GamePro reports that Sony will be beaten but not outdone, and leaked images of its own PS3 also running Facebook, projecting a similar update on the way someday. It took the PS3 a year longer than the 360 to land Netflix streaming, so don't hold your breath.

The question remains as to how useful Facebook access will be, but like a Swiss Army knife, it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, I guess.

The way I see it, Facebook is for sapping away tedious work hours, not valuable "Modern Warfare 2" moments. What do you think?

Facebook coming to PS3 soon; FB & Twitter on Xbox Tuesday [GamePro]

So first, buy a $1000 TV, and second, cave in to your child's every whining want and spring more than twice as much for a rental than if you just waited a month. Good luck with that, Sony. This one's destined to be a windfall.

I could understand it if this were The Dark Knight or something, but Cloudy didn't do anywhere near that kind of business. Of course, the studio's biggest hit in the US this year has been Paul Blart, so there's not a hell of a lot of choice for this kind of bold and rather silly promotion.

Now Sony just waits for customers to decide to pay more to rent a movie than it costs to buy a DVD or buy two tickets at a movie theater, sits back and watches the profits roll in.

Sony's 'Cloudy' with a Chance of Corporate Stupidity [Get The Big Picture]

If you've got a Netflix subscription and a PS3, click on this link and Netflix will get a disc out to you for free. There's no need to prove you've got a PS3. Netflix trusts you.

Sometime next year you'll be able to download a PS3 program that does away with the need for the disc, so at that point you'll be able to try and sell it on eBay to stupid people.

Instant Streaming Disc [Netflix, via Joystiq]
(Photo: Netflix)

This should help the console's newfound momentum. Following a price cut to $300, it leaped almost to the top of the sales charts in September, surpassing the 360 and Wii, trailing only Nintendo's Highlander-esque DSi.

Although Netflix streaming is no longer the awe-inspiring technological marvel it once was, now that the Xbox 360 has been doing it for a year and Blu-ray players and certain TVs are capable of the feat, but the PS3 now gives you that much more bang for the buck.

Will this nudge anyone closer to picking up a PS3?

Netflix Coming Soon to PlayStation 3 [PlayStation Blog]
(Photo: photformatc1otaker)

c0crusader wrote this complaint letter to Sony:

Dear Sir/Madam:

I purchased a custom configured laptop from SonyStyle - the VGN-SR190. Before placing this order I called Sony technical support to inquire about the availability of an HDMI port on the SR190. I was told by the tech agent that the base model did not have an HDMI output but if I upgraded the graphics card to the ATI Radeon 3400 it would make an HDMI port available, as is the case when upgrading the SR290 to the same graphics card. I relied on this information when configuring my laptop and expended $99 on the ATI Radeon 3400 graphics card. Again, the only reason I made this upgrade was because of the information provided to me by tech support regarding the availability of an HDMI port with this upgrade.

You can guess what happened next. I received the laptop and found that even with the upgraded graphics card the computer still did not have an HDMI port. I called customer service to voice my dissatisfaction about being given false information by tech support and requested an adjustment. Owen R. from the Billing Department denied my request for a credit for the price of the graphics card. After escalating the issue to Beverly W., I was informed that because there was no record of me having placed a call to tech support prior to ordering, there was nothing that could be done. But why would I ask for a record when simply calling to inquire about a product. I assume the information a Sony tech provides about Sony products is accurate and thus verifiable without any extra records.

So I decided to make an after-the-fact record. I called tech support again to inquire about the availability of the HDMI port on the SR190 if you upgrade to the ATI Radeon 3400. No surprise, I was again reassured that the SR190 came with an HDMI port when upgraded to the ATI Radeon 3400, this time by John from Tech Support. I made sure to get an Event Number this time. I called the Billing Department to ask for the credit and again the request was denied. The agent, Daniel (ID# 4978), was very rude and refused to accept the new Event Number as proof. He claimed he had no "authority over technical support," and could not do anything because Owen R. had already made a decision. He said that issuing a return label was all that Sony was willing to do.

Not content with the free return label to settle the matter, c0crusader dropped da bomb on 40 Sony executives and found immediate success:

Not a day later I starting receiving emails and phone calls from the executives. Suffice it to say they immediately refunded me the $99 and promised to investigate the tech training issue. Moral, ask for a record when calling tech support and when all else fails send an Executive Email Carpet Bomb — it really works!

Oh, EECB, how unhelpful corporate underlings wish we could quit you.

(Photo: adam reker)

Sony has gone and announced yet another PS3 Slim is coming Nov. 3. This one costs $350 instead of $300 and is exactly the same other than its 250GB hard drive.

If you're still in the market for a new PS3, are the 90 extra gigabytes worth springing for $50 more? Or will you hold out a couple more months for Sony to release a $400 Slim with a terabyte hard drive?

NEW 250GB PlayStation 3 System Available November 3 [PlayStation.blog]

It seems Sony lets you authorize five PSPs per PlayStationNetwork account, and unlike Apple doesn't offer a convenient, quick way to de-authorize a PSP remotely. You have to call customer service and throw yourself to the mercy of the CSRs, convincing them you're not letting all your friends download your games. This thread further probes the quandary.

