1. csTX's Avatar
    Darn.

    I bought a playbook Saturday. Loved it. Then I noticed a bright pixel. Then another. And it is one of those things you just can't "accept," that there are bright pixels on the display. So I exchanged it today.

    Then I open the new one, it installs the new software, and I'm peering at the display closely. It looks good!

    Then I go to a web page where it is just flat white so I can really see if there are any imperfections in the display.

    And what do you know... there are. On the upper left hand corner, there is a small nick in the display that creates a little rainbow effect, it is like a very small scratch. And yet, I just took this thing out of the box, and was super, super careful with it.

    In about the same area, there are also some smaller and less noticeable imperfections, again, appearing to be on the glass, that give off a slight rainbow effect against the white background. As far as I can tell nothing else is wrong with the display.

    But sheez, this is going to make a second Playbook I have exchanged in an attempt to get one without a flawed display. Has anyone else had similar problems?

    Since the two playbooks came from different locations of the same store (Office Depot) I know that it's not some batch problem. I guess I just got unlucky?

    Part of me wants to just slap a screen protector on and forget about it, but when you spend $700 for a device, not to mention all the extra money on accessories for it, you really expect a good flawless display.

    Love the playbook but hate this process.

    08-03-11 12:27 AM
  2. LanEvo's Avatar
    Nope, aside from software problems, the hardware is top notch to me. Near Apple quality I say...
    08-03-11 01:07 AM
  3. blackjack93117's Avatar
    I don't blame you for being picky and yes you deserve it to be perfect, but really how often do you look at a white screen and if you do, do you really care about it being that perfect? I can't imagine ever doing that with a desktop monitor - for all I know it is full of small imperfections that I would never notice or care about....if it's worth the trouble return it ,but if it were me I would just lower my standards at a certain point - you could end up with one that's worse and have to go through it all again...and chances are with use there will be more and more nicks showing up anyway...then it will be time for a new device for other reasons.
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 08-03-11 at 01:29 AM.
    08-03-11 01:26 AM
  4. X04D00's Avatar
    I haven't had an issue, and I've had mine since release day.

    I definitely agree with your expectations; if I'm buying something, it must be perfect.
    08-03-11 02:21 AM
  5. digdah's Avatar
    I haven't had an issue, and I've had mine since release day.

    I definitely agree with your expectations; if I'm buying something, it must be perfect.
    Nothing is perfect.

    It's perfection is directly related to the thoroughness of your inspection.
    08-03-11 08:29 AM
  6. rlarsen462's Avatar
    08-03-11 09:14 AM
  7. artietoro17's Avatar
    Im on the same tune right here!! Second playbook return and yes! Because of a dead pixel! I agree with u its freaking anoying the little light :s
    08-03-11 10:17 AM
  8. sookster54's Avatar
    Haven't had any problems besides a freeze that power+volup+voldown fixed it.
    08-03-11 10:54 AM
  9. LewLew23's Avatar
    Nothing is perfect.

    It's perfection is directly related to the thoroughness of your inspection.
    Ohh I totally like that quote

    But I agree, if it bothers you and if you have the patience to exchange them and load the updates, then do it until you're content with how your PlayBook looks.

    I haven't had any problems with dead pixels or scratches. Had mine for 3 months without a screen protector too. It's just how I handle it.
    HaTaX likes this.
    08-03-11 11:14 AM
  10. Jean-luc_Picard's Avatar
    I haven't had any problems with dead pixels, but I do have one of the scratches. On the other hand, I only just noticed it a few days ago, and I got my PlayBook on day one, so I think it's my fault, and I never notice it unless I look for it, even when I'm watching movies.
    08-03-11 12:04 PM
  11. csTX's Avatar
    These problems were out of the box problems. I was exceptionally careful to not touch the playbook except as necessary for the update, having washed my hands thoroughly, and then the first thing I did was direct the browser to a white web page where I could check the screen more easily.

