What exactly does a limited hardware warranty entitle you to?
August 10, 2015 11:39 AM Subscribe
I purchased a Logitech UE mini boom around 2 months ago and am having a bluetooth issue that, while not major, is an annoyance and a possible deal-breaker for me if not fixed. I called support - they told me that my problem had been reported before, is a firmware issue and will hopefully be fixed soon. I was also informed that as there is no problem with the hardware, my issue is not covered under the warranty. Is this worth fighting?
The issue involves the speaker cutting out whenever a song on iTunes/Spotify/Etc. is paused on my Yosemite Mac. Once it cuts out, I have to disconnect/reconnect my bluetooth to get the device working again. It takes maybe 30 seconds to reconnect, which adds up when I'm forced to do so 5-10 times per listening session. The problem didn't bug me as much at first, as I thought it was something I could fix on my end. Not the case!
The problem lies with the firmware, as I don't experience any connection issues when hooking the device up to my iPad/smartphone. I was told that the bug would hopefully be fixed within the month; the logitech forums suggest otherwise, as customers have been complaining about this problem since April if not earlier. I don't want to wait longer than a month for this to get fixed.
My question: Are firmware issues really exempt from limited hardware warranties, even though the hardware won't even work without proper firmware? I can still listen to my music on my phone/iPad so I'm torn as to whether or not to go through the hassle of the warranty claim, but the laptop is my primary music device and I hate being brought out of the music through these stops and starts. I'd still, however, like to understand the ins and outs of limited warranties for future reference. Thanks.
The issue involves the speaker cutting out whenever a song on iTunes/Spotify/Etc. is paused on my Yosemite Mac. Once it cuts out, I have to disconnect/reconnect my bluetooth to get the device working again. It takes maybe 30 seconds to reconnect, which adds up when I'm forced to do so 5-10 times per listening session. The problem didn't bug me as much at first, as I thought it was something I could fix on my end. Not the case!
The problem lies with the firmware, as I don't experience any connection issues when hooking the device up to my iPad/smartphone. I was told that the bug would hopefully be fixed within the month; the logitech forums suggest otherwise, as customers have been complaining about this problem since April if not earlier. I don't want to wait longer than a month for this to get fixed.
My question: Are firmware issues really exempt from limited hardware warranties, even though the hardware won't even work without proper firmware? I can still listen to my music on my phone/iPad so I'm torn as to whether or not to go through the hassle of the warranty claim, but the laptop is my primary music device and I hate being brought out of the music through these stops and starts. I'd still, however, like to understand the ins and outs of limited warranties for future reference. Thanks.
Response by poster: Hi,
I live in the US. The warranty can be found here, no need to sign up:
https://secure.logitech.com/en-us/footer/terms-of-use/&id=3101
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 11:57 AM on August 10, 2015
I live in the US. The warranty can be found here, no need to sign up:
https://secure.logitech.com/en-us/footer/terms-of-use/&id=3101
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 11:57 AM on August 10, 2015
If it's a firmware issue, then repair or replacement aren't really useful options. So do you just want to return it and get your money back? You might have better luck doing that from the vendor than from the manufacturer.
posted by aubilenon at 12:03 PM on August 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by aubilenon at 12:03 PM on August 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I ordered from Amazon, which I tried calling - they told me to contact the manufacturer as it's past the 30 day return period. And yes, I'm looking for a refund at this point since I have no clue when the issue will be fixed.
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 12:07 PM on August 10, 2015
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 12:07 PM on August 10, 2015
The thing about warranties in the United States is that when the manufacturer disagrees with your interpretation of the warranty, you have to sue or shame the manufacturer into following your interpretation. Warranties (and most legal agreements) are not self-enforcing documents and require you to do something for them to be useful.
Do you feel suing Logitech is worth your time?
Do you feel that conducting a PR campaign against Logitech through social media or other means is worth your time?
If the answer to those two questions is "no" (hint: it should be "no"), then you'll have much more luck going to the vendor for replacement or by doing a credit card chargeback to the vendor (if that fails). Since you indicated you've had the device for 2 months, you might be still in the chargeback "window" (60 days since the date of the credit card statement that has the charge for the device in question).
posted by saeculorum at 12:08 PM on August 10, 2015
Do you feel suing Logitech is worth your time?
Do you feel that conducting a PR campaign against Logitech through social media or other means is worth your time?
If the answer to those two questions is "no" (hint: it should be "no"), then you'll have much more luck going to the vendor for replacement or by doing a credit card chargeback to the vendor (if that fails). Since you indicated you've had the device for 2 months, you might be still in the chargeback "window" (60 days since the date of the credit card statement that has the charge for the device in question).
posted by saeculorum at 12:08 PM on August 10, 2015
Best answer: Hmm. This isn't really answering your stated question but I wonder if you could work around that problem and keep your speaker out of power-saving mode by just playing some inaudible audio output in the background. E.g., go here and start a 1 hz sine wave at not-quite zero volume, and just leave that going.
posted by aubilenon at 12:26 PM on August 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by aubilenon at 12:26 PM on August 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: aubilenon, that is genius. i'll try that out when I get home and see if that solves the problem. Thanks.
