Registered: Sep 2001
Location:
Posts: 13

My Edge isn't working!!!

Seems like the screen froze, whenever I tap anywhere on the screen a little menu on the upper left corner comes down. I can't do anything! I tried a reset but that didn't do anything. Please help.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

Hard reset, then call for a replacement.

__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

1. hard reset: Hit the reset button while holding down the power button. You'll know you've done it b/c it will ask you if you want to lose all your data (hit "up" button for yes).

2. Run the digitizer 3 or 4 times.

3. have them replace it. Handspring's quality control (esp. on the Edge) often leaves something to be desired.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

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Originally posted by dietrichbohn
(esp. on the Edge)

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__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

I feel your pain

After ~5 months of faithful service, my Edge has evidently succumbed to the same problem. The pissening (yes, I'm making up words) thing about it is that I used it this morning, and postponed backing up until I had entered some items into my to-do list. It was when I went to turn it on a few minutes ago to actually back them up that the behavior started. The hardware buttons still work, though, so I suppose I should be able to sync and save the data when I get home before hard resetting.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: I feel your pain

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
After ~5 months of faithful service, my Edge has evidently succumbed to the same problem. The pissening (yes, I'm making up words) thing about it is that I used it this morning, and postponed backing up until I had entered some items into my to-do list. It was when I went to turn it on a few minutes ago to actually back them up that the behavior started. The hardware buttons still work, though, so I suppose I should be able to sync and save the data when I get home before hard resetting.

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Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 32

That same thing happened to me with my second Edge. Eventually the battery ran out and it would not charge. Time to call for a replacement.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

Re: Re: I feel your pain

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
Maybe it's time I consider putting my Edge up for sale and getting something else.

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__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Now I feel _my_ pain

quote:

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Originally posted by dick-richardson
I'm interested in your final decision.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

Re: Now I feel _my_ pain

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
At this point, it isn't looking positive for a Handspring device....

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__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: Re: Now I feel _my_ pain

quote:

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Originally posted by dick-richardson
I wouldn't have dealt with them after a hard reset. I'd have called the 888 number and argued my case with them.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Incidentally, the total battery drain seems to have fixed the problem for some unknown reason. At least I've got a good backup now between my restore of the last backup combined with a "Desktop overwrites handheld" sync. I still plan to call Handspring Customer Care, though. This behavior is simply unacceptable.

Registered: Sep 2001
Location:
Posts: 13

THe guy told me to run the battery down, but how the hell am I supposed to do that? It has a 4 week life! I need the damn thing ready now!

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by sfhustler
THe guy told me to run the battery down, but how the hell am I supposed to do that? It has a 4 week life! I need the damn thing ready now!

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

OK, I tried to send the following via Handspring's web interface and it was too long, so I sent it to [email protected]. For some odd reason, though, they no longer post email addresses on the website, so I'm not sure if it'll get through. If I don't have even a canned response by Monday, someone from 'Customer Care' is likely to receive an earful.

To whom it may concern:

I am writing this in an effort to try to salvage a customer relationship that has been sorely damaged over the past couple of days. I purchased my first Visor Deluxe in June of 2000, and purchased one for my wife shortly thereafter in September. I have recommended Visors to countless friends and business associates as I'm a technical professional and people often seek my advice on such purchases. In April of 2001, I started having trouble with my Ice Visor Deluxe. I had been observing many stories on VisorCentral.com and Usenet of some Visor Deluxes (especially the Ice ones) having problems with case cracking near the power button. When I checked mine, I noticed the same case defect had apparently happened to mine. A call to tech support turned up that this was evidently common to some early runs and a replacement was sent out. Now given that my Visor has become an important repository of information for me, I thought that I should see if a more durable option didn't exist. Handspring had just produced the Edge which was a thinner form factor and had an aluminum case. This fit the bill perfectly.

I ordered an Edge on approximately April 30th, 2001 (purchased directly from Handspring, so I'm sure it can be looked up easily). It arrived a couple of days later, and for all intents and purposes seemed to work fine. However, there were several users on VisorCentral.com who reported serious problems with the digitizer (several links included shortly). My Edge apparently had no such defect initially.

However, two days ago when I turned my Visor on to enter a memopad entry and then backup my Visor, wherever I tapped on the screen only brought up the menu command. Since I could not afford to lose data since the last backup, I turned it off until I could sync at my house. After syncing later that evening, I performed a soft reset. This did not fix it, so I performed a hard reset. When I then tried to recalibrate the digitizer, it would only alternate back and forth between the upper left and lower right crosshairs. Obviously the problem was still not fixed.

I then called Customer Care to see what my options might be. After trying to relay the steps I had already performed and querying about a replacement, I was informed that I would have to call Tech Support. Unfortunately, I did not have time at the moment to go through another phone queue waiting for a representative. Since the battery light was showing solid indicating a full charge, I simply turned the Edge off and put it into my backpack to speak to Tech Support the next morning.

The next morning, I called Tech Support and as expected, they requested that I perform a soft reset and then a hard reset. Unfortunately, I could not, as somehow the battery had drained itself overnight despite the unit being off. Also, considering that my cradle was at home, I had no way to charge it. The tech support person told me that the steps I had already performed didn't mean anything, and that I would just have to call back when I was near my cradle.

When I arrived at home that night, I placed the Edge into the cradle to begin recharging. Evidently the battery drain 'fixed' the problem because when the calibration screen appeared this time, it accepted input. Now, here is where we get to the meat of the issue. I have no idea what caused this behavior, hence I have no assurance that it won't happen again tomorrow, next week, or next month. This is simply unacceptable behavior from a device which I purchased for $400 and change. What's more disturbing is that it appears to be endemic to the device. The following links show users who have all had the same or extremely similar problems:
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...=edge+digitizer
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...=edge+digitizer
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...=edge+digitizer
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...=edge+digitizer
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...=edge+digitizer
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...=edge+digitizer
http://www.jimweller.net/article.php?sid=15

Now considering this, what can we do to solve my immediate problem (lack of faith in the reliability of my Edge), and hopefully continue my faith in Handspring as a vendor to continue recommending them to my friends (and incidentally to my wife who will likely be upgrading from her Visor Deluxe early in 2002) and associates?

Thank you for your time,
Toby
[contact information elided]

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

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Originally posted by Toby
BTW, I'm not sure exactly how my battery ran down overnight, so I can't really offer any advice on that. I suppose you'd just have to keep turning it on. The four week battery life is only with typical usage of a couple minutes at a time several times per day. Keeping it on constantly will kill your batteries quick enough.

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__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by dick-richardson
I'd call the 888 number.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

I started playing the "return bad edge for another bad edge" right off the bat - until I got a decent one. Then I crushed it (screen survived, thank God) and got another one that was perfect a couple of months later. I'm thinking most of the glitches have been worked out. Obviously, I have no way to tell conclusively.

__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

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Originally posted by dick-richardson
I started playing the "return bad edge for another bad edge" right off the bat - until I got a decent one. Then I crushed it (screen survived, thank God) and got another one that was perfect a couple of months later. I'm thinking most of the glitches have been worked out. Obviously, I have no way to tell conclusively.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Well, this morning I received an email that my case was escalated, and I should hear back from someone within a 'few business days'. I guess we'll see what happens...