This week was pretty busy as usual, after work we have literally been out every single night this week for various reasons. This week I have also just finished a pretty significant hardware upgrade to Despina's very basic Dell Dimension 3000.

Among the improvements were boosting it up to 1GB of RAM, adding a 128MB graphics card (although it was only a PCI card, i didn't have much choice: the board didn't even have an AGP slot). I also got a DVD burner for it.

Now the machine's not too shabby at all if you discount the port the graphics card is plugged into. Tomorrow is planned to give the system a wipe and reinstall windows.

As mentioned a few entries ago, my mobile phone's screen tore and i sent it in for a warranty repair. Yesterday they rang me and told me that it wouldn't be fixed under the warranty because it was 'physical damage' done to it.

This really ticks me off. Not only did they tell me this, but after almost 3 weeks of not having my phone. I have no other choice but to claim under my insurance policy that I took out with my mobile contract. That'll be the last time I buy a Samsung product.

That's not the end of it though, I have sent Samsung a letter voicing my grievances, shown below:

25 March 2006

Samsung Electronics Australia Pty Ltd
7 Parkview Drive
Homebush Bay NSW 2127

To Whom It May Concern:

After purchasing a Samsung SGH-D500 mobile phone in May of last year, this month I found that the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) on the device had a horizontal tear running through the surface, rendering the phone almost useless.

I had not placed any excessive pressure on the screen, and the plastic casing of the phone over the display had not been cracked or permanently bent in any shape or form to suggest excessive force had been exerted on the screen as to damage the LCD.

Through my mobile service provider, B Digital, I sent the handset to the Samsung authorized repairer in south-east Queensland, who after two weeks reported that the phone had suffered 'physical damage' not covered under the warranty.

I believe that the 'physical damage', even *if* caused by me, is a result of a faulty LCD or the plastic screen covering the LCD being too weak to adequately protect the display in the case of a small amount of pressure being placed on it.

If the protective plastic screen can bend as far into the device as to touch the surface of the LCD and tear it without the plastic screen cracking or bending permanently, than the device is faulty and not fit for use, and should be replaced or at the very least repaired under warranty.

I am now forced to claim under my insurance to repair or replace the device. Although I am not expecting any response from yourselves to replace or repair the handset, I must express my great disappointment with the quality of the device that I have purchased, and the refusal to repair this item under the warranty as it should be.

As a result of this regrettable experience I will not be purchasing any further Samsung products, and as an IT professional nor will I be recommending my employers and clients to buy products from a manufacturer that refuses to stand behind them.

Thank you for taking the time to read my feedback.

Sincerely,

Lucas Costi