nook problems

In June I had some birthday money to spend on a gift. I agonized over what to spend it on because there are so many things that would be fun and worthwhile to buy. It ended up coming down to a few choices--an eReader or an iPod. I love to read and most books are available more inexpensively if you buy the e-version--plus taking up less space is a plus. I still really want an iTouch, but I don't think I could read books on it because of how small the print would be. After doing my research between the Kindle and the nook, I decided on the nook. Nook had just lowered its price and was available for much less than previously offered. (Now Kindle has followed suit.)

I really loved my nook. It has a wonderful touch screen and I can load music and pictures on it as well as buy books from other sites and download library books from overdrive. I mostly get free books on it. Anyway, last week it froze up--after a little over 90 days of ownership. It would try to turn it on and it kept saying loading, but that was it. I could not turn it off. I ended up finding instructions online to try to fix the problem. I took the battery out for 30 minutes and then put it back in. It still wasn't working properly. I hooked it up via usb to my computer and was able to get it to come back on. The serial number read 0. I cannot re-register the nook or login to my account to download the books I own. It's useless. I should have taken it into the store!!!! Instead, on the nook, it said to call 1-800-THE-BOOK. They told me they would send me out a new one. So I wait 5 days and today I get a refurbished nook in the mail. (I have to send back my old one.) Not happy!!!

This was a major luxury purchase for me. Being a mother of 8, I don't indulge myself the majority of the time. Also, reading has been a diversion from the pain of losing my daughter, Kara Faith, this year. Needless to say, I was pretty upset that they sent me a refurbished nook when it was their simcard failure that caused it to die. In addition, on Saturday when I called them, they said I could not return my broken nook to the store. I called the store today and they said that they would have exchanged it for a new one. (So, in essence, the 1800 people lied to me...) I called the 1800 number back and told them I was unhappy. Of course, they tried to convince me that what they sent was perfectly okay. Finally, I told them that I wanted to return the refurb one to them and take my original broken one in locally. That's not the way it worked out, but I am sending back the defective nook and taking the refurb one into the store to get a new one. It has been a major hassle. I am hoping to do this tonight. I lost all the pics and music I had put on my old one, but I can redo it. My library is safe in my online account.

All this to say what? Well, I did some research online and found a few other people that even had problems with their 2nd nook. I hope that doesn't happen. I really liked it before the simcard failure. It sounds like there are some kinks that they are dealing with. Know this, if you own a nook and have a problem go back to the store you purchased it at and they can help you. DO NOT call 1800THEBOOK!

Out with the old...

Our old stinkin' washer...
The Sears guys bring in my new one this morning...YAY!
My new Kenmore Elite HE2 Plus!

This is a little review by me, your above average (with family of 8) consumer. In December of 2004 we moved into our new home. At this time, I purchased a new washer and dryer. They are both Fisher & Paykel Ecosmart units. Over time we were having many problems with the washer. It would leave streaks of black on our clothes. It turns out it was build up on the inside of the stainless steel drum. I had to use Cascade dishwasher detergent to clean it out periodically. Also, I have replaced at least a dozen shirts in the past year because simple stains would not come out. (Read: clothes are not getting clean.) Fast forward to going almost full time with cloth diapers for Eden. I tried everything to get the smells out and it just wasn't working. I realized several things after examining the wash cycles of the F&P: It only uses cold water on the cycles (except permanent press), it doesn't fill up over the clothes even if you set it to do so, it only rinses the clothing for 1-2 minutes! Then I went and read reviews on Epinions. Oh my goodness! SO...my husband bought me a new HE2 washer that was on SUPER sale at Sears. WOO HOO!