While it may seem outrageous to have purchased more than 5 PSPs, it's not that much of a stretch, considering the Go is Sony's fourth iteration of the handheld. So those who have upgraded every year are nudging the borderline, and households with multiple PSPs on the same account would have crossed the threshold a couple generations back.

The extra hassle is yet another ding on the Go, which is overpriced at $250 and doesn't let gamers play disc-based games.

Activating New PSP Go Problem [Sony]

The Wii update was apparently designed to disable consoles that had been modded by pirates, Joystiq reports, but the update has also affected some consoles that hadn't been altered. Nintendo says it will fix any consoles for free that were unfairly bricked.

Sony, on the other hand, is taking a different tack, telling Eurogamer reports of disc-read errors after the firmware update are not caused by the update.

I downloaded the potentially dangerous updates to both my PS3 and Wii and emerged unscathed.

Wii System Update 4.2 bricking unmodded consoles [Joystiq]
Sony: PS3 disc-drive errors not our fault [Destructoid]
(Photo: C.Barr)

Now Sony is finally making good on the deal, announcing that "select releases" will be capable of pulling off the transfer, starting with "The Ugly Truth" in November.

From Sony's press release:

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment America today announced an advancement to the Blu-ray format, whereby users can now transfer a Digital Copy of the movie directly from the Blu-ray Disc to their PSP®(PlayStation®Portable) systems via PlayStation®3 (PS3™). This new technology eliminates the need to include the PSP file on a separate DVD-ROM, packaged with the Blu-ray, which would normally contain the Digital Copy files. This feature will launch with the November 10th Blu-ray release of Godzilla and will be included on select releases going forward, including The Ugly Truth.

"Blu-ray is already known as the best way to watch movies at home, and now SPHE & SCEA are also making it the most convenient way to watch movies on the go," said Rich Marty, Vice President of New Business Development at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Marty continued, "This latest enhancement to Blu-ray and Digital Copy demonstrates the versatility of the format and its ability to deliver a multi-platform video experience. It also showcases the unique advantage that the PlayStation 3 brings to the Blu-ray consumer."

This is undoubtedly a boon for those who already own a PS3 and PSP, or PS3 owners who are planning on buying a PSP Go that won't play any of their Universal Media Disc movies. Especially since DVD-transferable digital copies of movies don't play on PSPs unless you download a sketchy, not-quite-legal converter program.

(Photo: GarotaDesastrada)

From Engadget:

The Nazi in question is supposed to be Erwin Rommel, a highly decorated and respected German field marshal, but it's not like Sony's really riffing on that here, and making an ad with a swastika in it that relies on your audience to know the subtle nuances of WWII history just isn't the smartest move in the world.

There's also another ad that shows a gamer giving a heart transplant to Joan of Arc.

This sort of weird, pseudo-artsy miscalculation is reminiscent of Sony's 2006 Dutch ads for the white PSP.

Update: The Chilean agency says Sony did not approve of the ad campaign:

This creative design did not involve and was never approved by Sony Computer Entertainment or Sony. This "mock campaign" was developed by BBDO Chile staff and was submitted to various creative competitions/festivals without prior notification or approval from SCE/Sony, and it is not representative of the views or advertising policies of SCE/Sony. BBDO Chile apologizes for using this creative concept without authorization or prior approval, and for its misrepresentation of the PlayStation brand and its values.

Cristián Lehuedé B.
Presidente Ejecutivo
BBDO Chile

Chilean PS3 ads show gamer giving blood transfusion to a Nazi [Copyranter via Endgadget]

Retailers aren't happy with the disc-less system, leading some European retailers to refuse to sell the system. To counter the negativity from PSP owners who'd like to upgrade but would rather not re-buy every game they own in digital format, Sony announced a good-will incentive program that lets PSP Go buyers download three of the games they already own onto their new systems.

One problem: The program is only for Europe. Americans get no free downloads. Industry Gamer quotes a Sony spokesman:

"SCEA region will not offer a UMD rewards program at this time. We have a dual platform strategy. PSPgo is the latest offering in our portable entertainment products targeted for the digitally savvy and early adopters who are looking for an easy way to experience entertainment and a wide variety of digital content. We will continue to be committed to our existing PSP users by offering over 16,000 pieces of digital content including games, minis, movies, television shows and SensMe, the new music application as well as UMDs."

Maybe if American retailers had gotten in on this boycott action, Sony might have brought the three free downloads program across the pond.

PSP Go Not Getting Rewards Program in U.S. [Industry Gamers]
(Photo: hanapbuhay)

"We have directed that [Nigerian cinemas] should stop public screening of the film," Nigerian Information Minister Dora Akunyili said. "We are not happy about it because it portrays Nigeria in bad light." Additionally, Nigeria wants the reference to the movie's main gangster, Obesandjo, replaced, because it's only two letters away from the surname of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

With scenes like the one in this clip, where a local gang pulls the "cat food scam" on the hungry alien prawns, you can see where the Nigerian Ministry of Information might take umbrage. But maybe they should spend less time getting angry at people for highlighting their shortcomings and more on fixing the underlying problems that lead to the proliferation of scams and gangsterism in the first place. As the saying goes, it's funny because it's true.

