Amazon MP3 download issues in Japan.

Ever since Amazon launched their MP3 download service of DRM-free songs, I’ve been a fan. So when people asked me what kind of present to send me while I’m in Japan, I’ve said Amazon gift certificates so I could buy songs from them. With the release of a couple of new albums I planned on purchasing, I used my newly gifted Amazon credit and attempted to download.

According to the download faq, Amazon does not block downloads of music from outside the US. The only requirements are a US billing address and payment method (US issued credit card or gift certificate). So what happened? Basically, when I attempted to download half of the songs downloaded and the other half failed. In several rounds with customer service, apparently the files were there, but for some reason they would not download.

Results with Amazon downloader just said the download failed and to contact customer service. Trying to download individual files in Safari downloaded a 0.2kb file. Firefox was a little more helpful, giving the following error:

File Not Found
Firefox can’t find the file at http://amazonm-112.vo.llnwd.net/s/d9/100681/100681344/207892112_256.mp3?httpHeader_Content-Type=audio/x-amzaudio&httpHeader_Content-Disposition=attachment; filename=”10 – She.mp3″&e=1227791218&h=2aebd576fc04ed68de951a75b0fa6c38.

While a resolution may have been possible over the phone, I didn’t want to pay for the international phone call. So after everything was said and done Amazon decided to refund my money, basically giving up. I’ll be trying iTunes next.

Has anyone out there had any experience fixing this issue?

Mac Refurb

Have you ever wanted up to the minute updates of the Apple Refurbished Store? This site will build you a custom RSS feed of the Refurb Store’s current offerings, it can also list deals that have sold out, pretty sweet! http://debin.net/apple_refurb/

Batteryrefill.com finale

Batteryrefill.com needs to stop the bleeding. I do not know how much longer they can stay in business with the turn around times they’ve given me and other customers.

I sent my Vaio Picturebook battery in over a month ago, and got a prompt email that they shipped it, less than two weeks later. A week passed, two weeks passed, and still no battery. So I called them, and the Post Office, held all their packages because one battery leaked. Well, fine… they sent me a replacement two weeks later (going on over a month without battery). It did not charge. So I called again, and they had all the packages returned. Yesterday, a month and a half later, I received the original battery I’d sent in the beginning, and it works!

I don’t know what to say. On the one hand, I really love the service the company provides. Replacement batteries, with better cells, at at a lower price than an OEM or non-OEM. The telephone customer service is great too, you get to talk to a person, however the turnaround just sucks!

Does anyone know of an alternative???

5 liters of frothy goodness

On my trip to Costco the yesterday, I scored! In the beer section, there was this glorious mini-keg of Heineken that was calling my name. For $18 I absolutely had to try it out. Since I do not have the space for a keg fridge, this mini-keg of Heineken was a perfect fit in my small apartment.

Tapping the keg was easy, there are two plastic pieces that fit together on the top, to form the tap, and in a few seconds the perfect pint! As with most kegs, the first glass is all foam, but going forward it’s all good.

After enjoying my first glass, I’m hooked. I don’t know how I will handle bottle/can beer anymore. If you’re into a some imported lager, you definately have to try this one!

Battery Finale

After a couple weeks, my Dell finally has its battery. The outlook looks good. I charged it to 100%, and am trying to complete batteryrefill.com’s recommended conditioning cycles. Since I have the extended battery, it’s been discharging for a few hours now… and I have a few hours to go. I guess, it’ll have to discharge over night.All in all, I am a satisfied customer. batteryrefill.com really does have good, responsive customer service. I would recommend foregoing the e-mail route, and just give them a phonecall. At the beginning of the week, I sent an old Sony battery for my Picturebook. Hopefully, that’ll arrive in my mailbox within a week or two. 

New battery

I’ve mentioned a company called batteryrefill.com previous posts. A couple months ago, I decided to take the plunge and try their services. Basically, this company takes your battery apart, and changes out the power cells, with new ones. I really like the idea of this service because it eliminates waste products, and the cells are replaced by higher capacity cells giving you more battery life.

I first read about batteryrefill.com on a forum for Sony Picturebooks, so when my Dell’s battery up and died, I thought it was a good time to try their service. Since my battery was not listed on their website, I filled out the price quote page, where they ask you the specs on the battery: $85 was the damage. The price seemed reasonable considering the price of a new one from Dell, and I have not had the best of luck with those aftermarket batteries. After you place the order, they e-mail you a pdf document that includes the shipping information. Just print it out and tape it to your package, and drop it in the outgoing mail.

My package was received on March 28th, so based on their website information, I was expecting the battery to arrive mid-April. I was wrong, this is where the waiting game began. Around April 28th, a month after they received my package, I e-mailed them, and was informed my battery had not been worked on yet, and I should contact them in a week, to which I responded by e-mail stating my disappointment. A little over a week passed with no response to my e-mail, so I decided to call. I was surprised to get an actual support person, who was very cordial, and seem to recognize I would not be happy when he looked up my order information. He was able to avert my wrath by immediately going to their technicians to check the status of my battery. Returning a few minutes later to let me know that it was being worked on and I would have it shipped express mail by May 15th at the latest. I didn’t see any point in complaining, so I just let it go with a “thank you.”

To my surprise, my battery just arrived today, a couple days early.

Prying the battery apart is not easy, so there are blemishes left on the case:

Currently, I am going through the recharge-discharge process. Sometimes computers do not recognize the higher capacity cells, and do not let them charge fully. This process is supposed to fix that problem. I can’t wait to see if the battery lasts longer than previously, as the forums are pointing to mixed results. I’ll be happy if the battery works properly.

As to whether I can continue to recommend batteryrefill.com’s service. I have mixed feelings. My biggest complaint is that they advertise a fast two week turnaround, but in reality customer service is saying 3-4 weeks (or 6 weeks in my case). If you’re in desperate need of a new battery I would recommend against using them. However, if you have a hard to find battery, can stand the [possible] wait, or cannot get a cheaper battery elsewhere, then go for it. They do have decent customer service, and good prices. Personally, I will most likely try them again.

Need a new laptop?

Do you have an old working laptop sitting around, not being used? Are you in the market for a new one? Right now, until the end of the year, Sony has got a great deal going on. Purchase a business class notebook (BX, TX, SZ, UX series), trade in your old laptop, and get at least $400 cash back. Old is the keyword here, old means anything including that 486 junker, it just has to power on with the battery. Sony laptop trade in’s start at $600 cash back. You can read about it from Sony here.

Someone else gets to be a millionaire.

Back in 1996, I thought of something to invent. I wanted a tablet that I could mount on the shower wall to take notes of other brilliant ideas. It would have been made out of a plexiglass sheet with suction cups to hold it in place, and you would use a waterproof crayon like divers use to write with.

Now the product is reality, enter the Erasable Shower Note Tablet. Only someone else gets to be the millionaire if this becomes a runaway hit. Back to the drawing board for me.

End of the dollar store

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to shop in Japan, look no further than Alderwood Mall’s Daiso. The equivalent of a dollar store, Daiso is complete with Japanese employees, product packaging, and customers. With quality items in three price catagories: $1.00, $1.50, and $2.00, this store is a winner. You don’t know how relieved I am to not have to bring suitcases of this stuff back from Japan every year!

As a bonus, if you buy any glasses, plates, or other fragile items, you even have the chance of getting some free pr0n. On grand opening day, they were wrapping items in “Sports” newspapers, which are geared for the Japanese businessman with news information including business, finance, sports, gambling, and sex! I was a little surpised to see the newspaper with a naked Japanese girl posing on the counter… I’ll keep watching the local news for complaints.