topic 4.3 Update = returned tablet. in XPERIA archive

4.3 Update = returned tablet.

LeeC22 — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 23:47:25 GMT

Well this update is the final push I needed to return my tablet to John Lewis. They played the feature removal game with the PS3 and got away with it, but not this time. The flexing/audibly cracking back, light bleed, random app launch etc... will justify the return, and I will start again with an older firmware, and stick with it.

I don't see why we should spend this amount of money, for them to remove commonly used features, whenever they feel like it. So they can have this junked version back for their refurbished pile, and I'll get a brand spanking new one... thanks Sony!

A £900 duff Sony TV and a £400 duff Sony Tablet, all returned in one week, a cracking week for Sony's finance department.

Re: Apps open and screens jump around when tablet is ever so softly flexed/bent

LeeC22 — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 22:34:06 GMT

Rickard wrote:

I will forward this as feedback but please note that you are not supposed to bend the tablet. If you bend it too hard it might brake.

Please send me a PM with the following information:

Name:

Phone nr:

E-mail:

Country:

Operator:

IMEI/serial nr:

Build number:

I think the whole point of this is Rickard, is not that we're not supposed to bend it, but you (i.e. Sony) are supposed to make a £400 (or more) tablet, that doesn't bend... at all!! My iPad doesn't bend, and my iPad 2 (that I sold to buy this) didn't bend, so there's no excuse for this tablet bending.

The back panel of this device is cheap, there's no denying that. It's thin, flimsy plastic, which is simply inadequate, considering where the pressure from your fingers is going to be applied. If I hold mine in my right hand, and then put it down, there is an audible noise as some part of it flexes back into position. It sounds like a cheap aluminium can.

This has all the hallmarks of the PSP flexing door issue. Sony should have learned from that, and it should not have happened again... but we all know how Sony likes to cut corners on costs, and I think this is the end result. My concern, is that if the device flexes, there is a good chance the watertight seals are flexing... and that's not good.

I could of course, put mine in a case... but that would require Sony to actually release the cases that are supposed to be out there for it. But like the charging cradle, they're nowhere to be seen.

Re: Bloated back cover of Xperia Tablet Z

LeeC22 — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 22:42:54 GMT

This is exactly the same problem that I have... it feels like there is a slight gap between the back, and whatever is underneath it. Only in one corner though, but unfortunately, the corner where I hold it.

Charging cradle in the UK... when?

LeeC22 — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 23:04:20 GMT

Does anyone know when any accessories are going to be released for this tablet? Particularly the charging cradle.

It was released three months ago, and there are no official accessories available, anywhere... it's madness!

Re: Charging cradle in the UK... when?

dlindh — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 09:41:22 GMT

I bought mine from sony (sony.se in my case) its almost always out of stock but one day I found it to be available, so I was quick. Was out of stock 20 minutes later

Re: Charging cradle in the UK... when?

ancientferguson — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 10:42:53 GMT

Two months ago, Sony told me August.

Hopefully you will see them soon.

Re: Charging cradle in the UK... when?

LeeC22 — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 17:52:54 GMT

I shall keep my eye on the Sony store... thanks.

Re: Charging cradle in the UK... when?

Soony — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 22:38:32 GMT

I bought my Sony charging cradle from Newegg online. It is very well designed but does not come with a ubs cord so I use the one that came with the tablet. It also has a very annoying habit of opening two Sony apps that I don't want every time I dock the tablet. That closes whatever I have open at that time including music. The fix for that is to uninstall the annoying Sony apps. I still love the cradle.

Re: Charging cradle in the UK... when?

LeeC22 — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 23:12:47 GMT

The cradle will be perfect for what I mainly bought the tablet for, and that is for watching my video collection. Although I must admit, it's so much better at handling web pages than my iPad, it's getting more general usage too.

I have heard rumours that it takes an age to charge, so that's another point where the cradle will be a bonus. Drop it in there before you go to bed, and it's guaranteed to be fully charged when you get up, and you won't have noticed how long it has taken.

Just looking at it on Newegg, I can't believe it's only $39.99, when Sony are charging £40 over here. I know someone over in the USA, I might see if they will get one for me and ship it over... it'll probably be cheaper, even with shipping and import duty on top.Pity Newegg don't ship internationally... Amazon.com haven't got it either.

Can you fix the launch problem, by deliberately choosing a different app to launch? I wouldn't mind if it always launched Movies when I docked it... in fact, that would be ideal.