Nigeria Says ‘District 9' Is Not Welcome [NYT]
PREVIOUSLY: Nigeria Demands Apology For Sony Ad Implying They're A Source Of Scams

In the ad, a corporate rumor-squasher (read: PR spokesbot) responds to a rumor-mongrel's (read: pudgy gadget blogger) request for comment about a tip he got about a PS3 price-drop. "You can't believe everything you read on the Internet. Otherwise I'd be a Nigerian millionaire by now."

In response to this false, defamatory and confidential claim, Nigeria demanded an immediate recant. "Nigeria also demands an unconditional apology from Sony Corporation for this deliberate negative campaign against the country's image and reputation," said a spokesman for the Nigerian government.

Sony Corporation portrayed Nigeria as home of fraud [Vanguard NR via The Raw Feed]

The requirement was a time-wasting annoyance for most PS3 owners — the download can take 30 minutes or more — but for Agent Xray, the download was a regular Yoko Ono. He says the firmware rendered his system a shiny black paperweight. He summarized his talk with Sony customer service:

Me:
While this information is good to know, I think the phrase "The following Knowledge Center article may help resolve your problem" is not really accurate. The article is an announcement that acknowledges the issue but in no way resolves it. I remain rather upset that I've been "bricked" by this firmware upgrade.
Looking forward to an actual resolution to this mess.

Them:
We sympathize with your situation you are having with your PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system. Again, SCEA is aware of reports that PS3 owners are experiencing isolated issues with their PS3 system since installing the most recent system software update (v3.00). Rest assured that we are looking into the matter. I apologize for any inconvenience, please check Playstation.com for future updates.

Agent Xray is far from alone in experiencing his problems, although his case is the most extreme we've heard. Hopefully Sony will replace his PS3, even if it's out of warranty.

According to online videos spotted by Sankaku Complex that show Batman: Arkham Asylum (a fan-freaking-tastic game, by the way) loading side-by-side on both systems, the old PS3 gets down to business several seconds faster than its younger brother.

Seven seconds may seem trivial, but it's important to note that when you're waiting for a video game to load, each second feels as though it takes a minute to pass.

In fairness, these videos aren't definitive proof that the new PS3 is slower. Some videos even show the new PS3 is faster than the older one. And even if it the Slim is slower, Sony can presumably correct the problem with a firmware update.

PS3 Slim Slower Than PS3? [Sankaku Complex, via Kotaku]

GamePro brings the past to life by selecting its five greatest console wars, disregarding the in-progress donnybrook between the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, which is destined to crack such future lists.

The choice for No. 1 was easy: the early-1990s clash between the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. GamePro's McKinley Noble writes:

With initial sales in Japan turning up nothing, Sega USA used the success of Sonic the Hedgehog, along with an ad campaign that got more ridiculously campy as time went on, to start turning up the heat on Nintendo. Fans started digging trenches and hurling slogans at each other, while TV commercials told the public that Sega's Genesis could do "What Nintendon't". It was magical, and the war went on and on.

The story hardly scratches the surface of the Nintendo-Sega battle for youth gamer mindshare, including Sega's ridiculous "blast processing" ads. So effective were the respective marketing machines, daring you to choose a side and stick to it with ferocity, that it seemed almost sacrilegious to own or profess fandom of both. The ingrained fanboy bias grew up with a generation that refused to put away its childish things and continues to drive up the average gamer age.

As a lifelong Nintendo fanboy, only recently have I managed to separate myself from my taught, ignorant prejudices to respect the greatness of the Genesis classics. But I still hate Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario's spastic rival for the same unquantifiable reason I despise the Dallas Cowboys, and always will.

What about you, Consumerists? Which way did you swing — Nintendo or Sega?

The 5 Greatest Console Wars [GamePro]

A Gizmodo reader spotted the as-yet officially unannounced $100 price cut in a Walmart ad.

Microsoft's attempt to steal Sony's thunder is a win for gamers who are still holding out on plunging into the current generation. Of course, the Wii is still by far the cheapest bet, and judging from Nintendo's sales dominance, it seems the 360 and PS3 are still another price cut away from challenging the current king.

Why Hello, $299 Xbox 360 Elite [Gizmodo via Destructoid]
(Photo: Tengaport)

In addition to its smaller form factor, the PS3 Slim also sports a sleek price — $300, half of what the high-end version of the console cost when it was released in 2006. The new 120GB hard drive has twice the space of the original, but lacks the ability to play PS2 games and the tech geek-adored trait of letting you install Linux to use it as a computer. Maybe that's why the old 60GB model, no longer on store shelves, is going for $950 or more on Amazon.

Also, the other PS3s on the market drop to $300. The cheap new PS3 seems exciting, especially for holdouts who were waiting for just the right time to upgrade from the PS2. But those folks may want to hold out even longer, for Sony to release its inevitable 250GB follow-up.

