It is true that corporate mergers take time to get 'settled,' but when it affects customer relationships, is it really worth it? As an owner of a Compaq iPaq H3650 PocketPC, it has been prone to the common errors that all other iPaqs are afflicted by. Some of these issues include the dust behind the screen, the power button falling in, the stylus ejection system not working, and so on.

When Compaq was just Compaq, a technical support call to 1-800-OK-COMPAQ would take a few minutes to get picked up, almost always it was answered after the first few rings. Afterwards, the technical support representative would get some information from me, and then have a pre-paid box shipped out via Airborne Express. It would come in the next day, or at the most two days, depending on the time the call was placed. I would place the iPaq in the box, call Airborne Express for a pickup, and off it went. Wait about a couple days, and the iPaq would return. On a number of occasions, I would ship out Friday, and have the iPaq back on Monday or Tuesday.

That was customer support.

Now, with the 'New Compaq,' it starts off almost the same. I call the same number, I talk to the representative, give the information, and get my box. I ship it out. But, I don't get the iPaq back in working order. I had shipped it out in July due to a stylus lock issue, and random 'power-on' problems where the iPaq would turn on by itself. When the iPaq returned about a week and a half later, the stylus lock was broken completely, yet the Work Order shows that it was replaced and repaired. Nothing else was touched.

So, call them back up.

My iPaq warranty ran out mid-July, after I received the iPaq back. We called them, and they say it is out of warranty, and nothing can be done unless I pay. Now wait just a second here. The work order states that repaired/replaced parts receive an additional 90-days warranty, so, I need it fixed. They realize their error, and the box-business gets rolling. The iPaq gets shipped out on Friday.

The following Wednesday, we receive a call saying that the iPaq is out of warranty, and they can't do anything unless I pay. And again, we go through a 30-45 minute ordeal involving past case numbers, their own warranty statements, and general logic. Eventually, they state they will repair it at no cost.

The iPaq is still not here.

The 'New HP' may be new, but apparently, they don't believe in the keeping in line with Compaq, which had the best technical support turn-around time for any major brand name computer company. Having dealt with every company, Compaq continued to provide the best service, and friendliest personnel. But, that was in the past.

I know that due to this incident, a number of people will no longer support HP or Compaq's line of handheld products, and have already stopped recommending the iPaqs due to the lack of care provided by the manufacturer. We are now studying alternative PocketPC products as the Hewlett-Packard lines are no longer a viable option.