Re: Charging cradle in the UK... when?

drlmiles1 — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 03:24:28 GMT

Open the Smart Connect app, and modify the View setting (although you can create another one if you like). Here you can specify which app to open when you dock the XZ tablet. You didn't say which apps you reinstalled - there is a known problem with the Crackle app opening all the time, including with docking/unlocking. The only solution is to delete it so far (no great loss...)

I bought my dock from Sony at launch, I don't understand why Sony did not make more. The same situation happened with the XZ dock for many months

Re: problem with tablet z screen

LeeC22 — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 14:26:55 GMT

That's a serious case of backlight bleed... I would return that if it was mine.

Re: Charging cradle in the UK... when?

LeeC22 — Sat, 10 Aug 2013 14:28:34 GMT

I have just managed to find a single website, with just one of these in stock. Just over £40 with delivery, hopefully, it isn't faulty.

Re: Tablet Z Build Quality Issues

LeeC22 — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 23:54:14 GMT

You will never find a warranty that covers accidental damage. The biggest reason is that accidental damage cannot be proved, as to how it occured. A person might say it only fell a certain height, but how would the manufacturer know that? Could you prove how far you dropped your tablet? Could you prove that the flap broke off due to the fall? You can see how it would ask too many questions, that just couldn't be answered.

That's why people have contents insurance, to cover things like this happening. It would cost a company millions, if they had to repair accident damage for free.

Re: Charging cradle in the UK... when?

larditi — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 07:48:33 GMT

Hi. Can you please share this website?

Re: Tablet Z Build Quality Issues

seylectric — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 09:45:20 GMT

I think you're missing the point Lee. This isn't about whether James is telling the truth about how the damage occurred and whether it should be covered by warranty, it is about poor build quality. The point is that if build quality was up to scratch we would not even be having this conversation.

Re: Tablet Z Build Quality Issues

LeeC22 — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:32:27 GMT

Actually, I'm not missing any point. If James hadn't dropped it, we wouldn't be having the conversation, as the USB flap would probably still be attached.

In general use, build quality becomes an issue, but when someone says "I dropped it..." it's a different situation altogether. It might have build quality issues, but dropping the item invalidates any warranty (now and probably in the future) claim you might have against it.

You could buy a car with loose body panels, but if you go into the garage and say "I just drove this into a wall, and the wing/fender fell off", you're not going to get very far. You've suddenly violated the "reasonable use" clause, that's in every warranty that's out there.

In the accompanying leaflet for instance:-

Sony: Important Information.

Page 15, Section 3.

"Nor does this warranty cover any failure of the product due to accident, etc..."

It's there in black and white... in every warranty you will find. Yes, it's unfair when there are build quality issues that may have contributed to the problem, so don't give them a get-out excuse to use. If you can't see any visible signs that you dropped it... don't tell anyone you did.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, I'm just explaining why James probably has no chance of getting this covered under warranty.

Re: Tablet Z Build Quality Issues

Jamesdi — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 10:59:15 GMT

I understand your point and I do recognise that this kind of fault will not be covered under warranty. I was just hopeful due to the disappointment this has caused.

The issue that Sony should take into account is the type of plastic used for connecting the waterproofing flaps to the device. As I mentioned I have both the Xperia Z smartphone and Tablet Z.

The material used on both devices for connecting the flaps differs greatly.

On the smartphone the plastic is very flexible and can be moved considerably. This is not the case with the Tablet though. Instead, the plastic used is quite brittle and has next to no flexibility.

I believe this is a design fault which should be addressed as this would not have occurred if the Tablet used the same material as the smartphone.

Re: No more quick launch bar after 4.3 update

LeeC22 — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 23:35:14 GMT

Typical Sony, sell something with features, then take them away. I always used the quicklaunch bar, because a multi-screen system without it, is just a pain to use... which is why Apple has them. Coupled with the removal of the hardware activated screenshot feature, this is enough to make me return it, and exchange it for a new tablet with an older firmware.

So, mine is going back to John Lewis because of this update, I am sure the other hardware faults will be sufficient to have the machine exchanged under warranty. So this will result in a returned £400 tablet... makes it a fairly expensive update on Sony's part.

Re: 4.3 Update = returned tablet.

Uliwooly — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 02:09:53 GMT

It seems that you got your tablet back in August so I don't quite understand the point of your post