    I am indeed patient enough to go return this one as well, and I love the device, so hopefully I will get one without any imperfections and then it is going, first thing, in a case of some sort (have the cheaper Targus and like it but think I may go for the Defender series from Otterbox).
    LewLew23 likes this.
    08-03-11 09:56 PM
  12. Beakman's Avatar
    Don't know what I'd do in a case.like this. My PB now has a cracked case in the corner from me tossing it across the room. It's in one of those leather foldy cases but I'm sure it will develop a rime of ground in dirt around the front where the case covers it. I've had a dead pixel pop up and disappear after pounding its unresponsive screen and occasional room toss again. I'm sure it will get rattier by the time its obsolete but I can live with that, gives it character.
    But, I know I would be quite upset if it came out of the box anything less than stellar.
    HaTaX likes this.
    08-03-11 10:51 PM
  13. csTX's Avatar
    Don't know what I'd do in a case.like this. My PB now has a cracked case in the corner from me tossing it across the room. It's in one of those leather foldy cases but I'm sure it will develop a rime of ground in dirt around the front where the case covers it. I've had a dead pixel pop up and disappear after pounding its unresponsive screen and occasional room toss again. I'm sure it will get rattier by the time its obsolete but I can live with that, gives it character.
    But, I know I would be quite upset if it came out of the box anything less than stellar.
    YIKES! So you've thrown it across the room?

    I can't say I've never done that with my Blackberries (which have survived, being in an Otterbox case the whole time) when extremely upset once or twice.

    But I can't imagine doing that to the Playbook...
    08-03-11 11:23 PM
  14. TheScionicMan's Avatar
    Has anyone else had similar problems?

    Sort of... I've had to get two replacement iPhones from VZW this week because the battery gets hot and only lasts 7-8 hours with minimal usage and most services off. This is the 2nd replacement for one of them for the same issue. VZW was pretty quick to approve the replacement, which tells me I'm not the only one with this problem. They were well aware of it...
    08-03-11 11:52 PM
  15. iBURT's Avatar
    Don't know what I'd do in a case.like this. My PB now has a cracked case in the corner from me tossing it across the room. It's in one of those leather foldy cases but I'm sure it will develop a rime of ground in dirt around the front where the case covers it. I've had a dead pixel pop up and disappear after pounding its unresponsive screen and occasional room toss again. I'm sure it will get rattier by the time its obsolete but I can live with that, gives it character.
    But, I know I would be quite upset if it came out of the box anything less than stellar.
    i just found this comment related to the incident i came across a couple of days ago, nothing to do with the topic though. i was down at my friends mobile phone shop and this girl came in with a bb torch and an iphone 4g both looked like they were run over by 18 wheelers so i asked her what happened to them she said she had an argument with her mom so she hurled both phones across the room and shattered them. so i'm just wondering how people can just crush a $400 phone x2 without feeling its a waste of valuable objects? or do they just don't care?
    08-04-11 11:49 AM
  16. jwn66's Avatar
    I've never have any luck with screens for anything, Laptops, TV's..etc. The only time I've not taken something back is when I got a HP monitor couple years ago, was good the 1st time lol. Took me two laptops (Toshiba's) and 3 Playbooks.
    08-04-11 03:02 PM
  17. ObliteRon's Avatar
    The first PlayBook I purchased ended up having a speck of dust under the glass. Knowing that it is there would bother me forever so I did exchange it for another unit. I've checked this one so far and I think it's a keeper.
    08-04-11 03:55 PM
  18. Beakman's Avatar
    YIKES! So you've thrown it across the room?

    I can't say I've never done that with my Blackberries (which have survived, being in an Otterbox case the whole time) when extremely upset once or twice.

