the variety of, "I was synching up fine at home, than I tried to synch up at work and it wouldn't work anywhere." If you're only using it on your computer and it's been working for a year, you're probably safe. If you plan on switching computers, or you synch it regularly elsewhere, I'd be concerned.

Just out of curiosity, what OS are you using?

A lot of customers have complained that it's happened past the time of the warranty, which I think is a measly 90 days before they start charging you for phone support. A lot of the results have been Palm replacing the unit with "enhanced" units, but they wind up having the same problem. One guy wrote that he was on his fourth Palm because of this problem. Which is like a living example of the Darwin theory. Get a new PDA already, dumbass.

I synch to one computer only, but of course this computer won't last forever and I would like to be able to use my palm with my next computer also. As for OS and hardware I am using XP personal (or is it home? anyway it's not the "professional" version) on a Toshiba Notebook.

I have come to rely on this thing and it would be pretty useless if I couldn't synch so this is certainly a concern. On the other hand I don't want to toss a PDA that's working fine on the basis of other people's problems.

Thanks for all the info Mone, you have been very helpful.

[alankin]

USB, especially 1.0, can be very touchy.

[jesus marion joseph]

Is it the Palm devices themselves that are the problem, or the Palm OS? Cuz I have a Clie that I sync though a USB connection, bit it runs Palm OS.

[moneyp]

Originally posted by jesus marion joseph
Is it the Palm devices themselves that are the problem, or the Palm OS? Cuz I have a Clie that I sync though a USB connection, bit it runs Palm OS.

JMJ: Since it's restricted (so far) to the M50x series, it's likely something in the firmware for those devices. It's a hardware issue, in other woids.

[Chaz Longue]

As annoying as glitches like this can be, I hate to see Palm get beaten up. I'm a very happy user of the Palm OS, and cringe at the thought of MS Pocket PC gaining further market share.

In the opinion of at least one tech writer, Microsoft has purposely not put Palm out of business so it's not subject to FTC action.

Then it'll be Pocket PC and Symbian.

[claude]

As annoying as glitches like this can be, I hate to see Palm get beaten up. I'm a very happy user of the Palm OS, and cringe at the thought of MS Pocket PC gaining further market share.

In the opinion of at least one tech writer, Microsoft has purposely not put Palm out of business so it's not subject to FTC action.

Then it'll be Pocket PC and Symbian.

I'm with you Chaz. I have been happily using my Palm M500 with none of the purported problems from this class action. On the other hand my sister in law was telling me that her PDA (can't remember what kind) running the windows pda software "freezes" every now and then.