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Palm • Palm Settles Defective Phone Suit • Lawsuit Challenges Palm's Treo Claims • Palm Settles FTC Charges • Consumer Complaints

Travis of Chicopee, MA (11/19/05)
I purchased the Palm Zire 71. I sent it in for repairs when the screen cracked. It cost me $150.00 plus S/H because the warranty had expired. When I got it back, it wasn't my Palm, but a refurbished one that had its own problems. The battery wouldn't hold a charge and it wouldn't hotsync.

When I contacted Palm about the matter, they said there was nothing they could do. They insisted I call tech support (which they charge for), and the only option I was able to get was to spend another $150 plus S/H to possibly get it fixed.

Damages: I lost over $150 and a lot of information.

Pedro of Charlotte, NC (11/18/05):
Ordered a Palm Z22 from ebuyer.com. Received it 3 or 4 days later. Followed all instructions for software installation, device did not sync with computer and showed error message. Repeated installation in another 2 computers several times (prior to which software was uninstalled), same result.

Sent email to ebuyer, received automated response that I needed to contact through appropriate channel.This happened several times. Contacted Palm (device manufacturer) who said I needed to contact vendor. Contacted ebuyer (vendor) and the customer services lady asked if I had the full original packaging as the UPC code was needed, I responded that had cut-out UPC code, but the original packaging had been disposed of.

She started screaming 'all sales are final' when I said the UPC code was available, but the full original package was not. I was aware all sales are final as described in ebuyer's web site, nevertheless I received a faulty device which is covered by a manufacturer's warranty and any customer deserves to be treated fairly and with respect. The order was placed on November 3 2005 and the calls were made yesterday November 18th.

"D" of Cuyahoga Falls OH (2/9/03):
I received a Palm i705 as a gift. It never worked right. I called Palm MANY times. They have finally (after all these calls) determined that the Infrared Radio is not working properly. They will do an "advance exchange", they said. They never said it would be a "reconditioned unit" (in exchange for a brand-new one??) Since it was a gift, I have no receipt. AND, the unit has never arrived. Oh, they will track it, but they were downright rude (Shawn, supervisor). And, I am still without a Palm.

I attended a "Palm Technology in Education" session, without a Palm ... and I had paid to attend this. Additionally, has anyone priced their Palm.com service? It is outrageous So, here I am with a "used" Palm on the way (maybe), and in the few weeks that I have owned it, the price has come down on the better models ... you just can't win with this company.

Deborah, M.D., of New York writes: (1/30/03):
Purchased Palm Sept 2002. Worked fine til Jan 2003. Wouldn't back up. Could charge on the charger but couldn't synch. I called Staples - I had purchased an extended warrenty. Staples said this fell within Palm's year warrenty and was not covered by Staples. The year warrenty by Palm doesn't include phone technical advice after the first 90 days, and you can't get anything to happen without using the phone. I was advised on the phone that it was appropriate to get a new synching cable and was sent that promptly. Unfortunately that did not solve the problem.

I then went through the web site and followed all the directions that the computer-generated module suggested on the Palm site. I also tried the synching on several other computers. No luck. I wrote e-mail back and was told to wipe my Palm and synch it with my desktop. This was signed by a person so I found it a little odd. He also said they - the technical help people - had no authority to rule on warranty issues. In other words I have to spend another $25.

The e-mail referred me to the warrenty (did I see this when I purchased the Palm? Was this easily available to me when I purchased the Palm?) which said that in fact they do not warranty softwear after 90 days. Without their looking at this, how do we know whether it is softwear? Do I then have to pay, give up my Palm with no assurance that this is within what it does cover since it doesn't cover anything that could come from trauma to the device. My purpose in reporting this to you is for there to be a record of what I feel is a deceptive and in fact very weak contract and so that people should be aware that they are in fact minimally covered after the first three months unless they purchase Palm's additional warrenty - for at least furthur technical support. In fact I am not sure that the even the extended warranty covers anything but talk. Thank you for your consideration. Let this be on the record for others. Still another case of caveor emptor.

Tom of Bohemia NY (8/21/02):
I bought a Palm wireless pda from the Home Shopping Network in March of 2002. I have had multiple problems with it and now it will not work at all. It barely lights up, it won't scroll down the screen, sometimes it won't shut off, I have to let the battery run out. I called the tech support center and was told it is not under warranty because the Home Shopping Network bought these Palms more than a year ago. I was told I have a year guarantee for hardware problems by the Home Shopping Club and it also says it in my book. Palm also said if I hook up to their wireless service for a year then they will guarantee it.

I am a nurse and use this in my field daily for drug programs and paid $200. Plus the shipping, for an item that does not work.

Roselia of Visalia CA (3/11/02):
I bought an M100 Palm in November 2001. It never worked. Could not get any help until I faxed a letter to Corporate. M100 replaced in January 2002. The old lid won't fit on the new unit and I have contacted support 4 times with no response to resolve the problem. 4 months of problems and I still can't use the unit. I am frustrated and angry. I have something I wanted and can't use. I wasted $100. I want my money back. I do not want anything to do with Palm.

Taryn of Forest Hills, NY (6/26/01):
My boyfriend bought me a Palm Vx on May 31, 2001. I have only used the stylus that came with it, and store it in a Palm brand leather pocket, since I have received the gift. I notice a small scratch after only 1 day of use. Since the scratch was so small, I thought nothing of it. Then after 25 days of use, I noticed 2 much bigger scratches on the screen. This caused me to suspect that the stylus might not have an even tip, so I asked my colleague to feel the tip. She confirmed that she felt a rough point on the tip of the stylus. She was also a Palm Pilot owner; however, her Palm's screen was spotless even after one year of use.

I called the repair center for Palm and complained to them. They refused to replace the screen for me free of charge, as they claimed that all their Palms come with non-defective styluses. They also cited that their warranty does not cover physical damages. I can no longer exchange the Palm for a new one from my retailer because it is already past the time limit (14 days) for exchange.

They offered to replace my stylus, which sounds illogical as they claimed that they do not have any defective stylus, as a peace offering. I thought this was an insult to my right as a consumer. Why should I be stuck with a defective product because its manufacturer would not stand up for the quality of its products?

Jason of W. Bloomfield MI (1/7/01):
I purchased a Palm. It came with batteries in the box. They were in fact dead, thus I had to go out and spend my own money to buy batteries that the unit was sapposed to come with. Also one of the buttons on the Palm for the address book did not work. Anouther thing is that the case is not securly glued down on the left side and comes open when using it. Also, I have to reset the unit every few days, or it stops working.

Rev. Steven of Ypsilanti, MI, writes:
I purchased a Palm Handheld unit from this company in November of 2000 and every since I have returned and been sent 3 replacement units and none of them has worked properly. Everytime I receive another unit it works for maybe one day and then it goes dead. I even purchased a portable keyboard from Palm and that did not work at all. Now when I must return these products I pay postage out of my pocket to receive another defective machine. They won't give me a refund claiming that the first unit purchased became defective after the alloted expiration date. That does not matter but they keep sending me faulty equipment. All I want is Palm to stand behind their products.

These purchases have cost me almost $400.00 and I want you to do something about it. I turn to you because all this years I heard that this company protects the right of the American consumer and now I hope you live up to your name and reputation. These product was made in the USA andwhen thing like this happen to me and I'm sure others it's no wonder why America does not lead the world in electronics. I too busy in my employment to keep loading data that this company promised would make my work much easier instead the Plam co. has made my worktime a major headache and an unending nightmare.

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