    But I can't imagine doing that to the Playbook...
    I'll toss any techno-trash that can't perform as advertised when I NEED it to. It does me no good at that moment and at that point I've already wasted my money.
    08-05-11 11:26 AM
  19. csTX's Avatar
    This was posted in a new thread, but the moderator locked it. So I am posting the post from that thread. More problems on the horizon:

    I bought a 64gb playbook two Saturdays ago and was thrilled, but realized very quickly that there were bright spots/pixels on the screen. No worries, so I returned it for another. Whoops! That one, too, had problems: particularly, several out of the box scratches that rainbow colorized dots and little lines on one part of the screen, AND backlight leakage on the right side. Phew.

    So here I am just having exchanged for the third one, today, and there is another problem: a dead pixel almost right in the middle of the screen. Beyond that, this one has the "bulge in back of playbook" issue. Sigh. I guess I'm going to have to return it as well. That will put me on number 4.

    What the heck? I am doing my best to be a Playbook owner. I am not just "making up problems," as I noticed one guy was accused of doing on here.

    But I am very concerned when you have a small screen like this and there are problems over a number of devices, which clearly there are.

    I have been very positive on Crackberry about my experiences and truly love the device and how it integrates with my phones. However, I cannot say that I am thrilled to be paying nearly $700 for a device with consistent quality control issues. Office Depot has told me that once a device is opened, you have to exchange it, as you cannot get a return. So I'm truly "all in" on the Playbook. I'm even ready to slap on a nice screen protector and a good case to make sure it is truly protected. I was also going to get a SquareTrade warranty.

    But geez. That makes three devices in a week with problems. I would be shocked if anyone stepped up to the plate and told me that was somehow normal or that I should just "deal with it." Anyone else having issues?
    08-08-11 01:26 AM
  20. mfreedmn97's Avatar
    This was posted in a new thread, but the moderator locked it. So I am posting the post from that thread. More problems on the horizon:

    I bought a 64gb playbook two Saturdays ago and was thrilled, but realized very quickly that there were bright spots/pixels on the screen. No worries, so I returned it for another. Whoops! That one, too, had problems: particularly, several out of the box scratches that rainbow colorized dots and little lines on one part of the screen, AND backlight leakage on the right side. Phew.

    So here I am just having exchanged for the third one, today, and there is another problem: a dead pixel almost right in the middle of the screen. Beyond that, this one has the "bulge in back of playbook" issue. Sigh. I guess I'm going to have to return it as well. That will put me on number 4.

    What the heck? I am doing my best to be a Playbook owner. I am not just "making up problems," as I noticed one guy was accused of doing on here.

    But I am very concerned when you have a small screen like this and there are problems over a number of devices, which clearly there are.

    I have been very positive on Crackberry about my experiences and truly love the device and how it integrates with my phones. However, I cannot say that I am thrilled to be paying nearly $700 for a device with consistent quality control issues. Office Depot has told me that once a device is opened, you have to exchange it, as you cannot get a return. So I'm truly "all in" on the Playbook. I'm even ready to slap on a nice screen protector and a good case to make sure it is truly protected. I was also going to get a SquareTrade warranty.

    But geez. That makes three devices in a week with problems. I would be shocked if anyone stepped up to the plate and told me that was somehow normal or that I should just "deal with it." Anyone else having issues?
    Well aside from the usual frusatrations of lacking apps and so on I finally gave up and sent mine back to RIM to have the $%^&* power button fixed. At first I tollerated it but the last time I had to use it to power up it took me 5 tries to get it to finally work and that was the last straw. So I'm knee deep in the RMA process (which thus far has gone smoothly). I also noticed a couple of suspect pixels but curiously they only show up as a problem when the unit is doing POST. After it boots up the suspect pixels are not visible any longer. I find that odd.....is that odd ?
    08-08-11 02:52 PM
  21. csTX's Avatar
    Number 4 has dust under the screen or a dead pixel... hard to tell.

    It is a small black speck, but on a device this expensive, where I am putting it in an Otterbox and a screen protector and going to also buy a SquareTrade warranty, it would be nice to start with a perfect screen.

    This one also has the logo bulge issue but less than the last one.

    I must say it is a bit depressing and time consuming to keep going through this.
    08-14-11 11:55 PM
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