New WP7 Device, the HTC Lemon!

[TheStu]

It is an amazing device, it is guaranteed to stop working correctly within months, weeks, even days of use!

I got my first (notice how I said first) HTC Surround in November of last year. In May or so of this year, I had to get it replaced as it was randomly rebooting, and the left half of the screen wouldn't respond to touch input when you unlocked it.

I got the second HTC Surround replaced 9 days ago. I had left for a trip on the 12th and just as I was heading out of town, the touch failed altogether, until i happened to drop it (about 9 inches) into the cup holder in my car, thus causing the screen to revert back to half failure. Once again, the left half of the screen wouldn't respond to touch. On the 22nd, as I was driving back home, I was using the phone for music in my car and it cut out halfway through a song. I look over and it has an error message that reads 'the memory card has become disconnected (or something to that effect)' and it prompted me to do a hard reset. So instead of going straight home, I stopped by the AT&T Service Center and got it replaced, again.

My third HTC Surround has already started in with the left side touch problem.

What options do I have to get a different phone? AT&T says that since the only replacements they have are refurbs without batteries or backs, they cannot give me a different phone. Is there anything that I can do about this?

Also, what are the odds that the battery is the culprit, it and the OS are the only constants here.

 

[Deeko]

My suggestion...get a refurb, eBay it, use the proceeds to pick up a Focus. I've yet to have any issues like that on either the Focus or Venue Pro, running NoDo or Mango.

 

[dougp]

My suggestion...get a refurb, eBay it, use the proceeds to pick up a Focus. I've yet to have any issues like that on either the Focus or Venue Pro, running NoDo or Mango.

This, or go with the LG Quantum or wait for the Nokia. If you're the primary number, you can upgrade every 1 calendar year.

But I still don't see the need to throw WP7 in there, it has nothing to do with your problems.

 

[s44]

Force AT&T to give you a Focus as your next replacement.

 

[EightySix Four]

I have had a Surround since launch and no real problems here. This one even went swimming with me in a lake and survived. Also, Mango ftw.

 

[ew915]

too bad no one wants to buy an WP7 on ebay right now, the prices are dirt cheap, might as well just bite the bullet and wait till your next upgrade.

 

[Deeko]

too bad no one wants to buy an WP7 on ebay right now, the prices are dirt cheap, might as well just bite the bullet and wait till your next upgrade.

Except you could get a different wp7 phone for equally cheap, so it would be quite doable to swap for something else.

 

[TheStu]

This, or go with the LG Quantum or wait for the Nokia. If you're the primary number, you can upgrade every 1 calendar year.

But I still don't see the need to throw WP7 in there, it has nothing to do with your problems.

According to ATT.com I am not eligible until July 2012, and I got the phone in November 2010.

Just to make it clear that it was a WP7 device not Android. I love the OS, that is why I am on device number 3. Otherwise I would have dropped the SIM back into my iPhone a while ago.

Force AT&T to give you a Focus as your next replacement.

That is what I would like to do, I was mostly looking to see if that was feasible.

Given what Deeko said, i might just stick it out and get one off of ebay and then sell the Surround

 

[RedRooster]

I think the Surrounds were about the lowest rated WP7 devices of the first wave that came out, weren't they? No excuse, I know, but there's a pretty good chance you'd have better luck moving to something else.
My Optimus 7 is working deadly, not even sure if I'll justify an upgrade to a second gen phone if Mango runs fine on this.

 

[Dice144]

I had simliar issues with my Samsung Cap. First one replaced at store for another for a speaker issue. Second one just started doing it again 7 months later.

I finally went to the store ( I moved so not the store I usally deal with) and they were no help at all.

Called the 1-800 number and said I was switching to Sprint. They offered me a Atrix for $75 bucks and took money off my bill for the local store being so bad at customer service. I did not take the $75 buck deal because I am Frugal and trying to hold out for a non locked down phone.

 

[TheStu]

I think the Surrounds were about the lowest rated WP7 devices of the first wave that came out, weren't they? No excuse, I know, but there's a pretty good chance you'd have better luck moving to something else.
My Optimus 7 is working deadly, not even sure if I'll justify an upgrade to a second gen phone if Mango runs fine on this.

Well, when i was looking at the devices, the Surround was the one I liked the best. The LG one didn't have anything going for it other than a keyboard that I wasn't going to use. And the Focus felt cheap in my hand. The Surround was hefty and has the cool slide out speaker.

It looks like the Focus would have been the way to go.

 

[s44]

Remember, you can always put a heavier/"solider" case on a Samsung.

 

[TheStu]

Remember, you can always put a heavier/"solider" case on a Samsung.

Case? I don't use cases, I like a bare phone.

 

[shortylickens]

Force AT&T to give you a Focus as your next replacement.

Focus is good shit.

 

[tdawg]

Force AT&T to give you a Focus as your next replacement.

Has anybody had success doing this? I tried with Verizon, no dice. I'm going on my third Droid X and all they'll do is replace the phone under warranty with Motorola. So I get another crappy device and they just tell me, "Motorola is responsible for the hardware, we just sell the stuff". They actually specifically told me that they can't offer any alternate phones because they are just the middle man and have to do what Motorola tells them regarding warranty replacements.