[lostaggie]

I just got done returning my 3rd Playbook because they all had dead pixels, dust under the screen, and backlight bleeding. What is the story?

I bought for $199 at Sprint but this is not acceptable. I really wanted this device to work.

Do you think they are just flooding with all inventory just to minimize losses?

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

[CDM76]

Sorry to hear. I bought 3 (one for my brother and father as well) and all 3 seem to work great with no issues. I am just saying this in the hopes you will stick with it. There are good Playbooks out there. Hopefully you are willing to try again

[III 4U2NV III]

Sorry to hear that. We have two PBs that get used like crazy throughout the day since summer. So far so good.

Where did you buy from?

[aloon69]

So you bought a PB from the same place 3 times in a row ?

[AggreX]

Wow I must be very lucky to have purchased two flat-chested PBs with a spectacular robust view of pixels. The OS responds to every one of my soft strokes and the PB and I reach Nirvana....oops wrong forum

Better luck on your purchase the next time...there are QC issues potentially with any electronic device

[stevepar]

had mine since 8:30 April 19th, yes the morning it launched! never one issue. and why the heck do you have or need a kindle fire!!??

[rusty5150]

we have four, all perfect, not a single issue, bought first two at full price in May, get used about 4 hours a day, all other tablets (Ipad 1, and two Androids) collecting dust.
don't give up, just bad luck.

[fj_cruiser]

So you bought a PB from the same place 3 times in a row ?

LOL...

Seriously, no offense to the OP, but I find these kinda posts hard to believe

[djnshores]

I also have not had any problems with my PB. 3 bad units in a row is highly unusual. If they were all from different sources that would be a very unlikely coincidence. Since they appear to all come from Sprint, it is possible Sprint is trying to pull a fast one and sold you used or returned PB's as new!

If the first one was purchased in new condition it is possible you got a defective model. Sometimes vendors replace returns with reconditioned used or returned units. I know Dell does that with its computer equipment.

Sprint might have been sending you defective units that customers returned in hopes one of them might work. I can't imagine Sprint reconditioning the units. Sprint might be passing off used units as new.

[fj_cruiser]

I also have not had any problems with my PB. 3 bad units in a row is highly unusual. If they were all from different sources that would be a very unlikely coincidence. Since they appear to all come from Sprint, it is possible Sprint is trying to pull a fast one and sold you used or returned PB's as new!

If the first one was purchased in new condition it is possible you got a defective model. Sometimes vendors replace returns with reconditioned used or returned units. I know Dell does that with its computer equipment.

Sprint might have been sending you defective units that customers returned in hopes one of them might work. I can't imagine Sprint reconditioning the units. Sprint might be passing off used units as new.

Sorry but that is VERY unlikely....

[SK122387]

I originally got a 16GB PlayBook in May.. it had a dead pixel. I exchanged it at the same Best Buy and got a 32GB one. Another dead pixel. Exchanged that one because it too had a dead pixel. Got a 64GB one, and I forget whether that one had the dead pixel or the crackley speakers. Best Buy was getting annoyed with me, because God forbid I wanted my $500/$600/$700 device to be perfect. I exchanged the 64GB one for a 32GB and that one was absolutely perfect. Until the microphone stopped working a few months later (RIM sent me a box for it, and sent me a BRAND NEW one within 2 days, I was beyond happy with that whole process).

I suggest getting one from somewhere else and asking to turn it on before you leave the store, so you can check to make sure the screen is good. That's what I ended up doing. The model RIM sent me is fantastic. It runs today like the day they sent it to me. The PlayBook is absolute quality. I'm extremely picky about stuff and I'm still completely satisfied with what comes directly from RIM (I've witnessed Best Buy employees just tossing products from boxes to carts to stock the shelves... pretty sure this could cause a pixel or two to die if a screen was hit by the corner of a box with a heavy object in it.....)

[lostaggie]

They were all from Sprint stores in the Phoenix area. I am wondering if they came from the same bad batch.

They all had pixel issues in the top/middle of the screen when held in landscape. Trust me I found it hard to believe also but each time the Sprint tech verified the issue. It was not one or two pixels either but hundreds. Each store only had one device in stock so I got sick of driving around to different stores to replace.

The software on the device itself was quite impressive and the build, except for the screen, was great.

I did go to Staples to see if they would price match but they would not at $199.

I will probably just wait until I can find again for $199.

BTW... the Kindle Fire works fine for a basic tablet...