Does the new console iteration have any of you thinking about taking the PS3 plunge now?

Sony announces PS3 Slim for $299 [Techtree]
(Photo: Techtree)

The poorly manufactured, red ring of death-prone console has a 54.2 percent failure rate, compared to 10.6 percent for the PS3 and the Wii's 6.8 percent.

The magazine surveyed nearly 5,000 readers to get the data. And while the 360's rate is alarmingly higher than the others, it's still bafflingly low because it blows the mind to imagine that 45.8 percent of the consoles have not broken. Also, Microsoft's numbers are inflated because 360s are used the most of the three consoles. Results said 40.3 percent of 360 owners use the console three to five hours a day, compared to 37 percent of PS3 owners. Meanwhile, the plurality of Wii owners (41.4 percent) play their consoles less than an hour a day.

Microsoft also seized the gold medal for unhelpful customer service, taking nearly a month to repair or replace a console, while Nintendo and Sony stuck closer to a week. Only 37.7 percent of Microsoft customers found the company's customer service was "very helpful," compared to 51.1 percent fo Sony and 56.1 percent for Nintendo.

The most shocking number from the survey — and frightening from a consumer perspective — is only 3.8 percent of Xbox 360 owners said they'd never buy another Xbox because of hardware failure.

EPIC FAIL (print edition only) [Game Informer]
(Photo: gongus)

Martin writes:

I sent my Playstation 3 in for service for the a second time in 6 months, and this time they stole my Assassin's Creed game. Their compromise: they offered what is basically a trade for another game of their choosing- as long as I showed them a receipt!

My PS3's Blu-ray drive failed within 4 months of my receiving it as a gift from my wife in December 2008. I sent it in for repair in April, and received it back in fairly short order. In June, my Blu-ray drive had a problem ejecting a disc completely. The next disc that went in, my Assassin's Creed game, stuck for good. Unfortunately, there was no way to get my game out of the drive, and there was no emergency disc eject procedure to be found in the manual or online.
I created a support ticket with Sony for this issue, clearly stating that my game was stuck in the drive, and that despite my efforts of using the button to eject and the system's software, it would not come out at all. The result was I had to send the unit to Sony again for another drive issue. I was having flashbacks of the "disc read error" days of the Sony Playstation 2.

The coffin/shipping box for the PS3 arrived once again, and on the form I clearly marked that a disc was stuck in the drive (it has a checkbox for it), and that was why I was sending it in for repair. I shipped it out, it arrived at Sony's repair center, and it was shipped back. When I received it, the disc drive worked, but Assassin's Creed was nowhere to be found.

I contacted Sony support number listed on Service Receipt (1-800-345-7669) and spoke with a support person named Michael. Within 5 minutes, he checked the technician's notes and stated there was no disc in the drive when received. I asked:

If the system's problem is that it doesn't eject discs, and the symptom is a disc doesn't come out, then how can there not be a disc in the system? And if there's no disc, that means there's no disc ejecting problem- which means there was nothing to repair in the first place!

Logic didn't get me very far.

After running into what amounted to a dead end, I asked for Michael's supervisor, who connected me to Rachel after a 10 minute or so wait. Rachel contacted the technician's supervisor Carl, who told Rachel that the technician's notes were correct and there was no disc in the system. I then asked for Rachel's supervisor, who stated there wasn't any more that could be done. I mentioned I would be happy to post this on the Consumerist and file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and she said she could connect me to Carl.

I explained the illogical scenario I was in to Carl. Carl said he would start a full investigation to see if there was any foul play involved, and would call me the next week on Tuesday. Carl contacted me Tuesday, August 11th, 2009, and told me that while there is no evidence that there was a disc in the drive, but he offered that if I sent him the receipt for Assassin's Creed, he would send me a "First title game". Needless to say I did not jump at the offer.

I don't want to trade out games with Sony, I want the disc that was stuck in their broken drive back. If there was no disc in the drive, then what was the problem with the system that needed repair at all? This is my fulfilling my promise to Sony last week and submitting this to Consumerist, and a BBB complaint will follow as well. Carl said I could post about this and submit it to where ever I want, so here we are.

What you mean you don't save all your game receipts in case the disc gets stuck in the drive and Sony loses it?

Filing a BBB complaint isn't a terrible idea, although at this point it's really a case of "he said, she said." The friendly thing to do would have been to just replace your game. Sony, particularly their warranty repair department, isn't really known for being friendly. Good luck.

Joystiq on the horror (which has since been corrected):

As demonstrated by a user-captured video, the standard load time for WipEout HD is about eight seconds long. If an advertisement plays, the load time increases more than twofold: to nineteen seconds.

In-game ads for paid games are fine as long as they're organic and non-intrusive, but this one speed-jumped over the line.

UPDATE: Sony has corrected the problem and vowed not to let it happen again.

Double Fusion slows down WipEout HD with ads [Joystiq]
(Photo: jpghouse)

1. We received the console with a fair amount of dust on it, but certainly nothing in excess of what I would expect from a PS3. As has been documented, the PS3 is basically a dust magnet.

