What? Already?

Wow, just when you think technical problems can’t get any worse, the technology surprises you. One month ago, my Palm m505 synchronizing functionality died — the infamous “Sudden USB Death Syndrome” flaw in the m505 line (which is why they were discontinued after six months). For the second time. I called Palm tech support — long distance, naturally — and, since it was (barely) still under warranty, they sent out a replacement unit.

That one died two weeks later. Two weeks. I figured that had to be some kind of record. I was now past my one-year warranty time, but I get a 90-day extension for the new unit. So back it goes, and I receive Palm number four.

Guess what? A week and a half. That’s as long as it lasted.

And now I’m pissed (I don’t know why it’s taken me this long). I don’t care how polite Palm’s tech support is. They’ve got a fundamentally flawed product, and would rather spend outrageous amounts of money repeatedly shipping me back the exact same flawed product than the unit where they actually fixed the problem.

It’s time for me to get on the phone again. And if they finally wise up and send me a m515, then I might — might — forgive them.

If not, Palm can go to hell.