The best and worst products, services, customer support, retail experiences and
vacations so far this year.
By Richard Sherwin

Let’s just say I was wrong about Acer.
For a few years, I have been touting Acer’s computers and tablets as the best buy
among a shrinking crowd of tech manufacturers.
I’ve changed my mind.
My Acer computer was just past its warrantee when it died. Totally gone. Wouldn’t even
turn on. The model, originally touted by Consumer Reports as the best in class of all-in-
one computers, was only 1½ years old – a few months passed its warrantee. Now, I
usually buy my computers, tablets and phones at Costco, thanks to the competitive
price and the extra two or more years of warrantee they throw in. This time, I figured it

was worth it to forgo the Costco extra warranty because the price on Acer.com was so
good. Bad move on my part. I wonder if Acer knew it was a lemon, or, if not, why it was
priced it so low?

I called Acer tech support, which informed me that my computer

was past its warrantee. Their solution was to send me a new AC adapter, which didn’t

fix the problem. I called Acer again and told them I was a long-time, dedicated Acer
customer, and I expected far better service. They offered me a $50 discount coupon

towards the $526 fix-it cost. My original computer cost $495 when I bought it! Am I
missing something? Yeah, I’m missing a company that stands behind its products and

has a customer service that is effective. I’m missing the company I thought made a
reliable product. And I’m missing a company that has a desire to keep a good customer.
I wound up buying a brand new all-in-one Lenovo device from Costco for around the
same price as the Acer. Costco threw in an extra two-year warrantee.

My mobile phone and cellular carrier nightmare.
I get a new LG V40 mobile phone. I like it a lot. I use it in my lectures as an example of
a company producing a good cellular phone that is better and less expensive than
iPhone Xs and Samsung Galaxy 9s. (Full disclosure, my wife has a Samsung Galaxy 9

and likes it just fine.)
I’m now using Consumer Cellular, a carrier that offers discounts to AARP member (yes,
I’m that old). They are an AT&T service provider rated # 1 by Consumer Reports.
Friends and relatives have been praising Consumer Cellular for months, so I switched
from Verizon. I am saving $75 a month over Verizon for the same (or I thought) better

service.

For three weeks I was in cellular heaven. The new LG V40 model
has a better camera, faster processor, better accessories than Samsung Galaxy 9 and
possibly even a better screen than the iPhone X. But suddenly my phone stopped
sending or receiving any multimedia files, such as pictures or short videos. Then it also
dropped calls and missed incoming call recordings.
I checked with LG’s reliable and easy to reach and understand tech support, but they

couldn’t find the reason. They suggested a joint call to Consumer Cellular, which
resulted in a first-level support person who had never heard of an LG Phone (really???),
and claimed they couldn’t guarantee service because they didn’t know the phone.

I asked why Consumer Cellular would activate a phone it
never heard of but tech support had no answer. LG kindly sent me a new one, which I
haven’t activated yet Instead, I am using the dreaded and banned by Trump Huawei
phone for a few days which Walmart is still selling. The Huawei has started to
experience the same missing calls as the LG. Since both phones are classified as a 100
percent AT&T compatible and an AT&T tower is right near here, I called Consumer
Cellular again. They now claim AT&T is repairing the two towers near my condo. Let’s

see what happens when it allegedly fixes the towers.
My continuing problems with Subaru Forester, Comcast Cable, and Internet
and home phones.
The Subaru still has the worst GPS navigation and (supposedly, although it rarely

works) Voice Command. Comcast still can’t get its act together with billing and tech
support. (SEE MY PREVIOUS COLUMNS FOR DETAILS.)

Forgetting my tech woes with a vacation
I figured I should escape technology hell and visit a relative in San Diego. I booked the
famed Lawrence Welk resort in Escondido, about a half hour from the airport. I’ve
stayed there before and found the traditional rooms very lovely with great view – some
on the golf course other near the many swimming pools. This time I chose a villa
surrounded by mountains and valleys and equipped with two gas fireplaces, large living
room humongous bedroom with the biggest and best Jacuzzi I have ever been in.

What could go wrong? Well, for
starters the breakfast with special eggs, sausage and my relative’s plate of Eggs
Benedict was cold and took 45 minutes to get to us. Then, when going back to villa to
change for a hike in the rain, we found filled garbage bags that the housekeeping was
using left outside the villa in the rain and the freshly laundered sheets, pillow cases and

towels also left outside.
Calls to management and the front desk went unanswered.
But when the weather turned cold and wet and it was time for some Wi-Fi-based movies
indoors and or some cellular calls to tell other relatives we arrived safely, the Wi-Fi was
too spotty to watch streaming movies and cellular service (usually valley- or mountain-

based resorts have “repeaters” that strengthen the signal) Will we return to this
legendary time share based resort? We will need a guarantee by management that
these issues were solved.

