Anyone receive their free Simcity game for M130?

[CClyph]

I purchased the Palm M130 and found the official notice (http://www.palm.com/support/m130program/m130program.html) on the Palm website regarding the color issue. I opted to register and get my free Simcity game. Well the registration sure went through fast because I get spam from them at least twice a week now. But they didn't send me any information on the free game. I emailed Palm support and got back a generic reply with a support line telephone number. I called the number, explained my problem, and was told that they would email me instructions for the download. That was 2 weeks ago. Still no word. Palm sure was nice in stating that it would correct its mistake. That definitely smoothed over public relations, but are they really following through?

[pdagranny]

That's for sure. They SAID they'd give people the free game or refund the full purchase price. Well hubby opted to keep his 130 and asked for the free game. We've never heard anything about it.

I opted to return mine for the full purchase price. Palm kept "loosing" the registration. I registured that sucker 4 times. I talked to multiple people and kept getting different answers. Finally with two days to the deadline for getting the refund I got in touch with someone that faxed the form to me. The form was in such tiny print and it was not clear if I was to return the handheld then or send back just the form. I didn't bother following through because I was so disgusted by that time and fully expected that if I sent back the handheld that I'd be out the handheld and never get the money. I never did get the email acknowledging that I'd registered any of the times, but I did start getting the spam.

pdagranny

[Sonny]

I registered my m130 and received an email with a link to a site where I could download the game and a code I was to enter to show I was eligible for the promotion.

When I tried going to the site I always received a page saying the site was not available. I tried downloading direct from the Palm site but received a message saying it did not recognise my promotion code. I sent an email indicating the problem I had and received a reply from Handango giving me a code to download from their site but the promotion code was still not recognised. I have sent emails about the continued problem but have had no further replies.

In New Zealand a firm would not get away with this sort of behaviour. Our Commerce Commision would be prosecuting them for misleading advertising.

[CClyph]

Hehe, I think here in lawsuit-happy America we can put together a class-action suit against Palm. I have not heard of any success stories from this offer. It looks like Palm is taking the easy way out on this one. Maybe if we spread the word to the other M130 forums, we can get enough unsatisfied customers together for some action.

It's sad that big corporations will usually initially try to take the easy way out, then if/when they are caught they take action (which causes small financial losses) only when forced to. They already made one mistake with the false advertising, why push it with another false claim of honorably making up for it?

[Sonny]

Unfortunately NZ consumer laws would not cover this situation.
Consumers here are well protected. Misleading advertising is illegal and anyone can lay a complaint with the Commerce Commision.

There is also a Consumers Guarantee Act (CGA) which put simply means that any product sold in NZ must be fit for its purpose and durable. If a product doesn't meet this criteria the consumer first approaches the retailer for recourse but if they don't agree there is the option of taking the case to the Disputes Tribunal.

I recently did this regarding a problem I had with my Psion 5mx and won. (See my posting on the 5mx board in Psion Place titled
"Broken Screen Cable with Positive Outcome" on 29 Nov 2002).

I bought my m130 as a result of this problem. It took 13 months to resolve and I was without my Psion for most of this time. As Psion have gone out of the PDA market and it was obvious the same fault would probably re occur I decided I needed another PDA and I would leave the Psion permanently open on my desk to hopefully prolong its life.

Having used both the Psion and the Palm I must say that I much prefer the Psion. It does so much more than the Palm. Just like Palm don't seem to be acting responsibly in the matter of SimCity, Psion do not appear to acknowledge that the 5 and 5mx have a problem with broken screen cables.

Sonny

[blackvyper]

I thought I was the only one with this kind of problem so I kept to myself. Now I find that there are more people out there like me who have been mistreated by Palm. Since I am in the US I think there is omething we can do as a whole. I have sent an email to the guys at www.thescreensavers@techtv.com They can get the word out about this scandal. I wish I knew how to get this all together because we bought their product in good faith and they have given us the shaft. Calling and emailing Palm is useless. They never had any intention of giving us the download and as for a refund... think how much money they would have lost with all of the returns. They have sold hundreds of thousands of these things. I am open to any suggestions and will email my congressman as soon as I am finished with this. I am in North Carolina so whatever part of the US you are in I suggest that you do the same. For those outside of the US... we'll do our best. Time to get my gameface on!

[palm boy]

I Bought a m130 and about 30 days later palm sent me the email and I opted for the game. After three or four tries i finaly downloaded the game but it took 4 days for the coupon code to work.

After that, the game is not that great. I had to install it three times to get it in ENGLISH.

[tuffguy]

Well, I guess I should speak up about my experience with this whole "dithered colors" escapade.

Like the rest of you, I also received the e-mail from Palm apologizing for their misrepresentation of the m130, and offering either a refund or the SimCity game. Like the rest of you, I opted for the game. Unlike everyone else, the code worked just fine, the download went smoothly, and the game is fine.

I don't like the game though. The colors are terrible, and frankly, I find it quite boring. But anyway, that's just a personal preference. Now, with the introduction of so many other great pda's, I wish I would have taken the refund.

Anyway, I just though I would let you know that it did work for me.

tuff

[m130]

hasn't worked for me yet. I wished they could have given us Lemonade Tycoon. That game is awesome.

[palm boy]

I agree. I tried the demo of lemonade tycoon, and it was cool.

[maggie00943]

I had some trouble with the download of the sim city game. I got no response when I registered the product for the game. So I went through customer service who actually were great, and they sent me the link within a day. The problem with the link is it was not completly hyperlinked to the text in the e-mail. I had to cut and paste it into the address box.

For the money this PDA is still a great buy for a color screen and all. I asked around in our local Staples store and they said Palm still outsells everyone else.

I can post the link to the sim city download, (which is different than the sim city link from the online store) if it's not breaking any rules or laws or whatever? Yes the game appears better than many others I've tried but it still is alittle boring!

[Mark Renshaw]

I have had the same problems. Registered the M130. Many phone calls and emails, but no link! Sign me up for the class action suit. I know it's just a game, but I can't stand it when a company tries to pull the wool over their customers eyes. We have bought their products, but they don't seem to appreciate that. I will think seriously about whether I ever purchase another Palm. I am also having a heck of a time getting the $50 rebate!