2. The technician who got it, for some reason or another, didn't want to repair the console and inhale some of the dust, so he decided to deny the repair as "neglect."

3. Since the technician knew he couldn't get the repair denied based on the condition the console was actually received in, he decided to throw a bit of dirt on the console. Getting the dirt into the repair center wasn't that hard since the original tech was a smoker himself. All he had to do was go outside on his break. We have Ziploc bags.

4. As part of the procedure for denying a claim, pictures were taken and attached to the case notes. These same pictures were taken after the dirt was thrown on it and posted on Consumerist.

5. The warranty contains no clause for the technician to deny the warranty based on the dust alone, as the owner knows. That's why the technician had to throw dirt on it and claim it was neglected.

6. Sony should repair or replace the console. Period.

I worked in the same facility. I'm pretty sure at least one supervisor knew about it. They just didn't want to publish anything because it was already a PR nightmare, and admitting they did that would just hurt them even more.

Last we checked, Reid had tried getting a refund through VISA but they ended up denying it. We asked him what he thought of this story and he said, "All of this seems possible to me and really just sad, I'd be really sad to hear that all this trouble was caused by one lazy tech."

Sony hasn't responded to our request for comment.

PREVIOUSLY:
Dust Voids PS3 Warranty
Is This Playstation 3 Too Dusty To Be Repaired Under Warranty?
Sony CSR: What? No! Dust Doesn't Void Your PS3 Warranty!
Dusty PS3: Carey Greenberg-Berger On Fox Business
Visa Extended Warranty Protection Replaces Infamous "Dusty Playstation"
VISA Won't Replace Dusty PS3 After All

Don't blame Sony entirely for the price increase. In the New York Times article reporting the news, the CEO of eMusic basically admits that eMusic has been wanting to raise prices for a while (actually, he blames independent labels), and that this is a good time to do it.

Here's what the new plans look like:

Note: I am not enough of an audiophile to make recommendations about sound quality of most "average" music files. For those of you who care about that sort of thing, eMusic encodes using variable bit rate at 192k.

"Sony Agrees to Provide Its Older Songs to eMusic" [New York Times]
(Photo: tipoyock)

But one nice thing about the situation is that competition makes all three systems improve as time passes. Code jockeys can redefine the consoles' capabilities on the fly via downloads and firmware upgrades. The Xbox 360 has added Netflix streaming, the Wii added online polls and avatar-designing competitions and now the PS3 is upping the ante in the digital arms race by launching a service that streams music videos through the console.

Destructoid's Jim Sterling reports the add-on, dubbed VidZone, is due this summer and will feature "thousands" of music videos.

The bigwigs in charge claim that VidZone is "backed by several Major record labels as well as thousands of Independent labels", and will be available in the music section of the PS3's XMB menu. Users will be able to compile and save their own video library, which will feature custom playlists that can be stopped, skipped and rewound at leisure. PSP owners will be able to create these playlists on their handhelds as well, which will then be streamed on the PS3.

Next we'll wait and see what Nintendo and Microsoft will do to one-up Sony.

PS3 gets free music video streaming service [Destructoid]

(Photo: jpghouse)

Wedbrush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, the video game world's chief tea leaf reader, predicted in an electronics industry newsletter that the next wave of consoles won't hit shelves until 2013... if ever. That would mean at least seven years between iterations of the big three console makers' systems, surpassing the industry standard of five.

We do not expect the ‘next' generation to begin before 2013, if at all," Pachter said. "We remain convinced that the publishers will resist the introduction of any video game hardware technology that requires a refresh of software, as the publishers have as yet to capitalise on the immense investments made in being competitive in the current cycle.

Not enough people are buying consoles that are out there, so gaming companies don't think a new generation justifies the upfront costs of a new round. And yet dwindling sales are always cited as the impetus for a new lineup of consoles. So confusing.

The bottom line is if you're holding out hope for a new round of consoles to drive the price down on that Xbox 360 you've been eying, don't let the hope keep you from taking the plunge. Instead, let the fact that they break all the time keep you away.

Analyst: No New Console Cycle Before 2013 [Edge Online]

(Photo: PhilVillarreal)

My Fox Tampa Bay says that the boy told his mother, who then called Walmart.

"I showed it to my mom, and I ran back to my room…she said I'm not in trouble," the boy told Fox.

Walmart, however, was in trouble.

"I explained the situation [to the Walmart manager] and his response was, well bring the machine down and we'll let your son pick out a new game. And I was like, no I don't think you heard what I said," Mom said in an interview.

Walmart says they're looking into the situation and are "concerned." The accidental porn viewers say they would just like an apology and to exchange the used (ew) PSP for a new one.

Child finds porn on PSP [My Fox Tampa Bay] (Thanks, Andrew !)

Incidentally, we heard a rumor that certain employees of a certain organization that may... or may not... be known for testing products think this video is awesome.

[ONN]

There was a big flareup for a while, and then it looked like VISA was going to replace it. That was a year ago. Reid just IM'd me to say VISA has so far denied his claim because he paid for a small part of it with Paypal and he can't get any repair center to put it in writing that the unit is definitely unrepairable. His next step is to try to escalate it up within VISA and see if he can appeal the denial. Reid says, "It just makes me so mad that the [recent] price drop (400$-600$) covers the price of the repair they wanted to charge me for."

