The other day I enjoyed a good giggle reading about Suzanne’s computer crisis (soon resolved) over at bizzyville. Then, yesterday morning, I had a technology breakdown of my own.
My overpriced alarm clock went pfft. Yep, my Cambridge Soundworks Radio CD 740, purchased in late March 2006, no longer keeps time at all. No alarms, no time display except “12:00 AM” that never advances, never retreats, and can’t be reset. I assume a chip inside has died. The radio and CD functions seem to be unaffected.
But I’ve been relying on this dual-alarm-equipped darling to wake me up in the mornings. And now that I’m working again, that’s important. Very important.
I need six to seven hours sleep at night, and often need a couple of alarms to get up and out of my nice cozy bed. Especially on a winter morning when the weather outside is very low on degrees. Like today. There are only three friggin’ degrees out there. Yeesh.
Speaking of needing sleep, Suzanne at bizzyville got her PC fixed and tells us about her new sleepytime ‘fly buddy, and the complications, here.
Back to my busted toy. I liked this thing so much I even blogged about it when I bought it. But a $350 piece of electronic equipment - something as basic as a radio, clock and CD player – should last longer than 21 months. Don’t you think?
I’ve emailed Cambridge Soundworks about my options with this horked-up gadget. Repair? Replace? At what cost? If I don’t like the answer, I’m off to the Bose store. For $350, they have a plain old Wave Radio II with no CD player but two alarms and great sound and aux input jacks. And since I rarely play CDs anymore except to get them into my iTunes library and onto my iPod, that’s just fine.
(Yes, I know you can buy a cheap clock radio, or a decent alarm clock, for a lot less than $350. I also want a good-sounding audio device to listen to in the master bedroom. Can’t stand tinny-sounding radios, and I’m spoiled by the good sound of the Soundworks radios and the Bose Wave radios. You literally get a roomful of great sound in a compact classy-looking little box.)
UPDATE: I talked with customer service today. The unit is “out of warranty” (sheesh, you’d think I’d learn to check how long warranties are before plopping down hundreds of bucks). Repair and return shipping will cost $65, plus what it will cost me to mail it to them for repair. That is just about one-fifth of the cost of the thing in the first place. I’m undecided right now. “Throwing good money after bad” is running through my mind. But that’s not accurate because it will get me a fully functioning clock/radio/CD player with great sound. So, do I ship it back and pay the $65? No need to decide tonight, anyway.
I’m with the “throwing good money after bad” camp. Plus a gadget that expensive should last longer, and the company isn’t standing behind it. I assume it just sat there on your bed table for less than two years. How hard could that have been on the clock??
I’d take that $65 plus shipping and put it towards the Bose. Besides, the inputs for the Ipod would seal the deal for me. (I’ve been lusting after a Bose base station for my ipod).
Not that you asked my opinion ; )
Actually, I was kind of hoping somebody would offer an opinion. Thanks.
I don’t think I’ll put out any extra money for an iPod base, even if I buy the Bose. All these things come with an AUX input jack, and I’m Ok with linking my iPod to that through the headphone jack.
I really don’t need the convenience of a remote control for my iPod when it’s hooked to a radio or external speakers.
If I want to change the song or playlist, I can darn well pick up my lazy butt and walk a few steps and adjust the iPod directly. I could always use the exercise.
That’s the great thing about those AUX input jacks. Think about it: anything with a headphone jack can be linked to it. Years ago, that would have been a cassette tape player. Then later on, a CD player. Now it’s an iPod. What will it be in ten years?
In 10 years, we’ll hook up the chip in our heads to the clock radio…
Oh, and I would write a nice complaint letter to the company where I bought that radio, in hopes that they would make it right. If not, a new company will receive my business.