Sony LCD projection TV failed after 3 and half years

After 3 and half years of usage, my Sony 55" LCD projection TV started to show some yellow smudges and blue hues/stars on the screen in late 2008. Busy with life and not knowing Sony offered extended warranty until the end of 2008, I finally researched the issue this April. Turned out it's too late for warranty repair. To repair the light engine cost about $300 therefore I decided not to pursue further with Sony to save my time and energy on more important matters.

During my research process I set my eyes on the Mitsubishi 73" DLP projection TV, model # WD-73737, which just rolled out this month. Amazing price for under $1900!

As an early adapter for LCD projection technology, there is risk that glitches may happen along the way of my ownership. Sony failed not only the component but the incompetency to issue a recall, instead bet with the customers with the so-called extended warranty. From now on I have to write Sony off my list.

Do not buy from BestBuy if you are a DIY person

I brought my desktop to BestBuy and their young geek squad was telling me: "You are not a qualified technician to add components on your desktop, so we cannot serve your computer. This has been industry practice for more than 30 years."

LAUGH OUT LOUD! 30 years! The geek squad hardly even started his twenties, and acted as a veteran in industry?! I've been DIYed PC for probably more than this guy's age and never once did I hear such a bragging comment regarding warranty service.

So why are DELL, HP, and the others selling components for customer upgrade? Why isn't there any warranty sticker preventing me from opening the case, but the power supply and hard drive?

It turned out to be a faulty factory-installed hard drive, and I decided not to send it in to manufacturer for data security reason.

BestBuy should really fire this kind of employees to save their customer relation.

And for sure, BestBuy will never get my business again. Big or small.

iPhone 3G - What Disappoints Me

iPhone 3G is set for July 11. I am probably buying one, for the reason that the Nokia N95 I have right now just cannot do the internet and email right. However, there are still things about iPhone that I think Apple trys to play dumb on us.

First, camera. No upgrade on camera pixel. No flash. No video recording. What a bummer! This is an obvious update that no one wouldn't neglect. Still, Apple knows we are going to buy it even without these camera upgrade. So they underplay the camera and instead taunt their 2.0 software platform as the focus. And for sure they will update the camera this time next year and somebody will need to pay for this easy upgrade that should have been done by now.

Second, plastic back cover?! What's wrong with Apple's aesthetic taste?! Do they not know the poor polycarbonate plastic cover is prone to scratch? My MacBook has already suffered from these terrible scratches and yet I have to let my next iPhone go through the same kind of pain? This is just way too much for the "cost down" process. Carriers are paying subsidy so how much less Apple would make with a decent iondized aluminum back cover for the customers?

Third, memory size. It's just a matter of time before the 16 GB gets filled with songs, videos, and the apps they sell.

And I know Apple knows all these shortcomings. They just sacrifice these features for future upgrades and we customers will again have to fund these overdued upgrades next year.

My MacBook is getting crappy

It's been 2 years since my first generation of MacBook debuted. And it revealed several problems already due to its age.

First, the white polycarbonate exterior is prone to scratch and crack. Mine has its base under LCD joint cracked and ready to chip off.

The more annoying part is the sleep function. It'll wake up spontaneously even with lid closed. This causes overheated motherboard and drains the battery all the time, which has cost me a new battery. No firmware update so far seems to help.

Now the MacBook only serves as bedtime internet surfing tool. Luckily I am not a frequent traveler and will just cope with it until it gives up on itself.