How much of a premium are you willing to pay for a Thinkpad?

Curious that you say this because in a private communication to me you said that the R400 which did not have the fingerprint reader did flex in precisely the area to which I have drawn attention to.

 

i am pretty sure i said my T series had the problem, which was fixed when i replaced the palmrest.

Also, when you initially mentioned the flex i had thought you were talking about the area around where the fingerprint reader resides.

As i have said consistently throughout your posts to post a picture or video on what you are talking about.

FYI, parts production and its quality can vary depending on the manufacturer and the time of production. The Top casing of T61 that was replaced 3 weeks ago, flex like it is made of cardboard paper, which was not present in my top case before i sent in for repair. This is no better illustrated by the different keyboard manufacturer (i.e. Chicony, NMB, Alps, etc) and their keyboard quality....

This is also why i told you to make a video or photo of your problem, but you seem to be more interested in writing about it than presenting a visual case for it. This will also help you when you get your case escalated to the customer satisfaction support officer, whom requires visual evidence of what you are talking about.

 

don't be too hard on him.   we're still waiting for a picture or video of your signature collection.

 

While I really did not want to do this, but here is an exact copy of the private exchange between you and me:

Re: About the R400 palm rest issue

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by lineS of flight
Hi...

First, I apologize for PM'ing you. But, I am in somewhat of a bind. When I took my machine to the ThinkPad Center, they noted the movement and noise at the right edge of the palmrest. They accepted that there was movement. However, they also brought out another R400 and showed me that the right-side palm rest also moves on that machine. From that they concluded that this happens on all R400 machines!!!!! This is kind of hard for me to accept.

So, since you have almost all the ThinkPads including the R400, could you please do me the favour of checking whether the right edge moves and creaks? Would you please let me know?

Thanks.

i got the fingerprint reader palmrest, and there is no movements in the way you described.

The none fingerprint version have some movements on the right side.

To state the obvious, the text in bold is your reply to me.

As for the video: (1) I cannot do so at the moment for a variety of reasons (b) I have taken the machine to the ThinkPad Center and they have visually and by touch verified the same. They have also communicated this to whoever they need to communicate it to.

 

But am i obliged to do so? Is my private life been moderated too?

Also, i think i am not the having the problem with the laptop palmrest...

FYI i only found out what he talked after he posted this picture yesterday.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47699&d=1269982257=

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Here are some not very artsy shots of my partial Thinkpad collection... Do i also have to show my extensive LCD monitors collection too?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48896534@N06/

 

@lead_org...look...in my opinion, you have been a very big help to me (and to others, from what I keep reading here on NBR). I do sincerely appreciate your help and insightful comments and would not like our (in an extended sense) interactions on this forum degenerate into something uncomfortable for all concerned.

I have readily admitted to being a n00b in matters concerning computers (though I do have my likes, dislikes and preferences). I ask a lot of questions because I don't know a lot of things. I find the palmrest irritating. But I have not simply rested with "writing"/ talking about it. I have communicated with Lenovo Care, visited the ThinkPad Center (which is at a considerable distance from my residence), pleaded, argued, cajoled the folks at Lenovo. Their terrible customer relations have been not simply irritating, but also frustrating. I have also tried to ask questions of experienced folks like you for advice, insight and recommendations. This, in the context of this thread, reflects on the question posed - willingness to pay a premium for ThinkPads. Lastly, given my current situation taking videos or pics is not feasible for me.

I mention all this not because I am obligated to justify my posts, but because I think it clarifies my situation and how the most recent posts have turned out.

Cheers!

 

@lines of flight... i am more than pleased to help you... picture and video can be more helpful in resolving misunderstandings, this will also help others whom have similar problems down the line, and will act as a reference for future problem resolution for other people.

If Lenovo doesn't want to help you with a new palmrest, then you could just attach felt pads under the area of concern, and that would stop your problem pronto.

Any problem can be solved depending on how you approach it.

If i am you, this is what i will do.

1) call in with your original call reference number.

2) ask the name of the person whom took your call, ask for their email address to send in the picture and videos that you have made.

3) ask for escalation, if you are nice, the Customer service satisfaction officer can provide you with their contact number and email address.

----------

Also regarding your previous PM, when you said right edge, i always thought you were talking about the area around the Thinkpad logo (which you mentioned in your original post regarding this problem).

Obviously, i misinterpreted your intention and i only found out exactly what you were talking about, when you included a picture in your post yesterday, explaining the problem.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=385913&page=2

This is also why i asked you to post pictures and videos before, as to make sure we are on the same page regarding the problem description.

 

@lead_org... i am more than pleased to help you... If Lenovo doesn't want to help you with a new palmrest, then you could just attach felt pads under the area of concern, and that would stop your problem pronto.

Thanks. Also, what you suggest about the felt pads was suggested by another member here. While my first preference is to let Lenovo do what is required of them to do, if all fails, then this is what I will end up doing. One point to note is that in India these matters (customer care and related matters) are abysmal! This is true of ALL companies be it Lenovo, Dell, Acer or whoever. The horror stories outnumber the pleasant ones!

Any problem can be solved depending on how you approach it.

If i am you, this is what i will do.

1) call in with your original call reference number.

I have done this

2) ask the name of the person whom took your call, ask for their email address to send in the picture and videos that you have made.