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 12:33 PM on August 10, 2015
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 12:33 PM on August 10, 2015
Best answer: The only thing I'd add here is that you might want the "no sound" file to be limited in length, or it will run until the speaker's battery dies if you forget to pause or close iTunes.
posted by cnc at 12:42 PM on August 10, 2015
posted by cnc at 12:42 PM on August 10, 2015
The problem lies with the firmware, as I don't experience any connection issues when hooking the device up to my iPad/smartphone.
I'm going to attack this from an opposite end of the spectrum and say:
1. Phone support people are dumb and often misinformed, and simply reading scripts off a screen. I've had jobs where a huge portion of that job was just dealing with vendors and t1/t2 support on the phone all day. It's a sea of barely-trained morons who know just enough to think they know what's going on. I've also BEEN that moron, so this isn't just contempt.
2. I think this is an issue with yosemite, if other devices don't experience this issue. Have you tried booting in to windows on that mac and syncing it with bluetooth? At least do some basic troubleshooting here before you blame the device if it's only having this issue in relation to one device you have.
I've had a LOT of issues with every version of OSX since mavericks when it comes to bluetooth, and not on every mac i have. I suddenly started having huge problems with my big jambox and audio cutting out or it unpairing... But only with my imac, and not with my macbook pro. I haven't extensively tested my soundlink, which seems to play nice with everything(but has inferior controls AND no headset mode, including a lack of remote volume).
If i had to armchair admiral a theory, i'd say it has something to do with the UE boom(and jambox, and a lot of other speakerboxen) defaulting to a low power call-only mode and somehow signaling that over bluetooth when music isn't playing, and sort of "sleeping" as a BT audio sink. Most phones seem to handle this fine, but computers are iffy.
I've also had a problem with speakerboxes that supported handsfree calls and windows... ugh.
So to get hypothetical here and tie it up: But emptythought, if it only does it with the UE boom on my mac then isn't it the booms fault?
Well, no. It just means that those are a bad combination of devices. If you only have that problem with the mac, it just means the mac and the boom are incompatible in some way, not that there's anything wrong design or firmware wise with it. The onus is really on apple to fix this, too. Because i've noticed it and experienced it, and they obviously changed something that fucked up certain devices on certain systems with bluetooth. I never had a single problem with bluetooth speakers on my imac until mavericks.
posted by emptythought at 3:02 PM on August 10, 2015
I'm going to attack this from an opposite end of the spectrum and say:
1. Phone support people are dumb and often misinformed, and simply reading scripts off a screen. I've had jobs where a huge portion of that job was just dealing with vendors and t1/t2 support on the phone all day. It's a sea of barely-trained morons who know just enough to think they know what's going on. I've also BEEN that moron, so this isn't just contempt.
2. I think this is an issue with yosemite, if other devices don't experience this issue. Have you tried booting in to windows on that mac and syncing it with bluetooth? At least do some basic troubleshooting here before you blame the device if it's only having this issue in relation to one device you have.
I've had a LOT of issues with every version of OSX since mavericks when it comes to bluetooth, and not on every mac i have. I suddenly started having huge problems with my big jambox and audio cutting out or it unpairing... But only with my imac, and not with my macbook pro. I haven't extensively tested my soundlink, which seems to play nice with everything(but has inferior controls AND no headset mode, including a lack of remote volume).
If i had to armchair admiral a theory, i'd say it has something to do with the UE boom(and jambox, and a lot of other speakerboxen) defaulting to a low power call-only mode and somehow signaling that over bluetooth when music isn't playing, and sort of "sleeping" as a BT audio sink. Most phones seem to handle this fine, but computers are iffy.
I've also had a problem with speakerboxes that supported handsfree calls and windows... ugh.
So to get hypothetical here and tie it up: But emptythought, if it only does it with the UE boom on my mac then isn't it the booms fault?
Well, no. It just means that those are a bad combination of devices. If you only have that problem with the mac, it just means the mac and the boom are incompatible in some way, not that there's anything wrong design or firmware wise with it. The onus is really on apple to fix this, too. Because i've noticed it and experienced it, and they obviously changed something that fucked up certain devices on certain systems with bluetooth. I never had a single problem with bluetooth speakers on my imac until mavericks.
posted by emptythought at 3:02 PM on August 10, 2015
Response by poster: Aubilenon - I thiiiink your solution worked. (Fingers crossed)
Thanks!
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 3:16 PM on August 10, 2015
Thanks!
posted by CottonCandyCapers at 3:16 PM on August 10, 2015
just following on from emptythought's comment, is your hardware bluetooth 4.0 compatible?
posted by andrewcooke at 3:35 PM on August 10, 2015
posted by andrewcooke at 3:35 PM on August 10, 2015
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(i guess it will say in the text, at least if you are in the usa. in europe you'll have additional rights by law. you don't say where you are.)
posted by andrewcooke at 11:51 AM on August 10, 2015