For a change of pace, some good news!
Products that wowed audiences at DFA’s recent lectures.

Arlo Pro 2
Arlo, a successful spinoff from the legendary computer gear supplier Netgear, is out
with its second-generation web cam dubbed Arlo Pro 2 Wire-Free Security Camera. It
includes all the great features which made Arlo Pro a top-seller, and has even more
features including higher quality 1080p HD video, a plug-in option with solar power and
support for Amazon® Alexa™ for live monitoring of cameras from the Echo Show and

TVs connected with Fire TV. The Arlo Pro 2 also includes a built-in speaker and

microphone for two-way communication. We successfully tested the mic with our poodle

who got in a long conversation with our friend’s lab retriever.

.

Logitech Circle 2 – is a home security camera that can be placed anywhere you
want. Whether you’re checking to see who is at the door or in your living room, Circle 2
helps you keep an eye on all parts of your home. Simply place Circle 2 in your desired
location, connect it with the Logi Circle app, and let the camera do the rest. Circle 2 is
an evolution of Logitech’s original Logi Circle cam, featuring a more versatile and

weatherproof design. It comes with various mounts and accessories, an updated
companion mobile (iOS/Android) and web app to keep you connected at all times, as
well as today’s most popular smart home integrations.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/circle-2-home-security-camera

Royole Mobile Theater “Moon” – is perfect for traveling. Avoid old movies on a
plane, paying for hotel content, and sibling battles on road trips. Great at home too, if

your get kicked off the big screen TV or want to veg at night, but not disturb anyone next
to you. Moon’s advanced dual AMOLED displays provide Full HD 1080p resolution,
over 3000PPI (pixels per inch), ultra-high contrast ratio, and blistering fast image
response time to deliver 2D and 3D cinematic experience. Royole Moon is the only
headset with active noise-canceling headphones to reduce distracting external noise by
92 percent or 22dB. Moon incorporates a wide frequency range to capture the lowest
base and the highest treble. Moon auto detects and optimizes content for viewing in 2D

and 3D. Its unique 3D algorithm provides an incredible stereoscopic 3D experience.
And, it’s the only mobile theater able to play 3D content from a 3D Blu-ray player.

Access content from your favorite online streaming services, computer, phone, external
drives, or game console using Wi-Fi, HDMI, or USB. Moon plays most audio and video
formats, so you can consume your content your way. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and
YouTube are just some of the many apps available. Royole Lounge, Moon’s exclusive
entertainment app, lets you download up to three movies from a library of more than
100 and growing collection from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment movies. The

patented folding design and the internal 32GB of storage makes Moon truly mobile.
Movies, videos, and images can be saved directly onto the Moon Box and when fully
charged, can play your media for up to 5 hours Advanced optics allow most eye glass
wearers to use Moon without their lenses; and Moon is packed with ergonomic features
to avoid eye fatigue and dizziness and provide hours of wearing comfort.

Coros Linx Smart Cycling Helmet – uses Bone Conducting Audio via Bluetooth
to connect for music, calls and navigation. But its ever expanding repertoire of features
which seems to grow every time I use it, also includes a way to record your vital medical

statistics in its app, while cycling. The stats are and even sent to your doctor. It can
actually even call your doctor, too

.

Sony beats IPod with its Walkman NW and A series MP3 Player. Take
your music with you or listen to the built-in FM radio on this Sony Walkman MP3 and
entertainment player. It also has Bluetooth to connect to speakers, and of course It
connects to your computer for easy transfer of music from iTunes or Windows Media
Player with the drag and drop feature. Enjoy up to 35 hours of audio before recharging.
The Sony Walkman MP3 player’s favorite feature is that it can use Micro SD cards to
add over 200 GB of music and video.

The world’s (allegedly) smallest digital camera
I found this tiny, no-brand-name camera on the auction site Tophatter.com. It may be
the smallest digital camera I’ve ever used, and it can take video, audio, and photos and

offers video resolution of 640×480 in .AVI format. Image resolution is 720×1280 in JPG
format.

Compatible with Windows OS, Mac 10.4 and

Linux. It supports Micro SD memory cards up to 32GB. It offers a high-capacity lithium
polymer battery. All in a compact size: 2.7 cm x 2.7 cm x 2.6 cm – 1.06 inch x 1.06 inch
x 1.02 inch.
Almost every product on www.tophatter.com is fully refundable.