Don't Try This At Home

I am a gadget guy. I use a tablet PC, have an MP3 player, and a WiFi network. I am only lacking for an HD TV and a hybrid car. I also carry (or carried) a Treo 650 smartphone, which I love(d)and for which I am in mourning.

To make a longish story short, do not mix the following: a grande coffee with sugar, a Treo smartphone, and a small sink on a boat. Boats move. Coffee tips. Gravity does its thing. Your phone, marinated in sugar-infused coffee up to two hours will become a surprisingly soggy mess. When dry, it becomes a sticky mess.

According to PalmOne, Treos subjected to liquid damage are not repairable. So, following instructions I found on line, I squirted plastic-safe contact cleaner into the keyboard. No dice. The unit turns on but the keyboard has about as much play in it as a brick. The keys just don't move.

Figuring I cannot make matters any worse, I have ordered a set of small Torx wrenches to open the thing up, thereby voiding my warranty, which is no good anyway since this is not a factory defect, normal wear and tear, or anything but me forgetting the fundamental laws of physics. I'm hoping that when I open it, there will be a big gunky spot I can clean with a toothbrush and get back to business. If not, I'm going to have to go back to Sprint and explain why I need to buy another $500 phone. I'm sure they won't mind.

Comments

Larry said…
In case anyone is following this saga, I have failed in my mission. Turns out there is more to opening the Treo than a number four Torx wrench. The sides appear to be force fit together in a way that defies simple prying open. I worked at it, but was afraid I would crack the case. I'm sure it was designed to prevent exactlt this kind of futzing. I'm also sure there is some secret tool for popping them open. If anyone knows, please send me a note.
Aug 2, 2005, 8:59:00 AM
Anonymous said…
There is a guide to removing the camera from a Treo 650 which covers opening it in the Treocentral forums.

http://discussion.treocentral.com/showthread.php?t=84979&highlight=torx
Aug 2, 2005, 3:44:00 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ruling of the Week 2015.8: Old Jersey and Pitcairn Island

Image
For today's ROTW, I set out looking for a ruling dealing with some far off and preferably warm location. Turns out that, with the exception of coastwise transit issues, there are no Customs and Border Protection rulings involving Pitcairn Island or any of several Pacific Ocean microstates including Tuvalu , Niue , and Kiribati . Pitcairn Island What I did find is an interesting question about the country of origin marking for products of the Bailiwick of Jersey Island, Channel Islands. The ruling is HQ 561938 (Mar. 18, 2002). For those of you who may not know, Jersey is an island off the coast of Normandy, France. It is an independent international actor and not part of the U.K. although the U.K. is responsible for its defense and external relations. Also, the Queen is the Head of State in her capacity as "the Crown in Right of Jersey." It is, according to the U.S. Department of State, a " Crown Dependency " along with the Isle of Man and the Bailiwick o...
Read more

CAFC Decision in Double Invoicing Case

The Federal Circuit has issued a decision on the merits in United States v. Inn Foods, Inc.  There had been a previous decision on jurisdiction, which was followed by a trial at the Court of International Trade and then this appeal on the substance. The initial issue is whether Inn Foods' invoicing practice amounts to fraud.  Inn Foods had been receiving an invoice from growers in Mexico that had a relatively low sales prices on it.  Subsequent to entry, Inn Foods created a second invoice at something more similar to market value, retaining the original invoice number, and paid at that higher amount.   Superficially, this looks like a standard-issue double-invoicing scheme.  But, in the age of reconciliation, is it really more like a provisional pricing mechanism?  It might have been possible to make that argument had Inn Foods adjusted its entries accordingly.  It didn't and the loss of revenue was approximately $624,000.  Based on testimony and evidence indicating both knowl...
Read more

Ninestar and UFLPA Exhaustion

Image
Exhaustion is a key doctrine in administrative law. When applicable, it requires that a party unhappy with an agency’s determination complete the administrative appeal process before turning to the courts for judicial review. Requiring exhaustion typically promotes judicial efficiency by ensuring that disputes are resolved at the agency and, if they are not, that there is a complete record of the agency process. Exhaustion also ensures that the judiciary respects the executive agencies and their expertise.  There are, on the other hand, times when the courts will find that exhaustion is not necessary or appropriate. Such is the case in  Ninestar Corporation et al. v. United States  et al., a decision of the U.S. Court of International Trade.  Ninestar is also interesting because it is one of the first cases in the CIT involving the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, known as UFLPA. In my hiatus from active blogging, I missed the rise of UFLPA as a major compliance t...
Read more