I have done this too. I sent them the image that you referred to in your post. The fellow on the other end of the line wanted to know where I got that line drawing from. I had to even give him the url to the lenovo-ibm site!

3) ask for escalation, if you are nice, the Customer service satisfaction officer can provide you with their contact number and email address.

I have done this too and the matter has been 'escalated'. Though, nothing that Lenovo had done reflects the 'escalation'!

 

When i got my T60 fixed out of warranty, it took them 2 months to call me back from the day of logging the complaint call.

Also, out of the 20 promised return call, i only received 3 calls that was called back on the day that was promised, the rest is all me following up. Eventually i figured out that they will never call me back, so i call them proactively to discuss the problems. And the customer service personnels all remembered me, and took more interest in my problem.

So that is what you should do. Also you start a post, which lists your problem and then list all the responses and promises from Lenovo's end, and whether they kept the promise.... this will maximize your impact and easier to keep track for other people on where you are in the problem resolution process.

Or keep a blog entry somewhere of this... and put the link in your signature.

 

obligation, moderation, and whether or not you post pics are all up to you.   if your private life is so private then perhaps your method of public presentation isn't the best.   "$how me my Thinkpad$" and 22 systems listed in your signature with "a very empty bank account" tends to make people curious.   besides, i think a photo of your collection would be a benefit to the community.   you could even start a thread about it and see what others collect, too.

in any case, my original point was that if you're going to come down on lineS of flight (albeit mildly) for not posting pics then it's only fair for others to request the same of you.   it's just a matter of perspective, that's all.

 

Yeah...sounds very familiar. This is exactly what has been happening! Though the difference is that my machine is NOT out of warranty and it is less than a month old!!!

Your suggestion about the blog/ serial account is quite good actually. I have been maintianing a log of events with dates, expenses incurred on my part (including time spent on the phone) etc. Makes sense to put it on a blog and link to it!

I'll do that ASAP! Thanks.

Anyways, to get back to the theme of this thread...for the reasons discussed in the last few posts, I'd hesitate to pay a premium (at the moment) for a Lenovo product - ThinkPad or otherwise!

 

But it was pretty much the same case with my T61 which still have 20 months of warranty left when i first send it in, by the time i got it back fully fixed, it had 14 months of warranty of warranty left.

@Erik, so what you are saying that everyone is obligated to do the same not who is one whom benefits from the transaction? Somehow this logic is flawed.

 

@lead_org...so, with that experience with the T61, would you still pay a premium for the ThinkPad line? (Obviously, I guess, given your sig the pics that you posted in a post above).

 

$300 over a laptop with the same hardware specs. that seems reasonable to me for thinkpad ruggedness.

 

many times.   my most expensive computer purchases since 1986 were a macintosh IIfx, SE/30, and thinkpad 701c -- each of which were $5k+.

 

i love my T61, it's one of the best laptop i've ever used. it's bulkky but it's built like a rock

 

You know affordable use to be seen as $1-2k right? And factoring in inflation computers were waaay more expensive 15 years ago+.

 

High end laptops are still over $5k... Go configure Lenovo W701ds, Dell Precision M6500, or HP Elitebook 8740w.

 

Were there as many configuration options as there is now? No. Computers were a luxury not a commodity.

 

The W700ds should be in the desktop category lol, It's so big, heavy and bulky that I can't see someone carrying it with him on a frequent basis.

 

unless this wants a daily workout without having going for a jog or to the gym....

 

Well, i haven't told the forum yet but my T61p was run over recently... Yippee.. :'( pretty damn sad at the time, although it held up remarkably well, Mg roll cage especially, kept it together only shattering in a couple places (thinnest spots
), so i was able to salvage virtually everything that is removable, T7700 should go for 100-200, TV tuner might keep for a Lenovo Outlet W700 i have my eye on , WLAN card selling on eBay, HDD should go for uh, 30-50 bucks i'm thinking, RAM can't use in W700 so i'll probably sell the 2x1GB and 2x2GB sets for 40 bucks and 90-100 bucks. It's a bloody shame but also, i did feel a little relief on the GPU problem, i'm still an nVidia guy and know that the 9 series and their Quadro equivalent were fine (at least the higher number ones).

 

how did your laptop get run over???

 

I was walking with it (no case) and set it on the sidewalk for just a minute to take off my outer layer shirt, as it was sitting there a guy in the turning lane of a road i guess saw a small open spot and decided to go for it, and once he started turning he can't really stop so he drove right over it.

 

that is an one in million accident.... you could get lucky in lottos or something...

 

Computer is a commodity when your job depend on it. If you don't need a computer for job, I agree that it is a luxury.

 

While essentially true, this is becoming less and less the case nowadays.

 

Computer is no longer a luxury, some Netbooks cost less than $200 dollars, for that price you can only get a low end TV..... or 2 to 3 University textbooks...

 

I carry a 7+ lbs laptop everyday commuting to school... not really feasible to bring a desktop to where I'm studying...

 

that is just you, if everyone carries large laptop with them, there won't be a need for the ultraportable category.

Also, the W700ds is lot heavier than your Acer 16 inch laptop, even the power brick weighs 2 pounds.

 

Again, I'm not saying that everyone carries a large laptop with them. I just pointed out that there are some people that do. If I lived in a big city and had a desktop at home, I'd only carry around a small 14", but because of my situation, I have to rely on a notebook as my main computer, so I opted for a 16".