Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops

I thought I'd follow up on my CompuDyne SL purchase, for those of you
who've expressed interest.

To recap, I ordered the unit a few weeks ago, and they anticipated
April 1st shipment.  Since they offer overnight shipping, I should have gotten 
it the next day.  I called on the first to check status, and found that it's
been delayed 10 days-or-so, until the 13th.  So, I reluctantly decided
to wait.  Darn.

Lo and behold, on the 6th (or so), I find it on my doorstep.  BUT, they
packed the wrong one, the SXL instead of the SL.  I called and they
handled it well, and my new one still should ship on the 13th.  I
decided to hang onto the SXL for the week until my SL arrived.

I called just a bit ago to check status again -- the unit still hasn't
arrived -- and spoke with my sales rep from CompuDyne, Tom.
To summarize the conversation, he didn't have a clue who I was (once the
order's in, how soon they forget ;-)), and when we got through that,
and he found my order, I mentioned that I was sent the SXL by mistake.
He said "I would'a hung onto it."  "I did", I said, and asked why
he would have hung onto it.  Well, the SL's are again delayed until at
least the 15th of May.  Another month.

I try not to be impatient in life, but that's a long time from my
original order.  About 7 weeks.  Yikes.  So, I ask him to cancel the
order, and he does.  Then, he goes on to say what a terrific unit
the SXL is, and I'll really be happy with it...  So forth.  Well, I
don't *want* an SXL (by the way, they packed the wrong unit, but charged
my card for the SL -- $500 more).  Especially not at an SL price.
But, he was pretty adamant that I should keep the SXL ("You don't
know what you've got there."  Yeah, I do), and I tell him that besides
the wrong CPU, the unit doesn't measure up to my hopes, nor to their
advertisement.  In particular, the display is advertised to be
a "Full 10" screen, and it's dead-on at just 9.5".  Well, good
old Tom starts arguing with me that it IS 10".  It's not, not by any
ruler I know of.  I push the issue and he finally understands I really
wanted an SL with a 10" display and this isn't either, so Tom gets
a little abrupt.  No one likes losing a sale.

Too bad, for a number of reasons:

  1) The display is misrepresented in the ad.  9.5" is not a 'Full 10"'
  2) The unit measures 11" x 8.7" x 1.75" tall.  It's advertised 
     a "Slim, trim 11" x 8.5" x 1.6" (yes, only 1.6" thick!)"  They're
     big on the 1.6" height, and it isn't.  It's deeper too.  By a
     minor amount, but why spec it incorrectly?  More misrepresentation.
  3) The unit didn't include the integral trackball, but it did include
     a note that it'd be sent within two weeks.
  4) I found I didn't like the keyboard after some use, although I think
     the layout is nice (dedicated Hm, Pg Up/dn, etc).
  5) The unit came with a defective latch.

Too bad because this machine, if available and if the advertisement had
been honest was really quite close to what I was looking for.  But
sending me the wrong one that's missing parts, and doesn't match up
to what the ad boasts, well. . .

I might have been able to live with the screen, and eventually the SL
would have found it's way to my door.  And I really don't *care* that it's
0.2" deeper than spec'd.  But, it's hard to trust a company that
"enhances" their advertised specs.  If I want to be lied to, I'll
watch the election campaigns.

So, I'm looking ... again ... for "the" notebook.  I'm really starting
to think the PowerBook 170 may be the one.

Regards,

Dean Cashen
-- Boise

--------<disclaimer>----------
HP and I share some views, but
the ones above are all mine...