ASA raps Dell over laptop ad

The Advertising Standards Authority has admonished Dell after receiving a complaint about a promotional email regarding laptops for sale at the Dell Outlet store.

In an email headlined 'Dell Outlet Great Winter Accessories Deal', the company advertised a Dell Outlet 1525 Inspiron for £237 including VAT. It also stated, "Prices of Dell Outlet Laptops start from £237."

The advert included a 'Buy Now' button, which offered a hyperlink to the online store and text that read "Available in 8 colors".

The complainant challenged whether the laptop was in fact available at the advertised price or in eight colours as claimed.

Dell responded to the watchdog's query saying that the Dell Outlet store was a distinct sub-division of the company, and offered products that had been returned to Dell after their initial sale and refurbished. As a result, availability was limited to those specifications that came into stock.

The company also pointed out that the advert stated: "Please note that our inventory is sold on a first-come, first-served basis and changes rapidly. We cannot guarantee that all displayed products will be available at the time of your visit."

According to Dell's records, 35 Inspiron 1525s were sold during November, with prices based on the individual specification of each unit.

The company acknowledged that the complainant might not have been able to purchase the laptop at the advertised price due to the nature of the store, but that the advert was not misleading because it included a disclaimer.

Similarly, Dell held that, because it made some ranges in up to eight colours, the statement should be taken in context, given the nature of the Outlet store.

However, the ASA ruled that the advert was misleading on both counts and has told Dell to ensure that future adverts clearly state where starting prices apply and that they vary according to specification, and that the limitations of available benefits such as colour ranges are clearly marked.

Dell has promised that its Outlet store will focus more closely on the requirements of the CAP Code to make sure its adverts are as clear as possible to all customers.

Article source: http://www.vnunet.com

A prepaid card makes communication with relatives and friends who live far away possible. Despite the introduction of wide online

Investing on prepaid calling cards business has been booming nowadays. This may be attributed to the affordability and convenience which it offers its consumers. Prepaid cards are all over the place like mushrooms. They can be bought almost anywhere - a convenience store, the mall, a gas station or even in newspaper stands.

Prepaid calling cards offer you the ability to save up to 50% in your regular utility phones while still being able to access calls locally or even internationally. Communication is a necessity in this world of ours. We constantly feel the need to reach out to a loved one far-away; this can be a family member, relatives, and friends. With the presence of prepaid calling cards in the market, staying connected with these people makes it easy and eliminates the worries on expensive telephone bills.

Prepaid calling cards have proven to offer the lower rates in comparison to your landline provider's rates. The use of these cards allows you to make calls in your usual phone, your mobile phone and even pay phones in public places. Convenience is truly one of its benefits. Making a call with these cards at hand makes it possible at any given time of the day - or even at night.

If you access the internet and choose to look for available cards there, then you might be confused with the vast varieties to choose from. Keep in mind just the same that it is best to do some form of research in doing so. These prepaid calling cards come with varying features, services and of course rates. You may consider these factors in narrowing your purchase given your requirements and restrictions.

A PIN is one of the features that come with getting a card. This is what needs to be dialed whenever you make a phone call. This PIN should be kept for your knowledge alone so that no one else can make calls using the card. If you find this feature rather a hassle, then it would be best to get one which does not comes without it instead.

Some cards also offer customer service. This may be one of the things you might want to consider as support often proves as a necessity for any type of service being offered. Checking on the reliability of the company who offers the service may also be considered as this will dictate the kind and quality of line that you will be using for communication.

Bottom-line is that, it is always helpful to go through a few details to ensure that you are getting the prepaid calling card which best fits your entire requirement. A little research and information gathering will go a long way just the same as it will dictate your satisfaction in the service you are about to get. Having all this at hand will ultimately help you decide on your purchase

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com

Sony recalls laptop batteries

Sony is recalling its 2.15Ah Lithium Ion batteries used in Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba and Dell notebook computers.

New Zealand is part of computer manufacturers' global recall of 100,000 laptop batteries made by Sony Corp after 40 incidents of overheating world-wide.

Some users reported smoke or flames. Four of the incidents resulted in minor skin burns while 21 of the cases caused damage to property, Sony said.

Details of the laptop models affected were available on the various company websites.

Laptop owners were advised to immediately remove the recalled battery from the computer and request a free replacement battery through the company's website.

After removing the recalled battery, the AC adapter can be used to power the computer until a replacement battery arrived.

Sony said the defect appeared to have been caused by a problem with a production line during October 2004 and June 2005.

Its own VAIO notebook computers were not affected by the recall.

In 2006 Sony was hit by recalls of almost 10 million of its batteries for laptop computers because of fears they could catch fire, burning a deep hole in the Japanese giant's profits.

Article source: www.nzherald.co.nz