A couple of months ago I picked up a new notebook computer, inexpensive and sold under the name of the once notorious, but ever inexpensive eMachines. The M5405 came with a 1.6 MHz AMD Mobile Sempron processor, 512 MByte of RAM (although some of that was shared with the video display), a 60 GByte hard drive (albeit running at a slow 4200 RPM), a CD Burner / DVD View combination drive, a wide screen for viewing those wide screen movies, three USB2 ports, XVGA output, one PC (formerly PCMCIA) slot, and built in 802.11(g) WiFi. According to the manufacturer’s Web site, and online “reviews”, it also had S Video output and FireWire ports. This all came for $600 after published rebates.
eMachines was notorious for poor quality a couple of years ago, but its reputation had been improving and it was purchased by Gateway (which is having its own difficulties) last year, so I ran down to the nearest advertised store, and picked it up.
The computer wasn’t bad. Yes, it was a little heavier (6.5 pounds) than I would have liked, and my copy apparently didn’t have the sVideo and Firewire that had been publicized — I am still attempting to work something out with eMachines on that — but the beast worked pretty well, I got the rebate checks as promised and the movies looked pretty good on the wide screen. There is, however, a serious problem: the XVGA output, necessary to feed a projector so an entire audience could see what I was seeing, isn’t working.
Supposedly, you hit a function key combination, and the output (a secondary monitor) should just appear. Preparing to use the computer in just such mode, I connected the M5405 to a projector, but no signal was to be found. About 35 minutes on the phone, trying this and that as the very nice tech guy put me on hold for minutes at a time — to do what I wasn’t certain — he decided that the computer wasn’t working properly, that he would issue an RMA and I would have to send the thing back to Utah, from which all eMachines apparently flow. I should be getting a box and labels in “a few days”. Pack it up, overnight it (at manufacturer expense) to Utah, wait several days while they fix it — maybe a week or more he warned — then a day for shipping and I should have it back.
Me: “As long as I am sending it back, there are a couple of other things wrong I would like you to fix. There’s a bad power cord that fell apart and I had to splice. That should be replaced. Then there’s the Firewire and SVideo stuff. And then I tried the wired Network Interface, and couldn’t get that going, either. ”
eMachines Tech: “No problem. Just mention them on you enclosure.”
“Do you send the replacement loaner with the RMA?”
“There isn’t any loaner.”
No loaner! If this is a manufacturer problem, which this apparently is, there should be. Well as long as they do fix it. So I’ll burn a couple of CDs with data I don’t have otherwise on computers — my laptop software is mostly OpenSource so that won’t be a problem — but there will be withdrawal pains for the week The eMachines Web site doesn’t mention the M5405 as a current machine and doesn’t have any Notebooks listed as currently for sale, and that doesn’t sound promising. And I won’t be able to simultaneously view the NCAA online stats while watching the game. The M5405 was great for surfing the Web while also surfing the TV offerings.
Although the M5405 clearly was inexpensive and not “State of the Art” it was a heck of a buy. I don’t do games, much, and don’t do a lot of heavy database or movie editing or CAD CAM or the other things that really cry for the latest power machine. Like most lawyers, I process words, record billable time, run small spreadsheets and power point presentations, play with limited graphic design, touch up my digital pictures and surf. And watch DVDs, of course. And the 5405 does all of that fine. The tech folks seem nice, and are there about 18 hours a day and well past the time when my “evening” cell phone minutes kick in, which is good because there is no toll free number.
Would I buy another eMachines? I’ll let you know when — I always think positively — I get my fully repaired computer back.
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