PREVIOUSLY: Visa Extended Warranty Protection Replaces Infamous "Dusty Playstation"
ORIGINAL: Dust Voids PS3 Warranty (Photo: basykes)

Back in May of this year, Sony told the WSJ that free engraving had recently saved them a million dollars.

So what, you ask? Well, if you're buying the iPod or the laptop or whatever as a gift — you might want to skip the engraving unless you're totally 100% sure that the person wants it. As in, they said to you, "Aunt Awesome and Uncle Kickass, please get me a new iPod with my name on it, pretty please???" Otherwise, you might just be causing problems for your loved one (or their parents) if they try to return or exchange the gift.

If you are currently stuck with a beautifully engraved iPod you don't want, we've heard rumors that you can try to exchange it for a more expensive one. Here's some advice from someone who claims to have done it.

Bottom line: Engraving is a cool thing for people who know they won't have buyer's remorse — but risky for a gift. Beware.

(Thanks, Jennifer!)
(Photo: decaf )

Ignacio says:

I would like anyone who has considered buying this plan for a computer or has one to be aware that this warranty is useless and a waste of money. Don’t buy it.

I had purchased a Sony Vaio TZ laptop about a year ago with the accidental protection damage (ACH) for several reasons, but mainly because the sales man suggested it for such a small laptop and for how expensive it was ($2200). Buying this warranty was a peace of mind that the sales man a year ago assured me of.

Jumping forward in time, a year later, I accidentally dropped my laptop and took in for repairs at the Geek Squad. The gentleman who attended me was very helpful and assured me that I would be taken care of with what he called “a high end laptop”. As a side note he even admired the size and weight of the laptop, which was the main selling factor for these laptops from Sony and why they were so expensive.

I received a call yesterday (10/31/08) from Best Buy saying the repairs were too costly and that my laptop would be replaced under warranty. I drove there today (11/1/08) to pick up a replacement. The attendant showed me a what she referred to as a comparable model (Vaio Z) and said I could take that as a replacement or use that money($2000) towards another computer , in essence store credit. I picked out a computer that was more expensive and she said it was fine, but I had to pay the difference. When we got to the register and as she started to ring me up, she stated that she had not done this type of return before and she asked a colleague to help her. She was told it was being done incorrectly and we were sent to talk to the supervisor of the computer department. This is where the trouble began.

I was told because of the specs of my computer the most comparable model was $600, which was an Asus EEE pc, but they would do me a favor and give me $1200 for a 15” Dell. When I stated to them that neither of them were comparable, because the sized and features that the TZ, they replied that they do it spec for spec and that my laptop only had 1gig of ram, a 1ghz processor and 100gig hard drive, and that was the closest computer. When I tried to explain to them that this computer was expensive because of the size features and ultra-portability; they ignored me and threatened to make my in-store credit less than $400 for some other netbook. I said that was not fair, the supervisor printed a gift card for $1200 gave it to me walked away. I asked to speak with the store manager.

The store manager, Huff, came and I explained to him what had happened in the last hour. He tried to understand what had happened and brought the supervisor from the Geek Squad department to help him out because he admittedly said, “I am not good with computers.” The supervisor told me the same as the rest that spec for spec there is no comparable computer, and that was the best they could do and I should be happy with that and instead of $600. I asked him to check Sony’s website so he can see that even a year later the TZ models are in fact cheaper, but more than $1200, and just as comparable with the one I bought. He said that he would not check any “junk” websites and only base his decision on what they had in the store. He told me to call Best Buy, and then yelled at the manager behind me, “This conversation is over,” and left. I was left standing at the cash register in the Customer Service area.

I called Best Buy customer relations from within the store, but they were of no help. They said they would not replace base on purchase price but “comparable technology.” When I said they were being unfair about comparing my computer the attendant on the phone said that was policy and there was nothing she could do.

So basically, to summarize, I bought a premium ultra portable laptop from Sony and it was compared to an Asus EEE netbook, under replacement, or a 15” Dell brick of a laptop that is worthless and not comparable. Salesmen are misleading when they are trying to sell you something. Good thing I didn’t order my laptop with the solid state hard dive, or else a comparable model would only have 60gigs of hard dive space. That is how “knowledgeable” the Geek Squad employees are, especially when the supervisor compares a premium notebook to a netbook.

I will not buy anything from Best Buy again. I spend thousands of dollars personally and more through my business, and I often refer my friends there as well. Not anymore, customer service is bad, the prices are more expensive when compared to internet shopping, and they rip you off. I encourage anyone not to buy from Best Buy and if you have to buy something there don’t waste your money any “peace of mind” insurance plans.

-Ignacio

We think Ignacio should launch an EECB (Executive Email Carpet Bomb) and see what Best Buy has to say, but we thought we'd throw this one out to the crowd first.

So, what do you think?