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

[rotorwrench]

5 PBs at work of staggered build dates, no issues. 2 at home, one September purchase, one December purchase, no issues. FWIW, I know iPad quality is generally good also, but my daughter had to return her's for another due to bad pixels and crashes. Our receptionist at work went through two iPads in two months. As stated above, all manufacturer's get bad units out to the public. The OP just happened to be one of the few unlucky ones

[CDM76]

So you bought a PB from the same place 3 times in a row ?

He stated returned them .... so logic would sugges that the OP means he/she bought 1 and exchanged it for a 2nd then had to exchange that for a 3rd and is now having issues with the 3rd.

[CDM76]

They were all from Sprint stores in the Phoenix area. I am wondering if they came from the same bad batch.

They all had pixel issues in the top/middle of the screen when held in landscape. Trust me I found it hard to believe also but each time the Sprint tech verified the issue. It was not one or two pixels either but hundreds. Each store only had one device in stock so I got sick of driving around to different stores to replace.

The software on the device itself was quite impressive and the build, except for the screen, was great.

I did go to Staples to see if they would price match but they would not at $199.

I will probably just wait until I can find again for $199.

BTW... the Kindle Fire works fine for a basic tablet...

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

Should have contacted RIM Tech Support and had them fix / replace the PlayBook for you ....

[aloon69]

So let me get this straight , we now have 2 people right here in this thread that bought & exchanged 3 PB's in a row for dead pixles , one from all the same place and the other from different places ? that's pretty wild ...

oh and CMD , I asked because I figured after 2 times being burned that he/she wouldn't get a refund , not simply given a third box from the same batch.

[lostaggie]

Since the Sprint stores had such a low volume I would bet there are from the same batch just dispersed to the different area stores.

I am just tired of going to a different store because the don't have but 1 at each store.

Again, I am quite impressed with the OS but don't want a crappy screen no matter the price.

For what it is worth, my Kindle was great out of the box. I expect RIM to be as good or better. My 9930 was great also. Still on the first one...

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

[lostaggie]

So let me get this straight , we now have 2 people right here in this thread that bought & exchanged 3 PB's in a row for dead pixles , one from all the same place and the other from different places ? that's pretty wild ...

oh and CMD , I asked because I figured after 2 times being burned that he/she wouldn't get a refund , not simply given a third box from the same batch.

I took a 3rd because the price was $199 and no one else has for this price at the moment.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk

[CDM76]

Again.Why not just contact RIM directly and have them replace / fix it under warranty ? As many on this site have attested RIM's warranty work is 2nd to none.

[Unsure2]

Again.Why not just contact RIM directly and have them replace / fix it under warranty ? As many on this site have attested RIM's warranty work is 2nd to none.

Send a defective new tablet, right out of the box, in for a warranty repair? I would do that only if it were impossible, for some reason, to return it and get my money back. Leaving aside the uncertainty and time involved in a warranty repair, a repaired tablet is not a new tablet and has a lower value.

Sounds like the defective screens on the Playbooks from Sprint were either from a single bad batch that ended up at Sprint, or, were aggregated returned tablets that were somehow repackaged and given to Sprint to sell as new. The latter seems unlikely; but, does anyone have an explanation for why Sprint is the only retailer following the Christmas sale that had 16GB Playbooks to sell for $199? That also seemed odd.

[NaijaBerry]

I must be really fortunate, had mine picked up from bestbuy in september last year at full price, i'm like 7,000 miles away so no chance for support or returns, its been flawless, thank God!! Give it another go OP you won't regret it!

[Bla1ze]

does anyone have an explanation for why Sprint is the only retailer following the Christmas sale that had 16GB Playbooks to sell for $199? That also seemed odd.

They weren't.

[alnamvet68]

Sprint's 16 GB PB went up to $299.00 the first of the year.

[bgriff25]

Mine had a dead pixel. I contacted RIM Support who walked me through the process of returning it for repair. 7 days later, PlayBook back, perfect!

[TinRobot]

LOL...

Seriously, no offense to the OP, but I find these kinda posts hard to believe

I don't. My PB has the tinniest back light leak in the bottom right corner. I only notice it on boot up, it does not show at any other time. I don't care about it. But knowing what I do about mass manufacture, yeah I believe it could happen repeatedly in a production run.
The design is solid. The OP should go somewhere else to buy it. Be persistent. This little baby is worth it.