Extended warranties for laptops might not be as comprehensive and straightforward as they seem, the Consumers’ Foundation said last week.
As many consumers experience a period of financial constraint, extended warranties are seen by some as necessary insurance for the pricy electronic devices, but their utility is questioned by many.
To address these doubts, the foundation decided to investigate the value of extended warranties, which are usually provided by either the manufacturer or retailer of a laptop.
A closer look at the warranties revealed that so-called global policies are not global, the foundation said.
“Most brand-name laptop companies guarantee global coverage, but actually only provide product maintenance in 10 percent of countries, mostly in North America, China and in other countries’ major cities,” the foundation said.
Also, since there are no regulations stating the length of warranties, clever marketing can make consumers think that their laptops are covered for longer than they really are, the foundation added.
For example, at least four laptop makers surveyed by the watchdog include a first-year warranty free of charge in their extended warranty package, which makes the extended warranty appear to cover a longer period than it actually does, the agency said.
The foundation also found that extended warranties often only cover partial maintenance after the second year. The warranty period depends on the part of the laptop that needs to be fixed, and accessories are often not included.
Consumers should be aware of the differences between warranties offered by original manufacturers and those offered by retailers, the group said.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
RSS