The New York Times says that DisplaySearch, a market research firm, says that so-called "Black Friday" prices "could go as low as $400 for a 32-inch LCD, and $600 for a 42-inch plasma set — about $200 off current prices."

From the NYT:

Many retailers are cutting costs because they expect a lighter selling season. Best Buy announced that it would hire 16,000 to 20,000 seasonal employees, a hefty drop from last year’s 26,000 seasonal hires.

Best Buy’s comparable-store sales in September dropped 2 percent from the year before. “We’ll see less traffic,” Brian Dunn, Best Buy’s president, said. “We’ll grow our share by offering the right solution, product and service. We’re not looking to get every dime out of you. If a customer just wants the lowest price on a TV set, we’ll give it to them with a smile.”

And to increase the likelihood that customers will pull out their wallets, several manufacturers, including Panasonic and Sharp, are working with retailers to offer extended financing with either same-as-cash interest or deferred payment plans.

Some believe that bundling items, like a flat-screen TV with a Blu-ray player or an audio system, will provide that extra value that will push consumers to buy.

Best Buy will offer a bundle “targeted to middle America,” Mr. Dunn said.

Hefty Discounts Could Arrive on Big-Screen TVs, but Buyers May Be Resistant [NYT]
(Photo: Clean Wal-Mart )

The majority of the laptops with the dangerous batteries were from HP, but there were also Toshiba and Dell computers included in the recall. The batteries were manufactured by Sony.

For a list of computers, click here.

• Abt Electronics: Sony Cybershot S750 7.2MP Digital Camera $129 Shipped
• Office Depot: HP AMD Dual Core Widescreen Notebook $550 & Free Shipping
• B&H Photo: Panasonic Viera 42-inch Plasma HDTV $830 Shipped

• Amazon: J.A. Henckels 8 Piece Stylus Block Set for $49.99 w/ Free shipping
• Walmart: Eastsport Mesh Backpack for $9.88 + $0.97 Shipping
• Timberland: 30% Off Coupon w/ coupon code: FALLEVENT4

• Geeks.com: Four Wireless Day / Night Color Security Cameras with receiver for $130 + $11 s&h
• Newegg: Creative ZEN X-Fi 8GB Portable MP3 / MP4 Player for $112 + free shipping
• Buy.com: Refurbished SanDisk Sansa MP3 Players from $22 + free shipping

Sony Recalls Notebook Computers Due to Burn Hazard [CPSC]

• Lenovo: Employee Pricing on ThinkPad and IdeaPad Notebooks, up to 42% off (login with passcode 536686)
• Woot: Sandisk Clip 2GB MP3 Player for $19.99
• Newegg: ESET NOD32 Antivirus Home Edition v3 for $14.99 (Best antivirus around, won't slow down your computer)

• Buy.com: Kingston 4GB USB 2.0 Portable Flash Drive $14 Shipped
• Hanes.com: Save 15% off Complete Order on All Clothing
• Vann's: Sony FX820 Portable 8-inch DVD Player $150 Shipped

• Amazon: Kitchen & Home Labor Day Sale: Save up to 65%
• Linens 'n Things: BOGO 50% off bath furniture, more + 20% off coupon
• American Eagle: 40% off purchases coupon

Adrian writes:

It’s Sunday, so it is the one day I have to take care of my personal business, and relax. My PS3 crapped out on me a few days ago, and sadly, I cannot get anyone at Sony to fix the problem. The thing is, the PS3 was a gift to me for Christmas. The receipt is nowhere to be found (not by me, but by the person who bought it for me) all she has is a credit card statement. Instead of going to the store and demanding someone give us a receipt for the transaction, I decided to call Sony and see if they would take it under warranty because, for starters it was bought in December, and it was manufactured in July 2007. When I spoke with someone at Sony, I was basically told that they don’t go off of the manufacturing dates, but rather, on the date of purchase.

Fair enough I would think, but if the playstation was manufactured less than a year ago, it would be hard to lie about it’s validity of the warranty anyways. No matter how I went at this, the rep couldn’t help me. Basically he said, no receipt, $150. I am outraged that Sony won’t make themselves responsible on an item which is CLEARLY less than a year old. Their own label on the PS3 clearly shows that it was made in July 2007, 3 months shy of the year mark. Why would they even place that label on there, if it wasn’t any good to them? I’m just angry that a receipt would still be needed, even though I can clearly prove that it should STILL be under warranty.

I tried arguing with the guy telling him I would switch to a Wii, or an Xbox 360, and he just laughed and said, “their support isn’t much better.” I told him I would tell all my friends about Sony and not to buy a Ps3, and he simply said, “that’s totally up to you, but we are gaining momentum right now with customers.” Basically, he was a jerk, my PS3 is shit, and nobody seems to want to help me. That is where you come in. Perhaps someone higher up will see the absurdness in this.

Adrian, we think you're probably expecting a little too much of Sony. They're simply not equipped to deal with this situation logically, and CSRs aren't allowed to make decisions that require independent thought.

Therefore, our advice to you would be to call the friend that gave you the PS3 and ask her to contact her credit card company and see if they'll repair or replace your PS3 under their extended warranty protection. This process should be fairly painless compared with the task you've set for yourself— convincing a huge multinational corporation to think like a rational human being.

