Boycott Creative Labs

Creative Labs has recently been getting some bad press from it's user base for threatening legal action against a developer who provided unofficial drivers for Windows Vista.

The unofficial driver provided the ability to use older Creative graphics cards under Vista - a service not presently provided by Creative.

Creative's business logic behind the lack of drivers was to force existing customers using Vista into purchasing a new graphics cards (Vista drivers provided), thus dramatically increasing new sales.

A very strong handed approach indeed!

My wife has her own gripe with Creative and this time it's their inability to provide a battery for a mp3 player that was purchased only 2 years ago!

Please see an email below from Creative detailing why they can't provide a battery for the original Creative Zen 20gb.


> Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2008 04:45:12 +0000
> From: support@europe.creative.com
> To: xxxxxx(hidden for obvious reasons)xxx@hotmail.com
> Subject: Re: CLE - Technical Support Request (KMM15741557I110L0KM)
>
>
>
>
> Dear Wendy,
>
> With regard to reply, I am sorry to inform you that your player is
> already out of warranty and we do not have any out of warranty
> repair/replacement service for your player.
>
> As your Creative product is no longer covered by a hardware warranty, I
> can offer you to purchase a new player of your choice at a discounted
> rate by calling our Technical Phone Support
>
> You could consider to get a new Creative Zen 8GB, http://uk.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=16999.
> The price we can offer you for Creative Zen 8GB is £116.99 including
> postage and VAT charges. This price only applies to you with out of
> warranty player. Or you can check out our other range of MP3 players at http://uk.europe.creative.com/products/welcome.asp?category=213
>
> If you are interested with our offer, you could call our Technical Phone
> Support colleagues situated in Ireland , Dublin at 00 353 1 4333200,
> and the operating hours is Mon-Fri : 09:30 - 18:00 (GMT) Sat-Sun &
> Public Holidays : Closed
>
> I apologize for any inconvenience caused, any inconvenience caused is
> regretted. If you have any other questions or clarifications in this
> regard, please do feel free to mail me.
>
> Please retain all the previous correspondence when replying to this
> email.
> Best Regards
> Chin
> Creative Customer Support Services
> Creative Labs Europe

Hopefully this blog will make you think twice about purchasing any products from a business that forces obsolescence.

John