DutchClick

The person that says that buying new techno toys is easy is lying.

Comparing specs, prices and shops is almost a full time job for the last few days.

I brought back my selection to two digitak mini camera’s: the Canon Ixus 65 (Canon PowerShot SD630 in US) and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX3

I had the last one at home, but did bring it back today for two reasons. The first one is that it didn’t feel good already yesterday, when I bought it. 4 mm to thick compared to the Canon.
Secondly I did find out that I could have the same camera from another shop for 70 (read: SEVENTY!!) euro less. Enough reason to bring it back.

I can’t decide yet, but tomorrow the difference in price will make the change, I think. Specs are about the same.

I got help (for specs and prices that is): DP Review rulez BIG TIME! For years now…

[I started this fourth part end december and was too much fed up with the whole thing to write on with it...]

I lost count…

“That is our policy” – is is a frequently used sentence in the USA, I am sure. It think they see it as a magic word: policy. To my opinion it is an ANTI-magic word.

This is part-I don’t know in the Palm Treo 680 from the USA saga. For earlier parts look below!

After having trouble to become Europe’s first COPPER Palm Treo 680 owners, my best friend Servaas and I were prepared to bug his bil (brother in law) to help us out.

We did ask him to order two COPPER Palm Treo 680 at the Palm Treo store with an American creditcard.

We are still empty handed. The TWO orders we had were dumped by Treo Store and we still don’ know why.
We did order two times because we both wanted to get the Palm Music Pack (for BOTH phones) for free with our order.
After a call we got the answer that there were no copper ones anymore and thats why our order was just skipped.
After that still lots and lots of copper treo’s have been shipped… Huh?!?!

Still empty hands, okay, a grey phone on its way from the States.

[27-01-2007]
End of the story is that we both have an American, but graphite Palm Treo 680. Taken from the States by my buddies bil.
We were still waiting for copper Treo’s to buy if available in Europe. No one could tell us when the first ones would be there.
But last week we did hear that Palm is stopping the production of the copper 680…

I could buy one at ebay, but I am really so sick of it!!!

[and I don't even talk about the (severe!) battery and other problems]

Before:
Part 1 – Palm discrimination
Part 2 – No European Palm Treo 680 order in US
Part 3 – Palm Treo 680 plans

I never had the idea that the Swiss are nice people. I don’t exactly know why… All men are reservists in the army and have their (sometimes stone old) guns at home.
To Americans this seems heaven. I understand. But it is strange to Europeans in general… I may be a little biased.
Where do they need all these weapons for?! Protect their stolen money?

The Swiss are said to be neutral in the Second World War… I mean they didn’t care were the money did come from… I am sure this is true…

I am afraid I started just a bit off topic…
The Swiss are banning all navigation devices with so called POI’s, Points of Interest on it. Yes, serious!
Not all POI’s, but only the ones that contain information on speed controls, speed limits and everything related it seems.
This is fine with me, because I think it is a-social behaviour to drive (too) fast and then hit the brakes to get to the right speed. It is the way they do this….

But the police and maybe others can search actively to PND, Personal Navigation Devices to see whether someone has one in possession.
I can see the border patrol with their German Shepherd Dogs (no Berner Sennenhund or Saint Bernard! – the first are helt on farms and the second are used for rescue in the mountains….), and search cars for illegal PNDs!

The official information on this (in German / Italian / French) from ASTRA, “the bureau of roads”, with an (German only explanation here.

Happy driving in Switzerland!!!

[I forgot to say that pda's (like my Palm Treo 680) with navigation software can be confiscated and destoyed too!!]

I was planning to be one of the first European owners of the COPPER Palm Treo 680.

It is not going to be like that…

Around Christmas I will receive a graphite (read: GREY) Palm Treo 680 from the USA, while I could have had one from November 22nd in The Netherlands.

I will tell you later how this could be possible…

I tell you, between you and me: it is that I don’t like pyromanics!!!

I told you before that I really felt and feel discriminated as a European at buying a Palm Treo 680 from the US Palm Treo Store.

I am am still very very serious and it really makes me very very furious!! I will never get used to it!

The facts and differences till now are:

- NO Mobile Music Pack (Palm 1GB Memory Card, Palm Hybrid Headset Treo headset doubles as stereo headphones for your MP3 files, Palm Treo 680 Music CD includes Pocket Tunes™ Deluxe – worth $135 for FREE);
- NO copper, arctic and crimson Palm Treo 680 available in Europe (yet?);
- NOT deliver a package to a US address paid by a European creditcard (!). Yes, I tried, and got following e-mail from Palm:

Dear X X:

We regret to inform you that we are unable to complete your order.
We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

Your satisfaction is very important to us. If you have any questions about your order, call Customer Service at 1-800-881-7256. We will be more than happy to assist you.

We appreciate your business and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused if this action was taken in error.

Best regards,

Customer Service

Palm, Inc.

- buy a Treo 680 and get a $125 trade-in offer (okay, if you would want that…).

I am a long time Palm user and love the Palm OS (operating system), but this really p.sses me off!!!
I am not sure but may be thinking about legal actions. I have no idea whether it is legal to refuse to proces an order payed with a valid European creditcard.
I have used this card in lots of countries without any problem and now I wouldn’t be able to buy the Treo that I want?!

I am not sure about that second sentence: “Your satisfaction is very important to us“.

We will see….

[edit 23:15 CET: just ended a call with customer support (cs) of the Palm Treo shop. cs: Did you order with an American creditcard? me: "No, I did not". cs: But you can only order with an American credit card! ". me:Can you explain me why this is? cs:well, this is our policy. me: I can use this international creditcard anywhere. cs: It is still our policy. End of call.
I almost forgot to tell you, but I called my bank yesterday and they called it discrimination, without me even using that term!]
[edit 2 - 09.20 CET: After that I decided to send an e-mail to Palm. First you must be a genious to find a form to contact and after sending the content of this blog, I got this answer:

Dear Valued Customer,

Items in the Palm Store USA Catalog are priced in US Dollars and are for delivery within the USA only. Canadian customers can visit our online store at http://canadastore.palm.com or call 1-877-226-2320 to place an order. All customers located outside North America should visit www.PalmDirect.com for online shopping.

If this automated e-mail does not answer your question(s), please contact our Customer Service department using our toll free number, 800-881-7256. Our Customer Service is open 24 hours a day seven days a week to better serve you.

Please note: This is an automated response to your e-mail. You will not receive another response. Do not respond to this e-mail.

Best regards,

Customer Support at www.store.palm.com
Palm, Inc

Oh boy, do I feel valued!!

[Anyone who has the e-mailaddress of the CEO or someone from the management team?!]

You would think, and say that we have a global market nowadays. But ‘some markets are more global than others‘ (free from George Orwell).

Years and years ago I did write and did send faxes to makers and distributors of software (Adobe (PageMaker), Norton, Borland (Paradox and Quattro), etc) why I had to pay a (sometimes much) higher price in Europe than in the US. And no, I am not talking translated software! Just the original UK English of US English versions!

Now it is said that we have a global market and that about everything is available about everywhere. Yeah, right!

I am still not able to get a Sony Mylo in Europe and now for the first few months we will not have the coloured Palm Treo 680 in Europe. This is what Palm says on their website: “Arctic, Copper, and Crimson available in the Palm US web store, Palm US retail stores and Palm Canada web store only.”

We still have to get a life with the graphite Treo 680…

I like that colour too, but I want to have a choice on my own!!! I don’t like to be dictated.

[Latest (December 4th, 2006) on this: HERE!]

[I am so sorry, Liza. Had to let you go. ;-) ]