Best Buy Sold Infected Digital Picture Frames
Despite all of the Geek Squad shenanigans and the pushy salespeople who are eager to force extended warranties down our throats, Best Buy isn't a horrible place. But its recent blunder may have finally sealed the deal for some who just don't like the company. Best Buy sold a "limited number" of Insignia virus-infected digital photo frames. Insignia is Best Buy's electronics house brand.
The digital photo frame in question is the Insignia 10.4-inch model number NS-DPF10A and was sold on or around the holiday season online and in-store. Best Buy was quick to jump into PR mode and say that the virus is "older" and "easily identified and removed by current anti-virus software." The alert continues that Best Buy is taking the matter very seriously. Oh really?
If by taking this seriously you really mean giving the consumer limited instructions for repair and nothing else, then sure. But this is not the case. The extent of repair instructions say to plug the digital photo frame into a PC with up to date anti-virus software and everything will be fine and dandy. Really? I did my time as a computer repair goon and I vividly recall fighting tooth and nail to clean a computer infected with even the oldest viruses.
Oh, but wait. There is a customer support number! So let me get this straight, rather than commissioning Geek Squard, your in house computer repair service, to easily clean up the "limited" number of infected computers that received a bonus virus, you are putting it into the hands of the consumer, whose only fault was buying a product from you. Nice one, Best Buy. What about a recall? Gift certificate? Anything?
If you do have an infected frame, my only suggestion is to do what Best Buy says -- update your anti-virus software, plug in the frame and pray. I would also suggest backing up any files, as well. You could always write a letter to your congressman, but those always go into the trash anyway.
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In your haste to post this, you must have missed the OTHER press release (from two days ago) which mentions that Insignia is offering technical support to all users affected by this.
"Because customers load and share files to these frames in many different ways, we?re providing one-on-one support to make sure that each customer impacted can access the solution that best meets their needs. Again, customers who have questions about their digital picture frame should call Insignia customer care at 1-877-467-4289. An Insignia representative will be available to answer questions and determine what actions are necessary to ensure your digital picture frame and computer are clean and fully functional."
Excuse me? Customer support? Who cares how many offers of customer support there are? Why not tell the customers to bring the infected frame back to the store and get one that's not infected? Maybe with a discount for their trouble? Why does the customer have to worry about fixing something that is in no way their fault?
Best Buy really dropped the ball on this one!
Just another way for BestBuy to take no responsibility for anything that effects their profits..
Apart from calling the Insignia support line, you can take the picture frame and your infected computer along with the receipt to any BBY store; and Geek Squad will take care of removing the virus at no charge.
Apart from calling the Insignia support line, you can take the picture frame and your infected computer along with the receipt to any BBY store; and Geek Squad will take care of removing the virus at no charge.
Aside from calling the Insignia support line, you can take the picture frame and your infected computer along with the receipt to any BBY store; and Geek Squad will take care of removing the virus at no charge.
The author of this article is not very helpful, and neither is the article. So you bash Best Buy for not doing enough to protect the customer, and then you say "my only suggestion is to do what Best Buy says -- update your anti-virus software, plug in the frame and pray.". That's some great advice you have there, after bashing that that isn't enough. And Best buy offering gift cards for a problem that wasn't their fault, and for a product where there profit margin is way less than any reasonable gift card could offer? Get real. The reader comments were more helpful than this article. And I'm not a fan of Best Buy myself, but let's get realistic here.
The author ends his article with a cynical comment having NO data to back it up: "You could always write a letter to your congressman, but those always go into the trash anyway."
Comments like this indirectly discourage people from doing what does often work: write their congressional representatives. Take, for instance, the ongoing fight for net neutrality. I--and others like me--have written . . . and we continue to write, often getting replies--and action--from those very same congressional reps. The key is getting a "critical mass" of writers. Enough writers = pressure to do something.
Mr. Hudson, when you write about computers, write about computers. Keep your destructive cynicism on other matters to yourself . . . where it belongs.