[OryW]

Hi all,

I bought my 16gb playbook in January 2012. I've enjoyed it (enought to buy another for home and one for the office) but have had some recent issues.

First, the USB port seems to intermittently take a charge. Not consistent, not predictable, but every once in a while I plug it in and it takes little to no charge. The charge indicator appears on screen.

Second, stuck bright pixel - been there for a while but I didn't feel it was enough of an issue to raise a fuss about.

Third - intermittently again, the power button sometimes doesn't respond. If it happens, it is only when the screen is off, and a swipe across the bezel works. When the screen is on, it works fine. Seems like a software glitch?

So, I call up RIM and they send me a box. Off goes the Playbook, and a week later I get an email:

The repair facility has informed me that your tablet has been deemed out of warranty due to <INSERT TYPE OF OOW DAMAGE>.

I email back for clarification. They send the exact same canned email but now:

The repair facility has informed me that your tablet has been deemed out of warranty due to HDMI port damage.

Surprised me. I have never used the HDMI port. Don't even own a micro (?) HDMI cable. So I press them for more info. I'm thinking maybe they mean the USB port, but they haven't changed their story in the following 2 emails. They refuse to do any further diagnostics until I pay to repair the damage (at $99 for repairs, I'm almost better to buy a new one!). So my other 2 (3?) issues with the tablet are conveniently ignored.

And I've seen some ire regarding abuse of the USB port - so I checked, and I can't plug the USB cable into the HDMI port. Won't fit, even if you try to force it. Ok, I didn't try, but it is clear the HDMI port is not wide enough.

So, without accusing me of abusing my playbook, what do I do next? Stuck pixels get RMA replacements. Defective power buttons get RMA replacements. This tablet is looking like a lemon. I like RIM, and as previously mentioned I have 2 other Playbooks (as well as having 6 BB phones in our office). I even graduated from University of Waterloo! I don't want this experience souring me on them. Has anyone successfully argued with RIM's RMA department?

[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

Send it back under warranty and only mention the pixel issue. They cannot blame that on anything else.

[FF22]

I have not done it but ask to speak to the next level up. Explain quite firmly but politely that you have never even looked at the hdmi port and have no cable - there is no way that you used or damaged it. Good luck.