pomsky.net

Purchased from: Principal IT (Trademe) Cost: $156 (incl. courier)

Well, I have spent a couple of days with this thing now and I am not very impressed with the results thus far. As Freeview Terrestial has recently been released here, I was quite optimistic in obtaining a device to use to see what it is like. I already use the D1 satellite Freeview only being limited by its location in my commercial premises.

The biggest problem is that I am about 5 kms away from the TV mast at Waiatairua that is sending the digital UHF signal and not a bloody thing! Ok, I can listen to the RNZ Concert and National but I can’t get a good enough signal to receive a video stream. The supplied aerial won’t even pick up a decent analogue signal and using a medium range UHF I can get what looks like 100% signal strength but not enough to view TV video.

Pros: The remote control works Cons: Nice brightly coloured box

A new printing company started recently is now running on all cylinders. Bishop-Evans Print Limited was started in December 2007 and the directors have come a long way in a short few months to bring a specialised team of print professionals together to produce one of Aucklands premier offset printing companies. Any job is possible with some of New Zealands most sought after printing presses, particularly the Akiyama 4-colour press which has amazing colour reproduction.

Purchased from: softwareshop.co.nz Cost: $1514 (free shipping)

My Philips Brilliance 230W 23″ LCD monitor was developing what appears to be a “watermark” along the top edge of the monitor. Having contacted the support number for New Zealand I was offered the option of money back or a refurbished replacement. However, the company that does the repairs on behalf of Philips New Zealand, Visual Group had no authority to tell me that a full refund was an option with this fault!

This is an expensive monitor and there was no way after 9 months of a 3 year warranty was I going to settle for a refurbished monitor. Anyway I was so pished off with the stupid cow at Softwareshop.co.nz I finally agreed to only a brand new replacement with a new 3 year warranty after they had failed to even diagnose the problem. Under the Consumer Guarantees Act all attempts at fixing the bloody thing had been exhausted and I am therefore entitled to a full refund but software shop have no understanding of consumer rights and therefore customer service and I have an email accusing me of flaunting CGA regulations when I know for a fact that I had not contracted out of any contract with the supplier who is liable and I don’t have to deal with Philips!

 Guess what? After a further 12 months of using this new one the damn thing is doing the same thing along the top edge of the monitor! Luckily I have saved all the emails both from softwareshop and Philips New Zealand in their attempt to shut me up, but they will be finding out all about it very shortly!

Pros: Worth a laugh how IT suppliers think they can dictate their own interpretations of the CGA! Cons: Avoid