Good luck.

Dustin writes:

I've got a smile on my face again.

I wrote to you last week with a bad email exchange I had with Sony regarding the hard drive on my Playstation 3. They had replied with form letters, no matter what I wrote to them. I ended up calling Sony and setting up a service call, but they insisted on having proof of purchase to get the machine fixed under warranty. They said if I didn't include a copy of my receipt, I would have to pay $150 for the service call. Since I got the PS3 as a gift, I couldn't get a receipt and was upset at having to pay money to fix a machine that was still under warranty.

Now to the good news: I received a call this morning from a number I didn't recognize, and since I'm at work I let it go to voicemail. Imagine my surprise when I listened to the message and it was a lady from Sony. She said they had found my email exchange and call notes, and instead of having my machine serviced, they are going to switch it out with a new machine (as a one-time courtesy).

She specifically stated that I would not need to include a proof of purchase, and that she would upgrade the exchange in their system to make sure things went smoothly.

I'll let you know if/when I get the new machine from Sony. In the meantime, they've redeemed themselves in my eyes. Someone took the time to track me down in their system and make sure I was happy. Hooray!

Dustin

Hey, good for you, Dustin!

(Photo: reinn )

The other night I tried booting up my PS3 and got an error message that said "The hard drive is corrupted and needs to be formatted. Press X to format." Grrr. I knew that formatting would erase all of my saved data, but I went ahead and pushed X. And waited. And waited.

The PS3 went to a status bar that said "Formatting..." but stayed at 0% and never did anything. I couldn't get to the cross-media bar, couldn't get it to load a disc - nothing. I turned off the machine, let it sit until the next evening and tried again with the same result: hard disk corrupt, needs formatting, formatting freezes.

I searched Sony's website for a solution to this problem, but couldn't find anything, so I called their customer service number. Unfortunately, the wait time was too long, so I hung up and sent them an email explaining in detail what my problem was. I got this response:

—-—-—-—--
Hello Dustin,

Thank you for writing us.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We would like to recommend the
following PlayStation Knowledge Center article(s) that may help resolve the problem:

- Troubleshoot HDD Problems on the PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system:
http://playstation.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/playstation.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=441
In addition, if you have not already done so, perform the following recommendations which may also
correct the problem.

- Restore Default Settings
From the XMB(TM) menu, go to [Settings] > [System Settings] > [Restore Default Settings]. Once you
select Restore Default Settings, you will see a list of settings that will be restored. Scroll
through them and press the X button to restore the settings. After the operation is complete, you
will see the initial setup screen that appeared the first time you turned on the PLAYSTATION(R)3
computer entertainment system. You will need to go through the initial setup process before you can
use the PLAYSTATION 3.

- Install the Latest Firmware Update
To check what version of the System Software is currently installed on your PLAYSTATION 3, from the
XMB menu go to [Settings] > [System Settings] > [System Information]. The system will display the
System Software version number. You can visit the following link to determine whether you have the
latest version installed.
http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/About/SystemUpdate

- Check your Environment
Make sure to allow adequate ventilation to flow from the PLAYSTATION 3's vents (i.e., avoid
obstructing the vents with long/shaggy carpet, inadequate airflow from cramped entertainment cabinet
setups, etc.). Make sure to also keep the PLAYSTATION 3 away from excessive dust, smoke, steam,
extreme temperatures, humidity, or direct sunlight. Full details on Safety Precautions and Use and
Handling can be found in the PLAYSTATION 3 Instruction Manual.
http://www.us.playstation.com/Support/PS3/Manuals

- Click on the link below to search the PlayStation Knowledge Center for new and existing content.
http://playstation.custhelp.com

If you have followed these steps and would still like to speak to us, please call our Consumer
Services Department at (800) 345-7669. Our representatives are available to assist you, Monday
through Saturday 6:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., and Sunday 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Pacific Standard Time.

If you have further questions regarding this message and are replying back via email, please refer
to your email case number:5782785.

Sophie
Multimedia Representative
Sony Computer Entertainment America
Consumer Services Department
—-—-—-—-—-—--

Apparently they didn't read my email, because their "solutions" all involved a PS3 that booted to the main menu and the cross-media bar. They didn't address my problem, nor did they offer any helpful solution. So I sent them back this email:

"I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but your response to my email was inadequate and unthoughtful.

If you look at my email, you will see that I am getting an error message when I turn the machine on. I can't do any of the things listed in your knowledge center, because I can't access the cross-media bar. I can't even get my PS3 to boot up! For some reason, it freezes up when trying to format.

I will give your customer service center a call. Please know that most of us who have purchased a PS3 are familiar with technology and know how to search for an answer on a company's website. I wouldn't have written to you without first trying every solution I could find online.

Sending a form letter in answer to a detailed email is condescending.

Dustin"

And this was their response:
—-—-—-—-
Hello Dustin,

We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We would like to recommend the
following PlayStation Knowledge Center article(s) that may help resolve the problem....

Sigh. Guess it's back to the hold queue for you, Dustin.